Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interspecific Transfer of a Wolbachia Infection Into Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Yields a Novel Phenotype Capable of Rescuing a Superinfection

ABSTRACT Wolbachia are maternally transmitted obligate bacteria that occur naturally in many arthropods. The phenotype observed in mosquitoes is known as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), which results in reduced or absent egg hatch in crosses between individuals with different infection types. Applied mosquito control strategies propose that by releasing individuals infected with a Wolbachia strain that differs from that in the natural host population, CI could be used to suppress or replace mosquito populations. Here, using tetracycline treatment and embryonic microinjection, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) was cleared of its natural Wolbachia infection and artificially infected with a Wolbachia strain originating from Aedes riversi Bohart & Ingram. Crossing experiments were carried out to determine whether CI could be observed between the artificially infected strain (UC), naturally infected (wild type), and uninfected strains of Ae. albopictus. Crosses between UC males and uninfected females resulted in no egg hatch, a classic unidirectional CI pattern. Crosses between the wild-type and UC strain also exhibited a unidirectional pattern of CI, demonstrating that the UC strain is compatible with both of the Wolbachia types that occur within Ae. albopictus and that wild-type Wolbachia infections are unable to fully rescue the UC Wolbachia type. Crosses between the UC strain and another artificially infected Ae. albopictus strain (ARwP), were bidirectionally incompatible, demonstrating that the UC strain is not compatible with all Wolbachia types. The CI patterns observed in this study were atypical and the opposite of that typically observed with superinfections.
A fast, latching comparator for 12 bit A/D applications

High-speed, 12 bit accurate successive approximation A/D converters demand a comparator with both excellent input specifications and fast response time. The author describes a voltage comparator with 50 ns response time to 1/2 LSB overdrive (1.2 mV) and 0.1 LSB (250 /spl mu/V) total input error. Unique features of the circuit include a super-/spl beta/ input stage, a fast buried-zener level-shift, a fully differential output stage, a floating-zener biasing scheme, and a fast latch circuit which does not interfere with input accuracy. The comparator is manufactured on a bipolar, double-implanted, thin epi, junction-isolated process.
Inhibition of benzo[a]pyrene-induced mutagenesis by (-)-epigallocatechin gallate in the lung of rpsL transgenic mice.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a major water-soluble component of green tea. The antimutagenic activity of EGCG against benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)-induced mutations was assessed by using transgenic mice carrying the rpsL gene as a monitor of mutations. Seven-week-old male mice were given drinking water containing EGCG for 3 weeks. On day 7, mice were treated with a single i.p. injection of B[a]P (500 mg/kg body wt). Two weeks after the injection, the mutations in the rpsL gene were analyzed. B[a]P treatment resulted in an approximately 4-fold increase of mutation frequency at the rpsL gene in the lung. An approximately 60% reduction in the B[a]P-induced mutations in the lung was observed when mice were given EGCG at concentrations >0.005%. B[a]P-induced mutations mainly occurred at G:C basepairs in the several specific nucleotide sequences of the rpsL gene. These were AGG, CGG, CGT, TGG, TGC and GGT: all of them contained a guanine residue. Mutations seen similarly in the human Ki-ras codon 12 or p53 codons 157, 248, and 273 of lung tumor were also found in the rpsL gene, and the mutations were suppressed by the EGCG treatment. In conclusion, the antimutagenic effects of EGCG for B[a]P-induced mutagenesis in vivo suggest that drinking green tea may reduce the tumor-initiating potency of B[a]P in the lung.
Developmental and architectural principles of the lateral-line neural map

The transmission and central representation of sensory cues through the accurate construction of neural maps is essential for animals to react to environmental stimuli. Structural diversity of sensorineural maps along a continuum between discrete- and continuous-map architectures can influence behavior. The mechanosensory lateral line of fishes and amphibians, for example, detects complex hydrodynamics occurring around the animal body. It triggers innate fast escape reactions but also modulates complex navigation behaviors that require constant knowledge about the environment. The aim of this article is to summarize recent work in the zebrafish that has shed light on the development and structure of the lateralis neural map, which is helping to understand how individual sensory modalities generate appropriate behavioral responses to the sensory context.
A-Kinase-Anchoring Protein 95 Functions as a Potential Carrier for the Nuclear Translocation of Active Caspase 3 through an Enzyme-Substrate-Like Association

