Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peptide models of helical hydrophobic transmembrane segments of membrane proteins. 2. Differential scanning calorimetric and FTIR spectroscopic studies of the interaction of Ac-K2-(LA)12-K2-amide with phosphatidylcholine bilayers.

The interactions of the hydrophobic helical transmembrane peptide Ac-K2-(LA)12-K2-amide [(LA)12] with a series of n-saturated diacylphosphatidylcholines (N:0 PC) were studied by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The incorporation of (LA)12 into these lipid bilayers results in a broadening of the chain-melting phase transitions of the lipids and progressive decreases in the characteristic temperatures and enthalpies of their gel/liquid-crystalline phase transitions. At low peptide/lipid ratios, the DSC thermograms exhibited by mixtures of (LA)12 with the short chain PCs (13:0 and 14:0) and with very long chain PCs (21:0 and 22:0) appear to be a summation of sharp and broad components, the former diminishing in intensity with increases in peptide concentration. This behavior can be approximated by that of a macroscopic mixture of peptide-poor and peptide-rich lipid domains, the relative proportions of which change with changes in peptide concentration. For peptide mixtures with the medium-chain PCs, the hydrocarbon chain-melting phase transition endotherms are not clearly resolvable into similar sharp and broad components. Instead, at all finite peptide concentrations the DSC heating thermograms appear as broad and highly asymmetric endotherms, the transition temperatures of which decrease significantly with increases in peptide concentration. For mixtures of (LA)12 with each of the lipids studied, the total hydrocarbon chain-melting transition enthalpy decreases with increasing peptide concentration but does not vanish at high peptide/lipid ratios. The FTIR spectra of (LA)12 in these PC bilayers indicate that the peptide retains a predominantly alpha-helical conformation in both the gel and liquid-crystalline phases of the short to medium chain PCs studied (N < 18). However, when incorporated into bilayers composed of the longer chain PCs (N > or = 18), (LA)12 undergoes a reversible conformational change at the gel/liquid-crystalline phase transition of the mixture. In the liquid-crystalline phase, the amide I regions of the FTIR spectra of these mixtures are indicative of a predominantly alpha-helical peptide conformation. However, upon freezing of the lipid hydrocarbon chains, populations and/or domains of (LA)12 giving rise to a sharp conformationally unassigned band near 1665 cm-1 are formed. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Colocalization and shared distribution of endomorphins with substance P, calcitonin gene‐related peptide, γ‐aminobutyric acid, and the mu opioid receptor

The endomorphins are endogenous opioids with high affinity and selectivity for the mu opioid receptor (MOR, MOR‐1, MOP). Endomorphin‐1 (Tyr‐Pro‐Trp‐Phe‐NH2; EM1) and endomorphin‐2 (Tyr‐Pro‐Phe‐Phe‐NH2; EM2) have been localized to many regions of the central nervous system (CNS), including those that regulate antinociception, autonomic function, and reward. Colocalization or shared distribution (overlap) of two neurotransmitters, or a transmitter and its cognate receptor, may imply an interaction of these elements in the regulation of functions mediated in that region. For example, previous evidence of colocalization of EM2 with substance P (SP), calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP), and MOR in primary afferent neurons suggested an interaction of these peptides in pain modulation. We therefore investigated the colocalization of EM1 and EM2 with SP, CGRP, and MOR in other areas of the CNS. EM2 was colocalized with SP and CGRP in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and with SP, CGRP and MOR in the parabrachial nucleus. Several areas in which EM1 and EM2 showed extensive shared distributions, but no detectable colocalization with other signaling molecules, are also described. J. Comp. Neurol. 503:319–333, 2007. Published 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Director Networks and Informed Traders

We provide evidence that sophisticated investors like short sellers, option traders, and financial institutions are more informed when trading stocks of companies with more connected board members. For firms with large director networks, the annualized return difference between the highest and lowest quintile of informed trading ranges from 4% to 7.2% compared to the same return difference in firms with less connected directors. Sophisticated investors better predict outcomes of upcoming earnings surprises and firm-specific news sentiment for companies with more connected directors. Changes in board connectedness are positively associated with changes in measures of adverse selection.
The effectiveness of motivational interviewing delivered by youth workers in reducing drinking, cigarette and cannabis smoking among young people: quasi-experimental pilot study.

