Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Translation Efficiency of Antiterminator Proteins Is a Determinant for the Difference in Glucose Repression of Two β-Glucoside Phosphotransferase System Gene Clusters in Corynebacterium glutamicum R

ABSTRACT Corynebacterium glutamicum R has two β-glucoside phosphoenolpyruvate, carbohydrate phosphotransferase systems (PTS) encoded by bglF and bglF2 located in the respective clusters, bglF-bglA-bglG and bglF2-bglA2-bglG2. Previously, we reported that whereas β-glucoside-dependent induction of bglF is strongly repressed by glucose, glucose repression of bglF2 is very weak. Here, we reveal the mechanism behind the different effects of glucose on the two bgl genes. Deletion of the ribonucleic antiterminator sequence and transcriptional terminator located upstream of the translation initiation codon of bglF markedly relieved the glucose repression of a bglF-lacZ fusion, indicating that glucose affects the antitermination mechanism that is responsible for the β-glucoside-dependent induction of the bglF cluster. The glucose repression of bglF mRNA was also relieved by introducing a multicopy plasmid carrying the bglG gene encoding an antiterminator of the bglF cluster. Moreover, replacement of the GUG translation initiation codon of bglG with AUG was effective in relieving the glucose repression of bglF and bglG. Inversely, expression of bglF2 and bglG2 was subject to strict glucose repression in a mutant strain in which the AUG translation initiation codon of bglG2 encoding antiterminator of the bglF2 cluster was replaced with GUG. These results suggest that the translation initiation efficiency of the antiterminator proteins, at least in part, determines whether the target genes are subject to glucose repression. We also found that bglF expression was induced by glucose in the BglG-overexpressing strains, which may be explained by the ability of BglF to transport glucose.
Evaluation of F-Specific RNA Bacteriophage as a Candidate Human Enteric Virus Indicator for Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli is a widely utilized indicator of the sanitary quality of bivalve molluscan shellfish sold for human consumption. However, it is now well documented that shellfish that meet the E. coli standards for human consumption may contain human enteric viruses that cause gastroenteritis and hepatitis. In this study we investigated using F-specific RNA bacteriophage (FRNA bacteriophage) to indicate the likely presence of such viruses in shellfish sold for consumption. FRNA bacteriophage and E. coli levels were determined over a 2-year period for oysters (Crassostrea gigas) harvested from four commercial sites chosen to represent various degrees of sewage pollution. Three sites were classified as category B sites under the relevant European Community (EC) Directive (91/492), which required purification (depuration) of oysters from these sites before sale. One site was classified as a category A site, and oysters from this site could be sold directly without further processing. Samples were tested at the point of sale following commercial processing and packaging. All of the shellfish complied with the mandatory EC E. coli standard (less than 230 per 100 g of shellfish flesh), and the levels of contamination for more than 90% of the shellfish were at or below the level of sensitivity of the assay (20 E. coli MPN per 100 g), which indicated good quality based on this criterion. In contrast, FRNA bacteriophage were frequently detected at levels that exceeded 1,000 PFU per 100 g. High levels of FRNA bacteriophage contamination were strongly associated with harvest area fecal pollution and with shellfish-associated disease outbreaks. Interestingly, FRNA bacteriophage contamination exhibited a marked seasonal trend that was consistent with the trend of oyster-associated gastroenteritis in the United Kingdom. The correlation between FRNA bacteriophage contamination and health risk was investigated further by using a reverse transcription-PCR assay for Norwalk-like virus (NLV). NLV contamination of oysters was detected only at the most polluted site and also exhibited a seasonal trend that was consistent with the trend of FRNA bacteriophage contamination and with the incidence of disease. The results of this study suggest that FRNA bacteriophage could be used as viral indicators for market-ready oysters.
Left atrial size and risk of recurrent ischemic stroke in a Chinese population

Although a number of studies have reported the role of an increased left atrial (LA) size on stroke, limited data are collected about the relationship between LA enlargement and recurrent ischemic stroke in the Chinese population. Our aim was to assess the association of LA size with the risk of stroke recurrence, particularly with recurrent cardioembolic or cryptogenic stroke in ischemic stroke patients.
Selective allosteric coupling in core chemotaxis signaling complexes

