Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Memory for Relevant and Irrelevant Information: Evidence for Deficient Inhibitory Processes in Language/ Learning Disabled Children

The present study examined whether language/learning disabled children have greater difficulty than nondisabled children suppressing information that becomes irrelevant during a sentence processing and memory task. During study trials, children were asked to predict and remember the terminal nouns for a series of sentences that highly constrained a terminal noun. For half of the study trials (fillers) the child's prediction was confirmed by presenting the child with the expected ending (e.g., "Butterflies fly by flapping their . . . wings."). For the remaining study trials (critical trials), however, the sentence ending expected by the child was disconfirmed with a low-probability ending (target noun). Thus, when presented with the sentence, "We made a sandwich with peanut butter and . ," the child's prediction ("jelly") was disconfirmed with a different ending ("bananas"). Memory for the disconfirmed and target nouns of critical study trials were subsequently tested implicitly with a new sentence-completion task. In this case, memory for disconfirmed and target nouns that had been associated with individual study sentences were measured in terms of priming effects. The analysis of priming effects indicated that language/learning disabled children experienced greater difficulty than nondisabled children inhibiting the activation of irrelevant information (disconfirmed nouns) and sustaining the activation of relevant information (target nouns) during a verbal memory task. These results were discussed in terms of their implications for some of the memory and language difficulties of language/learning disabled children.
A Retrospective Study of the Clinical Burden of Hospitalized All-Cause and Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Canada

Background. Routine vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae is recommended in Canada for infants, the elderly, and individuals with chronic comorbidity. National incidence and burden of all-cause and pneumococcal pneumonia in Canada (excluding Quebec) were assessed. Methods. Incidence, length of stay, and case-fatality rates of hospitalized all-cause and pneumococcal pneumonia were determined for 2004–2010 using ICD-10 discharge data from the Canadian Institutes for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database. Population-at-risk data were obtained from the Statistics Canada census. Temporal changes in pneumococcal and all-cause pneumonia rates in adults ≥65 years were analyzed by logistic regression. Results. Hospitalization for all-cause pneumonia was highest in children <5 years and in adults >70 years and declined significantly from 1766/100,000 to 1537/100,000 per year in individuals aged ≥65 years (P < 0.001). Overall hospitalization for pneumococcal pneumonia also declined from 6.40/100,000 to 5.08/100,000 per year. Case-fatality rates were stable (11.6% to 12.3%). Elderly individuals had longer length of stay and higher case-fatality rates than younger groups. Conclusions. All-cause and pneumococcal pneumonia hospitalization rates declined between 2004 and 2010 in Canada (excluding Quebec). Direct and indirect effects from pediatric pneumococcal immunization may partly explain some of this decline. Nevertheless, the burden of disease from pneumonia remains high.
Complete Genome Sequence of Cronobacter sakazakii Temperate Bacteriophage phiES15

ABSTRACT While most phage genome studies have been focused on the virulent phages, the inducible temperate bacteriophage genome study provides more detailed information about the interaction between the host strain and the phage. To study this interaction in detail, UV-induced phiES15 bacteriophage was isolated from the host strain Cronobacter sakazakii ES15 and its genome was completely sequenced. Here we announce the genome sequence of phiES15 and report major findings from the annotation.
Papillomas at high risk for malignant progression arising both early and late during two-stage carcinogenesis in SENCAR mice.

