Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Applying the Verifiability Approach to insurance claims settings: Exploring the effect of the information protocol

Purpose Lie detection in insurance claim settings is difficult as liars can easily incorporate deceptive statements within descriptions of otherwise truthful events. We examined whether the Verifiability Approach (VA) could be used effectively in insurance settings. According to the VA, liars avoid disclosing details that they think can be easily checked, whereas truth tellers are forthcoming with verifiable details. Method The study experimentally manipulated notifying claimants about the interviewer's intention to check their statements for verifiable details (the ‘Information Protocol’). It was hypothesized that such an instruction would (1) encourage truth tellers to provide more verifiable details than liars and to report identifiable witnesses who had witnessed the event within their statements, and (2) would enhance the diagnostic accuracy of the VA. Participants reported 40 genuine and 40 fabricated insurance claim statements, in which half the liars and truth tellers were notified about the interviewer's intention to check their statements for verifiable details. Results Both hypotheses were supported. In terms of accuracy, notifying claimants about the interviewer's intention to check their statements for verifiable details increased accuracy rates from around chance level to around 80%. Conclusion The VA, including the information protocol, can be used in insurance settings.
Combination of flucloxacillin and gentamicin inhibits toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 production by Staphylococcus aureus in both logarithmic and stationary phases of growth

Production of exotoxins by staphylococci and streptococci may lead to the development of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Because clindamycin inhibits exotoxin production, its use has been advocated for the treatment of TSS. However, the bacteriostatic action of clindamycin might be a disadvantage for the treatment of overwhelming infections. We investigated the effects of flucloxacillin and gentamicin on exotoxin production, because incubation with these antibiotics combines bactericidal action with protein synthesis inhibition. Staphylococcus aureus during the logarithmic and stationary phases of growth was incubated with either clindamycin, flucloxacillin, or a combination of flucloxacillin and gentamicin at concentrations of 2 or 10 times the MIC. In logarithmic-phase cultures clindamycin had a static effect on bacterial growth. After incubation with flucloxacillin, either alone or in combination with gentamicin, a rapid and large reduction in the number of viable bacteria was demonstrated. In stationary-phase cultures none of the antibiotics significantly changed the number of viable bacteria. TSS toxin 1 (TSST-1) production during logarithmic-phase growth was inhibited by > or =95% by all antibiotics. In stationary-phase cultures, clindamycin, flucloxacillin, and the combination of flucloxacillin and gentamicin inhibited TSST-1 production by 95, 30, and 75%, respectively, compared with the level of exotoxin production in the controls. The present results indicate that clindamycin inhibits TSST-1 production and exerts bacteriostatic activity in both bacterial growth phases. Because the combination of flucloxacillin and gentamicin combines the inhibition of exotoxin production with high bactericidal activity at least in logarithmic-phase cultures, it should be considered an alternative to clindamycin for the treatment of exotoxin-mediated diseases, especially in patients with overwhelming infections.
The effect of silver nitrate, chloroformic garlic extract, and normal saline in induction of sclerosing cholangitis in rabbits.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of 0.5% silver nitrate, 20% chloroformic garlic extract, and 0.9% normal saline in induction of sclerosing cholangitis in the bile ducts of rabbits. METHODS During a-6-months period from April to September 2006 in Shiraz University Laboratory Animal Research Center, we selected 3 equal groups of rabbits. We injected 0.5% silver nitrate, 20% chloroformic garlic extract, and 0.9% normal saline into the bile ducts of each group. The animals were euthanized, and autopsied after 4 months and the liver and bile ducts were removed and studied histopathologically. Cholangiography was undertaken to evaluate the presence and extent of any sclerosing cholangitis. RESULTS Animals showed sclerosing cholangitis in silver nitrate group (7 [58%]), one (8%) in chloroformic garlic extract group and one (7%) in normal saline group. The difference between silver nitrate and chloroformic garlic extract groups were statistically significant and similar results were noticed between chloroformic garlic extract and normal saline groups. CONCLUSION Twenty percent of chloroformic garlic extract had fewer complications such as sclerosing cholangitis, compared to other materials.
Identity lost? The personal impact of brand journalism

Researchers have explored the role of organizational and personal branding in journalism, paying particular attention to digital media and social network sites. While these studies have observed a rise in the incorporation of branding practices among journalists, they have largely avoided questions about the implications such shifts in practice may have on the personal identities of journalists. This study addresses that gap, drawing on interviews with 41 reporters and editors from US newspapers. The findings suggest that as reporters incorporate branding into their routines, they may feel as though they are sacrificing the ability to simultaneously maintain a personal identity online. For their part, editors seem to sympathize with journalists’ loss of personal identity but defer to organizational policies.
Use of the Galleria mellonella Caterpillar as a Model Host To Study the Role of the Type III Secretion System in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenesis

