Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oligomerization, transport, and Golgi retention of Punta Toro virus glycoproteins

We have investigated the oligomerization and intracellular transport of the membrane glycoproteins of Punta Toro virus, a member of the Phlebovirus genus of the family Bunyaviridae, which is assembled by budding in the Golgi complex. By using one- or two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, chemical cross-linking, and sucrose gradient centrifugation, we found that the majority of the G1 and G2 glycoproteins are assembled into noncovalently linked G1-G2 heterodimers. At the same time, a fraction of the G2 protein, possibly produced independently of the G1 protein, is assembled into G2 homodimers. Kinetic analysis indicates that heterodimerization occurs between newly synthesized G1 and G2 within 3 min after protein synthesis, and that the G1 and G2 glycoproteins are associated as dimeric forms both during transport and after accumulation in the Golgi complex. Analysis of a G1-truncated G2 mutant, which is also targeted to the Golgi complex, showed that these molecules also assemble into dimeric forms, which are linked by disulfide bonds. Both the G1-G2 heterodimer and the G2 homodimer were found to be able to exit from the endoplasmic reticulum. Differences in transport kinetics observed for the G1 and G2 proteins may be due to the differences in the transport efficiency between the G1-G2 heterodimer and the G2 homodimer from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex. These and previous results (S.-Y. Chen, Y. Matsuoka, and R.W. Compans, Virology 183:351-365, 1991) suggest that Golgi retention of the G2 homodimer occurs by association with the G1-G2 heterodimer, whereas the Golgi targeting of the G1-G2 heterodimer occurs by a specific retention mechanism.
Relationship between fetal growth and the development of asthma and atopy in childhood

BACKGROUND A study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between birth anthropometric measures and the subsequent development of asthma, airway hyperresponsiveness, and atopy in later childhood. METHODS A longitudinal study was performed on 734 subjects (71%) from a cohort of children born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1972–73. The birth anthropometric measures were available from hospital records and the main outcome measures of reported asthma, skin prick tests, and methacholine hyperresponsiveness were measured at the age of 13 years, while the serum total IgE was measured at 11 years. RESULTS After adjustment for other factors, infants with a larger head circumference at birth tended to have higher serum total IgE at 11 years of age (p = 0.02) but IgE was not associated significantly with birth length or birth weight. The adjusted odds ratio for raised serum IgE (>150 IU/ml) in infants with a head circumference of 37 cm or more was 3.4 (95% CI 1.4 to 7.9). In contrast, recent asthma symptoms were positively associated with birth length (p = 0.04) but not with head circumference. The adjusted odds ratio for asthma in the previous two years in infants with a birth length of 56 cm or more was 6.4 (95% CI 2.0 to 19.8). Infants with a birth weight of less than 3.0 kg had an odds ratio for reported asthma of 0.2 (95% CI 0.0–0.6). There were no significant associations of any of the birth parameters with skin prick positivity, reported hay fever, or eczema. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that increased fetal growth is related to an increased risk of asthma and atopy in childhood. The precision of the findings is limited by the small numbers in the extreme categories of each birth parameter, but the results are consistent with intrauterine programming of the developing respiratory and immune systems.
Wrinkle Detection Using Hessian Line Tracking

Wrinkles play an important role in the face-based analysis. They have been widely used in applications, such as facial retouching, facial expression recognition, and face age estimation. Although a few techniques for a wrinkle analysis have been explored in the literature, poor detection limits the accuracy and reliability of wrinkle segmentation. Therefore, an automated wrinkle detection method is crucial to maintain consistency and reduce human error. In this paper, we propose Hessian line tracking (HLT) to overcome the detection problem. HLT is composed of Hessian seeding and directional line tracking. It is an extension of a Hessian filter; however, it significantly increases the accuracy of wrinkle localization when compared with existing methods. In the experimental phase, three coders were instructed to annotate wrinkles manually. To assess the manual annotation, both intrareliability and interreliability were measured, with an accuracy of 94% or above. The experimental results show that the proposed method is capable of tracking hidden pixels; thus, it increases connectivity of detection between wrinkles, allowing some fine wrinkles to be detected. In comparison to the state-of-the-art methods such as the Cula Method, Frangi Filter, and Hybrid Hessian Filter, the proposed HLT yields better results, with an accuracy of 84%. This paper demonstrates that the HLT is a remarkably strong detector of forehead wrinkles in 2-D images.
The Clinical Course of Postinfectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Five-year Follow-up Study

