Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cloning, tissue expression, and inducibility of CYP 3A79 from sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Multiple members of the CYP3A subfamily have been identified and intensively studied in mammals as they represent prominent CYP enzymes involved in drug metabolism. Also in fish, some CYP3A genes have been identified by cDNA cloning and immunological techniques, but relatively little is known about their function, distribution, and inducibility. In this study, a novel CYP3A, designated as CYP3A79 was isolated from adult male sea bass, an economically valuable species in fisheries. The sea bass CYP3A79 that was cloned contained an open‐reading frame of 1512 bp that encoded a 504 amino acid protein and shared a high‐sequence identity with medaka, killifish, and trout CYP3As. Interestingly, CYP3A79 also shares five of six substrate recognition sites (SRS) with the SRS of other fish CYP3As, suggesting an evolutionary conservation of the function of these enzymes. In this fish, we also investigated the expression of CYP3A79 and its susceptibility to induction by various compounds including clotrimazole and dehydroepiandrosterone, two strong ligands of zebrafish PXR. The expression of CYP3A79 mRNA was detected by RT‐PCR only in the intestine and liver. The immunoblot analysis by antitrout CYP3A27 confirmed the presence of a CYP3A‐like protein in the microsomes of these tissues, but, in addition, a immunoreactive protein with this antibody was also observed in the heart microsomes, suggesting the presence of other CYP3A isoforms in this fish. Accordingly, the southern blot analysis of genomic DNA indicated that multiple CYP 3As may be present in sea bass. All attempts to induce 6β‐testosterone hydroxylase, as a marker of CYP3A79, by dexametasone, 17β‐estradiol, pregnenolone 16α‐carbonitrile, corticosterone, clotrimazole, and dehydroepiandrosterone failed. On the contrary, the administration of 17β‐estradiol, pregnenolone 16α‐carbonitrile, and corticosterone strongly inhibited this activity and, in parallel, reduced the expression of CYP3A79 transcript. Thus, the sea bass CYP3A79 appears to be resistant to induction, suggesting that this enzyme and likely other CYP3As are regulated differently compared to those of mammals. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 21:32–40, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20153
Mild traumatic brain injury and its sequelae: Characterisation of divided attention deficits

Deficits in divided attention occur after a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) but many extant tasks lack sensitivity for detecting subtle cognitive difficulties. We use the Test d'Attention Partagée Informatisé (TAPI), a novel dual-task paradigm, to investigate the impact of MTBI on the ability to divide attention between two stimuli sources. Individuals with MTBI (n = 37) were evaluated within the first week following head trauma and at three months post-injury. A healthy control (HC) group (n = 79) was also assessed. The primary outcome was reaction time and there were three different conditions that included visual target detection and auditory digit span tasks. Analyses utilised repeated measures ANOVA and ANCOVA models that adjusted for relevant variables including post-concussive and affective symptoms. Results indicated that at both baseline and follow-up, the MTBI group had significantly slower reaction time than the HC group. Also, both the MTBI and HC groups had slower reaction times as participants progressed through each of the more challenging TAPI conditions. This study supports the usefulness of this novel instrument and allows clinicians and researchers to assess for subtle divided attention deficits that may persist in those with MTBI even three months post-injury.
Evidence for Role of White-Tailed Deer (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) in Epizootiology of Cattle Ticks and Southern Cattle Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Reinfestations Along the Texas/Mexico Border in South Texas: A Review and Update