AIM To test whether a single session of Motivational Interviewing (MI) focussing on drinking alcohol, and cigarette and cannabis smoking, would successfully lead to reductions in use or problems. METHODS Naturalistic quasi-experimental study, in 162 young people (mean age 17 years) who were daily cigarette smokers, weekly drinkers or weekly cannabis smokers, comparing 59 receiving MI with 103 non-intervention assessment-only controls. MI was delivered in a single session by youth workers or by the first author. Assessment was made of changes in self-reported cigarette, alcohol, cannabis use and related indicators of risk and problems between recruitment and after 3 months by self-completion questionnaire. RESULTS 87% of subjects (141 of 162) were followed up. The most substantial evidence of benefit was achieved in relation to alcohol consumption, with those receiving MI drinking on average two days per month less than controls after 3 months. Weaker evidences of impact on cigarette smoking, and no evidence of impact on cannabis use, were obtained. CONCLUSIONS Evidence of effectiveness for the delivery of MI by youth workers in routine conditions has been identified. However, the extent of benefit is much more modest than previously identified in efficacy studies.
Pollen Aperture Factor INP1 Acts Late in Aperture Formation by Excluding Specific Membrane Domains from Exine Deposition1[OPEN]

Pollen aperture factor INP1 assembles gradually and asynchronously at specific membrane domains and is involved in keeping them adjacent to callose wall. Accurate placement of extracellular materials is a critical part of cellular development. To study how cells achieve this accuracy, we use formation of pollen apertures as a model. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), three regions on the pollen surface lack deposition of pollen wall exine and develop into apertures. In developing pollen, Arabidopsis INAPERTURATE POLLEN1 (INP1) protein acts as a marker for the preaperture domains, assembling there into three punctate lines. To understand the mechanism of aperture formation, we studied the dynamics of INP1 expression and localization and its relationship with the membrane domains at which it assembles. We found that INP1 assembly occurs after meiotic cytokinesis at the interface between the plasma membrane and the overlying callose wall, and requires the normal callose wall formation. Sites of INP1 localization coincide with positions of protruding membrane ridges in proximity to the callose wall. Our data suggest that INP1 is a late-acting factor involved in keeping specific membrane domains next to the callose wall to prevent formation of exine at these sites.
ATP‐binding cassette transporters G1 and G4 mediate cholesterol and desmosterol efflux to HDL and regulate sterol accumulation in the brain

Transporters in the ABCG family appear to be involved in the cellular excretion of cholesterol and other sterols in a cell‐ and tissue‐specific fashion. Overexpression of ATP‐binding cassette transporters G1 (Abcgl) and G4 (Abcg4) can promote cellular cholesterol efflux to high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), but the in vivo functions of Abcg4 are poorly understood. We used mice with knockouts of Abcgl or Abcg4 singly or together to further elucidate the function of these transporters. Abcg1 and Abcg4 are highly expressed in the brain and are found in both astrocytes and neurons. Whereas Abcgl_/_ or Abcg4_/_ mice showed essentially normal levels of brain sterols, in Abcgl _/_/Abcg4_/_ mice, levels of several sterol intermediates in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, namely desmosterol, lathosterol, and lanosterol, as well as 27‐OH cholesterol, were increased 2‐ to 3‐fold. Overexpression of Abcgl or Abcg4 promoted efflux of desmosterol and cholesterol from cells to HDL, and combined deficiency of these transporters led to defective efflux and accumulation of these sterols in primary astrocytes. Consistent with defective efflux and sterol accumulation, cholesterol biosynthesis was reduced in Abcgl_/_/Abcg4_/_ astrocytes. The accumulation of desmosterol, a known liver‐X receptor (LXR) activator, was associated with increased expression of LXR target genes, including ATP‐binding cassette transporter Al, and increased apolipoprotein E secretion in Abcgl_/_/ Abcg4_/_ astrocytes. Our findings provide the first in vivo demonstration of a role for Abcg4 in sterol efflux in the brain and show that Abcgl and Abcg4 have overlapping functions in astrocytes, promoting efflux of cholesterol, desmosterol, and possibly other sterol biosynthetic intermediates to HDL. Wang, N. , Yvan‐Charvet, L. , Lutjohann, D. , Mulder, M. , Vanmierlo, T. , Kim, T. ‐W. , Tall, A. R ATP‐binding cassette transporters Gl and G4 mediate cholesterol and desmosterol efflux to HDL and regulate sterol accumulation in the brain. FASEB J. 22, 1073–1082 (2008)
Expression of poly(A)‐binding protein is upregulated during recovery from heat shock in HeLa cells

