Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Apoptosis Induction by Caspase-8 Is Amplified through the Mitochondrial Release of Cytochrome c *

Apoptosis often involves the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, leading to caspase activation. However, in apoptosis mediated by CD95 (Fas/APO-1), caspase-8 (FLICE/MACH/Mch5) is immediately activated and, in principle, could process other caspases directly. To investigate whether caspase-8 could also act through mitochondria, we added active caspase-8 to aXenopus cell-free system requiring these organelles. Caspase-8 rapidly promoted the apoptotic program, culminating in fragmentation of chromatin and the nuclear membrane. In extracts devoid of mitochondria, caspase-8 produced DNA degradation, but left nuclear membranes intact. Thus, mitochondria were required for complete engagement of the apoptotic machinery. In the absence of mitochondria, high concentrations of caspase-8 were required to activate downstream caspases. However, when mitochondria were present, the effects of low concentrations of caspase-8 were vastly amplified through cytochromec-dependent caspase activation. Caspase-8 promoted cytochrome c release indirectly, by cleaving at least one cytosolic substrate. Bcl-2 blocked apoptosis only at the lowest caspase-8 concentrations, potentially explaining why CD95-induced apoptosis can often evade inhibition by Bcl-2.
Development of differential preganglionic projections to pre‐ and paravertebral sympathetic ganglia

Sympathetic preganglionic axons project to spatially distinct targets in the periphery. A precise topographic pattern exists within the thoracic preganglionic cell column relative to the direction of axonal projections within the sympathetic chain. In this study, the time course and pattern of axonal outgrowth from different populations of preganglionic neurons in the chicken embryo is examined in detail to clarify the origin of the topography in this system. Projections to prevertebral targets are established by development of the splanchnic nerves by stage 25, well after the earliest somatic motor projections at stage 19 but at least two stages before the reported onset of paravertebral projections. Further, preganglionic axons that project rostrally into the sympathetic chain may do so earlier than those that project caudally in the chain. The separation of preganglionic axons into prevertebral, rostral paravertebral or caudal paravertebral directions occurs at a common site in the ventral mesenchyme, established by the initial ventromedial projection of the splanchnic nerves. Analysis of the axonal trajectories of rostrally and caudally projecting cells reveals that preganglionic axons are not selectively fasciculated before their point of separation at the sympathetic chain. The patterning of the preganglionic cell column is specified before the establishment of functional connections within the chain, indicating that target contact is not a determinant of the segmental pattern. We suggest that the differential outgrowth of preganglionic axons to peripheral targets is determined by the unique identities of underlying subpopulations of preganglionic axons. J. Comp. Neurol. 382:1‐18, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A general mechanism for conditional expression of exaggerated sexually‐selected traits

Sexually‐selected exaggerated traits tend to be unusually reliable signals of individual condition, as their expression tends to be more sensitive to nutritional history and physiological circumstance than that of other phenotypes. As such, these traits are the foundation for many models of sexual selection and animal communication, such as “handicap” and “good genes” models. Exactly how expression of these traits is linked to the bearer's condition has been a central yet unresolved question, in part because the underlying physiological mechanisms regulating their development have remained largely unknown. Recent discoveries across animals as diverse as deer, beetles, and flies now implicate the widely conserved insulin‐like signaling pathway, as a common physiological mechanism regulating condition‐sensitive structures with extreme growth. This raises the exciting possibility that one highly conserved pathway may underlie the evolution of trait exaggeration in a multitude of sexually‐selected signal traits across the animal kingdom.
A center for oral health promotion: establishing an inter-professional paradigm for dental hygiene, health care management and nursing education.

PURPOSE The need for education about oral health conditions has been discussed in recent years. Current research has shown correlations between oral and systemic disease. Disease entities have been connected to bacteremia and inflammatory process es, both of which can result from oral pathologies. Professionals need to be educated about these connections and advised how, by maintaining proper oral health, they may avoid systemic consequences. Students in dental hygiene, health care management and nursing programs can play a vital role in this education. By jointly creating and operating an educational Center for Oral Health Promotion, they can better understand each other's professions. This will facilitate developing the skill set to reach out to the underserved and establish protocols to provide health literacy and care at affordable rates. They can also better appreciate the interconnections between health care delivery and its management while gaining skills needed to work in an inter-professional setting. A Center for Oral Health Promotion would expand services typically offered in dental hygiene educational settings as well as expand dental hygiene, nursing and health care management student experiences.
Memory Day A conference held at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, 27—28 November 2008