Objectives Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder seen in general practice. Bacterial gastroenteritis has been known to be a risk factor for IBS. We investigated the clinical course, risk factors, and prognosis of postinfectious IBS (PI-IBS) 5 years after Shigella infection. Methods We recruited 153 individuals and used a questionnaire to investigate their current bowel habits. We also looked for the presence of other functional bowel disorders (FBDs). The Shigella-exposed group consisted of hospital employees and medical students who experienced abdominal pain, diarrhea, or fever during the shigellosis outbreak and whose stool culture revealed Shigella sonnei. The control group consisted of age-matched and sex-matched subjects who corresponded fairly well with patients, considering that they were enrolled from the same hospital and were not infected. Results Complete data were obtained from 119 individuals who were divided into the Shigella-exposed group (59) and the control group (60). In the Shigella-exposed group, 3 patients had IBS before infection (previous IBS) and 6 out of 13 cases of PI-IBS after 3 years showed persistent IBS after 5 years. Five out of 11 PI-IBS patients (45.5%, 2 excluded), 3 out of 6 previous IBS patients (50%) in the Shigella-exposed group, and 7 out of 11 previous IBS patients (63.6%) in the control group recovered after 5 years (P>0.05). Five cases in the Shigella-exposed group and 3 in the control group developed new cases of IBS after 5 years. The prevalence of PI-IBS after 5 years in the previous FBD groups was 63.6%, whereas the prevalence of PI-IBS without a history of FBDs was 36.4% (P<0.05). There were no significant differences among the other risk factors in each group. Conclusions About half of PI-IBS and previous IBS patients with or without infection recover over 5 years. Previous IBS and FBDs are risk factors of PI-IBS after 5 years. We suggest that our results support the understanding of the clinical course and prognosis of PI-IBS.
The Powerful Antitakeover Force of Staggered Boards: Theory, Evidence and Policy

Staggered boards, which a majority of public companies now have, provide a powerful antitakeover defense, stronger than is commonly recognized. They provide antitakeover protection both by (i) forcing any hostile bidder, no matter when it emerges, to wait at least one year to gain control of the board and (ii) requiring such a bidder to win two elections far apart in time rather than a one-time referendum on its offer. Using a new data set of hostile bids in the five-year period 1996-2000, we find that not a single hostile bid won a ballot box victory against an 'effective' staggered board (ESB). We also find that an ESB nearly doubled the odds of remaining independent for an average target in our data set, from 34% to 61%, halved the odds that a first bidder would be successful, from 34% to 14%, and reduced the odds of a sale to a white knight, from 32% to 25%. Furthermore, we find that the shareholders of targets that remained independent were made worse off compared with accepting the bid and that ESBs did not provide sufficient countervailing benefits in terms of increased premiums to offset the costs of remaining independent. Overall, we estimate that, in the period studied, ESBs reduced the returns of shareholders of hostile bid targets on the order of 8-10%. Finally, we show that most staggered boards were adopted before the developments in takeover doctrine that made ESBs such a potent defense.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in the Postpartum: Open-Label Trial of Quetiapine Augmentation

