Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are There Any Different Effects of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Streptococcus on Intestinal Sensation, Barrier Function and Intestinal Immunity in PI-IBS Mouse Model?

Background and Aims Research has increasingly suggested that gut flora plays an important role in the development of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). Studies of the curative effect of probiotics for IBS have usually been positive but not always. However, the differences of treatment effects and mechanisms among probiotic stains, or mixture of them, are not clear. In this study, we compared the effects of different probiotics (Befidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus or mixture of the three) on intestinal sensation, barrier function and intestinal immunity in PI-IBS mouse model. Methods PI-IBS model was induced by Trichinella spiralis infection in mice. Different probiotics were administered to mice after 8 weeks infection. Visceral sensitivity was measured by scores of abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) and the threshold intensity of colorectal distention. Colonic smooth muscle contractile response was assessed by contraction of the longitudinal muscle strips. Plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and d-lactate were determined by an enzymatic spectrophotometry. Expression of tight junction proteins and cytokines in ileum were measured by Western blotting. Results Compared to control mice, PI-IBS mice treated either alone with Befidobacterium or Lactobacillus (but not Streptococcus), or the mixture of the three exhibited not only decreased AWR score and contractile response, but also reduced plasma DAO and D-lactate. These probiotic treatments also suppressed the expression of proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 and IL-17 and promoted the expression of major tight junction proteins claudin-1 and occludin. The mixture of the three probiotic strains performed better than the individual in up-regulating these tight junction proteins and suppressing IL-17 expression. Conclusions Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, but not Streptococcus, alleviated visceral hypersensitivity and recovered intestinal barrier function as well as inflammation in PI-IBS mouse model, which correlated with an increase of major tight junction proteins. In addition, Mixture of three species was indicated to be superior to a single one.
Accretion disc-stellar magnetosphere interaction: field line inflation and the effect on the spin-down torque

We calculate the structure of a force-free magnetosphere which is assumed to corotate with a central star and which interacts with an embedded differentially rotating accretion disc. The magnetic and rotation axes are aligned, and the stellar field is assumed to be a dipole. We concentrate on the case when the amount of field line twisting through the disc–magnetosphere interaction is large, and consider different outer boundary conditions. In general the field line twisting produces field line inflation (e.g. Bardou & Heyvaerts), and in some cases with large twisting many field lines can become open. We calculate the spin-down torque acting between the star and the disc, and we find that it decreases significantly for cases with large field line twisting. This suggests that the oscillating torques observed for some accreting neutron stars could be caused by the magnetosphere varying between states with low and high field line inflation. Calculations of the spin evolution of T Tauri stars may also have to be revised in the light of the significant effect that field line twisting has on the magnetic torque resulting from star–disc interactions.
Leaders’ and followers’ information-processing styles, constructive thinking and their relationship to implicit followership and leadership theories and leader-member exchange

Leadership theory and research has traditionally focused on leaders at the expense of followers. However, followers are highly active in the leadership process. Adopting a relationship based conceptualisation of leadership, four studies are presented that assess elements of a holistic leadership model incorporating Cognitive-Experiential Self Theory (CEST), Implicit Leadership Theory, Implicit Followership Theory, and Leader-Member Exchange (LMX). Using data from 352 followers, study one found that followers develop implicit ideal leadership theories (IILTs) that are congruent with their information processing style and constructive thinking as defined in CEST. Using data from 133 leaders, study two found that leaders develop implicit ideal followership theories (IIFTs) that are congruent with their information processing style and constructive thinking. Studies three and four are multi-level research designs, which assess whether leaders’ and followers’ information processing style and constructive thinking relate to followers’ and leaders’ LMX respectively. They also assess whether leaders’ IIFTs and followers’ IILTs moderate these relationships. Based on data from 106 followers and 26 direct-line managers, study three found that leaders’ information processing style and constructive thinking predict followers’ LMX ratings and that these relationships are moderated by followers’ IILTs. Using data from 77 followers and 18 direct-line managers, study four demonstrates that followers’ information processing style and constructive thinking predict followers’ LMX ratings and that these relationships are moderated by followers’ IILTs. Using data from 77 followers and 18 direct-line managers, study four demonstrates that followers’ information processing style and constructive thinking relates to leaders’ LMX ratings. However, the evidence that these relationships are moderated by leaders’ IIFTs is not as strong as study three. This is likely due to a low sample size. Generally, the proposed model is supported. The findings have important implications for leadership theory and practice including training/development, employee selection and team composition decisions. These are discussed in the relevant sections of the dissertation.
Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm Hybridized with Firefly Algorithm for Cardinality Constrained Mean-Variance Portfolio Selection Problem

