bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The pleiotropic transcriptional regulator NlpR contributes to the modulation of nitrogen metabolism, lipogenesis and triacylglycerol accumulation in oleaginous rhodococci
Authors: Hernández Martín A. , Lara Julia , Gago Gabriela , Gramajo Hugo , Alvarez Héctor M. 
Published: October 2016

SummaryThe regulatory mechanisms involved in lipogenesis and triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation are largely unknown in oleaginous rhodococci. In this study a regulatory protein (here called NlpR: Nitrogen lipid Regulator), which contributes to the modulation of nitrogen metabolism, lipogenesis and triacylglycerol accumulation in oleaginous rhodococci was identified. Under nitrogen deprivation conditions, in which TAG accumulation is stimulated, the nlpR gene was significantly upregulated, whereas a significant decrease of its expression and TAG accumulation occurred when cerulenin was added. The nlpR disruption negatively affected the nitrate/nitrite reduction as well as lipid biosynthesis under nitrogen‐limiting conditions. In contrast, its overexpression increased TAG production during cultivation of cells in nitrogen‐rich media. A putative ‘NlpR‐binding motif’ upstream of several genes related to nitrogen and lipid metabolisms was found. The nlpR disruption in RHA1 strain led to a reduced transcription of genes involved in nitrate/nitrite assimilation, as well as in fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis. Purified NlpR was able to bind to narK, nirD, fasI, plsC and atf3 promoter regions. It was suggested that NlpR acts as a pleiotropic transcriptional regulator by activating of nitrate/nitrite assimilation genes and others genes involved in fatty acid and TAG biosynthesis, in response to nitrogen deprivation.
Repertoires of national boundaries in France and Germany—within‐country cleavages and their political consequences
Authors: Trittler Sabine 
Published: October 2016

AbstractThis article analyses how members of the majority population in France and Germany define membership in the nation and how they relate to the various civic, cultural, or ethnic visions of national belonging available in the cultural repertoires of historical models, institutional arrangements, and elite discourses. To scrutinize within‐country differences in the configurations of the symbolic boundaries of national belonging, this article applies cluster analysis techniques for each country separately using data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP). Overall, the results suggest that people choose and arrange different criteria from cultural repertoires, resulting in various configurations of national boundaries. Furthermore, the number and types of symbolic boundaries used are decisive for explaining restrictive and hostile attitudes towards immigrants. Contrary to the civic and ethnic historical models, the national boundary configurations display very similar patterns across the two countries, especially attesting to the considerable process of liberalization of citizenship regulations in Germany.
Roles of tumour necrosis factor‐related weak inducer of apoptosis/fibroblast growth factor‐inducible 14 pathway in lupus nephritis
Authors: Chen Jingyun , Wei Linlin , Xia Yumin 
Published: October 2016

AbstractAs one of the manifestations of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus nephritis (LN) has high morbidity and mortality. Although the explicit mechanism of LN remains to be fully elucidated, there is increasing evidence to support the notion that tumour necrosis factor‐related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), acting via its sole receptor, fibroblast growth factor‐inducible 14 (Fn14), plays a pivotal role in such pathologic process. TWEAK/Fn14 interactions occur prominently in kidneys of LN, inducing inflammatory responses, angiogenesis, mesangial proliferation, filtration barrier injuries, renal fibrosis, etc. This review will specify the important roles of TWEAK/Fn14 pathway in the pathogenesis of LN with experimental data from cellular and animal models. Additionally, the raised levels of urinary and serum soluble TWEAK correlate with renal disease activity in patients with LN. The neutralizing antibodies targeting TWEAK or other approaches inhibiting TWEAK/Fn14 signals can attenuate renal damage in the murine lupus models. Therefore, to focus on TWEAK/Fn14 signalling may be promising in both clinical evaluation and the treatment of patients with LN.
Iterative management of heat early warning systems in a changing climate
Authors: Hess Jeremy J. , Ebi Kristie L. 
Published: October 2016

Extreme heat is a leading weather‐related cause of morbidity and mortality, with heat exposure becoming more widespread, frequent, and intense as climates change. The use of heat early warning and response systems (HEWSs) that integrate weather forecasts with risk assessment, communication, and reduction activities is increasingly widespread. HEWSs are frequently touted as an adaptation to climate change, but little attention has been paid to the question of how best to ensure effectiveness of HEWSs as climates change further. In this paper, we discuss findings showing that HEWSs satisfy the tenets of an intervention that facilitates adaptation, but climate change poses challenges infrequently addressed in heat action plans, particularly changes in the onset, duration, and intensity of dangerously warm temperatures, and changes over time in the relationships between temperature and health outcomes. Iterative management should be central to a HEWS, and iteration cycles should be of 5 years or less. Climate change adaptation and implementation science research frameworks can be used to identify HEWS modifications to improve their effectiveness as temperature continues to rise, incorporating scientific insights and new understanding of effective interventions.We conclude that, at a minimum, iterative management activities should involve planned reassessment at least every 5 years of hazard distribution, population‐level vulnerability, and HEWS effectiveness.
Red blood cell transfusion‐transmitted acute hepatitis E in an immunocompetent subject in Europe: a case report
Authors: Riveiro‐Barciela Mar , Sauleda Silvia , Quer Josep , Salvador Fernando , Gregori Josep , Pirón María , Rodríguez‐Frías Francisco , Buti Maria 
Published: October 2016

