Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mitochondria are redistributed in Drosophila photoreceptors lacking Milton, a kinesin‐associated protein

Photoreceptors are richly supplied with mitochondria, where they are required to meet the energetic demands, in the soma, of phototransduction and, in the terminal, of neurotransmitter release. Compromising the latter, we have made photoreceptors R1–R6 in Drosophila ommatidia homozygous for either of two alleles, milt186 and milt92, of milton in whole‐eye mosaics. Such mutant photoreceptors fail to target mitochondria to their terminals. We show from quantitative electron microscopy (EM) that mitochondria are totally lacking at the terminal but nevertheless abundant and present throughout the soma, where their distribution differs from that of control ommatidia, however, being more heavily concentrated in the nuclear region. Mitochondria are sparse at the basalmost level of mutant ommatidia, and are lacking beneath the basement membrane, in the axons and terminals of these cells. The absence of mitochondria from R1–R6 terminals and concommitant reductions in synaptic vesicle packing density, previously reported, we show here are accompanied by reduced immunoreactivity to the photoreceptor transmitter histamine but not by any change in total head histamine content, as determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Mutant terminals also contain vesicle profiles with a wider range of sizes. These two phenotypes suggest that the reduced availability of ATP when mutant terminals lack a mitochondrial supply compromises their ability to pump histamine into synaptic vesicles and perturbs membrane distribution within the terminal. In addition, a band of somata in the lamina cortex, at least some of which are postsynaptic neurons not homozygous for milton, also shows altered mitochondrial targeting, with abnormal clusters of mitochondria, as visualized by immunolabeling with anti‐hsp and by serial EM. Within the lamina, terminals of mutant photoreceptors are penetrated by neighboring cells with invaginations that frequently contain mitochondria, suggesting that a mechanism exists for intercellular metabolic support. Our findings indicate the direct and compensatory responses in a population of neurons when mitochondria are not correctly targeted to their synaptic terminals. J. Comp. Neurol. 463:372–388, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Workforce perceptions of hospital safety culture: development and validation of the patient safety climate in healthcare organizations survey.

OBJECTIVE To describe the development of an instrument for assessing workforce perceptions of hospital safety culture and to assess its reliability and validity. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING Primary data collected between March 2004 and May 2005. Personnel from 105 U.S. hospitals completed a 38-item paper and pencil survey. We received 21,496 completed questionnaires, representing a 51 percent response rate. STUDY DESIGN Based on review of existing safety climate surveys, we developed a list of key topics pertinent to maintaining a culture of safety in high-reliability organizations. We developed a draft questionnaire to address these topics and pilot tested it in four preliminary studies of hospital personnel. We modified the questionnaire based on experience and respondent feedback, and distributed the revised version to 42,249 hospital workers. DATA COLLECTION We randomly divided respondents into derivation and validation samples. We applied exploratory factor analysis to responses in the derivation sample. We used those results to create scales in the validation sample, which we subjected to multitrait analysis (MTA). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We identified nine constructs, three organizational factors, two unit factors, three individual factors, and one additional factor. Constructs demonstrated substantial convergent and discriminant validity in the MTA. Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.50 to 0.89. CONCLUSIONS It is possible to measure key salient features of hospital safety climate using a valid and reliable 38-item survey and appropriate hospital sample sizes. This instrument may be used in further studies to better understand the impact of safety climate on patient safety outcomes.
Community discovery and sentiment mining for Chinese BLOG

Since the emergence of BLOG, it not only represents a new network technology, but also means the beginning of a new life style. How to utilize and mine the BLOG content which contains hidden sentiment and real-time update is a big challenge in the data-mining domain. As most of the existing method for network text's topic mining is achieved through clustering text's topic and label which are labeled by hand and often mismatched with the content of the text, the accuracy rating of this method is low. In this paper, we present a BLOG community mining method based on topic features. We define topic features as representation for the major contents of BLOG. Meanwhile, we present a BLOG hidden sentiment continuous evaluation algorithm, called CSETR (Continuous sentiment evaluation with time regulator). CSETR can be used to evaluate the continuous sentiment scores of topic features. Furthermore, it also consider changes in sentiment intensity over time. Lastly, through CSETR we will build up sentiment trend model for Chinese BLOG community.
Stage IB1 vs IB2 carcinoma of the cervix: should the new FIGO staging system define therapy?