Induction of heat shock proteins (HSPs) helps cells to survive severe hyperthermal stress and removes toxic unfolded proteins. At the same time, the cap‐dependent translation of global cellular mRNA is inhibited, due to the loss of function of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4F complex. It has been previously reported that, following heat shock, HSP27 binds to the insoluble granules of eIF4G and impedes its association with cytoplasmic poly(A)‐binding protein (PABP) 1 and eIF4E. In the studies reported here, in addition to heat shock, we have included results of our investigation on the association between eIF4G, PABP1 and HSP27 during recovery from heat shock, when cap‐dependent mRNA translation resumes. We showed here that in the heat‐shocked cells, the PABP1–eIF4G complex dissociated, and both polypeptides translocated with the HSP27 to the nucleus. During recovery after heat shock, PABP1 and eIF4G were redistributed into the cytoplasm and colocalized with each other. In addition, PABP1 expression was upregulated and its translation efficiency was increased during the recovery period, possibly to meet additional demands on the translation machinery. HSP27 remained associated with the eIF4G–PABP1 complex during recovery from heat shock. Therefore, our results raise the possibility that the association of HSP27 with eIF4G may not be sufficient to suppress cap‐dependent translation during heat shock. In addition, we provide evidence that the terminal oligopyrimidine cis‐element of PABP1 mRNA is responsible for the preferential increase of PABP1 mRNA translation in cells undergoing recovery from heat shock.
Does market concentration affect prices in the urban water industry?

This paper analyzes the relationship between market concentration in the private segment of the water industry and water prices with a sample of municipalities located in the Southern Spanish region of Andalusia. In doing so, several Heckman sample selection models are estimated with the main finding being that market concentration increases the price of water for residential use charged by private companies. The main policy recommendation is that urban water service privatization must be accompanied by the appropriate regulatory and institutional frameworks to promote competition among businesses and monitor water pricing.
Aversive Priming: Cognitive Processing of Threatening Stimuli is Facilitated by Aversive Primes

It would be reasonable to expect that our previous experience regarding a stimulus that predicts harm would make the subsequent identification of that stimulus easier when harm happens again. Forty-eight volunteers were submitted to both phases of this sequence of events: learning of the predictive relationship and later priming. A face with neutral expression (CS+) was paired with a moderately aversive electric shock and another (CS−) with a neutral tone. Subsequently, these two faces, as well as other known and new faces, were presented for familiarity judgments. Both the CS+ and the CS− faces were preceded by an aversive stimulus (aversive prime) in one occasion and by a neutral stimulus (neutral prime) in another. The familiarity judgment regarding the CS+ was faster after the aversive prime than after the neutral prime, but there was no difference regarding the CS−. The differential effect of the aversive prime over the CS+ and the CS− showed a significant but small correlation with the differential skin conductance response to CS+ and CS− (signal learning), and with the differential evaluation of those stimuli in terms of like-dislike (evaluative learning). The scope of these results, as well as the usefulness of this methodological model, is discussed. Cabe esperar que nuestra experiencia previa respecto a un estímulo predictor de un daño facilite la identificación posterior de ese estímulo cuando el daño ocurre de nuevo. Se sometió a 48 voluntarios a ambas fases de esta secuencia de hechos: aprendizaje de la relación predictiva y facilitación posterior. Se emparejó una cara con expresión neutra (EC+) con una descarga eléctrica moderadamente aversiva y otra (EC-) con un tono neutro. Posteriormente se sometieron esas dos caras, mezcladas con otras antiguas y nuevas, a juicios de familiaridad. Tanto la cara EC+ como la cara EC- iban precedidas de un estímulo aversivo (prime aversivo) en una ocasión y de un estimulo neutro (prime neutro) en otra. El juicio de familiaridad respecto al EC+ fue más rápido tras el prime aversivo que tras el prime neutro, pero no hubo diferencia en el caso del EC-. El efecto diferencial del prime aversivo sobre el EC+ y el EC- mostró una correlación significativa, aunque pequeña, con la respuesta de conductancia de la piel diferencial al EC+ y al EC- (aprendizaje de señal), y con la evaluación diferencial en términos de agrado-desagrado de uno y otro estímulo (aprendizaje evaluativo). Se discute el alcance de estos resultados y la utilidad del modelo metodológico.
Diversity in an Organization: A Case Study of how Diversity is Addressed in a Multi-National Organization

