Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diversity of Helicobacter pylori vacA andcagA Genes and Relationship to VacA and CagA Protein Expression, Cytotoxin Production, and Associated Diseases

ABSTRACT The vacuolating cytotoxin and the cytotoxin-associated protein, encoded by vacA and cagA, respectively, are important virulence determinants of Helicobacter pylori. Sixty-five H. pylori strains were isolated from dyspeptic patients (19 with peptic ulcer disease, 43 with chronic gastritis, and 3 with gastric cancer) and studied for differences in thevacA and cagA genes and their relationship to VacA and CagA expression, cytotoxin activity, and the clinical outcome of infection. By PCR, fifty-four (83.1%) of 65 strains had thevacA signal sequence genotype s1 and only 10 (15.4%) had the type s2. After primer modification, the vacAmiddle-region types m1 and m2 were detected in 24 (36.9%) and 41 (63.1%) strains, respectively. The combinations s1-m2 (31 [47.7%]) and s1-m1 (23 [35.4%]) occurred more frequently than s2-m2 (10 [15.4%]) (P = 0.01). No strain with the combination s2-m1 was found. All 19 patients with peptic ulcers harbored type s1 strains, in contrast to 32 (74.4%) of 43 patients with gastritis (P = 0.02). The vacA genotype s1 was associated with the presence of cagA (P < 0.0001), VacA expression (P < 0.0001), and cytotoxin activity (P = 0.003). The cagA gene was detectable in 48 (73.8%) of 65 isolates and present in 16 (84.2%) of 19 ulcer patients and 29 (67.4%) of 43 patients with gastritis (P = 0.17). The vacA genotypes of GermanH. pylori isolates are identical to those previously reported. H. pylori strains of vacA type s1 are associated with the occurrence of peptic ulceration and the presence ofcagA, cytotoxin activity, and VacA expression.
Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation Dovepress Patterns and Correlates of Illicit Drug Selling among Youth in the Usa

Purpose: Despite the high rates of drug selling among youth in juvenile justice and youth residing in disadvantage neighborhoods, relatively little is known about the patterns of illicit drug selling among youth in the general population. Methods: Using the public-use data file from the adolescent sample (N = 17 842) in the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), this study employed multiple logistic regression to compare the behavioral, parental involvement, and prevention experiences of youth who sold and did not sell illicit drugs in the past year. Results: Findings from a series of logistic regression models indicated youth who sold drugs were far more likely to use a wide variety of drugs and engage in delinquent acts. Drug-selling youth were significantly less likely to report having a parent involved in their life and have someone to talk to about serious problems but were more likely to report exposure to drug prevention programming. Conclusion: Selling of drugs by youth appears to be a byproduct of substance abuse and deviance proneness, and the prevention programs these youth experience are likely a result of mandated exposure derived from contact with the criminal justice system. Assuming no major drug supply side reductions, policies, and practices associated with increasing drug abuse treatment, parental involvement and supervision, and school engagement are suggested.
Strain and electric field induced electronic properties of two-dimensional hybrid bilayers of transition-metal dichalcogenides

Tunability of the electronic properties of two-dimensional bilayer hetero structures of transition-metal dichalcogenides (i.e., MX2-M′X′2 with (M, M′ = Mo, W; X, X′ = S, Se) is investigated. Application of both strain and electric field is found to modify the band gap and carrier effective mass in the hybrid bilayers considered. The calculated results based on density functional theory suggest that the tensile strain considerably changes the band gap of semiconducting bilayers; it makes the band gap to be indirect, and later initiates the semiconductor-to-metal transition. Application of the external electric fields, on the other hand, shows asymmetric variation in the band gap leading to the closure of the gap at about 0.5–1.0 V/A. Tuning of the band gap and carrier effective mass in such a controlled manner makes the hybrid bilayers of transition metal dichalcogenides to be promising candidates for application in electronic devices at nanoscale.
Gender Differences in the Consistency of Middle School Students' Interest in Engineering and Science Careers.

