Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CAD/DFF40 Nuclease Is Dispensable for High Molecular Weight DNA Cleavage and Stage I Chromatin Condensation in Apoptosis*

DNA degradation during apoptotic execution generally occurs at two levels: early as high molecular weight (HMW) fragments and later on as oligonucleosomal fragments. Two nucleases, CAD/CPAN/DFF40 and endonuclease G, can digest nuclear chromatin to produce the oligonucleosomal fragments, and it has been suggested that CAD might be responsible for HMW DNA cleavage. To more clearly define the role of CAD in nuclear disassembly, we have generatedCAD −/− sublines of chicken DT40 cells in which the entire CAD open reading frame has been deleted. These cells grow normally and undergo apoptosis with kinetics essentially identical to wild type cells. However, they fail to undergo detectable oligonucleosomal fragmentation, proving that CAD is essential for this stage of DNA cleavage, at least in DT40 cells. Other aspects of nuclear disassembly, including HMW DNA cleavage and early stage apoptotic chromatin condensation against the nuclear periphery proceed normally in the absence of CAD. However, the final stages of chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation do not occur. Our results demonstrate that CAD is required for complete disassembly of the nucleus during apoptosis and reveal the existence of one or more as yet unidentified second factors responsible for HMW DNA cleavage and the early stages of apoptotic chromatin condensation.
Pharmacological Properties of CY 216 and of Its ACLM and BCLM Components in the Rabbit

Summary This study compares some in vivo pharmacological properties of CY 216 and of its ACLM and BCLM components having a molecular weight above and below 5.4 kDa respectively. The anti-factor Xa/anti-thrombin ratio of these compounds determined in a rabbit plasma system were 2.5 and 1.2 for CY 216 and ACLM respectively while BCLM was devoid of anti-thrombin effect. After bolus intravenous injection, continuous infusion and subcutaneous administration, the clearances of anti-factor Xa activity generated by ACLM were, on the average, 2 and 1.5 times higher than those generated by BCLM and CY 216 respectively. The clearances of the anti-thrombin activity were comparable for CY 216 and ACLM, and higher than those of the antifactor Xa activity. The duration of the antithrombotic effect was investigated in the Wessler model after a single subcutaneous injection of 1000 anti-factor Xa units of one of the compounds. Using thromboplastin as thrombogenic stimulus, the most efficient agent was ACLM and the antithrombotic activity was essentially correlated to the circulating anti-thrombin activity. Using human serum as thrombogenic stimulus, ACLM and BCLM were more efficient than CY 216 and the antithrombotic activity was mainly correlated to the anti-factor Xa activity. The ability of the 3 compounds to inhibit venous thrombosis growth was compared: they were found equipotent and the antithrombotic effect was independent of the anti-thrombin activity. The pro-haemorrhagic properties were compared in the rabbit ear model. The activity of the 3 compounds were comparable and significantly less prohaemorrhagic than unfractionated heparin. These results suggest that the haemorrhagic potential of unfractionated heparin and of LMWH is independent of the anti-thrombin and anticoagulant activity, but related to the molecular weight. These observations indicate that factor Xa inhibition is a valuable target to prevent and to treat venous thrombosis and that the anti-factor Xa activity of a low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) largely contributes to its antithrombotic effect.
A socioeconomic analysis of Ethiopian migrant entrepreneurs in South Africa

The objective of study was to assess and evaluate factors that affect entrepreneurial activities carried out by formal and informal migrant entrepreneurs from Ethiopia who conduct business operations in the nine provinces of South Africa. The study was descriptive and exploratory in nature. The design of the study was descriptive and cross-sectional. Data were collected from a stratified random sample of 3,045 migrant entrepreneurs from Ethiopia who conduct business in the nine provinces of South Africa. Stratified random sampling was used for the selection of eligible entrepreneurs. The study found that about 76% of businesses operated by migrant entrepreneurs from Ethiopia were profitable, whereas the remaining 24% of businesses were not profitable. About 32% of entrepreneurs were attracted to South Africa due to better infrastructural facilities. About 25% of entrepreneurs were attracted to South Africa due to better socioeconomic conditions. About 78% of migrant entrepreneurs had conducted business in South Africa for five years or more at the time of data collection. About 34% of businesses paid tax to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) on a regular basis. About 38% of businesses employed at least one South African in their businesses. About 85% of entrepreneurs stated that they had good working relationships with members of the various local communities in South Africa.
Hepatitis B immune status in adolescents vaccinated during infancy: A retrospective cohort study from a pediatric practice in Germany

