Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic analysis of the contribution of IL10 to systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE To study the contribution of the IL10 gene to the susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS Analysis by fluorescent-semiautomated genotyping of a dinucleotide repeat located in the promoter region of the IL10 locus (microsatellite G). RESULTS No significant difference was found in the frequencies of the microsatellite alleles of 330 Mexican patients with SLE compared to 368 controls from the same population. Two-point linkage analyses were carried out using 13 Mexican, 13 Swedish, and 8 Icelandic families with 2 or more cases with SLE. No linkage was revealed between IL10 and SLE, using a variety of parameter settings. CONCLUSION Our results do not support that the IL10 gene contributes to the susceptibility to SLE in the populations we studied.
Influence of Combination Therapy on the Fluoroquinolone Mutant Prevention Concentration (MPC) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are difficult to treat as this organism displays a high level of intrinsic antibiotic resistance. Treatment with fluoroquinolone antibiotics leads to dramatic increases in the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), which may be associated with treatment failure. Achieving Mutant Prevention Concentration (MPC) for fluoroquinolones may kill single step resistant mutants, potentiating successful therapy. The fluoroquinolone MPC can theoretically be reduced if combined with a second antibiotic with good activity against P. aeruginosa. The MPC’s for three clinical isolates of P . aeruginosa were established for levofloxacin alone, or in the presence of tobramycin, ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam or azithromycin. The levofloxacin MPC for the strains ranged from 4-8 times their MIC. The levofloxacin MPC was successfully reduced for all three strains in the presence of tobramycin, ceftazidime, and piperacillin/tazobactam, with 2-8 fold decreases. As expected, azithromycin caused no reduction in the MPC, as it is not active against P. aeruginosa. These results indicate a decrease in the emergence of P. aeruginosa resistance to levofloxacin in the presence of a second antibiotic with activity against the organism, compared to the fluoroquinolone alone, and suggest that dual-drug therapies can limit the emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance in P. aeruginosa.
Security Issues in Online Social Networks

This article surveys the current state of security issues and available defense mechanisms regarding popular online social networks. It covers a wide variety of attacks and the corresponding defense mechanisms, if available. The authors organize these attacks into four categories - privacy breaches, viral marketing, network structural attacks, and malware attacks - and focus primarily on privacy concerns. They offer an in-depth discussion of each category and analyze the connections among the different security issues involved.
Processing of faces in a think/no-think paradigm using a recognition test with accuracy and response latency measures

This study aims at using facial material to see if the material can be remembered and intentionally forgotten through a think/no-think task in which participants are cued to think about some face pair combinations and not think about other face pairs combinations. To do this a think/no-think paradigm is used. An experiment has been conducted in which the participants learned pairs of faces (one male and one female). After this a think/no-think task followed in which only the first face (cue) of the pairs was shown and the subjects were either instructed to remember (think condition) the second face (target) or to suppress it (no-think condition). A third group of face pairs functioned as a baseline and did not appear in the think/no-think task. In the final phase of the experiment the target faces were presented in a recognition test in which half the faces were completely new faces and the other half were old target faces (think, no-think and baseline). The participants’ assignment was to differentiate between the old and the new faces. During the recognition test the response times for the correct answers of the old faces were also measured. The hypothesis of this study was that the subjects would be able to remember more of the think condition faces and less of the no-think condition faces compared to the baseline condition, and that the response times would be faster for the think condition and slower for the no-think condition compared to the baseline condition. No hypothesized effects were found in the accuracy and response times of the recognition test. Surprisingly an effect was found in the accuracy of the recognition test in which the baseline condition faces were better remembered than the think condition faces.
L'implication du consommateur et ses perspectives stratégiques

Cet article présente à des fins pédagogiques la connaissance relative au concept d'implication du consommateur. Le premier objectif de cet article est de mettre en exergue un certain nombre de problèmes posés par ce concept tant sur le plan de sa définition que de sa mesure. Le second objectif est de présenter les principales manifestations de l'implication relative au processus de décision du consommateur. L'article s'articule comme suit: (1) les définitions; l'objet, l'intensité et les composantes du concept; (2) les outils dont on dispose pour mesurer l'implication; (3) les manifestations observables du concept. Les principales conclusions et les implications stratégiques sont enfin exposées (4).
Changes in Motivation and Burnout Indices in High-Performance Coaches Over the Course of a Competitive Season

Being subject to a great range of demands is believed to increase burnout propensity in high-performance coaches. This study is the first to explore whether the 4-step self-determination theory process model is a valuable framework to better understand the process influencing burnout and well-being in high-performance coaches (N = 343, M = 40.33 years) throughout a competitive season. Findings indicated that coaches on average increased in burnout and decreased in well-being. Hypotheses were to a large extent supported: change in perceived environment → change in psychological need satisfaction → change in autonomous motivation → change in burnout and well-being.
A Springtime Journey to the Soviet Union: Postwar Planning and Policy Mobilities through the Iron Curtain