The current study was designed to further establish that most papillomas produced in SENCAR mice during two-stage skin carcinogenesis are, in fact, premalignant lesions and to specifically determine the malignant conversion potential of papillomas that arise at different times during the carcinogenesis process. A method was established to physically map and monitor the lifespan of all papillomas produced in SENCAR mice during the course of an initiation-promotion experiment using DMBA as the initiator and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as the promoter. The results from these experiments showed that in groups of mice initiated with either 0.5 or 2.0 microg DMBA, long-term (60 weeks) treatment with TPA yielded a significantly higher number of SCCs compared to short-term treatment (7 weeks). Papillomas that emerged after 11 weeks and thereafter in all treatment groups had the ability to progress to SCCs. The median conversion time for all papillomas in all groups was 26 weeks. When corrected for median conversion time, papillomas that emerged in week 11 and thereafter in all treatment groups had similar or greater conversion ratios compared to those that emerged within the first 10 weeks. Interestingly, the median conversion time was significantly shorter (18 versus 27 weeks, respectively; P<0.0002) for papillomas that emerged in week 11 and thereafter compared to those that emerged at or prior to 10 weeks for all groups. The data in this study demonstrate that papillomas arising throughout a two-stage carcinogenesis protocol in SENCAR mice progress to SCCs. Many papillomas that arise later in two-stage carcinogenesis protocols do not have sufficient time to allow for conversion and should be excluded from the analyses. Furthermore, another novel finding of the current study was the observation that papillomas arising later in the two-stage protocol (>11 weeks) progressed to SCCs at a faster rate than those that arose earliest in the protocol.
An Assessment of Different Components of Patient Medication Knowledge

Different components of drug knowledge (i.e., knowledge of the drug purpose, regimen, action if a dose is missed, and common side effects) were examined in 187 ambulatory cardiovascular patients in order to determine whether the components were similar enough to be considered interchangeable in representing drug knowledge. Patients and physicians were interviewed in a family practice setting and their responses compared for each cardiovascular drug the patient was taking. Scores were highest for knowledge of the drug regimen and purpose, fewer patients were correct about the appropriate action if a dose were missed, and only a small number could accurately identify common side effects associated with their drug therapy. The comparison of patient responses to each of the knowledge measures indicated that there was little consistency in response across the various types of knowledge. The differences in the measures were supported further by regression equations that showed different relationships between a set of independent variables and knowledge of drug purpose and regimen, respectively. The study findings suggest that a partial explanation for inconsistencies of research about drug knowledge may be the way this concept is measured.
Complementary Medicine and Psoriasis: Linking the Patient’s Outlook with Evidence-Based Medicine

Background: There is increasing evidence for the extensive use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by patients with psoriasis. Clinical research in the arena of CAM and psoriasis treatment is evolving and includes some randomized controlled trials. Objective: To study CAM use among patients with psoriasis attending a dermatology clinic in a major university hospital in northern Israel. Prevalence, reasons for CAM use and its relevance to doctor-patient communication were emphasized. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with psoriasis patients in a dermatology clinic. Consent was obtained for 78 patients. Post-visit questionnaires were given to 5 physicians. Results: Seventy-eight patients with psoriasis were interviewed and 77 were studied. Sixty-two percent used CAM. Fifty-eight percent of users had seen a CAM practitioner. The study found a trend of CAM use among patients with psoriasis from Arab compared to Jewish descent (p = 0.087). CAM users reported on average 2 different CAM modalities. Herbal medicine and nutritional treatments ranked first, followed by homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine and nutritional supplements. The main reason for CAM use was stated to be to do everything to heal the disease, followed by a quest for improved quality of life. Others mentioned an interest in a less toxic treatment, disappointment with conventional treatment and stress reduction. Well over half of the study participants and their dermatologists did not initiate a discussion about CAM use. The dermatologists’ ability to predict CAM use in their patients was relatively low. Conclusion: There is growing evidence of extensive CAM use among patients with psoriasis. Most patients use CAM as a complementary treatment, rather than an alternative to conventional treatment. Teaching CAM should be integrated into the dermatology residency curriculum. Dermatologists need to increase their awareness of CAM use by their patients in order to improve therapeutic communication.
Uses , Perceptions and Self-justifications

