Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Violence Exposure on Health Outcomes Among Young Urban Adolescents

Background: Although youth are exposed to many forms of violence, most studies have been concentrated on only one type of violence exposure and focused on older adolescents or very young children. Little is known about direct and indirect effects of violent stressors on the health of African American adolescents in urban middle schools or the cumulative effect of multiple forms of exposures. Objective: To test theoretically derived relationships between the types and levels of violence exposure and experiences; coping; and physical, behavioral, and mental health outcomes. Methods: A structural equation modeling approach was used in this cross-sectional predictive correlational model testing design. Youth's experiences with exposure to and witnessing of violence were examined on three levels-community, family, and peer-in relation to physical, behavioral, and mental health outcomes. The sample (n = 309) consisted almost entirely of African American seventh graders from four urban middle schools. Forty-two percent of students were boys. More than 80% said that they had been in a boyfriend or girlfriend relationship, and 55% were currently in such a relationship. Results: Eight of the 15 paths tested in the hypothesized model were found to be statistically significant, indicating an average fit (χ2 = 133.06, df = 40, ratio of 3.3, p <.001, root mean square error of association =.087, normed-fit index =.89, comparative-fit index =.92, goodness-of-fit index =.93). Removing nonsignificant paths statistically improved model fit, resulting in an adequate fit (χ2 = 146.78, df = 47, χ2 / df = 3.1, p <.001, root mean square error of association =.083, normed-fit index = .88, comparative-fit index =.91, goodness-of-fit index =.93). Although coping did not demonstrate a mediating effect on health outcomes, it had a direct effect on physical and mental health. Discussion: The findings partially support the hypothesized model. Violence at home, personal violence, and coping had significant direct effects on health outcomes. Community violence did not have a significant effect, and coping was not an intermediary variable in this sample.
Co-existence of Distinct Prion Types Enables Conformational Evolution of Human PrPSc by Competitive Selection*

Background: Mechanism of prion adaptation and evolution has not been fully elucidated. Results: Distinct human prion particles co-exist and undergo competitive selection during replication. Conclusion: The process is governed by preferential replication of the least stable pathogenic conformers. Significance: The spectrum of conformers in wild human prion isolates enables adaptation and evolution by selection of the progressively less stable and faster replicating subset. The unique phenotypic characteristics of mammalian prions are thought to be encoded in the conformation of pathogenic prion proteins (PrPSc). The molecular mechanism responsible for the adaptation, mutation, and evolution of prions observed in cloned cells and upon crossing the species barrier remains unsolved. Using biophysical techniques and conformation-dependent immunoassays in tandem, we isolated two distinct populations of PrPSc particles with different conformational stabilities and aggregate sizes, which frequently co-exist in the most common human prion disease, sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The protein misfolding cyclic amplification replicates each of the PrPSc particle types independently and leads to the competitive selection of those with lower initial conformational stability. In serial propagation with a nonglycosylated mutant PrPC substrate, the dominant PrPSc conformers are subject to further evolution by natural selection of the subpopulation with the highest replication rate due to its lowest stability. Cumulatively, the data show that sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease PrPSc is not a single conformational entity but a dynamic collection of two distinct populations of particles. This implies the co-existence of different prions, whose adaptation and evolution are governed by the selection of progressively less stable, faster replicating PrPSc conformers.
Unifying Conflicting Models of Trust and Distrust for Enhanced Understanding and Predictive Power in Organizational Relationships: Proposing the Unified Trust-Distrust Model (UTDM)

