Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EVOLUTION OF INTRINSIC GROWTH AND ENERGY ACQUISITION RATES. II. TRADE‐OFFS WITH VULNERABILITY TO PREDATION IN MENIDIA MENIDIA

Abstract The Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia) exhibits countergradient latitudinal variation in somatic growth rate along the East Coast of North America. Larvae and juveniles from high‐latitude populations display higher intrinsic rates of energy consumption and growth than genotypes from low‐latitude populations. The existence of submaximal growth in some environments suggests that trade‐offs must counter the oft‐cited theoretical benefits of energy and growth maximization (e.g., “bigger is better,”“faster is better”) in the immature life stages. We hypothesized that energy and growth maximization trades off against investment in defense from predators. We conducted laboratory selection experiments to compare vulnerability to predation of silversides from: (1) fast‐growing northern (Nova Scotia, NS) versus slow‐growing southern (South Carolina, SC) source populations; (2) phenotypically manipulated fast‐growing versus moderately‐growing NS fish; and (3) recently fed versus unfed NS and SC fish. Tests involved fish drawn from common‐garden environments and were conducted by subjecting mixed‐treatment schools of size‐matched silversides to natural, common piscine predators. NS silversides suffered significantly higher predation mortality than SC silversides. Parallel results were found in phenotypic manipulation of growth: NS silversides reared on a fast‐growth trajectory (∼1.0 mm/day) were significantly more vulnerable to predation than those growing at a moderate rate (∼0.5 mm/day). Food consumption also affected vulnerability to predators: Silversides with large meals in their stomachs suffered significantly higher predation mortality than unfed silversides. Differences in predation vulnerability were likely due to swimming performance, not attractiveness to predators. Our findings demonstrate that maximization of energy intake and growth rate engenders fitness costs in the form of increased vulnerability to predation.
Collaborating to embed the teaching and assessment of literacy in Education: A targeted unit approach

This paper discusses collaborations at an Australian university between lecturers from the Centre for University Teaching and Learning (CUTL) and lecturers in the School of Education. These collaborations focus on embedding the teaching and assessment of literacy in the undergraduate teacher education curriculum. The paper describes collaborative practices and outcomes intended to make literacy more explicit in teaching, learning and assessment in two compulsory Education units: a new transitional first year unit and an established foundational second year unit. Central to these collaborations is the strategy of embedding literacy through targeted units – core, compulsory units that mark a major step in students’ progress through the course. The targeted unit approach signals a change in the CUTL focus from working with at-risk students adjacent to their studies, to embedding and integrating academic language and learning (ALL) knowledge and capacities within the curriculum. This strategy reflects the broad shift in ALL practice from adjunct support of some students to an integrated curriculum that benefits all students. The underlying rationale for this practice is the inter-relationship of curriculum content and the skills and capacities required to successfully engage with it. The targeted unit approach focuses on integration with curriculum through a focus on the place and function of core units within courses of study. The implications for collaboration between disciplinary lecturers and ALL practitioners to embed literacy are discussed in terms of literacy in assessment, and a sustainable, targeted approach to the development of literacy across the curriculum.
Recent advances in ChIP-seq analysis: from quality management to whole-genome annotation

Abstract Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) analysis can detect protein/DNA-binding and histone-modification sites across an entire genome. Recent advances in sequencing technologies and analyses enable us to compare hundreds of samples simultaneously; such large-scale analysis has potential to reveal the high-dimensional interrelationship level for regulatory elements and annotate novel functional genomic regions de novo. Because many experimental considerations are relevant to the choice of a method in a ChIP-seq analysis, the overall design and quality management of the experiment are of critical importance. This review offers guiding principles of computation and sample preparation for ChIP-seq analyses, highlighting the validity and limitations of the state-of-the-art procedures at each step. We also discuss the latest challenges of single-cell analysis that will encourage a new era in this field.
Transdermal delivery of low molecular weight heparin loaded in flexible liposomes with bioavailability enhancement: comparison with ethosomes

Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH)-loaded flexible liposomes (flexosomes) were formulated for transdermal delivery, and their physicochemical and pharmacokinetic parameters were compared with LMWH-loaded ethosomes. Flexosomes had similar particle size compared with ethosomes, but their deformability was higher than that of ethosomes (76.7% vs. 46.8%). In vitro, flexosomes demonstrated 2.6-fold higher permeability coefficient than ethosomes. In comparison to LMWH aqueous solution, skin deposition of flexosome increased 3.2-fold, while that of ethosome increased only 2.0-fold. In vivo, after the topical application of flexosome to hairless mouse, [anti-Xa]max was 1.11 IU/mL, while ethosomes showed only 0.32 IU/mL. Moreover, AUC0–24 h of flexosomes was 2.5-fold higher than ethosomes. In conclusion, the enhanced skin permeation and bioavailability of LMWH can be achieved with flexosomes in comparison with ethosomes. The LMWH transdermal delivery via flexosomes has the potential to replace the parenteral dosage forms for the treatment of venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism and cardiovascular events.
Competitive binding of xenobiotic oestrogens to rat alpha-fetoprotein and to sex steroid binding proteins in human and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) plasma.

The ability of a variety of "environmental oestrogens" to compete with radiolabelled steroids to rat alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and to sex steroid binding proteins was investigated in human and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) plasma. For [3H]oestradiol binding to AFP, diethylstilbestrol and 4-nonylphenoxyacetic acid showed significant competition at concentrations about 100-fold greater than oestradiol (relative binding affinities approximately 1% c.f. oestradiol). All other compounds (phytooestrogens: coumestrol, daidzein, genistein; others: 4-nonylphenol, 4-tert-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenoldiethoxylate, 4-tert-butylphenol, bisphenol-A (Bis-A), bis(2- ethylhexl)phthalate, dioctylphthalate, dibutyl phthalate, 2, 4'DDT (op' enantiomer), 2,4'-DDE (mixed enantiomers), kepone) showed only very weak or no competition (relative binding affinities <<0.1% c.f. oestradiol). The situation for both human and fish plasma was very similar, with only very high concentrations (>>1000 fold more than the natural ligand) of a few of the compounds showing any ability to displace the natural ligand. These results suggest that environmental oestrogenic agents are unlikely to produce biological effects by displacing endogenous steroids from plasma steroid binding proteins unless they are present in very high concentrations.
The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Database, 2006 updates

The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) aims to give every human gene a unique and ideally meaningful name and symbol. The HGNC database, previously known as Genew, contains over 22 000 public records with approved human gene nomenclature and associated information. The database has undergone major improvements throughout the last year, is publicly available for online searching at and has a new custom downloads interface at .
Hedging and the Competitive Firm Under Ambiguous Price and Background Risk

This paper examines the optimal production and hedging decisions of the competitive firm that possesses smooth ambiguity preferences and faces ambiguous price and background risk. The separation theorem holds in that the firm's optimal output level depends neither on the firm's attitude towards ambiguity nor on the incident to the underlying ambiguity. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions under which the full-hedging theorem holds and thus options are not used. When these conditions are violated, we show that the firm optimally uses options for hedging purposes if ambiguity is introduced to the price and background risk by means of mean-preserving spreads. We as such show that options play a role as a hedging instrument over and above that of futures.
In vivo adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into ocular tissues.

Replication-deficient adenoviruses have been successfully used to transfer foreign DNA into a variety of cells including post-mitotic cells, in vivo. In the eyes, most of the cells are quiescent or slowly dividing. They constitute the obligatory targets of gene transfer for a number of ocular diseases that have been elucidated at the molecular level and are potential targets for gene therapy. We have therefore analysed the ability of an adenovirus vector to transfer in vivo the Escherichia coli lacZ gene into ocular cells of mice. Injection of up to 3 x 10(7) p.f. u. into the vitreous body, the anterior chamber or the peribulbar space, did not result in any detectable cytopathic effect and was associated with endocytosis of viral particles in corneal endothelial, photoreceptor, bipolar, ganglionic and oculomotor muscle cells, depending on the administration route. At the viral titer used (3 x 10(7) p.f. u. ), the expression was detected for at least 50 days. These results open new prospects for the treatment of some retinal hereditary disorders and acquired corneal or retinal alterations due to inflammatory disease.
In-situ generation and shrinkage of monodisperse water-in-oil emulsion for femtoliter compartmentalization using capillary traps