ABSTRACT Caspase-mediated proteolysis is a critical and central element of the apoptotic process, and caspase 3, one of the effector caspases, is proposed to play essential roles in the nuclear morphological changes of apoptotic cells. Although many substrates for caspase 3 localize in the nucleus and caspase 3 translocates from the cytoplasm to the nuclei after activation in apoptotic cells, the molecular mechanisms of nuclear translocation of active caspase 3 have been unclear. Recently, we suggested that a substrate-like protein(s) served as a carrier to transport caspase 3 from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. In the present study, we identified A-kinase-anchoring protein 95 (AKAP95) as a caspase 3-binding protein. Small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of AKAP95 reduced apoptotic nuclear morphological changes, suggesting that AKAP95 is involved in the process of apoptotic nuclear morphological changes. The association of AKAP95 with active caspase 3 was analogous to an enzyme-substrate interaction. Furthermore, overexpression of AKAP95 with nuclear localization sequence mutations inhibited nuclear morphological changes in apoptotic cells. These results indicate that AKAP95 is a potential carrier protein for active caspase 3 from the cytoplasm into the nuclei in apoptotic cells.
Capture more value

Sometimes the only thing that can save a business is a new way to capture value. Businesses constantly innovate to create new value--but unless they also focus on how they capture value, they won’t realize maximum benefit from their breakthroughs. And even avid innovators often have a blind spot when it comes to value capture. Managers need to think about value capture more imaginatively and as a matter of course. A new framework developed by IMD business school’s Stefan Michel can help them do so. Michel details 15 value-capture innovations, which fall under five broad categories. Firms can profit by changing the price-setting mechanism (think of Priceline), the payer (media businesses where advertisers subsidize content consumption), the price carrier (Netflix), the timing of the exchange (commodities futures), or the segment served (grocery coupons, which "fence off” customers who prioritize savings). The practical applications of the framework are proven: In workshops at a major airline and a global professional services firm, for instance, cross-functional teams using this tool quickly devised new ways to capture value that boosted their company’s profits
Should Gross Anatomy be taught systemically or regionally

While the teaching of gross anatomy remains a topic of considerable discussion (and occasional controversy), in terms of the time allocated, timing within the course, content and clinical relevance, and the use of cadavers and dissection by students, there is relatively little discourse about whether gross anatomy should be taught systemically and/or regionally or whether anatomy should be integrated or a stand-alone course. This brief article analyses the differences between the systemic and region approaches, suggests ways in which the efficacy of these approaches might be investigated, and assesses how they might be integrated into other biomedical sciences and into clinical disciplines. Overall, we conclude that, even within health care studies courses such as medicine that are integrated, there should be a standalone component for the study of gross anatomy that takes a regional approach; although undoubtedly study of anatomy both systemically and regionally would be the ideal situation (time and resources permitting).
Epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome in Asia: Something old, something new, something borrowed

In this review we have unearthed epidemiological data that; support the ‘old’ concept of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a disorder of civilization, build a ‘new’ symptom profile of IBS for Asia, and persuade us against the use of ‘borrowed’ Western diagnostic criteria and illness models by Asian societies. In the 1960s, IBS was described as a disorder of civilization. Early studies from Asia suggested a prevalence of IBS below 5%. Recent studies from Asia suggest a trend for the more affluent city states like Singapore and Tokyo, to have higher prevalence of 8.6% and 9.8%, respectively, while India had the lowest prevalence of 4.2%. Furthermore, there was a trend among the better educated and more affluent strata of society in several urban Chinese populations for a higher prevalence of IBS, as well as a trend for a higher consultation rate. Across Chinese and Indian predominant populations, a majority of patients with IBS criteria report upper abdominal symptoms such as epigastric pain relieved by defecation, bloating and dyspepsia. Bloating and incomplete evacuation appear to be more important determinants of consultation behavior, than psychological factors. The failure of the Rome criteria to recognize the relationship to meals, may have led to a substantial misclassification of IBS as dyspepsia. The relevance of the Western model of psychological disturbance as a determinant of consultation behavior is questionable because of the accessibility and acceptability of medical consultation for gastrointestinal complaints in many Asian communities.
Differential degradation of ferritin H- and L-chains: accumulation of L-chain-rich ferritin in lens epithelial cells.

