Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Proteasome Subunits Relocalize during Human Cytomegalovirus Infection, and Proteasome Activity Is Necessary for Efficient Viral Gene Transcription

ABSTRACT We have continued studies to further understand the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. With specific inhibitors of the proteasome, we show that ongoing proteasome activity is necessary for facilitating the various stages of the infection. Immediate-early protein 2 expression is modestly reduced with addition of proteasome inhibitors at the onset of infection; however, both early and late gene expression are significantly delayed, even if the inhibitor is removed at 12 h postinfection. Adding the inhibitor at later times during the infection blocks the further accumulation of viral early and late gene products, the severity of which is dependent on when the proteasome is inhibited. This can be attributed primarily to a block in viral RNA transcription, although DNA synthesis is also partially inhibited. Proteasome activity and expression increase as the infection progresses, and this coincides with the relocalization of active proteasomes to the periphery of the viral DNA replication center, where there is active RNA transcription. Interestingly, one 19S subunit, Rpn2, is specifically recruited into the viral DNA replication center. The relocalization of the subunits requires viral DNA replication, but their maintenance around or within the replication center is not dependent on continued viral DNA synthesis or the proteolytic activity of the proteasome. These studies highlight the importance of the UPS at all stages of the HCMV infection and support further studies into this pathway as a potential antiviral target.
Gravity in FX R-Squared: Understanding the Factor Structure in Exchange Rates

We relate the risk characteristics of currencies to measures of physical, cultural, and institutional distance. The currencies of countries which are more distant from other countries are more exposed to systematic currency risk. This is due to a gravity effect in the factor structure of bilateral exchange rates: When a currency appreciates against a basket of all other currencies, its bilateral exchange rate appreciates more against the currencies of distant countries. As a result, currencies of peripheral countries are more exposed to the systematic variation than currencies of central countries. Trade network centrality is the best predictor of a currency’s average exposure to systematic risk.
Corporate social responsibility, real activities earnings management, and corporate governance: evidence from Korea

We examine whether a firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities are associated with real activities earnings management (RAEM) based on stakeholder perspective. We also investigate whether corporate governance (CG) moderates the relationship between CSR and RAEM. Using a sample of 1432 firm-year observations of Korean-listed firms during 2005–2010, we find that socially responsible firms are significantly and negatively associated with RAEM. More importantly, we find that this relationship is moderated by CG as measured by a composite CG index. These results remain robust after we perform various sensitivity analyses. This study primarily contributes to the literature on CSR, CG, and RAEM by providing evidence for the moderating role of CG on the relationship between CSR and RAEM.
Progressive lengthening of 3′ untranslated regions of mRNAs by alternative polyadenylation during mouse embryonic development

The 3′ untranslated regions (3′ UTRs) of mRNAs contain cis-acting elements for posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Here, we report that mouse genes tend to express mRNAs with longer 3′ UTRs as embryonic development progresses. This global regulation is controlled by alternative polyadenylation and coordinates with initiation of organogenesis and aspects of embryonic development, including morphogenesis, differentiation, and proliferation. Using myogenesis of C2C12 myoblast cells as a model, we recapitulated this process in vitro and found that 3′ UTR lengthening is likely caused by weakening of mRNA polyadenylation activity. Because alternative 3′ UTR sequences are typically longer and have higher AU content than constitutive ones, our results suggest that lengthening of 3′ UTR can significantly augment posttranscriptional control of gene expression during embryonic development, such as microRNA-mediated regulation.
Acute, sub-chronic oral toxicity studies and evaluation of antiulcer activity of Sooktyn in experimental animals