ABSTRACT Nonvertebrate model hosts represent valuable tools for the study of host-pathogen interactions because they facilitate the identification of bacterial virulence factors and allow the discovery of novel components involved in host innate immune responses. In this report, we determined that the greater wax moth caterpillar Galleria mellonella is a convenient nonmammalian model host for study of the role of the type III secretion system (TTSS) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenesis. Based on the observation that a mutation in the TTSS pscD gene of P. aeruginosa strain PA14 resulted in a highly attenuated virulence phenotype in G. mellonella, we examined the roles of the four known effector proteins of P. aeruginosa (ExoS, ExoT, ExoU, and ExoY) in wax moth killing. We determined that in P. aeruginosa strain PA14, only ExoT and ExoU play a significant role in G. mellonella killing. Strain PA14 lacks the coding sequence for the ExoS effector protein and does not seem to express ExoY. Moreover, using ΔexoU ΔexoY, ΔexoT ΔexoY, and ΔexoT ΔexoU double mutants, we determined that individual translocation of either ExoT or ExoU is sufficient to obtain nearly wild-type levels of G. mellonella killing. On the other hand, data obtained with a ΔexoT ΔexoU ΔexoY triple mutant and a ΔpscD mutant suggested that additional, as-yet-unidentified P. aeruginosa components of type III secretion are involved in virulence in G. mellonella. A high level of correlation between the results obtained in the G. mellonella model and the results of cytopathology assays performed with a mammalian tissue culture system validated the use of G. mellonella for the study of the P. aeruginosa TTSS.
Investigating phenotypic heterogeneity in children with autism spectrum disorder: a factor mixture modeling approach.

BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by notable phenotypic heterogeneity, which is often viewed as an obstacle to the study of its etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. On the basis of empirical evidence, instead of three binary categories, the upcoming edition of the DSM 5 will use two dimensions - social communication deficits (SCD) and fixated interests and repetitive behaviors (FIRB) - for the ASD diagnostic criteria. Building on this proposed DSM 5 model, it would be useful to consider whether empirical data on the SCD and FIRB dimensions can be used within the novel methodological framework of Factor Mixture Modeling (FMM) to stratify children with ASD into more homogeneous subgroups. METHODS The study sample consisted of 391 newly diagnosed children (mean age 38.3 months; 330 males) with ASD. To derive subgroups, data from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised indexing SCD and FIRB were used in FMM; FMM allows the examination of continuous dimensions and latent classes (i.e., categories) using both factor analysis (FA) and latent class analysis (LCA) as part of a single analytic framework. RESULTS Competing LCA, FA, and FMM models were fit to the data. On the basis of a set of goodness-of-fit criteria, a 'two-factor/three-class' factor mixture model provided the overall best fit to the data. This model describes ASD using three subgroups/classes (Class 1: 34%, Class 2: 10%, Class 3: 56% of the sample) based on differential severity gradients on the SCD and FIRB symptom dimensions. In addition to having different symptom severity levels, children from these subgroups were diagnosed at different ages and were functioning at different adaptive, language, and cognitive levels. CONCLUSIONS Study findings suggest that the two symptom dimensions of SCD and FIRB proposed for the DSM 5 can be used in FMM to stratify children with ASD empirically into three relatively homogeneous subgroups.
Social Influence on Lifestyle Behaviors and High Blood Pressure in Black African American Adults

