Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Persistent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in human fetal glial cells reactivated by T-cell factor(s) or by the cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1 beta

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of the brain has been associated with a severe dementing illness in children and adults. However, HIV-1 antigens are most frequently found in macrophages and microglial cells. To determine the extent of susceptibility of neuroglial cells to infection, the HIV-1 genome was introduced into cells cultured from human fetal brain tissue. Astroglial cells rapidly transcribed the viral genome producing high levels of p24 protein and infectious virions which peaked two to three days posttransfection. Thereafter HIV-1 genome expression progressively diminished and a persistent phase of infection developed during which neither virus nor viral proteins could be demonstrated by immunodetection methods. Cocultivation with CD4+ T cells at any time during the persistent infection resulted in resumption of p24 synthesis and virus multiplication. The release of persistence did not require direct cell-cell contact between the glial and T cells, since separation of the two cell types across a permeable membrane resulted in a delayed but similar resumption of p24 synthesis and virus multiplication. The persistently infected glial cells could also be stimulated to produce viral p24 protein if either tumor necrosis factor alpha or interleukin-1 beta was added to the medium without T cells present. These results suggest that astrocytes may serve as an undetected reservoir for HIV-1 and disseminate the virus to other susceptible cells in the brain upon triggering by some cellular or biochemical signal.
Xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum as marker of occupational pesticide exposure

Background: An increasing number of currently used pesticides are reported to possess oestrogen-like properties or to disturb the endocrine system in other ways. Objectives: To investigate if xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum can be used as a biomarker of the combined exposure to pesticides with oestrogen-like properties in an occupational setting. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from two separate cohorts representing non-pregnant and pregnant female greenhouse workers in Denmark. Serum samples from 270 non-pregnant women and 173 pregnant women were analysed for xeno-oestrogenic activity. A fraction containing major xeno-oestrogens but without pharmaceutical and endogenously produced oestrogens was isolated from each serum sample by solid-phase extraction and tested for oestrogenic response in a MCF-7 cell proliferation assay. The pesticide exposure for each woman was categorised as low, medium or high based on information collected by detailed interviews of the women and the employers. Results: In both cohorts, an exposure-associated increase in the xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum was demonstrated. Among the pregnant women, the association between pesticide exposure and xeno-oestrogenic activity in serum was statistically significant for women who had been at work within the last week, while no association was observed for women who had not been at work during the most recent week. Conclusions: The study illustrates the usefulness of this biomarker for qualitative assessment of the combined exposure to mixtures of oestrogen-like pesticides. Although the individual pesticides responsible for the xeno-oestrogenic response were not identified, the study demonstrates that, even within highly-controlled greenhouse operations, occupational exposure to oestrogen-like pesticides can result in detectable impacts on hormonal activity in the blood.
Triazole and Echinocandin MIC Distributions with Epidemiological Cutoff Values for Differentiation of Wild-Type Strains from Non-Wild-Type Strains of Six Uncommon Species of Candida

ABSTRACT When clinical susceptibility breakpoints (CBPs) are absent, establishing wild-type (WT) MIC distributions and epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) provides a sensitive means for detecting emerging resistance. We determined species-specific ECVs for anidulafungin (ANF), caspofungin (CSF), micafungin (MCF), fluconazole (FLC), posaconazole (PSC), and voriconazole (VRC) for six rarer Candida species (819 strains) using isolates obtained from the ARTEMIS Program and the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, all tested by a reference broth microdilution method. The calculated ECVs, expressed in μg/ml (and the percentages of isolates that had MICs less than or equal to the ECVs), for ANF, CSF, MCF, FLC, PSC, and VRC, respectively, were 0.12 (95.2), 0.12 (97.8), 0.12 (100.0), 0.5 (95.7), 0.12 (98.6), and 0.03 (100.0) for Candida dubliniensis; 4 (100.0), 2 (96.0), 2 (99.1), 8 (95.0), 0.5 (97.5), and 0.25 (98.0) for C. guilliermondii; 0.25 (98.9), 0.03 (98.0), 0.12 (97.5), 1 (99.1), 0.25 (99.1), and 0.015 (100.0) for C. kefyr; 2 (100.0), 1 (99.6), 0.5 (96.6), 2 (96.1), 0.25 (98.6), and 0.03 (96.6) for C. lusitaniae; and 2 (100.0), 0.5 (100.0), 1 (100.0), 2 (98.0), 0.25 (97.1), and 0.06 (98.0) for C. orthopsilosis, but for C. pelliculosa, ECVs could be determined only for CSF (0.12 [94.4]), FLC (4 [98.2]), PSC (2 [98.2]), and VRC (0.25 [98.2]). In the absence of species-specific CBP values, these WT MIC distributions and ECVs will be useful for monitoring the emergence of reduced susceptibility to the triazole and echinocandin antifungals.
Molecular Structure and Enzymatic Function of Lycopene Cyclase from the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp Strain PCC 7942