Significance The notable cooperativity and signal amplification of bacterial chemotaxis are thought to arise from allosteric interactions in its multicomponent, membrane-bound signaling complexes. However, little is known about this presumed allostery. By characterizing signaling in isolated core signaling complexes, assembled using Nanodisc-inserted transmembrane chemoreceptors, we found that core complexes were not unified allosteric units. Instead, allosteric coupling among its components was selective and asymmetric. This observation was unanticipated and has significant implications for understanding the central coupling of ligand-occupied chemoreceptors to chemotaxis histidine kinases. More widely, our observations provide an example of unconventional asymmetry within an allosteric unit. In addition, we deduced allosteric coupling between protomers of the dimeric kinase, identifying a crucial link in the allosteric spread of ligand-induced kinase inhibition. Bacterial chemotaxis is mediated by signaling complexes that sense chemical gradients and direct bacteria to favorable environments by controlling a histidine kinase as a function of chemoreceptor ligand occupancy. Core signaling complexes contain two trimers of transmembrane chemoreceptor dimers, each trimer binding a coupling protein CheW and a protomer of the kinase dimer. Core complexes assemble into hexagons, and these form hexagonal arrays. The notable cooperativity and amplification in bacterial chemotaxis is thought to reflect allosteric interactions in cores, hexagons, and arrays, but little is known about this presumed allostery. We investigated allostery in core complexes assembled with two chemoreceptor species, each recognizing a different ligand. Chemoreceptors were inserted in Nanodiscs, which rendered them water soluble and allowed isolation of individual complexes. Neighboring dimers in receptor trimers influenced one another’s operational ligand affinity, indicating allosteric coupling. However, this coupling did not include the key function of kinase inhibition. Our data indicated that only one receptor dimer could inhibit kinase as a function of ligand occupancy. This selective allosteric coupling corresponded with previously identified structural asymmetry: only one dimer in a trimer contacts kinase and only one CheW. We suggest one of these dimers couples ligand occupancy to kinase inhibition. Additionally, we found that kinase protomers are allosterically coupled, conveying inhibition across the dimer interface. Because kinase dimers connect core complex hexagons, allosteric communication across dimer interfaces provides a pathway for receptor-generated kinase inhibition in one hexagon to spread to another, providing a crucial step for the extensive amplification characteristic of chemotactic signaling.
Word Processing and Writing in Elementary Classrooms: A Critical Review of Related Literature

Word processing has been widely endorsed as one of the most promising uses of microcomputers in the elementary school curriculum. This article reviews the burgeoning literature that pertains to word processing and writing in elementary classrooms by constructing five major propositions that cut across individual studies and methods. Together, the propositions provide a schema for understanding and categorizing what is known and still needs to be known about word processing and young writers, a framework for probing the significant theoretical and substantive issues underlying the findings, and a point of departure for discussing the most provocative themes and questions that emerge from many fields of study. Throughout the review, I demonstrate that using word processing for writing in individual classrooms is a practice that is social as well as technical. I argue, therefore, that we cannot determine how word processing is most effectively used in classrooms apart from the ways particular teachers work in particular instructional contexts and that we cannot understand how word processing affects the quality, quantity, or processes of children’s writing apart from the ways these are embedded within, and mediated by, the social systems of classrooms. I conclude that, although we know a great deal about the capacities of word processing to influence students’ writing, we know much less about the ways this technology is actually introduced and used in school settings over time or the ways these introductions and settings interact with the social processes of classrooms.
Effect of home mechanical ventilation on inspiratory muscle strength in COPD.