This paper proposes the Unified Trust-Distrust Model (UTDM) to reconcile the differences in the literature on the complex relationship between trust and distrust. Extant research on trust and distrust follows two main approaches that are built on contradictory assumptions: trust has been conceptualized as a different construct than distrust by some researchers, while others consider trust and distrust to represent opposite ends of a single continuum. UTDM expands upon both of these approaches while resolving their contradictions; thus, UTDM provides a novel view of the trust-distrust relationship that has the potential for more explanatory power than previous models. Further, UTDM introduces ambivalence to the trust-distrust literature as a possible consequence of contradictory trust and distrust attitudes, and as an antecedent of trusting intentions. Ambivalence was shown in previous research to attenuate the relationship between trusting beliefs and trusting intentions. UTDM further expands the trust-distrust literature by expanding the nomological network of distrust by proposing two new antecedents of distrust: suspicion and situational abnormality. The measurement of this model is then discussed along with future research possibilities that naturally result from this model.
Prognostic role of MIR146A polymorphisms for cardiovascular events in atrial fibrillation

Summary There are few biomarkers able to forecast new thrombotic events in patients with AF. In this framework, microRNAs have emerged as critical players in cardiovascular biology. In particular, miR-146a-5p is recognised as an important negative regulator of inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic role and biological effect of functional MIR146A polymorphisms, rs2431697 and rs2910164, in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients under oral anticoagulation. We studied 901 patients with permanent/paroxysmal AF stabilized for at least six months. Patients were followed-up for two years and adverse cardiovascular events (ACE) were recorded. In vitro studies were performed in monocytes from healthy homozygous for the two genotypes of rs2431697. Rs2910164 had no association with ACE. However, multivariate analysis (adjusted by CHA2DS2–VASc score) revealed that rs2431697TT was associated with adverse cardiovascular events [HR: 1.64 (1.09–2.47); p=0.017]. The predictive value of usefulness of the CHA2DS2–VASc+IL6+rs2431697 for predicting ACE, was statistically better than that predicted by CHA2DS2–VASc+IL6. Functional studies showed that after 24 hours incubation, monocytes from CC individuals showed a 65 % increase in miR-146a-5p levels, while TT individuals only showed a 28 % increase. Indeed, after 24 hours of LPS activation, TT monocytes showed a higher increase in IL6 mRNA expression than CC (52 % vs 26 %). Our study established MIR146A rs2431697 as a prognostic biomarker for ACE in anticoagulated AF patients. These data suggest that TT individuals, when submitted to an inflammatory stress, may be prone to a highest pro-inflammatory state due, in part, to lower levels of miR-146a-5p.
Antimicrobial resistance impacts clinical outcome of granulomatous colitis in boxer dogs.

BACKGROUND Escherichia coli have recently been identified within the colonic mucosa of Boxer dogs with granulomatous colitis (GC). Eradication of invasive E. coli is associated with clinical and histological remission. OBJECTIVES To determine antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of E. coli strains from GC and healthy dogs, and the association of antimicrobial resistance with clinical outcome. ANIMALS Fourteen Boxer dogs with GC and 17 healthy pet dogs. METHODS Prospective study: E. coli was cultured from GC biopsies and rectal mucosal swabs of healthy dogs. Individual strains were selected by phylogroup and overall genotype, determined by triplex- and random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by broth microdilution minimal inhibitory concentration. RESULTS Culture yielded 23 E. coli strains from GC (1-3/dog, median 2) and 34 strains from healthy (1-3/dog, median 2). E. coli phylogroups were similar (P=.18) in GC (5A, 7B1, 5B2, 6D) and healthy (2A, 10B1, 15B2, 7D). Resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefoxitin, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfa (TMS), ciprofloxacin, and chloramphenicol was greater (P<.05) in GC (21-64%) than healthy (0-24%). Enrofloxacin resistant E. coli were isolated from 6/14 GC versus 0/17 healthy (P=.004). Of the enrofloxacin resistant cases, 4/6 were also resistant to macrophage-penetrating antimicrobials such as chloramphenicol, rifampicin, and TMS. Enrofloxacin treatment before definitive diagnosis was associated with antimicrobial resistance (P<.01) and poor clinical outcome (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance is common among GC-associated E. coli and impacts clinical response. Antimicrobial therapy should be guided by mucosal culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing rather than empirical wisdom.
Mouse models of allergic asthma: acute and chronic allergen challenge