A gene encoding the enzyme lycopene cyclase in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp strain PCC7942 was mapped by genetic complementation, cloned, and sequenced. This gene, which we have named crtL, was expressed in strains of Escherichia col i that were genetically engineered to accumulate the carotenoid precursors lycopene, neurosporene, and C-carotene. The crtL gene product converts the acyclic hydrocarbon lycopene into the bicyclic p-carotene, an essentia1 component of the photosynthetic apparatus in oxygen-evolving organisms and a source of vitamin A in human and animal nutrition. The enzyme also converts neurosporene to the monocyclic p-zeacarotene but does not cyclize C-carotene, indicating that desaturation of the 7-8 or 7'-8' carbon-carbon bond is required for cyclization. The bleaching herbicide 2-(4-methylphenoxy)triethylamine hydrochloride (MPTA) effectively inhibits both cyclization reactions. A mutation that confers resistance to MPTA in Synechococcus sp PCC7942 was identified as a point mutation in the promoter region of crtL. The deduced amino acid sequence of lycopene cyclase specifies a polypeptide of 41 1 amino acids with a molecular weight of 46,125 anda p l of 6.0. An amino acid sequence motif indicative of FAD utilization is located at the N terminus of the polypeptide. DNA gel blot hybridization analysis indicated a single copy of crtL in Synechococcus sp PCC7942. Other than the FAD binding motif, the predicted amino acid sequence of the cyanobacterial lycopene cyclase bears little resemblance to the two known lycopene cyclase enzymes from nonphotosynthetic bacteria. Preliminary results from DNA gel blot hybridization experiments suggest that, like two earlier genes in the pathway, the Synechococcus gene encoding lycopene cyclase is homologous to plant and alga1 genes encoding this enzyme.
A Unified Theory of Social Enterprise

As defined by the editors of this book, ‘non-market entrepreneurship’ consists of all forms of entrepreneurship not being undertaken solely for purposes of profit maximization or commercialization, and encompasses entrepreneurial activities such as social enterprise and entrepreneurship, public sector entrepreneurship, policy entrepreneurship, non-profit entrepreneurship, and philanthropic enterprise, among many others. The eminent cast of contributors gives coherence to the academic and public discussions on the topic, builds a theoretical edifice within the field of entrepreneurship and helps to establish and delineate the contours of the research field of non-market entrepreneurship.
Being Transgender: The Experience of Transgender Identity Development

This article is based on a grounded theory analysis of interviews with transgender-identified people from different regions of the United States. Participants held a variety of gender identities under the transgender rubric (e.g., crossdresser, transman, transwoman, butch lesbian). Interviews explored the participants’ experiences in arriving at their gender identity. This article presents three clusters of findings related to the common processes of transgender identity development. This process was made possible by accessibility of transgender narratives that injected hope into what was a childhood replete with criticism and scrutiny. Ultimately, participants came to their identities through balancing a desire for authenticity with demands of necessity—meaning that they weighed their internal gender experience with considerations about their available resources, coping skills, and the consequences of gender transitions. The implications of these findings are considered in terms of their contribution to gender theory, research, and clinical support for transgender clients.
Geometric theories of patch and Lawson topologies

We give geometric characterisations of patch and Lawson topologies in the context of predicative point-free topology using the constructive notion of located subset. We present the patch topology of a stably locally compact formal topology by a geometric theory whose models are the points of the given topology that are located, and the Lawson topology of a continuous lattice by a geometric theory whose models are the located subsets of the given lattice. We also give a predicative presentation of the frame of perfect nuclei on a stably locally compact formal topology, and show that it is essentially the same as our geometric presentation of the patch topology. Moreover, the construction of Lawson topologies naturally induces a monad on the category of compact regular formal topologies, which is shown to be isomorphic to the Vietoris monad.
IMPACT OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP ON KNOWLEDGE SHARING INTENSIONS AMONG EMPLOYEES (STUDY OF HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN)

