Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The TOPLESS Interactome: A Framework for Gene Repression in Arabidopsis1[W][OA]

Transcription factors activate or repress target gene expression or switch between activation and repression. In animals and yeast, Groucho/Tup1 corepressor proteins are recruited by diverse transcription factors to induce context-specific transcriptional repression. Two groups of Groucho/Tup1-like corepressors have been described in plants. LEUNIG and LEUNIG_HOMOLOG constitute one group and TOPLESS (TPL) and the four TPL-related (TPR) corepressors form the other. To discover the processes in which TPL and the TPR corepressors operate, high-throughput yeast two-hybrid approaches were used to identify interacting proteins. We found that TPL/TPR corepressors predominantly interact directly with specific transcription factors, many of which were previously implicated in transcriptional repression. The interacting transcription factors reveal that the TPL/TPR family has been coopted multiple times to modulate gene expression in diverse processes, including hormone signaling, stress responses, and the control of flowering time, for which we also show biological validation. The interaction data suggest novel mechanisms for the involvement of TPL/TPR corepressors in auxin and jasmonic acid signaling. A number of short repression domain (RD) sequences have previously been identified in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) transcription factors. All known RD sequences were enriched among the TPL/TPR interactors, and novel TPL-RD interactions were identified. We show that the presence of RD sequences is essential for TPL/TPR recruitment. These data provide a framework for TPL/TPR-dependent transcriptional repression. They allow for predictions about new repressive transcription factors, corepressor interactions, and repression mechanisms and identify a wide range of plant processes that utilize TPL/TPR-mediated gene repression.
Scent and Mood State following an Anxiety-Provoking Task

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of water, lavender, or rosemary scent on physiology and mood state following an anxiety-provoking task. The nonsmoking participants, ages 18–30 years, included 42 women and 31 men who reported demographic information and measures of external temperature and heart rate were taken prior to introduction of an anxiety-eliciting task and exposure to lavender, rosemary, or water scents. Following the task, participants completed the Profile of Mood States to assess mood, and temperature and heart rate were reassessed. Participants rated the pleasantness of the scent received. When pleasantness ratings of scent were covaried, physiological changes in temperature and heart rate did not differ based on scent exposure, but mood ratings differed by scent condition. Participants in the rosemary condition scored higher on measures of tension–anxiety and confusion–bewilderment relative to the lavender and control conditions. The lavender and control conditions showed higher mean vigor–activity ratings relative to the rosemary group, while both rosemary and lavender scents were associated with lower mean ratings on the fatigue–inertia subscale, relative to the control group. These results suggest that, when individual perception of scent pleasantness is controlled, scent has the potential to moderate different aspects of mood following an anxiety-provoking task.
Piezoelectric fiber-composite-based cantilever sensor for electric-field-induced strain measurement in soft electroactive polymer

Polymeric materials have been widely used in electronic and electromechanical transducer applications. Because of their low elastic modulus, it is quite challenging to accurately characterize the electric-field-induced strain and elastic modulus by conventional contact methods. In this paper, a piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) fiber-composite- based cantilever strain sensor has been investigated to accurately characterize the electric-field-induced strain response in the out-of-plane direction of soft electroactive polymer samples. By choosing appropriate substrate material and the thickness ratio of the fiber composite to the substrate, this strain sensor can be optimized to provide high sensitivity and high flexibility simultaneously. The high voltage sensitivity can be attributed to partial decoupling of the longitudinal and transverse piezoelectric responses, the improved piezoelectric coefficient and small dielectric permittivity. The high flexibility is due to the reduced flexural spring constant of the composite-based cantilever device. Both theoretical modeling of the PZT fiber-composite-based cantilever device and experimental verification are performed in this work. The results indicate that the piezoelectric PZT fiber-composite-based cantilever strain sensor can accurately characterize the electric-field-induced small strain in electroactive soft polymers with high reliability.
Cutting Edge: Spontaneous Development of IL-17–Producing γδ T Cells in the Thymus Occurs via a TGF-β1–Dependent Mechanism

