Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enzyme immunoassay for detection of antibody to toxins A and B of Clostridium difficile

An enzyme immunoassay (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) to detect hamster antibody to toxins A and B of Clostridium difficile was developed in which toxin preparations are used to coat the solid phase. The specificity of the assay was supported by blocking tests with the toxin preparations and proteins from a nontoxigenic strain. Sera from immunized and control hamsters were tested by this technique, and results were compared with those from a cytotoxicity neutralization assay. Antibody to toxins A and B assayed by ELISA showed a close quantitative correlation with antibody titers obtained by cytotoxicity neutralization. The ELISA assays described appear to provide a sensitive, specific, and practical method to define the prevalence of antibody to C. difficile toxins. These assays could be readily applied to human sera to examine and study the immune response of patients with C. difficile-induced disease.
Lipid body formation plays a central role in cell fate determination during developmental differentiation of Myxococcus xanthus

Cell differentiation is widespread during the development of multicellular organisms, but rarely observed in prokaryotes. One example of prokaryotic differentiation is the Gram‐negative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus. In response to starvation, this gliding bacterium initiates a complex developmental programme that results in the formation of spore‐filled fruiting bodies. How the cells metabolically support the necessary complex cellular differentiation from rod‐shaped vegetative cells into spherical spores is unknown. Here, we present evidence that intracellular lipid bodies provide the necessary metabolic fuel for the development of spores. Formed at the onset of starvation, these lipid bodies gradually disappear until they are completely used up by the time the cells have become mature spores. Moreover, it appears that lipid body formation in M. xanthus is an important initial step indicating cell fate during differentiation. Upon starvation, two subpopulations of cells occur: cells that form lipid bodies invariably develop into spores, while cells that do not form lipid bodies end up becoming peripheral rods, which are cells that lack signs of morphological differentiation and stay in a vegetative‐like state. These data indicate that lipid bodies not only fuel cellular differentiation but that their formation represents the first known morphological sign indicating cell fate during differentiation.
Population Aging, Labor Market Frictions, and PAYG Pension

Employing a two-period OLG model with labor market frictions and PAYG pension, this paper examines the effects of population aging on the unemployment rate and the per capita output of the economy. We show that in economies in which the population growth rate is already low and the size of PAYG pension is relatively large, a further decline in the population growth rate reduces the unemployment rate and increases the per capita output of the economy in the short run, but it increases the unemployment rate and reduces the per capita output of the economy in the long run.
Counting Vesicular Release Events Reveals Binomial Release Statistics at Single Glutamatergic Synapses

Many central glutamatergic synapses contain a single presynaptic active zone and a single postsynaptic density. However, the basic functional properties of such “simple synapses” remain unclear. One important step toward understanding simple synapse function is to analyze the number of synaptic vesicles released in such structures per action potential, but this goal has remained elusive until now. Here, we describe procedures that allow reliable vesicular release counting at simple synapses between parallel fibers and molecular layer interneurons of rat cerebellar slices. Our analysis involves local extracellular stimulation of single parallel fibers and deconvolution of resulting EPSCs using quantal signals as template. We observed a reduction of quantal amplitudes (amplitude occlusion) in pairs of consecutive EPSCs due to receptor saturation. This effect is larger (62%) than previously reported and primarily reflects receptor activation rather than desensitization. In addition to activation-driven amplitude occlusion, each EPSC reduces amplitudes of subsequent events by an estimated 3% due to cumulative desensitization. Vesicular release counts at simple synapses follow binomial statistics with a maximum that varies from 2 to 10 among experiments. This maximum presumably reflects the number of docking sites at a given synapse. These results show striking similarities, as well as significant quantitative differences, with respect to previous results at simple GABAergic synapses. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT It is generally accepted that the output signal of individual central synapses saturates at high release probability, but it remains unclear whether the source of saturation is presynaptic, postsynaptic, or both presynaptic and postsynaptic. To clarify this and other issues concerning the function of synapses, we have developed new recording and analysis methods at single central glutamatergic synapses. We find that individual release events engage a high proportion of postsynaptic receptors (62%), revealing a larger component of postsynaptic saturation than anticipated. Conversely, we also find that the number of released synaptic vesicles is limited at each active zone. Altogether, our results argue for both presynaptic and postsynaptic contributions to signal saturation at single glutamatergic synapses.
Mortality/Longevity Risk-Minimization with or without Securitization

