A CTCF-binding site in the Mdm1-Il22-Ifng locus shapes cytokine expression profiles and plays a critical role in early Th1 cell fate specification.

Cytokine expression during T cell differentiation is a highly regulated process that involves long-range promoter-enhancer and CTCF-CTCF contacts at cytokine loci. Here, we investigated the impact of dynamic chromatin loop formation within the topologically associating domain (TAD) in regulating the expression of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-22 (IL-22); these cytokine loci are closely located in the genome and are associated with complex enhancer landscapes, which are selectively active in type 1 and type 3 lymphocytes. In situ Hi-C analyses revealed inducible TADs that insulated Ifng and Il22 enhancers during Th1 cell differentiation. Targeted deletion of a 17 bp boundary motif of these TADs imbalanced Th1- and Th17-associated immunity, both in vitro and in vivo, upon Toxoplasma gondii infection. In contrast, this boundary element was dispensable for cytokine regulation in natural killer cells. Our findings suggest that precise cytokine regulation relies on lineage- and developmental stage-specific interactions of 3D chromatin architectures and enhancer landscapes.

Preparation and Experimental Evaluation of Phase-Change Characteristics in Carbon-Based Suspensions.

In this study, micro/nanocarbon-based materials (MNCBMs) were prepared using the high-pressure combustion method (HPCM) with an isoperibol oxygen bomb calorimeter at different oxygen pressures (0.5⁻3.0 MPa). The prepared MNCBMs were added to water to form carbon-based suspensions (CBSs); sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) and defoamer were added to the CBSs to enhance their stability. The thermal conductivity, viscosity, density, and contact angle of the CBSs were measured using appropriate instruments to determine their fundamental characteristics. The phase-change characteristics of the CBSs were measured and analyzed using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) to evaluate the feasibility of employing them as phase-change materials in ice-storage air-conditioning systems. The results revealed that the maximal change ratios of thermal conductivity, viscosity, density, and contact angle of the samples were -3.15%, 6.25%, 0.23%, and -57.03%, respectively, as compared with the water. The CBS of S5 (oxygen pressure of 2.0 MPa) had the lowest melting temperature and subcooling degree (SD) and the highest freezing temperature in the experiments conducted using the DSC; thus, S5 was determined to be the most suitable CBS for use as a phase-change material of cold energy storage in this study.

Processo de validação da escala de comportamento do treinador - versão atleta (ECT-A) / Validation process of the coach behavior scale - athlete version (ECT-A)

O objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar culturalmente e validar o questionário Coach Behavior Scale for Sport (CBS-S), de CÔTÉ et al. (1999) na Língua Portuguesa, denominado de Escala de Comportamento do Treinador - Versão Atleta (ECT-A). Inicialmente o ECT-A constou de 13 questões demográficas e 48 questões distribuídas em seis dimensões: Treinamento Físico, Treinamento Técnico, Preparação Mental, Estabelecimento de Objetivos, Reforço Pessoal Positivo e Reforço Pessoal Negativo. No Estudo 1 (80 atletas <47 homens e 33 mulheres>), os resultados da análise fatorial mostraram que a maioria das questões agrupou-se em dois fatores, contudo, a correlação entre algumas questões foi baixa, indicando a necessidade de revisões semânticas. No Estudo 2 (168 atletas <118 homens e 50 mulheres>), houve uma melhora nos resultados da análise fatorial, pois a dimensão de Reforço Pessoal Positivo apresentou um perfil similar ao CBS-S, mas a correlação entre oito questões foi baixa, levando à exclusão das mesmas. No Estudo 3 (222 atletas <91 homens e 131 mulheres>), a análise fatorial obteve, na maioria das questões, um perfil similar ao instrumento original (CBS-S) e a correlação entre as questões foi satisfatória (0,30). Os valores do Alpha de Cronbach, nas seis dimensões, foram 0,70 nos três estudos (N = 470), indicando uma fidedignidade satisfatória. Esses resultados foram indicativos para a validação do ECT-A, que na versão final ficou composto por 40 questões.

The purpose of the present study was to adapt and validate the version of the questionnaire Coach BehaviorScale for Sport -CBS-S- (CÔTÉ et al., 1999) into the Portuguese language, called Escala de Comportamento doTreinador - Versão Atleta (ECT-A). The ECT-A was composed by 13 demographic questions and 48 questionsdistributed into six dimensions: Physical Training, Technical Training, Mental Preparation, Goal Setting, PersonalPositive Reinforcement and Personal Negative Reinforcement. Results of Alpha Cronbach, in the six dimensions,were ³ 0,70, of the ECT-A in three studies (N = 470), indicating acceptable levels. In the Study 1, (80 athletes<47 men and 33 women>) results of factor analysis showed a grouped of majority of questions in two factorshowever correlations between some questions were low suggesting semantic revisions. In the Study 2, (168athletes <118 men and 50 women>) there was an improvement in the factor analysis, since Personal Positive Reinforcement dimension had a similar profile of the CBS-S, but correlation between 8 questions continuedlow and so they were excluded. In the Study 3, (222 athletes <91 men and 131 women>) factor analysis ofthe majority of the questions obtained a similar profile of the original instrument (CBS-S) and correlationsbetween questions were satisfactory (³ 0,30). These results showed evidences to validate the ECT-A ,whichfinal version was composed by 40 questions.