A novel, facile and effective microfluidic approach to achieve monodisperse femtoliter (fL, 10−15L) water-in-oil (W/O) droplet array is proposed for constructing artificial cell-sized micro reactors. By combining the controlled diffusion of water into oil and capillary-based 2D micro trap array (capillary traps), in-situ generation and 1000-fold volume shrinkage down to ∼4 fL have been achieved for monodisperse W/O array. With improved 3D trap array, high-density and well-aligned fL W/O droplet array with good long-time stability and coefficient of variation (CV) smaller than 5% has also been demonstrated. This approach also enables dynamically tuning of droplet sizes and solution concentration useful for many applications.
Host and Pathway Engineering for Enhanced Lycopene Biosynthesis in Yarrowia lipolytica

Carotenoids are a class of molecules with commercial value as food and feed additives with nutraceutical properties. Shifting carotenoid synthesis from petrochemical-based precursors to bioproduction from sugars and other biorenewable carbon sources promises to improve process sustainability and economics. In this work, we engineered the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica to produce the carotenoid lycopene. To enhance lycopene production, we tested a series of strategies to modify host cell physiology and metabolism, the most successful of which were mevalonate pathway overexpression and alleviating auxotrophies previously engineered into the PO1f strain of Y. lipolytica. The beneficial engineering strategies were combined into a single strain, which was then cultured in a 1-L bioreactor to produce 21.1 mg/g DCW. The optimized strain overexpressed a total of eight genes including two copies of HMG1, two copies of CrtI, and single copies of MVD1, EGR8, CrtB, and CrtE. Recovering leucine and uracil biosynthetic capacity also produced significant enhancement in lycopene titer. The successful engineering strategies characterized in this work represent a significant increase in understanding carotenoid biosynthesis in Y. lipolytica, not only increasing lycopene titer but also informing future studies on carotenoid biosynthesis.
Gate drive design considerations for high voltage cascode GaN HEMT

This paper investigates gate drive design for high voltage gallium nitride (GaN) high electron-mobility transistors (HEMT) in a cascade structure. High dv/dt and di/dt switching characteristics of GaN device and its influences on high-side gate drive are analyzed on an 8.4kW bidirectional multi-channel buck/boost battery charger operating in critical conduction mode (CRM). Driving candidates for high-side gate drive are reviewed, and digital isolator based driving architecture is proposed with discussion of PCB layout and package parasitics. Experimental results are conducted in each step for concepts validation.
Measurement of the induced refractive index in a photothermorefractive glass by a liquid-cell shearing interferometer.

A liquid-cell shearing interferometer was developed to measure refractive-index variations (delta n) in transparent materials. The cell was filled with a liquid having a matched refractive index. The achieved resolution was better than 1/1000 of a fringe shift and resulted in a delta n measurement sensitivity down to 10(-7) for 1-mm-thick samples. A refractive-index increment in photothermorefractive glass of up to 5 x 10(-6) was observed after UV exposure at 325 nm. A refractive-index decrement of up to 1 x 10(-3) was observed after thermal development of the exposed sample. It was proved that photothermorefractive glass obeys the reciprocity law; i.e., delta n depends on the UV dosage but does not depend on the irradiance.
Substrate specificity of pepstatin-insensitive carboxyl proteinase from Bacillus coagulans J-4.