BACKGROUND The mechanism responsible for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure (HRF) in patients with COPD remains unclear. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that chronic HRF in patients with COPD is associated with low-frequency fatigue (LFF) of the diaphragm. METHODS To test this hypothesis, we measured the twitch transdiaphragmatic pressure (Tw Pdi) elicited by stimulation of the phrenic nerves in 25 patients with chronic HRF (mean [+/- SD] Paco(2), 55.2 +/- 5.2 mm Hg) due to COPD before and 2 months after the initiation of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) [pressure-cycled ventilation with inspiratory positive airway pressure of 19.0 +/- 2.5 cm H(2)O]. We reasoned that had LFF been present, Tw Pdi should rise after effective NIV. RESULTS The treatment compliance with NIV was good (median of machine usage was 7.1 h per night). Paco(2) decreased from 55.2 +/- 5.2 to 48.8 +/- 5.9 mm Hg (p < 0.001), and Pao(2) increased from 53.1 +/- 5.9 to 57.7 +/- 7.0 mm Hg (p = 0.007). Mean Tw Pdi at baseline was 11.1 +/- 6.6 cm H(2)O and after treatment was 11.7 +/- 7.2 cm H(2)O (not significant). Also, maximal static inspiratory mouth pressure did not change significantly (44.3 +/- 15.9 cm H(2)O vs 46.5 +/- 19.7 cm H(2)O). CONCLUSION LFF of the diaphragm does not accompany chronic HRF in patients with COPD.
Utility of the VITEK 2 Advanced Expert System for Identification of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Production in Enterobacter spp

ABSTRACT Forty clinical isolates of Enterobacter spp. were identified as extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers by disk diffusion. The VITEK 2 Advanced Expert System (AES) identified the ESBL phenotype in only 25 isolates (62.5%), and erroneously reported cephalosporin susceptibility in 11 isolates (28%). Refinements in the AES are required in order to improve ESBL detection in Enterobacter.
Core Mass Function: The Role of Gravity

We analyze the mass distribution of cores formed in an isothermal, magnetized, turbulent, and self-gravitating nearly critical molecular cloud model. Cores are identified at two density threshold levels. Our main results are that the presence of self-gravity modifies the slopes of the core mass function (CMF) at the high-mass end. At low thresholds, the slope is shallower than the one predicted by pure turbulent fragmentation. The shallowness of the slope is due to the effects of core coalescence and gas accretion. Most importantly, the slope of the CMF at the high-mass end steepens when cores are selected at higher density thresholds, or alternatively, if the CMF is fitted with a lognormal function, the width of the lognormal distribution decreases with increasing threshold. This is due to the fact that gravity plays a more important role in denser structures selected at higher density threshold and leads to the conclusion that the role of gravity is essential in generating a CMF that bears more resemblance to the IMF when cores are selected with an increasing density threshold in the observations.
The impact of language on the relationships between phonological awareness and word reading in different orthographies: A test of the psycholinguistic grain size theory in bilinguals

ABSTRACT The relationships among first language (L1) and second language (L2) phonological awareness and reading skills were examined in English L2 learners with a variety of L1s, specifically Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese (maximum N = 252). Longitudinal and concurrent relations between word reading and subcomponents of phonological awareness (i.e., syllable, onset-rime, phoneme, and, where applicable, tone awareness) were examined in kindergarten and first and second grades. The relationships between reading and specific subcomponents of phonological awareness were associated with the orthography being read, English or the L1. Phonological awareness subcomponents related to English reading were generally similar for the three English L2 groups, despite differences in the orthographies of learners’ native language. The findings support the psycholinguistic grain size theory with regard to links between phonological sensitivity and the sound–symbol correspondences used to read the specific languages.
Gambling When Sleep Deprived: Don't Bet on Stimulants

