Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 Teichoic Acid D-Alanylation on the Generation of Effector and Regulatory T-cells in Healthy Mice

To date it remains unclear how probiotics affect the immune system. Bacterial envelope components may play an essential role, as these are the first to establish bacterial-host cell interactions. Teichoic acids (TAs), and especially lipoteichoic acids, are the most pro-inflammatory components of the gram-positive bacterial envelope. This effect is dependent on D-alanyl substitution of the TA backbone and interactions with TLR2 on host cells. Although the pro-inflammatory properties of TAs have been established in vitro, it remains unclear how TAs affect immunomodulation in vivo. In this study, we investigated the role of TA D-alanylation on L. plantarum–induced intestinal and systemic immunomodulation in vivo. For this, we compared the effect of L. plantarum WCFS1 and its TA D-Alanylation negative derivative (dltX-D) on the distribution of dendritic cell and T cell populations and responses in healthy mice. We demonstrated that the majority of the L. plantarum-induced in vivo immunomodulatory effects were dependent on D-alanylation (D-Ala), as some L. plantarum WCFS1-induced immune changes were not observed in the dltX-D-treated group and some were only observed after treatment with dltX-D. Strikingly, not only pro-inflammatory immune responses were abolished in the absence of D-Ala substitution, but also anti-inflammatory responses, such as the L. plantarum-induced generation of regulatory T cells in the spleen. With this study we provide insight in host-microbe interactions, by demonstrating the involvement of D-alanylation of TAs on the bacterial membrane in intestinal and systemic immunomodulation in healthy mice.
A Meta-Analysis of the Global Prevalence Rates of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus Contamination of Different Raw Meat Products.

Previous research has indicated that raw meats are frequently contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus , but data regarding the pooled prevalence rates of S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) contamination in different types of raw meat products (beef, chicken, and pork) and across different periods, regions, and purchase locations remain inconsistent. We systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid, Web of Science, and HighWire databases to identify studies published up to June 2016. The STROBE guidelines were used to assess the quality of the 39 studies included in this meta-analysis. We observed no significant differences in the pooled prevalence rates of S. aureus and MRSA contamination identified in various raw meat products, with overall pooled prevalence rates of 29.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.8 to 35.9%) and 3.2% (95% CI, 1.8 to 4.9%) identified for the two contaminants, respectively. In the subgroup analyses, the prevalence of S. aureus contamination in chicken products was highest in Asian studies and significantly decreased over time worldwide. In European studies, the prevalence rates of S. aureus contamination in chicken and pork products were lower than those reported on other continents. The pooled prevalence rates of S. aureus contamination in chicken and pork products and MRSA contamination in beef and pork products were significantly higher in samples collected from retail sources than in samples collected from slaughterhouses and processing plants. These results highlight the need for good hygiene during transportation to and manipulation at retail outlets to reduce the risk of transmission of S. aureus and MRSA from meat products to humans.
Development of an evidence‐based fall risk assessment tool and evaluation of interrater reliability and nurses’ perceptions of the tool's clarity and usability

AIM To develop and test interrater reliability of an evidence-based fall risk assessment tool for nurses and to investigate how nurses perceived the clarity and usability of the tool. METHODS In phase 1, an evidence-based fall risk assessment tool was developed based on a literature review and expert discussion. The finalized tool assessed 11 risk factors and comprised 23 items. In phase 2, reliability testing was done. Two nurses out of a possible 125 participating nurses independently assessed each participating patient on admission with the assessment tool. The nurses then provided feedback on the clarity and usability of the tool. The interrater reliability was estimated by the percentage agreement, Cohen's kappa, and prevalence- and bias-adjusted kappa. RESULTS Of the 164 patients who were recruited, 114 patients participated. After adjustment for prevalence and bias, only "frequent urination" and "night-time toileting" showed a less-than-substantial interrater agreement. Assessment of the items "cognitive impairment" and "night-time toileting" were most frequently reported to be problematic. CONCLUSION The evidence-based fall risk assessment tool requires further modification and re-examination of interrater reliability is warranted. In particular, the cognitive impairment items need to be reconsidered in order to enable nurses to better assess patient cognition on the admission day.
Human Papillomavirus Carcinogenesis: an Identity Crisis in the Retinoblastoma Tumor Suppressor Pathway