PURPOSE The storage of iron by ferritin is determined by tissue-specific composition of its 24 subunits, which are designated as either heavy (H) or light (L). For a better understanding of how lens epithelial cells regulate their ferritin subunit makeup, the degradation pattern of each subunit type was analyzed. In addition, age-related changes in ferritin concentration and subunit makeup were determined. METHODS Ferritin turnover in primary cultures of canine lens epithelial cells was determined by metabolic labeling with [(35)S]-methionine. Transient transfection with vectors containing coding sequences for either H- or L-chains were used to modify ferritin subunit makeup. Ferritin concentration was measured by ELISA. Immunodetection and fluorescence immunocytochemistry were used to study age-related changes in ferritin chain concentration. RESULTS Inhibition of the proteasomal protein degradation pathway by clastolactacystin-beta-lactone had no effect on ferritin degradation, whereas inhibition of lysosomal degradation markedly increased ferritin levels, confirming that this system is involved in ferritin turnover. H-chain ferritin degraded at a faster rate than the L-chain. L-chain-rich ferritin in L-chain-transfected cells formed inclusion bodies that were localized to the cytosol. Similar inclusion bodies were found in older lens cells kept in cell culture for more than 8 days. CONCLUSIONS Steady degradation of H-chain ferritin contributed to the maintenance of a constant level of this chain within the lens epithelial cells. In contrast, slower turnover of the L-chain resulted in accumulation of L-chain-enriched ferritin associated with cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. These L-chain-containing inclusion bodies were found in the cytosol of cells overexpressing L-ferritin chain and in nontransfected cells maintained in culture for 8 to 35 days. Overexpression of the L-chain has been associated with the formation of premature cataracts in humans with hereditary hyperferritinemia cataract syndrome. The formation of inclusion bodies in older lens epithelial cells, as demonstrated in the current investigation, is intriguing and could point to possible involvement of cytoplasmic L-chain-enriched ferritin aggregates in the formation of age-related cataract.
The Local Merchants of Prato: Small Entrepreneurs in the Late Medieval Economy

Located just 10 miles from Florence and integrated into that city's economy, the small 14th-century Italian town of Prato lived mostly in the shadow of its larger neighbour. Its merchants and small businessmen and women would be forgotten today but for the survival of an unusual number of documents from Prato - detailed account books that preserve line-by-line records of long-ago business transactions. Based on these sources, Richard K. Marshall seeks to throw light on the everyday business life of Renaissance Italy. Marshall begins with a look at the local marketplace in Prato, examining the way of life in this small town, explaining how business was conducted, and offering an in-depth look at the particular cases of an independent broker and a family of innkeepers. He then turns to common business practices, paying special attention to methods of book-keeping, credit, loans and banking in the local economy. Appendices provide a list of the account books that are the source of this material; a table showing the value of the florin from 1337 to 1410; and tradesmen's references to the well-known Prato merchant Francesco di Marco Datini. Although focused on Prato, the story told here represents that of many other small towns that thrived in the regions surrounding the great Italian cities.
Investigation Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Internal Auditors in the Company: Case Study Iran

