Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Plasma Membrane beta-Glucan Synthase from Red Beet Root by Phospholipids : Reactivation of Triton X-100 Extracted Glucan Synthase by Phospholipids.

Extraction of red beet root plasma membranes with the detergent Triton X-100 at a level of 2.0% (weight/volume) resulted in the depletion of over 90% of total membrane phospholipid and the reduction of glucan synthase activity by 80 to 90%. Reconstitution of the delipidated Triton X-100, 100,000g fraction in the presence of phospholipids restored glucan synthase activity. The most effective phospholipid was phosphatidyl-ethanolamine, which restored 110 to 144% of the original activity at 0.5% (weight/volume). Glucan synthase in the phospholipid-reactivated Triton X-100-treated fraction was enriched 9-fold in specific activity relative to microsomal membranes but was unstable in digitonin. These results support the hypothesis that glucan synthase activity is regulated by its phospholipid environment.
Genetic or pharmacological inactivation of the dopamine D1 receptor differentially alters the expression of regulator of G‐protein signalling (Rgs) transcripts

Dysregulation of dopamine (DA) receptor signalling induces specific changes in behaviour, neuronal circuitry and gene expression in the mammalian forebrain. In order to better understand signalling adaptations at the molecular level, we used high‐density oligonucleotide microarrays (Codelink Mouse 20K) to define alterations in the expression of transcripts encoding regulator of G‐protein coupled receptor signalling in dopamine D1 receptor knockout mice (Drd1a‐KO). Regulator of G‐protein signalling (Rgs) 2, Rgs4, and Rgs9 were significantly decreased in the striatum (STR) of Drd1a‐KO mice. These changes were confirmed by in situ hybridization, and were also observed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). In contrast, analysis of the medial frontal cortex (MFC) revealed a significant decrease in Rgs17 expression exclusively, and a modest up‐regulation of Rgs5 transcript. The expression of these gene products were not significantly altered in the dopamine‐poor visual cortex (VC). The Drd1a‐KO mouse, and a rabbit model of in utero cocaine exposure, in which D1R signalling is permanently reduced, possess analogous morphological and functional alterations in dopamine‐modulated brain circuits; thus we also examined long‐lasting changes in RGS transcript expression following prenatal exposure to cocaine. In sharp contrast to the Drd1a‐KO, Rgs2 and Rgs4 were unchanged, and Rgs9 and Rgs17 transcripts were increased in prenatal cocaine‐exposed progeny. These data suggest that an absolute absence of D1R signalling (Drd1a‐KO) and hypomorphic D1R signalling (prenatal cocaine) produce common alterations in neuronal morphology, but distinct outcomes in molecular neuroadaptations.
DNA-induced Polymerization of HIV-1 Integrase Analyzed with Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy*

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase is essential for viral replication. Integrase inserts the viral DNA into the host DNA. We studied the association of integrase to fluorescently labeled oligonucleotides using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. The binding of integrase to the fluorescent oligonucleotides resulted in the appearance of bright spikes during fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements. These spikes arise from the formation of high molecular mass protein-DNA complexes. The fluorescence of the free DNA was separated from the spikes with a statistical method. From the decrease of the concentration of free oligonucleotides, a site association constant was determined. The DNA-protein complexes were formed rapidly in a salt-dependent manner with site association constants ranging between 5 and 40 μm −1 under different conditions. We also analyzed the kinetics of the DNA-protein complex assembly and the effect of different buffer components. The formation of the fluorescent protein-DNA complex was inhibited by guanosine quartets, and the inhibition constant was determined at 1.8 ± 0.6 × 108 m −1. Displacement of bound DNA with G-quartets allowed the determination of the dissociation rate constant and proves the reversibility of the association process.
Understanding Democratic Transition Using Self-Organizing Maps: A Special Focus on Arab Spring Countries

This paper is an attempt to determine democratic transition success predictors. We adopted the self-organizing map (SOM) as an alternative approach, mapping thus 121 countries on the bases of 33 indicators of various nature over 4 years (1984, 1991, 2002 and 2013). We have included economic, social, demographic and political, as well as institutional variables. Population age structure, globalization, health indicators, education and women participation in the society were found to have the most important clustering potentials, whereas according to a subsequent SVM procedure unemployment, corruption, democratic accountability, and law and order were found to be particularly strong democratic transition success predictors.
Are baboons learning "orthographic" representations? Probably not