ABSTRACT Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites and need to reprogram host cells to establish long-term persistent infection and/or to produce viral progeny. Cellular changes initiated by the virus trigger cellular defense responses to cripple viral replication, and viruses have evolved countermeasures to neutralize them. Established models have suggested that human papillomaviruses target the retinoblastoma (RB1) and TP53 tumor suppressor networks to usurp cellular replication, which drives carcinogenesis. More recent studies, however, suggest that modulating the activity of the Polycomb family of transcriptional repressors and the resulting changes in epigenetic regulation are proximal steps in the rewiring of cellular signaling circuits. Consequently, RB1 inactivation evolved to tolerate the resulting cellular alterations. Therefore, epigenetic reprograming results in cellular “addictions” to pathways for survival. Inhibition of such a pathway could cause “synthetic lethality” in adapted cells while not markedly affecting normal cells and could prove to be an effective therapeutic approach.
A Reconfigurable Accelerator for Smith–Waterman Algorithm

Scanning bio-sequence database and finding similarities among DNA and protein sequences is basic and important work in bioinformatics field. To solve this problem, Needleman-Wunschh (NW) algorithm is a classical and precise tool, and Smith-Waterman (SW) algorithm is more practical for its capability to find similarities between subsequences. Such algorithms have computational complexity proportional to the length product of both involved sequences, hence processing time becomes insufferable due to exponential growth speed and great amount of bio-sequence database. To alleviate this serious problem, a reconfigurable accelerator for SW algorithm is presented. In the accelerator, a modified equation is proposed to improve mapping efficiency of a processing element (PE), and a special floor plan is applied to a fine-grain parallel PE array and interface components to cut down their routing delay. Basing on the two techniques, the proposed accelerator can reach at 82-MHz frequency in an Altera EP1S30 device. Experiments demonstrate the accelerator provides more than 330 speedup as compared to a standard desktop platform with a 2.8-GHz Xeon processor and 4-GB memory and has 50% improvement on the peak performance of a transferred traditional implementation without using the two special techniques. Our implementation is also about 9% faster than the fastest implementation in a most recent family of SW algorithm accelerators.
Plant Ferritin—A Source of Iron to Prevent Its Deficiency

Iron deficiency anemia affects a significant part of the human population. Due to the unique properties of plant ferritin, food enrichment with ferritin iron seems to be a promising strategy to prevent this malnutrition problem. This protein captures huge amounts of iron ions inside the apoferritin shell and isolates them from the environment. Thus, this iron form does not induce oxidative change in food and reduces the risk of gastric problems in consumers. Bioavailability of ferritin in human and animal studies is high and the mechanism of absorption via endocytosis has been confirmed in cultured cells. Legume seeds are a traditional source of plant ferritin. However, even if the percentage of ferritin iron in these seeds is high, its concentration is not sufficient for food fortification. Thus, edible plants have been biofortified in iron for many years. Plants overexpressing ferritin may find applications in the development of bioactive food. A crucial achievement would be to develop technologies warranting stability of ferritin in food and the digestive tract.
The Effect of Mindfulness on Racial Stereotype Activation and Application

The effects of a six-week mindfulness class on racial stereotype bias, attention, and working memory was measured by the Implicit Association Test (IAT), Attention Network Task (ANT), and Automated Operation Span Task, respectively. Explicit racism (Modern Racism Scale, Right-Wing Authoritarianism, Social Dominance Orientation), mindfulness (Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire), depression, anxiety, and stress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale) were also examined. Sixty traditional-aged undergraduate women participated in this study (20 completed the mindfulness course and the remaining completed a non-MBSR physical education course). The results revealed that training was not associated with decreased racial stereotype bias on the IAT. Training was associated with increased performance in attention-switching on the ANT. In both groups, explicit racism and working memory predicted racial bias at time 1, and explicit racism predicted change in racial bias between times 1 and 2. Unexpectedly, increase in mindfulness (FFMQ) approached prediction of an increase in racial bias across both groups. In summary, the findings contradict the hypothesis that participation in a six-week mindfulness course will reduce stereotype application and activation. Mindfulness on Racial Stereotype 3
Dispositional and situational coping and mental health among Palestinian political ex-prisoners