Author(s): Pierrie, Herb | Advisor(s): Froelicher, Erika S | Abstract: Purpose: To examine the relationship between BP and BP awareness; eating habits and exercise self-confidence; lifestyle behaviors; social capital; chronic disease management self-confidence, social support; depression; and antihypertensive medication adherence in Black African American adults.Significance: High blood pressure (HBP) is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease such as stroke, coronary heart disease, and end-stage renal disease; all are leading causes of death in the US. HBP has been attributed to higher rates of morbidity, comorbidities, and excess death rates in Black Americans of African descent. Little is known about the extent to which lifestyle behaviors and HBP are modified by the socioecological context of social capital (SC) (e.g. bonding, bridging, and linking). Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.Methods(/boldg: A convenience sample (n=208) was recruited from community settings in California. Inclusion criteria were: self-identify as Black African American, 18 years and older, born/raised in US, reads and/or speaks English, resident of California, no major cardiovascular event or currently on dialysis, and non-pregnant women. The data collection instrument consisted of 161 questions. Subjects' BP and body weight were also measured. Findings: Findings: Subjects diagnosed with HBP prior to the study had higher self-confidence in getting information from community resources and in managing chronic disease compared to subjects without a prior HBP diagnosis (p=0.01). Predictors of measured HBP included: education (OR=0.1; 95% CI 0.0, 0.8); income (OR=0.1, 95% CI 0.1, 0.9); age-income interaction (OR=5.9, 95% CI 1.3, 26.5); age-education interaction (OR=11.1, 95% CI 2.0, 60.7); and bonding SC (OR=2.3, 95% CI 1.1, 5.0) for subjects less than 60 years old. Predictors of measured HBP for subjects 60 years and older included: bonding SC (OR=0.3, 95% CI 1.1, 15.4); bridging SC (OR=0.5, 95% CI 0.3, 0.9); and linking SC (OR=0.3, 95% CI 0.1, 0.9). Conclusions: Subjects with normal BP were less confident in their ability to obtain information and manage chronic illness compared to subjects with HBP who were taking antihypertensive medication prior to the study. Results were mixed with regard to SC and BP elevation; as bonding SC increased in subjects less than 60 years old their measured BP levels also increased. In subjects 60 years and older, the results were reversed; as bonding, bridging, and linking SC increased their BP levels decreased as expected. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated bonding SC as the only predictor of HBP in subjects less than 60 years old.Implications: This study shows a need for further development of the SC concept as a methodological framework in nursing research and the need for further empirical investigation of SC as a predictor of physiological outcome measures such as HBP.
Interleukin-6 Deficiency Does Not Affect Motor Neuron Disease Caused by Superoxide Dismutase 1 Mutation

Background & Aim Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset, progressive, motor neuron degenerative disease. Recent evidence indicates that inflammation is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases including ALS. Previously, abnormal levels of inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were described in ALS patients and/or in mouse ALS models. In addition, one study showed that blocking IL-1β could slow down progression of ALS-like symptoms in mice. In this study, we examined a role for IL-6 in ALS, using an animal model for familial ALS. Methods Mice with mutant SOD1 (G93A) transgene, a model for familial ALS, were used in this study. The expression of the major inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α, in spinal cords of these SOD1 transgenic (TG) mice were assessed by real time PCR. Mice were then crossed with IL-6(-/-) mice to generate SOD1TG/IL-6(-/-) mice. SOD1 TG/IL-6(-/-) mice (n = 17) were compared with SOD1 TG/IL-6(+/-) mice (n = 18), SOD1 TG/IL-6(+/+) mice (n = 11), WT mice (n = 15), IL-6(+/-) mice (n = 5) and IL-6(-/-) mice (n = 8), with respect to neurological disease severity score, body weight and the survival. We also histologically compared the motor neuron loss in lumber spinal cords and the atrophy of hamstring muscles between these mouse groups. Results Levels of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α in spinal cords of SOD1 TG mice was increased compared to WT mice. However, SOD1 TG/IL-6(-/-) mice exhibited weight loss, deterioration in motor function and shortened lifespan (167.55 ± 11.52 days), similarly to SOD1 TG /IL-6(+/+) mice (164.31±12.16 days). Motor neuron numbers and IL-1β and TNF-α levels in spinal cords were not significantly different in SOD1 TG /IL-6(-/-) mice and SOD1 TG /IL-6 (+/+) mice. Conclusion These results provide compelling preclinical evidence indicating that IL-6 does not directly contribute to motor neuron disease caused by SOD1 mutations.
New Conceptual Associative Learning in Amnesia: A Case Study

Abstract We report two experiments in this article that were designed to investigate the role of retrieval constraints and interference in implicit learning of new verbal associations in a densely amnesic participant, C.V. , who had presumably sustained medial temporal lobe damage secondary to an anoxic episode. In Experiment 1, repeatedly studied novel sentences produced significant priming with Sentence+Fragment retrieval cues that provided maximal perceptual support as well as perceptual priming for the single-word targets. However, little learning was observed when no perceptual cues were provided for the target itself with the Sentence+? retrieval cues. In Experiment 2, the effects of intraexperimental interference were measured by examining new verbal learning under the Study-Only, Study-Immediate test, Test-Study training conditions. Unlike in the findings reported in prior studies, C.V. showed little learning with the Sentence+? retrieval cues even under the minimal interference, Study-Only, condition. Together, these results demonstrate that implicit access to novel verbal associations at a level more abstract than their perceptual configurations is not ubiquitously observed in dense amnesia even when the learning conditions are optimized. These results provide a window into the processes that mediate implicit learning of novel verbal associations when the explicit memory contribution is minimized.
The effects of familism on intended care arrangements in the process of preparing for future care among one-child parents in urban China