This paper addresses the risk-minimization problem, with and without mortality securitization, à la Föllmer–Sondermann for a large class of equity-linked mortality contracts when no model for the death time is specified. This framework includes situations in which the correlation between the market model and the time of death is arbitrary general, and hence leads to the case of a market model where there are two levels of information—the public information, which is generated by the financial assets, and a larger flow of information that contains additional knowledge about the death time of an insured. By enlarging the filtration, the death uncertainty and its entailed risk are fully considered without any mathematical restriction. Our key tool lies in our optional martingale representation, which states that any martingale in the large filtration stopped at the death time can be decomposed into precise orthogonal local martingales. This allows us to derive the dynamics of the value processes of the mortality/longevity securities used for the securitization, and to decompose any mortality/longevity liability into the sum of orthogonal risks by means of a risk basis. The first main contribution of this paper resides in quantifying, as explicitly as possible, the effect of mortality on the risk-minimizing strategy by determining the optimal strategy in the enlarged filtration in terms of strategies in the smaller filtration. Our second main contribution consists of finding risk-minimizing strategies with insurance securitization by investing in stocks and one (or more) mortality/longevity derivatives such as longevity bonds. This generalizes the existing literature on risk-minimization using mortality securitization in many directions.
Association of the G‐2548A polymorphism in the 5′ region of the LEP gene with overweight

Mutations in the translated part of the leptin gene (LEP) have been found in only two families. Nevertheless DNA polymorphisms in the LEP region are linked to extreme obesity. We previously found in the 5′ region of LEP a polymorphism, G‐2548A, associated with a difference in BMI reduction following a low calorie diet in overweight women. Recently, this polymorphism was associated with extreme obesity in women. In this work, we genotyped a new sample from the general population including 314 normal weight (BMI < 27 kg/m2) and 109 overweight subjects (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2). The genotype and allele frequencies were significantly different between groups, with the G‐2548 allele being more frequent in the overweight subjects (p < 0.01). In men, carriers of this allele had lower leptin concentrations adjusted for fat mass (p= 0.05). Our results indicate that variations at the leptin locus are associated with common obesity phenotypes, and not only with extreme obesity or the rare mendelian obesity syndromes.
Cathelicidin Antimicrobial Peptides with Reduced Activation of Toll-Like Receptor Signaling Have Potent Bactericidal Activity against Colistin-Resistant Bacteria

ABSTRACT The world is at the precipice of a postantibiotic era in which medical procedures and minor injuries can result in bacterial infections that are no longer effectively treated by antibiotics. Cathelicidins are peptides produced by animals to combat bacterial infections and to regulate innate immune responses. However, cathelicidins are potent activators of the inflammatory response. Cathelicidins with reduced proinflammatory activity and potent bactericidal activity in the low micromolar range against Gram-negative bacteria have been identified. Motifs in cathelicidins that impact bactericidal activity and cytotoxicity to human cells have been elucidated and used to generate peptides that have reduced activation of proinflammatory cytokine production and reduced cytotoxicity to human cells. The resultant peptides have bactericidal activities comparable to that of colistin and can kill colistin-resistant bacteria. IMPORTANCE Cathelicidins are antimicrobial peptides that can also increase inflammatory responses. This combination of activities can cause complications in the treatment of bacterial infections despite the pressing need for new antimicrobials. We have identified cathelicidins with decreased activation of inflammatory responses. The peptides kill Gram-negative bacteria at low micromolar concentrations by binding to and perturbing the integrity of the bacterial membrane. The peptides were also engineered to further decrease lysis of human red blood cells. The peptides have activities comparable to those of the polymyxins, a class of antibiotics to which plasmid-borne resistance is rapidly spreading and can kill colistin-resistant bacteria. These peptides are promising candidates for the development of novel antibacterial agents. Cathelicidins are antimicrobial peptides that can also increase inflammatory responses. This combination of activities can cause complications in the treatment of bacterial infections despite the pressing need for new antimicrobials. We have identified cathelicidins with decreased activation of inflammatory responses. The peptides kill Gram-negative bacteria at low micromolar concentrations by binding to and perturbing the integrity of the bacterial membrane. The peptides were also engineered to further decrease lysis of human red blood cells. The peptides have activities comparable to those of the polymyxins, a class of antibiotics to which plasmid-borne resistance is rapidly spreading and can kill colistin-resistant bacteria. These peptides are promising candidates for the development of novel antibacterial agents.
Free Trade Agreement with Endogenous Market Structure