Abstract We examined, first, differences in dispositional and situational coping, and psychological distress between political ex-prisoners and their matched controls, and second, coping effectiveness in protecting mental health from impacts of imprisonment and military trauma. Thirdly, we tested the hypothesis that compatibility (“goodness of fit”) between dispositional and situational coping would predict low psychological distress. Participants were 184 men recruited from a Palestinian community sample, 92 were former political prisoners and 92 non-prisoners. The dispositional coping was assessed as a general response style to hypothetical stressors and situational coping as responses to their own traumatic experiences. Psychological distress was measured by SCL-90-R, and posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and somatoform symptoms by scales based on CIDI 2.1 diagnostic interview. The results showed that, compared to non-prisoners, the political ex-prisoners employed less avoidant, denying, and emotion-focused coping strategies. Military trauma was associated with avoidant and denying coping only among non-prisoners. The ex-prisoners showed more mental health and medical problems, especially when exposed to military trauma. None of the coping styles or strategies were effective in protecting the mental health in general or in either groups. However, main effect results revealed that the high level of active and constructive and low level of emotion-focused coping were associated with low levels of psychiatric symptoms and psychological distress.
Serological detection of Helicobacter pylori antibodies in children and their parents

The antibody response to Helicobacter pylori was examined in 56 children (ages 5 to 18) to determine whether serological tests can be used for diagnosis. Twenty-four children (43%) were H. pylori positive and 32 children (57%) were H. pylori negative by culture and histological examination of endoscopic biopsy specimens. The immune response was also examined in 39 nonendoscoped parents of the children. H. pylori-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA antibodies were detected by the flow microsphere immunofluorescent assay (FMIA). IgG was also detected by using the Pyloristat enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for the FMIA for IgG were 100, 97, 96, and 100%, respectively. The respective values for the Pyloristat ELISA for IgG were 96, 94, 92, and 97%. The respective values for the FMIA for IgA were 50, 100, 100, and 73%. Both assays identified the same 19 parents as IgG positive, while FMIA identified 17 of the 19 parents as IgA positive.
EFFECTS OF CONTINGENT AND NONCONTINGENT REWARD ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SATISFACTION AND TASK PERFORMANCE

It was proposed that there is no inherent relationship between satisfaction and productivity, and that relationships between the two variables are highly dependent upon performance-reward contingencies . Ninety 5s performed a task for 1 hr. A monetary reward was then delivered to 21 of 42 high performers and 21 of 42 low performers. The 5s next completed self-report measures of satisfaction and attitudes and performed the same task for another hour. Correlations between self-reports of satisfaction and second-hour productivity over all 5s was . 00. Significant positive correlations, however, were found between satisfaction and productivity of appropriately reinforced 5s (rewarded high performers and nonrewarded low performers) while significant negative correlations were found for inappropriately reinforced 5s (rewarded low performers and nonrewarded high performers). Many current speculations on the relationship between worker satisfaction and task performance, as reviewed by Schwab and Cummings (1970), still imply that performance and satisfaction are causally related in one direction or the other. Some theorists have now added moderating variables to their behavioral formulas in hopes of facilitating the prediction of one variable from the other. In contrast, the present authors postulate not only that (a) there is no inherent relationship between satisfaction and performance, but also that (b) one can produce about any empirical relationship between task performance and self-reports of satisfaction that one wishes. The first proposition is consistent with the conclusions of empirical reviews such as Brayfield and Crockett (1955) and with theoretical positions such as those of Porter and Lawler (1968). The second proposition was derived from operational proposals by Skinner (1969) and Bandura (1969) and from speculations by a variety of reinforcement theorists (e.g., Berlyne, 1967; Bindra, 1968; Rescorla & Solomon, 1967; and Weiskrantz, 1968).
The adolescent dip in students' sustainability consciousness—Implications for education for sustainable development