Sooktyn (SKN), mineralo-herbal drug which is being used largely by the patients for its extremely good therapeutic value to treat the gastric ulcers. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the toxicity studies and antiulcer activity of SKN. Acute and sub-chronic toxicities were studied in male and female Wistar rats. A single acute SKN of 2 000 mg/kg was administered by oral gavage for acute toxicity. Sub-chronic doses were 400 and 800 mg/kg/day. The major toxicological end points examined included animal body weight and food intake, selected tissue weights, and detailed gross necropsy. In addition, we examined blood elements: hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count and MCH, MCHC and platelets as well as biochemical parameters: urea, sugar, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total proteins, and creatinine. Also, anti-ulcer activity was carried out by employing indomethacin, ethanol, pylorus ligation, and hypothermic-stress-induced ulcer models. LD50 may be greater than 2 000 mg/kg (orally) for SKN and there were no signs of toxicity on 28 days sub-chronic oral administration of 400 and 800 mg/kg of SKN in rats on the basis of blood elements and biochemical parameters. The ulcer indices decrease in all ulcer models with 66.62%, 61.24%, 80.18%, and 74.76% in indomethacin, ethanol, pylorus ligation, and hypothermic-stress-induced ulcer models, respectively. The results suggest that SKN has no signs of toxicity at 2 000 mg/kg body weight of rats orally; sub-chronically. The drug is safe and has antiulcer activity.
The role of paraoxonase polymorphisms in the induction of micronucleus in paraoxon‐treated human lymphocytes

Human paraoxonase‐1 (PON1) is a high‐density lipoprotein‐associated enzyme that has a role in the detoxification of organophosphorus compounds by hydrolyzing the bioactive oxons. PON1 polymorphims are responsible, at least in part, for the variation in the catalytic activity and expression of the enzyme and have been associated with susceptibility to organophosphorus pesticide toxicity, mainly neurotoxicity. The aim of this study was to determine whether paraoxon induced micronuclei and to examine the role of PON1 polymorphism in paraoxon's genotoxic potential. First, dose finding cytogenetic experiments were performed on lymphocyte cultures from three donors and a range of paraoxon concentration (1–25 μM) were tested. In a second set of experiments, 5 μM paraoxon was added to blood cultures of 11 donors with two different PON1 haplotypes (PON T−108M55Q192 with low activity and haplotype PON C−108L55 R192 with high activity, referred to as PON1QQ and as PON1 RR, respectively). Because PON1 is present in blood, the effect of adding 5 μM paraoxon and 70 μl of autologous plasma to lymphocyte cultures also was examined. Paraoxon had no effect on cell viability, but caused a significant dose‐dependent increase in MN frequency. The basal MN frequencies were similar on QQ and RR genotypes. A significant difference was observed in the MN frequency only in lymphocytes from individuals with the QQ genotype treated with 5 μM paraoxon and the autologous plasma did not modify these effects. The results obtained in this study suggest that PON1 genotype might have an important role in the identification of individuals at risk for cancer development due to occupational exposure to pesticides. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Transmission of Nominal Exchange Rate Variation to Domestic Prices and Monetary Policy in Tunisia

Since the end of 1987, Tunisia had targeted a stable real exchange rate to maintain competitiveness, rather than a nominal exchange rate that would serve as an anchor for inflation expectations. Currently, Tunisia is moving towards more flexible exchange rate regime and a monetary policy focused on preserving price stability while gradually liberalizing its capital account, so understanding and quantifying nominal exchange rate changes transmission into inflation is of great importance. A monetary policy which is aiming to preserve price stability requires the estimation of inflation reaction to nominal exchange rate movements known as "Pass through". The purpose of the paper is to assess this pass-through, in focusing on the relationship between inflation and the real exchange rate. Based on the standard definition of the real exchange rate referred to as the domestic relative price of tradable to non-tradable goods and in line with S. Edwards’ model (2006), we try to separate the reaction of the price of tradables to variations in the nominal exchange rate (direct effect) of non-tradables prices (indirect effect). This question is addressed by estimating a couple of equations using Seemingly Unrelated Regressions (SURE) method, on a monthly basis over 1986-2010 period. The set of equation is gathering national prices, nominal exchange rates, foreign prices and control variables as a monetary aggregate. Results show a small amount of pass-through due basically to the composition of Consumption Price Index (CPI) which is administrated for the 1/3 of its components in Tunisia. Besides, results highlight that direct effect is larger than indirect effect that confirms the effectiveness of the nominal exchange rate as shock absorber.
Stem/progenitor cell proliferation factors FGF‐2, IGF‐1, and VEGF exhibit early decline during the course of aging in the hippocampus: Role of astrocytes

