Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non-AUG Translation Initiation in a Plant RNA Virus: a Forty-Amino-Acid Extension Is Added to the N Terminus of the Soil-Borne Wheat Mosaic Virus Capsid Protein

ABSTRACT RNA 2 of soil-borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV), the type species of the genus Furovirus, encodes a protein previously hypothesized to be initiated at an in-frame non-AUG codon upstream of the AUG initiation codon (nucleotide positions 334 to 336) for the 19-kDa capsid protein. Site-directed mutagenesis and in vitro transcription and translation analysis indicated that CUG (nucleotides 214 to 216) is the initiation codon for a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 25 kDa composed of a 40-amino-acid extension to the N terminus of the 19-kDa capsid protein. A stable deletion mutant, which was isolated after extensive passages of a wild-type SBWMV, contained a mixture of two deleted RNA 2’s, only one of which coded for the 25-kDa protein. The amino acid sequence of the N-terminal extension was moderately conserved and the CUG initiation codon was preserved among three SBWMV isolates from Japan and the United States. This amino acid sequence conservation, as well as the retention of expression of the 25-kDa protein in the stable deletion mutant, suggests that the 25-kDa protein is functional in the life cycle of SBWMV. This is the first report of a non-AUG translation initiation in a plant RNA virus genome.
Self-adjuvanting C18 lipid vinil sulfone-PP2A vaccine: study of the induced immunomodulation against Trichuris muris infection

Despite the importance of the adjuvant in the immunization process, very few adjuvants merge with the antigens in vaccines. A synthetic self-adjuvant oleic-vinyl sulfone (OVS) linked to the catalytic region of recombinant serine/threonine phosphatase 2A from the nematode Angiostrongylus costaricensis (rPP2A) was used for intranasal immunization in mice previously infected with Trichuris muris. The animal intranasal immunization with rPP2A-OVS showed a reduction of 99.01% in the number of the nematode eggs and 97.90% in adult. The immunohistochemical analysis of the intestinal sections showed that in immunized animals with lipopeptide the mucus was significantly higher than in the other experimental groups. Also, these animals presented significantly different chemokine, CCL20 and CCL11, levels. However, although the number and size of Tuft cells did not vary between groups, the intensity of fluorescence per cell was significant in the group immunized with the rPP2A-OVS. The results of the present study suggest that mice immunized with the lipopeptide are capable of activating a combined Th17/Th9 response. This strategy of immunization may be of great applicability not only in immunotherapy and immunoprophylaxis to control diseases caused by nematodes but also in pathologies necessitating action at the level of the Th9 response in the intestinal mucosa.
The Herschel space mission

Herschel[1] was a spatial submillimetre observatory with spectroscopic and imaging capabilities covering the range from 55 to 671 μm (0.44 to 5.5 THz) partly explored for the first time here. With a primary mirror of 3.28 m (effective diameter) and a surface accuracy better than 6 μm, it will remain the largest telescope launched until the arrival of the James Webb Space Telescope end of 2018. The observatory was equipped with a dewar that contained 2367 liters of liquid Helium at launch in May 2009. Positioned at the 2nd Lagrangian point, it functioned till April 2013. The telescope was passively cooled to 85 K. The total weight of the spacecraft was 3.4 tons at launch, including 315 kg for the mirror, 426 kg for the instruments and 335 kg of He. The payload was made of 3 instruments, 2 spectro-photometric cameras PACS [2] and SPIRE[3] equipped with bolometer arrays, and 1 heterodyne instrument, HIFI[4].
Performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens with different growth potential and submitted to heat stress

In order to evaluate the effects of broiler genotype and of heat exposure on performance, carcass characteristics, and protein and fat accretion, six hundred one-day-old male broilers were randomly assigned in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement, according to the following factors: genetic group (selected and non-selected broilers) and pair-feeding scheme (Ad 32 - reared under heat stress and fed ad libitum; Ad 23 - reared at thermoneutrality and fed ad libitum; Pf 23 - reared at thermoneutrality and pair fed with Ad 32 ), with a total of six treatments with four replicates of 25 birds each. Independent of pair-feeding scheme, selected broilers showed better feed conversion, higher carcass yield, and lower abdominal fat deposition rate. However, as compared to non-selected broilers, they reduced more intensively feed intake when heat exposed, which promoted significant breast-yield decrease, and more pronounced changes on carcass chemical composition. These findings allows concluding that, in both genetic groups, both environmental temperature and feed-intake restriction influence abdominal fat deposition rate and other carcass characteristics; however, the impact of heat exposure on broiler performance is more noticeable on the selected line.
Will the human factors of relationship selling survive in the twenty‐first century?

