Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification and characterization of subpopulations in undifferentiated ES cell culture

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) and the epiblast, and have been suggested to be a homogeneous population with characteristics intermediate between them. These cells express Oct3/4 and Rex1 genes, which have been used as markers to indicate the undifferentiated state of ES cells. Whereas Oct3/4 is expressed in totipotent and pluripotent cells in the mouse life cycle, Rex1 expression is restricted to the ICM, and is downregulated in pluripotent cell populations in the later stages, i.e. the epiblast and primitive ectoderm (PrE). To address whether ES cells comprise a homogeneous population equivalent to a certain developmental stage of pluripotent cells or a heterogeneous population composed of cells corresponding to various stages of differentiation, we established knock-in ES cell lines in which genes for fluorescent proteins were inserted into the Rex1 and Oct3/4 gene loci to visualize the expression of these genes. We found that undifferentiated ES cells included at least two different populations, Rex1+/Oct3/4+ cells and Rex1-/Oct3/4+ cells. The Rex1-/Oct3/4+ and Rex1+/Oct3/4+ populations could convert into each other in the presence of LIF. In accordance with our assumption that Rex1+/Oct3/4+ cells and Rex1-/Oct3/4+ cells have characteristics similar to those of ICM and early-PrE cells, Rex1+/Oct3/4+ cells predominantly differentiated into primitive ectoderm and contributed to chimera formation, whereas Rex1-/Oct3/4+ cells differentiated into cells of the somatic lineage more efficiently than non-fractionated ES cells in vitro and showed poor ability to contribute to chimera formation. These results confirmed that undifferentiated ES cell culture contains subpopulations corresponding to ICM, epiblast and PrE.
The SLOW GROWTH3 Pentatricopeptide Repeat Protein Is Required for the Splicing of Mitochondrial NADH Dehydrogenase Subunit7 Intron 2 in Arabidopsis1[OPEN]

Incomplete splicing of a mitochondrial gene affects plant growth and development. Mitochondria play an important role in maintaining metabolic and energy homeostasis in the cell. In plants, impairment in mitochondrial functions usually has detrimental effects on growth and development. To study genes that are important for plant growth, we have isolated a collection of slow growth (slo) mutants in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). One of the slo mutants, slo3, has a significant reduction in mitochondrial complex I activity. The slo3 mutant has a four-nucleotide deletion in At3g61360 that encodes a pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein. The SLO3 protein contains nine classic PPR domains belonging to the P subfamily. The small deletion in the slo3 mutant changes the reading frame and creates a premature stop codon in the first PPR domain. We demonstrated that the SLO3-GFP is localized to the mitochondrion. Further analysis of mitochondrial RNA metabolism revealed that the slo3 mutant was defective in splicing of NADH dehydrogenase subunit7 (nad7) intron 2. This specific splicing defect led to a dramatic reduction in complex I activity in the mutant as revealed by blue native gel analysis. Complementation of slo3 by 35S:SLO3 or 35S:SLO3-GFP restored the splicing of nad7 intron 2, the complex I activity, and the growth defects of the mutant. Together, these results indicate that the SLO3 PPR protein is a splicing factor of nad7 intron 2 in Arabidopsis mitochondria.
Multimerization of the Cytoplasmic Domain of Syndecan-4 Is Required for Its Ability to Activate Protein Kinase C*

The transmembrane proteoglycan syndecan-4, which is a coreceptor with integrins in cytoskeleton-matrix interactions, appears to be multimerized in vivo. Both purified and recombinant core proteins form sodium dodecyl sulfate-resistant oligomers, and we now report that a synthetic peptide corresponding to the central region of syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domain (4V) also oligomerizes. The degree of oligomerization correlates with the previously reported ability to bind protein kinase C (PKC) and regulate its activity. Only multimeric recombinant syndecan-4 core protein, but not the monomeric protein, potentiated the activity of PKCα, and only oligomeric syndecan-4 cytoplasmic peptides were active. Changes in peptide sequence caused parallel loss of stable oligomeric status and ability to regulate a mixture of PKCαβγ activity. A synthetic peptide encompassing the whole cytoplasmic domain of syndecan-4 (4L) containing a membrane-proximal basic sequence did not form higher order oligomers and could not regulate the activity of PKCαβγ unless induced to aggregate by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. Oligomerization and PKC regulatory activity of the 4V peptide were both increased by addition of N-terminal cysteine and reduced by phosphorylation of the cysteine thiol group. Concentration of syndecan-4 at sites of focal adhesion formation may enhance multimerization and both localize PKC and potentiate its activity to induce stable complex formation.
Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol stimulates glucose utilization in C6 glioma cells.

