Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ligand-induced down-regulation of testicular and ovarian luteinizing hormone (LH) receptors is preceded by tissue-specific inhibition of alternatively processed LH receptor transcripts.

Down-regulation of plasma membrane receptors by homologous hormones has been found in diverse cell types. In testicular Leydig and ovarian luteal cells, treatment with LH/hCG decreases LH receptor content. Although suppression of LH-binding sites may result from ligand-induced receptor internalization, sequestration, and/or phosphorylation, the gonadotropins may also regulate receptor mRNA levels. We examined the regulation of testis LH receptor mRNAs in adult rats that received 10 or 200 IU hCG, using cRNA probes derived from the 5' extracellular domain (EC) or the 3' transmembrane domain (TM) of the rat receptor cDNA. Probe EC hybridized to predominant signals of 7 and 1.8 kilobases (kb) and weaker signals of 4.2 and 2.5 kb. However, probe TM hybridized to the three larger forms of the LH receptor mRNA, but not to the 1.8-kb species, suggesting that the latter form lacks the transmembrane domain. After 6 and 12 h of treatment with 200 or 10 IU hCG, respectively, hybridization to the larger mRNA species decreased by more than 60%, preceding decreases in testicular [125I]hCG binding. These transcripts were further inhibited (greater than 93%) between 24-72 h after hCG treatment and returned to 40% and 100% of control levels by days 6 and 9, respectively. In contrast, the truncated 1.8-kb LH receptor transcript was not affected by hCG treatment, indicating a differential suppressive effect of the ligand on its receptor mRNA levels. In the ovary, hybridization to probe EC revealed four transcripts with similar sizes as those found in the testes, with a predominant 7-kb species. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Satisfaction with early attention services and the perception of disability among parents of Down ’ s syndrome children : a pilot study in Spain

Prof. Araceli Arellano Torres Departamento de Educación Instituto Cultura y Sociedad Universidad de Navarra 31080, Pamplona – España e-mail: aarellanot@unav.es Family dynamics may be affected if the parents of a child with Down’s syndrome are not satisfied with their relations with the early attention service professionals who attend them, or if they have negative view of the disability. The aim of this article is to assess the level of satisfaction and the parents’ perceptions (positive feelings, social comparisons and causal attributions) about the disability. To this end, we have adapted the Beach Center Family-Professional Partnership Scale and some items from the Kansas Inventory of Parental Perceptions (KIPP) to our milieu. The questionnaire thus designed was completed by 32 mothers and fathers of 0 to 3-year-old children who belong to a Spanish organization, the Association Down of Navarra. The results show that the parents feel satisfied or very satisfied with their relations with the professionals and have positive perceptions of the disability. The development of collaborative relations between the professionals and the parents and the reassessment of the positive aspects of the disability will also allow for a more effective response to the specific needs and preferences of the family as a whole.
The Development and Progress of Female Leadership in the United Arab Emirates

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) seventy percent of university students are women (Madsen 2010). Yet, given this large percentage of females at universities, why is the ratio of female to male professionals in the workforce still very low? Why do these imbalances exist in a country as developed as the UAE? The UAE is frequently characterized as one of the most developed and westernized regions in the Middle East. This paper’s focus will address the challenges that impede future female leadership managerial development in this developed Arab country. The study conducts a meta-analysis of academic articles to provide quantitative and qualitative thematic points of reference with two recommendations to advance the development of female talent in the UAE. The educated female offers significant knowledge and understanding of the business world and is an untapped resource in the UAE and the Middle East. The last section of this paper focuses on observations made during the researchers’ visit to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in May 2008.
COLLEGE STUDENT SUCCESS : CONQUERING STEREOTYPED EXPECTATIONS WITH PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT

The present study explores the relationship of academic success with basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and perceived social support of friends, family, and instructors. These components are examined in the context of historically underrepresented (i.e., generational status, ethnicity, and gender) college students versus those in traditional majority groups. This assessment of perceived social support is essential to creating beneficial and supportive environments for all students. Results indicate a relation between motivation and group identities; concurrently, instructor support has the greatest impact on academic success. Institutions often neglect to emphasize the importance of connections among students and faculty. Our research suggests that significant focus should be placed on increasing promotion of instructor support and resources.
Identification of sequences downstream of the primer binding site that are important for efficient replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1

Reverse transcription of retroviruses is initiated from an 18-nucleotide (nt) primer binding site (PBS), located within the 5' region of viral genomic RNA, to which the host cell-derived tRNA primer is annealed and also involves viral genomic sequences outside the PBS. We constructed proviral DNA clones of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that had selective deletions of either a 7-nt segment found immediately downstream of the PBS or an extended nontranslated 54-nt stretch located immediately downstream of the PBS and containing the aforementioned 7-nt segment. Synthesis of minus-strand strong-stop DNA was assessed with MT-4 cells infected with viruses derived from COS-7 cells that had been transfected with these various constructs. We found that similar levels of minus-strand strong-stop DNA as well as DNA produced after template switching were expressed in MT-4 cells infected with COS-7-derived wild-type viruses or with viruses that had the 7-nt segment deleted. In contrast, significantly lower levels of viral DNA were detected in MT-4 cells after infection with viruses that had deletions of the 54-nt stretch. Furthermore, the molecular clone containing the 7-nt deletion was able to replicate with wild-type kinetics, while that containing the 54-nt deletion displayed a significantly diminished capacity in this regard. Further deletion analysis showed that a 16-nt segment at the 3' end of this 54-nt segment was largely responsible for these effects. We also conducted studies to determine levels of viral mRNA in COS-7 cells that had been transfected with equivalent amounts of DNA derived from either a wild-type HIV construct or our various deletion mutants. In the case of transfections performed with the 7-nt deletion mutant and wild-type HIV DNA, high levels of viral mRNA transcripts were detected, which was not the case for the 54 nt-deletion mutant. However, these various mRNAs possessed similar stabilities, as shown through studies in which transcript formation was arrested by treatment of cells with actinomycin D. Thus, the 54-nt segment of 5' nontranslated RNA, located downstream of the PBS, is involved in efficient expression of each of viral DNA, mRNA, and infectious virus.
Antisense lncRNA FOXF1-AS1 Promotes Migration and Invasion of Osteosarcoma Cells Through the FOXF1/MMP-2/-9 Pathway

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone cancer in children and adolescents. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play significant role in various cancers, including OS. In a previous study, we have reported that a novel antisense lncRNA FOXF1-AS1, also known as FENDRR, could sensitize doxorubicin-resistance of OS cells through down-regulating ABCB1 and ABCC1. Here in, the critical role of FOXF1-AS1 in regulating OS progression was further investigated. Firstly, we found that FOXF1-AS1 and its antisense transcript FOXF1 expression were positively up-regulated in OS tissues and cell lines and correlated with poor prognosis of OS patients. Besides, FOXF1-AS1 as well as FOXF1 silencing significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion of OS cells and tumor growth both in vitro and vivo through decreasing the expression of MMP2 and MMP9, whereas enhanced expression of FOXF1-AS1 had the opposite effects. In addition, mechanistically, both of FOXF1-AS1 and FOXF1 could regulate the expression of MMP2 and MMP9 at mRNA and protein levels, whereas FOXF1-AS1 could influence the FOXF1expression but FOXF1 did not have the same effect on FOXF1-AS1. Rescue assay further showed that FOXF1-AS1 overexpression efficiently reversed the knockdown of MMP2 and MMP9 expression induced by si-FOXF1. Thus, we concluded that FOXF1-AS1 may promote migration and invasion of OS cells through the FOXF1/MMP-2/-9 pathway. Taken together, these findings demonstrated the underlying mechanism of FOXF1-AS1 in the regulation of OS progression and provide a novel potential target in the OS therapy.
Developing a food allergy curriculum for parents

To cite this article: Vargas PA, Sicherer SH, Christie L, Keaveny M, Noone S, Watkins D, Carlisle SK, Jones SM, CoFAR. Developing a food allergy curriculum for parents. Pediatric Allergy Immunology 2011; 22: 575–582.
Pre-injury ASA physical status classification is an independent predictor of mortality after trauma.