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate whether this savored relationship goal within business‐to‐business selling will survive through this century's formidable stumbling blocks. The fundamental question may very well be, if not the present sales model(s) then is it time to formulate a new sales models? Design/methodology/approach – The research examines the relevant sales challenge elements and sales beneficial factors as components of a new sales return on investment (ROI) model. This has generated a series of subordinate research objectives, which attempt to rationalize the contribution and weighted value of each of the modeled elements. The use of secondary research reveals a consistent thread of relationship‐selling challenges for sales teams.Findings – Client management and sales are key functions in most organizations, and companies are increasingly realizing the importance of preserving and developing relationships with their existing clients, in addition to developing new clients. The challenge .
Tunable and Switchable Multiwavelength Passively Mode-Locked Fiber Laser Based on SESAM and Inline Birefringence Comb Filter

A tunable and switchable multiwavelength passively mode-locked fiber laser by using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) and an inline birefringence fiber filter is proposed and demonstrated. By properly rotating the polarization controllers (PCs), up to 7-wavelength mode-locked pulses in 3-dB bandwidth with 3.65-nm channel spacing are obtained. The wavelength switchable operation is determined by the characteristics of the comb filter used in the experiment. Taking advantage of an intensity-dependent loss mechanism caused by the nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR) effect, the mode competition is efficiently suppressed. In addition, the lasing locations of multiwavelength mode-locked pulses can be flexibly tuned via the wavelength-dependent loss mechanism.
[Treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)--review of the literature and a case report].

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are rare mesenchimal tumors that are characterized by constitutive overexpression of the tyrosin-kinase receptor KIT (CD117). The authors analyse the basis of the treatment of gastric GIS, starting form the study of a recent observed case. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Report of one case treated with endoscopic resection. Evaluation of treatment and 2-years follow-up. RESULTS The treatment of gastric GIST must be modulated on prognostic, genetic and molecular factors. These factors are the basis of the formation and growth of GIST. CONCLUSIONS Complete surgical extirpation without rupture remains the only curative treatment of localized favourable prognosis. Endoscopic treatment, as in our case, reflect the modulation of therapy on prognostic factors. Selective targeted therapy of metastatic disease yields encouraging clinical responses.
Rituximab treatment in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome: an open-label phase II study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the safety and efficacy of B cell depletion treatment of patients with active primary Sjögren's syndrome of short duration (early primary SS) and patients with primary SS and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type lymphoma (MALT/primary SS). METHODS Fifteen patients with primary SS were included in this phase II trial. Inclusion criteria for the early primary SS group were B cell hyperactivity (IgG >15 gm/liter), presence of autoantibodies (IgM rheumatoid factor, anti-SSA/SSB), and short disease duration (<4 years). Inclusion criteria for the MALT/primary SS group were primary SS and an associated MALT-type lymphoma (Ann Arbor stage IE) localized in the parotid gland. Patients were treated with 4 infusions of rituximab (375 mg/m2) given weekly after pretreatment with prednisone (25 mg) and clemastine. Patients were evaluated, using immunologic, salivary/lacrimal function, and subjective parameters, at baseline and at 5 and 12 weeks after the first infusion. RESULTS Significant improvement of subjective symptoms and an increase in salivary gland function was observed in patients with residual salivary gland function. Immunologic analysis showed a rapid decrease of peripheral B cells and stable levels of IgG. Human anti-chimeric antibodies (HACAs) developed in 4 of 15 patients (27%), all with early primary SS. Three of these patients developed a serum sickness-like disorder. Of the 7 patients with MALT/primary SS, complete remission was achieved in 3, and disease was stable in 3 and progressive in 1. CONCLUSION Findings of this phase II study suggest that rituximab is effective in the treatment of primary SS. The high incidence of HACAs and associated side effects observed in this study needs further evaluation.
Social Dimension of Adjustment: World Bank Experience, 1980-93

This comprehensive study by the Bank's independent Operations Evaluation Department looks at all the evaluated adjustment operations supported by the Bank in 1980-93 (114 operations in 53 countries) and tracks what happened to poverty and income distribution. The findings dispel some popular myths about adjustment lending: 1) two-thirds of the 53 countries implemented the adjustment policies agreed with the Bank with a substantial measure of success. They reduced price distortions and inflation, stabilized their foreign exchange reserves, and achieved growth in income per head; 2) countries that successfully implemented adjustment reduced poverty; and 3) successful adjusters maintained or increased their social spending. The principal message of the study is that good macroeconomic policies and measures - combined with relevant sectoral policies and appropriate public expenditure allocation - provide a favorable environment for accelerating savings and investment, both necessary for sustained economic growth and poverty reduction. In all the cases studied, growth and poverty reduction have been closely related. Finally, the study confirms previous OED findings regarding borrower ownership: the most common reason why adjustment efforts fail is poor government commitment. Thus, the Bank should lend for adjustment only where governments are committed to reforms and likely to sustain them.
Ischemic Injury-Specific Gene Expression in the Rat Spinal Cord Injury Model Using Hypoxia-Inducible System