Current study is intended to explore the existence of servant leadership in HEC and its impact on the knowledge sharing intensions among employees. The sample of the study was 150 respondents from HEC. Servant leadership was taken as independent, knowledge sharing intension as dependent and attitude, perceived behavioral control and norms towards knowledge sharing were taken as mediating variable. The closed ended questionnaire based on five point Likert’s scale was used for the data collection. The instrument reliability and validity was checked through Cronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis. The One sample T-test was used to check whether servant leadership and knowledge sharing intensions exist in HEC and Structure Equation Modeling was used to check their relationship and impact of servant leadership on knowledge sharing intensions. One sample T-test shows that servant leadership style, attitude, perceived behavioral control and norms towards knowledge sharing and intensions to share knowledge exist in HEC. Result of SEM influence of the servant leadership on Attitude, Subjective Norms and Perceived Behavioral Control is 0.95, 0.689 and 0.228 at p value 0.000 which shows that influence is significant at 99 % confidence level. Similarly the influence of the Attitude, Subjective Norms and servant leadership on the knowledge sharing intension of the employees is 0.021, 0.374 and 0.014 respectively and these influence are significant but only influence of Perceived Behavioral Control related to Knowledge Sharing on the knowledge sharing intension of the employees is -0.017 which is not significant. It is concluded that servant leadership style directly and indirectly through mediates variable like Attitude, Subjective Norms and Perceived Behavioral Control significantly influence the knowledge sharing intension of the employees of Higher Education Commission.
CXCR3 and CCR5 Positive T-Cell Recruitment in Acute Human Renal Allograft Rejection

Background. Experimental studies suggest that the infiltration of activated T cells into the allograft, the key event in the development of acute renal allograft rejection, depends on the expression of chemokines and their interaction with chemokine receptors expressed on T cells. Methods. For a more detailed comprehension of the pathogenesis of T-cell recruitment in human acute rejection, the in situ expression of chemokines and chemokine receptors in allografts of 26 patients between day 3 and 9 after renal transplantation was examined in the present prospective study. Results. Immunohistochemical staining showed a significantly increased number of CXCR3 (P<0.01) and CCR5 positive T cells (P<0.01) in the tubulointerstitium of patients with acute allograft rejection according to Banff grade Ia-IIb. Likewise the intrarenal RNA expression of the CXCR3 ligands IP-10 (5.2-fold) and I-TAC (7.2-fold) and the CCR5 ligand RANTES (5.7-fold), was significantly up-regulated in rejecting organs. In situ hybridization revealed that IP-10 but not I-TAC was predominantly expressed by infiltrating leukocytes in the tubulointerstitial area, co-localizing with CXCR3 positive T cells. To a lesser degree expression by tubular cells could be detected, providing a possible explanation for the increased urinary IP-10 excretion we found in patients with rejecting organs. Conclusions. These data from a prospective, biopsy-controlled study indicate that the local expression of IP-10 and RANTES leads to the directional movement of activated CXCR3 and CCR5 bearing T cells into the renal allograft and mediates acute rejection. Our data provide a rationale that blocking CXCR3 and CCR5 may offer a unique therapeutic approach to prevent episodes of acute rejection in the early phase after renal transplantation.
Epidemiology and 12-month outcomes from traumatic brain injury in australia and new zealand.

BACKGROUND An epidemiologic profile of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Australia and New Zealand was obtained following the publication of international evidence-based guidelines. METHODS Adult patients with TBI admitted to the intensive care units (ICU) of major trauma centers were studied in a 6-month prospective inception cohort study. Data including mechanisms of injury, prehospital interventions, secondary insults, operative and intensive care management, and outcome assessments 12-months postinjury were collected. RESULTS There were 635 patients recruited from 16 centers. The mean (+/-SD) age was 41.6 years +/- 19.6 years; 74.2% were men; 61.4% were due to vehicular trauma, 24.9% were falls in elderly patients, and 57.2% had severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score </=8). Secondary brain insults were recorded in 28.5% and 34.8% underwent neurosurgical procedures before ICU admission. There was concordance with TBI and ICU practice guidelines, although intracranial pressure monitoring was used in 44.5% patients with severe TBI. Twelve-month mortality was 26.9% in all patients and 35.1% in patients with severe TBI. Favorable outcomes at 12 months were recorded in 58.8% of all patients and in 48.5% of patients with severe TBI. CONCLUSIONS In Australia and New Zealand, mortality and favorable neurologic outcomes after TBI were similar to published data before the advent of evidence-based guidelines. A high incidence of prehospital secondary brain insults and an ageing population may have contributed to these outcomes. Strategies to improve outcomes from TBI should be directed at preventive public health strategies and interventions to minimize secondary brain injuries in the prehospital period.
A Genomic Analysis of the Shade Avoidance Response in Arabidopsis1[w]