The 2008 Memory Day conference at Macquarie University, Australia, organized by John Sutton and Amanda Barnier, involved work-in-progress and idea sharing on different aspects of memory. It was the second time this conference had been held at Macquarie University. The fi rst Memory Day was held at Macquarie University in December 2007, and evolved from the Sydney Collective Memory Meeting held at Coogee Surf Club in 2006. This year, Memory Day was extended to two days, and included presentations from two keynote speakers. In 2008, the conference saw 21 presentations and twice as many attendees as previous years, which facilitated discussion on memory from a range of different perspectives and allowed an interdisciplinary approach, involving individuals working in philosophy, psychology, cognitive science, anthropology, neuroscience, English and linguistics. The conference commenced with keynote speaker Elaine Reese (Psychology, University of Otago, New Zealand), who discussed developmental aspects of autobiographical memory. She described research on non-verbal memory in infancy, the development of self-awareness among pre-schoolers, forgetting of early memories in middle childhood and the emergence of a coherent life story among adolescents. Her fi ndings suggest that the ways in which children discuss the past with others has the greatest impact on their autobiographical memory. Children who have been encouraged to remember the past in a rich, elaborative way appear to retain earlier childhood memories than those who have not experienced such elaborative remembering. Reese suggested that this style of elaborative remembering also appears to contribute positively towards psychological well-being in adolescence. The fi rst paper session examined social aspects of memory on a range of levels, from small group discussions to cultural memory, and from a range of perspectives, including psychology, philosophy, linguistics and literature. Celia Harris (Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science (MACCS), Macquarie University, Australia) presented research on the impact of discussion on memory performance in older couples. She found that collaboration improved memory performance among some couples, particularly those who successfully cued each others’ memories and adopted an explicit
Reviewing the Environmental and Human Health Knowledge Base of Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered one of the most promising materials in nanotechnology, with attractive properties for many technologic applications. The different synthesis, purification, and postprocessing methods produce CNTs with different physical characteristics, which can be applied in different fields ranging from composite materials, medical applications, and electronics to energy storage. The widespread projected use of CNTs makes it important to understand their potential harmful effects. In this environmental health review we observed a remarkable range of results of some of the toxicology studies. The comparability should be improved by further standardization and introduction of reference materials. However, at present the findings of this review suggest several key points: a) there are different types of CNTs, and therefore they cannot be considered a uniform group of substances; and b) in environmental compartments, CNTs can be bioavailable to organisms. The properties of CNTs suggest a possible accumulation along the food chain and high persistence. In organisms the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity of CNTs depend on the inherent physical and chemical characteristics such as CNT functionalization, coating, length, and agglomeration state that are influenced by the external environmental conditions during CNT production, use, and disposal stages. Characterized exposure scenarios could therefore be useful when conducting toxicologic studies. However, CNTs produce a toxic response upon reaching the lungs in sufficient quantity; this reaction is produced in a time-and dose-dependent manner. The identification of possible risks to human health and environment is a prerequisite for a successful introduction of CNTs in future applications.
Analysis of the stability of the spermadhesin PSP‐I/PSP‐II heterodimer

Spermadhesins are a family of 12–16 kDa proteins with a single CUB domain. PSP‐I and PSP‐II, the most abundant boar spermadhesins, are present in seminal plasma as a noncovalent heterodimer. Dimerization markedly affects the binding ability of the subunits. Notably, heparin and mannose 6‐phosphate binding abilities of PSP‐II are abolished, indicating that the corresponding binding sites may be located at (or near) the dimer interface. Pursuing the hypothesis that cryptic binding sites in PSP‐I/PSP‐II may be exposed in specific physiological environments, we examined the influence of Zn2+ and acidic pH on the heterodimer stability. According to near‐UV CD spectra, the core native fold is preserved in the presence of physiological concentrations of Zn2+, a cation unusually abundant in boar seminal plasma. However, the thermostability of the heterodimer decreases significantly, as observed by CD and differential scanning calorimetry. The effect is Zn2+‐specific and is reversed by EDTA. Destabilization is also observed at acidic pH. Gel filtration analysis using radioiodinated PSP‐I/PSP‐II reveals that dissociation of the heterodimer at low (nanomolar) protein concentrations is promoted by both Zn2+ and acidic pH. Although the integrity of the heterodimer in seminal plasma seems to be guaranteed by its high concentration, dissociation may be facilitated in the female genital tract because of dilution of the protein in the intraluminal fluids of the cervix and the uterus, and the acidic fluid of the uterotubal junction. Such a mechanism may be relevant in the regulation of uterine immune reactions.
XMLTK: An XML Toolkit for Scalable XML Stream Processing