This paper reports on a pilot study investigating the perceptions and use of Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) amongst the youth in South Africa. MIMs are enjoying a high adoption rate amongst the youth in South Africa and MXit is by far the most popular MIM. However, the media, parents and educators are overly concerned with the use of the system. The accusations against MXit have included the allegations that it is time-wasting for the youth, it is a hunting ground for paedophiles, and it leads to anti-social behaviours. It is interesting, however, that despite the negative perceptions of the system, the youth are still using it, and presumably with their parents’ blessings. Data for the study was gathered through in-depth interviews with randomly selected youth who use MXit, as well as with parents of children who use the system. The study has found that the youth use the system mainly for social networking and that, to most users, the system is more than just a communication tool it is also part of their lives. The study has also unearthed the perceptions of the users towards fellow users and towards non-users. In addition, it has been noted that both the users and parents of users are employing self-justification strategies to deal with the cognitive dissonance arising from the negative discourse on MXit and their continued use or support of the system. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of how the youth use new media. The findings could be useful for those who may want to use new media for educating the youth and for marketing purposes.
The application of a microwave technique for the preparation of cell blocks from sputum

Microwaves stimulate diffusion in tissue and affect the proteins and membrane of the cell. These actions can be used to shorten the time required to fix and prepare cell blocks from sputum. The fixative containing ethyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol is particularly suitable for microwave enhanced fixation. Applying a commercially available domestic microwave oven, in which the temperature and power level can be set, cell blocks can be prepared from fresh sputum in 35 min. The microscopical results are of a superior quality because of the microwave‐induced homogeneous distribution of the effects of the applied immersion fluids on the cells. The method is very successful for all specimens containing a large amount of mucous. Health hazards for laboratory personnel are nil in this cell blocking method; in contrast to when fresh sputum containing infectious agents is used for smear preparation.
Immunization against hepatitis B-what can we expect?: Results of a survey of antibody response to immunization in persons ‘at risk’ of occupational exposure to hepatitis B

SUMMARY One thousand three hundred and twenty adults at risk of occupational exposure to hepatitis B were immunized using genetically engineered surface antigen and their antibody response (anti-HBs IU/1) assessed. Sex was known for all subjects and age for 1120 (range from 17–71 years). Seven hundred and sixty-four subjects were immunized in the local Department of Occupational Health, the remainder mainly by general practitioners. Analysis of ‘good responders’ (anti-HBs > 100 IU/1) according to age and sex showed that increasing age and male sex had independent adverse effects on the likelihood of developing a satisfactory level of antibody to HBsAg. Furthermore even those most likely to respond well (young women), had a 1/5 to 1/6 failure rate to achieve > 100 IU/1 anti-HBs. Of 63 persons who received a fourth dose of vaccine, 26 developed anti-HBs titres > 100 IU/1 when tested after 6 months. Subjects who had a low level of anti-HBs following primary immunization were more likely to develop > 100 IU/1 anti-HBs following a booster dose than were non-responders (< 10 IU/1).
Does habitat fragmentation reduce fitness and adaptability? A case study of the common frog (Rana temporaria)

Studies examining the effects of anthropogenic habitat fragmentation on both neutral and adaptive genetic variability are still scarce. We compared tadpole fitness‐related traits (viz. survival probability and body size) among populations of the common frog (Rana temporaria) from fragmented (F) and continuous (C) habitats that differed significantly in population sizes (C > F) and genetic diversity (C > F) in neutral genetic markers. Using data from common garden experiments, we found a significant positive relationship between the mean values of the fitness related traits and the amount of microsatellite variation in a given population. While genetic differentiation in neutral marker loci (FST) tended to be more pronounced in the fragmented than in the continuous habitat, genetic differentiation in quantitative traits (QST) exceeded that in neutral marker traits in the continuous habitat (i.e. QST > FST), but not in the fragmented habitat (i.e. QST ≈ FST). These results suggest that the impact of random genetic drift relative to natural selection was higher in the fragmented landscape where populations were small, and had lower genetic diversity and fitness as compared to populations in the more continuous landscape. The findings highlight the potential importance of habitat fragmentation in impairing future adaptive potential of natural populations.
Breast-feeding duration for the prevention of excess body weight of mother–child pairs concurrently: a 2-year cohort study