Portfolio selection (optimization) problem is a very important and widely rese arched problem in the areas of finance and economy. Literature review shows that many methods and heuristics were applied to this hard optimization problem, however, there are only few implementations of swarm intelligence metaheuristics. This paper presents artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm applied to the cardinality constrained mean-variance (CCMV) portfolio optimization model. By analyzing ABC metaheuristic, some deficiencies such as slow convergence to the optimal region, were noticed. In this paper ABC algorithm improved by hybridization with the firefly algorithm (FA) is presented. FA's search procedure was incorporate d into the ABC algorithm to enhance the process of exploitation. We tested our proposed algorithm on standard test data used in the literature. Comparison with other state-of-the-art optimization metaheuristics including genetic algorithms, simulated annealing, tabu searc h and particle swarm optimization (PSO) shows that our approach is superior considering quality of the portfolio optimization results , especially mean Euclidean distance from the standard efficiency frontier.
Returning to Presence: The Effects of Mindfulness on Emotion Regulation Following Worry among Individuals with Analogue Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Ways to reduce the impact of worry in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have received little experimental research attention. Previous research has found that those with GAD are vulnerable to negative emotionality immediately following periods of worry; emotion regulation strategies could be useful to mitigate reactivity following worry. One promising strategy is mindfulness, defined as sustained attention toward the present moment with an attitude of curiosity and acceptance. Experimental research has found that mindfulness reduces negative affect and improves emotion regulation. This strategy is likely more effective than thought suppression, a common strategy used in GAD. This online study recruited 300 individuals with analogue GAD who completed several selfreport measures of worry severity, emotion dysregulation, mindfulness, and experiential avoidance and underwent experimental inductions of worry (versus no-worry control) and regulation strategy (mindfulness versus thought suppression versus no-strategy control) before watching a sad film clip and reporting state affect and emotion dysregulation. Contrary to hypotheses, the mindfulness manipulation did not have a buffering effect on the relation between worry and negative affect or emotion dysregulation. The only predicted significant finding indicated that the mindfulness manipulation had a main effect on negative affect, with visual trends indicating that this effect was driven by those who did not worry. An exploratory analysis indicated that a mindfulness manipulation increased positive affect following worry, however. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed. INDEX WORDS: Worry, Emotion regulation, Mindfulness, Generalized anxiety disorder RETURNING TO PRESENCE: THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS ON EMOTION REGULATION FOLLOWING WORRY AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH ANALOGUE GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER
Type Sensitive Application of Mutation Operators for Dynamically Typed Programs

It is commonly accepted that strong typing is useful for revealing programmer errors and so the use of dynamically typed languages increases the importance of software testing. Mutation analysis is a demanding software testing criterion. Although mutation analysis has been applied to procedural languages, and object oriented languages, little work has been done on the mutation analysis of programs written in dynamically typed languages. Mutation analysis depends on the substitution and modification of program elements. In a strongly typed language, the declared type of the mutated element, a variable or operator, can be used to avoid generating type-incorrect substitutions or modifications. Ina dynamically typed language, this type information is not available and so a much greater range of mutations are potentially applicable but many of the resulting mutants are likely to be incompetent (too easily killed). This paper describes a mutation analysis method in which the definition of mutants is performed at run-time when type information is available. The type information can be used to avoid generating incompetent mutants.
Cerebroprotective Effect of Moringa oleifera against Focal Ischemic Stroke Induced by Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

The protection against ischemic stroke is still required due to the limitation of therapeutic efficacy. Based on the role of oxidative stress in stroke pathophysiology, we determined whether Moringa oleifera, a plant possessing potent antioxidant activity, protected against brain damage and oxidative stress in animal model of focal stroke. M. oleifera leaves extract at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg·kg−1 was orally given to male Wistar rats (300–350 g) once daily at a period of 2 weeks before the occlusion of right middle cerebral artery (Rt.MCAO) and 3 weeks after Rt.MCAO. The determinations of neurological score and temperature sensation were performed every 7 days throughout the study period, while the determinations of brain infarction volume, MDA level, and the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px were performed 24 hr after Rt.MCAO. The results showed that all doses of extract decreased infarction volume in both cortex and subcortex. The protective effect of medium and low doses of extract in all areas occurred mainly via the decreased oxidative stress. The protective effect of the high dose extract in striatum and hippocampus occurred via the same mechanism, whereas other mechanisms might play a crucial role in cortex. The detailed mechanism required further exploration.
Development of the Preterm Gut Microbiome in Twins at Risk of Necrotising Enterocolitis and Sepsis