Dentate neurogenesis, important for learning and memory, declines dramatically by middle age. Although studies have shown that this age‐related decrease can be reversed to some extent by exogenous applications of mitogenic factors, it is unclear whether one or more of these factors exhibits decline by middle age. We hypothesize that multiple stem/progenitor cell proliferation factors exhibit early decline during the course of aging in the hippocampus, and some of these declines are linked to age‐related alterations in hippocampal astrocytes. We measured the concentrations of fibroblast growth factor‐2 (FGF‐2), insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the hippocampus of young, middle‐aged, and aged F344 rats, using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, we quantified the total number of FGF‐2 immunopositive (FGF‐2+) and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunopositive (GFAP+) cells in the dentate gyrus and the entire hippocampus. Our results provide new evidence that the concentrations of FGF‐2, IGF‐1, and VEGF decline considerably by middle age but remain steady between middle age and old age. Further, decreased concentrations of FGF‐2 during aging are associated with decreased numbers of FGF‐2+ astrocytes. Quantification of GFAP+ cells, and GFAP and FGF‐2 dual immunostaining analyses, reveal that aging does not decrease the total number of astrocytes but fractions of astrocytes that express FGF‐2 decline considerably by middle age. Thus, dramatically decreased dentate neurogenesis by middle age is likely linked to reduced concentrations of FGF‐2, IGF‐1, and VEGF in the hippocampus, as each of these factors can individually influence the proliferation of stem/progenitor cells in the dentate gyrus. Additionally, the results demonstrate that decreased FGF‐2 concentration during aging is a consequence of age‐related impairment in FGF‐2 synthesis by astrocytes. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Performance of nucleic acid amplification tests for diagnosis of tuberculosis in a large urban setting.

BACKGROUND A diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) relies on acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear and culture results. Two rapid tests that use nucleic acid amplification (NAA) have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the diagnosis of TB based on detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from specimens obtained from the respiratory tract. We evaluated the performance of NAA testing under field conditions in a large urban setting with moderate TB prevalence. METHODS The medical records of patients with suspected TB during 2000-2004 were reviewed. Analysis was restricted to the performance of NAA on specimens collected within 7 days after the initiation of treatment for TB. The assay's sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively) were evaluated. RESULTS The proportion of patients with confirmed or suspected TB whose respiratory tract specimens were tested by use of NAA increased from 429 (12.9%) of 3334 patients in 2000 to 527 (15.6%) of 3386 patients in 2004; NAA testing among patients whose respiratory tract specimens tested positive for AFB increased from 415 (43.6%) of 952 patients in 2000 to 487 (55.5%) of 877 patients in 2004 (P < .001 for both trends). Of the 16,511 patients being evaluated for pulmonary TB, 4642 (28.1%) had specimens that tested positive for AFB on smear. Of those 4642 patients, 2241 (48.3%) had NAA performed on their specimens. Of those 2241 patients, 1279 (57.1%) had positive test results. Of those 1279 patients, 1262 (98.7%) were confirmed to have TB. For 1861 (40.1%) of the 4642 patients whose specimens tested positive for AFB on smear, the NAA test had a sensitivity of 96.0%, a specificity of 95.3%, a PPV of 98.0%, and an NPV of 90.9%. For 158 patients whose specimens tested negative for AFB on smear, the NAA test had a sensitivity of 79.3%, a specificity of 80.3%, a PPV of 83.1%, and an NPV of 76.0%, respectively. For the 215 specimens that tested positive for AFB by smear, we found a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 97.5%, 93.6%, 95.1%, and 96.8%, respectively. A high-grade smear was associated with a better test performance. CONCLUSION NAA testing was helpful for determining whether patients whose specimens tested positive for AFB on smear had TB or not. This conclusion supports the use of this test for early diagnosis of pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB.
Cortical GABAergic Interneurons Transiently Assume a Sea Urchin-Like Nonpolarized Shape before Axon Initiation

