Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus sake isolated from meat

A total of 221 strains of Lactobacillus isolated from meat and meat products were screened for antagonistic activities under conditions that eliminated the effects of organic acids and hydrogen peroxide. Nineteen strains of Lactobacillus sake, three strains of Lactobacillus plantarum, and one strain of Lactobacillus curvatus were shown to inhibit the growth of some other lactobacilli in an agar spot test; and cell-free supernatants from 6 of the 19 strains of L. sake exhibited inhibitory activity against indicator organisms. Comparison of the antimicrobial spectra of the supernatants suggested that the inhibitory compounds were not identical. One of the six strains, L. sake Lb 706, was chosen for further study. The compound excreted by L. sake Lb 706 was active against various lactic acid bacteria and Listeria monocytogenes. Its proteinaceous nature, narrow inhibitory spectrum, and bactericidal mode of action indicated that this substance is a bacteriocin, which we designated sakacin A. Curing experiments with two bacteriocin-producing strains of L. sake resulted in mutants that lacked both bacteriocin activity and immunity to the bacteriocin. Plasmid profile analysis of L. sake Lb 706 and two bacteriocin-negative variants of this strain indicated that a plasmid of about 18 megadaltons may be involved in the formation of bacteriocin and immunity to this antibacterial compound. In mixed culture, the bacteriocin-sensitive organisms were killed after the bacteriocin-producing strain reached maximal cell density, whereas there was no decrease in cell number in the presence of the bacteriocin-negative variant.
The Immigrant Family: Parent-Child Dilemmas and Therapy Considerations

Parenting is a difficult challenge for anyone. Immigrant parents find their roles and relationships with their children change, and these children are vulnerable to a number of risk factors especially during adolescence that diminish the influence of the parents in the acculturation process. The risk factors include: Language issues including a linguistic separation between parents and children which becomes symbolic of a profound emotional separation; economic stressors in which the main reason for which many families emigrate, i.e., economic betterment, becomes the source of greatest stress; differing parenting practices including the challenge of raising their children in a new seemingly unsupportive and permissive culture; and identity development where the adolescent identity process can be stressed by the difficulties inherent in negotiating two cultures and the perception of not fitting well into the new mainstream culture. A number of suggestions for culturally-sensitive assessment and intervention are provided as well as suggestions for becoming a culturally-sensitive person and therapist.
The Knowledge of What Might have Been

This study examined certain affective and attributional consequences of outcomes and "near outcomes"in the lives of target individuals. A total of 121 subjects read versions of scenarios that systematically differed in the valence of a major life outcome and whether the outcome actually or only nearly happened (the "near outcome"). Results generally indicated that near outcomes as well as actual out-comes had significant impact on the perceived affective consequences of the situation, and that near outcomes also affected trait inferences and predictions regarding the target person. Differences between the perceived affective consequences of positive near outcomes and negative near outcomes were generally a function of differences in the valence of the near outcomes rather than of differences in objective circumstances. Other results also reflected a derogation of the "near winner. " The personalities of individuals who narrowly missed experiencing a positive event were rated more negatively; they also were judged as less likely to be successful and less likely to feel positively about their lives in the future. These results are discussed in terms of the suggestions of Kahneman and Tversky (1982) that individuals who learn of a near outcome may simulate its actual occurrence, and that the "simulation heuristic "may shape both inferences and affective states.
Globalization of Dietary Wild Foods Protect against Cardiovascular Disease and all Cause Mortalities? A Scientific Satement from the International College of Cardiology, Columbus Paradigm Institute and the International College of Nutrition

Dietary pattern consisting of high intakes of vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, poultry, and whole grains, can be protective against mortality from cardiovascular and malignant diseases. A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies demonstrated that an increased consumption of fruit and vegetables from less than 3 to more than 5 servings/day is related to a 17% reduction, whereas an increased intake from 3 to 5 servings/day is associated with a smaller and borderline sig- nificant reduction in CAD risk. These results provide evidence supporting that 5 or more servings per day of fruit and vegetables, are needed to protect from CVD. Other cohort studies identified 2 dietary patterns from data collected on serial food frequency questionnaires. One pattern, called " prudent", was characterized by a high vegetables, fruit, legumes, fish, poultry, and whole grains. The other pattern, which is proatherogenic, called "Western", corresponded to a high consump- tion of red meat, processed meat, refined grains, french fries, sweets, and desserts. More recently, "Designer" foods con- taing nutrients such as w-3 fatty acids, selected groups of vitamins and trace elements, and antioxidants are being avail- able that may have the potential for inclusions in the "prudent" dietary pattern in the future. Indeed in the year 2009, European Union has allocated a budget of 9 million Euro for conducting research to examine the effects of "designer" foods on health biomarkers. These efforts are being recognized by the World Health Organization, International College of Nutrition and the International College of Cardiology.
Role of specific immunoglobulin E to excretory-secretory antigen in diagnosis and prognosis of hookworm infection