This article builds upon a relatively small but growing literature in geography, planning and cognate disciplines that seeks to understand the variegated geographies and histories of policy mobilities. The article uses a case study of an exchange trip between town planners in the Soviet Union and the UK between 1957 and 1958. It focuses on the experiences of the British planners in the Soviet Union and sets the tour within the wider context of a fluctuating and sometimes turbulent history of Anglo-Soviet politics, travels and connections. In doing this, the article makes three arguments: first, there is much to be gained by bringing together the geography-dominated policy mobilities literature with that on exchanges and visits by architects, engineers and planners. Secondly, the greater sensitivity to the histories of policy mobilities allows contemporary studies to be contextualized in the longer history of organized learning between different urban professions. Thirdly, despite the long history of policy mobilities, what differentiates the current era from previous eras is the prominent ‘knowledge intermediary’ roles now played by consultancies and think tanks. As the article will demonstrate, it was branches of government and professional bodies, rather than consultancies and think tanks, that tended to dominate such roles previously.
Monopoly Pricing and Diffusion of (Social) Network Goods

I present a model of dynamic pricing and diffusion of a network good sold by a monopolist. In the model, the network good is a subscription social network good. This means that in each period, each consumer has to pay a subscription price to use the good, and the utility derived from subscribing to the good increases as more of her neighboring consumers subscribe. Consumers myopically optimize their subscription decisions, and the monopolist chooses a sequence of subscription prices that maximizes his discounted sum of per-period profits. Three main results emerge. First, I characterize a unique steady state of the monopoly market. Second, I find that optimal sequences of subscription prices oscillate around the subscription price at the steady state. Third, I analyze how changes in the monopolist's discount factor and the density of the social network affect the subscription price, subscription rate, and deadweight loss at the steady state.
Survival of Gastric and Enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. in Water: Implications for Transmission

ABSTRACT Part of the reason for rejecting aquatic environments as possible vectors for the transmission of Helicobacter pylori has been the preference of this microorganism to inhabit the human stomach and hence use a direct oral-oral route for transmission. On the other hand, most enteric bacterial pathogens are well known for being able to use water as an environmental reservoir. In this work, we have exposed 13 strains of seven different Helicobacter spp. (both gastric and enterohepatic) to water and tracked their survival by standard plating methods and membrane integrity assessment. The influence of different plating media and temperatures and the presence of light on recovery was also assessed. There was good correlation between cultivability and membrane integrity results (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.916), confirming that the culture method could reliably estimate differences in survival among different Helicobacter spp. The species that survived the longest in water was H. pylori (>96 h in the dark at 25°C), whereas H. felis appeared to be the most sensitive to water (<6 h). A hierarchical cluster analysis demonstrated that there was no relationship between the enterohepatic nature of Helicobacter spp. and an increased time of survival in water. This work assesses for the first time the survival of multiple Helicobacter spp. , such has H. mustelae, H. muridarum, H. felis, H. canadensis, H. pullorum, and H. canis, in water under several conditions and concludes that the roles of water in transmission between hosts are likely to be similar for all these species, whether enterohepatic or not.
Effects of bilingualism on L3 vocabulary learning among Iranian EFL learners

It is well documented that everybody’s first language or mother tongue influences the way one learns his/her second language (Wade-Wolley, 1999; Liszka, 2004). However, the difference and comparison of this effect on third language learning motivated the researchers to investigate whether Arabic-Persian bilinguals(APBs) take advantage of their bilingualism in learning the third language (English) versus Persian monolinguals (PMs) or not. The study sample comprised of 100 male senior high school students who were randomly selected. 50 PM students were in one group and 50 APB students were in the other group. Firstly, a questionnaire through which mono/bilingualism and proficiency level in the language skills were asked was given to students. Then a list of English words was presented to the students and they were requested to write the meaning of words they knew. 50 words meaning of which none of the students in both groups knew were selected to be taught. For homogeneity purpose, Oxford Placement Test (OPT) was also used. After taking the pretest (based on 50 unknown words), students received the treatment (50 unknown words were taught). Finally, posttest was run and the performance of both groups onL3 general, recognition and production vocabulary was analyzed. Results of three T-tests revealed that APBs in general and in L3 production vocabulary learning outperformed their PMs. The results also showed that no significant difference was seen between APBs and PMs in L3 recognition vocabulary learning.
Genetic Compatibility Affects Queen and Worker Caste Determination

