Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unravelling the genome of long chain N-acylhomoserine lactone-producing Acinetobacter sp. strain GG2 and identification of its quorum sensing synthase gene

Myriad proteobacteria use N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules as quorum sensing (QS) signals to regulate different physiological functions, including virulence, antibiotic production, and biofilm formation. Many of these proteobacteria possess LuxI/LuxR system as the QS mechanism. Recently, we reported the 3.89 Mb genome of Acinetobacter sp. strain GG2. In this work, the genome of this long chain AHL-producing bacterium was unravelled which led to the molecular characterization of luxI homologue, designated as aciI. This 552 bp gene was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The purified protein was ∼20.5 kDa and is highly similar to several autoinducer proteins of LuxI family among Acinetobacter species. To verify the AHL synthesis activity of this protein, high-resolution liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed the production of 3-oxo-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone and 3-hydroxy-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone from induced E. coli harboring the recombinant AciI. Our data show for the first time, the cloning and characterization of the luxI homologue from Acinetobacter sp. strain GG2, and confirmation of its AHLs production. These data are of great significance as the annotated genome of strain GG2 has provided a valuable insight in the study of autoinducer molecules and its roles in QS mechanism of the bacterium.
Simultaneous Assessment of Rotavirus-Specific Memory B Cells and Serological Memory after B Cell Depletion Therapy with Rituximab

The mechanisms that contribute to the maintenance of serological memory are still unclear. Rotavirus (RV) memory B cells (mBc) are enriched in IgM+ and CD27- subpopulations, which are associated with autoimmune diseases pathogenesis. In patients with autoimmune diseases treated with Rituximab (RTX), some autoantibodies (auto-Abs) decrease after treatment, but other auto-Abs and pathogen-specific IgG Abs remain unchanged. Thus, maintenance of autoimmune and pathogen-specific serological memory may depend on the type of antigen and/or Ab isotype evaluated. Antigen-specific mBc and antigen-specific Abs of different isotypes have not been simultaneously assessed in patients after RTX treatment. To study the relationship between mBc subpopulations and serological memory we characterized total, RV- and tetanus toxoid (TT)-specific mBc by flow cytometry in patients with autoimmune diseases before and after treatment with RTX. We also measured total, RV- and TT-Abs, and some auto-Abs by kinetic nephelometry, ELISA, and EliA tests, respectively. Minor differences were observed between the relative frequencies of RV-mBc in healthy controls and patients with autoimmune disease. After RTX treatment, naïve Bc and total, RV- and TT-specific mBc [IgM+, switched (IgA+/IgG+), IgM+ only, IgD+ only, and CD27- (IgA+/IgG+/IgM+)] were significantly diminished. An important decrease in total plasma IgM and minor decreases in total IgG and IgA levels were also observed. IgM rheumatoid factor, IgG anti-CCP, and IgG anti-dsDNA were significantly diminished. In contrast, RV-IgA, RV-IgG and RV-IgG1, and TT-IgG titers remained stable. In conclusion, in patients with autoimmunity, serological memory against RV and TT seem to be maintained by long-lived plasma cells, unaffected by RTX, and an important proportion of total IgM and serological memory against some auto-antigens seem to be maintained by short-lived plasma cells, dependent on mBc precursors depleted by RTX.
Chinese Nationalism and the Fate of Tibet: Implications for India and Future Scenarios

Abstract Chinese nationalism primarily represents Han nationalism and ignores ethnic minority sub-nationalisms and identities in the larger cause of the state's unity and integrity. The Chinese state calls for submerging of all minority identities within the predominant Han identity, for promoting national cohesion and nationalism, effectively precluding the possibility of the assertion of Tibetan nationalism and autonomy. Because of the suppression of Tibetans in China, a large number of them have fled and settled in India and elsewhere. The Tibetan movement for safeguarding their identity, culture and political space has grievously suffered as a result of Chinese nationalism and China's Tibet policy. The fate of Tibetan nationalism is, to a large extent, tied to the dynamics of the Sino-Indian relations and the course of the internal Tibetan politics and that of its relationship with the community in exile in the post-Dalai Lama era.
Tax-and-spend, spend-and-tax, or fiscal synchronization: new evidence for ten countries