ABSTRACT Guided by Sörensen and Pinquart's model of preparation for future care, this study investigated the relationship between familism and intended care arrangements. Ordinal logistic regression was performed on a sample of 516 urban Chinese one-child parents aged 45–65 with an equal gender ratio to examine the associations between five care expectations, familism (filial obligation and child gender) and future care planning constructs (awareness, information gathering and avoidance). Awareness and information gathering were positively associated with service-focused care arrangements. Avoidant planners were more inclined to rely on adult children. Participants with a stronger filial obligation had greater expectations for ageing at home with the aid of a spouse, siblings or helper. Child gender was not significantly associated with intended care arrangements. The model of preparation for future care was useful when predicting service-focused care arrangements. Familism was a powerful predictor of family-focused care arrangements. Females were more likely to rely on children regardless of child gender but less likely to rely on spouses and siblings. The study enriches researchers' understanding of urban Chinese older adults' intended care arrangements in the context of fading familism and single-child families.
Effect of macrophage differentiation and exposure to mildly oxidized LDL on the proteolytic repertoire of THP-1 monocytes Published, JLR Papers in Press, June 21, 2004. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M400195-JLR200

Lipid-laden monocyte/macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques can produce a range of proteinases capable of degrading components of the plaque extracellular matrix, an event that may weaken plaques, rendering them vulnerable to rupture. The effects of differentiation from monocytes to macrophages and exposure to mildly oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) on the expression of a range of proteinases and their inhibitors were assessed in the human THP-1 cell line. Of 56 proteinases/inhibitors investigated, 17 were upregulated during macrophage differentiation, including several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cathepsins along with their native inhibitors. Similarly, expression of matrix-degrading proteinases was also increased during differentiation of human primary macrophages. In conjunction, the proteolytic capacity of the cells increased, as assessed by substrate zymography. Subsequent exposure of differentiated THP-1 cells to mildly Ox-LDL increased the expression of a control gene (adipocyte lipid binding protein) and increased the activity of nuclear factor-κB and activator protein-1 in serum-free conditions but did not significantly affect the expression of any of the proteinases or inhibitors investigated. These results indicate that in this model macrophage differentiation, rather than exposure to Ox-LDL, has a more important effect on the expression of genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling.
Characterization of pica prevalence among patients with sickle cell disease.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of pica and its characteristics among children with sickle cell disease. DESIGN Retrospective, observational study. SETTING An urban, ambulatory care, interdisciplinary center. PATIENTS The medical records of all 480 patients who visited the center from March 1, 1998, to June 30, 1999, were reviewed. Patients were excluded for history of stroke, long-term transfusions, pregnancy, acute illness, or age younger than 3 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Sex, age, weight, height, Tanner stage, complete blood cell count, sickle cell genotype, pica history, and levels of iron, zinc, lead, and fetal hemoglobin (Hb). RESULTS Of 395 study patients, 134 (33.9%) reported pica. Ingested items included paper, foam, and powders. There was a significantly higher prevalence of pica among patients homozygous for Hb S (Hb SS, sickle cell anemia) compared with the combined group of double heterozygous patients with Hb SC, Hb SD, and Hb Sbeta thallasemia (Sbeta(+)or Sbeta(0)) (35.6% vs 25.5%; P =.03). Within genotype, mean Hb levels were significantly lower and reticulocyte counts were significantly higher in the patients with pica. Overall, the mean age of patients with pica was significantly lower; however, the prevalence was 23.3% (27/116) among those aged 10.0 to 14.9 years and 14.8% (8/54) among those aged 15.0 to 19.0 years. Within age groups, patients with pica weighed significantly less. CONCLUSIONS Pica appeared to have an unusually high prevalence in patients with sickle cell disease and a correlation with lower Hb levels. It is unclear whether pica is a specific marker of disease severity, because our review did not show a relationship to increased number and duration of hospitalizations. The association between pica and low body weight suggests a nutritional effect on its prevalence.
Generation of Feeder-Free Pig Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells without Pou5f1

The pig represents an ideal large-animal model, intermediate between rodents and humans, for the preclinical assessment of emerging cell therapies. As no validated pig embryonic stem (pES) cell lines have been derived so far, pig induced pluripotent stem cells (piPSCs) should offer an alternative source of undifferentiated cells to advance regenerative medicine research from bench to clinical trial. We report here for the first time the derivation of piPSCs from adult fibroblast with only three transcription factors: Sox2 (sex determining region Y-box 2), Klf4 (Krüppel-like factor 4), and c-Myc (avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog). We have been able to demonstrate that exogenous Pou5f1 (POU domain class 5 transcription factor 1; abbreviated as Octamer-4: Oct4) is dispensable to achieve and maintain pluripotency in the generation of piPSCs. To the best of our knowledge, this is also the first report of somatic reprogramming in any species without the overexpression, either directly or indirectly, of Oct4. Moreover, we were able to generate piPSCs without the use of feeder cells, approaching thus xeno-free conditions. Our work paves the way for the derivation of clinical grade piPSCs for regenerative medicine.