This longitudinal study analyzes survey responses in seventh, eighth, and ninth grade from diverse public school students (n = 482) to explore gender differences in engineering and science career preferences. Females were far more likely to express interest in a science career (31%) than an engineering career (13%), while the reverse was true for males (58% in engineering, 39% in science). After controlling for student and school demographic characteristics, females were as consistent as males in their science career interests during the three years of the study but less consistent in their engineering career interests. Knowing an engineer significantly predicted consistent career interest in engineering for males but not for females. Childhood interest in science and engineering was related to whether females and males expressed any interest in those subjects. Females and males both showed interest for careers where they can discover new things that help the environment or people’s health; females were less interested in designing and inventing, solving problems, and using technology. These findings suggest that increasing the number of diverse students who pursue engineering careers may require introducing students from early elementary to middle school to engineering as an array of careers that can improve health, happiness, and safety, and make the world a better place.
Thyroid autoimmunity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a multicenter survey.

OBJECTIVE To investigate thyroid autoimmunity in a very large nationwide cohort of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data were analyzed from 17,749 patients with type 1 diabetes aged 0.1-20 years who were treated in 118 pediatric diabetes centers in Germany and Austria. Antibodies to thyroglobulin (anti-TG) and thyroperoxidase (anti-TPO) were measured and documented at least once in 7,097 patients. A total of 49.5% of these patients were boys, the mean age was 12.4 years (range 0.3-20.0 years), and the mean duration of diabetes was 4.5 years (range 0.0-19.5 years). A titer exceeding 100 units/ml or 1:100 was considered significantly elevated. RESULTS In 1,530 patients, thyroid antibody levels were elevated on at least one occasion, whereas 5,567 were antibody-negative during the observation period. Patients with thyroid antibodies were significantly older (P < 0.001), had a longer duration of diabetes (P < 0.001), and developed diabetes later in life (P < 0.001) than those without antibodies. A total of 63% of patients with positive antibodies were girls, compared with 45% of patients without antibodies (P < 0.001). The prevalence of significant thyroid antibody titers increased with increasing age; the highest prevalence was in the 15- to 20-year age group (anti-TPO: 16.9%, P < 0.001; anti-TG: 12.8%, P < 0.001). Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were higher in patients with thyroid autoimmunity (3.34 microU/ml, range 0.0-615.0 microU/ml) than in control subjects (1.84 microU/ml, range 0.0-149.0 microU/ml) (P < 0.001). Even higher TSH levels were observed in patients with both anti-TPO and anti-TG (4.55 microU/ml, range 0.0-197.0 microU/ml). CONCLUSIONS Thyroid autoimmunity seems to be particularly common in girls with diabetes during the second decade of life and may be associated with elevated TSH levels, indicating subclinical hypothyroidism.
The sensitive scars of the Second World War in teaching European history

ABSTRACT In this paper, we analyse the Second World War (WW2) and the Holocaust as genocide during WW2 as sensitive topics in history teaching as perceived by 719 teachers from Austria, Belarus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Serbia and the Netherlands. Using the thematic content analysis of open answers to an online questionnaire we explore the reasons for the sensitivity of these topics. The reasons for sensitivity were found to lie in cognitive and emotional barriers to treating the atrocities, violence and discrepancies between different perspectives on WW2 of social memory groups. A relatively new dimension, confirmed by the research, is the problem of the aestheticisation of the violent past. This can lead to banalisation and even legitimisation of the violence and aspects of the violence that pupils perceive to be fascinating. The results are discussed in the framework of multi-layered collective memory.
KINETIC MODELS OF MEMBRANE EXCITABILITY AND SYNAPTIC INTERACTIONS