Oncology is a scholarly and meticulous evaluation of 229 patients with Stage IB carcinoma of the cervix treated with 5-year disease-free survivals to be 100% for lesions o 1c m diameter, 93% for 1.0 to 1.9 cm, 98% for 2.0 to 2.9 cm, radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy. In an attempt to create a homogenous group of patients for analysis the 83% for 3.0 to 3.9 cm, and 76% for lesionsu4 cm [1]. The Finan article reports a 5-year survival of 90% for Stage IB1 authors have justifiably excluded those patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy and they have and a 5-year survival of 73% for Stage IB2. The Finan survival rates are similar to the Mallinckrodt results. What excluded those with unusual histologic types. The issues that the authors address are surgical morbidity, lymph node are the differences for patients treated in the two separate studies? At the Mallinckrodt Institute, all patients received status, and survival based upon the new FIGO staging system for Stage IB disease. only one form of radical therapy, i.e., definitive irradiation. In the Finan series all patients underwent radical hysterec
A Novel Extended-Spectrum TEM-Type β-Lactamase (TEM-52) Associated with Decreased Susceptibility to Moxalactam inKlebsiella pneumoniae

ABSTRACT Klebsiella pneumoniae NEM865 was isolated from the culture of a stool sample from a patient previously treated with ceftazidime (CAZ). Analysis of this strain by the disk diffusion test revealed synergies between amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMX-CA) and CAZ, AMX-CA and cefotaxime (CTX), AMX-CA and aztreonam (ATM), and more surprisingly, AMX-CA and moxalactam (MOX). Clavulanic acid (CA) decreased the MICs of CAZ, CTX, and MOX, which suggested that NEM865 produced a novel extended-spectrum β-lactamase. Genetic, restriction endonuclease, and Southern blot analyses revealed that the resistance phenotype was due to the presence in NEM865 of a 13.5-kb mobilizable plasmid, designated pNEC865, harboring a Tn3-like element. Sequence analysis revealed that the blaT gene of pNEC865 differed from blaTEM-1 by three mutations leading to the following amino acid substitutions: Glu104→Lys, Met182→Thr, and Gly238→Ser (Ambler numbering). The association of these three mutations has thus far never been described, and theblaT gene carried by pNEC865 was therefore designatedblaTEM-52. The enzymatic parameters of TEM-52 and TEM-3 were found to be very similar except for those for MOX, for which the affinity of TEM-52 (Ki, 0.16 μM) was 10-fold higher than that of TEM-3 (Ki, 1.9 μM). Allelic replacement analysis revealed that the combination of Lys104, Thr182, and Ser238 was responsible for the increase in the MICs of MOX for the TEM-52 producers.
Daxx-Mediated Accumulation of Human Cytomegalovirus Tegument Protein pp71 at ND10 Facilitates Initiation of Viral Infection at These Nuclear Domains

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) starts immediate-early transcription at nuclear domains 10 (ND10), forming a highly dynamic immediate transcript environment at this nuclear site. The reason for this spatial correlation remains enigmatic, and the mechanism for induction of transcription at ND10 is unknown. We investigated whether tegument-based transactivators are involved in the specific intranuclear location of HCMV. Here, we demonstrate that the HCMV transactivator tegument protein pp71 accumulates at ND10 before the production of immediate-early proteins. Intracellular trafficking of pp71 is facilitated through binding to a coiled-coil region of Daxx. The C-terminal domain of Daxx then interacts with SUMO-modified PML, resulting in the deposition of pp71 at ND10. In Daxx-deficient cells, pp71 does not accumulate at ND10, proving in vivo the necessity of Daxx for pp71 deposition. Also, HCMV forms immediate transcript environments at sites other than ND10 in Daxx-deficient cells, and so does the HCMV pp71 knockout mutant UL82−/− in normal cells. This result strongly suggests that pp71 and Daxx are essential for HCMV transcription at ND10. Lack of Daxx had the effect of reducing the infection rate. We conclude that the tegument transactivator pp71 facilitates viral genome deposition and transcription at ND10, possibly priming HCMV for more efficient productive infection.
Prehypertension; patient awareness and associated cardiovascular risk factors in an urban population in Iran