Cointegration and vector autoregression are used to test the ‘Tax-and-Spend’, ‘Spend-and-Tax’, and ‘Fiscal Synchronization’ for ten countries using annual time-series data over the period 1951 to 1996. Three of them are part of the newly industrialized countries of Asia (South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand) and seven are industrialized countries (Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, UK, and the USA). This paper includes GDP as a control variable into the model like Baghestani and Mcnown (1994), Ross and Payne (1998), and Koren and Stiassny (1998). The Johansen (1988) and Johansen and Juselius (1990) cointegration test results indicate that these three variables are cointegrated with two cointegrating vectors for South Korea, one vector for Australia, Canada, South Africa, Taiwan, UK, and the USA, and no vector for Japan, New Zealand, and Thailand. The results from Granger causality tests suggest unidirectional causality running from revenues to spending, supporting the ‘Tax-and-Spend’ hypothesis, for Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, and the USA. The opposite relationship, supporting the ‘Spend-andTax’ hypothesis, holds only for Australia and South Africa. In the case of Canada, this study finds a feedback existing between revenues and spending, supporting the ‘Fiscal Synchronization’ hypothesis. For New Zealand and Thailand, these results support none of the hypotheses.
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL CONDUCT: A REVISIT OF LEWIS'S STUDY

Using Lewis's (1989) 14 principles of ethical conduct as a framework, this study examines further the impacts of culture and work experience on individuals' attitudes towards ethical decision-making. The current study investigates the inter-relationships of culture and work experience on the level of ethical conduct between business professionals and business students across two nations. Three research questions addressing issues of culture, work experience, and their interactive effects were put forward to examine whether there were differences in individual attitudes towards Lewis's previously established 14 principles of ethical conduct. In total, 1,588 questionnaires were collected from business professionals and business students from the U.S., Hong Kong and China. The findings of the current study not only confirm the majority of the principles of Lewis's (1989) study, but also expand it by accounting for elements of cultural influence and the interactive effects between culture and work experience.
The Mongolian Social Identity and The Limit of China’s Soft Power in Mongolia

Discussions about China has expanded in last few decades in line with its rise in power and influence, and now include a range of topics such as its implication for the world, its soft power and so on. Many note that embrace and application of soft power by China are concerned with its long and short term objectives in relations with other countries including Mongolia. However, with several observations exposing persistent anti-Chinese attitudes among the Mongolian public, effectiveness of China’s soft power has been questioned. The study aims to clarify the limit of China’s soft power in Mongolia and to fi nd out factors causing the limit by assuming that the concepts of power, soft power, and a theoretical approach that explain interactions between social groups would help determine outcome of soft power. It fi nds that in order for China to get outcomes it wants relations with Mongolia, China’s soft power has to consider the unique characteristic of relations, that is, context of soft power. it also argues that although China is aware of this fact, Mongolian social identity confl icts with the soft power policy promoted by public diplomacy, namely, cultural activities of China. The paper argues that success of soft power in making favorable behaviors such as attraction, persuasion, and agenda setting as suggested by Joseph Nye in a target country is contingent upon not only power resources, but also upon contextual factors such as social identities of those countries involved.
A decrease in galectin-1 (Gal-1) levels correlates with an increase in anti-Gal-1 antibodies at the synovial level in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Several studies have confirmed that galectin-1 (Gal-1) plays a role in controlling the immune response because of its pro-apoptotic effect. Although studies based on a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) mouse model have suggested a crucial role for Gal-1 in inflammation, clinical data are lacking. We have detected the presence of autoantibodies against galectins in blood, but their physiological meaning remains unknown. Objectives: To compare plasma and synovial levels of Gal-1 in RA patients and in healthy controls, and correlate them with clinical parameters. Methods: Plasma and synovial (non-arthritic knee effusion) samples were collected from RA patients and healthy donors. All patients were receiving treatment with steroids and/or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). A blood sample was taken at a baseline visit to determine plasma anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), Gal-1, and anti-Gal-1 autoantibodies. Results: Although plasma levels of Gal-1 were similar in patients and controls, the concentration of Gal-1 was significantly reduced in the synovial fluid of patients with RA. This reduction was not correlated with TNF-α or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. However, the decrease in synovial Gal-1 correlated with a significant increase in anti-Gal-1 autoantibodies and anti-CCP antibody titres, suggesting a physiological effect of autoantibodies limiting the amount Gal-1 and potentially blocking its biological effect in RA patients. Conclusion: Gal-1 levels were significant reduced at the synovial level in RA patients, possibly as a consequence of the increase in anti-Gal-1 autoantibodies.
A Cross-cultural Study of the Back Pain Beliefs of Female Undergraduate Healthcare Students