Mature neurons polarize by extending an axon and dendrites. In vitro studies of dissociated neurons have demonstrated that axons are initiated from a nonpolarized stage. Dissociated hippocampal neurons form four to five minor neurites shortly after plating but then one of them starts to elongate rapidly to become the future axon, whereas the rest constitutes the dendrites at later stages. However, neuroepithelial cells as well as migrating neurons in vivo are already polarized, raising the possibility that mature neurons inherit the polarities of immature neurons of neuroepithelial or migrating neurons. Here we show that the axon of interneurons in mouse cortical explant emerges from a morphologically nonpolarized shape. The morphological maturation of cortical interneurons labeled by electroporation at an embryonic stage was analyzed by time-lapse imaging during the perinatal stage. In contrast to earlier stages, most interneurons at this stage show sea urchin-like nonpolarized shapes with alternately extending and retracting short processes. Abruptly, one of these processes extends to give rise to an outstandingly long axon-like process. Given that the interneurons exhibit typical polarized shapes during embryonic development, the present results suggest that axon–dendrite polarity develops from a nonpolarized intermediate stage.
The expression and functional involvement of nuclease‐specific idiotype on nuclease‐primed helper T cells

The expression and functional significance of idiotypic determinants on antigen‐specific helper T (Th) cell populations for responses to Staphylococcal nuclease (Nase) were evaluated in an in vitro antibody response system. Trinitrophenyl (TNP)‐specific plaque‐forming cell responses to TNP‐conjugates of Nase (TNP‐Nase) were shown to require the cooperation of Nase‐primed Th cells as well as unprimed B and accessory cells. The expression on these antigen‐primed Th cells of idiotypic determinants cross‐reactive with those on anti‐Nase antibodies was demonstrated by the specific elimination of Th cells for TNP‐Nase by treatment with affinity‐purified anti‐idiotypic antibodies plus complement. The susceptibility of Nase‐primed Th cells to elimination by such treatment was specific in that anti‐idiotypic antibodies affected Th cells only from strains normally expressing the same (or a cross‐reactive) idiotype on anti‐Nase antibodies. A functional role of the idiotypes expressed on Nase‐primed Th cells was suggested by the fact that anti‐idiotypic antibody present throughout the period of culture, in the absence of complement, suppressed responses to TNP‐Nase in an antigen‐ and strain‐specific manner. It was further shown, by cell mixing experiments, that this inhibition appeared to occur at the level of the Th cells and was not dependent on the strain of origin of the B cells. Thus, antigen‐specific Nase‐primed Th cells express strain‐specific idiotypic determinants cross‐reactive with, or identical to, those of anti‐Nase antibodies. These cell surface idiotypic determinants appear to be functionally involved in the activity of Th cells for the induction of antibody responses to TNP‐Nase in vitro.
Increased effects of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) in a rat model of depression

3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is associated with increases in core body temperature (TC) and depressive mood states in users. Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats represent a rat model of depression originally bred from Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats. They are more sensitive to both muscarinic and serotonergic agonists and have altered thermoregulatory responses to various drugs. To examine the link between MDMA and depression, eight FSL and eight SD rats were administered saline and 5 and 7.5 mg/kg MDMA. Immediately following administration, rats were confined to an area with an ambient temperature (TA) of 30 ± 1°C for 30 minutes before being allowed access to a thermal gradient for four hours. The brains were removed one week after final dose of MDMA and concentrations of serotonin and dopamine were measured. Treatment with MDMA at both doses led to a higher TC in the FSL rats than the SD rats at high TA (P < 0.01). Fatalities due to hyperthermia occurred in the FSL rats after both doses, whereas all but one of the SD rats recovered well. Heart rate was also much higher after MDMA in the FSL rats throughout the experiments. The FSL rats showed significant decreases in all transmitters measured (P < 0.05). These differences between strains were not accounted for by altered blood or brain concentrations of MDMA. The results indicate that the FSL rats may be more susceptible to developing MDMA‐induced hyperthermia and possible damage to the brain. These findings may be of importance to human users of MDMA who also have depression.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2004-2012