The present work was undertaken to study the metabolic response of C6 glioma cells to physiologically relevant doses of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major active component of marijuana. At those concentrations (i.e. nanomolar range), THC produced a dose-dependent increase in the rates of glucose oxidation to CO2 and glucose incorporation into phospholipids and glycogen. The THC-induced stimulation of glucose utilization was (i) dose-dependent up to 100 nM THC, (ii) mimicked by the synthetic cannabinoid HU-210, and (iii) prevented by pertussis toxin and the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A. In contrast to THC, forskolin markedly depressed CO2 production, phospholipid synthesis and glycogen synthesis from glucose. The forskolin-induced inhibition of glucose utilization was (i) mimicked by dibutyryl-cAMP, and (ii) prevented by THC, HU-210 and H-7, an inhibitor of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Likewise, THC was able to antagonize in part the forskolin-induced elevation of intracellular cAMP concentration, and this antagonistic effect was prevented by SR141716A. However, THC per se did not affect basal cAMP concentration. Results thus indicate that physiologically relevant doses of THC stimulate glucose metabolism in C6 glioma cells through a cannabinoid receptor-mediated process. Although cannabinoid receptors may be coupled to inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in C6 glioma cells, this does not seem to be the mechanism involved in the THC-induced stimulation of glucose metabolism.
Female Candidate Emergence and Term Limits: A State-Level Analysis

This study examines term limits to determine the effect they have on female candidate emergence in state legislatures. Initial research finds a negative relationship between term limits and female representation. I offer a candidate-level theory and empirical approach to reevaluate how term limits affect female representation overtime. I argue term limits create an incentive structure that favors female candidates since the incumbency advantage is lessened. To test this theory, I set up a quasi-natural experiment with term limits as the treatment in a difference-in-differences test. Furthermore, I also run logistical regression analysis using candidate-level data from all fifty states from 1990 to 2000. I find women are more likely to run for office in open seats created by term limits. Last, this pattern holds for both Republican and Democratic female candidates.
Roadmap to approval: use of an automated sterility test method as a lot release test for Carticel, autologous cultured chondrocytes.

BACKGROUND In February 2004, FDA approved a supplement to our biologics license for Carticel, autologous cultured chondrocytes, to use the BacT/ALERT microbial detection system as an alternative to the compendial sterility test for lot release. This article provides a roadmap to our approval process. The approval represents more than 4 years of development and validation studies comparing the Steritest compact system to the BacT/ALERT microbial detection system. METHODS For this study, freshly cultured chondrocytes were prepared from a characterized cell bank. Microbial isolates were prepared from either American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strains or from in-house contaminants. For each test condition, a suspension of chondrocyte cells and test organisms was inoculated into both aerobic media (SA standard adult culture bottles, FA FAN, tryptic soy broth) and anaerobic media (SN standard adult culture bottles, FN FAN, fluid thioglycollate media) and tested for sterility using the Steritest compact system (Millipore, Bedford, MA, USA) and the BacT/ALERT microbial detection system (bioMerieux, Durham, NC, USA). Negative control bottles were inoculated with chondrocytes and no microorganisms. All bottles were incubated for 14 days and read daily. Bacterial growth was determined by either visual examination of Steritest canisters or detection of a positive by the BacT/ALERT system. A gram stain and streak plate were used to confirm positive bottles and negative bottles after 14 days. RESULTS The detection of a positive by either the Steritest compact system or the BacT/ALERT system was summarized for each organism in each validation study. Data generated from studies reducing the incubation temperature from 35 degrees C to 32 degrees C improved detection times in the automated method compared with the compendial method. Other improvements included the use of FAN aerobic and anaerobic media to absorb the gentamicin contained in the culture media of prepared chondrocyte samples. Chondrocytes alone did not generate positive results in either the compendial method or the automated method. DISCUSSION Data from validation studies support the use of the BacT/ALERT microbial detection system as an alternative sterility test for Carticel.
Study of Plasma Endostatin Level in Patients with Acute MyeloidLeukemia