The preterm gut microbiome is a complex dynamic community influenced by genetic and environmental factors and is implicated in the pathogenesis of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and sepsis. We aimed to explore the longitudinal development of the gut microbiome in preterm twins to determine how shared environmental and genetic factors may influence temporal changes and compared this to the expressed breast milk (EBM) microbiome. Stool samples (n = 173) from 27 infants (12 twin pairs and 1 triplet set) and EBM (n = 18) from 4 mothers were collected longitudinally. All samples underwent PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) analysis and a selected subset underwent 454 pyrosequencing. Stool and EBM shared a core microbiome dominated by Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcaceae, and Staphylococcaceae. The gut microbiome showed greater similarity between siblings compared to unrelated individuals. Pyrosequencing revealed a reduction in diversity and increasing dominance of Escherichia sp. preceding NEC that was not observed in the healthy twin. Antibiotic treatment had a substantial effect on the gut microbiome, reducing Escherichia sp. and increasing other Enterobacteriaceae. This study demonstrates related preterm twins share similar gut microbiome development, even within the complex environment of neonatal intensive care. This is likely a result of shared genetic and immunomodulatory factors as well as exposure to the same maternal microbiome during birth, skin contact and exposure to EBM. Environmental factors including antibiotic exposure and feeding are additional significant determinants of community structure, regardless of host genetics.
THE REVOLUTION WITHIN: ICT AND THE SHIFTING KNOWLEDGE BASE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST COMPANIES

This empirical article analyses the importance of information and communications technologies (ICT) in the technological diversification trend among the world's largest manufacturing firms during the 1980s and 1990s. The objective of the research is twofold: first, to emphasise the emerging differences among technologies when companies from different industries patent outside their traditional technological capabilities; secondly, to investigate whether the tendency among large companies from all industries to patent in ICT is distinctive when compared with the tendency to patent in other technologies. We find that technological diversification in large companies has clearly occurred in ICTs. Non-ICT specialist industries increasingly develop, rather than just utilise, the cluster of ICT-related technologies. We conclude that the development of corporate capabilities in the key technologies of the emerging ICT paradigm is more widespread than previously emphasised in the literature. One implication of this observation is that technological diversification and the information revolution may be related phenomena.
Development of a pneumatic robot for MRI-guided transperineal prostate biopsy and brachytherapy: New approaches

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) guided prostate biopsy and brachytherapy has been introduced in order to enhance the cancer detection and treatment. For the accurate needle positioning, a number of robotic assistants have been developed. However, problems exist due to the strong magnetic field and limited workspace. Pneumatically actuated robots have shown the minimum distraction in the environment but the confined workspace limits optimal robot design and thus controllability is often poor. To overcome the problem, a simple external damping mechanism using timing belts was sought and a 1-DOF mechanism test result indicated sufficient positioning accuracy. Based on the damping mechanism and modular system design approach, a new workspace-optimized 4-DOF parallel robot was developed for the MRI-guided prostate biopsy and brachytherapy. A preliminary evaluation of the robot was conducted using previously developed pneumatic controller and satisfying results were obtained.
A uniqueness result for the continuity equation in two dimensions

We characterize the autonomous, divergence-free vector elds b on the plane such that the Cauchy problem for the continuity equation @tu + div (bu) = 0 admits a unique bounded solution (in the weak sense) for every bounded initial datum; the characterization is given in terms of a property of Sard type for the potential f associated to b. As a corollary we obtain uniqueness under the assumption that the curl of b is a measure. This result can be extended to certain non-autonomous vector elds b with bounded divergence.
Multiple Repeats of a Promoter Segment Causes Transcription Factor Autoregulation in Red Apples[W]

Mutations in the genes encoding for either the biosynthetic or transcriptional regulation of the anthocyanin pathway have been linked to color phenotypes. Generally, this is a loss of function resulting in a reduction or a change in the distribution of anthocyanin. Here, we describe a rearrangement in the upstream regulatory region of the gene encoding an apple (Malus × domestica) anthocyanin-regulating transcription factor, MYB10. We show that this modification is responsible for increasing the level of anthocyanin throughout the plant to produce a striking phenotype that includes red foliage and red fruit flesh. This rearrangement is a series of multiple repeats, forming a minisatellite-like structure that comprises five direct tandem repeats of a 23-bp sequence. This MYB10 rearrangement is present in all the red foliage apple varieties and species tested but in none of the white fleshed varieties. Transient assays demonstrated that the 23-bp sequence motif is a target of the MYB10 protein itself, and the number of repeat units correlates with an increase in transactivation by MYB10 protein. We show that the repeat motif is capable of binding MYB10 protein in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Taken together, these results indicate that an allelic rearrangement in the promoter of MYB10 has generated an autoregulatory locus, and this autoregulation is sufficient to account for the increase in MYB10 transcript levels and subsequent ectopic accumulation of anthocyanins throughout the plant.
Hybrid DWT-SVD video watermarking