We examine the incentives of free trade agreements (FTA) formation between two countries under endogenous market structure with leaders and followers. We demonstrate that establishing an FTA is neither an equilibrium outcome nor social optimum when consumer demand and fixed cost are intermediate and products are close substitutes. This is because the FTA induces exit of followers, which makes the market less competitive and shrinks the leader's production both in the domestic and foreign markets. We also show that developing countries are less likely to establish an FTA than developed countries.
ND10 Components Relocate to Sites Associated with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Nucleoprotein Complexes during Virus Infection

ABSTRACT Infections with DNA viruses commonly result in the association of viral genomes and replication compartments with cellular nuclear substructures known as promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) nuclear bodies or ND10. While there is evidence that viral genomes can associate with preexisting ND10, we demonstrate in this study by live-cell microscopy that structures resembling ND10 form de novo and in association with viral genome complexes during the initial stages of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection. Consistent with previous studies, we found that the major ND10 proteins PML, Sp100, and hDaxx are exchanged very rapidly between ND10 foci and the surrounding nucleoplasm in live cells. The dynamic nature of the individual protein molecule components of ND10 provides a mechanism by which ND10 proteins can be recruited to novel sites during virus infection. These observations explain why the genomes and replication compartments of DNA viruses that replicate in the cell nucleus are so commonly found in association with ND10. These findings are discussed with reference to the nature, location, and potential number of HSV-1 prereplication compartments and to the dynamic aspects of HSV-1 genomes and viral products during the early stages of lytic infection.
Principles of electrospraying: A new approach in protection of bioactive compounds in foods

ABSTRACT Electrospraying is a potential answer to the demands of nanoparticle fabrication such as scalability, reproducibility, and effective encapsulation in food nanotechnology. Electrospraying (and the related process of electrospinning) both show promise as a novel delivery vehicle for supplementary food compounds since the process can be carried out from an aqueous solution, at room temperature and without coagulation chemistry to produce matrices or particulates in the micro- and nano-range. The presentation of core materials at the nanoscale improves target ability to specific areas of the digestive tract and gives improved control of release rate. Adoption of these electrohydrodynamic atomization technologies will allow the industry to develop a wide range of novel high added value functional foods. To optimize production conditions and maximize throughput, a clear understanding of the mechanism of electrospraying is essential. This article presents a comprehensive review of the principles of electrospraying to produce nanoparticles suitable for food technology application, particularly for use in encapsulation and as nanocarriers.
Sex hormones influence on the immune system: basic and clinical aspects in autoimmunity

Sex hormones seem to play an important role as modulators of the autoimmune disease onset/perpetuation. Generally, steroid hormones are implicated in the immune response, with estrogens as enhancers at least of the humoral immunity and androgens and progesterone (and glucocorticoids) as natural immunosuppressors. Synovial fluid levels (SF) of proinflammatory estrogens relative to androgens are significantly elevated in both male and female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, as compared to controls, which is most probably due to increase of local enzymatic aromatase activity. Serum levels of estrogens have been found altered in RA patients, particularly estradiol in man. Thus, available steroid prehormones are rapidly converted to proinflammatory estrogens in the synovial tissue in the presence of inflammatory cytokines (i.e., TNFa, IL-1, IL-6). The increased estrogen concentrations observed in RA SF of both sexes are characterized mainly by the hydroxylated forms, in particular, 16a-hydroxyestrone, showing a mitogenic tumor growth stimulating role. Altered serum hydroxylated estrogens have been found also in serum of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. As a matter of fact, our recent studies indicate that 17-b estradiol (E2) clearly enhanced the expression of markers of cell growth and proliferation, whereas testosterone (T) induced an increase of markers indicating DNA damage and apoptosis. In particular, our data further shows that the enhancing role of estrogens on immune/inflammatory response is exerted by activating the NFkB complex pathway. In conclusion, locally increased estrogens (i.e., synovial tissue in RA or skin in SLE) might exert activating effects on cell proliferation, including macrophages and fibroblasts, suggesting new roles for estrogens in autoimmunity.
The influence of grasping habits and object orientation on motor planning in children and adults