Background: Endostatin is a broad spectrum angiogenesis inhibitor and may interfere with the proangiogenic action of growth factors. Methods: To evaluate the prognostic value of endostatin serum level in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), sixty subjects were included in this study, 30 apparently healthy adult subjects as control (group I) and 30 adult patients with newly diagnosed de novo AML (group II). Estimation of serum endostatin level by ELIZA, at the onset of the disease and after 1 month of induction treatment. Results: Serum endostatin levels varied widely from 2.1 ng/mL to 7.1 ng/mL (median, 4.1 ng/mL), and the median level was higher in patients with AML compared with patients in the control group (2.6 ng/mL; P 50% percentile (p=0.007). According to change of endosatin levels, the overall survival of patients with increased endostatin level was significantly longer than patients with decreased endostatin (p=0.03). Summary/Conclusion: Inhibition of the angiogenesis may have a role in remission of AML patients.
Assessment of the family environment in pediatric neurodisability: a state‐of‐the‐art review

The importance of the family environment for the development of children with neurodisabilities is undisputed. The objective of this study is to describe how family environment has been measured in research on families of children with neurodisabilities, in order to support researchers and clinicians to select appropriate methods for use. A three‐step approach was used and 13 measures of family environment were identified within 77 studies. Five measures were used most commonly across a majority of studies (n=50). The measures varied considerably in terms of theoretical background, content, subscales, and populations for which they were developed and validated. These measures were used with considerable variability between studies and with a limited range of research respondents, most typically the child's mother. Challenges, opportunities, and suggestions on how to improve the application of family environment measures in research are discussed.
One-Dimensional Electrical Contact to a Two-Dimensional Material

Better Contact Along the Edge Electrical contact to graphene is normally done with metal contacts on its flat face, where there are few strong bonding sites for the metal. Wang et al. (p. 614) encapsulated graphene with hexagonal boron nitride sheets and made metal contacts along its edge, where bonding orbitals are exposed. The resulting heterostructures had high electronic performance, with room-temperature carrier mobilities near the theoretical phonon-scattering limit. Metal contacts to graphene along its edge improve bonding and, in turn, electronic performance. Heterostructures based on layering of two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene and hexagonal boron nitride represent a new class of electronic devices. Realizing this potential, however, depends critically on the ability to make high-quality electrical contact. Here, we report a contact geometry in which we metalize only the 1D edge of a 2D graphene layer. In addition to outperforming conventional surface contacts, the edge-contact geometry allows a complete separation of the layer assembly and contact metallization processes. In graphene heterostructures, this enables high electronic performance, including low-temperature ballistic transport over distances longer than 15 micrometers, and room-temperature mobility comparable to the theoretical phonon-scattering limit. The edge-contact geometry provides new design possibilities for multilayered structures of complimentary 2D materials.
Misinformation, disinformation, and violent conflict: from Iraq and the "War on Terror" to future threats to peace.