Asthma is defined as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways; however, the underlying physiological and immunological processes are not fully understood. Animal models have been used to elucidate asthma pathophysiology, and to identify and evaluate novel therapeutic targets. Several recent review articles (Epstein, 2004; Lloyd, 2007; Boyce and Austen, 2005; Zosky and Sly, 2007) have discussed the potential value of these models. Allergen challenge models reproduce many features of clinical asthma and have been widely used by investigators; however, the majority involve acute allergen challenge procedures. It is recognised that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease resulting from continued or intermittent allergen exposure, usually via inhalation, and there has been a recent focus on developing chronic allergen exposure models, predominantly in mice. Here, we review the acute and chronic exposure mouse models, and consider their potential role and impact in the field of asthma research.
Determinants of Propranolol’s Selective Effect on Loss Aversion

Research on emotion and decision making has suggested that arousal mediates risky decisions, but several distinct and often confounded processes drive such choices. We used econometric modeling to separate and quantify the unique contributions of loss aversion, risk attitudes, and choice consistency to risky decision making. We administered the beta-blocker propranolol in a double-blind, placebo-controlled within-subjects study, targeting the neurohormonal basis of physiological arousal. Matching our intervention’s pharmacological specificity with a quantitative model delineating decision-making components allowed us to identify the causal relationships between arousal and decision making that do and do not exist. Propranolol selectively reduced loss aversion in a baseline- and dose-dependent manner (i.e., as a function of initial loss aversion and body mass index), and did not affect risk attitudes or choice consistency. These findings provide evidence for a specific, modulatory, and causal relationship between precise components of emotion and risky decision making.
Evaluating and ranking the learning components of entrepreneurial skills based on a hybrid approach of the M-learning technology and TOPSIS method

M-learning, a new type of e-learning, is created through the use of mobile phones connected to the internet. The present study aims to create a tool to investigate the learning of entrepreneurial skills via m-learning. An educational system to evaluate and enhance the learning of entrepreneurial skills and the creativity and innovations of the learners has to analyze the involved components. The effectiveness and importance of the components have to be determined to prioritize the components. In this research to create a tool, first a questionnaire that contained eighty-three questions was used to collect data. The statistical population included three hundred and thirty six BA students from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at the University of Isfahan. Analyses were carried out by means of descriptive statistics and inferential statistical methods, including one-variable t-test and TOPSIS technique. This survey evaluates the effects of the m-learning on the learning components of the entrepreneurial skills and identifies the most effective components as well. The results revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the m-learning, the motivation, the degree of learner's participation, the variety of educational methods, the satisfaction and the increase in self confidence in learners of entrepreneurial skills. It also revealed that motivation, self-confidence and participation have the highest effect on learning of entrepreneurial skills.
Mutagenesis of Zinc Ligand Residue Cys221 Reveals Plasticity in the IMP-1 Metallo-β-Lactamase Active Site

ABSTRACT Metallo-β-lactamases catalyze the hydrolysis of a broad range of β-lactam antibiotics and are a concern for the spread of drug resistance. To analyze the determinants of enzyme structure and function, the sequence requirements for the subclass B1 IMP-1 β-lactamase zinc binding residue Cys221 were tested by saturation mutagenesis and evaluated for protein expression, as well as hydrolysis of β-lactam substrates. The results indicated that most substitutions at position 221 destabilized the enzyme. Only the enzymes containing C221D and C221G substitutions were expressed well in Escherichia coli and exhibited catalytic activity toward β-lactam antibiotics. Despite the lack of a metal-chelating group at position 221, the C221G enzyme exhibited high levels of catalytic activity in the presence of exogenous zinc. Molecular modeling suggests the glycine substitution is unique among substitutions in that the complete removal of the cysteine side chain allows space for a water molecule to replace the thiol and coordinate zinc at the Zn2 zinc binding site to restore function. Multiple methods were used to estimate the C221G Zn2 binding constant to be 17 to 43 μM. Studies of enzyme function in vivo in E. coli grown on minimal medium showed that both IMP-1 and the C221G mutant exhibited compromised activity when zinc availability was low. Finally, substitutions at residue 121, which is the IMP-1 equivalent of the subclass B3 zinc-chelating position, failed to rescue C221G function, suggesting the coordination schemes of subclasses B1 and B3 are not interchangeable.
Concurrent and Accurate RNA Sequencing on Multicore Platforms