BACKGROUNDAcute hepatitis E in industrialized countries is usually related to intake or manipulation of undercooked or raw meat. Cases of transfusion‐transmitted hepatitis E have rarely been documented in immunosuppressed patients, mainly after receiving frozen plasma.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSA 61‐year‐old man was admitted to hospital for jaundice. His personal history included disseminated bacillus Calmette‐Guerin infection treated with antituberculous drugs. He had received red blood cell (RBC) transfusion 2 months previously, during admission for mycotic aneurysm surgery. Since liver function tests worsened despite stopping antituberculous drugs, other causes of acute hepatitis were explored.RESULTSAcute hepatitis E was diagnosed by the presence of both immunoglobulin M and hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA. Traceback procedure for the 8 RBC units was carried out, and one of the eight archive plasma samples tested positive for HEV RNA, with an estimated viral load of 75,000 IU/mL. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the same HEV strain Genotype 3 in one of the transfused RBC products and in the patient's serum sample.CONCLUSIONTransfusion of RBCs with detectable HEV RNA is a risk factor for acute hepatitis E in immunocompetent patients in Europe.
REDUCING SOAK AIR TEMPERATURE INSIDE A CAR COMPARTMENT USING VENTILATION FANS
Authors: Mohamed Kamar Haslinda , Kamsah Nazri , Sabri Intan Sabariah , Musa Md Nor 
Published: October 2016

This article presents an investigation on the effects of using ventilation fans on the air temperature inside a car passenger compartment when the car is parked under the sun. It was found from a measurement that the air temperature inside the passenger compartment could raise up to 48°C. Computational fluid dynamics method was used to develop model of the compartment and carry out flow simulations to predict the air temperature distribution at 1 pm for two conditions: without ventilation fans and with ventilation fans. The effects of fan location, number of fans used and fan airflow velocity were examined. Results of flow simulations show that a 17% temperature reduction was achieved when two ventilation fans with airflow velocity of 2.84 m/s were placed at the rear deck. When three fans were used, an additional 3.4% temperature reduction was attained. Placing two ventilation fans at the middle of the roof also reduced the air temperature by 17%. When four fans were used a further 4.8% temperature reduction was achieved. Increasing the airflow velocity at the four fans placed at the roof, from 2.84 m/s to 15.67 m/s, caused only a small reduction in the air temperature inside the passenger compartment
CHARACTERISTICS OF BOULDERS FORMED IN TROPICAL WEATHERED GRANITE: A REVIEW
Authors: Md Dan Mohd Firdaus , Mohamad Edy Tonnizam , Komoo Ibrahim 
Published: October 2016

Boulder is well known as one of the obstruction material and problematic to the underground excavations and constructions. Although the presence of boulder in weathered rock mass was revealed and reported by many researchers, but the occurrence and physical characteristics of boulders in weathering profile are still not clearly understood. This paper attempts to revise the issues and characteristics of boulder formed in weathered granite which include the formation, distribution, properties and location of boulders found in tropical weathering profile. As a weathering product, boulder is dominantly found in moderately to completely weathered zone of rock mass (Grade III to V). Boulder consists of corestone Grade I or II and surrounded by some concentric sheet of weathered rock Grade III to V or rindlets which formed due the reaction of spheroidal weathering. The rindlets with thickness ranges 0.2 mm to 2.0 m is the zone of decomposition and dissolution of biotite and feldspar that gradually transforming to saprolite. This information is useful to geotechnical engineers and researchers for engineering purposes and weathering zone classification especially in underground excavation and structure design.
POTENTIAL OF HIGH QUALITY LIMESTONE AS ADSORBENT FOR IRON AND MANGANESE REMOVAL IN GROUNDWATER
Authors: Akbar Nor Azliza , Abdul Aziz Hamidi , Adlan Mohd Nordin 
Published: October 2016