Bacillus coagulans J-4 carboxyl proteinase, designated as J-4, is characterized as alcohol-resistant and insensitive to aspartic proteinase inhibitors such as pepstatin, diazoacetyl-DL-norleucinemetylester, and 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane. Here, its substrate specificity was elucidated by using two series of chromogenic substrates, Lys-Pro-Ala-Lys-Phe*Nph (p-nitrophenylalanine:* is cleavage site)-Arg-Leu (XVI) and Lys-Pro-Ile-Glu-Phe*Nph-Arg-Leu (RS6), in which the amino acid residues at positions P5-P2, P2', and P3' were systematically substituted. Kinetic parameters were determined for both sets of peptides. J-4 was shown to hydrolyze Lys-Pro-Ala-Ala-Phe-Nph-Arg-Leu most effectively among the XVI series. The kinetic parameters of this peptide were Km = 20.0 +/- 3.24 microM, kcat = 15.4 +/- 0.71 s-1, and kcat/Km = 0.769 +/- 0.128 microM-1.s-1. Among the RS6 series, Lys-Pro-Ile-Pro-Phe-Nph-Arg-Leu was hydrolyzed most effectively. The kinetic parameters of this peptide were Km = 13.7 +/- 1.30 microM, kcat = 9.65 +/- 0.38 s-1, and kcat/Km = 0.704 +/- 0.072 microM-1.s-1. These systematic analyses revealed that J-4 had a unique preference for the P2 position: J-4 preferentially hydrolyzed peptides having an Ala or Pro residue in the P2 position. Other carboxyl proteinases preferred peptides having hydrophobic and bulky amino acid residue such as Leu in the P2 position. Thus, J-4 was found to differ considerably in substrate specificity from the other carboxyl proteinases reported so far.
The formation of binary and ternary complexes of cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase.adrenodoxin complex. The implication in ACTH function.

Binary and ternary complexes of bovine adrenocortical mitochondrial cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase.adrenodoxin complex are formed in the presence of cholesterol and Emulgen 913. Both cholesterol and Emulgen 913 are required for the binding of cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin. Since phospholipids are able to replace Emulgen 913 in this reaction, in vivo phospholipids of the mitochondrial inner membrane appear to play the function of the detergent. The dissociation constants of the cytochrome.adrenodoxin complex are 0.3 to 0.4 microM at 130 microM dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and 0.9 microM at 120 microM Emulgen 913, whereas the dissociation constant for the ternary complex of cytochrome P-450scc with adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin is 4.0 microM at 150 microM Emulgen 913. The stoichiometry of binary and ternary complexes reveals the 1:1 and 1:1:1 molar ratios, respectively, judging from chemical analyses after the fractionation of the complexes by gel filtration. Emulgen 913, Tween 20, ethylene glycol, myristoyllysophosphatidylcholine, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine show the enhanced activity of cholesterol side chain cleavage reaction with cytochrome P-450scc, adrenodoxin, adrenodoxin reductase, and NADPH. These results, in conjunction with earlier experiments, lead us to the proposal on the structure of the hydroxylase complex in the membrane and to the hypothesis on the regulation of the enzymatic activity by the availability of substrate cholesterol to the cytochrome. Hence, we propose a mobile P-450scc hypothesis for the response of the mitochondrion to adrenocorticotropic hormone stimuli.
Contact Lenses in Pediatrics (CLIP) Study: Chair Time and Ocular Health

Purpose. Despite several studies that show 8- to 11-year-old children are capable of wearing a various contact lens modalities, parents often report that their eye care practitioner would not fit their child with contact lenses until the child was about 13 years old. We conducted the Contact Lenses in Pediatrics (CLIP) Study to compare contact lens fitting and follow-up between 8- to 12-year-old children and 13- to 17-year-old teenagers. Methods. At the baseline visit, all subjects underwent a contact lens fitting, including visual acuity, a manifest refraction, autorefraction, and biomicroscopy. Subjects then underwent contact lens insertion and removal training, which consisted of talking about contact lens care as well as inserting and removing a contact lens three times. Subjects returned for follow-up visits at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months, and visual acuity, contact lens fit assessment, and biomicroscopy were performed. The time of the fitting, the insertion and removal training, and each follow-up visit were measured individually and added for a total chair time. Biomicroscopy examinations were conducted according to a standardized protocol. Results. We enrolled 84 children and 85 teens in the study. Of the 169 subjects, 93 (55.0%) were female, 78 (46.2%) were white, 44 (23.3%) were Hispanic, and 28 (17.6%) were black. The mean (± SD) total chair time for children was 110.6 ± 39.2 min, significantly more than 95.3 ± 25.2 min for teens (Student’s t-test, p = 0.003). Most of the difference was caused by insertion and removal training, which lasted 41.9 ± 32.0 min for children and 30.3 ± 20.2 min for teens (Student’s t-test, p = 0.01). The presence of conjunctival staining increased from 7.1% of the subjects at baseline to 19.9% of the subjects at 3 months (&khgr;2, p = 0.0006), but the changes were similar between children and teens. No other biomicroscopy signs increased significantly over the 3-month period. Conclusions. The total chair time for children is approximately 15 min longer than teens, but most of that difference is explained by longer time spent teaching children insertion and removal. Because insertion and removal is generally taught by staff members, the eye care practitioner’s time with the patient is similar between children and teens. Furthermore, neither children nor teens experienced problems related to contact lens wear during the study. Eye care practitioners should consider routinely offering contact lenses as a treatment option, even for children 8 years old.
Associations between specific components of compulsive exercise and eating-disordered cognitions and behaviors among young women.