Objective: Postpartum nonpsychotic conditions are routinely treated with antidepressant therapy. However, a subset of this population with comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is treatment-resistant. Optimal response is obtained by augmentation therapy with novel antipsychotics. The objective of this open-label study was to evaluate clinical response to quetiapine augmentation of SSRIs or SNRIs in treatment-resistant OCD in the postpartum. Methods: Twenty-two postpartum women diagnosed with OCD as per DSM-IV criteria, who did not respond to at least 8 weeks of SSRI or SNRI monotherapy, were offered a trial of quetiapine augmentation for 12 weeks. Response (defined as >50% reduction in scores) was assessed using the Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) and Clinical Global Impressions scale (CGI). Results: Seventeen patients agreed to a trial of quetiapine augmentation. Three withdrew early due to side effects, and 14 completed the 12-week trial. Of these, 11 responded to treatment within 12 weeks, with a mean (SD) response time of 5.9 (2.6) weeks. The mean (SD) baseline YBOCS score of 24.7 (6.8) dropped to a mean of 10.3 (9.0), with a mean reduction of 59.6%. Mean CGI scores at outcome were 1.9 (1.2). The average dose of response was 112.5 mg (76.4 mg). Sedation was the most commonly reported side effect. Conclusions: Although limited by lack of controls, this is the first study in a postpartum population where the addition of quetiapine to antidepressant therapy has been shown to be effective for treatment-refractory OCD. Quetiapine deserves further controlled study in this context.
Microbiological quality of fermented cassava flour ‘kpor umilin’

A study was conducted on the microbiological quality of traditionally fermented cassava flour ‘kpor umilin’ and a laboratory modification of the method developed with a view to upgrading the traditional process. Microbial analysis of samples from both processing methods was evaluated using standard microbiological methods. The bacterial count in the traditionally processed flours ranged from 2.7×103 to 1.2×107 cfu/g, while the modified sample had a count of 3.5×102 cfu/g. The predominant flora were Leuconostoc spp. , Lactobacillus spp. , Staphylococcus spp. , Micrococcus spp. , Bacillus spp. , Streptococcus spp. and coliforms such as Escherichia coli. Other isolates were Enterobacter spp. and proteus spp. The sample from the modified method had a negligible (4 MPN/100 ml) coliform count. The yeast and mould count ranged from 1.9×103 cfu/g to 3.9×105 cfu/g in the traditionally processed samples as compared with 1.5×103 cfu/g in the sample from the modified process. Aspergillus spp. , Penicillium spp. , Saccharomyces spp. and Geotrichum candidum were the predominant fungi. The poor microbiological quality of ‘kpor umilin’, processed traditionally, calls for urgency in upgrading the processing and preservation methods as developed in this study as well as proper education of the local processors on good manufacturing practices.
Characterization of a Leucine Zipper-containing Protein Identified by Retroviral Insertion in Avian Neuroretina Cells*

We reported previously that post-mitotic chicken embryonic neuroretina (NR) cells are induced to proliferate following in vitro infection with RAV-1, a retrovirus that does not carry an oncogene. NR cell multiplication results from the frequent activation and subsequent retroviral transduction of two related serine/threonine protein kinases, the c-mil/c-raf or c-Rmil/B-raf genes. We also showed that a very early event in the activation of these proto-oncogenes is the synthesis of chimeric mRNAs containing viral and cellular sequences joined by a splicing mechanism. In the current study, we have examined the ability of RAV-1 to induce proliferation of quail NR cells. By using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique, we identified, in several proliferating quail NR cultures infected with RAV-1, a chimeric mRNA containing cellular sequences joined to the RAV-1 splice donor site. These cellular sequences are derived from a gene designated R10, which is expressed through a 1.9-kilobase (kb) mRNA detected in several embryonic tissues. A second transcript of 2.3 kb is specifically expressed in the NR, where both transcripts are developmentally regulated. The R10 cDNA encodes a 251-amino acid polypeptide that contains a leucine zipper motif. It exhibits significant similarity with the putative D52/N8L protein, encoded by an mRNA reported previously to be overexpressed in human breast and lung carcinomas. By using polyclonal antibodies specific for its amino-terminal and leucine zipper-containing regions, we identified the R10 gene product as a cytoplasmic protein of 23 kDa in cultured avian fibroblasts. A second protein of 30 kDa is detected in post-mitotic NR cells that express the 2.3-kb transcript. We also show, by in vitro transcription/translation and immunoprecipitation, that the R10 protein can readily form homodimers, presumably through its leucine zipper motif.
Skin biopsy as a diagnostic tool