abstract In Germany, vaccination of infants against hepatitis B is recommended since 1995. However, data on long-term immunity is sparse and the necessity of a booster dose remains uncertain. Aims of this study were to assess the long-term persistence of antibodies to the hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) after immunization during infancy and the effect of a subsequent hepatitis B booster vaccination during adolescence on anti-HBs levels. Patients from a private pediatric practice who had received a full vaccination course of hepatitis B as infants and who were quantitatively tested for anti-HBs during adolescence (pre-booster levels) were included. In those participants who received a hepatitis B booster, post-booster anti-HBs levels were measured. Univariate analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with pre- and post-booster anti-HBs levels, respectively. 106 participants (53% male) were included in the study. At an average of 13.7 y after primary vaccination, 14% of participants had an anti-HBs level of ≥100 IU/l, while 46% were at 10–99 IU/l and 40% had anti-HBs levels of <10 IU/l. In total, 34 received a booster vaccination. Of those, 97% (33/34) had post-booster anti-HBs levels ≥ 100 IU/l, which were independent from pre-booster levels. No other patient characteristics were associated with pre-booster or post-booster anti-HBs≥ 100 IU/l. Although almost half of study participants showed low anti-HBs levels at follow-up, robust responses to booster vaccination suggest that adolescents who received the full vaccination course during infancy are still protected against hepatitis B infection.
Agricultural Media Coverage of Farm Safety: Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT Agricultural media merit increased attention in addressing dynamic changes in safety aspects of one of the nation’s most hazardous industries. Changes in farming, such as larger-scale, new “niche” enterprises and new technologies, bring new forms of risk to the safety of those who live and work on farms and ranches. At the same time, traditional agricultural media—commercial firms that publish farm periodicals and commercial radio/television stations and networks that provide farm programming—are changing dramatically. In the face of media convergence, these enterprises provide an increasing menu of agricultural information services delivered by print, radio, and television, plus a host of new electronic media. This review of literature addressed the role and importance of commercial agricultural media in the United States, the scope and pattern of their safety coverage, and the opportunities they represent. The review involved searches of 14 bibliographic databases, as well as reference lists of relevant studies and contacts with farm safety experts. Analysis of 122 documents suggested that limited focus has been directed to the role of commercial agricultural media in safety decisions on US farms. Findings revealed that they continue to serve an efficient, early-stage role in creating awareness and interest, providing information, forming attitudes, and stirring consideration of farm safety. Potentials are seen as expanding through the interactive features of social media and other new services offered by these media firms. Findings also identified research needs, 100 farm safety topics for reporting, and opportunities for strengthening safety coverage by commercial agricultural media.
Valproate‐induced metabolic changes in patients with epilepsy: Assessment with 1H‐MRS

Purpose: Valproate (VPA) interferes with mitochondrial metabolism causing hyperammonemia, thereby shifting the balance reaction of glutamine (Gln)/glutamate (Glu) toward Gln. In this study we wanted to determine whether metabolic changes could be reproduced in VPA‐treated patients with epilepsy and whether the results differed from those known in chronic hepatic encephalopathy (CHE).
Dielectric cloaks as analytical or numerical solutions of inverse scattering problems

In this paper, the synthesis of dielectric cloaks is solved in terms of an inverse scattering problem (ISP), where the overall solution is partially known (the object or collection of scatterers to be hidden) and partially unknown (the coating or cloak). In a 2D domain and for TMz incident polarization, the cloaking effect is first analytically demonstrated in quasi-static regime, confirming the plasmonic cloaking approach. The main novelty is numerically exploring, beyond the subwavelength limit, novel layouts of cloaks without any negative or near-zero dielectric value on the inside.
Cloning and characterization of nanB, a second Streptococcus pneumoniae neuraminidase gene, and purification of the NanB enzyme from recombinant Escherichia coli

Streptococcus pneumoniae is believed to produce more than one form of neuraminidase, but there has been uncertainty as to whether this is due to posttranslational modification of a single gene product or the existence of more than one neuraminidase-encoding gene. Only one stable pneumococcal neuraminidase gene (designated nanA) has been described. In the present study, we isolated and characterized a second neuraminidase gene (designated nanB), which is located close to nanA on the pneumococcal chromosome (approximately 4.5kb downstream). nanB was located on an operon separate from that of nanA, which includes at least five other open reading frames. NanB has a predicted size of 74.5 kDa after cleavage of a 29-amino-acid signal peptide. There was negligible amino acid homology between NanA and NanB, but NanB did exhibit limited homology with the sialidase of Clostridium septicum. NanB was purified from recombinant Escherichia coli and found to have a pH optimum of 4.5, compared with 6.5 to 7.0 for NanA. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis suggested that NanB has a molecular size of approximately 65 kDa. The discrepancy between this estimate and the size predicted from the nucleotide sequence is most likely a consequence of C-terminal processing or anomalous electrophoretic behavior.
The mediating effect of prefrontal asymmetry on the relationship between the COMT Val158Met SNP and trait consummatory positive affect