BACKGROUND The ability of an organism to withstand trauma is determined by the injury per se and inherent properties of the organism at the time of injury. We analyzed whether pre-injury morbidity scored on a four-level ordinal scale according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA-PS) classification system predicts mortality after trauma. MATERIALS From a total of 3,773 prospectively collected patients (years 2000-2004), 3,728 patients were included. Main outcome measure was mortality 30 days after injury. The effect of pre-injury ASA-PS on mortality was assessed using linear logistic regression analysis, controlling for Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and age. RESULTS Mortality increased with increasing pre-injury ASA-PS, age, and ISS, and with decreasing RTS. Unadjusted mortality rates were 5.7% in ASA-PS 1, 12.3% in ASA-PS 2, and 26.4% in ASA-PS 3-4. This increasing mortality trend across pre-injury ASA-PS group was evident in nearly all categories of ISS, RTS, and age. Odds ratio for death was 1.76 (95% CI, 1.14-2.72) for pre-injury ASA-PS 2, and 2.25 (95% CI, 1.36-3.71) for ASA-PS 3-4 compared with for ASA-PS 1 and adjusted for ISS, RTS, and age. There were no interaction effects between pre-injury ASA-PS and the other variables. CONCLUSIONS Pre-injury ASA-PS score was an independent predictor of mortality after trauma, also after adjusting for the major variables in the traditional TRISS (Trauma and Injury Severity Score) formula. Including pre-injury ASA-PS score might improve the predictive power of a survival prediction model without complicating it.
In vitro effectiveness of azithromycin against doxycycline-resistant and -susceptible strains of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, etiologic agent of scrub typhus

In an effort to find a potential alternative treatment for scrub typhus, we evaluated the effectiveness of the standard drug doxycycline and the new macrolide azithromycin against a doxycycline-susceptible strain (Karp) and a doxycycline-resistant strain (AFSC-4) of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi. The antibiotics were tested in an in vitro assay system in which infected mouse fibroblast cells (L929) were incubated for 3 days in various concentrations of the drugs. Rickettsial growth was evaluated by direct visual counts of rickettsiae in Giemsastained cells or by flow cytometry. Initial tests were conducted at the concentration of each antibiotic considered to be the upper breakpoint for susceptibility (16 micrograms/ml for doxycycline and 8 micrograms/ml for azithromycin). Growth of both Karp and AFSC-4 was strongly inhibited with both antibiotics, as measured by visual counts, although the percentage of cells infected with AFSC-4 in the presence of doxycycline was three times greater than the percentage of cells infected with Karp but was only 60% as great as the percentage of cells infected with Karp in the presence of azithromycin. Flow cytometry confirmed that rickettsial growth occurred in the absence of antibiotics, but it failed to detect it in the presence of high concentrations of either drug. Visual counts of rickettsial growth at lower concentrations of the antibiotics (0.25 to 0.0078 microgram/ml) showed that the Karp strain was 16 times more susceptible that the AFSC-4 strain to doxycycline. Azithromycin was much more effective than doxycycline against AFSC-4, inhibiting rickettsial growth at 0.0156 microgram/ml to levels below that achieved by 0.25 microgram of doxycycline per ml. Azithromycin was also more effective than doxycycline against the Karp strain, causing greater reductions in the number of rickettsiae per cell at lower concentrations. If in vivo testing confirms the in vitro effectiveness of azithromycin, it may prove to be the drug of choice for the treatment of scrub typhus in children and pregnant women, who should not take doxycycline, and in patients with refractory disease from locations where doxycycline-resistant strains of R. tsutsugamushi have been found. When tested in an in vitro assay system, azithromycin was more effective than doxycycline against doxycycline-susceptible and -resistant strains of R. tsutsugamushi.
Dermaseptin-PH: A Novel Peptide with Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities from the Skin Secretion of the South American Orange-Legged Leaf Frog, Pithecopus (Phyllomedusa) hypochondrialis