Objectives To determine if country (Australia, Taiwan, Singapore), undergraduate healthcare course (physiotherapy, nursing), low back pain (LBP) history, and year of course influenced various back pain beliefs in undergraduate female healthcare students. Methods Three hundred and 82 female undergraduate nursing and physiotherapy students completed questionnaires examining; the inevitability of future life with low back trouble, the LBP beliefs held by healthcare providers and fear avoidance beliefs related to physical activity. Also participants completed questionnaires to determine their LBP status. General linear models were used to determine whether differences existed for back beliefs scores. Results Differences were evident in the future consequence of LBP between countries (P<0.001), undergraduate course (P<0.001), and LBP status (P=0.021). Healthcare provider beliefs were found to be significantly influenced by course only (P<0.001). Fear avoidance beliefs related to physical activity were influenced by country (P=0.002) and undergraduate course (P<0.001). When compared with white Australians, Taiwanese and Singaporean Chinese displayed more negative back beliefs regarding the future consequence of LBP (P<0.001) and more fear avoidant beliefs toward physical activity (P=0.021 and P<0.001, respectively). Further, nursing students had more negative back pain beliefs than physiotherapy students (P<0.001) and, the experience of LBP was associated with more positive beliefs on the future consequence of back trouble (P=0.021). Discussion Findings of this study highlight the importance of country, education, and LBP experience on back pain beliefs. The more negative back pain beliefs found in Taiwan and Singapore may reflect current pain beliefs and management attitudes.
Application of value for money assessment in public-private partnerships in the road transport sector : a case of the N4 (East) toll road

The purpose of this research was to understand how value for money (‘VfM’), an important decision pillar in public procurement, is applied in South Africa, and compare the VfM regulated framework with other global practices in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. VfM is applied when deciding the most appropriate procurement method that utilises public funds in the most cost effective, equitable and transparent manner. Although VfM is vital in the public sector, it is one of the most misunderstood and controversial procurement aspects. The various actors in public procurement processes tend to complicate this key aspect due to their conflicting objectives in relation to a given project. Chief among these are the political influences on the public managers, which tend to manipulate the procurement choice. Consequently over the years, the VfM assessments performed before selecting a procurement method have not been publicly available, thereby increasing concern on whether VfM is achieved, particularly when involving the private sector through public-private partnership (‘PPP’) arrangements. The study explores the various components of VfM, which are the public sector comparator, risk allocation mechanisms, particularly for the road sector projects, discount rates and post project implementation monitoring systems. More importantly, the research analysed how these various aspects were assessed on procuring the N4 toll road. South African National Road Agency SOC Limited (‘SANRAL’), although it did not have the benefit of a PPP guideline as is the case now, it performed extensive feasibility studies and held a transparent procurement process before selecting the private sector party to the PPP. Interestingly, project that was pre-identified as a PPP procurement model and had political support from both the Mozambique and South African governments from inception in order to make it work. The comparative analysis of the South African PPP framework and the selected global PPP markets revealed that the local VfM guidelines were comparable in most aspects such as the PSC construction and risk management methodologies. However, the South African practices could be further improved with increased transparency incorporated in the procurement process such as the publication of the PPP contract once finalised – a practice common in the developed markets analysed. This will go a long way to increasing acceptance of the PPP procurement model in a market that is tainted with mistrust of same. There is need for the civil servants to be trained on the VfM assessment processes so that such analyses are not limited to PPP-type projects, but to conventionally-procured infrastructure projects for increased accountability and effective use of public funds.
The Impact of the Shanghai–Hong Kong Connect on Market Liquidity and Price Divergence

The economic growth of China has seen an increase in its demand for capital, fuelling its local stock markets. This paper examines a market liberalisation event between China and Hong Kong and its impact on market liquidity and price convergence for cross-listed stocks in the two markets. On November 17, 2014, the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange introduced the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect (SHHKConnect), a bilateral investment channel between the two markets. The new channel brings with it accesses to new capital for domestic firms and trading expertise from new foreign participants for both regions. The SHHKConnect permits mutual market access for market participants, facilitating trade in each market using existing trading infrastructure. This study adopts a difference-in-difference methodology and finds that market liquidity as proxied by transaction costs, improves in both markets, for eligible stocks that are traded through the bilateral investment channel, three-months post November 17, 2014. Over a longer event horizon of six-months, liquidity in China continues to improve, whereas in Hong Kong it decreases. In addition, reported results identify that the pre-existing price premium between cross-listed China A-shares and Hong Kong H-shares, increases following the market design change. We attribute the increase in price divergence to the incremental improvement in liquidity in China vis-a-vis Hong Kong.
Dynamic Multi-View Graph Neural Networks for Citywide Trafic Inference

SHAOJIE DAI, College of Computer Science and Technology, Ocean University of China, China JINSHUAI WANG, College of Computer Science and Technology, Ocean University of China, China CHAO HUANG, Department of Computer Science, The University of Hong Kong, China YANWEI YU, College of Computer Science and Technology, Ocean University of China, China JUNYU DONG, College of Computer Science and Technology, Ocean University of China, China
Associations between Viral Infection History Symptoms, Granulocyte Reactive Oxygen Species Activity, and Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease in Untreated Women at Onset: Results from a Longitudinal Cohort Study of Tatarstan Women