The Val158Met rs4680 polymorphism in the COMT gene regulates dopamine catabolism in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Dopamine's involvement in reward experience suggests those with the methionine (Met) variant may exhibit trait-level sensitivity to reward due to more post-synaptic dopamine in the PFC. A physiological mediator of this association may be greater relative left asymmetry in the PFC, a putative biomarker for trait positive emotionality. Electroencephalograms of 120 participants were measured during a task that assesses two aspects of reward processing: pre-reward anticipation and post-reward consummatory affect. Participants provided genetics samples and completed the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS), which assesses trait-level anticipatory and consummatory positive affect. Met carriers had higher TEPS-Consummatory scores. This effect was mediated by greater relative left activation in the post-reward phase of the task. No effects were observed for the pre-reward phase. Results suggest that frontal asymmetry is an endophenotype between COMT genotype and trait reward responsivity.
Political economy of virtue: civil economy, happiness and public trust in the thought of Antonio Genovesi

Abstract Amid the growing literature in English on the work of the Neapolitan political economist Antonio Genovesi (1713–1769), this paper focuses on his conception of civil economy (economia civile) as a theory of government. By contrast with existing interpretations, the argument is that for Genovesi virtue is a significant ordering device of the polity: virtue mediates between passions and reason, and the human capacity for virtue helps individuals better to realise their different talents. This, in turn, means that virtue is central to the division of labour and the right proportions between different activities, including the balance between consumption and trade.
The nuclease that selectively degrades albumin mRNA in vitro associates with Xenopus liver polysomes through the 80S ribosome complex.

A ribonuclease activity that has characteristics expected for an enzyme that catalyzes the regulated destabilization of serum protein-coding mRNAs following estrogen administration was previously identified on Xenopus liver polysomes. This enzyme activity is estrogen inducible and selectively degrades mRNAs (e.g., albumin, gamma-fibrinogen) that are unstable following estrogen administration to male frogs. This paper reports on the relationship between this enzyme activity and the association of 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits. Ribonuclease activity (as defined by the generation of a specific cleavage fragment from albumin RNA) is found in polysome fractions that contain the majority of the liver mRNA. This activity sediments on sucrose gradients with the large polysome complexes observed in liver of vitellogenic animals. EDTA treatment generates 40S and 60S ribosome subunits and a significant amount of 80S ribosome monomers. Under these conditions, polysomal ribonuclease activity is found both free in solution and with the 80S material. Puromycin treatment generates predominantly 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits. Polysomal ribonuclease activity is found only in solution following puromycin treatment. These data indicate that the Xenopus liver polysomal nuclease requires the association of both ribosomal subunits for complex formation with polysomes. The polysomal nuclease behaves as a basic protein on Mono Q chromatography, with the fractionated material retaining the same differential activity toward albumin versus ferritin mRNA.
Screening of dioxin-like toxicity equivalents for various matrices with wildtype and recombinant rat hepatoma H4IIE cells.

Determination of dioxin-like compounds utilizing in vitro bioassays such as ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) or chemical-activated luciferase expression (DR-CALUX) is an important tool to evaluate their Ah receptor-mediated toxic effects. The aim of this study is to describe advantages and limitations of these bioassays using rat hepatoma (H4IIE) wildtype and recombinant H4IIE cells in a 96 well microtiter plate format. We are using these bioassays for the evaluation of relative responses (REP) from several congeners of dioxins (e.g., 2,3,4,7,8-PCDF) or dioxin-like compounds (PCB-126, 2,3,4,7,8-PBDF) to 2,3,7,8-TCDD. In addition, total toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) of mixtures of these dioxin-like compounds from several kinds of matrices such as feed, sediment, or thermal waste residues are measured by both bioassays and additional chemical analysis. These samples were measured in a cross-validation study between two laboratories using the DR-CALUX technology in comparison to the H4IIE-EROD assay and chemical analysis. Improvement of the quality criteria of the newly developed DR-CALUX bioassays in comparison to the EROD bioassay was demonstrated (higher coefficient of determination r(2); better repeatability of TCDD and samples), while induction factor, limit of detection, and limit of quantification have been similar. The tested samples showed positive responses in both bioassays using different kinetics (EROD: 72 h; DR-CALUX: 24 h). Ratio of measured toxicity equivalent (TEQ) values varied around mean values of 0.89 (comparing both DR-CALUX laboratories, ranging from 0.68-3.1), 2.0 (comparing EROD and DR-CALUX, ranging from 0.57-8.1), and 1.6-2.5 (comparing EROD-TEQ and I-TEQ, mean 1.6, ranging from 1.0-3.9; for DR-CALUX/I-TEQ, 2.5; 0.61-8.3), respectively. This demonstrates that these bioassays can be used as alternative screening technology for monitoring I-TEQ values in various standards and matrices.
Miscellanea GeoGraphica – RegIONal StuDIeS ON DeVelOpmeNt