In naive animals, γδ T cells are innate sources of IL-17, a potent proinflammatory cytokine mediating bacterial clearance as well as autoimmunity. However, mechanisms underlying the generation of these cells in vivo remain unclear. In this study, we show that TGF-β1 plays a key role in the generation of IL-17+ γδ T cells and that it mainly occurs in the thymus particularly during the postnatal period. Interestingly, IL-17+ γδ TCR+ thymocytes were mainly CD44highCD25low cells, which seem to derive from double-negative 4 γδ TCR+ cells that acquired CD44 and IL-17 expression. Our findings identify a novel developmental pathway during which IL-17–competent γδ T cells arise in the thymus by a TGF-β1–dependent mechanism.
How does microanalysis of mother–infant communication inform maternal sensitivity and infant attachment?

Microanalysis research on 4-month infant–mother face-to-face communication operates like a “social microscope” and identifies aspects of maternal sensitivity and the origins of attachment with a more detailed lens. We hope to enhance a dialogue between these two paradigms, microanalysis of mother–infant communication and maternal sensitivity and emerging working models of attachment. The prediction of infant attachment from microanalytic approaches and their contribution to concepts of maternal sensitivity are described. We summarize aspects of one microanalytic study by Beebe and colleagues published in 2010 that documents new communication patterns between mothers and infants at 4 months that predict future disorganized (vs. secure) attachment. The microanalysis approach opens up a new window on the details of the micro-processes of face-to-face communication. It provides a new, rich set of behaviors with which to extend our understanding of the origins of infant attachment and of maternal sensitivity.
Genetic and Biochemical Characterization of a NovelumuD Mutation: Insights into a Mechanism for UmuD Self-Cleavage

ABSTRACT Most translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) in Escherichia coli is dependent upon the products of the umuDCgenes, which encode a DNA polymerase, DNA polymerase V, with the unique ability to replicate over a variety of DNA lesions, including cyclobutane dimers and abasic sites. The UmuD protein is activated for its role in TLS by a RecA–single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-facilitated self-cleavage event that serves to remove its amino-terminal 24 residues to yield UmuD′. We have used site-directed mutagenesis to construct derivatives of UmuD and UmuD′ with glycines in place of leucine-101 and arginine-102. These residues are extremely well conserved among the UmuD-like proteins involved in mutagenesis but are poorly conserved among the structurally related LexA-like transcriptional repressor proteins. Based on both the crystal and solution structures of the UmuD′ homodimer, these residues are part of a solvent-exposed loop. Our genetic and biochemical characterizations of these mutant UmuD and UmuD′ proteins indicate that while leucine-101 and arginine-102 are critical for the RecA-ssDNA-facilitated self-cleavage of UmuD, they serve only a minimal role in enabling TLS. These results, and others, suggest that the interaction of RecA-ssDNA with leucine-101 and arginine-102, together with numerous other contacts between UmuD2 and the RecA-ssDNA nucleoprotein filaments, serves to realign lysine-97 relative to serine-60, thereby activating UmuD2 for self-cleavage.
The onset of coherence collapse in DBR lasers

A study of the dependence of the onset of coherence collapse on laser output power is discussed. Three-section multiquantum-well-distributed-Bragg-reflector (MQW-DBR) lasers were used. The fraction of light reflected back into the lasing mode was varied, and the point at which the transition to coherence collapse occurred was measured. This feedback level varies approximately linearly with laser output power. For these lasers, when the output power is 1 mW, the transition to coherence collapse begins when the optical feedback into the lasing mode is below -40 dBm; when the feedback power is -35 dBm, the laser line is completely collapsed. <<ETX>>
A Survey and Comparison of Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Image Classification and Their Applications