In this paper we introduce a novel parallel pipeline for fast and accurate mapping of RNA sequences on servers equipped with multicore processors. Our software, named HPG-Aligner, leverages the speed of the Burrows-Wheeler Transform to map a large number of RNA fragments (reads) rapidly, as well as the accuracy of the Smith-Waterman algorithm, that is employed to deal with conflictive reads. The aligner is complemented with a careful strategy to detect splice junctions based on the division of RNA reads into short segments (or seeds), which are then mapped onto a number of candidate alignment locations, providing useful information for the successful alignment of the complete reads. Experimental results on platforms with AMD and Intel multicore processors report the remarkable parallel performance of HPG-Aligner, on short and long RNA reads, which excels in both execution time and sensitivity to an state-of-the-art aligner such as TopHat 2 built on top of Bowtie and Bowtie 2.
Identification and Characterization of SpcU, a Chaperone Required for Efficient Secretion of the ExoU Cytotoxin

ABSTRACT In recent studies, we have shown that Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains that are acutely cytotoxic in vitro damage the lung epithelium in vivo. Genetic analysis indicated that the factor responsible for acute cytotoxicity was controlled by ExsA and therefore was part of the exoenzyme S regulon. The specific virulence determinant responsible for epithelial damage in vivo and cytotoxicity in vitro was subsequently mapped to the exoU locus. The present studies are focused on a genetic characterization of the exoUlocus. Northern blot analyses and complementation experiments indicated that a region downstream of exoU was expressed and that the expression of this region corresponded to increased ExoU secretion. DNA sequence analysis of a region downstream of exoU identified several potential coding regions. One of these open reading frames, SpcU (specific Pseudomonas chaperone for ExoU), encoded a small 15-kDa acidic protein (137 amino acids [pI 4.4]) that possessed a leucine-rich motif associated with the Syc family of cytosolic chaperones for the Yersinia Yops. T7 expression analysis and nickel chromatography of histidine-tagged proteins indicated that ExoU and SpcU associated as a noncovalent complex when coexpressed inEscherichia coli. The association of ExoU and SpcU required amino acids 3 to 123 of ExoU. In P. aeruginosa, ExoU and SpcU are coordinately expressed as an operon that is controlled at the transcriptional level by ExsA.
Angiotensin II and IV Stimulate Expression and Release of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 in Cultured Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells

There is increasing evidence that angiotensin II influences thrombogenesis by regulating the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). In this study, the effects of angiotensin II and its receptors on the expression and release of PAI-1 and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) were examined in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs). As control, cells were treated with angiotensin IV. HCAECs incubated with angiotensin II increased the expression of PAI-1 mRNA in a concentration (10−9–10−5M)- and time (6–24 h)-dependent manner. PAI-1 protein release was also increased in the culture medium of HCAECs treated with angiotensin II. The effects of angiotensin II (10−6M) were blocked completely by the AT1 receptor blocker losartan (10−6M) but not by the AT2 receptor blocker PD123319 (10−6M). Angiotensin II pretreatment also slightly, but significantly, increased t-PA mRNA expression. This effect of angiotensin II on t-PA mRNA was blocked by losartan but not by PD123319. HCAECS treated with angiotensin II revealed large amounts of the lipid peroxidation product, malonaldehyde (MDA). The effects of angiotensin II on PAI-1 expression and MDA release were blocked by pretreatment of cells with &agr;-tocopherol (10−5M). In control experiments, treatment of HCAECs with angiotensin IV markedly increased PAI-1 mRNA expression and protein release. This effect of angiotensin IV was blocked by the AT4 receptor blocker divalinal (10−6M). These observations indicate that AT1 receptor activation plays an important role in the stimulation of PAI-1 expression and release in response to angiotensin II. Upregulation of t-PA gene may reflect autoregulation in response to PAI-1 release. Angiotensin II–mediated activation of oxidation pathways may relate to uupregulation of PAI-1. This study also confirms that angiotensin IV upregulates PAI-1 expression in HCAECs.
Association of Life Events and Depressive Symptoms among Puerto Rican Youth