ABSTRACT Previous research has shown that interest in and concern about environmental issues tends to decrease in adolescence, but less is known about adolescents' broader consciousness of sustainable development, also including economic and social issues. This study investigates students' sustainability consciousness in the transition to adolescence. This was done by surveying 2,413 Swedish students in the sixth, ninth and twelfth grades using an age-adapted questionnaire. The results unambiguously show that Swedish students' sustainability consciousness dips in adolescence, strongly indicating a need to modify the sustainability education for adolescents. Education for sustainable development is recommended as an approach to meet that need.
Reading Ease of Bilingual Annual Reports

This is the first bilingual readability study reporting on different lan guage versions of narrative disclosures within corporate annual reports. Specifically, the study examines reading ease between the Eng lish and Chinese versions of 65 corporate annual reports in Hong Kong and the English and Malay versions of 53 annual reports in Malaysia. The same passages from the Chairman's Address in both languages were scored using Flesch and Yang formulas for Hong Kong and Flesch and Yunus formulas for Malaysia. Results provide some tentative impression that the indigenous language version is easier to read than the English-written counterparts. In addition, evidence sug gested that the English passages in Malaysian annual reports are easier to read than the English passages in Hong Kong annual reports. Taken overall, the results suggest that different language ver sions could produce different reading behaviour and may have resource allocation decision-making implications.
Assessment of strength, flexibility, and running mechanics in men with iliotibial band syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional laboratory study. OBJECTIVES To assess differences in hip strength, iliotibial band length, and hip and knee mechanics during running between male runners with iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) and healthy controls. BACKGROUND Flexibility, strength, and running mechanics are commonly assessed in patients with ITBS. However, these variables have not been evaluated concurrently in this population. METHODS Thirty-four men participated (17 healthy, 17 ITBS). Hip strength was measured with a handheld dynamometer, and iliotibial band length was assessed using an inclinometer while performing the Ober test. Kinetic and 3-D kinematic data were obtained during running. Kinematic variables of interest included frontal and transverse plane hip and knee joint angles during early stance. Independent-samples t tests, as well as effect sizes, were used to assess group differences. RESULTS Compared to the control group, persons with ITBS had a significantly lower Ober measurement (1.2°), weaker hip external rotators (1.2 Nm/kg), greater hip internal rotation (3.7°), and greater knee adduction (3.6°). However, only hip internal rotation and knee adduction exceeded the minimal detectable difference value. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that intervention strategies that target neuromuscular control of the hip and knee may be indicated for males with ITBS.
Human complement in the arachidonic acid transformation pathway in platelets

Arachidonate-mediated release of 14C serotonin and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) is significantly enhanced in the presence of complement. Only purified complement components C5, C6, C7, C8, and C9 are required for this reactivity. No known activating mechanism of the classical or alternative pathway is required, nor is C3. In the absence of exogenously added complement, platelet membrane-bound complement components play an essential role in modulating arachidonate-mediated serotonin release. Incubation of platelet membranes with arachidonate and C5--C9 led to the production of dimers of the membrane attack complex (C5b--9) on the platelet surface. These macromolecular complexes were eluted from the platelet membrane and were identified physicochemically and morphologically. The possibility arises that C3 in association with C5--C9 is required for mobilization of the arachidonic acid from the phospholipid of the platelet membrane. Once the arachidonic acid is mobilized, C3 is no longer required, C5--C9 being sufficient to modulate this pathway leading to enhanced production of TXB2.
The influence of neurohypophysial hormones on renal function in the acutely hypophysectomized rat.