ABSTRACT From 1907 when the fever tick eradication campaign began until 1933, the tick eradication methods of dipping cattle in an acaricide or “pasture vacation” were enormously successful in eradicating southern cattle ticks [Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini) ], until failures began to occur in some areas of Florida. Regarding the failures in Florida, the consensus was that populations of white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann)] infested with southern cattle ticks were responsible. After numerous deer in several counties were killed, eradication was achieved in Florida. As in Florida, in Texas increasing numbers of failures of the pasture vacation approach to tick eradication from the 1970s to the present are known to be related to the abundance of white-tailed deer and perhaps other wild ungulate species. A sizable body of evidence confirms the hypothesis that white-tailed deer support the dispersal and maintenance of both cattle ticks [Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (Say)] and southern cattle ticks (cattle fever ticks) within the permanent quarantine or buffer zone in South Texas along the Rio Grande, as well as in the so-called free (“cattle fever tick-free”) area north and east of the buffer zone and extending to the east coast of the United States. As of August 2009, in addition to the permanent quarantine zone of ≈2,233 km2, three temporary preventative or blanket quarantines were established. Currently, only two methodologies exist to control ticks feeding on white-tailed deer: 1) a systemic treatment method involving dispersal of ivermectin-medicated corn, Zea mays L. ; and 2) two topical treatment methods, ‘4-poster’ deer treatment bait stations and ‘2-poster’ deer treatment feeder adapters, both of which passively apply topically active acaricide to deer for the eradication of populations of cattle fever tick associated with white-tailed deer. This study presents and summarizes confirmational support for the role of white-tailed deer derived from historical accounts, circumstantial evidence from review of recent infestations, and cattle fever tick infestations on white-tailed deer that were live-captured and examined specifically for cattle fever ticks.
Low-loss, wideband SPDT switches and switched-line phase shifter in 180-nm RF CMOS on SOI technology

Low-loss, wideband (DC to 40 GHz) single-pole double-throw (SPDT) RF switches implemented in a 180 nm SOI CMOS technology are presented. A π-matching network is implemented to improve the insertion loss (IL) at high frequencies. The differences between the conventional inductive peaking and the matching network utilized here are discussed. Under nominal conditions, the IL of the 1.5 V switch is less than 0.5 dB from DC to 20 GHz; and less than 2.0 dB at 40 GHz. The input matching of the switch is better than 10 dB, the isolation (ISO) is greater than 15 dB, and the P1dB of the 1.5 V switch is 11 dBm. A higher voltage (2.5 V) switch implemented with high-breakdown devices increases the P1dB to 15 dBm at the cost of a small increase in IL. A switched-line one-bit 180° phase shifter (PS) is demonstrated using the 1.5 V low-loss switch. The PS exhibits an IL better than 3 dB at 18 GHz. The advantages of implementing a low-loss switch in a 180 nm technology are discussed.
Can sectoral labor reallocation explain the jobless recovery

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and author's own calculations. 1954 ’59 ’64 ’69 ’74 ’79 ’84 ’89 ’94 ’99 ’04 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 When the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) announced that the trough of the most recent recession was in November 2001, the following headline appeared in the New York Times: “Recession is over; jobs aren’t trickling down. ”1 Now, 22 months after the purported trough, job growth is still proving elusive. In November 2001 total private nonfarm payroll employment was at 109.6 million workers. The latest figure available (for September) shows a decline of 1.1 million jobs since then— almost 52,000 jobs lost per month over the expansion.
Cataract Surgery With Toric Intraocular Lenses Can Optimize Uncorrected Postoperative Visual Acuity in Patients With Marked Corneal Astigmatism

Purpose: To study the change in visual acuity and refraction after cataract surgery using a toric posterior chamber intraocular lens in patients with astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty. Methods: A retrospective case note analysis of cataract surgery involving toric lens implants performed at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was conducted. The pre- and postoperative visual acuities and refractions were recorded. Results: Seven consecutive patients are described (5 men and 2 women) with a mean age of 62 years. They all underwent penetrating keratoplasty, and in every case, all sutures were removed (mean, 11.2 months before cataract surgery). A marked improvement in both unaided visual acuity and astigmatism was shown after the procedure. The average preoperative unaided acuity was 6/120 (range, 6/24 to counting fingers) compared with a postoperative unaided visual acuity average of 6/15 (6/9-6/24). The average preoperative cylinder was 10.12 D (range, 3.40-17.89 D); postoperatively, this fell to 2.75 D (range, 0.75-4.25). Conclusions: Cataract surgery with toric intraocular lenses allows the correction of high degrees of regular corneal astigmatism. We discussed the potential advantages and complications of performing toric lens cataract surgery as a secondary procedure.
Peptide design using alpha,beta-dehydro amino acids: from beta-turns to helical hairpins.