Diversity discourse has revolved around the business case argument for having a heterogeneous workforce. As the argument goes, an organization with a diverse workforce performs better than one with homogenous employees. While the advantages of task-relevant diversity – education, experience, and functional expertise – is not being disputed, the link between bio-demographic diversity – race, ethnicity, culture, and gender – and superior group performance could not be consistently supported. This case study of a multi-national humanitarian organization demonstrates a situation in which bio-demographic diversity was employed to accomplish a specific business objective of gaining entry to new markets. However, the efficacy of such business tactics was very much dependent on the operational context. Moreover, such pragmatic or utilitarian use of diversity raises moral and ethical questions when applied in the American context. A utilitarian view of diversity assumes that there are bio- demographic characteristics that are task-relevant – a dubious assumption that flies in the face of American values of justice and fairness. This type of discourse treats diversity as a phenomenon external to the organization that needs to be controlled and managed – “managing diversity. ” I argue that attempts to establish a link between bio-demographic diversity and superior group performance is rather pointless. Diversity is a fundamental characteristic of nature. Just as bio- diversity contributes to a stable ecosystem, the same principle applies to our social world. Hence, diversity is neither a constraint to be managed, nor an issue to be solved. It is a natural condition of a world we live in. It is when we are able to adapt to and match our increasingly diverse environment that we are able to thrive – the real business case of diversity.
Optimal Energy Taxation in Cities

This paper presents the first investigation of the effects of optimal energy taxation in an urban spatial setting, where emissions are produced both by residences and commuting. When levying an optimal direct tax on energy or carbon use is not feasible, the analysis shows that exactly the same adjustments in resource allocation can be generated by the combination of a land tax, a housing tax, and a commuting tax. We then analyze the effects of these taxes on urban spatial structure, showing that they reduce the extent of commuting and the level of housing consumption while increasing building heights, generating a more-compact city with a lower level of emissions per capita.
INTERNATIONAL HOUSING MARKETS, UNCONVENTIONAL MONETARY POLICY, AND THE ZERO LOWER BOUND

In this paper, we analyze the relationship between unconventional monetary policy (UMP), measured through shadow interest rates, and housing markets for the USA, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the Euro Area using a set of time-varying parameter vector autoregressive models. Our findings suggest that the monetary policy transmission mechanism to the housing market has not changed with the implementation of quantitative easing or forward guidance for most economies considered. A counterfactual exercise provides some evidence that UMP has been particularly successful in dampening the consequences of the financial crisis on housing markets in the USA, while the effects are more muted in the remaining countries considered.
The Cotranscribed Salmonella enterica sv. Typhi tsx and impX Genes Encode Opposing Nucleoside-Specific Import and Export Proteins