We describe a toolkit for highly scalable XML data processing, consisting of two components. The first is a collection of stand-alone XML tools, s.a. sorting, aggregation, nesting, and unnesting, that can be chained to express more complex restructurings. The second is a highly scalable XPath processor for XML streams that can be used to develop scalable solutions for XML stream applications. In this paper we discuss the tools, and some of the techniques we used to achieve high scalability. The toolkit is freely available as an open-source project.
Bread stories: understanding the drivers of bread consumption for digital food customisation

Consumer demand1 for food that satisfies specific needs rather than generic mass produced food is growing. In response, the food industry is actively investigating techniques for efficient and comprehensive food customisation. Digital approaches to food customisation are starting to emerge, however, the majority is currently limited to the ingredient level thus excluding consumption drivers such as people's practices and values around food. Using the approach of cultural probes, we identified four distinct narratives around bread consumption: the healthy bread, the fresh bread, the ethical bread, and the exceptional bread. These themes encapsulate drivers of bread consumption, which we argue can inform the design of digital food innovation platforms.
Formação de educadores a distância na pós-graduação: potencialidades para o desenvolvimento da investigação e produção de conhecimento

The purpose of this work is to offer evidence for distance teacher training programs in postgraduate programs based in the commitment with the investigation, the advances of scientific writings and the publication of results. This work is structured in three parts, mainly: general view of policies, regulation and structuring of distance learning in Brazilian higher education; principles of interaction, reflection, investigation, collaboration and development of knowledge; indications of contributions for the development of distance education postgraduate programs
A novel way to improve the dispersion-limited transmission distance of electroabsorption modulated lasers

We propose and demonstrate a way to improve the dispersion-limited reach of electroabsorption modulated lasers (EMLs). We generate continuous-phase frequency-shift keying/amplitude-shift keying (ASK) signals with the EML by applying a small current modulation to the laser diode (LD) on top of electroabsorption-modulated ASK signals. The amount of frequency deviation induced by the current modulation is adjusted to have the EML output signals experience /spl pi/ phase shift at every space. The experimental demonstration shows that with the proposed scheme we can increase the dispersion-limited transmission distance of the EML-based transmitter by 25%-75%, and it can be further improved by employing an LD with flat frequency-modulation response.
Factors That Influence Coaches' Use of Sound Coaching Practices

The purpose of this research report is to explore factors that may influence whether coaches adopt desired behaviours. This research was conducted with a census survey of Canadian coaches who had completed all or part of their National Coaching Certification Program Competition-Introduction coach education. The results indicate that several factors may influence desired coaching behaviour. The factors include competitive experience as an athlete, hours of coaching per week, and whether the coaches are coaching individual or team sports. The results provide empirical evidence that factors beyond coach education probably influence whether coaches actually engage in sound coaching practice
Parental Supervision and Alcohol Abuse Among Adolescent Girls

OBJECTIVE: Inadequate parent supervision during the early adolescent years forecasts a host of conduct problems, including illicit alcohol consumption. Early pubertal maturation may exacerbate problems, because girls alienated from same-age peers seek the company of older, more mature youth. The current study examines overtime associations between parent autonomy granting and adolescent alcohol abuse during a developmental period when alcohol consumption becomes increasingly normative, to determine if early maturing girls are at special risk for problems arising from a lack of parent supervision. METHODS: At annual intervals for 4 consecutive years, a community sample of 957 Swedish girls completed surveys beginning in the first year of secondary school (approximate age: 13 years) describing rates of alcohol intoxication and perceptions of parent autonomy granting. Participants also reported age at menarche. RESULTS: Multiple-group parallel process growth curve models revealed that early pubertal maturation exacerbated the risk associated with premature autonomy granting: Alcohol intoxication rates increased 3 times faster for early maturing girls with the greatest autonomy than they did for early maturing girls with the least autonomy. Child-driven effects were also found such that higher initial levels of alcohol abuse predicted greater increases in autonomy granting as parent supervision over children engaged in illicit drinking waned. CONCLUSIONS: Early maturing girls are at elevated risk for physical and psychological adjustment difficulties. The etiology of escalating problems with alcohol can be traced, in part, to a relative absence of parent supervision during a time when peer interactions assume special significance.
Transposon mutagenesis analysis of meta-cleavage pathway operon genes of the TOL plasmid of Pseudomonas putida mt-2