There are relatively fewer number of studies focused on internal audit effectiveness, than the number of studies on the effectiveness of external audit. Our focus in this paper is mainly on determinants of internal audit effectiveness. For this purpose we developed and tested five hypotheses using an investigation approach. We gathered our data using a questionnaire, filled out by 355 internal audit manager and 272 other internal audit staff.Our multivariate regression model estimates the relationships between the effectiveness of internal audit department and its five main determinants: competency of internal audit staff, size of internal audit department, communications between internal auditors and external auditors, management’s support for internal audit department, and independent (outsourced) internal audit.Our results show that internal audit effectiveness has stronger relationships with management’s support for hiring and experienced educated staff, providing the internal audit department with sufficient resources, and the size of internal audit department.
Multiple initial culture conditions enhance the establishment of cell lines from primary ovarian cancer specimens

SummaryTo increase the efficiency of stable cell line establishment from primary ovarian cancer specimens, we simultaneously initiated cultures under, multiple conditions, varying extracellular matrices and the inclusion of supplements (e.g., serum or serum albumin), while minimizing exposure to xenogeneic antigens (e.g., fetal calf serum). Primary cultures were initiated from 30 specimens; cell lines were established from 10 of these for a success rate of 33%. In some instances, multiple cell lines were established from the same specimen. Five lines were characterized extensively with respect to growth properties, antigen expression, and genomic alterations. Although these lines are all low-passage, marked heterogeneity was observed, even between lines derived from the same specimen. The culture approach outlined herein will facilitate generation of reagents useful for many aspects of ovarian cancer biology.
A New Construction of Short Hierarchical Identity-Based Signature in the Standard Model

†† Summary In this paper, a new short hierarchical identity-based signature (HIBS) scheme is proposed in the standard model. This scheme has some advantages over the available schemes: the private keys size shrinks as the identity depth increases and the signature size is constant as it consists of three group elements. Furthermore, under the generalization selective-identity security model, we reduce the security of the new scheme to the h-Exponent Computational Diffie-Hellman (h-CDH) assumption. This assumption is more natural than many of the hardness assumptions recently introduced to HIBS in the standard model
The Moderating Effects Of E-Government On The Relationship Between Administrative Decentralization And Service Delivery In County Governments In Kenya

This study sought to explore the relationship between the devolved governance aspect of administrative decentralization and service delivery in county governments in Kenya. The study also tested the moderating role of e-government on the relationship between administrative decentralization and service delivery in county governments in Kenya. The study used a sample size of 275 respondents, who are government officials drawn from 8 county governments in Kenya. The study used bivariate regression analysis and moderated multiple regression (MMR) to analyze the association between administrative decentralization, e-government, and service delivery variables. Based on the findings, a significant positive relationship between administrative decentralization and service delivery was established. However, the study found the moderating effect of e-government on the relationship between administrative decentralization and service delivery in county governments in Kenya to be insignificant. Finally, the study drew its conclusion and provided recommendations for future researchers.
Currency Options for Fund Managers

Options on a number of currency pairs involving the Rand are readily available to investors in the South African market. The most widely implemented strategies are those involving call options giving geared upside exposure to the underlying. However, overlay strategies such as collars and fences offer fund managers a powerful mechanism by which to control risk arising from exposure to foreign currencies.We motivate the need for consideration of downside protection against adverse currency moves and show that a weakening Rand is not a certainty. The behaviour of selected strategies over various historical periods is demonstrated in order to gain an intuitive understanding of performance under different types of currency scenario. Examples are considered both from the point of view of an investor holding foreign cash as an additional asset class, as well as investors holding foreign risky assets wishing to control the impact of currency moves on the returns of their offshore holdings. Finally, we discuss an interesting exotic variation of the vanilla zero-cost collar that allows one to increase potential upside without introducing the possibility of negative returns.
Competing designs for phase I clinical trials: a review

Phase I clinical trials are typically small, uncontrolled studies designed to determine a maximum tolerated dose of a drug which will be used in further testing. Two divergent schools have developed in designing phase I clinical trials. The first defines the maximum tolerated dose as a statistic computed from data, and hence it is identified, rather than estimated. The second defines the maximum tolerated dose as a parameter of a monotonic dose–response curve, and hence is estimated. We review techniques from both philosophies. The goal is to present these methods in a single package, to compare them from philosophical and statistical grounds, to hopefully clear up some common misconceptions, and to make a few recommendations. This paper is not a review of simulation studies of these designs, nor does it present any new simulations comparing these designs. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of the Tirandamycin Biosynthetic Gene Cluster from Streptomyces sp. 307‐9