Purpose of reviewTo give an overview of recent data on the use of skin biopsy as a diagnostic tool in neuropathies. Recent findingsThe sensitivity and specificity of skin biopsy in detecting small fiber neuropathy is supported by new data. In many patients with small fiber neuropathy, a treatable disorder can be identified if a full workup is done. Skin innervation is affected in neuropathies formerly considered as the large fiber type, such as porphyria and chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy. New methods have been devised to complement histological evaluation of skin innervation by in-vivo microscopy and by neurophysiological assessment of small nerve fibers. Skin biopsies have been used to learn more about the pathophysiology of neuropathies, such as the discovery of reduced vascular endothelial growth factor expression in diabetic neuropathy and the increase in cytokine expression in some painful small fiber neuropathies. Quantification of skin innervation has been used as a measure for treatment success in experimental studies and is presently used for follow-up in clinical trials. SummarySkin biopsy in the diagnosis of neuropathy is moving from a method giving descriptive results to a tool that may be helpful in etiological diagnostics, as a follow-up in clinical trials, and in pathophysiological research.
Albumin modulation of paracellular permeability of pig vena caval endothelium shows specificity for pig albumin.

We measured endothelial hydraulic conductivity (Lp,e) and endothelial electrical resistance (Re) of pig vena cava in pig serum albumin (PSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) to determine whether specificity for the autologous albumin found in dog vena cava is a general property of mammalian endothelium. Pigs were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium for surgical removal of the thoracic inferior vena cava. A vessel segment was placed as a membrane separating two compartments in a chamber. Vessels kept in 30 mg/ml BSA had Lp,e values of 1.30 +/- 0.81 x 10(-7) cm.s-1.cmH2O-1 (n = 9) and Re values of 13.8 +/- 2.6 omega.cm2 (n = 3). Vessels kept in PSA had Lp,e values of 0.257 +/- 0.125 x 10(-7) cm.s-1.cmH2O-1 (n = 5) and Re values of 21 +/- 6.3 omega.cm2 (n = 4). The differences between Lp,e and Re in BSA and PSA were statistically significant (P < 0.05). In vessels kept in PSA, switching to BSA caused a doubling of Lp,e. Lower Lp,e and higher Re in PSA as compared with those in BSA suggest that specificity for the autologous albumin is a general phenomenon in mammalian endothelium and that albumin binding to specific sites is associated with its permeability effect.
FEMALE SOLDIER BEETLES DISPLAY A FLEXIBLE PREFERENCE FOR SELECTIVELY FAVORED MALE PHENOTYPES

Abstract In Georgia (USA) the soldier beetle, Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (Coleoptera; Cantharidae), exhibits clinal variation in the length of the spot on its elytron. This suggests that the viability of phenotypes varies by habitat. Evidence of viability selection comes from within‐site changes in the spot length distribution across a breeding season. When males with spots of intermediate length became less frequent, they became disproportionately less likely to mate, consistent with either a loss of vigor among remaining males or female rejection of disfavored phenotypes. Persistent, daily courtship by males provides females with the opportunity to track changes in male phenotype frequency and to exercise choice for phenotypes favored under natural selection. A laboratory experiment in which the frequency of one spot morph (long) or the other (short) was increased from 25% to 75% over a period of 30 days revealed that females possess a flexible preference that leads them to prefer whichever spot type has become more common over time. A haploid genetic model demonstrates that a flexible female preference for the locally favored male phenotype can be selected for when different viability alleles, genetically correlated with the male trait, are favored in different habitats that are linked by gene flow. Thus, migration between different kinds of habitat patches of a metapopulation could maintain the variation in male quality. This variation favors female choice for any trait that is directly or indirectly favored by natural selection. Such choice imparts positive frequency‐dependent selection that could rapidly fix traits pleiotropically linked to viability. Rapid fixation would cause differentiation between populations of colonizing species as females exercise choice for mates favored under new ecological conditions.
Soil properties affect the toxicities of 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX) to the enchytraeid worm Enchytraeus crypticus