The development of queen and worker phenotypes in ants has been believed to be largely determined from environmental effects. We provide evidence that the production of discrete phenotypes is also influenced by genetic interaction effects. During the development of eggs into adults, some patrilines among offspring of multiply mated Pogonomyrmex rugosus ant queens became more common in workers while others became overrepresented in queens. Controlled crosses showed that these changes stem from some parental genome combinations being compatible for producing one phenotype but less compatible for the other. Genetic interaction effects on caste may be maintained over evolutionary time because the fitness of an allele depends on its genetic background.
The transcription factor bZIP14 regulates the TCA cycle in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Diatoms are amongst the most important marine microalgae in terms of biomass, but little is known concerning the molecular mechanisms that regulate their versatile metabolism. Here, the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum was studied at the metabolite and transcriptome level during nitrogen starvation and following imposition of three other stresses that impede growth. The coordinated upregulation of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle during the nitrogen stress response was the most striking observation. Through co‐expression analysis and DNA binding assays, the transcription factor bZIP14 was identified as a regulator of the TCA cycle, also beyond the nitrogen starvation response, namely in diurnal regulation. Accordingly, metabolic and transcriptional shifts were observed upon overexpression of bZIP14 in transformed P. tricornutum cells. Our data indicate that the TCA cycle is a tightly regulated and important hub for carbon reallocation in the diatom cell during nutrient starvation and that bZIP14 is a conserved regulator of this cycle.
International Curriculum Analysis and Measuring Educational Opportunities

Following the long tradition of attending to the importance of educational opportunity in the understanding of educational progress, 1995 TIMSS International Curriculum Analysis (ICA) was designed to capture country’s curriculum standards as intended curricula and their textbooks as potential implemented curricula. The vision of education opportunity was that of the IEA Tri-Partite Model of Curriculum. Since then, numerous articles and books have been published expanding on the knowledge gained from this study. This paper briefly reviews the ICA dataset and the subsequent advances made toward relating educational opportunity to educational gains.
Quantitative phenotypic analysis of multistress response in Zygosaccharomyces rouxii complex.

Zygosaccharomyces rouxii complex comprises three yeasts clusters sourced from sugar- and salt-rich environments: haploid Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, diploid Zygosaccharomyces sapae and allodiploid/aneuploid strains of uncertain taxonomic affiliations. These yeasts have been characterized with respect to gene copy number variation, karyotype variability and change in ploidy, but functional diversity in stress responses has not been explored yet. Here, we quantitatively analysed the stress response variation in seven strains of the Z. rouxii complex by modelling growth variables via model and model-free fitting methods. Based on the spline fit as most reliable modelling method, we resolved different interstrain responses to 15 environmental perturbations. Compared with Z. rouxii CBS 732(T) and Z. sapae strains ABT301(T) and ABT601, allodiploid strain ATCC 42981 and aneuploid strains CBS 4837 and CBS 4838 displayed higher multistress resistance and better performance in glycerol respiration even in the presence of copper. μ-based logarithmic phenotypic index highlighted that ABT601 is a slow-growing strain insensitive to stress, whereas ABT301(T) grows fast on rich medium and is sensitive to suboptimal conditions. Overall, the differences in stress response could imply different adaptation mechanisms to sugar- and salt-rich niches. The obtained phenotypic profiling contributes to provide quantitative insights for elucidating the adaptive mechanisms to stress in halo- and osmo-tolerant Zygosaccharomyces yeasts.
Antiulcer properties of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. extract on experimental models of gastric ulcer in mice

Glycyrrhiza glabra L. is used in folk medicine for treatment of stomach disorders including peptic ulcers. The hydroalcoholic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (HEGG) was evaluated for antiulcerogenic activity and acute toxicity profile in mice. Various doses of HEGG (50-200 mg/kg) were administered orally to animals of different groups. Omeprazole and cimetidine at doses of 30 and 100 mg/kg were used as positive controls, respectively. Stomach was opened along the greater curvature then ulceration index was determined examining the inner lining of stomach. Oral administration of the extract at 1600 mg/kg did not produce toxic symptoms and mortality in mice. 2950 mg/kg was determined as the oral LD50. The HEGG (50–200 mg/kg) showed a significant reduction in ulcer index in HCl/Ethanol-induced ulcer. G. glabra extract (50-150 mg/kg) showed antiulcer activity against indomethacin-induced gastric lesions dose dependently. The extract effectively inhibited formation of gastric lesions induced by ethanol. The extract (200 mg/kg) was more potent than omeprazole (30 mg/kg). HEGG reduced the ulcer index in hypothermic stress induced gastric ulcers in mice and the antiulcer effect was comparable to that of cimetidine. The results indicated that G. glabra hydroalcoholic extract exerted an antiulcergenic effect that could be associated with increase in gastric mucosal defensive factors.
Seek and You Shall Find? How Need for Orientation Moderates Knowledge Gain from Twitter Use