Plants respond to the proximity of neighboring vegetation by elongating to prevent shading. Red-depleted light reflected from neighboring vegetation triggers a shade avoidance response leading to a dramatic change in plant architecture. These changes in light quality are detected by the phytochrome family of photoreceptors. We analyzed global changes in gene expression over time in wild-type, phyB mutant, and phyA phyB double mutant seedlings of Arabidopsis in response to simulated shade. Using pattern fitting software, we identified 301 genes as shade responsive with patterns of expression corresponding to one of various physiological response modes. A requirement for a consistent pattern of expression across 12 chips in this way allowed more subtle changes in gene expression to be considered meaningful. A number of previously characterized genes involved in light and hormone signaling were identified as shade responsive, as well as several putative, novel shade-specific signal transduction factors. In addition, changes in expression of genes in a range of pathways associated with elongation growth and stress responses were observed. The majority of shade-responsive genes demonstrated antagonistic regulation by phyA and phyB in response to shade following the pattern of many physiological responses. An analysis of promoter elements of genes regulated in this way identified conserved promoter motifs potentially important in shade regulation.
The Nucleoporin Nup2 Contains a Meiotic-Autonomous Region that Promotes the Dynamic Chromosome Events of Meiosis

Chromosomes are organized in the nucleus to accommodate multiple functions. Chu et al. show a functional link between a nuclear pore complex protein. Meiosis is a specialized cellular program required to create haploid gametes from diploid parent cells. Homologous chromosomes pair, synapse, and recombine in a dynamic environment that accommodates gross chromosome reorganization and significant chromosome motion, which are critical for normal chromosome segregation. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ndj1 is a meiotic telomere-associated protein required for physically attaching telomeres to proteins embedded in the nuclear envelope. In this study, we identified additional proteins that act at the nuclear periphery from meiotic cell extracts, including Nup2, a nonessential nucleoporin with a known role in tethering interstitial chromosomal loci to the nuclear pore complex. We found that deleting NUP2 affects meiotic progression and spore viability, and gives increased levels of recombination intermediates and products. We identified a previously uncharacterized 125 aa region of Nup2 that is necessary and sufficient for its meiotic function, thus behaving as a meiotic autonomous region (MAR). Nup2-MAR forms distinct foci on spread meiotic chromosomes, with a subset overlapping with Ndj1 foci. Localization of Nup2-MAR to meiotic chromosomes does not require Ndj1, nor does Ndj1 localization require Nup2, suggesting these proteins function in different pathways, and their interaction is weak or indirect. Instead, several severe synthetic phenotypes are associated with the nup2Δ ndj1Δ double mutant, including delayed turnover of recombination joint molecules, and a failure to undergo nuclear divisions without also arresting the meiotic program. These data suggest Nup2 and Ndj1 support partially overlapping functions that promote two different levels of meiotic chromosome organization necessary to withstand a dynamic stage of the eukaryotic life cycle.
Review of the Biology, Ecology, and Management of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea

ABSTRACT Native to China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Sål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) was first detected in the United States in the mid-1990s. Since establishing in the United States, this invasive species has caused significant economic losses in agriculture and created major nuisance problems for home and business owners, especially in the mid-Atlantic region. Basic and applied questions on H. halys have been addressed in its native range in Asia since the mid-1900s and the research outcomes have been published in at least 216 articles from China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. In Asia, H. halys is described as an occasional or outbreak pest of a number of crops such as apple, pear, persimmon, and soybeans. This species is considered a nuisance pest as well, particularly in Japan. This review summarizes 100 articles primarily translated from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean to English. The content of this review focuses on the biology, ecology, and management of H. halys in Asia, with specific emphasis on nomenclature, life history, host range, damage, economic importance, sampling and monitoring tools, and management strategies. This information from the native range of H. halys provides greater context and understanding of its biology, ecology, and management in North America.
Is Heading in Youth Soccer Dangerous Play?

ABSTRACT Background: Soccer is among the most popular youth sports with over 3 million youth players registered in the U.S. Soccer is unique in that players intentionally use their head to strike the ball, leading to concerns that heading could cause acute or chronic brain injury, especially in the immature brains of children. Methods: Pub Med search without date restriction was conducted in November 2014 and August 2015 using the terms soccer and concussion, heading and concussion, and youth soccer and concussion. 310 articles were identified and reviewed for applicable content specifically relating to youth athletes, heading, and/or acute or chronic brain injury from soccer. Results: Soccer is a low-risk sport for catastrophic head injury, but concussions are relatively common and heading often plays a role. At all levels of play, concussions are more likely to occur in the act of heading than with other facets of the game. While concussion from heading the ball without other contact to the head appears rare in adult players, some data suggests children are more susceptible to concussion from heading primarily in game situations. Contributing factors include biomechanical forces, less developed technique, and the immature brain’s susceptibility to injury. Conclusions: There is no evidence that heading in youth soccer causes any permanent brain injury and there is limited evidence that heading in youth soccer can cause concussion. A reasonable approach based on U.S. Youth Soccer recommendations is to teach heading after age 10 in controlled settings, and heading in games should be delayed until skill acquisition and physical maturity allow the youth player to head correctly with confidence.