Study Design. A spinal cord injury and in vitro neural hypoxia models were used to evaluate the hypoxia responsive gene expression. Objectives. To limit the risk of unwanted overexpression of therapeutic genes, we developed a hypoxia-inducible gene therapy system using the erythropoietin (Epo) enhancer and the RTP801 promoter. Summary of Background Data. Gene therapy is an emerging therapeutic technique to treat spinal cord injury. However, uncontrolled overexpression of therapeutic genes in nondisease tissues during gene therapy raises a doubt about its safety. Post-traumatic ischemia is an important factor worsening the spinal cord damage, and hypoxia could regulate the gene expressions using a hypoxia-inducible promoter. Methods. The plasmids, pEpo-SV-Luc and pRTP801-Luc, were constructed. Mouse neuroblastoma cells (N2A) were used to evaluate the hypoxia-inducible gene expression in vitro. — Gene transfection and expression were allowed for 24 hours under normoxia (pO2, 152 mm Hg) or hypoxia (pO2, 7.6 mm Hg). Spinal cord injury was made using clip compression. Plasmids were injected directly into the injured spinal cord immediately following injury. The gene expression was assessed by luciferase assay. Results. pEpo-SV-Luc and pRTP801-Luc showed more than three times higher gene expression in N2A cells under hypoxia than normoxia. The expression level of luciferase in the injured spinal cord was higher than in the normal spinal cord. Immunostaining demonstrated that neurons, astrocytes, and capillary endothelial cells expressed luciferase in the cytoplasm. Conclusions. The pEpo-SV-Luc and pRTP801-Luc systems are effective in that they induce gene expression specifically in neurons under the hypoxic condition and spinal cord injury.
Clinical description of human bocavirus viremia in children with LRTI, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a major etiology of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in young children. We tested 149 patients admitted to King Fahd Hospital of the University with diagnosis of LRTI. Viremia caused by the different studied viruses was detected in 31.5% of the total cases by Real-time Polymerase chain reaction. We report five patients who were positive for HBoV in serum samples. Clinical presentation ranged from mild to severe disease as one of them required admission to intensive care unit. Wheezing was a striking feature in most of our patients, but fever was not a consistent finding.
Beyond Endemic Burkitt Lymphoma: Navigating Challenges of Differentiating Childhood Lymphoma Diagnoses Amid Limitations in Pathology Resources in Lilongwe, Malawi

Background. Although Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is the most common childhood lymphoma in sub-Saharan Africa, Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and other non-Hodgkin lymphomas occur. Diagnosing non-jaw mass presentations is challenging with limited pathology resources. Procedure. We retrospectively analyzed 114 pediatric lymphomas in Lilongwe, Malawi, from December 2011 to June 2013 and compared clinical versus pathology-based diagnoses over two time periods. Access to pathology resources became more consistent in 2013 compared with 2011-2012; pathology interpretations were based on morphology only. Results. Median age was 8.4 years (2.1-16.3). The most common anatomical sites of presentation were palpable abdominal mass 51%, peripheral lymphadenopathy 35%, and jaw mass 34%. There were 51% jaw masses among clinical diagnoses versus 11% in the pathology-based group (P < .01), whereas 62% of pathology diagnoses involved peripheral lymphadenopathy versus 16% in the clinical group (P < .01). The breakdown of clinical diagnoses included BL 85%, lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) 9%, HL 4%, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) 1%, whereas pathology-based diagnoses included HL 38%, BL 36%, LBL 15%, and DLBCL 11% (P < .01). Lymphoma diagnosis was pathology confirmed in 19/66 patients (29%) in 2011-2012 and 28/48 (60%) in 2013 (P < .01). The percentage of non-BL diagnoses was consistent across time periods (35%); however, 14/23 (61%) non-BL diagnoses were pathology confirmed in 2011-2012 versus 16/17 (94%) in 2013. Conclusions. Lymphomas other than Burkitt accounted for 35% of childhood lymphoma diagnoses. Over-reliance on clinical diagnosis for BL was a limitation, but confidence in non-BL diagnoses improved with time as pathology confirmation became standard. Increased awareness of non-BL lymphomas in equatorial Africa is warranted.
Building Knowledge Stocks Locally

