Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Search and Discovery Strategies for Biotechnology: the Paradigm Shift

SUMMARY Profound changes are occurring in the strategies that biotechnology-based industries are deploying in the search for exploitable biology and to discover new products and develop new or improved processes. The advances that have been made in the past decade in areas such as combinatorial chemistry, combinatorial biosynthesis, metabolic pathway engineering, gene shuffling, and directed evolution of proteins have caused some companies to consider withdrawing from natural product screening. In this review we examine the paradigm shift from traditional biology to bioinformatics that is revolutionizing exploitable biology. We conclude that the reinvigorated means of detecting novel organisms, novel chemical structures, and novel biocatalytic activities will ensure that natural products will continue to be a primary resource for biotechnology. The paradigm shift has been driven by a convergence of complementary technologies, exemplified by DNA sequencing and amplification, genome sequencing and annotation, proteome analysis, and phenotypic inventorying, resulting in the establishment of huge databases that can be mined in order to generate useful knowledge such as the identity and characterization of organisms and the identity of biotechnology targets. Concurrently there have been major advances in understanding the extent of microbial diversity, how uncultured organisms might be grown, and how expression of the metabolic potential of microorganisms can be maximized. The integration of information from complementary databases presents a significant challenge. Such integration should facilitate answers to complex questions involving sequence, biochemical, physiological, taxonomic, and ecological information of the sort posed in exploitable biology. The paradigm shift which we discuss is not absolute in the sense that it will replace established microbiology; rather, it reinforces our view that innovative microbiology is essential for releasing the potential of microbial diversity for biotechnology penetration throughout industry. Various of these issues are considered with reference to deep-sea microbiology and biotechnology.
Evaluation of Renal Function in Pregnant Women with Malaria: A Case-Control Study in a Mesoendemic Area

Background. Malaria is known to have devastating effects on mortality in tropical and subtropical regions with the effect being magnified in people with weakened immunity such as those in pregnancy. We assessed the effect of malaria on renal function of pregnant women receiving antenatal care in a mesoendemic area of Ghana. Methodology. A case-control study that enrolled a total of 100 pregnant women (50 with confirmed gestational malaria as cases and 50 without malaria as controls). Sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history (obtained with a questionnaire), urea, creatinine, sodium, and potassium were analyzed using a chemistry automated analyzer. Results. Plasma urea and creatinine were significantly increased (P = 0.0003 and P < 0.0001, resp.) among cases compared to the controls. Also the levels of urea (P = 0.033), creatinine (P = 0.032), and parasitaemia (0.016) were significantly increased with increasing gestational age. Conclusion. Malaria has a significant impact on renal function (most importantly, urea and creatinine) and is also significantly associated with increasing gestational age among our study participants.
Impaired Effector Function of Hepatitis C Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection1

The cellular immune response contributes to clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and persists for decades after recovery from infection. The immunological basis for the inefficiency of the cellular immune response in chronically infected persons is not known. Here, we used four HLA-A2 tetramers, specific for two HCV core and two HCV NS3 epitopes, to investigate at the single-cell level effector function and phenotype of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells in 20 chronically infected and 12 long-term recovered patients. Overall, HCV-specific, tetramer+ T cells were more frequently found in PBMCs of chronically infected patients than in those of recovered patients. However, when compared with HCV-tetramer+ T cells of recovered patients, they displayed an impaired proliferative capacity. As a result of the impaired proliferative capacity, HCV-specific T cell lines derived from chronically infected patients displayed less peptide-specific cytotoxicity than those from recovered patients. In addition, proliferation and ex vivo IFN-γ production of HCV-tetramer+ cells, but not influenza-virus-specific T cells, were defective in chronically infected patients and could not be restored by in vitro stimulation with peptide and IL-2. At least three distinct phenotypes of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells were identified and associated with certain functional characteristics. In addition, impairment of proliferative, cytokine, and cytotoxic effector functions of tetramer+ T cells in viremic patients was associated with weak ex vivo HCV-specific CD4+ T cell responses. Thus, the defective functions of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells might contribute to viral persistence in chronically infected patients, and knowledge on their reversibility may facilitate the development of immunotherapeutic vaccines.
Evaluations of the Effects of Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Growth and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

We aimed to investigate the effects of exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (2 mT; 50 Hz) on the growth rate and antibiotic sensitivity of E. coli ATCC 25922 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853. The electromagnetic field treatment significantly influenced the growth rate of both strains when incubated in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of kanamycin (1 μg/mL) and amikacin (0.5 μg/mL), respectively. In particular, at 4, 6, and 8 h of incubation the number of cells was significantly decreased in bacteria exposed to electromagnetic field when compared with the control. Additionally, at 24 h of incubation, the percentage of cells increased (P. aeruginosa∼42%; E. coli∼5%) in treated groups with respect to control groups suggesting a progressive adaptive response. By contrast, no remarkable differences were found in the antibiotic susceptibility and on the growth rate of both bacteria comparing exposed groups with control groups.
Flexural properties and orthotropic swelling behavior of bagasse/thermoplastic composites