Hybrid plasmids containing the regulated meta-cleavage pathway operon of TOL plasmid pWWO were mutagenized with transposon Tn1000 or Tn5. The resulting insertion mutant plasmids were examined for their ability to express eight of the catabolic enzymes in Escherichia coli. The physical locations of the insertions in each of 28 Tn1000 and 5 Tn5 derivative plasmids were determined by restriction endonuclease cleavage analysis. This information permitted the construction of a precise physical and genetic map of the meta-cleavage pathway operon. The gene order xylD (toluate dioxygenase), L (dihydroxycyclohexidiene carboxylate dehydrogenase), E (catechol 2,3-dioxygenase), G (hydroxymuconic semialdehyde dehydrogenase), F (hydroxymuconic semialdehyde hydrolase), J (2-oxopent-4-enoate hydratase), I (4-oxalocrotonate decarboxylase), and H (4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase) was established, and gene sizes were estimated. Tn1000 insertions within catabolic genes exerted polar effects on distal structural genes of the operon, but not on an adjacent regulatory gene xylS.
Long‐term evaluation of paroxetine, clomipramine and placebo in panic disorder

Paroxetine has been shown to be effective in panic disorder in three 10‐ to 12‐week studies. This trial studied the longer term effects of paroxetine in patients with DSM‐III‐R defined panic disorder. Patients who satisfactorily completed a 12‐week, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study of paroxetine and clomipramine could choose to continue receiving their randomized treatment for a further 36 weeks. Efficacy assessments included the daily panic attack diary, the Clinical Global Impression Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Marks Sheehan Phobia Scale and the Sheehan Disability Scale. In total, 176 patients were included in the intention‐to‐treat population. The number of full panic attacks decreased in all three groups during the 12‐week study, and improvements continued with long‐term therapy. Paroxetine was statistically significantly more effective than placebo throughout the long‐term study with respect to reduction from baseline of full panic attacks, and at the end of treatment with respect to the proportion of patients who eventually experienced no panic attacks. There were no significant differences between paroxetine and clomipramine. The proportion of patients who withdrew from the study due to adverse effects was greater in the clomipramine group (19%) than in either the paroxetine group (7%) or the placebo group (9%). Paroxetine was significantly more effective than placebo and as effective as (but better tolerated than) clomipramine in the long‐term treatment of panic disorder. Not only was efficacy maintained, but continued improvement was also seen, indicating the importance of long‐term treatment in patients with panic disorder.
Trends in mortality from 1965 to 2008 across the English north-south divide: comparative observational study

Objective To compare all cause mortality between the north and south of England over four decades. Design Population wide comparative observational study of mortality. Setting Five northernmost and four southernmost English government office regions. Population All residents in each year from 1965 to 2008. Main outcome measures Death rate ratios of north over south England by age band and sex, and northern excess mortality (percentage of excess deaths in north compared with south, adjusted for age and sex and examined for annual trends, using Poisson regression). Results During 1965 to 2008 the northern excess mortality remained substantial, at an average of 13.8% (95% confidence interval 13.7% to 13.9%). This geographical inequality was significantly larger for males than for females (14.9%, 14.7% to 15.0% v 12.7%, 12.6% to 12.9%, P<0.001). The inequality decreased significantly but temporarily for both sexes from the early 80s to the late 90s, followed by a steep significant increase from 2000 to 2008. Inequality varied with age, being higher for ages 0-9 years and 40-74 years and lower for ages 10-39 years and over 75 years. Time trends also varied with age. The strongest trend over time by age group was the increase among the 20-34 age group, from no significant northern excess mortality in 1965-95 to 22.2% (18.7% to 26.0%) in 1996-2008. Overall, the north experienced a fifth more premature (<75 years) deaths than the south, which was significant: a pattern that changed only by a slight increase between 1965 and 2008. Conclusion Inequalities in all cause mortality in the north-south divide were severe and persistent over the four decades from 1965 to 2008. Males were affected more than females, and the variation across age groups was substantial. The increase in this inequality from 2000 to 2008 was notable and occurred despite the public policy emphasis in England over this period on reducing inequalities in health.
The Framing of Political NGOs in Wikipedia through Criticism Elimination

This article introduces criticism elimination, a type of information removal leading to a framing effect that impairs Wikipedia's delivery of a neutral point of view (NPOV) and ultimately facilitates a new form of gatekeeping with political science and information technology implications. This article demonstrates a systematic use of criticism elimination and categorizes the editors responsible into four types. We show that some types use criticism elimination to dominate and manipulate articles to advocate political and ideological agendas. We suggest mitigation approaches to criticism elimination. The research is interdisciplinary and based on empirical analysis of the public edit histories.