The structurally intriguing bicyclic ketal moiety of tirandamycin is common to several acyl‐tetramic acid antibiotics, and is a key determinant of biological activity. We have identified the tirandamycin biosynthetic gene cluster from the environmental marine isolate Streptomyces sp. 307–9, thus providing the first genetic insight into the biosynthesis of this natural product scaffold. Sequence analysis revealed a hybrid polyketide synthase–nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene cluster with a colinear domain organization, which is entirely consistent with the core structure of the tirandamycins. We also identified genes within the cluster that encode candidate tailoring enzymes for elaboration and modification of the bicyclic ketal system. Disruption of tamI, which encodes a presumed cytochrome P450, led to a mutant strain deficient in production of late stage tirandamycins that instead accumulated tirandamycin C, an intermediate devoid of any post assembly‐line oxidative modifications.
Arabidopsis SNI1 and RAD51D regulate both gene transcription and DNA recombination during the defense response

The plant immune response known as systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a general defense mechanism that confers long-lasting resistance against a broad spectrum of pathogens. SAR triggers many molecular changes including accumulation of antimicrobial pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. Transcription of PR genes in Arabidopsis is regulated by the coactivator NPR1 and the repressor SNI1. Pathogen infection also triggers an increase in somatic DNA recombination, which results in transmission of changes to the offspring of infected plants. However, it is not known how the induction of homologous recombination during SAR is controlled. Here, we show that SNI1 and RAD51D regulate both gene expression and DNA recombination. In a genetic screen for suppressors of sni1, we discovered that RAD51D is required for NPR1-independent PR gene expression. As a result, the rad51d mutant has enhanced disease susceptibility. Besides altered PR gene expression, rad51d plants are hypersensitive to DNA-damaging agents and are impaired in homologous recombination. The dual role of RAD51D and SNI1 in PR gene transcription and DNA recombination suggests a mechanistic link between the short-term defense response and a long-term survival strategy.
Survey of Enterococcus faecalis in Diseased Swine in Hunan Province, China

บทคดยอ ทำการสำรวจอบตการณของการตดเชอ Enterococcus faecalis ในสกรปวยของมณฑลหหนาน ประเทศจน ระหวางเดอนกมภาพนธ ป ค. ศ. 2007-2011. ทำการเกบตวอยางจำนวน 385 ตวอยาง จากอวยวะภายในของสกรปวยโดยการสมคดเลอกพนท จำนวน10 แหง ผลการศกษา สามารถเพาะแยกเชอ E. faecalis ไดจำนวน 42 ตวอยาง (10.91 %) จากปอด และขอตอของสกรปวย การจำแนกชนดของเชอดงกลาวกระทำโดย การตรวจทางชวเคม และการตรวจรหสพนธกรรมของ 16S rRNA ซงผลการศกษานสามารถนำไปใชในการควบคมการตดเชอ E. faecalis ในสกรและมนษยไดในเขตมณฑลหหนาน ประเทศจน คำสำคญ: ประเทศจน สกรปวย Enterococcus faecalis การสำรวจ Abstract The prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis was investigated in diseased swine in Hunan Province, China betweenFebruary 2007 and February 2011. A total of 385 diseased swine dissected in prosectorium from 10 representativeadministrative regions in Hunan Province were examined for the presence of E. faecalis. Forty-two out of 385 (10.91%)diseased swine were found to be infected with E. faecalis by bacteria isolations. E. faecalis was mainly recovered fromthe lung and joint cavity. Identification of the organisms was based on biochemical assays and sequencing of thepartial 16S rRNA. The results of the present investigation have implications for the ongoing control of E. faecalisinfections in swine and humans in Hunan Province, China. Keywords: China, diseased swine, Enterococcus faecalis, survey