The authors investigated individual toxicities of 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX) to the potworm Enchytraeus crypticus using the enchytraeid reproduction test. Studies were designed to generate ecotoxicological benchmarks that can be used for developing ecological soil‐screening levels for ecological risk assessments of contaminated soils and to identify and characterize the predominant soil physicochemical parameters that can affect the toxicities of TNT and RDX to E. crypticus. Soils, which had a wide range of physicochemical parameters, included Teller sandy loam, Sassafras sandy loam, Richfield clay loam, Kirkland clay loam, and Webster clay loam. Analyses of quantitative relationships between the toxicological benchmarks for TNT and soil property measurements identified soil organic matter content as the dominant property mitigating TNT toxicity for juvenile production by E. crypticus in freshly amended soil. Both the clay and organic matter contents of the soil modulated reproduction toxicity of TNT that was weathered and aged in soil for 3 mo. Toxicity of RDX for E. crypticus was greater in the coarse‐textured sandy loam soils compared with the fine‐textured clay loam soils. The present studies revealed alterations in toxicity to E. crypticus after weathering and aging TNT in soil, and these alterations were soil‐ and endpoint‐specific. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:2648–2659. © 2013 SETAC
Strategies and factors associated with preparing for competing in the heat: a cohort study at the 2015 IAAF World Athletics Championships

Purpose Assess exertional heat illness (EHI) history and preparedness in athletes competing in a World Athletics Championships under hot/humid conditions and identify the factors associated with preparedness strategies. Methods Of the 207 registered national teams invited to participate in the study, 50 (24%) accepted. The 957 athletes (49% of all 1965 registered) in these teams were invited to complete a precompetition questionnaire evaluating EHI history, heat stress prevention (heat acclimatisation, precooling and hydration) and recovery. Responses from 307 (32%) athletes were separated in field events, sprints, middle-distance and long-distance running, and decathlon/heptathlon for analysis. Results 48% of athletes had previously experienced EHI symptoms and 8.5% had been diagnosed with EHI. 15% heat acclimatised (∼20 days) before the championships. 52% had a precooling strategy, ice slurry ingestion (24%) being the most prevalent and women using it more frequently than men (p=0.005). 96% of athletes had a fluid consumption strategy, which differed between event categories (p<0.001). The most common volumes planned on being consumed were 0.5–1 L (27.2%) and ≥2 L (21.8%), water being the most frequent. 89% of athletes planned on using at least one recovery strategy. Female sex (p=0.024) and a previous EHI diagnosis increased the likelihood of using all 3 prevention strategies (p<0.001). Conclusions At a World Championships with expected hot/humid conditions, less than one-fifth of athletes heat acclimatised, half had a precooling strategy and almost all a hydration plan. Women, and especially athletes with an EHI history, were more predisposed to use a complete heat stress prevention strategy. More information regarding heat acclimatisation should be provided to protect athlete health and optimise performance at major athletics competitions in the heat.
Localization and Interaction of the Proteins Constituting the GAL Genetic Switch in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the GAL genes encode the enzymes required for galactose metabolism. Regulation of these genes has served as the paradigm for eukaryotic transcriptional control over the last 50 years. The switch between inert and active gene expression is dependent upon three proteins—the transcriptional activator Gal4p, the inhibitor Gal80p, and the ligand sensor Gal3p. Here, we present a detailed spatial analysis of the three GAL regulatory proteins produced from their native genomic loci. Using a novel application of photobleaching, we demonstrate, for the first time, that the Gal3p ligand sensor enters the nucleus of yeast cells in the presence of galactose. Additionally, using Förster resonance energy transfer, we show that the interaction between Gal3p and Gal80p occurs throughout the yeast cell. Taken together, these data challenge existing models for the cellular localization of the regulatory proteins during the induction of GAL gene expression by galactose and suggest a mechanism for the induction of the GAL genes in which galactose-bound Gal3p moves from the cytoplasm to the nucleus to interact with the transcriptional inhibitor Gal80p.