Abstract Objective To examine the association between breast-feeding duration and the risk of excess body weight (children >85th percentile, mothers BMI≥25·0 kg/m2) concurrently in mother–child pairs two years after delivery. Design Prospective cohort study in Joinville, Brazil. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the independent relationship between breast-feeding duration and risk of excess body weight. Setting Brazilian public maternity hospital. Subjects Three hundred and five mother–child pairs. Results At 2-year follow-up, 23·6 % of mother–child pairs had excess body weight. Children breast-fed for <2 months were more likely to have excess body weight than children breast-fed for ≥6 months (OR=2·4; 95 % CI 1·1, 5·1). Breast-feeding for <2 months was also associated with a greater likelihood of maternal excess body weight compared with those who breast-fed for ≥6 months (OR=2·9; 95 % CI 1·1, 8·1). There was a progressive increase in the likelihood of mother–child pairs having excess body weight as breast-feeding duration decreased. In addition to breast-feeding duration, other independent determinants of excess body weight were pre-pregnancy weight, gestational weight gain and number of pregnancies in mothers, and birth weight in children. Conclusions Breast-feeding for a longer duration has a parallel protective effect on the risk of excess body weight in mother–child pairs two years after birth. Since members of the same family could be influenced by the same risk factors, continued promotion and support of breast-feeding may help to attenuate the rising prevalence of overweight in mother–child pairs.
Interferon‐γ Production by Human T Cells and Natural Killer Cells In Vitro in Response to Antigens from the Two Intracellular Pathogens Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Leishmania major

Acquired resistance to both mycobacteria and Leishmania is primarily mediated by interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), which triggers mechanisms leading to the death of the microorganism in macrophages. In this study, cell activation and IFN‐γ production was investigated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from individuals previously sensitized to tuberculin and without known exposure to Leishmania parasites. Immune staining for intracellular IFN‐γ and surface markers allowed flow cytometric identification of the cellular sources of IFN‐γ in cell cultures incubated with purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) and Leishmania antigens. It was found that IFN‐γ was produced in response to both PPD and Leishmania stimulant by T cells in the cultures. Activation of IFN‐γ producing natural killer (NK) cells was demonstrated only in some cultures, and only with concomitant T cell activation.
Effect of a Longitudinal Cut on the Mechanical Properties of Small-Diameter Roundwood of Pinus nigra Arnold

The use of roundwood in structures has drawbacks that include tapering and lack of flatness, which can be overcome by making a longitudinal cut to flatten one side. The aim of this work was to compare the mechanical behavior of roundwood vs. roundwood with one flat face, comparing pieces of small-diameter roundwood from young trees of Pinus nigra Arnold. Half the samples were given a longitudinal cut. Specimens taken from these pieces were tested for bending and compression parallel to the grain to determine their modulus of elasticity and strength. The modulus of rupture by bending was 22% lower in roundwood with one flat face (59.0 MPa) than in roundwood (75.6 MPa). It has been observed that the smaller cross section in the roundwood with one flat face is not the only explanation for the decrease in the bending strength. In contrast, no significant differences were observed for the other three mechanical properties studied (compression strength parallel to the grain and modulus of elasticity in bending and compression).
Work ability--a comprehensive concept for occupational health research and prevention.

