Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pediatric-Onset and Adult-Onset Separation Anxiety Disorder Across Countries in the World Mental Health Survey.

OBJECTIVE The age-at-onset criterion for separation anxiety disorder was removed in DSM-5, making it timely to examine the epidemiology of separation anxiety disorder as a disorder with onsets spanning the life course, using cross-country data. METHOD The sample included 38,993 adults in 18 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health Surveys. The WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess a range of DSM-IV disorders that included an expanded definition of separation anxiety disorder allowing onsets in adulthood. Analyses focused on prevalence, age at onset, comorbidity, predictors of onset and persistence, and separation anxiety-related role impairment. RESULTS Lifetime separation anxiety disorder prevalence averaged 4.8% across countries (interquartile range [25th-75th percentiles]=1.4%-6.4%), with 43.1% of lifetime onsets occurring after age 18. Significant time-lagged associations were found between earlier separation anxiety disorder and subsequent onset of internalizing and externalizing DSM-IV disorders and conversely between these disorders and subsequent onset of separation anxiety disorder. Other consistently significant predictors of lifetime separation anxiety disorder included female gender, retrospectively reported childhood adversities, and lifetime traumatic events. These predictors were largely comparable for separation anxiety disorder onsets in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood and across country income groups. Twelve-month separation anxiety disorder prevalence was considerably lower than lifetime prevalence (1.0% of the total sample; interquartile range=0.2%-1.2%). Severe separation anxiety-related 12-month role impairment was significantly more common in the presence (42.4%) than absence (18.3%) of 12-month comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS Separation anxiety disorder is a common and highly comorbid disorder that can have onset across the lifespan. Childhood adversity and lifetime trauma are important antecedents, and adverse effects on role function make it a significant target for treatment.
Participatory development of ICT entrepreneurship in an informal settlement in South Africa

A unique Participatory Entrepreneurship Development (PED) project was implemented in an informal settlement (Zandspruit) in South Africa. The purpose of the project was to stimulate, among local members of the community, the establishment of innovative, needs-based ICT-related businesses. Training was offered in participatory methods, the process of business development (including needs assessment, business idea generation, business modelling, feasibility analysis, and business plan writing), and sensitization to possible ICT solutions as inspiration for innovation. Participants were expected to propose ICT business solutions for the community, by the community. Results were mixed, with perhaps the most important insight that lack of in-depth ICT knowledge might be the crucial inhibiting factor for community-driven pro-poor ICT-related entrepreneurship.
Maximum‐size antichains in random set‐systems

We show that, for pn→∞ , the largest set in a p‐random sub‐family of the power set of {1,…,n} containing no k‐chain has size (k−1+o(1))p(nn/2) with high probability. This confirms a conjecture of Osthus. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 49, 308–321, 2016
Biochemical and molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in parasites

Drug resistance is complicating the treatment of parasitic diseases. We review here the basic mechanisms of parasite resistance in malaria, sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis and common helminthiases. Parasites resort to multiple biochemical means to achieve resistance and we have begun to isolate and characterize the genes/proteins implicated in resistance. Understanding drug resistance is essential for the control of parasitic diseases.
Botulinum Toxin A: Is it Really that Fragile a Molecule?

BACKGROUND Botulinum toxin A is considered to be an extremely fragile molecule, with recommended usage of some reconstituted botulinum toxin A formulations within 4 hours of reconstitution. Extreme caution is recommended to avoid agitation of the vial. OBJECTIVE To determine whether the effect of reconstituted botulinum toxin A is maintained even when it is agitated vigorously. DESIGN Experimental, comparative, animal study. PARTICIPANTS Sixty‐four white Swiss Webster mice, aged 2 to 4 weeks, arranged in eight separate groups. INTERVENTION Reconstituted onabotulinumtoxinA (2.5 U/0.1 mL) was placed securely in a battery‐operated mechanized apparatus. The apparatus with the vial was placed in the refrigerator, and the apparatus continuously inverted and straightened the onabotulinumtoxinA vial 30 times a minute. Eight mice were each injected intraperitoneally with 1 U of the agitated onabotulinumtoxinA on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 42, to evaluate the efficacy of the continuously agitated onabotulinumtoxinA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Death of the mice, demonstrating efficacy of the onabotulinumtoxinA molecule. RESULTS Half of each group of mice (4/8 mice) died within 48 hours of the injection (range 16–48 hours). CONCLUSION The effect of botulinum toxin type A is maintained even when it is agitated vigorously for up to 6 weeks. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
Growth and Sporulation of Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 under Defined Conditions: Temporal Expression of Genes for Key Sigma Factors