Background: This study was to estimate the frequency of prehypertension and to characterize patient awareness and associated cardiovascular risk factors in an urban population in Iran. Methods: During a hypertensive awareness program, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 2036 people. All participants completed a questionnaire about their demographic and anthropometric indices and were asked about symptoms, risk factors and preventive measures of hypertension. Data were compared between prehypertensive and non-hypertensive groups. Results: Prehypertension was detected in 30% (n=611) of the subjects. Previous CHD, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were more prevalent in low prehypertension group compared to high normal blood pressure. The male sex, increasing age and body weight were positively associated with the rate of prehypertension. Only 8% of participants with prehypertension were aware about the symptoms of hypertension, 12% correctly mentioned at least three risk factors of hypertension, and 48% explained appropriate preventive measures. Conclusion: Prehypertension was prevalent in this population. Age, body weight, male sex, and previous CHD were the major determinants. Furthermore, hypertension awareness was alarmingly poor. Therefore, hypertension prevention programs focused on increasing public awareness are essential.
Variation in pelvic size between males and females in nonhuman anthropoids.

Whether there is a sexual difference in phenotypic variance has been the subject of theoretical and empirical studies. The presence of such a difference is integral to some models on the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Several studies report that males are more variable than females for nonpelvic measures. This study tests for a sexual difference in variability of the pelvis. Phenotypic variance is a correlate of both the intensity and mode of selection. In both sexes, the pelvis is subject primarily to stabilizing selection. However, selection intensity is greater among females than among males because only among females does the pelvis function as a birth canal and, thereby, serve as a proximate cause of death. As selection intensity and phenotypic variability are inversely related under stabilizing selection, the implication is that females should be less variable than males in pelvic size and shape. However, the results of previous studies on this issue are equivocal or contradictory. This study compares the sexes for differences in pelvic variability by analyzing nine species (and ten samples) of nonhuman anthropoids. Data were collected on 16 measures of the pelvis; only adults were used. Levene's univariate and multivariate tests for relative variation were used in the analysis. The results show that the sexes do not differ significantly in pelvic variability either within or among the nine samples of noncaptive anthropoids. Only in the one sample of captive specimens (Saimiri sciureus) do the sexes differ significantly in pelvic variability, with males being more variable than females. Two interpretations are derived from these results. First, the sexual difference in variability in captive Saimiri may be due either to a bias in the selection of Saimiri specimens by the captors/experimentors or to a sexual difference in growth associated with the stress of captivity. Second, the sexes do not differ in pelvic variability among noncaptive anthropoids because the anlage of the pelvis is bipotential in development. The intrinsic (i.e., agonadal) pattern of growth and development is that characteristic of a female. Testicular androgens are requisite to redirect the pattern of growth and development to that characteristic of a male. However, the redirected pattern of growth in males simply shifts en masse the intrinsic (i.e., female) distribution curve. The consequence among adults is sexual dimorphism in pelvic size, but sexual equivalency in relative pelvic variability.
Candida albicans Expresses an Unusual Cytoplasmic Manganese-containing Superoxide Dismutase (SOD3 Gene Product) upon the Entry and during the Stationary Phase*