The ability of Baboons (papio papio) to distinguish between English words and nonwords has been modeled using a deep learning convolutional network model that simulates a ventral pathway in which lexical representations of different granularity develop. However, given that pigeons (columba livia), whose brain morphology is drastically different, can also be trained to distinguish between English words and nonwords, it appears that a less species-specific learning algorithm may be required to explain this behavior. Accordingly, we examined whether the learning model of Rescorla and Wagner, which has proved to be amazingly fruitful in understanding animal and human learning could account for these data. We show that a discrimination learning network using gradient orientation features as input units and word and nonword units as outputs succeeds in predicting baboon lexical decision behavior—including key lexical similarity effects and the ups and downs in accuracy as learning unfolds—with surprising precision. The models performance, in which words are not explicitly represented, is remarkable because it is usually assumed that lexicality decisions, including the decisions made by baboons and pigeons, are mediated by explicit lexical representations. By contrast, our results suggest that in learning to perform lexical decision tasks, baboons and pigeons do not construct a hierarchy of lexical units. Rather, they make optimal use of low-level information obtained through the massively parallel processing of gradient orientation features. Accordingly, we suggest that reading in humans first involves initially learning a high-level system building on letter representations acquired from explicit instruction in literacy, which is then integrated into a conventionalized oral communication system, and that like the latter, fluent reading involves the massively parallel processing of the low-level features encoding semantic contrasts.
Nuclear transcription is essential for specification of mammalian replication origins

I have demonstrated that nuclear transcription modulates the distribution of replication origins along mammalian chromosomes. Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells were exposed to transcription inhibitors in early G1 phase and replication origin sites in the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene locus were mapped several hours later. DNA within nuclei prepared from control and transcription‐deficient G1‐phase cells was replicated with similar efficiencies when introduced into Xenopus egg extracts. Replication initiated in the intergenic region within control late‐G1 nuclei, but randomly within transcriptionally repressed nuclei. Random initiation was not a consequence of inability to produce an essential protein(s), since initiation was site‐specific within cells exposed to the translation inhibitor cycloheximide during the same interval of G1 phase. Furthermore, in vivo inhibition of transcription within late‐G1‐phase cells reduced the frequency of usage of pre‐established DHFR replication origin sites. Transcription rates in the DHFR domain were very low and did not change throughout G1 phase. This implies that, although ongoing nuclear transcription is required, local expression of the genes in the DHFR locus alone is not sufficient to create a site‐specific replication initiation pattern. I conclude that epigenetic factors, including general nuclear transcription, play a role in replication origin selection in mammalian nuclei.
Impact of Capital Market Growth on Economic Growth and Development in Nigeria

The capital market has been identified as institution that contributes to the economic growth and development of emerging and developed economies. It is a major driving force of economic growth and development of a nation. The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of growth in capital market on economic growth in Nigeria using regression analysis on annual data from 1981 to 2012. The results provide evidence to show that the capital market has significant positive impact on economic growth in Nigeria. The results also show, however, that growth in market capitalisation does not have significant impact on the economy in Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that capital market regulatory authorities should put in place polices that will enhance and sustain the market’s contribution to economic development.
Desirable practices for contact centres outsourced to an African country

Contact centres have become an important growth industry, and there are good opportunities for some African countries to attract outsourced business from Northern Hemisphere organisations through offshoring. Executives from major companies in the Western Cape, South Africa that offer outsourcing services to European and American countries were interviewed. Using hermeneutic content analysis a set of 22 desirable practices for setting up and operating contact centres in South Africa were derived. These are shown, with relevant quotes from contact centre management. It is suggested that African organisations bear these in mind, with possible local adaptations, when considering offering outsourced services.
Consensus for multi-agent systems — Synchronization and regulation for complex networks