This chapter reviews diierent approaches to model the ion channels underlying the electrical behavior of neurons in a way compatible with cellular biochemistry. V oltage-dependent c han-nels, ligand-gated channels, and second-messenger-gated channels are modeled along the same lines. For each t ype of channel, diierent representations are considered, from biophysically detailed models to highly simpliied two-state opennclosed representations. These diierent kinetic models can be used according to the level of biophysical detail required, typically mul-tistate Markov models are required to describe single-channel behavior while simpliied models capture the most salient properties of synaptic interactions necessary for network simulations. The case of linking ion channel models with various intracellular processes is also considered. The dynamics of intracellular calcium, calcium-binding proteins, exocytosis and G-protein mediated responses can be integrated together with ion channels using similar kinetic equations. This allows to describe various processes such as electrical excitability, synaptic transmission and cellular biochemistry using the same formalism.
Chronic Superantigen Exposure Induces Systemic Inflammation, Elevated Bloodstream Endotoxin, and Abnormal Glucose Tolerance in Rabbits: Possible Role in Diabetes

ABSTRACT Excessive weight and obesity are associated with the development of diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMII) in humans. They also pose high risks of Staphylococcus aureus colonization and overt infections. S. aureus causes a wide range of severe illnesses in both healthy and immunocompromised individuals. Among S. aureus virulence factors, superantigens are essential for pathogenicity. In this study, we show that rabbits that are chronically exposed to S. aureus superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) experience impaired glucose tolerance, systemic inflammation, and elevated endotoxin levels in the bloodstream, all of which are common findings in DMII. Additionally, such DMII-associated findings are also seen through effects of TSST-1 on isolated adipocytes. Collectively, our findings suggest that chronic exposure to S. aureus superantigens facilitates the development of DMII, which may lead to therapeutic targeting of S. aureus and its superantigens. IMPORTANCE Obesity has a strong correlation with type 2 diabetes, in which fatty tissue, containing adipocytes, contributes to the development of the illness through altered metabolism and chronic inflammation. The human microbiome changes in persons with obesity and type 2 diabetes, including increases in Staphylococcus aureus colonization and overt infections. While the microbiome is essential for human wellness, there is little understanding of the role of microbes in obesity or the development of diabetes. Here, we demonstrate that the S. aureus superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), an essential exotoxin in pathogenesis, induces inflammation, lipolysis, and insulin resistance in adipocytes both in vitro and in vivo. Chronic stimulation of rabbits with TSST-1 results in impaired systemic glucose tolerance, the hallmark finding in type 2 diabetes in humans, suggesting a role of S. aureus and its superantigens in the progression to type 2 diabetes. Obesity has a strong correlation with type 2 diabetes, in which fatty tissue, containing adipocytes, contributes to the development of the illness through altered metabolism and chronic inflammation. The human microbiome changes in persons with obesity and type 2 diabetes, including increases in Staphylococcus aureus colonization and overt infections. While the microbiome is essential for human wellness, there is little understanding of the role of microbes in obesity or the development of diabetes. Here, we demonstrate that the S. aureus superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), an essential exotoxin in pathogenesis, induces inflammation, lipolysis, and insulin resistance in adipocytes both in vitro and in vivo. Chronic stimulation of rabbits with TSST-1 results in impaired systemic glucose tolerance, the hallmark finding in type 2 diabetes in humans, suggesting a role of S. aureus and its superantigens in the progression to type 2 diabetes.
Traumatic brain injury-related attention deficits: Treatment outcomes with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse)

Abstract Background and objectives: Attention deficits are often among the most persistent and debilitating impairments resulting from traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study examined the effects of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse) in treating attention deficits due to moderate-to-severe TBI. It was the first study of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate with this population and, in fact, was the first controlled trial in this area examining a stimulant medication option other than methylphenidate. Methods: This was a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. A total of 22 rigorously selected cases were enrolled, 13 of whom completed the trial. They were 16–42 years of age and had newly acquired attention deficits persisting for 6–34 months post-injury. They were assessed on a broad range of neuropsychological and behavioural measures at baseline, 6-weeks and at 12-weeks. Results and conclusions: Positive treatment effects were found involving selective measures of sustained attention, working memory, response speed stability and endurance and in aspects of executive functioning. No major problems with safety or tolerability were observed. Some moderating treatment effects were found from a broad range of pre-treatment subject characteristics and injury variables examined. Avenues for further research and treatment applications in this area are discussed.
Separation of Performance-Approach and Performance-Avoidance Achievement Goals : A Broader Analysis.