We report here that in addition to a cytoplasmic copper-zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and a mitochondrial manganese-containing SOD, Candida albicans expresses a third SOD gene (SOD3). The deduced amino acid sequence contains all of the motifs found in previously characterized manganese-containing SODs, except the presence of a mitochondrial transit peptide. Recombinant Sod3p expressed and purified fromEscherichia coli is a homotetramer with a subunit mass of 25.4 kDa. Mass absorption spectrometry detected the presence of both iron and manganese in purified Sod3p but, as determined by metal replacement experiments, the enzyme displays activity only when bound to manganese. Overexpression of SOD3 was shown to rescue the hypersensitivity to redox cycling agents of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant lacking the cytoplasmic copper-zinc-containing SOD. Northern blot analyses showed that the transcription ofSOD3 is induced neither by the transition from the yeast to the mycelial form of C. albicans nor by drug-induced oxidative stress. In continuous cultures, the expression ofSOD3 was strongly stimulated upon the entry and during the stationary phase, concomitantly with the repression ofSOD1. We conclude that Sod3p is an atypical cytosolic manganese-containing superoxide dismutase that is involved in the protection of C. albicans against reactive oxygen species during the stationary phase.
[Epidemiological study of Helicobacter pylori infection and its risk factors in Shanghai].

OBJECTIVE To explore the Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection status in Shanghai and its risk factors. METHODS A questionnaire survey including 60 items related to Hp was conducted among 1925 persons, 976 males (50.7%) and 949 females (49.3%), aged 37 +/- 11 (15 approximately 72), selected by cluster sampling in 12 rural and urban areas in Shanghai. Peripheral blood was collected to detect Hp IgG antibody so as to evaluate the past infection status and (14)C urea breath test (UBT) was performed so as to evaluate the present infection status. Fecal Hp antigen test was done in the subjects under 18 years of age. RESULTS 1822 of the 1925 subjects (94.6%) underwent the 3 tests. were followed antibody detection and (14)C UBT and response with questionnaires. The Hp infection rate was 66.4% in general, and 68.4% in the females, somehow higher than in the males (64.3%, P = 0.067). The infection rate was different in different age groups, was the lowest in the age group of 15 approximately 19 (44.4%) and the highest 70% in age group of 20 approximately 30 (70%), then somewhat lower and gradually became higher. Socio-economic status was related to Hp infection. Hp infection was related with such factors as eating raw vegetables and fruits, and never washing raw vegetables and fruits before eating. The knowledge rate about Hp infection was only 33.2% among the respondents. Only 23.8% of the respondents knew well the transmission route of Hp. CONCLUSION Hp infection rate is rather high in Shanghai. Hp infection is related to socio-economic status, and family dietary and sanitary habits.
Human Capital and Income Differences: Germany's Reunification as a Natural Experiment

We exploit Germany's reunification as a natural experiment to study the contribution of human capital for income differences and the mechanisms behind it. Using a detailed administrative data set, which follows over 15 million workers over their life-cycle, we show that they are very strong cohort effects in the wages and earnings of Eastern Germans. We find clear graphical evidence and results from non-parametric models that these strong cohort effects are driven by the differential exposure of cohorts to the communist versus the decentralized market systems. Decomposition exercises show that such cohort effects are mostly driven by cohort-varying wage profiles, which can be explained by differences in the frequency of job switches across cohorts. Migration and education effects matter less.
Early discharge of hip fracture patients from hospital: Transfer of costs from hospital to nursing home

Hip fracture patients occupy more and more hospital beds. One of the strategies for coping with this problem is early discharge from the hospital to institutions with rehabilitation facilities. We studied whether early discharge affects outcome and costs. 208 elderly patients with a hip fracture were followed up to 4 months after the fracture. First, a group of 102 patients stayed in our hospital for the usual period (median 18 days). Then, 106 patients were assigned to a group for early discharge (median 11 days). We measured disabilities, health-related quality of life and cognition at 1 week, 1, and 4 months after hospitalization. To calculate total societal costs, inpatient days, the efforts of professionals in- and outside institutions, and interventions/examinations were recorded during this 4-month period. At 4 months, we found no differences in mortality, ADL level, complications, quality of life, and type of residence. More patients in the early discharge group were discharged to nursing homes with rehabilitation facilities (76% versus 53%), but the median total stay in hospital and nursing home was the same (26 days). Early discharge from hospital did not substantially reduce the total costs (conventional management ] 15,338 per patient and early discharge ] 14,281 per patient), but merely shifted them from the hospital to the nursing home.
DNA Immunization Using Highly Conserved Murine Cytomegalovirus Genes Encoding Homologs of Human Cytomegalovirus UL54 (DNA Polymerase) and UL105 (Helicase) Elicits Strong CD8 T-Cell Responses and Is Protective against Systemic Challenge