Incorporation of alpha,beta-dehydrophenylalanine (DeltaPhe) residue in peptides induces folded conformations: beta-turns in short peptides and 3(10)-helices in larger ones. A few exceptions-namely, alpha-helix or flat beta-bend ribbon structures-have also been reported in a few cases. The most favorable conformation of DeltaPhe residues are (phi,psi) approximately (-60 degrees, -30 degrees ), (-60 degrees, 150 degrees ), (80 degrees, 0 degrees ) or their enantiomers. DeltaPhe is an achiral and planar residue. These features have been exploited in designing DeltaPhe zippers and helix-turn-helix motifs. DeltaPhe can be incorporated in both right and left-handed helices. In fact, consecutive occurrence of three or more DeltaPhe amino acids induce left-handed screw sense in peptides containing L-amino acids. Weak interactions involving the DeltaPhe residue play an important role in molecular association. The C--H.O==C hydrogen bond between the DeltaPhe side-chain and backbone carboxyl moiety, pi-pi stacking interactions between DeltaPhe side chains belonging to enantiomeric helices have shown to stabilize folding. The unusual capability of a DeltaPhe ring to form the hub of multicentered interactions namely, a donor in aromatic C--H.pi and C--H.O==C and an acceptor in a CH(3). pi interaction suggests its exploitation in introducing long-range interactions in the folding of supersecondary structures.
Electrical Deactivation of Boron in p+-Polycrystalline Silicon/SiOx/Crystalline Silicon Passivating Contacts for Silicon Solar Cells

Passivating junctions, like hole-collecting p+-polycrystalline silicon/SiOx/crystalline silicon junctions, need a thermal treatment to activate their excellent passivation and contact properties. Aside from surface passivation and from contact resistance between poly-Si and the substrate, the sheet resistance within the poly-Si is another important parameter for solar cell design. We present electrical investigations of in situ boron-doped (deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition) and ion-implanted (intrinsically deposited and subsequently ion-implanted with boron) p+-poly-Si/SiOx/c-Si stacks after annealing. We find electrical deactivation of boron after annealing which strongly depends on the total boron concentration and the subsequent annealing temperature.
Log Rolling as an Explanation of Distortions All Round: A Model à la Buchanan and Tullock

Since at least the time of Adam Smith, economists have been alive to the vision of a relatively small number of ‘special interests’ benefiting themselves at the expense of the public weal. But distortions are today so endemic, it is tempting to say that every interest manages to secure that status of special interest, and receives some ‘distortion’ in its favour. But, however credible this scenario of ‘universal distortions’ may be, can it be provided a rigorous and well‐articulated modelling in terms of maximising choices, under a specified institutional structure? Can Public Choice suggest such a modelling? Can, in particular, the Public Choice theorising of ‘log rolling’ do so?
Concerns of Female Preservice Teachers in Teaching and Supervising the Agricultural Mechanics Laboratory.

Agricultural mechanics is a top career choice among secondary students enrolled in agricultural programs. Secondary agricultural mechanics teachers provide hands-on skill instruction with shielded metal arc welders, oxyfuel torches, and various hand tools in their agricultural mechanics laboratories. Preservice agriculture teachers have reported lack of preparation to adequately teach in this potentially dangerous environment. This qualitative case study explored the concerns of preservice teachers about teaching secondary students in the agricultural mechanics laboratory and how those concerns evolved over time. Researchers used a constructivist epistemology and open coding to identify and explore emergent themes. Three themes emerged from the data: 1) issues of trust and control in supervising laboratory students manifest themselves as a professional threat, 2) mechanics skill and supervisory skill development coincided with a change in focus toward student safety and learning, and 3) the agricultural mechanics laboratory provides unique instructional challenges and opportunities. Although each preservice teacher differed in their development, the authors identified persistent issues with agricultural mechanics skill knowledge and student trust.
Recognition Versus Disclosure of Finance Leases: Evidence from Japan