: This paper focuses on a case study of a number of image classification algorithms which include decision trees, k-nearest neighbours, deep neural networks, Convolutional neural networks, Support vector machines and random forest. The three main algorithms – SVM, RF and CNN have been elaborated due to their varying approaches to classification. They have been juxtaposed with their applications in various domains which are an influence in technology. This paper also discusses the multiple advantages and disadvantages of the aforementioned algorithms .
Le vignoble bordelais à l'épreuve du changement de climat

Resume La question climatique est aujourd’hui un theme largement aborde dans la presse specialisee vitivinicole et l’on peut se demander si apres quelques decennies d’un imperialisme pedologique, le monde du vin ne va pas retomber dans un autre determinisme physique, celui du climat. Notre approche reposera essentiellement sur l’analyse du vignoble bordelais. Apres un rapide tour d’horizon des principaux sujets traites dans la litterature specialisee, scientifique, professionnelle ou grand public, j’aborderai la question climatique elle-meme, les incertitudes qui pesent aujourd’hui sur le sens de l’evolution, la connaissance des mutations passees, mais aussi la complexe relation entre le vignoble bordelais et son climat capricieux. Cette relation climat – viticulture incite ensuite a s’interesser a l’une des caracteristiques du vignoble bordelais : l’assemblage. Vin multi cepages provenant de sols viticoles differents, l’assemblage n’est-il pas aussi — outre la garantie d’une marque de fabrique originale dans chaque château — une assurance contre les aleas climatiques ? Ce vin d’assemblage pose des lors la question de la representation du terroir mobilise en Bordelais comme dans le Sud-Ouest francais en general. Plus que le terroir des agronomes, c’est le terroir des sociologues (et de certains geographes) qui est ainsi mobilise a toutes les echelles. Le bordeaux n’est-il pas davantage un vin « organisationnel » qu’un vin « typique issu d’un terroir naturel que la terre envie » ? Alors plus que savoir si les cepages vont migrer vers le nord, la question ne reste-t-elle pas, ce qu’elle a toujours ete : comment repondre aux sollicitations de l’environnement qu’il soit naturel, economique ou social ? Mots-cles : changement climatique, terroir social, vin d’assemblage, organisation
Exposures influencing total IgA level in colostrum

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is a predominant immunoglobulin present in human breast milk and is known to play an important role in infant gut immunity maturation. Breast milk composition varies between populations, but the environmental and maternal factors responsible for these variations are still unclear. We examined the relationship between different exposures and levels of IgA in colostrum. The objective of this study was to examine whether exposures analysed influence levels of IgA in colostrum. The present study used 294 colostrum samples from the MecMilk International cohort, collected from women residing in London, Moscow and Verona. Samples were analysed in automated Abbott Architect Analyser. We found an inverse correlation between time postpartum and colostrum total IgA level (r=−0.49, P<0.001). Adjusting for maternal parity, smoking, fresh fruit and fish consumption and allergen sensitization, multiple regression model showed that IgA levels were influenced by colostrum collection time (P<0.0001) and country of collection (P<0.01). Mode of delivery influence did not appear to be significant in univariate comparisons, once adjusted for the above maternal characteristics it showed a significant influence on total IgA (P=0.01). We conclude that the concentration of IgA in colostrum drops rapidly after birth and future studies should always consider this factor in analysis. IgA concentration varied significantly between countries, with the highest level detected in Moscow and lowest in Verona. Mode of delivery effect should be confirmed on larger cohorts. Further work is needed to determine ways to correct for IgA decline over time in colostrum, and to find the cause of variations in IgA levels between the countries.
Regulación de la liberación de renina durante la hipertensión renovascular