The flexural properties of commercial bagasse-filled polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) composites were determined as a function of strain rate at room temperature. The applied strain rates were 1.5 ×10-4, 3.75×10-4, 7.5×10-4, and 1.5×10-3 s-1. The flexural modulus tended to increase linearly for the two types of composites with the logarithm of strain rate. The bending strength of polypropylene composite also behaved in a similar manner, but the polyethylene composite exhibited different behavior in which the MOR values of polyethylene composite didn’t alter appreciably as a function of strain rate. The flexural response of a polypropylene-based composite was found to exhibit higher dependency on strain rate than a polyethylene-based composite. Water absorption of both composites followed the kinetics of a Fickian diffusion process. Water absorption and dimensional instability of PE-based composites were lower than those of PP-based composites. The highest swelling took place in the thickness of the samples, followed by the width and length, respectively.
Reliability and validity of depressive personality disorder.

OBJECTIVE Depressive personality disorder was introduced into DSM-IV's appendix amid controversy. While that disorder appears to be a reliable and valid one, the authors offer new data about its relationship to major depression, dysthymic disorder, and other personality disorders. METHOD The authors assessed 54 subjects with early-onset, long-standing mild depressive features for depressive personality disorder, axis I and axis II disorders, family history, and treatment history; they conducted follow-up interviews 1 year after the baseline assessment. Subjects with (N=30) and without (N=24) depressive personality disorder were characterized and compared in terms of those variables. RESULTS Although depressive personality disorder and dysthymia co-occurred in some subjects, 63% of subjects with depressive personality disorder did not have dysthymia, and 60% did not have current major depression. Although subjects with depressive personality disorder were more likely than the mood disorder comparison group to have another personality disorder, 40% had no such disorder. Contrary to study hypotheses, mood disorder was not more common in first-degree relatives of subjects with depressive personality disorder than in relatives of the comparison group. Subjects with and without depressive personality disorder had similar rates of past treatment with medication and psychotherapy; however, the duration of psychotherapy was significantly longer for subjects with than for those without depressive personality. The depressive personality diagnosis was relatively stable over the 1-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS Depressive personality disorder appears to be a relatively stable condition with incomplete overlap with axis I mood disorders and personality disorders. Further studies are needed to better characterize its treatment response and relationship to axis I mood disorders.
PAS kinase: A nutrient sensing regulator of glucose homeostasis

Per‐Arnt‐Sim (PAS) kinase (PASK, PASKIN, and PSK) is a member of the group of nutrient sensing protein kinases. These protein kinases sense the energy or nutrient status of the cell and regulate cellular metabolism appropriately. PAS kinase responds to glucose availability and regulates glucose homeostasis in yeast, mice, and man. Despite this pivotal role, the molecular mechanisms of PAS kinase regulation and function are largely unknown. This review focuses on what is known about PAS kinase, including its conservation from yeast to man, identified substrates, associated phenotypes and role in metabolic disease. © 2013 IUBMB Life, 65(11):921–929, 2013
Personality Traits and Personality Disorders in Late Middle and Old Age: Do They Remain Stable? A Literature Review

We reviewed the evidence regarding which personality traits and personality disorders remain stable into later middle and old age (age >60 years of age) and how expressions of (maladaptive) personality traits affect personality assessment among older adults. Our study was a literature review of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of the Five Factor Model (FFM) or DSM personality disorders in old age, using PsychInfo, Psychlit, and PubMed (period 1980–2012). Combinations of the following keywords were used: personality, development, stability, five factor personality model, big 5, (borderline) personality disorder(s), aging, older adults. Of the 22 relevant articles that were found, 17 longitudinal or cross-sectional studies of the FFM mainly supported the hypothesis that personality characteristics are susceptible to change over a person’s entire lifetime. Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Openness appear to diminish as a person ages, while, conversely, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness appear to increase with age. Two longitudinal studies and three cross-sectional studies of DSM-IV personality disorders suggested there are age-related changes in the ways in which maladaptive personality traits manifest themselves. The temporal instability of personality traits in old age, both adaptive and maladaptive, affects the validity of personality assessment of older adults, especially the face validity. We recommend personality assessment measures that include only age-neutral items. Informant contributions to the personality assessment could also be helpful in improving the reliability in epidemiological research.
Investigating Primary and Secondary Students’ Learning of Physics Concepts in Taiwan