In the literature on achievement goals, performance-approach goals (striving to do better than others) and performance-avoidance goals (striving to avoid doing worse than others) tend to exhibit a moderate to high correlation, raising questions about whether the 2 goals represent distinct constructs. In the current article, we sought to examine the separability of these 2 goals using a broad factor-analytic approach that attended to issues that have been overlooked or underexamined in prior research. Five studies provided strong evidence for the separation of these 2 goal constructs: Separation was observed not only with exploratory factor analysis across different age groups and countries (Studies 1a and 1b) but also with change analysis (Study 2), ipsative factor analysis (Study 3), within-person analysis (Study 4), and behavioral genetics analysis (Study 5). We conclude by discussing the implications of the present research for the achievement goal literature, as well as the psychological literature in general
Common and Differential Neural Mechanisms Supporting Imitation of Meaningful and Meaningless Actions

Neuropsychological studies indicate that, after brain damage, the ability to imitate meaningful or meaningless actions can be selectively impaired. However, the neural bases supporting the imitation of these two types of action are still poorly understood. Using PET, we investigated in 10 healthy individuals the neural mechanisms of imitating novel, meaningless actions and familiar, meaningful actions. Data were analyzed using SPM99. During imitation, a significant positive correlation (p < .05, corrected) of regional cerebral blood flow with the amount of meaningful actions was observed in the left inferior temporal gyrus only. In contrast, a significant positive correlation (p < .05, corrected) with the amount of meaningless movements was observed in the right parieto-occipital junction. The direct categorical comparison of imitating meaningful (100) relative to meaningless (100) actions showed differential increases in neural activity (p < .001, uncorrected) in the left inferior temporal gyrus, the left parahippocampal gyrus, and the left angular gyrus. The reverse categorical comparison of imitating meaningless (100) relative to meaningful (100) actions revealed differential increases in neural activity (p < .001, uncorrected) in the superior parietal cortex bilaterally, in the right parieto-occipital junction, in the right occipital-temporal junction (MT, V5), and in the left superior temporal gyrus. Increased neural activity common to imitation of meaningless and meaningful actions compared to action observation was observed in a network of areas known to be involved in imitation of actions including the primary sensorimotor cortex, the supplementary motor area, and the ventral premotor cortex. These results are compatible with the two-route model of action imitation which suggests that there are at least two mechanisms involved in imitation of actions: a direct mechanism transforming a novel action into a motor output, and a semantic mechanism, on the basis of stored memories, that allows reproductions of known actions. Our results indicate that, in addition to shared neural processes, the direct and the semantic mechanisms that underlie action imitation also draw upon differential neural mechanisms. The direct mechanism underlying imitation of meaningless actions differentially involves visuospatial transformation processes as evidenced by activation of areas belonging to the dorsal stream. In contrast, imitation of meaningful actions differentially involves semantic processing as evidenced by activation of areas belonging to the ventral stream.
Grammatical processing in language learners