In this paper, we consider three problems, namely, the consensus (synchronization) problem, the model-reference consensus problem, and the regulation of consensus problem, for a network of identical linear time-invariant (LTI) multi input and multi-output (MIMO) agents. For each problem, we propose a distributed LTI protocol to solve such a problem for a broad class of time-invariant network topologies including not only Laplacian topologies, but a wide family of asymmetric topologies.
EFFECT OF INTEREST RATES ON THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyse effect of interest rates on the financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya.Methodology:The study adopted anexplanatory research design. This study adopted a census research design; of all the 43 commercial banks in Kenya.The study also used secondary data.Multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the data using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 20.Results:The study established that lending rate ratio influence the financial performance of commercial banks in a positive way. Deposit interest ratio on the other hand negatively affects performance of commercial banks. Liquidity management and liquidity management influence performance positively and negatively respectively. The study concluded that there is a positive significant relationship between lending rate ratio and financial performance of commercial banks. The study also arrived at the conclusion that deposit interest ratio negatively affects bank performance. Moreover, the study concluded that liquidity management and asset quality affect performance positively and negatively respectively.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy:Following study results, itwasrecommended that commercial banks in Kenya should keenly manage their lending interest rates given that lending interest ratio is directly related to performance. The study also recommends that commercial banks need to monitor the interest on deposits carefully. The deposit interest ratio is negatively affects performance. It represents the main expense by any commercial bank and therefore for a commercial bank to be profitable, they must maintain a reasonable spread. Commercial banks must strive to raise deposits at reasonable rates in order to on lend to the customers. Commercial banks that attract deposits cheaply are able to advance loans cheaply and therefore attract more borrowers.It is recommended that banks should embrace prudent credit risk management to maintain appropriate asset quality. Credit information sharing and cross referencing with credit bureaus will ensure high risk borrowers are closely monitored. Such measure will result in a reduction of nonperforming loans improve the asset quality
Apolipoprotein E gene promoter polymorphisms in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease, the most frequent form of senile dementia, presents in the vast majority of cases as a multifactorial trait, where a series of genetic and environmental risk factors converge. The increasing body of data, both epidemiological and functional, is strengthening the evidence that apolipoprotein E (APOE, gene; apoE, protein) is a true susceptibility factor for the onset of the common form of Alzheimer's disease. The E4 isoform of apoE remains to date as the main genetic risk factor for the disease, although the mechanisms responsible for this association are not well understood. It is also clear that apoE4 is not necessary or sufficient to cause the disease, indicating that other risk and protecting factors exist. ApoE is upregulated in response to nervous system injury, suggesting that it could have a neuroprotective role; on the other hand, there is evidence indicating that apoE is neurotoxic when present at high levels. Thus, apoE levels seem to be relevant for the functionality of the protein. The APOE proximal promoter hosts numerous regulatory elements, raising the possibility that polymorphisms in this region could produce variation in apoE levels by altering APOE transcriptional activity, which could finally result in AD susceptibility. We will review here the current evidence on the relationship between APOE proximal promoter polymorphisms, APOE gene transcriptional activity and apoE protein levels, and risk for AD. Microsc. Res. Tech. 50:261–267, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of supportive-expressive group therapy on pain in women with metastatic breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE To examine whether a group intervention including hypnosis can reduce cancer pain and trait hypnotizability would moderate these effects. DESIGN This randomized clinical trial examined the effects of group therapy with hypnosis (supportive-expressive group therapy) plus education compared to an education-only control condition on pain over 12 months among 124 women with metastatic breast cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Pain and suffering, frequency of pain, and degree of constant pain were assessed at baseline and 4-month intervals. Those in the treatment group also reported on their experiences using the hypnosis exercises. RESULTS Intention-to-treat analyses indicated that the intervention resulted in significantly less increase in the intensity of pain and suffering over time, compared to the education-only group, but had no significant effects on the frequency of pain episodes or amount of constant pain, and there was no interaction of the intervention with hypnotizability. Within the intervention group, highly hypnotizable participants, compared to those less hypnotizable, reported greater benefits from hypnosis, employed self-hypnosis more often outside of group, and used it to manage other symptoms in addition to pain. CONCLUSION These results augment the growing literature supporting the use of hypnosis as an adjunctive treatment for medical patients experiencing pain.
Firm-driven path creation in arctic peripheries