The purpose of this 4‐year research study was to develop paper‐and‐pencil tests that could be administered to a wide range of students in order to establish a database about students’ physics conceptions from elementary school to high school levels in Taiwan. The students’ misconceptions of mechanics, electricity and magnetism, heat, sound and wave, and optics were diagnosed. In the beginning of this study, we extensively reviewed the research literature on related conceptions. With the use of concept maps and related propositional statements, we also interviewed some students to find out their conceptual understanding of the selected key concepts. These data provided sufficient information about students’ thoughts of several concepts. Through a process of developing two‐tier test items, nine versions of physics questionnaires were obtained. More than 13,000 students were randomly sampled in a national survey. After data analysis, the results indicated that students’ misconceptions in physics such as the image formed by lenses and mirrors and the torque and rotational motion were consistent with their ages. However, in some cases, such as the current in an electric circuit, students’ understandings of concepts did not improve with age.
Elementary Students' Strategies for Writing-to-Learn in Science

Previous research has shown that writing can contribute to learning, but few studies have examined the cognitive processes through which this occurs, particularly among elementary students. A total of 70 children in Grades 4, 6, and 8 carried out science experiments concerning buoyancy or the balance beam, stated their explanations of the phenomena, and then wrote journal-style notes while thinking aloud. Fifteen of the students constructed more complex explanations during writing. Four aspects of the data were analyzed: writing operations, transitional sequences among writing operations, text features, and strategies for generating content. An analysis of these data yielded 7 factors: Text Production, Searching From Experiment, Brainstorming, Elaborative Genre, Goal Setting, Searching From Text, and Reviewing Beliefs. In a logistic regression analysis, Brainstorming, Searching From Text, and Searching From Experiment contributed significantly to the likelihood of explanatory gains; Text Production contributed marginally. It was concluded that for elementary students, writing-to-learn depends on strategies that are diverse, local in scope, independent of one another, and moderate in sophistication. Instructional implications are discussed.
A comparative study on the effectiveness of two song‐teaching methods: holistic vs. phrase‐by‐phrase

The purpose of our study was to compare the effectiveness of two song‐teaching methods: holistic and phrase‐by‐phrase. Thirty‐two first‐grade children (n = 32) from two music classes in an urban elementary school were taught two folksongs. The first class (n = 16) was taught one song through the phrase‐by‐phrase method and another song through the holistic method. The second class (n = 16) was taught the same songs using the reverse teaching procedure. Following one week of teaching, each child was individually recorded performing both songs. Comparisons were made using an analysis of variance for differences between classes, songs and types of errors. Results indicated that while children sang the songs using the holistic method with fewer errors than with the phrase‐by‐phrase method, this difference was not significant. The most errors were pitch inaccuracies while fewest errors were rhythmic.
Rainfall erosivity over Rhodesia

The paper discusses the basis of the determination of the erosive potential of rainfall, termed 'erosivity'. Using bare soil as a standard, a measure linking kinetic energy and a maximum sustained intensity (EI3o) is found to be the most generally applicable erosivity parameter over large areas of Rhodesia. This is consistent with American findings. Data for 8ooo storms show that erosivity varies much more widely between years than mean annual rainfall and that on a yearly basis there is no relationship between the two. Of more significance to the erosion process is the finding that many stations, especially in the lower rainfall areas, have a higher proportion of erosive storms in the early rainy season when vegetation cover is poor. A relationship is established between long-term mean annual rainfall and erosivity and this relationship is used to construct a composite erosivity map of Rhodesia for the use of conservation planners and as an extension aid. EROSIVITY is the ability of rainfall to cause erosion.1 The amount of erosion caused by a certain storm is a function of the many factors at play at the air/soil interface. It is the purpose of this article to consider only those aspects of the rainfall that contribute to the erosion process and to describe the application of experimental plot results to obtain a composite erosivity map for Rhodesia. The mechanics of the rainfall erosion process is a subject little studied by geographers, yet it is fundamental to every study of soil erosion, be it erosion under natural conditions or erosion induced by man. Also, since the erosivity of rainfall varies over space and time, the subject is of especial interest to geographers. There is very little information on these variations outside of the United States and even there knowledge on the spatial and temporal distributions is meagre. Therefore, the basic principles behind erosivity parameters and their choice is discussed and a parameter is applied to an area of subtropical Africa, namely Rhodesia, where rainfall erosion is severe partly because of the intense nature of the rainfall.2 From theoretical considerations energy and momentum are parameters of rainfall that might be significant to erosion, for erosion is a work process involving the expenditure of energy in the breaking down and splashing of soil particles. However, it is not necessarily true that a simple kinetic energy parameter is the best predictor of erosion. The erosion process also involves overland flow which is more likely to be a function of intensity or total precipitation. Similarly,
Age of partner at first adolescent intercourse and adult sexual risk behavior among women.