The dissemination and control of information are indispensable ingredients of violent conflict, with all parties involved in a conflict or at war seeking to frame the discussion on their own terms. Those attempts at information control often involve the dissemination of misinformation or disinformation (i.e., information that is incorrect by accident or intent, respectively). We review the way in which misinformation can facilitate violent conflicts and, conversely, how the successful refutation of misinformation can contribute to peace. We illustrate the relevant cognitive principles by examining two case studies. The first, a retrospective case, involves the Iraq War of 2003 and the "War on Terror. " The second, a prospective case, points to likely future sources of conflict arising from climate change and its likely consequences.
Tissue Transglutaminase Is Increased in Huntington's Disease Brain

The polyglutamine-expanded N-terminal region of mutant huntingtin causes neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD). Neuronal intranuclear and cytosolic inclusions composed of mutant huntingtin are found in brains of HD patients. Because tissue transglutaminase cross-links proteins into filamentous aggregates and polypeptide-bound glutamines are primary determining factors for tissue transglutaminase-catalyzed reactions, it has been hypothesized that tissue transglutaminase may contribute to the formation of these aggregates. In this report immunohistochemical and biochemical methods were used to demonstrate that tissue transglutaminase expression and transglutaminase activity are elevated in HD brains in a grade-dependent manner. In the striatum, tissue transglutaminase activity was significantly increased in the grade 3 HD cases compared with controls. When normalized to the neuronal marker calbindin D28k, immunoblot analysis revealed that in the striatum the levels of tissue transglutaminase were significantly increased in all HD cases compared with controls. Immunohistochemical staining of the HD striatum revealed that tissue transglutaminase immunoreactivity was markedly increased in all grades as compared with controls. In the superior frontal cortex, tissue transglutaminase activity was significantly higher in all HD cases as compared with controls. Quantitative analysis of immunoblots demonstrated that tissue transglutaminase levels were elevated in HD grades 2 and 3 cases. Tissue transglutaminase immunoreactivity within the superior frontal neocortex was also greater in all the HD cases compared with controls. These data clearly indicate that tissue transglutaminase is elevated in HD brain and may play a role in the disease process.
Neurohistory Is Bunk?: The Not-So-Deep History of the Postclassical Mind

The proliferation of late of disciplines beginning in “neuro”—neuroeconomics, neuroaesthetics, neuro–literary criticism, and so on—while welcomed in some quarters, has drawn a great deal of critical commentary as well. It is perhaps natural that scholars in the humanities, especially, tend to find these “neuro”-prefixes irritating. But by no means all of them: there are those humanists (evidently) who discern in this trend a healthy development that has the potential of “revitalizing” the notoriously bookish humanities. Neurohistory (or “deep” history) is a case in point, typically being dismissed (if registered at all) by historians while finding more sympathetic consideration elsewhere. While it sides with the former position, this essay attempts to develop a more complex picture. It will suggest that defiant humanists may underestimate the extent to which they are already participating in a culture profoundly tuned toward a quasi-naturalistic construction of the mind/brain as an embodied, situated, and distributed thing. The roots of this construction will be traced into the popular, academic, and technological discourses that began to surround the “user” in the 1980s, with special emphasis on the concomitant assault on “cognitivism. ” What is more, the very same story—insofar as it demonstrates the complicity of the “postclassical” mind with our own man-made and “digital” age—will serve to complicate the neuro-optimists’ vision of human nature exposed by a new kind of science.
Progress in TILLING as a tool for functional genomics and improvement of crops.

Food security is a global concern and substantial yield increases in crops are required to feed the growing world population. Mutagenesis is an important tool in crop improvement and is free of the regulatory restrictions imposed on genetically modified organisms. Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING), which combines traditional chemical mutagenesis with high-throughput genome-wide screening for point mutations in desired genes, offers a powerful way to create novel mutant alleles for both functional genomics and improvement of crops. TILLING is generally applicable to genomes whether small or large, diploid or even allohexaploid, and shows great potential to address the major challenge of linking sequence information to the function of genes and to modulate key traits for plant breeding. TILLING has been successfully applied in many crop species and recent progress in TILLING is summarized below, especially on the developments in mutation detection technology, application of TILLING in gene functional studies and crop breeding. The potential of TILLING/EcoTILLING for functional genetics and crop improvement is also discussed. Furthermore, a small-scale forward strategy including backcross and selfing was conducted to release the potential mutant phenotypes masked in M2 (or M3) plants.
Performance Analysis of Source Image Estimators in Blind Source Separation