Total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and specific IgE were assayed by a radioimmunosorbent test and a reverse enzyme immunoassay in patients with hookworm infections before and after treatment. A total of 77 subjects (30 patients with hookworm infections and 47 subjects as controls) were studied. Both specific and total IgE levels in serum and jejunal juice were raised in hookworm patients. There was a significant decrease in IgE levels after therapy. Total IgE levels were raised in other nematode infections, but specific IgE levels were low. The reverse enzyme immunoassay for specific IgE was highly specific (96%) and sensitive (100%) and may be used in the serodiagnosis of hookworm infections.
Measuring processes of change: applications to the cessation of smoking.

Subjects (A' = 970) representing five stages of smoking cessation (precontemplation, contemplation,action, maintenance, and relapse) were given a 65-item test measuring 10 basic processes of change.Subjects recorded the last time they quit smoking, their current use, the frequency of occurrence,and the degree of item helpfulness. A 40-item questionnaire provided highly reliable measures of 10processes of change, labeled (a)consciousness raising, (b) dramatic relief, (c) self-liberation, (d)socialliberation, (e) counterconditioning, (f) stimulus control, (g) self-reevaluation, (h) environmental re-evaluation, (i) reinforcement management, and (j) helping relationship. In a confirmatory analysis,770 subjects were assessed 6 months later. The analysis both confirmed the 10-process model andrevealed two secondary factors, Experiential and Behavioral, which were composed of 5 processeseach and reflected hou. individuals in particular stages use more lhan I process at a time. The trans-theoretical model of change and available external validity evidence are reviewed.
Prognostic significance of cystatin C in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND Cystatin C is reportedly a better endogenous marker of glomerular filtration rate than serum creatinine, so the prognostic value of cystatin C in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) was evaluated in the present study. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 71 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation MI <24 h from symptom onset were included. According to cystatin C level, patients were classified into 2 groups: (1) higher cystatin C group (n=33) and (2) lower cystatin C group (n=38). There was a trend toward more in-hospital deaths in patients with the higher cystatin C level compared with the lower cystatin C level group (15.2% vs 2.6%, P=0.06). Mean duration of clinical follow-up was 5.6 +/-2.8 months. There was no significant difference in death, reinfarction, disabling stroke or target lesion revascularization between the 2 groups. However, a higher incidence of rehospitalization for congestive heart failure was observed in patients with the higher cystatin C level than in those with the lower cystatin C level (15.2% vs 0%, P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS Cystatin C may be associated with more cardiovascular events, mainly rehospitalization for congestive heart failure, after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-elevation MI.
Climate, communication and participation impacting commitment to change

Purpose – Through the combination of change process, context and content the purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of failure or success of organizational change. This study considers the effect of organizational climate on affective commitment to change simultaneously with quality change communication and employee participation during the change process, while controlling for perceived change impact. Design/methodology/approach – The findings are based on 134 survey responses gathered through surveys in two police forces that recently underwent a merger. Findings – First, quality change communication is the only process variable that directly impacts affective commitment to change. Second, the results indicate that an involvement-oriented climate positively affects affective commitment to change, mediated through quality change communication. Originality/value – First, the general understanding of the impact of climate on organizational change is very limited. Second, employee partic.
Pulled in or pushed out? Understanding the complexities of motivation for alternative therapies use in Ghana

The impact of strong cultural beliefs on specific reasons for traditional medicine (TRM) use among individuals and populations has long been advanced in health care and spatio-medical literature. Yet, little has been done in Ghana and the Ashanti Region in particular to bring out the precise “pull” and “push” relative influences on TRM utilization. With a qualitative research approach involving rural and urban character, the study explored health beliefs and motivations for TRM use in Kumasi Metropolis and Sekyere South District, Ghana. The study draws on data from 36 in-depth interviews with adults, selected through theoretical sampling. We used the a posteriori inductive reduction model to derive broad themes and subthemes. The “pull factors”—perceived benefits in TRM use vis-à-vis the “push factors”—perceived poor services of the biomedical treatments contributed to the growing trends in TRM use. The result however indicates that the “pull factors,” viz.—personal health beliefs, desire to take control of one's health, perceived efficacy, and safety of various modalities of TRM—were stronger in shaping TRM use. Poor access to conventional medicine accounted for the differences in TRM use between rural and urban areas. Understanding the treatment and health-seeking behaviour of a cultural-related group is critical for developing and sustaining traditional therapy in Ghana.
Memory bias for bodily sensations in social anxiety