BACKGROUND Adolescent females who have early sexual experiences with older male partners report high rates of sexual risk behavior during adolescence, but little is known about whether these early sexual experiences are associated with adult sexual risk behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether having first consensual sex with an older partner was associated with sexual risk behavior in adulthood. METHODS Participants were 292 women (66% African American, mean age = 26 years) attending a public sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic who reported having voluntary vaginal sex before age 18. Participants completed a computerized survey assessing child/adolescent sexual experiences and current adult sexual risk behavior. RESULTS Participants were, on average, 14.6 years at first vaginal intercourse; their partners were, on average, 17.5 years. After controlling for covariates, a greater partner age difference at first intercourse was associated with more episodes of unprotected sex with a steady partner and a greater proportion of episodes of unprotected sex with a steady partner in the past 3 months. CONCLUSIONS Having an older first sex partner during adolescence was associated with sexual risk behavior in adulthood. Early sexual experiences may be important life events that influence subsequent sexual behavior. Sexual health interventions need to target female adolescents before they initiate sexual intercourse to reduce risk for STDs and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
Randomisation and Derandomisation in Descriptive Complexity Theory

We study probabilistic complexity classes and questions of derandomisation from a logical point of view. For each logic L we introduce a new logic BPL, bounded error probabilistic L, which is defined from L in a similar way as the complexity class BPP, bounded error probabilistic polynomial time, is defined from P. Our main focus lies on questions of derandomisation, and we prove that there is a query which is definable in BPFO, the probabilistic version of first-order logic, but not in Cω∞ω 8? , finite variable infinitary logic with counting. This implies that many of the standard logics of finite model theory, like transitive closure logic and fixed-point logic, both with and without counting, cannot be derandomised. We prove similar results for ordered structures and structures with an addition relation, showing that certain uniform variants of AC0 (bounded-depth polynomial sized circuits) cannot be derandomised. These results are in contrast to the general belief that most standard complexity classes can be derandomised. Finally, we note that BPIFP+C, the probabilistic version of fixedpoint logic with counting, captures the complexity class BPP, even on unordered structures.
Sport Tourists' Loyalty: A Conceptual Model

This research promotes an innovative qualitative methodology, the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET), for sport and tourism research. ZMET has been applied mainly in marketing research (e.g., advertising) for major companies. This study adopts ZMET because of its sophisticated imaging techniques in eliciting both consumers' spoken and tacit thoughts and feelings (e.g., more valid, more reliable) in a way that traditional methods do not. Furthermore, the powerful data elicitation technology available through ZMET enhances not only the data collection process, but also the interpretation of that data and the study's trustworthiness (i.e., validity, reliability, and credibility). The study findings suggest a conceptual model that combines exchange theories with essential and necessary dispositional variables to explain sport tourists' loyalty development processes. The model contains four antecedents of loyalty with ‘exchange-relationships’ as the moderator and ‘trust’ as a precursor. The concept of social and resource exchanges reflecting the long-term nature of consumer consumption processes enables this model to capture the complex and dynamic relationships in the loyalty development processes. This model also rises to the marketing challenge of building long-term consumer relationships. Sport tourists' loyalty, therefore, might be strengthened or retained by maximizing trust and several or all of these antecedents through customer relationship building with social and resource exchanges.
Prolonged respiratory symptoms caused by thermal degradation products of freons.

OBJECTIVES The chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) used in refrigeration systems decompose on heating and produce substances that are highly irritating to the airways (eg, chlorine, carbonyl fluoride, and hydrogen fluoride). This study examined persistent respiratory symptoms among several workers exposed to thermal decomposition products of CFC. METHODS Seven patients with respiratory symptoms caused by inadvertent exposure to thermal decomposition products of CFC in a restaurant kitchen or during refrigerator repair were studied with the use of spirometry, peak flow follow-up, and histamine challenge tests. Three patients also underwent bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage. RESULTS In five of the cases, cough or dyspnea lasted longer than 1 month; for three of the five, the symptoms lasted more than 4 years. Three cases showed increased bronchial hyperreactivity, and two of the three had increased diurnal peak flow variation. Three patients fulfilled the criteria for acute irritant-induced asthma or reactive airway dysfunction syndrome. One case exhibited bronchiolitis while, for the other six, the clinical picture was consistent with bronchitis. CONCLUSIONS The studied cases indicate that the thermal decomposition products of CFC used in refrigerators may cause irritant-induced airway diseases of long duration.