There is increasing evidence that the stock of college-educated labor in an area has fundamental effects on state and local economies through its association with wages, economic growth, personal incomes, and tax revenues. As a result, policy makers in many states attempt to increase the percentage of the state’s population (or workforce) that has a college degree through the use of various higher education policies that have the potential to influence the supply side of the labor market. This article reviews evidence on the effectiveness of these policies in achieving that goal. The author discusses several types of policies related to the finance and production of undergraduate education within a state, including expansions in degree production, merit-based scholarships, location-contingent financial aid, adjustments to the composition of enrollment by residency or by field of study, and internships with state-based employers.
Transmission of Stock Price Movements: The Case of GCC Stock Markets

Using a vector autoregressive analysis, this paper investigates the dynamic interactions among stock market returns from six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates). The empirical investigation is conducted using weekly data from 15 January 1997 to 26 April 2000. During this period, significant steps were taken that intensified financial integration in the GCC region, including privatization policies, increased liberalization of the financial markets and easier entrance of foreign investors to the stock markets. Our empirical evidence suggests the following: (1) there is substantial evidence of interdependence and feedback effects among GCC stock markets; (2) Bahrain plays a dominant role in influencing the GCC markets with a significant persistent impact beyond weeks one and two; (3) Saudi Arabia shows a slow process in responding to shocks originated in other markets; and (4) markets are not completely efficient in processing regional news, providing an opportunity for portfolio diversification at the regional level.
Islam and Intolerance in Central Asia: The Case of Kyrgyzstan

OUR PURPOSE IN THIS ARTICLE is to consider what connections may exist between Islamic religious belief and democratic political culture in post-Soviet Central Asia. More particularly, our concern is the practical political question of what role Islam may play in promoting or hindering political tolerance there. For our purposes Kyrgyzstan is an ideal site to study the relationship between Islam and political culture because it has a substantial Muslim population and its post-Soviet political, economic and social development is likely to impinge on the level of political tolerance among its citizens. And although it has sometimes enjoyed an enviable reputation as the most democratic of all post-Soviet societies, Kyrgyzstan has not escaped the political, social and religious tensions characteristic of the entire region. A review of the relevant literature presented below suggests that the impact of Islam on political beliefs must be viewed within the context of social, economic and demographic factors. Even so, some authors tend to view Islam as an inherent obstacle to the development of democratic political orientations, while others insist that Islamic beliefs are not related to intolerance, attributing repressive interpretations of Islamic law to political rather than religious circumstances. Investigating the effects of Islam as part of the interplay of factors affecting attitudes toward civil rights, we find only certain aspects of intolerance are, in fact, rooted in this religious tradition. Concern over the political consequences of Islam in Central Asia predates, of course, the attacks on the United States of September 2001. It topped, for example, the agenda of a July 2000 five-nation summit attended by the leaders of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, with Uzbekistan as an observer. The assembled leaders blamed the Islamic fundamentalist Taleban regime in Afghanistan for what they saw as a dangerous growth of religious extremism, weapons and drugs across the region, including, most immediately, the provision of military training and support to Chechen separatists. ' And in the West concern over Islamic extremism was slowly rising. As Robin Wright anticipated some years back, Islam was emerging as perhaps the most potent political idiom in Western thinking about the politics of Central Asia (Wright, 1992), with Islam often perceived as an impediment to, if not fully incompatible with, democratic development of the region. Yet there has been little systematic investigation into the political implications of Islam for the development of democratic political culture in the region. Since September 2001 concern over the political consequences of Islam has moved
The Impact of Technical Analysis on Asset Price Dynamics

We study the impact of technical analysis in a context of heterogeneous, utility-maximising agents. A framework is provided to capture observed diversity in forecast estimates as a result of interaction between prior beliefs and asymmetric information. Using investment decisions of fundamentalists as a benchmark, agents’ optimal demand difference, which reflects expectation heterogeneity and the use of technical analysis, offers insights into the endogenous uncertainly in asset pricing behaviour. Technical analysis results in price feedback. We define a new family of feedback rules over cumulative distribution functions. Using bifurcation analysis, we show how prices asymptotically approach equilibrium and how significant feedback effects drive them off the equilibrium path. Both trend chasing strategy and contrarian strategy among technical trades are described in the model: the latter leads prices to overshoot the fundamental value with a high frequency; whereas in the former case, prices exhibit prolonged cyclic behaviour.
Simple and Optimal Alpha Strategy Selection and Risk Budgeting

A simple measure is developed that can determine if investment efficiency is increased by including an alpha strategy. If the correlation between alpha and beta is lower than the ratio of information to Sharpe ratios, the strategy should be pursued. A combined alpha and beta Sharpe ratio measure is developed and used to determine a simple but optimal strategy for an alpha-beta risk budget. When alpha-beta correlation is zero, the risk budget is optimal at the ratio of the information to Sharpe ratios. An optimal risk budget for non-zero correlation is also addressed.