La hipertension es un sindrome cardiovascular progresivo que surge de etiologias complejas e interrelacionadas. Los marcadores tempranos del sindrome a menudo estan presentes antes de que la elevacion de la presion sanguinea sea observada. El desarrollo de la hipertension arterial se asocia con anomalias cardiacas y vasculares funcionales y estructurales que danan el corazon, los rinones, el cerebro, los vasos, y otros organos, y conducen a la morbilidad y muerte prematura. El sistema renina angiotensina y los rinones son los principales mecanismos que subyacen para el desarrollo de la hipertension. La renina es la enzima limitante para la sintesis de la angiotensina II; la liberacion de renina esta regulada por mecanismos como el barorreceptor intrarrenal, la macula densa (MD) y el sistema nervioso simpatico. Desde la MD son liberadas prostaglandinas vasodilatadoras (PG) como PGI2 y PGE2, generadas por la ciclooxigenasa 2, que inducen la liberacion de renina de las celulas yuxtaglomerulares. En esta revision, mostramos los mecanismos interrelacionados entre la ciclooxigenasa 2 de la MD y la angiotensina II renal.
Differential heritability of adult and juvenile antisocial traits.

BACKGROUND Studies of adult antisocial behavior or criminality usually find genetic factors to be more important than the family environment, whereas studies of delinquency find the family environment to be more important. We compared DSM-III-R antisocial personality disorder symptoms before vs after the age of 15 years within a sample of twins, rather than comparing across studies. METHODS We administered the Diagnostic Interview Schedule Version III-revised by telephone to 3226 pairs of male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Biometrical modeling was applied to each symptom of antisocial personality disorder and summary measures of juvenile and adult symptoms. RESULTS Five juvenile symptoms were significantly heritable, and five were significantly influenced by the shared environment. Eight adult symptoms were significantly heritable, and one was significantly influenced by the shared environment. The shared environment explained about six times more variance in juvenile anti-social traits than in adult traits. Shared environmental influences on adult antisocial traits overlapped entirely with those on juvenile traits. Additive genetic factors explained about six times more variance in adult vs juvenile traits. The juvenile genetic determinants overlapped completely with genetic influences on adult traits. The unique environment (plus measurement error) explained the largest proportion of variance in both juvenile and adult antisocial traits. CONCLUSIONS Characteristics of the shared or family environment that promote antisocial behavior during childhood and early adolescence also promote later antisocial behavior, but to a much lesser extent. Genetic causal factors are much more prominent for adult than for juvenile antisocial traits.
Trastorno por estrés postraumático en víctimas del terrorismo : evaluación clínica, psicofisiológica y pericial

En el presente trabajo se estudia el Trastorno por estres postraumatico que presentan un grupo de 75 pacientes afectados por atentados terroristas. Los resultados del estudio senalan: * Que el tipo de trauma y la implicacion de la victima en el mismo, correlacionan significativamente con la intensidad de la sintomatologia. * Apoyan la hipotesis segun la cual el trastorno por estres psotraumatico constituye una entidad autonoma desde el punto de vista nosologico, aunque comparte determinados sintomas con los trstornos por ansiedad y depresivos. Tambien se observa una elevada comorbilidad con estos trastornos. * El cuadro clinico observado en estos pacientes evoluciona de forma cronica hacia una transformacion persistente de la personalidad. * Por otra parte se han comprobado que estos pacientes presentan, desde el punto de vista psicofisiologico un balance autonomico desequilibrado con unos niveles de hiperactividad basal y reactiva superiores a los observados en los sujetos controles.
Effects of pneumolysin on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and platelets

Pneumolysin was bound by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in a reaction which occurred very rapidly at 0 degrees C. Low concentrations of pneumolysin were found to stimulate leukocyte migration and lysosomal enzyme secretion. At increasing lysin levels, inhibition of spontaneous migration and chemotaxis, cell death, and lysis were observed. Pneumolysin was also found to lyse platelets and to activate serum to become chemotactic.
Bone mineral density in adolescents.