1. Renal function and the effect of neurohypophysial hormone replacement was investigated in anaesthetized, acutely hypophysectomized, male rats. 2. Although urine production was only slightly lower over the 8 h post‐operative study period in hypophysectomized rats, sodium excretion was greatly depressed reaching only 3.5 +/‐ 1.4 mumol/min compared with a peak of 13.2 +/‐ 1.0 mumol/min in intact animals. 3. In association with a decline in mean arterial blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate in hypophysectomized rats fell to 2.1 +/‐ 0.2 ml/min 8 h after operation by comparison with a mean rate in intact rats of 3.2 +/‐ 0.2 ml/min. 4. Plasma corticosterone levels were much lower in hypophysectomized (4 +/‐ 2 ng/ml) than in intact (36 +/‐ 4 ng/ml) rats, plasma aldosterone was reduced to a lesser extent (0.41 +/‐ 0.08 compared with 0.76 +/‐ 0.04 ng/ml). While oxytocin was not detectable in hypophysectomized rat plasma, trace levels of vasopressin (0.16 +/‐ 0.04 mu u./ml) were found. In intact unanaesthetized rats basal plasma levels of oxytocin were 0.32 +/‐ 0.13 mu u. /ml and vasopressin were 0.85 +/‐ 0.19 mu u. /ml. 5. Administration of oxytocin at 150 mu u. /min, which produced plasma hormone levels (24.0 +/‐ 2.5 mu u./ml) greatly in excess of basal concentrations, increased renal sodium excretion but did not alter urine flow. Oxytocin administration at the lower rate of 15 mu u. /min producing plasma hormone levels of 2.60 +/‐ 0.1 mu u. /ml, did not alter renal sodium excretion. 6. Arginine vasopressin administered at 12 mu u. /min induced plasma hormone levels of 1.54 +/‐ 0.09 mu u. /ml and produced a large antidiuresis and small increase in the rate of sodium excretion. 7. The natriuretic response to vasopressin was potentiated by concurrent administration of oxytocin at 15 mu u. /min. The peak sodium excretion of 5.8 +/‐ 1.0 mumol/min, however, remained well below that seen in intact rats. 8. It is concluded that, as restoration of posterior pituitary hormones at or above the physiological range only partially restored sodium excretion, the absence of anterior pituitary factors may also contribute directly or indirectly to the renal sodium retention of the hypophysectomized rat.
Diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance, and hyperinsulinemia in an elderly population. The Rotterdam Study.

To estimate the prevalence of glucose intolerance in the elderly, oral glucose tolerance tests were performed as part of the Rotterdam Study, a population-based study in subjects aged 55 years and over. The study population consisted of 2,668 men and 3,950 women. Diabetes mellitus was defined as the use of antidiabetes medication, or a random or post-load serum glucose level of > or = 11.1 mmol/liter. Impaired glucose tolerance was defined as a post-load serum glucose between 7.8 and 11.1 mmol/liter. In men, the frequency of diabetes mellitus ranged from 5.9% in ages < 60 years to 19.8% in ages > 85 years, and in women from 3.8% in ages < 60 years to 18.9% in ages > 85 years; more than half of the subjects with diabetes were newly diagnosed. The prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance ranged from 8.8% and 11.0% in men and women aged < 60 years to 24.3% and 34.7% in men and women aged > 85 years. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the total Rotterdam Study population of 7,439 elderly men and women was estimated to be 11.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 10.5-12.0). Waist/hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, hypertension, and number of cigarettes smoked increased with a worsening of the glucose tolerance from normal, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance to diabetes in both men and women (p < 0.01, adjusted for age). Body mass index was higher in subjects with glucose intolerance, but the frequency of obesity showed a relative decrease with worsening of glucose tolerance. These results show that glucose intolerance, especially impaired glucose tolerance and undetected diabetes mellitus, is common in the elderly. Moreover, not only subjects with diabetes mellitus but also subjects with hyperinsulinemia and impaired glucose tolerance have an increase of cardiovascular risk factors.