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) establishes a lifelong infection with the potential for reinfection or viral transmission even in the presence of strong and diverse CD8 T-lymphocyte responses. This suggests that the CMVs skew the host T-cell response in order to favor viral persistence. In this study, we hypothesized that the essential, nonstructural proteins that are highly conserved among the CMVs may represent a novel class of T-cell targets for vaccine-mediated protection due to their requirements for expression and sequence stability, but that the observed subdominance of these antigens in the CMV-infected host results from the virus limiting the T-cell responses to otherwise-protective specificities. We found that DNA immunization of mice with the murine CMV (MCMV) homologs of HCMV DNA polymerase (M54) or helicase (M105) was protective against virus replication in the spleen following systemic challenge, with the protection level elicited by the M54 DNA being comparable to that of DNA expressing the immunodominant IE1 (pp89). Intracellular gamma interferon staining of CD8 T cells from mice immunized with either the M54 or M105 DNAs showed strong primary responses that recalled rapidly after viral challenge. M54- and M105-specific CD8 T cells were detected after the primary MCMV infection, but their levels were not consistently above the background level. The conserved, essential proteins of the CMVs thus represent a novel class of CD8 T-cell targets that may contribute to a successful HCMV vaccine strategy.
'Being There': how Catholic chaplains support seafarers in the UK

Tens of thousands of seafarers visit British ports each year, making brief stops – perhaps of only a few hours – after days or weeks at sea. These ‘people of the sea’ (St John Paul II) remain almost invisible to the rest of the community, even in towns and cities whose own prosperity relies greatly on the shipping industry. The Apostleship of the Sea, continuing a tradition that goes back to the Early Church, offers vital forms of aid and assistance to all seafarers, regardless of religion or nationality. This ‘simple response to immediate needs and specific situations’ which is chief among ‘the essential elements of Christian and ecclesial charity’ (Benedict XVI) takes a variety of forms. In this fifth Centre research report, based on extensive fieldwork at ports across England and Wales, we explore the hard and ‘hidden’ lives of seafarers, and the vital work undertaken by AoS in supporting them.
Loss of Catabolite Repression Function of HPr, the Phosphocarrier Protein of the Bacterial Phosphotransferase System, Affects Expression of the cry4A Toxin Gene in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

ABSTRACT HPr, the phosphocarrier protein of the bacterial phosphotransferase system, mediates catabolite repression of a number of operons in gram-positive bacteria. In order to participate in the regulatory process, HPr is activated by phosphorylation of a conserved serine-46 residue. To study the potential role of HPr in the regulation of Cry4A protoxin synthesis in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, we produced a catabolite repression-negative mutant by replacing the wild-type copy of the ptsH gene with a mutated copy in which the conserved serine residue of HPr was replaced with an alanine. HPr isolated from the mutant strain was not phosphorylated at Ser-45 by HPr kinase, but phosphorylation at His-14 was found to occur normally. The enzyme I and HPr kinase activities of the mutant were not affected. Analysis of the B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis mutant harboring ptsH-S45A in the chromosome showed that cry4A expression was derepressed from the inhibitory effect of glucose. The mutant strain produced both cry4A and σ35 gene transcripts 4 h ahead of the parent strain, but there was no effect on σ28 synthesis. In wild-type B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis cells, cry4A mRNA was observed from 12 h onwards, while in the mutant it appeared at 8 h and was produced for a longer period. The total amount of cry4A transcripts produced by the mutant was higher than by the parent strain. There was a 60 to 70% reduction in the sporulation efficiency of the mutant B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis strain compared to the wild-type strain.