This study examines whether credit market participants—bond investors and credit rating agencies—treat recognized and disclosed finance leases differently when assessing firms’ credit risk in Japan. I use firms’ credit risk, measured by bond spreads and credit ratings, to investigate the relations between recognized versus disclosed finance lease obligations and firms’ credit risk following the adoption of Statement No. 13, Accounting Standard for Lease Transactions. For a sample of firms issuing new bonds, I find that, unlike recognized finance leases, disclosed finance leases are not associated with bond spreads. Moreover, the associations between recognized versus disclosed finance leases and bond spreads are substantially different. Conversely, recognized and disclosed finance leases are associated with credit ratings and are processed similarly when credit ratings are determined. Taken together, my results suggest that the sophistication of capital market participants influences their credit risk assessments of recognized versus disclosed finance leases.
Voltage-sensitive dye imaging of mouse neocortex during a whisker detection task

Abstract. Sensorimotor processing occurs in a highly distributed manner in the mammalian neocortex. The spatiotemporal dynamics of electrical activity in the dorsal mouse neocortex can be imaged using voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) with near-millisecond temporal resolution and ∼100-μm spatial resolution. Here, we trained mice to lick a water reward spout after a 1-ms deflection of the C2 whisker, and we imaged cortical dynamics during task execution with VSD RH1691. Responses to whisker deflection were highly dynamic and spatially highly distributed, exhibiting high variability from trial to trial in amplitude and spatiotemporal dynamics. We differentiated trials based on licking and whisking behavior. Hit trials, in which the mouse licked after the whisker stimulus, were accompanied by overall greater depolarization compared to miss trials, with the strongest hit versus miss differences being found in frontal cortex. Prestimulus whisking decreased behavioral performance by increasing the fraction of miss trials, and these miss trials had attenuated cortical sensorimotor responses. Our data suggest that the spatiotemporal dynamics of depolarization in mouse sensorimotor cortex evoked by a single brief whisker deflection are subject to important behavioral modulation during the execution of a simple, learned, goal-directed sensorimotor transformation.
Deciphering the Role of microRNAs in BRD4-NUT Fusion Gene Induced NUT Midline Carcinoma

NUT midline carcinoma (NMC) is a very aggressive and lethal type of squamous epithelial cell cancer caused due to fusion of BRD4 and NUT genes. The gene fusion results into a new fusion protein that promotes oncogenesis. The detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the NMC are still not clear and new findings are urgently required to complement the current efforts. Abnormal microRNAs (miRNA) expression promotes tumour formation by modulating the functional expression of critical genes other than the parent genes involved in tumour cell proliferation or survival. Here, using Insilco methods, miRNA targeting the transcripts of parent genes (BRD4 and NUT) and the BRD4-NUT fusion gene were predicted. We investigated a situation, wherein abnormal miRNA expression in malignant cells could arise due to deletion and fusion of genomic regions encompassing the target site of miRNA genes. A set of 48 dysregulated miRNAs targeting the critical genes other than the parent genes (BRD4 and NUT) was identified. Functional enrichment analysis of KEGG pathways of target genes of these Ex-miRNAs implicates their role in cancer pathways. Amplification in the expression level of these miRNAs can be used for NMC diagnosis and prognosis.
Explaining Differences in Episodic Memory Performance among Older African Americans and Whites: The Roles of Factors Related to Cognitive Reserve and Test Bias