Recent evidence suggests that sleep deprivation leads to suboptimal decision-making on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a pattern that appears to be unaffected by moderate doses of caffeine. It is not known whether impaired decision-making could be reversed by higher doses of caffeine or by other stimulant countermeasures, such as dextroamphetamine or modafinil. Fifty-four diurnally active healthy subjects completed alternate versions of the IGT at rested baseline, at 23 and 46 h awake, and following a night of recovery sleep. After 44 h awake, participants received a double-blind dose of caffeine (600 mg), dextroamphetamine (20 mg), modafinil (400 mg), or placebo. At baseline, participants showed a normal pattern of advantageous performance, whereas both sleep-deprived sessions were associated with suboptimal decision-making on the IGT. Following stimulant administration on the second night of sleep deprivation, groups receiving caffeine, dextroamphetamine, or modafinil showed significant reduction in subjective sleepiness and improvement in psychomotor vigilance, but decision-making on the IGT remained impaired for all stimulants and did not differ from placebo. Decision-making returned to normal following recovery sleep. These findings are consistent with prior research showing that sleep deprivation leads to suboptimal decision-making on some types of tasks, particularly those that rely heavily on emotion processing regions of the brain, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Moreover, the deficits in decision-making were not reversed by commonly used stimulant countermeasures, despite restoration of psychomotor vigilance and alertness. These three stimulants may restore some, but not all, aspects of cognitive functioning during sleep deprivation. (Author correspondence: Killgore@mclean.harvard.edu)
Therapeutic Alliance with Adolescent Clients: The Role of Attachment Style and Parent-Adolescent Agreement Regarding Targets of Therapy and Problem Severity

3 Therapeutic Alliance with Adolescent Clients: The Role of Attachment Style and ParentAdolescent Agreement Regarding Targets of Therapy and Problem Severity 8 The Therapeutic Alliance: Important but Understudied in Youth Psychotherapy 9 Factors likely to Affect the Alliance with Adolescents 12 Developmental Aspects 12 Therapists must align with parents and adolescents 12 Parent-Adolescent Disagreement 14 Disagreement about presenting problems 14 Adverse effects on the alliance 16 Potential Role of Attachment in Adolescent Client Alliance Formation 16 Current Study 18 Method 19 Participants 19 Measures 21 Ohio Scales 21 Initial Target Complaints Rating Form 21 Inventory of Parent (Caregiver) and Peer Attachment 22 Revised Short Version of the Working Alliance Inventory 22 Procedure 23 Data Preparation 24 Coding target complaints 24 Parent-adolescent agreement on presenting problems 24 Disagreement regarding problem severity 25 Covariates 27 Analytic Procedures 28 5 Results 28 Discussion 30 Implications for Therapists 35 Limitations 36 Future Directions 38 References 46 Appendix A: Consent and assent forms 53 Appendix B: Parent and Adolescent Ohio Scales 58 Appendix C: Parent and Adolescent Target Complaints Rating Forms 59 Appendix D: Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment 62 Appendix E: Working Alliance Inventory: Shortened Revised Version 65 Appendix F: Results of alternate analysis: Prediction of alliance subscales 67 Appendix G: Number of participants above and below the mean on Attachment and Target Complaints Discrepancy 73 Appendix H: Number of participants reporting each Target Complaint domain 74 Appendix I: Studies of adolescent clients included in Shirk & Karver (2003) 75 6 List of Tables Table 1. Participant Demographics 40 Table 2. Means and Standard Deviations of the Current Sample on all Measures 41 Table 3. Pearson Correlations between all Measures 42 Table 4. Regression Analyses Predicting Alliance using Target Complaints 43 Table 5. Regression Analyses Predicting Alliance using Ohio Scales 44 Table F1. Regression Analyses Predicting Adolescent-Perceived Bond using Target Complaints 67 Table F2. Regression Analyses Predicting Adolescent-Perceived Bond using Ohio Scales 68 Table F3. Regression Analyses Predicting Adolescent-Perceived Task using Target Complaints 69 Table F4. Regression Analyses Predicting Adolescent-Perceived Task using Ohio Scales 70 Table F5. Regression Analyses Predicting Adolescent-Perceived Goal using Target Complaints 71 Table F6. Regression Analyses Predicting Adolescent-Perceived Goal using Ohio Scales 72 Table G1. Number of participants above and below the mean on Attachment and Target Complaints Discrepancy 73 Table H1. Number of participants reporting each Target Complaint domain 74 Table I1. Studies of adolescent clients included in Shirk & Karver (2003) 75 7 List of Figures Figure 1. Relationship between Target Complaints discrepancy and Alliance as a function of strength of Attachment 45
Calibrated Learning and Correlated Equilibrium