In this paper, the author argues that path creation in regions could be connected to extra-regional firms, networks, and knowledge. However, since the 1990s, the field of evolutionary economic geography has emphasized the importance of endogenous factors in explaining mechanisms of growth and decline. In the debate on path development, there has been strong trust in internal regional processes, where regional innovation systems, related variety, and regional branching have been important sources of new growth patterns. Consequently, the anchoring of multinational corporations in regions as new sources of regional growth and firms’ strategic behavior has received less attention in the evolutionary economic geography discourse. There is less understanding of path creation as “outside-in” transplantation and of the role of extra-regional sources of knowledge and new path development. Accordingly, as peripheral regions often lack notions of relatedness within economic sectors, they depend on exogenous sources of new path development. By applying a set of quantitative and qualitative data from the buildup of a new offshore cluster in the petroleum sector off the coast of Finnmark in Northern Norway, the author suggests that firm behavior within a multiscalar network of actors plays a dominant strategic role in the development of new paths in the periphery. He argues that exogenous development impulses in the form of a combination of multinational corporations, state policies of local content, and the inflow of new knowledge through the inward transplantation of firms from outside can initiate new industrial paths. Thus, the author raises fundamental questions about the applicability of models of endogenous path creation in peripheral regions and suggests a new analytical framework for understanding how the entry of strategic firms connects with different regional paths.
Dysregulation of Dopamine Transporters via Dopamine D2 Autoreceptors Triggers Anomalous Dopamine Efflux Associated with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) modulates brain circuits involved in attention, reward, and motor activity. Synaptic DA homeostasis is primarily controlled via two presynaptic regulatory mechanisms, DA D2 receptor (D2R)-mediated inhibition of DA synthesis and release, and DA transporter (DAT)-mediated DA clearance. D2Rs can physically associate with DAT and regulate DAT function, linking DA release and reuptake to a common mechanism. We have established that the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-associated human DAT coding variant Ala559Val (hDAT A559V) results in anomalous DA efflux (ADE) similar to that caused by amphetamine-like psychostimulants. Here, we show that tonic activation of D2R provides support for hDAT A559V-mediated ADE. We determine in hDAT A559V a pertussis toxin-sensitive, CaMKII-dependent phosphorylation mechanism that supports D2R-driven DA efflux. These studies identify a signaling network downstream of D2R activation, normally constraining DA action at synapses, that may be altered by DAT mutation to impact risk for DA-related disorders.
Hypertension is associated with increased mortality in patients with ischaemic heart disease after revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention – a report from SCAAR*

Abstract Background: The prognostic role of hypertension on long-term survival after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is limited and inconsistent. We hypothesize that hypertension increases long-term mortality after PCI. Methods: We analyzed data from SCAAR (Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry) for all consecutive patients admitted coronary care units in Sweden between January 1995 and May 2013 and who underwent PCI due to ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)/unstable angina (UA) or stable angina pectoris. We used Cox proportional-hazards regression for statistical modelling on complete-case data as well as on imputed data sets. We used interaction test to evaluate possible effect-modulation of hypertension on risk estimates in several pre-specified subgroups: age categories, gender, diabetes, smoking and indication for PCI (STEMI, NSTEMI/UA and stable angina). Results: During the study period, 175,892 consecutive patients underwent coronary angiography due to STEMI, NSTEMI/UA or stable angina. 78,100 (44%) of these had hypertension. Median follow-up was 5.5 years. After adjustment for differences in patient’s characteristics, hypertension was associated with increased risk for mortality (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.09–1.15, p < .001). In subgroup analysis, risk was highest in patients less than 65 years, in smokers and in patients with STEMI. The risk was lowest in patients with stable angina (p < .001 for interaction test). Conclusion: Hypertension is associated with higher mortality in patients with STEMI, NSTEMI/UA or stable angina who are treated with PCI.
Personality variables related to compulsive eating in college women.

Investigated personality variables related to compulsive eating (episodic bouts of uncontrolled, excessive eating) in college women. Based on scores on the Compulsive Eating Scale, two groups were selected from a large sample of college women (mean age = 19) and classified high (N = 23) or low (N = 24) with regard to compulsive eating. Participants were administered the Sixteen Personality Factor Test, Social Desirability Scale. Locus of Control Scale, and Bem Sex Role Inventory. Results showed a number of significant differences between high and low groups. On the 16PF, high Ss showed higher inner tension, greater suspiciousness, and less emotional stability (ps less than .001). High Ss were more external in locus of control (p less than .02) and showed a greater need for approval (p less than .025). Sex role data showed a higher Masculine self-ideal (p less than .001) for the high group. There appear to be meaningful differences in personality variables that are related to compulsive eating. Results are discussed in terms of current theories of compulsive eating.
Evaluating the harmonic quality of pitch adaptation methods for use in cochlear implants

Some cochlear implant patients still cannot use their devices to a full extent. A limited insertion depth of the electrode array decreases the available frequency range, making speech incomprehensible. A recently proposed pitch modification method for cochlear implants aims alleviate the emerging deficiencies by modifying the pitch of an incoming signal. The pitch of the signal will be set to a fixed comfort pitch, which is the pitch of best comprehension for a given patient resulting in better speech recognition. Two approaches have been implemented to achieve this: The adaptive pitch transposition and a speech synthesis algorithm based on linear predictive coding (LPC). This paper compares the two approaches for their harmonic quality and runtime. As a result, the LPC-based approach seems better suited for cochlear implant use due to a much lower runtime as well as better harmonic quality.