To evaluate the effects of infectious episodes at early stages of rheumatoid arthritis (eRA) development, 59 untreated eRA patients, 77 first-degree relatives, from a longitudinal Tatarstan women cohort, were included, and compared to 67 healthy women without rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in their family history. At inclusion, informations were collected regarding both the type and incidence of infectious symptom episodes in the preceding year, and granulocyte reactive oxygen species (ROS) were studied at the basal level and after stimulation with serum-treated zymosan (STZ). In the eRA group, clinical [disease activity score (DAS28), health assessment questionnaire] and biological parameters associated with inflammation (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein) or with RA [rheumatoid factor, anticyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP2) antibodies] were evaluated. An elevated incidence of infection events in the previous year characterized the eRA and relative groups. In addition, a history of herpes simplex virus (HSV) episodes was associated with disease activity, while an elevated incidence of anti-CCP2 autoantibody characterized eRA patients with a history of viral upper respiratory tract infection symptoms (V-URI). Granulocyte ROS activity in eRA patients was quantitatively [STZ peak and its area under the curve (AUC)] and qualitatively (STZ time of peak) altered, positively correlated with disease activity, and parameters were associated with viral symptoms including HSV exacerbation/recurrence, and V-URI. In conclusion, our study provides arguments to consider a history of increased viral infection symptoms in RA at the early stage and such involvement needs to be studied further.
Concordant Oral-Genital HPV Infection in South Africa Couples: Evidence for Transmission

Objective: Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in South Africa. However, little is known about oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence settings. Method: Thirty-four adult heterosexual couples attending an HIV testing center in Soweto, South Africa were enrolled. Each participant provided an oral rinse sample and genital swab, which were tested for 37 types of HPV DNA, and completed a risk behavior survey. Results: Median age was 31 years and 9% (3/34) of men and 29% (10/34) of women enrolled tested HIV-positive; median CD4 count was 437 cells/mm3. Oral HPV prevalence was similar in women and men (12 vs. 18%, p = 0.48), and was non-significantly higher in HIV-infected vs. HIV-uninfected (23 vs. 13%, p = 0.34) subjects. Most men (82%) and women (84%) reported ever performing oral sex. Median number of lifetime sexual partners was “2–5” while median number of lifetime oral sex partners was 1. Oncogenic HPV subtypes were detected in 4% of oral, 26% of penile, and 74% of vaginal samples, including HPV16 in 1, 12, and 21% of these samples respectively. Genital HPV prevalence was significantly higher than oral HPV prevalence (75 vs. 15%, p ≤ 0.001). Thirty-five percent of couples (12/34) had at least one type-specific concordant vaginal-penile HPV infection but only one of nine couples with oral HPV had concordant oral–oral infection. However, 67% (4/6) of men and 25% (1/4) of women with oral HPV infection had partners with concordant genital HPV infection. Implications and Impact: Oral–oral HPV concordance between couples is low, but oral-genital and genital–genital HPV concordance is higher, including concordance of male oral HPV infection with their partners’ vaginal HPV infection. This data is consistent with possible transmission of vaginal HPV infection to the oral cavity of sexual partners performing oral sex.
Hypothalamic Arginine Vasotocin mRNA Abundance Variation Across Sexes and with Sex Change in a Coral Reef Fish

Gonadal hormones are important mediators of sexual and aggressive behavior in vertebrates. Recent evidence suggests that the peptide hormones arginine vasotocin (AVT) and its mammalian homologue arginine vasopressin (AVP) often critically mediate these gonadal hormone effects on behavior and have direct influences on behavioral variation. Behavioral differences between sexes, across reproductive states, and even among closely related species are correlated with differences in central AVT/AVP systems in many species. We report differences in hypothalamic AVT mRNA levels between distinct alternate male phenotypes and with female-to-male sex change in the bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum), a teleost fish. The aggressively dominant and strongly courting male phenotype has greater numbers of AVT mRNA producing cells in the magnocellular preoptic area of the hypothalamus than females. Levels of AVT mRNA within these cells in dominant males are also approximately three times female levels whereas the non-aggressive male phenotype has AVT mRNA levels approximately twice female levels. Behavioral sex change is very rapid in this species and is not dependent on the presence of gonads. Conversely, rapid increases in sexual and aggressive behavior during sex change are closely paralleled by approximate fourfold increases in hypothalamic AVT-mRNA levels. The behavioral plasticity shown by bluehead wrasses in response to social environment might be mediated in part by a neuropeptide, AVT, with changes in the gonads and gonadal hormones as the result rather than the cause of behavioral dominance.