A Web-based survey (N = 306) examined if Twitter use enhances individuals' news knowledge, and if so, how such effects might vary depending on their need for orientation (NFO) and the type of news (hard vs. soft). The duration of Twitter use positively predicted hard news knowledge, but only for those higher in NFO. In contrast, daily Twitter use had negative influence on high NFOs' soft news knowledge, with no corresponding effect for lows. Although high NFOs were more likely to use Twitter for information-seeking than their less surveillance-driven counterparts, such motivation did not facilitate knowledge gain. Systematic processing of public affairs information and selective avoidance were discussed as potential explanations for differential knowledge gain by high and low NFOs.
Personal and situational influences on drink driving and sober driving among a cohort of young adults

Objectives: To compare personal and situational influences on incidents involving drink driving with those involving sober driving. Methods: Information on a range of road safety practices was sought in face to face interviews conducted with 969 members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study cohort at age 26 years. A total of 750 study members reported an incident that involved the opportunity to consume alcohol and also travel by motor vehicle. Of these, 87 were classified as “drink drive incidents” and 663 as “sober drive incidents”. Results: Study members who were male, of lower socioeconomic status, had no school qualifications, or were dependent on alcohol or marijuana at age 21 were significantly more likely to report a drink drive incident at age 26. Compared with the sober drive incidents, the drink drive incidents were more commonly associated with driving alone, drinking at bars, and no advanced planning. For drink drive incidents the amount of alcohol consumed was influenced by the conviviality of the occasion, whereas for sober drive incidents it was the need to drive. One quarter of those reporting drink drive incidents stated they had used marijuana and/or LSD at the event at which they drank. Conclusions: Drink drive and sober drive incidents differed, particularly with regard to decisions made before the event. Prevention efforts could usefully be targeted toward these decisions.
Post‐Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Single‐Center Experience in Japan

Post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder is a serious complication of solid organ transplantation; however, few large studies have been performed in Asian institutions. We review our single‐center experience with post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder patients in Japan. We retrospectively evaluated patients with post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder following kidney transplantation between January 1985 and December 2013. The patients were divided into early‐onset post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (<1 year) and late‐onset post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (≥1 year) groups. Thirteen patients had the disorder, an incidence rate of 0.75% (13/1730). Early‐onset post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (N = 3) had not occurred for the last two decades. In the late‐onset group (N = 10), the median time of onset was 108.7 months. The Kaplan–Meier 10‐year overall survival rates were 76.9% and 95.4% in patients with and without the disorder, respectively (P = 0.0001). Post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder significantly affected transplant recipients' mortality. Late‐onset occurred even > 10 years after transplantation; therefore, long‐term monitoring of patients is needed.
Considering Both Sides: The Limits of Perspective Taking

Two studies explored the role of liking and fairness motivation in participants' ability to see both sides of a conflict. Undergraduates' open-ended responses to interpersonal conflict scenarios were coded for the degree to which participants considered the perspective of each party to the conflict. Discrepancies in liking for the parties produced less evenhanded perspective taking. When preferences existed, instructions to be fair and unbiased minimized consideration of both sides; respondents did not correct for partisanship, but instead bolstered their preferred perspective. Nonpartisans and overloaded respondents were most evenhanded. The studies demonstrate the powerful and automatic effect of liking on perspective taking and the limitations of fairness motivation in eliminating preference-based responses to a conflict.
Age, Gender and Social Class in ELT Coursebooks: A Critical Study.

Ingiliz Dili Egitimi (IDE) arastirmalarindaki guncel calismalar ogretim malzemelerinin ve tum egitim- ogretim pratiklerinin kulturel, toplumsal ve psikolojik ozellik ve etkilerinin farkli bakis acilarindan incelenmesini de gerektirmektedir (Kramsch 2000). Yas, toplumsal sinif ve cinsiyet gibi kavramlarin ders kitaplarinda kavramsal ve imgesel olarak nasil gosterildigi ve bu gosterimlerin ogrencilerin algilama ve dunya goruslerindeki etkileri hemen butun egitim dallarinda calisilmistir. Bu elestirel arastirmada da IDE ders kitaplarinda kullanilmakta olan gorsel imgeler yas, toplumsal sinif ve cinsiyet acilarindan kulturel ve toplumsal anlamlariyla incelenmistir. Ders kitaplari incelemelerinde siklikla basvurulan Cunningsworth’un (1995) yas, toplumsal sinif ve cinsiyeti arastirirken kullandigi bakis acisindan yararlanilmistir. Calismada gorsel malzemelerde gorulen bireylerin yas, toplumsal sinif ve cinsiyetlerini toplumsal adaletsizlik ve esitsizlikleri de gostermek hedeflenmistir. Elde edilen bulgularda da toplumsal carpitmalar ve dengesizlikler ders kitaplarindaki gorsel materyallerde nicelik ve nitelik olarak gorulmustur