The dermaseptin peptides, mainly derived from the skin secretions of Hylidae frogs, belong to a superfamily of antimicrobial peptides and exhibit diverse antimicrobial and anticancer activities with low cytotoxicity. Here, we reported a novel dermaseptin peptide, from the South American orange-legged leaf frogs, Pithecopus (Phyllomedusa) hypochondrialis, processing the shortest peptide length, namely Dermaseptin-PH. The complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding biosynthetic precursor of Dermaseptin-PH was initially identified by the rapid amplification of cDNA ends PCR (RACE-PCR) technique from the skin secretion. The predicted primary structure was confirmed by a combination of reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and MS/MS fragmentation from the skin secretion. Chemically-synthetic Dermaseptin-PH was investigated using a range of bioactivity assessment assays to evaluate the biological activities and cytotoxicity of Dermaseptin-PH. Dermaseptin-PH inhibited the growth of Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. In addition, Dermaseptin-PH showed a broad-spectrum of anticancer activities against several cancer cell lines including MCF-7, H157, U251MG, MDA-MB-435S, and PC-3. The potent antimicrobial and anticancer activities of Dermaseptin-PH make it a promising candidate in the discovery of new drugs for clinical applications, and the relatively short sequence of Dermaseptin-PH can provide new insight for the research and structural modification of new peptide drugs.
CORPORATE OWNERSHIP CHOICE BASED ON ETHICAL CRITERIA: IS IT BIG ENOUGH TO NOTICE?

Ethical investors often exclude firms that participate in so-called controversial activities, such as tobacco, alcohol, firearms, gambling, the military, and nuclear operations, from their investment portfolios. Firms excluded in this way should experience an increase in their cost of capital and a reduction in their share prices. We use the KLD database to identify S&P 500 firms involved in controversial activities. Our results show no difference between controversial activity firms and other firms regarding relative share price and we find that the cost of capital of controversial activity firms is in fact lower. We conclude that ethical investing, of the type that excludes controversial activity firms, does not influence the capital markets in the expected way.
Vascular smooth muscle cell growth arrest on blockade of thrombospondin-1 requires p 21 Cip 1 / WAF 1

DONGHUI CHEN,1 KUN GUO,1 JIHONG YANG,1 WILLIAM A. FRAZIER,3 JEFFREY M. ISNER,1 AND VICENTE ANDRÉS1,2 1Department of Medicine (Cardiology), St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02135; 2Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientı́ficas, 46010 Valencia, Spain; and 3Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
Predictors of atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

OBJECTIVE Atrial fibrillation is the most common complication after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. This arrhythmia may lead to hemodynamic compromise, prolonged hospitalization, and increased risk for cerebral thromboembolism. Older age is the only variable consistently associated with the development of postoperative atrial fibrillation; however, no strong predictive model exists. The purpose of this study was to identify perioperative characteristics associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. DESIGN Prospective, observational. SETTING University tertiary care hospital. PARTICIPANTS One hundred sixty consecutive patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was the major outcome. Atrial fibrillation occurred in 33 patients (20.6%). Multivariate analysis identified reintervention (odds ratio 26.8), revascularization of the ramus medianus (odds ratio 3.9), and age (odds ratio 1.069 per year) as the only independent predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation. All patients were in sinus rhythm at hospital discharge. One hospital death was noted. CONCLUSIONS Despite the less invasive approach, the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation is high after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Older age, grafting of the ramus medianus, and a redo operation were predictors of new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation. It is possible that left atrial stretching with heart dislocation during revascularization of the lateral wall could lead to postoperative atrial fibrillation.
Neoadjuvant modified FOLFIRINOX and chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer improves resectability