Cognitive models of social anxiety suggest that memory and attention towards threat are key factors in the maintenance of social anxiety. There is mounting evidence that individuals with social anxiety are engaged in self-focused attention, however there is little empirical evidence demonstrating that individuals with social anxiety exhibit memory biases for external threat information. Given that people with social anxiety tend to direct their attention towards internal aspects of the self, it may be that memorial biases are for internal cues of threat, such as bodily sensations, rather than external cues of threat. Two studies examined whether social anxiety is associated with a memory bias for cues associated with increased physiological arousal. In both studies, participants completed a performance task while monitoring what they believed was computer feedback about their bodily sensations; they were subsequently given free recall and recognition tests for the computer feedback. Study one examined whether individuals diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD) exhibit a memory bias for their physiological response. Though there were no significant differences in memory for the computer feedback between SAD and control participants, among individuals with SAD only greater fear of bodily sensations was associated with better memory for the computer feedback. Study two extended the findings of study one by examining whether attaching greater importance to the meaning of bodily sensations enhances memory for those sensations. It was found that participants who were led to believe that bodily sensations were important indicators of the quality of their performance showed enhanced memory for the computer feedback compared to participants who were provided with a neutral interpretation of bodily sensations. Furthermore, among participants told that bodily sensations are important in predicting their performance, those reporting high social anxiety remembered more information indicative of increased physiology, whereas those reporting low social anxiety remembered more information indicative of stable or decreasing physiology. Implications for our understanding of memory and anxiety, as well as specific cognitive-behavioural models of social anxiety are discussed in relation to the importance of considering individual differences in beliefs related to social situations.
Filamin 2 (FLN2): A Muscle-specific Sarcoglycan Interacting Protein

Mutations in genes encoding for the sarcoglycans, a subset of proteins within the dystrophin–glycoprotein complex, produce a limb-girdle muscular dystrophy phenotype; however, the precise role of this group of proteins in the skeletal muscle is not known. To understand the role of the sarcoglycan complex, we looked for sarcoglycan interacting proteins with the hope of finding novel members of the dystrophin–glycoprotein complex. Using the yeast two-hybrid method, we have identified a skeletal muscle-specific form of filamin, which we term filamin 2 (FLN2), as a γ- and δ-sarcoglycan interacting protein. In addition, we demonstrate that FLN2 protein localization in limb-girdle muscular dystrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and mice is altered when compared with unaffected individuals. Previous studies of filamin family members have determined that these proteins are involved in actin reorganization and signal transduction cascades associated with cell migration, adhesion, differentiation, force transduction, and survival. Specifically, filamin proteins have been found essential in maintaining membrane integrity during force application. The finding that FLN2 interacts with the sarcoglycans introduces new implications for the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy.
Prediction of Orthokeratology Lens Decentration with Corneal Elevation.

SIGNIFICANCE Lens decentration is common and unavoidable to some extent during ortho-k treatment. By using a simplified method, we are able to predict the magnitude and direction of ortho-k lens decentration, which provides useful insights in screening for ideal ortho-k candidates and to make a quick decision when decentration happens. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of corneal elevation asymmetry on ortho-k lens decentration. METHODS Thirty-six eyes of 36 subjects were fitted with four-curve reverse geometry ortho-k contact lenses. Corneal topography was collected before and 1 month after ortho-k lens wear. The difference in corneal elevation at the 8-mm chord of the respective two principal meridians of corneal astigmatism was calculated. Vector analyses were performed on these differences to calculate the magnitude and direction of a vector (corneal asymmetry vector). The relationship between the angle and magnitude of corneal asymmetry vector and lens decentration was analyzed. RESULTS Baseline refractive sphere and cylinder for the 36 tested eyes were -2.84 ± 1.04 diopters (D) (range, -4.75 to -1.00 D) and -0.21 ± 0.28 D (range, -1.00 to 0 D), respectively. The mean magnitude of lens decentration was 0.72 ± 0.26 mm (0 to 1.34 mm). For overall displacement, inferotemporal decentration was the most common as observed in 24 eyes (67%). The mean angle of the corneal asymmetry vector (202 ± 39 degrees) was significantly correlated to the mean angle of lens decentration (200 ± 39 degrees) (r = 0.76, P < .001). The magnitude of corneal asymmetry vector significantly contributed to the magnitude of lens decentration (standardized β = 0.448, P = .002) whereas the other tested variables did not affect lens decentration (all P > .05). CONCLUSIONS Lens decentration is a common phenomenon in ortho-k that mostly happens toward the inferotemporal quadrant of the cornea. The magnitude and direction of lens decentration are predetermined by paracentral corneal asymmetry.
The Differential Effectiveness of the Cognitive Interview Instructions for Enhancing Witnesses' Memory of a Familiar Event