Adsorption using low cost of media plays more attention to this current research. Previous literature found that high quality of limestone was effective in removing heavy metals in water and wastewater. In this study, the potential use of limestone media was investigated. Groundwater sample and limestone properties were characterized to determine the physical and chemical composition. The batch experiments were conducted to determine the effect of varied dosage and contact time. Analysis on isotherm and kinetic was carried out in this study. Batch study results showed that the maximum removal of both Fe and Mn was greater than 95 and 80% respectively which occurs at optimum dosage of 40g. Moreover, the optimum contact time of Fe and Mn was 90 and 120 minutes, respectively. At the optimum contact time, 96.8% of Fe and 87.4 % of Mn was removed using limestone adsorbent media. In isotherm study, the result revealed that Langmuir isotherm fitted the experimental data better than Freundlich isotherm for both Fe and Mn adsorption. In Langmuir isotherm, the maximum adsorption capacity for both Fe and Mn were 0.018mg/g and 0.011mg/g. Based on kinetic study, the removal of Fe and Mn followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model which R2 (>0.99) greater than in pseudo-first order. This indicates that the chemisorption is the mechanism of adsorption, which contributed to the Fe and Mn removal from the groundwater sample. Thus, from these results, limestone could be used as an alternative for the removal of Fe and Mn from groundwater
Pemindahan Hak Milik Dalam Instrumen Al-Ijarah Thumma Al-Bay’ (AITAB) di Malaysia
Authors: Muhammad Zin Hakimah , Salamon Hussin , Abdullah Nurdianawati Irwani 
Published: October 2016

The transfer of ownership at the end of a leasing contract is an important element in al-ijarah thumma al-bay’ (AITAB) structure. In AITAB structure, the ownership is transferred from owner to the hirer by the execution of a sale contract upon the expiry of the lease contract. The execution of sale contract must satisfy Shariah requirements. Nonetheless, legal framework of Islamic financial system in Malaysia which is subjected to civil law; and the absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework to govern AITAB transaction has caused the practice of AITAB in Malaysia to be subjected to the Hire Purchase Act 1967. Therefore, this study aims to identify the Shariah and legal issues that would arise in the implementation of ownership transfer in AITAB instrument as practised in Malaysia. This study also intends to determine the extent to which the Act is compatible to govern and enforce Syariah requirements in the execution of ownership transfer in AITAB transaction. This study employs qualitative methodology through document analysis. In its analysis, this study applies three methods; inductive, deductive and comparative methods. It analyses Syariah requirements in relations to ownership transfer and compares with the Hire Purchase Act 1967. The study also analyses the practice of ownership transfer in AITAB transaction in Malaysia. The finding of the study shows that the Hire Purchase Act 1967 possesses loopholes to govern and enforce Syariah requirements on ownership transfer in AITAB. Thus, the execution of ownership transfer in AITAB though satisfy Shariah requirements, would encounter legal issues.
Interferon Regulatory Factor 1 and Type I Interferon Cooperate To Control Acute Gammaherpesvirus Infection
Authors: Mboko Wadzanai P. , Rekow Michaela M. , Ledwith Mitchell P. , Lange Philip T. , Schmitz Kaitlin E. , Anderson Sean , Tarakanova Vera L. 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACT
Gammaherpesviruses are ubiquitous pathogens that establish lifelong infection in >95% of adults worldwide and are associated with a variety of malignancies. Coevolution of gammaherpesviruses with their hosts has resulted in an intricate relationship between the virus and the host immune system, and perturbation of the virus-host balance results in pathology. Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) is a tumor suppressor that is also involved in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. Here, we show that type I interferon (IFN) and IRF-1 cooperate to control acute gammaherpesvirus infection. Specifically, we demonstrate that a combination of IRF-1 and type I IFN signaling ensures host survival during acute gammaherpesvirus infection and supports IFN gamma-mediated suppression of viral replication. Thus, our studies reveal an intriguing cross talk between IRF-1 and type I and II IFNs in the induction of the antiviral state during acute gammaherpesvirus infection.

IMPORTANCE
Gammaherpesviruses establish chronic infection in a majority of adults, and this long-term infection is associated with virus-driven development of a range of malignancies. In contrast, a brief period of active gammaherpesvirus replication during acute infection of a naive host is subclinical in most individuals. Here, we discovered that a combination of type I interferon (IFN) signaling and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) expression is required to ensure survival of a gammaherpesvirus-infected host past the first 8 days of infection. Specifically, both type I IFN receptor and IRF-1 expression potentiated antiviral effects of type II IFN to restrict gammaherpesvirus replication
in vivo
, in the lungs, and
in vitro
, in primary macrophage cultures.
Dysregulated Glycoprotein B-Mediated Cell-Cell Fusion Disrupts Varicella-Zoster Virus and Host Gene Transcription during Infection
Authors: Oliver Stefan L. , Yang Edward , Arvin Ann M. 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACT

The highly conserved herpesvirus glycoprotein complex gB/gH-gL mediates membrane fusion during virion entry and cell-cell fusion. Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) characteristically forms multinucleated cells, or syncytia, during the infection of human tissues, but little is known about this process. The cytoplasmic domain of VZV gB (gB
cyt
) has been implicated in cell-cell fusion regulation because a gB[Y881F] substitution causes hyperfusion. gB
cyt
regulation is necessary for VZV pathogenesis, as the hyperfusogenic mutant gB[Y881F] is severely attenuated in human skin xenografts. In this study, gB
cyt
-regulated fusion was investigated by comparing melanoma cells infected with wild-type-like VZV or hyperfusogenic mutants. The gB[Y881F] mutant exhibited dramatically accelerated syncytium formation in melanoma cells caused by fusion of infected cells with many uninfected cells, increased cytoskeleton reorganization, and rapid displacement of nuclei to dense central structures compared to pOka using live-cell confocal microscopy. VZV and human transcriptomes were concurrently investigated using whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify viral and cellular responses induced when gB
cyt
regulation was disrupted by the gB[Y881F] substitution. The expression of four vital VZV genes, ORF61 and the genes for glycoproteins gC, gE, and gI, was significantly reduced at 36 h postinfection for the hyperfusogenic mutants. Importantly, hierarchical clustering demonstrated an association of differential gene expression with dysregulated gB
cyt
-mediated fusion. A subset of Ras GTPase genes linked to membrane remodeling were upregulated in cells infected with the hyperfusogenic mutants. These data implicate gB
cyt
in the regulation of gB fusion function that, if unmodulated, triggers cellular processes leading to hyperfusion that attenuates VZV infection.

IMPORTANCE
The highly infectious, human-restricted pathogen varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes chickenpox and shingles. Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common complication of shingles that manifests as prolonged excruciating pain, which has proven difficult to treat. The formation of fused multinucleated cells in ganglia might be associated with this condition. An effective vaccine against VZV is available but not recommended for immunocompromised individuals, highlighting the need for new therapies. This study investigated the viral and cellular responses to hyperfusion, a condition where the usual constraints of cell membranes are overcome and cells form multinucleated cells. This process hinders VZV and is regulated by a viral glycoprotein, gB. A combination of live-cell imaging and next-generation genomics revealed an alteration in viral and cellular responses during hyperfusion that was caused by the loss of gB regulation. These studies reveal mechanisms central to VZV pathogenesis, potentially leading to improved therapies.
The Glycoprotein B Cytoplasmic Domain Lysine Cluster Is Critical for Varicella-Zoster Virus Cell-Cell Fusion Regulation and Infection
Authors: Yang Edward , Arvin Ann M. , Oliver Stefan L. 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACT

The conserved glycoproteins gB and gH-gL are essential for herpesvirus entry and cell-cell fusion induced syncytium formation, a characteristic of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pathology in skin and sensory ganglia. VZV syncytium formation, which has been implicated in the painful condition of postherpetic neuralgia, is regulated by the cytoplasmic domains of gB (gBcyt) via an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) and gH (gHcyt). A lysine cluster (K894, K897, K898, and K900) in the VZV gBcyt was identified by sequence alignment to be conserved among alphaherpesviruses, suggesting a functional role. Alanine and arginine substitutions were used to determine if the positive charge and susceptibility to posttranslational modifications of these lysines contributed to gB/gH-gL cell-cell fusion. Critically, the positive charge of the lysine residues was necessary for fusion regulation, as alanine substitutions induced a 440% increase in fusion compared to that of the wild-type gBcyt while arginine substitutions had wild-type-like fusion levels in an
in vitro
gB/gH-gL cell fusion assay. Consistent with these results, the alanine substitutions in the viral genome caused exaggerated syncytium formation, reduced VZV titers (−1.5 log
10
), and smaller plaques than with the parental Oka (pOka) strain. In contrast, arginine substitutions resulted in syncytia with only 2-fold more nuclei, a −0.5-log
10
reduction in titers, and pOka-like plaques. VZV mutants with both an ITIM mutation and either alanine or arginine substitutions had reduced titers and small plaques but differed in syncytium morphology. Thus, effective VZV propagation is dependent on cell-cell fusion regulation by the conserved gBcyt lysine cluster, in addition to the gBcyt ITIM and the gHcyt.

IMPORTANCE
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a ubiquitous pathogen that causes chickenpox and shingles. Individuals afflicted with shingles risk developing the painful condition of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which has been difficult to treat because the underlying cause is not well understood. Additional therapies are needed, as the current vaccine is not recommended for immunocompromised individuals and its efficacy decreases with the age of the recipient. VZV is known to induce the formation of multinuclear cells in neuronal tissue, which has been proposed to be a factor contributing to PHN. This study examines the role of a lysine cluster in the cytoplasmic domain of the VZV fusion protein, gB, in the formation of VZV induced multinuclear cells and in virus replication kinetics and spread. The findings further elucidate how VZV self-regulates multinuclear cell formation and may provide insight into the development of new PHN therapies.