Abstract Older African Americans tend to perform poorly in comparison with older Whites on episodic memory tests. Observed group differences may reflect some combination of biological differences, measurement bias, and other confounding factors that differ across groups. Cognitive reserve refers to the hypothesis that factors, such as years of education, cognitive activity, and socioeconomic status, promote brain resilience in the face of pathological threats to brain integrity in late life. Educational quality, measured by reading test performance, has been postulated as an important aspect of cognitive reserve. Previous studies have not concurrently evaluated test bias and other explanations for observed differences between older African Americans and Whites. We combined data from two studies to address this question. We analyzed data from 273 African American and 720 White older adults. We assessed DIF using an item response theory/ordinal logistic regression approach. DIF and factors associated with cognitive reserve did not explain the relationship between race, and age- and sex-adjusted episodic memory test performance. However, reading level did explain this relationship. The results reinforce the importance of considering education quality, as measured by reading level, when assessing cognition among diverse older adults. (JINS, 2011, 17, 625–638)
Fostering Global Sport Leadership: A Partnership between a Korean Sport Organization and a U.S. University

Abstract South Korea has hosted numerous sporting mega-events and achieved substantial international sport success in recent decades. However, many concerns remain with respect to its policies governing sport. In recognition of such concerns, the South Korean government has initiated a program to assist elite athletes in transitioning to roles as international sport administrators, coaches, and scholars. One aspect of this program involves a partnership between a South Korean governmental organization and a U.S. university. The purpose of the current study was to examine the program’s successes and challenges. The current study has implications for sports policymakers, educators, professionals and a variety of audiences with an interest in launching, developing, and systemizing similar international partnerships. This insight can be used to increase retention of individuals in similar programs, as well as to enhance the quality of programs that support athletes’ transition to life after retirement from elite sport.
Retrograde Amnesia and Memory Reactivation in Rats with Ibotenate Lesions to the Hippocampus or Subiculum

The retrograde effects of hippocampal lesions on spatial memory were studied. Rats were given a series of 48 place-navigation trials in an open-field water-maze followed, either 3 days or 14 weeks later, by ibotenic acid lesions of the hippocampus (HPC) or subiculum (SUB), or by sham-surgery (SHAM). Two weeks after surgery they were given a retention test without a hidden escape platform. There was a significant decline in performance with time in the SHAM group, but with the 14-week SHAM group performing significantly better than chance levels, whereas both lesioned groups performed at chance at both retention intervals. All rats were then retrained for 24 trials. SHAM rats escaped rapidly within 2 trials, suggesting a reactivation of memory rather than relearning. The HPC groups were severely impaired during retraining, with a developing trend towards better performance in the 3-day group. After 24 trials of training with the escape platform placed in the opposite quadrant of the pool, this new location was learned successfully by SHAM and SUB rats, but not by HPC rats. These results indicate that selective hippocampal formation lesions can cause deficits in retrieval but do not reveal a time-dependent gradient of memory consolidation.
Enhancing customer-based brand equity through CSR in the hospitality sector

ABSTRACT Corporate social responsibility is considered an important element in the development of brand equity. Extant research in this context is mainly focused on the relationship between this corporate philosophy and financial performance, overlooking its potential to develop competitive advantages through brand equity dimensions. The aim of this research is to explore the impact of socially responsible aspects on hotel brand equity. To test the proposed model personal surveys of hotel customers were conducted. A structural equation model was developed to test the research hypotheses. The findings show that corporate social responsibility has positive effects on brand image, perceived quality, brand awareness, and brand loyalty.
Type-2 IGF Receptor: A Multi-Ligand Binding Protein

The Type-2 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF2R) is a ubiquitously expressed integral glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 300 kDa. Four different classes of ligands are presently known, binding to distinct sites at the extracytoplasmic receptor domain: mannose 6-phosphate-containing lysosomal enzymes, the non-glycosylated IGF II, retinoic acid, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor. The intracellular transport and functions of the IGF2R are determined by signal structures localized in the cytoplasmic receptor domain interacting with different cytosolic and membrane-bound proteins. The IGF2R gene is developmentally regulated. The coordinated expression of IGF II and IGF2R in most mammalian tissues and gene targeting experiments suggest a role of IGF2R in the control of extracellular IGF II concentration by receptor-mediated endocytosis and subsequent degradation of the growth factor in lysosomes. Specific alterations in the expression, activation and routing of both IGF2R and its ligands in human and rodent tumors suggest that the IGF2R functions as a tumor suppressor.