In the present essay, I briefly describe the transition from the original Times Higher Education Supplement World University Rankings, which were developed together with Qua - quarelli Symonds (QS), to the Times Higher Education world rankings powered by Thomson Reuters. In addition, I describe the 'sample' characteristics (i.e. the distribution of respondents by geographic area and scientific discipline) of the Thomson Reuters' annual academic reputational surveys, upon which 2 key indicators for the categories of teaching and research are based, during 2010 to 2012. Finally, I briefly discuss the criticisms raised concerning these 2 ranking systems.
Factors that Influence Consumer Adoption of E-government Services in the UAE: A UTAUT Model Perspective

ABSTRACT The objective of this research study is to identify the constructs and factors important to the user-centric transformation of e-governments. The research design follows the comprehensive Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model. The primary data for the research were collected from potential and current users of e-government services in the United Arab Emirates. Exploratory factor analysis was used to extract the important constructs from the 19 factors identified from the literature. Regression analysis was used to identify the influence of individual constructs on overall satisfaction, while correlation analysis was used to identify the relationship between Internet usage and user satisfaction. Analysis of variance and t-test were used to identify potential differences among demographic factors and their overall satisfaction with e-government services. This study identifies confidentiality and users’ trust and attitudes toward using technology as key determinants of overall satisfaction and the subsequent adoption of e-government services. The study also identifies significant differences in how different genders adopt the use of e-government services.
Characterizing Spatiotemporal Patterns of White Mold in Soybean across South Dakota Using Remote Sensing

xix CHAPTER 1: LITTERATURE REVIEW. 1 1.1. Soybean (Glycine max) generalities . 1 1.2. Soybean diseases and impacts on yield . 3 1.3. Crop disease detection and mapping with Remote Sensing . 7 1.3. 1. Disease detection with remote sensing . 7 1.3. 2. Landsat data fusion for crops time-series analyses . 10 1.4. Research goal, objectives and hypotheses. 15 1.5. Significance of the study . 16 1.6. Organization of the dissertation . 17 CHAPTER 2: MAPPING AND QUANTIFYING WHITE MOLD IN SOYBEAN ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA USING LANDSAT IMAGES. 19 2.1. Abstract . 19 2.2. Introduction . 20 2.3. Materials and methods . 23
Schooling and Seat Belt Use

In the health production literature, schooling has distinguished itself as "the most important correlate of good health," according to Fuchs [11]. Economists have been so persuasive in their demonstration of the importance of schooling that medical researchers are increasingly drawing attention to lack of schooling as a "risk factor" in a variety of diseases [24]. While there is little doubt among health economists about the empirical strength of the relation between schooling and health, there is considerable controversy surrounding explanations for the empirical association. Grossman [15; 16] maintains that schooling directly enhances health, for example, by increasing knowledge pertaining to healthy habits. Fuchs [11; 12], on the other hand, maintains that schooling serves as an empirical proxy for some unobserved "third" variable which also happens to be associated with health. The "third" variable most frequently mentioned is time preference. Fuchs rejects the Grossman idea that education plays a direct role in promoting health. The debate has relevance for policy. If schooling promotes health, it could be argued that expenditures on schooling could be compared to, for example, expenditures on medical care as an alternative for increasing average life-spans. But, if Fuchs is right, any expenditure comparisons would be futile.