Abstract Suppose two players repeatedly meet each other to play a game where 1. each uses a learning rule with the property that it is a calibrated forecast of the other's plays, and 2. each plays a myopic best response to this forecast distribution. Then, the limit points of the sequence of plays are correlated equilibria. In fact, for each correlated equilibrium there is some calibrated learning rule that the players can use which results in their playing this correlated equilibrium in the limit. Thus, the statistical concept of a calibration is strongly related to the game theoretic concept of correlated equilibrium. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C72,D83,C44.
Strategies for Building and Communicating Trust in Electronic Banking: A Field Experiment

The strong association between the high levels of trust and the banking sector has not yet been translated in the electronic world to its full potential. For the future growth of e-banking the issues of security and privacy must be removed. In an experimental setting, this study examines the effectiveness of potential trust-building strategies for e-banking and their impact on on-line customers' perceptions of trustworthiness of the bank, by specifically focusing on the information clues presented on the bank's Web site. Structural assurance and situational normality mechanisms both had an impact on customers' trustworthiness perceptions, suggesting that banks need to use a portfolio of strategies to build the customer's trust. The results further suggest that communication of meaningful and timely information has the potential to influence customers' trusting intentions.
Semilleros de investigación: una estrategia para la formación de investigadores

Schools are coming up with new policies and strategies to close the gap between curriculum, research and practice in the field of teaching. This article outlines what has been accomplished in terms of processes to initiate research training for talented students who are enrolled in education programs at the University of Caldas (Universidad de Caldas) in Manizales, Colombia. It shows how seed beds in Colombia have evolved and what they have contributed to the university’s mission. It explores how budding researchers manage to combine the terms teaching research, curriculum and educational interaction process. In this particular case, the students committed to seed-bed groups have contributed to the search for teaching know-how. The article emphasizes the special importance of making seed beds an innovative strategy in curriculum reform, considering the real needs and problems in education.
A Wearable System to Assist Walking of Parkinson´s Disease Patients

Summary Background: About 50% of the patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) suffer from freezing of gait (FOG), which is a sudden and transient inability to walk. It often causes falls, interferes with daily activities and significantly impairs quality of life. Because gait deficits in PD patients are often resistant to pharmacologic treatment, effective non-pharmacologic treatments are of special interest. Objectives: The goal of our study is to evaluate the concept of a wearable device that can obtain real-time gait data, processes them and provides asistance based on pre-determined specifications. Methods: We developed a real-time wearable FOG detection system that automatically provides a cueing sound when FOG is detected and which stays until the subject resumes walking. We evaluated our wearable assistive technology in a study with 10 PD patients. Over eight hours of data was recorded and a questionnaire was filled out by each patient. Results: Two hundred and thirty-seven FOG events have been identified by professional physiotherapists in a post-hoc video analysis. The device detected the FOG events online with a sensitivity of 73.1% and a specificity of 81.6% on a 0.5 sec frame-based evaluation. Conclusions: With this study we show that online assistive feedback for PD patients is possible. We present and discuss the patients’ and physiotherapists’ perspectives on wear-abilty and performance of the wearable assistant as well as their gait performance when using the assistant and point out the next research steps. Our results demonstrate the benefit of such a context-aware system and motivate further studies.
Media Life of the Young

This is a thorough investigation into contemporary young people and their media life. The article conceptualizes a typology of media life, drawing on a theoretical body involving the sociology of generations, life course research, media life and individualization. This empirically derived typology makes a strong instrument for an understanding of the media life of the young, furnishing insights into how they have constructed their use of media. The investigation is based on a robust national survey with Swedes born 1994–2001, conducted in 2010 and focusing on four media: television, gaming, the Internet and mobile devices. Two of the findings are particularly surprising. Firstly, the results reveal that the young generally lead heterogeneous media lives, varying with age and sex. Secondly, although some young people literarily live their life in media, there are also de facto young who live a life without media. This is particularly pronounced for gaming and mobile use.