The Salmonella enterica tsx gene encodes a nucleoside-specific outer membrane channel. The Tsx porin is essential for the prototrophic growth of S. enterica sv. Typhi in the absence of nucleosides. RT–PCR analysis shows that the tsx gene is cotranscribed with an open reading frame unique to S. enterica, impX (STY0450), which encodes an inner membrane protein 108 amino acids in length, which is predicted to have only two transmembrane α-helices. Fusions of the lacZ gene to both tsx and impX reveal that the transcription of both genes is induced in the presence of adenosine. A null mutation in the S. Typhi impX gene suppresses the induced auxotrophy for adenosine or thymidine resulting from a tsx mutation and confers sensitivity to high concentrations of adenosine or thymidine. The ImpX protein, when tagged with a 3xFLAG epitope, is functional and associates with the inner membrane; impX mutants are defective in the export of 3H-radiolabeled thymidine. Taken together, these and other results suggest that the S. Typhi Tsx porin and ImpX inner membrane protein facilitate competing mechanisms of thymidine influx and efflux, respectively, to maintain the steady-state levels of internal nucleoside pools.
Refractive error and biometry in older Chinese adults: the Liwan eye study.

PURPOSE To assess the prevalence of refractive error and describe the distribution of ocular biometry and its association with refraction in adult Chinese. METHODS Random clustering sampling was used to identify adults aged > or = 50 years in Liwan District, Guangzhou. Refraction was determined by subjective refraction that achieved the best corrected vision based on monocular measurement. Ocular biometry was measured by A-mode ultrasound using a handheld applanation probe. RESULTS Among 1405 participants in the study, data from 1269 phakic right eyes were available for analysis. The prevalence of myopia (SE < -0.5 D), hyperopia (SE > +0.5 D), and astigmatism (cylinder > 0.75 D) was 32.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27.8%-34.6%), 40.0% (95% CI, 37.3%-42.7%), and 48.3% (95% CI, 45.6%-51.1%), respectively. The spherical equivalent tended to become hyperopic at 60 years and shifted toward myopia at 75 years. Axial length did not change with age but was consistently shorter in women. Lens thickness increased with age and tended to be greater in women. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of myopia and biometric distribution in this urban Chinese cohort are similar to those observed in Singaporean Chinese but greater than in Mongolians and Europeans. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of environmental factors in the myopia rates.
Strong γk-γcl H∞ stabilization with a new slack variable approach

For the strong gammak-gammacl Hinfin stabilization problem, a new bounded real lemma is provided by adding two slack variables, which provides extra freedom to include more control constraints in handling robust control problems. With the extended bounded real lemma, a new sufficient condition is proposed for n-th order strong gammak-gammacl Hinfin stabilization. Furthermore, the Hinfin stable stabilization and strong stabilization problems can also be solved by relaxing certain constraints accordingly. Despite the BMI constraints, the path-following and alternative iteration methods are adopted for the controller design. The effectiveness of the algorithms is indicated by a numerical example.
Protein Kinase A as Target for Novel Integrated Strategies of Cancer Therapy

Abstract: We have studied the role of protein kinase A (PKA) in neoplastic transformation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis and its relationship with other signaling molecules, as a basis for developing novel therapeutic strategies. We demonstrated the involvement of PKA type I (PKA‐I) in the transduction of mitogenic signals from different sources and demonstrated functional and structural interactions between PKA‐I and the activated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We contributed to the identification and development of several selective inhibitors of PKA‐I, such as 8‐Cl‐cAMP and a hybrid DNA/RNA antisense oligonucleotide of a novel class (AS‐PKA‐I) and of EGFR, including mAbC225 and ZD1839 (Iressa). All these agents have been investigated in cancer patients. We demonstrated the therapeutic potential of the combined blockade of PKA‐I and EGFR, reporting a synergistic antitumor effect when their inhibitors are used in combination. We have also shown that PKA‐I and EGFR inhibitors are able to cooperate with selected class of cytotoxic drugs and with ionizing radiation, causing a synergistic inhibition of tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, accompanied by inhibition of expression of growth and angiogenic factors and by suppression of vessel production. Moreover, PKA‐I is implicated in a bcl‐2‐dependent apoptotic pathway, and we have recently reported a cooperative antitumor and proapoptotic effect of AS‐PKA‐I in combination with an AS‐bcl‐2. Finally, we have shown that AS‐PKA‐I also has antitumor and antiangiogenic effects following oral administration and that they can be greatly enhanced in combination with oral ZD1839 and oral taxanes.