The ability to process the linguistic input in real time is crucial for successfully acquiring a language, and yet little is known about how language learners comprehend or produce language in real time. Against this background, we have conducted a detailed study of grammatical processing in language learners using experimental psycholinguistic techniques and comparing different populations (mature native speakers, child first language [L1] and adult second language [L2] learners) as well as different domains of language (morphology and syntax). This article presents an overview of the results from this project and of other previous studies, with the aim of explaining how grammatical processing in language learners differs from that of mature native speakers. For child L1 processing, we will argue for a continuity hypothesis claiming that the child's parsing mechanism is basically the same as that of mature speakers and does not change over time. Instead, empirical differences between child and mature speaker's processing can be explained by other factors such as the child's limited working memory capacity and by less efficient lexical retrieval. In nonnative (adult L2) language processing, some striking differences to native speakers were observed in the domain of sentence processing. Adult learners are guided by lexical–semantic cues during parsing in the same way as native speakers, but less so by syntactic information. We suggest that the observed L1/L2 differences can be explained by assuming that the syntactic representations adult L2 learners compute during comprehension are shallower and less detailed than those of native speakers.
PaceGuard: improving running cadence by real-time auditory feedback

This paper presents PaceGuard, a mobile phone-based system which supports runners in keeping their cadence by auditory feedback. Experts have reported that maintaining the cadence is a prominent challenge for many running beginners and less experienced runners. However, this is important to make the exercise healthy and effort-saving, and to avoid discomfort like side stitches. PaceGuard automatically determines a suitable target cadence on the basis of the measured accelerometer data of the first 150 seconds of a run. Then this cadence as the guideline is constantly signaled to the runner via rhythmic pulse beats, defined as beats per minute. On the basis of previous studies [5], we assume runners will adapt their cadence to the presented pulse beats and thus will run more consistently compared to running without the auditory feedback of PaceGuard. Our pilot study results encourage this assumption.
Secure Degrees of Freedom of MIMO Rayleigh Block Fading Wiretap Channels With No CSI Anywhere

We consider the block Rayleigh fading multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wiretap channel with no prior channel state information (CSI) available at any of the terminals. The channel gains remain constant within a coherence interval of T symbols, and then change to another independent realization in the next coherence interval. The transmitter, the legitimate receiver, and the eavesdropper have nt, nr, and ne antennas, respectively. We determine the exact secure degrees of freedom (s.d.o.f.) of this system when T ≥ 2min(nt,nr). We show that, in this case, the s.d. o.f. is exactly equal to (min(nt,nr)-ne)+(T -min(nt,nr))/T. The first term in this expression can be interpreted as the eavesdropper with ne antennas taking away ne antennas from both the transmitter and the legitimate receiver. The second term can be interpreted as a fraction of the s.d. o.f. being lost due to the lack of CSI at the legitimate receiver. In particular, the fraction loss, min(nt,nr)/T, can be interpreted as the fraction of channel uses dedicated to training the legitimate receiver for it to learn its own CSI. We prove that this s.d. o.f. can be achieved by employing a constant norm channel input, which can be viewed as a generalization of discrete signalling to multiple dimensions.
Decomposition Rank of Subhomogeneous C*‐Algebras

We analyze the decomposition rank (a notion of covering dimension for nuclear C*‐algebras introduced by E. Kirchberg and the author) of subhomogeneous C*‐algebras. In particular, we show that a subhomogeneous C*‐algebra has decomposition rank n if and only if it is recursive subhomogeneous of topological dimension n, and that n is determined by the primitive ideal space.
Following Through on an Intention to Vote: Present Bias and Turnout

Abstract Many citizens express an intention to vote but then fail to follow through on their motivation. It is well known that impulsiveness contributes to unsound behaviors with adverse individual consequences like smoking, overeating, and undersaving. I apply these findings and theory to political participation and argue that present bias is also likely to limit collective behaviors. Those who desire to act are challenged by impulsiveness in following through on their motivation. In a nationally representative survey merged to administrative records, those with present bias are around ten points less likely to vote. Importantly, those with present bias are less likely to vote even after expressing pre-election intention to do so. Along with a formal decision-theoretic model of turnout with present bias, the results provide a new framework to reason about the choice to vote, an alternative interpretation of the over-report of turnout, and have implications for policy approaches to promote individual action in the public interest.