OBJECTIVE To explore the associations between specific elements of compulsive exercise and both eating-disordered cognitions and eating-disordered behaviors in a nonclinical sample of young women. METHOD A sample of young women (n = 498) completed self-report measures of eating pathology (The Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire) and a relatively new measure of Compulsive Exercise Test. RESULTS Specific elements of compulsive exercise were associated with elevated levels of eating-disordered cognitions and increased frequency of eating-disordered behaviors. DISCUSSION These results support a multifunctional conceptualization of compulsive exercise, suggesting that some of the functionality of compulsive exercise may be akin to other forms of purging, and further supporting the notion of a possible functional equivalence between compulsive exercise and specific eating-disordered behaviors in terms of affect regulation.
Attenuated pain responses in mice lacking CaV3.2 T‐type channels

Although T‐type Ca2+ channels are implicated in nociception, the function of specific subtypes has not been well defined. Here, we compared pain susceptibility in mice lacking CaV3.2 subtype of T‐type Ca2+ channels (CaV3.2−/−) with wild‐type littermates in various behavioral models of pain to explore the roles of CaV3.2 in the processing of noxious stimuli in vivo. In acute mechanical, thermal and chemical pain tests, CaV3.2−/− mice showed decreased pain responses compared to wild‐type mice. CaV3.2−/− mice also displayed attenuated pain responses to tonic noxious stimuli such as intraperitoneal injections of irritant agents and intradermal injections of formalin. In spinal nerve ligation‐induced neuropathic pain, however, behavioral responses of CaV3.2−/− mice were not different from those of wild‐type mice. The present study reveals that the CaV3.2 subtype of T‐type Ca2+ channels are important in the peripheral processing of noxious signals, regardless of modality, duration or affected tissue type.
Retinoblastoma-related protein pRb2/p130 and suppression of tumor growth in vivo.

BACKGROUND The RB/p105 and p107 genes of the retinoblastoma family are tumor suppressor genes whose proteins are inactivated by interaction with T-antigen proteins encoded by polyomaviruses (e.g., simian virus 40 and human JC virus), which have been found to be highly tumorigenic in animals. A variety of indirect evidence suggests that another member of the retinoblastoma gene family, RB2/p130, is also a tumor suppressor gene. To investigate the putative tumor suppressor activity of RB2/p130 more directly, we utilized a tetracycline-regulated gene expression system to control expression of the encoded protein pRb2/p130 in JC virus-induced hamster brain tumor cells and to study the effects of pRb2/p130 on the growth of such tumor cells in nude mice. The ability of pRb2/p130 to interact with JC virus T antigen was also studied. METHODS Northern blot hybridization analyses were performed on samples of total cellular RNA to measure RB2/p130 and beta-actin messenger RNA levels. Immunoprecipitation and western blot analyses were used to determine T-antigen and pRb2/p130 protein levels and to assess the phosphorylation status of these proteins. Tumor cells were injected subcutaneously into nude mice, and tumor growth, with or without induced expression of pRb2/p130, was monitored. RESULTS Induction of pRb2/p130 expression brought about a 3.2-fold, or 69% (95% confidence interval = 64%-73%), reduction in final tumor mass in nude mice. We also demonstrated that JC virus T antigen binds hypophosphorylated pRb2/p130 and that stimulation of pRb2/p130 expression overcomes cellular transformation mediated by this antigen. CONCLUSION Our findings support the hypothesis that RB2/p130 is a tumor suppressor gene.