This study examines the influence of familiarity on witnesses' memory and the individual effectiveness of each of the four cognitive interview instructions in improving witnesses' recall of scripted events. Participants (N = 195), either familiar or unfamiliar with the hospital script, were presented with a video of a surgical operation. One week later, an interviewer used one of the four cognitive interview instructions or a control instruction to ask them about the video. Participants familiar with the surgery context recalled signif- icantly more correct information and, in particular, more consistent and irrelevant details than those unfamiliar with the surgery context. Furthermore, the results confirmed the effectiveness of all four cognitive interview mnemonics in enhancing the amount of correct information reported, irrespective of the participants' familiarity with the critical event. However, their efficacy differed depending on the category of details considered. The practical implications of these results are discussed.
Sensing time and power optimization in MIMO cognitive radio networks

In this paper, we investigate the sensing-throughput tradeoff in multi-antenna cognitive radio (CR) systems. Specifically, we optimize the sensing threshold, sensing time, and transmit power of a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) CR system for maximization of the opportunistic system throughput under transmit power and probability of false alarm and detection constraints. To this end, we propose a new transmission protocol which allows the CR user to simultaneously perform data transmission and spectrum sensing on different spatial subchannels. We formulate a non-convex optimization problem for the optimal choice of the sensing threshold, sensing times, and transmit powers in the different spatial subchannels of MIMO CR systems. Since finding the global optimal solution entails a very high complexity, we develop an efficient iterative algorithm that is based on the concept of alternating optimization and solves only convex subproblems in each iteration. Simulation results show that the developed algorithm closely approaches the global optimal performance and achieves significant performance gains compared to baseline schemes employing equal powers or equal sensing times in all subcannels.
Transmembrane Topology and Signal Peptide Prediction Using Dynamic Bayesian Networks

Hidden Markov models (HMMs) have been successfully applied to the tasks of transmembrane protein topology prediction and signal peptide prediction. In this paper we expand upon this work by making use of the more powerful class of dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs). Our model, Philius, is inspired by a previously published HMM, Phobius, and combines a signal peptide submodel with a transmembrane submodel. We introduce a two-stage DBN decoder that combines the power of posterior decoding with the grammar constraints of Viterbi-style decoding. Philius also provides protein type, segment, and topology confidence metrics to aid in the interpretation of the predictions. We report a relative improvement of 13% over Phobius in full-topology prediction accuracy on transmembrane proteins, and a sensitivity and specificity of 0.96 in detecting signal peptides. We also show that our confidence metrics correlate well with the observed precision. In addition, we have made predictions on all 6.3 million proteins in the Yeast Resource Center (YRC) database. This large-scale study provides an overall picture of the relative numbers of proteins that include a signal-peptide and/or one or more transmembrane segments as well as a valuable resource for the scientific community. All DBNs are implemented using the Graphical Models Toolkit. Source code for the models described here is available at http://noble.gs. washington.edu/proj/philius. A Philius Web server is available at http://www.yeastrc. org/philius, and the predictions on the YRC database are available at http://www.yeastrc. org/pdr.
Centromere-localized breaks indicate the generation of DNA damage by the mitotic spindle

Most carcinomas present some form of chromosome instability in combination with spindle defects. Numerical instability is likely caused by spindle aberrations, but the origin of breaks and translocations remains elusive. To determine whether one mechanism can bring about both types of instability, we studied the relationship between DNA damage and spindle defects. Although lacking apparent repair defects, primary Dido mutant cells formed micronuclei containing damaged DNA. The presence of centromeres showed that micronuclei were caused by spindle defects, and cell cycle markers showed that DNA damage was generated during mitosis. Although the micronuclei themselves persisted, the DNA damage within was repaired during S and G2 phases. DNA breaks in Dido mutant cells regularly colocalized with centromeres, which were occasionally distorted. Comparable defects were found in APC mutant cell lines, an independent system for spindle defects. On the basis of these results, we propose a model for break formation in which spindle defects lead to centromere shearing.