We investigated the influence of habitual grasp strategies and object orientation on motor planning in 3-year-olds and 4- to 5-year-old children and adults. Participants were required to rotate different vertically oriented objects around 180°. Usually, adults perform this task by grasping objects with an awkward grip (thumb and index finger pointing downward) at the beginning of the movement, in order to finish it with a comfortable hand position. This pattern corresponds to the well-known end-state comfort effect (ESC) in grasp planning. The presented objects were associated with different habitual grasp orientations that either corresponded with the grasp direction required to reach end-state comfort (downward) or implied a contrary grasp orientation (upward). Additionally, they were presented either in their usual, canonical orientation (e.g., shovel with the blade oriented downward versus cup with its opening oriented upward) or upside down. As dependent variable we analyzed the number of grips conforming to the end-state comfort principle (ESC score) realized in each object type and orientation condition. The number of grips conforming to ESC strongly increased with age. In addition, the extent to which end-state comfort was considered was influenced by the actual orientation of the objects' functional parts. Thus, in all age-groups the ESC score was highest when the functional parts of the objects were oriented downward (shovel presented canonically with blade pointing downward, cup presented upside down) and corresponded to the hand orientation needed to realize ESC.
Peer Influences on Adolescent Cigarette Smoking: A Theoretical Review of the Literature

This article reviews several classes of theories to elucidate the relationship between adolescent cigarette smoking and friends' cigarette smoking. Perceived influence theories hinge upon an adolescent's perception of friends' smoking behavior. External influence theories are those in which friends' smoking behavior overtly influences adolescent smoking. Group level theories examine how differences at the level of subculture, gender, and race/ethnicity influence the relationship under study. Network theories are also discussed. A model integrating relevant theories into a longitudinal model representing friend influences on adolescent smoking is presented, along with implications of the results presented for adolescent tobacco prevention programs.
Taxing the Travelers: A Note on Hotel Tax Incidence

This paper uses state level monthly hotel occupancy and price data to examine the effects of a $5 per night hotel tax imposed by Georgia in 2015. The results indicate that the tax caused both a decrease in hotel occupancy and a decrease in the net of tax price received by hotels in Georgia, though the latter effect is imprecisely estimated. The implied price elasticity of demand of -0.7 is somewhat larger than previous findings in the literature and suggests that states choosing to adopt hotel taxes do suffer some economic distortions as a result.
Evidence for statin therapy in polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age group that is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. In addition to its lipid-lowering effects, statin therapy has shown been shown to have beneficial pleiotropic effects that may contribute to their reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In this review, the effect of statins on PCOS is discussed with reference to the underlying potential mechanism of action.
Regulation of miRNA expression during neural cell specification

MicroRNA (miRNA) are a newly recognized class of small, noncoding RNA molecules that participate in the developmental control of gene expression. We have studied the regulation of a set of highly expressed neural miRNA during mouse brain development. Temporal control is a characteristic of miRNA regulation in C. elegans and Drosophila, and is also prominent in the embryonic brain. We observed significant differences in the onset and magnitude of induction for individual miRNAs. Comparing expression in cultures of embryonic neurons and astrocytes we found marked lineage specificity for each of the miRNA in our study. Two of the most highly expressed miRNA in adult brain were preferentially expressed in neurons (mir‐124, mir‐128). In contrast, mir‐23, a miRNA previously implicated in neural specification, was restricted to astrocytes. mir‐26 and mir‐29 were more strongly expressed in astrocytes than neurons, others were more evenly distributed (mir‐9, mir‐125). Lineage specificity was further explored using reporter constructs for two miRNA of particular interest (mir‐125 and mir‐128). miRNA‐mediated suppression of both reporters was observed after transfection of the reporters into neurons but not astrocytes. miRNA were strongly induced during neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells, suggesting the validity of the stem cell model for studying miRNA regulation in neural development.
Alterations in Free Radical Tissue-Defense Mechanisms in Streptozocin-Induced Diabetes in Rat: Effects of Insulin Treatment

We investigated the possible involvement of reactive oxygen radical-related processes in chronic (12-wk) diabetes induced in rats by streptozocin (STZ). Diabetes was associated with significantly increased activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GSSG-RD), and CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the pancreas and of CAT and GSSG-RD in the heart. On the other hand, the liver of diabetic rats showed a generalized decrease in CAT, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and SOD as well as in the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). Diabetic kidney also showed decreases in CAT and SOD, but the activities of GSH-PX were increased. Insulin treatment (9–12 U/kg body wt) that was started after 8 wk of diabetes and continued for 4 wk reversed all of the foregoing alterations in tissue antioxidant status. Our results suggest the presence of increased oxidative stress in uncontrolled diabetes as manifested by the marked alterations in tissue antioxidant enzyme activities, the magnitude of which increased with the degree of emaciation. The complex patterns of changes observed in the various tissues examined are believed to be the result of compensatory increases in enzyme activities (usually involving enzymes whose activity in control tissues is low) and direct inhibitory effects, possibly resulting from an increased tissue-oxidant activity. Our findings support the view that tissue antioxidant status may be an important factor in the etiology of diabetes and its complications.