Though necessary for improved outcomes, surgical resection is often limited in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancers (LAPCs). We evaluated the efficacy of the approach adopted by our institution of using modified FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy followed by radiation with concurrent gemcitabine or capecitabine for patients with LAPCs, in an effort to enhance resectability while improving the toxicity profile compared with similar treatment regimens.
Oxygen supplementation in neonatal resuscitation Suplementación de oxígeno en la reanimación neonatal

Foetal life takes place in a milieu that is hypoxic relative to the extrauterine environment. During embryogenesis, oxygen saturation (SatO2) ranges from 15% to 20%, and in foetogenesis it increases to 45--55%. Hypoxaemia stimulates angiogenesis through direct activation of hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (HIF ) and indirectly through vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) involved in vascular and tissue development. Thus, hypoxaemia is an essential morphogen for development during foetal life. Preterm birth alters this delicate regulatory mechanism and the development and differentiation of tissues overall, but especially in the lung, intestine, retina and central nervous system.
Disparities among US states in HIV-related mortality in persons with HIV infection, 2001–2007

Objective:To examine interstate variation in US HIV case–fatality rates, and compare them with corresponding conventional HIV death rates. Design:Cross-sectional analysis using data on deaths due to HIV infection from the National Vital Statistics System and data on persons 15 years or older living with HIV infection in 2001–2007 in 37 US states from the national HIV/AIDS Reporting System. Methods:State rankings by age-adjusted HIV case–fatality rates (with HIV-infected population denominators) were compared with rankings by conventional death rates (with general population denominators). Negative binomial regression determined case–fatality rate ratios among states, adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, year, and state-level markers of late HIV diagnosis. Results:On the basis of 3 096 729 HIV-infected person-years, the overall HIV case–fatality rate was 20.6 per 1000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI) 20.3–20.9]. Age-adjusted rates by state ranged from 9.6 (95% CI 6.8–12.4) in Idaho to 32.9 (95% CI 29.8–36.0) in Mississippi, demonstrating significant differences across states, even after adjusting for race/ethnicity (P < 0.0001). Many states with low conventional death rates had high case–fatality rates. Nine of the 10 states with the highest case–fatality rates were located in the southern United States. Conclusion:Case–fatality rates complement and are not entirely concordant with conventional death rates. Interstate differences in these rates may reflect differences in secondary and tertiary prevention of HIV-related mortality among infected persons. These data suggest that state-specific contextual barriers to care may impede improvements in quality and disparities of healthcare without targeted interventions.
TP-RT Domain Interactions of Duck Hepatitis B Virus Reverse Transcriptase in cis and in trans during Protein-Primed Initiation of DNA Synthesis In Vitro

ABSTRACT The hepadnavirus reverse transcriptase (RT) has the unique ability to initiate viral DNA synthesis using RT itself as a protein primer. Protein priming requires complex interactions between the N-terminal TP (terminal protein) domain, where the primer (a specific Y residue) resides, and the central RT domain, which harbors the polymerase active site. While it normally utilizes the cis-linked TP to prime DNA synthesis (cis-priming), we found that the duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) RT domain, in the context of the full-length RT protein or a mini-RT construct containing only truncated TP and RT domains, could additionally use a separate TP or RT domain in trans as a primer (trans-priming). trans interaction could also be demonstrated by the inhibitory effect (trans-inhibition) on cis-priming by TP and RT domain sequences provided in trans. Protein priming was further shown to induce RT conformational changes that resulted in TP-RT domain dissociation, altered priming site selection, and a gain of sensitivity to a pyrophosphate analog inhibitor. trans-priming, trans-inhibition, and trans-complementation, which requires separate TP and RT domains to reconstitute a functional RT protein, were employed to define the sequences in the TP and RT domains that could mediate physical or functional inter- and intradomain interactions. These results provide new insights into TP-RT domain interactions and conformational dynamics during protein priming and suggest novel means to inhibit protein priming by targeting these interactions and the associated conformational transitions.