Video watermarking is a relatively new technology that has been proposed to solve the problem of illegal manipulation and distribution of digital video. By virtue of this technology, copyright information is embedded in the video data to provide ownership verification. In this paper, we propose an effective, robust, and imperceptible video watermarking algorithm. The effectiveness of algorithm is brought by virtue of applying a cascade of two powerful mathematical transforms; the discrete wavelets transform (DWT) and the singular value decomposition (SVD). Reported experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Differential Localization of Carbohydrate Epitopes in Plant Cell Walls in the Presence and Absence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Two monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) generated against rhamnogalacturonan I and characterized as specific for a terminal [alpha]-(1->2)-linked fucosyl-containing epitope (CCRC-M1) and for an arabinosylated [beta]-(1,6)-galactan epitope (CCRC-M7) were used in immunogold experiments to determine the distribution of the epitopes in four plants. Allium porrum, Zea mays, Trifolium repens, and Nicotiana tabacum plants were chosen as representatives of monocots and dicots with different wall structures. Analyses were performed on root tissues in the presence and absence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. A differential localization of the two cell wall epitopes was found between tissues and between species: for example, in leek, CCRC-M1 labeled epidermal and hypodermal cells, whereas CCRC-M7 labeled cortical cells only. Clover walls were labeled by both McAbs, whereas maize and tobacco were only labeled by CCRC-M7. In the presence of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, labeling was additionally found in an apoplastic compartment typical of the symbiosis (the interface) occurring around the intracellular hyphae. Epitopes binding both McAbs were found in the interfacial material, and their distribution mirrored the pattern found in the host cell wall. These findings demonstrate that the composition of the interface zone in a fungus-plant symbiosis reflects the composition of the wall of the host cell.
Familial Abuse of South Asian Immigrant Women: Analysis of the Narratives of Victims

This qualitative study examines the familial violence experiences of South Asian immigrant women in Toronto. An important focus of the investigation was the contribution of honour ideology toward these experiences. Ten South Asian women who had immigrated to Canada participated in the study. Eight of them had immigrated after getting married to Canadian men of South Asian ethnicity and two had sponsored their South Asian husbands after they had themselves immigrated to Canada. Unstructured interviews were conducted with the women. These interviews were analysed using the grounded theory method of qualitative research developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967). Following Rennie’s (2000) exposition, grounded theory method was applied as an inductive approach to methodical hermeneutics. The analysis produced three main themes representing immigrant women’s experiences of familial violence: (1) Lost in the Desert, (2) Navigating through the Desert, and (3) Complexities of Honour. The participants’ initial experiences of immigrating to Canada and starting their lives anew were akin to getting lost in the desert. They had very few if any resources to aid them in this new phase of their lives. Gradually, however, they started adjusting to the new realities and actively sought out resource and support to manage their situations. Honour ideology was important baggage that directed the women through their ordeals. I concluded that the role of honour ideology in the life of South Asian immigrant wives is multifaceted and has positive as well as negative dimensions. While honour scripts resigned women to their abusive marriages and burdened them as guardians of family honour, they also offered them personal strength, social support and safeguards against abuse. These findings are discussed in relation to the extant psychological, anthropological, and sociological literature. The need to broaden the current narrow understanding of honour, as primarily vested in female
Toward Discovering New Anti-Cancer Agents Targeting Topoisomerase IIα: A Facile Screening Strategy Adaptable to High Throughput Platform

Topoisomerases are a family of vital enzymes capable of resolving topological problems in DNA during various genetic processes. Topoisomerase poisons, blocking reunion of cleaved DNA strands and stabilizing enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage complex, are clinically important antineoplastic and anti-microbial agents. However, the rapid rise of drug resistance that impedes the therapeutic efficacy of these life-saving drugs makes the discovering of new lead compounds ever more urgent. We report here a facile high throughput screening system for agents targeting human topoisomerase IIα (Top2α). The assay is based on the measurement of fluorescence anisotropy of a 29 bp fluorophore-labeled oligonucleotide duplex. Since drug-stabilized Top2α-bound DNA has a higher anisotropy compared with free DNA, this assay can work if one can use a dissociating agent to specifically disrupt the enzyme/DNA binary complexes but not the drug-stabilized ternary complexes. Here we demonstrate that NaClO4, a chaotropic agent, serves a critical role in our screening method to differentiate the drug-stabilized enzyme/DNA complexes from those that are not. With this strategy we screened a chemical library of 100,000 compounds and obtained 54 positive hits. We characterized three of them on this list and demonstrated their effects on the Top2α–mediated reactions. Our results suggest that this new screening strategy can be useful in discovering additional candidates of anti-cancer agents.