Bone densitometry is becoming more widely available and is no longer limited to studying the elderly. Rapid, safe, and accurate methods of measuring BMD now allow serial determination of this important factor in fracture risk and will undoubtedly become even more accessible in the future. Likewise, our knowledge about the mechanisms and genetics of bone resorption and bone formation is rapidly expanding. Therefore, efforts to prevent osteoporosis in later life by maximizing peak BMD during adolescence and young adulthood must be directed at identifying young people who are at risk because of low body weight, inactivity, inadequate calcium intake, sex hormone deficiency, or because of disease or treatments associated with reduction of BMD. If BMD is found to be low, efforts to enhance bone formation (eg, weight gain, weightbearing exercise, increased calcium intake, and effective treatment of the underlying illness) should be encouraged. Antiresorptive agents, such as sex hormones, should be used cautiously, since they can have significant side effects and may not produce the expected results. Pediatricians must keep in mind the axiom: osteoporosis . the only cure is prevention.
The Rho family of small GTPases is involved in epithelial cystogenesis and tubulogenesis.

BACKGROUND Epithelial cyst and tubule formation represent critical processes for the development of many mammalian organs and involve transient, highly choreographed changes in cell polarity. The Rho family of small GTPases, whose prototypes are RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, regulate many biologic processes, including cell polarization and morphogenesis. The exocyst is a conserved eight-subunit protein complex involved in the biogenesis of polarity; in yeast, it is a downstream effector for several Rho family proteins, and, in mammals, plays a central role in cystogenesis and tubulogenesis. METHODS Inducible cell lines expressing mutant forms of RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 and an in vitro model of cystogenesis and tubulogenesis were used to examine the effects of Rho family proteins on cyst and tubule formation. A series of pulse-chase assays, using basolateral, apical, and secretory proteins, were performed to examine the synthesis and membrane trafficking profile of the various Rho family mutant proteins. RESULTS We show that expression of mutant RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 proteins all result in abnormal cyst and tubule formation. Furthermore, with respect to cystogenesis and tubulogenesis, the phenotypic effects of expressing each mutant Rho family protein are different. Specifically, cyst and, therefore, tubule formation is completely inhibited in the presence of constitutively active RhoA and tubulogenesis is inhibited in the presence of dominant negative Rac1. Reversal of cyst polarity is seen in the presence of dominant negative RhoA, dominant negative Rac1, and both dominant negative and constitutively active Cdc42. The series of synthesis and delivery assays, using basolateral, apical, and secretory proteins, revealed that Rho family mutant proteins display an exocyst-like trafficking profile. CONCLUSION The differential effects suggest that RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 all act to control cyst and tubule formation and may act in concert to control these higher-order processes. The exocyst-like membrane trafficking profile displayed by the Rho family mutant proteins raises the possibility that Rho family proteins interact, either directly or indirectly, with the exocyst to control cyst and tubule formation.
Silencing of Insulin-like Growth Factor-binding Protein-2 in Human Glioblastoma Cells Reduces Both Invasiveness and Expression of Progression-associated Gene CD24*

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a malignant brain tumor characterized by rapid growth and extensive invasiveness. Overexpression of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) has been reported in GBM. However, it remains to be determined how IGFBP-2 is involved in the progression of GBM. We utilized short hairpin-RNA (shRNA) expression retroviral vectors to inactivate the IGFBP-2 gene permanently in two human GBM cell lines, U251 and YKG-1. The stable knockdown of IGFBP-2 resulted in decreased invasiveness, decreased saturation density of the cells in vitro, and decreased tumorigenicity in nude mice. Transcriptional profiling of both lines revealed several genes that were significantly down-regulated by inactivation of IGFBP-2. One such gene was CD24, which has been implicated in progression of various cancers. Indeed, CD24 was expressed in most GBM cases and the inactivation of CD24 in GBM cells suppressed cellular invasiveness, as was the case for IGFBP-2. Forced overexpression of CD24 led to increased invasiveness of both IGFBP-2-inactivated GBM cell lines and also A172, a human GBM cell line with low endogenous CD24. Further supporting the inter-relationship between IGFBP-2 and CD24, knockdown of IGFBP-2 suppressed the CD24 promoter activity. Moreover, both CD24 promoter activity and in vitro invasiveness were restored in knockdown cells by transfection with an IGFBP-2 expression plasmid. These results indicate that CD24 is modulated by IGFBP-2 and contributes to IGFBP-2-enhanced invasiveness of GBM cells.