114 Theoretical background Metropolitan governance – both in academic literature and in practice – seems to be a never-ending story. The governance of metropolitan regions continues to be of compelling interest to scholars and practitioners around the world. In recent decades, new elements have entered the debate, especially the new regionalism and rescaling. Nevertheless, problems related to the effective governance of what are generally known as urban regions remain, by and large, unsolved. Scholarly attention to metropolitan governance goes back to the 1930s, when the first major work on this subject in the U.S. was published1 and followed by literally hundreds of books, book chapters, journal articles, reports and coverage in the popular media. From the 1950s to well into the 1980s, the thinking of the Metropolitan Reform School on the subject of metro governance held sway in the U.S. and Europe. The proponents of metropolitan reform believed strongly that, for reasons of efficiency and equity, the problems resulting from politico-administrative fragmentation of city-regions needed to be addressed and that the best way to do so was through area-wide (metropolitan) structures of government. In the 60-plus years since Metro Reform works began to appear, however, very few regions in the U.S. and Europe have chosen to adopt such structures. Moreover, those structures that were adopted in earlier years in Europe were either abolished in the 1980s (such as Umlandverband Frankfurt, Entitat Municipal Metropolitana de Barcelona, Rijnmond Authority, Metropolitan Counties in the UK [Freund 2003; Kubler 2003; Tomas 2005;
Analysis of the cytosolic proteome of Halobacterium salinarum and its implication for genome annotation

The halophilic archaeon Halobacterium salinarum (strain R1, DSM 671) contains 2784 protein‐coding genes as derived from the genome sequence. The cytosolic proteome containing 2042 proteins was separated by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2‐DE) and systematically analyzed by a semi‐automatic procedure. A reference map was established taking into account the narrow isoelectric point (pI) distribution of halophilic proteins between 3.5 and 5.5. Proteins were separated on overlapping gels covering the essential areas of pI and molecular weight. Every silver‐stained spot was analyzed resulting in 661 identified proteins out of about 1800 different protein spots using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF). There were 94 proteins that were found in multiple spots, indicating post‐translational modification. An additional 141 soluble proteins were identified on 2‐D gels not corresponding to the reference map. Thus about 40% of the cytosolic proteome was identified. In addition to the 2784 protein‐coding genes, the H. salinarum genome contains more than 6000 spurious open reading frames longer than 100 codons. Proteomic information permitted an improvement in genome annotation by validating and correcting gene assignments. The correlation between theoretical pI and gel position is exceedingly good and was used as a tool to improve start codon assignments. The fraction of identified chromosomal proteins was much higher than that of those encoded on the plasmids. In combination with analysis of the GC content this observation permitted an unambiguous identification of an episomal insert of 60 kbp (“AT‐rich island”) in the chromosome, as well as a 70 kbp region from the chromosome that has integrated into one of the megaplasmids and carries a series of essential genes. About 63% of the chromosomally encoded proteins larger than 25 kDa were identified, proving the efficacy of 2‐DE MALDI‐TOF MS PMF technology. The analysis of the integral membrane proteome by tandem mass spectrometric techniques added another 141 identified proteins not identified by the 2‐DE approach (see following paper).
Inequality in Education: Experience of Critical Pedagogy and Community Engagement with Orang Sungai in Paitan, Sabah

The level of literacy among rural communities is still relatively low in Malaysia even though the overall country’s literacy rate is considerably high. Literacy rates among indigenous people are lowest in remote communities, especially in Sabah and Sarawak. This is due to reasons like low literacy among the parents and poor school attendance. There have been initiatives attempt to bring literacy level of the indigenous communities to a similar level to that of their non-indigenous peers. Adopting Community Participation Action Research, this study aims to develop and implement a community engagement project through the Literacy Advocacy Program among Orang Sungai who dwells in remote areas in Sabah. Data were gathered through community asset-mapping form on 187 community members and focus group discussion with the community teachers (n=6). The findings of the asset mapping exercise showed that almost 40% of the Orang Sungai did not attend any formal education. A total of 66% of household heads have no formal occupation, and the most common profession is farming. Reasons include the inability to read, write or count. The findings also showed that there is a need for community literacy program to empower the community in the development of the nation. Therefore, the Literacy Advocacy Program was planned to use a set of Literacy Advocacy Module. The module consists of 13 sub-modules which require a total of 42hours of adult learning hours. Conducted in the community hall, this program was participated by 21 community members. The community teachers to carry out the program learning activities were appointed by locally trained teachers. Upon completion of the program, participants underwent an oral assessment to measure the effectiveness of the program. The program has shown effective impacts on the adult learning process and the community at large. It has implications on extending the similar format to other marginalised communities in Malaysia.