The following articles refer to this text: 2010;36(1):1-80; 2010;36(5):349-432; 2010;36(6):433-520; 2011;37(6):451-555; 2011;37(6):451-555; 2012;38(6):485-605; 2013;39(5):427-530; 2014;40(3):211-330; 2014;40(4):331-436; 2014;40(5):437-538; 2015;41(1):1-106; 2015;41(1):1-106; 2015;41(4):325-419; 2016;42(4):257-353; 2016;42(6):455-562; 2017;43(1):1-96; 2017;43(2):97-190; 2017;43(5):393-504; 2018;44(1):1-110; 2018;44(2):111-223; 2018;44(1):1-110
Association of XRCC2 rs3218536 Polymorphism with Susceptibility of Breast and Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Previous studies have investigated the association of X-Ray Repair Cross-Complementing Group 2 (XRCC2) rs3218536 polymorphism with breast and ovarian cancer. However, this association remains conflicting. Therefore, we have performed the current systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the association between XRCC2 rs3218536 polymorphism with risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Methods: We conducted a search in PubMed, Google Scholar and ISI Web of Science to select relevant studies on the association of XRCC2 rs3218536 polymorphism with breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility. We calculated the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for five genetic contrasts. In addition, a stratified analysis was conducted cancer type, ethnicity and HWE status. Results: A total of 17 studies with 5694 cases and 6450 controls for breast cancer and nine case-control studies with 4464 cases and 6353 controls for ovarian cancer were identified for the analysis of the association with XRCC2 rs3218536 polymorphism. The pooled ORs revealed that XRCC2 rs3218536 polymorphism was associated with breast cancer under the heterozygote contrast (AG vs. GG: OR = 0.929, 95% CI = 0.873-0.987, p=0.018) and ovarian cancer under dominant contrast (AA+AG vs. GG: OR = 0.725, 95% CI = 0.537-0.979, p=0.036) in the overall population. The stratified analysis indicated a significant association of XRCC2 rs3218536 polymorphism with breast and ovarian cancer risk among Caucasians. Conclusion: Inconsistent with previous meta-analysis, this meta-analysis shows that the XRCC2 rs3218536 polymorphism was associated with breast and ovarian cancer risk in overall population, especially among Caucasians.
A Fusobacterium mortiferum strain produces a bacteriocin‐like substance(s) inhibiting Salmonella enteritidis

Seven strictly anaerobic strains showing anti‐Salmonella enteritidis activity were isolated from poultry caecal contents. Among them, the most inhibitory one, a strain of Fusobacterium mortiferum, called FM1025, was selected. Biochemical tests, showing the proteinaceous structure of the antagonist(s) produced, indicated that the strain Fus. mortiferum FM1025 synthesized (a) bacteriocin‐like compound(s) active against Salm. enteritidis. Among the other strains tested, both Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria were inhibited. These preliminary results suggested the important role of the Fusobacterium strains against pathogenic bacteria among the intestinal flora.
The lesson for us in a bipolar disorder patient comorbid with dissociative amnesia

Fahmi M, Huang C and Schweitzer I (2002) A case of mania induced by hypericum. World Journal of Biological Psychiatry; 3: 58–59. McIntyre M (2000) A review of the benefits, adverse events drug interactions, and safety of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum): The implications with regard to the regulation of herbal medicines. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 6: 115–124. Mitchell P (1999) St. John’s wort – Quack medicine or novel antidepressant treatment? Australian Prescriber 22: 112–113.
THE FORMATION OF KILOPARSEC-SCALE H i HOLES IN DWARF GALAXIES

The origin of kpc-scale holes in the atomic hydrogen (H i) distributions of some nearby dwarf irregular galaxies presents an intriguing problem. Star formation histories (SFHs) derived from resolved stars give us the unique opportunity to study past star-forming events that may have helped shape the currently visible H i distribution. Our sample of five nearby dwarf irregular galaxies spans over an order of magnitude in both total H i mass and absolute B-band magnitude and is at the low-mass end of previously studied systems. We use Very Large Array H i line data to estimate the energy required to create the centrally dominant hole in each galaxy. We compare this energy estimate to the past energy released by the underlying stellar populations computed from SFHs derived from data taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. The inferred integrated stellar energy released within the characteristic ages exceeds our energy estimates for creating the holes in all cases, assuming expected efficiencies. Therefore, it appears that stellar feedback provides sufficient energy to produce the observed holes. However, we find no obvious signature of single star-forming events responsible for the observed structures when comparing the global SFHs of each galaxy in our sample to each other or to those of dwarf irregular galaxies reported in the literature. We also fail to find evidence of a central star cluster in FUV or Hα imaging. We conclude that large H i holes are likely formed from multiple generations of star formation and only under suitable interstellar medium conditions.