Title of Dissertation: ASSOCIATION OF LIFE EVENTS WITH DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG PUERTO RICAN YOUTH Graciela Jaschek, PhD in Epidemiology, 2014 Dissertation directed by: Olivia D. Carter-Pokras Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics BACKGROUND: Early onset depressive symptoms have amplifying effects on the course of later depression, and serious personal, social and economic consequences throughout the life course. Little has been published regarding socio-demographic determinants of depression and possible mechanisms for the development of depressive symptoms among Puerto Rican youth. This study aims to examine the extent to which life events are associated with the development of depressive symptoms, and how place of residence, parental support, youth self-esteem and youth coping modify that association. METHODS: Secondary analyses were performed of data from the longitudinal Boricua Youth Study (three annual waves between 2000-2004). The sample consisted of 10-13 year old Puerto Rican youth living in New York and Puerto Rico with no depressive symptoms at wave 1, and complete information on depressive symptoms (DISC Predictive Scale which includes 9 significant predictors of depression)at waves 2 and/or 3. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms increase across waves with an increase in total, negative, or positive life events in general; and social adversity, death, and family environment life events specifically. Youth with low coping consistently had a higher number of depressive symptoms than youth with high coping regardless of number of total, negative or positive life events. Youth support from parents was found to be a significant confounder for all types of life events. Parent coping was a significant confounder for social adversity events. DISCUSSION: This study identifies various kinds of life events as risk factors that contribute to the development of depressive symptoms. Early onset depressive symptoms have amplifying effects on the course of later depression, and serious personal, social and economic consequences throughout the life course. Preventing the development of depressive symptoms at an early age should be a priority if we want to optimize the mental health and well-being of youth so that they can reach their full potential. Our findings could inform the development of a first-stage screening tool for youth at risk of developing depressive symptoms in community settings. ASSOCIATION OF LIFE EVENTS WITH DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG PUERTO RICAN YOUTH
Groups of diffeomorphisms : in honor of Shigeyuki Morita on the occasion of his 60th birthday

This volume is dedicated to Shigeyuki Morita on the occasion of his 60th birthday. It consists of selected papers on recent trends and results in the study of various groups of diffeomorphisms, including mapping class groups, from the point of view of algebraic and differential topology, as well as dynamical ones involving foliations and simplistic or contact diffeomorphisms. Most of the authors were invited speakers or participants of the International Symposium on Groups of Diffeomorphisms 2006, which was held at the University of Tokyo (Komaba) in September 2006. The editors believe that the scope of this volume well reflects Morita's mathematical interests and hope this book inspires not only the specialists in these fields but also a wider audience of mathematicians.
Stability and Predictors of Change in Executive Functions from the Age of 6 to 8

Executive functions have been identified as major predictors of a range of developmental outcomes in children including social adjustment, mental health and academic achievement. However, there are considerable gaps in our knowledge regarding what affects the development of executive functions. By examining a large community sample of 6 year olds (N=687) and their parents with follow-up at age 8, this study aimed at filling in some of these gaps by analyzing a range of likely predictors of the development of executive functions. Measures of three components of executive functions; working memory, inhibition and set shifting, were obtained. Predictors included were emotion regulation, socioeconomic status, attachment, experience of major stressful life events, and parental emotional availability. Executive functioning evidenced little stability from age 6 to 8. Growth factor modeling revealed that experiencing of major stressful life events predicted a diminished increase in executive function from age 6 to 8. Findings are discussed in relation to theory and empirical data on the development of executive functions.