Blind methods often separate or identify signals or signal subspaces up to an unknown scaling factor. Sometimes it is necessary to cope with the scaling ambiguity, which can be done through reconstructing signals as they are received by sensors, because scales of the sensor responses (images) have known physical interpretations. In this paper, we analyze two approaches that are widely used for computing the sensor responses, especially, in frequency-domain independent component analysis. One approach is the least-squares projection, whereas the other one assumes a regular mixing matrix and computes its inverse. Both estimators are invariant to the unknown scaling. Although frequently used, their differences were not studied yet. A goal of this paper is to fill this gap. The estimators are compared through a theoretical study, perturbation analysis, and simulations. We point to the fact that the estimators are equivalent when the separated signal subspaces are orthogonal, and vice versa. Two applications are shown, one of which demonstrates a case where the estimators yield substantially different results.
Injury patterns in Swedish elite athletics: annual incidence, injury types and risk factors

Objective To estimate the incidence, type and severity of musculoskeletal injuries in youth and adult elite athletics athletes and to explore risk factors for sustaining injuries. Design Prospective cohort study conducted during a 52-week period. Setting Male and female youth and adult athletics athletes ranked in the top 10 in Sweden (n=292). Results 199 (68%) athletes reported an injury during the study season. Ninety-six per cent of the reported injuries were non-traumatic (associated with overuse). Most injuries (51%) were severe, causing a period of absence from normal training exceeding 3 weeks. Log-rank tests revealed risk differences with regard to athlete category (p=0.046), recent previous injury (>3 weeks time-loss; p=0.039) and training load rank index (TLRI; p=0.019). Cox proportional hazards regression analyses showed that athletes in the third (HR 1.79; 95% CI 1.54 to 2.78) and fourth TLRI quartiles (HR 1.79; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.74) had almost a twofold increased risk of injury compared with their peers in the first quartile and interaction effects between athlete category and previous injury; youth male athletes with a previous serious injury had more than a fourfold increased risk of injury (HR=4.39; 95% CI 2.20 to 8.77) compared with youth females with no previous injury. Conclusions The injury incidence among both youth and adult elite athletics athletes is high. A training load index combing hours and intensity and a history of severe injury the previous year were predictors for injury. Further studies on measures to quantify training content and protocols for safe return to athletics are warranted.
Predicting Student Retention Using Scholarship and Grant Aid

2 List of Tables . 5 List of Figures . 6 List of Abbreviations . 7 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . 8 Background . 8 Problem Statement . 11 Purpose Statement . 12 Significance of the Study . 12 Research Questions . 14 Null Hypothesis(es) . 14 Definitions.14 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW . 16 Introduction . 16 Theoretical Framework . 19 Literature . 22 Conclusion . 44 CHAPTER THREE: METHODS . 47 Design . 47 Research Question(s) . 48 Null Hypothesis(es) . 48 Participants and Setting.49
Synergistic activation of interferon‐β gene transcription by the viral FLICE inhibitory protein of Kaposi's sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus and type I IFN activators

Expression of Kaposi's sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus v‐FLIP leads to the spindle‐shape morphology of endothelial cells and is essential for the survival of primary effusion lymphoma cells. Activation of the NF‐κB transcription factor by v‐FLIP is responsible for these effects. Considering that the interferon‐β (ifn‐β) gene is regulated partly through NF‐κB, we sought to determine whether v‐FLIP would activate the expression of the ifn‐β gene. Our results indicate that when v‐FLIP is expressed by itself it has no effect on ifn‐β gene activation but when it is combined with known IFN‐β inducers, a synergistic activation of the ifn‐β gene occurs. This effect is strictly dependent on NF‐κB and is mediated through the positive regulatory domain II of the IFN‐β promoter. Furthermore, we report that protection from Fas‐induced cell‐death by v‐FLIP is observed whether or not the type I IFN signaling pathway is activated. Our work therefore contributes to increase our knowledge on v‐FLIP, highlighting the complex immunomodulatory properties of this anti‐apoptotic viral protein.