ABSTRACT An airlift fermentor system allowing precise regulation of pH and aeration combined with a chemically defined medium was used to study growth and sporulation of Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579. Sporulation was complete and synchronous. Expression of sigA, sigB, sigF, and sigG was monitored with real-time reverse transcription-PCR, and the pattern qualitatively resembled that of Bacillus subtilis. This method allows reproducible production of stable spores, while the synchronous growth and defined conditions are excellently suitable for further gene expression studies of cellular differentiation of B. cereus.
Lack of genetic dispositions to hyperhomocysteinemia in Alzheimer disease

Recent reports suggested a link of homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism and Alzheimer disease (AD) [Kruman et al., 2002; Seshadri et al., 2002]. Impairment of Hcy metabolism might be due to nutritional or genetic factors, for example, a lack of folate, vitamin B6 or B12, or due to genetic variants of genes coding for enzymes involved in Hcy metabolism. We aimed to investigate whether the functional polymorphisms methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) c.677C>T (A222V) and c.1298A>C (E429A), methionine synthase (MS c.2756A>G (D919G), and cystathionine b-synthase (CBS) c.833T>C (I278T) and 844ins68 (tandem repeat affecting RNA splicing) are of relevance for AD. This study includes 162 German AD patients (72 9 years; m/f 52/110) who were diagnosed at the Department of Psychiatry according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV, supported by clinical examination, detailed structured interviews, neuropsychological testing, and MRI-studies. Age of onset was recorded at the initial visit as theagewhensymptomswerefirst recognizedby thepatients themselves or by those in their personal environment. As controls, 169 healthy individuals (71 7 years, m/f 74/95) were recruited from the local population in collaboration of the town census bureau and the board of data protection, NorthrhineWestfalia, Germany. All individuals were unrelated and of Caucasian ancestry. All participants or their statutory agents gave informedwritten consent. The studywas approved by the local ethics committee. Analysis of the five polymorphisms was performed as published previously [Linnebank et al., 2004]. In addition, the apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele was analyzed as internal control. This allele has repeatedly been proven as a risk factor for both the development and an earlier onset of sporadic AD [Schellenberg, 1995]. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the simultaneous effects of variants of genes involved inHcymetabolism and the APOE e4 allele on the risk for AD. Age and sex were included as covariates. The allele frequencies between the investigated groups were compared using w-tests and the Fisher exact test when appropriate. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to compare the age of onset in AD patients depending on the different polymorphisms. Significance was set at two-sided alpha <0.05. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was confirmed for all populations. The presence of the APOE e4 allele (0.61 in patients vs. 0.28 in controls) was confirmed as a risk factor for AD (w1⁄4 16.3, df1⁄4 1, P< 0.001, respectively) and for an earlier onset of AD (log rank1⁄4 5.38, df1⁄4 1; P1⁄4 0.020) supporting the representative character of our study population. In contrast,
Structural Basis for Partial Redundancy in a Class of Transcription Factors, the LIM Homeodomain Proteins, in Neural Cell Type Specification*

Background: Lhx and Isl proteins contribute to genetic control in developing neurons. Results: The Lhx3/4-binding motif in Isl2 was identified, and the structures of Lhx-Isl complexes were characterized and compared. Conclusion: There are minor differences in the structures of Lhx3/4 binding Isl1/2 reflected by mutational and biophysical analyses. Significance: Redundant sets of interactions conserve function in developing neurons while allowing divergence in other contexts. Combinations of LIM homeodomain proteins form a transcriptional “LIM code” to direct the specification of neural cell types. Two paralogous pairs of LIM homeodomain proteins, LIM homeobox protein 3/4 (Lhx3/Lhx4) and Islet-1/2 (Isl1/Isl2), are expressed in developing ventral motor neurons. Lhx3 and Isl1 interact within a well characterized transcriptional complex that triggers motor neuron development, but it was not known whether Lhx4 and Isl2 could participate in equivalent complexes. We have identified an Lhx3-binding domain (LBD) in Isl2 based on sequence homology with the Isl1LBD and show that both Isl2LBD and Isl1LBD can bind each of Lhx3 and Lhx4. X-ray crystal- and small-angle x-ray scattering-derived solution structures of an Lhx4·Isl2 complex exhibit many similarities with that of Lhx3·Isl1; however, structural differences supported by mutagenic studies reveal differences in the mechanisms of binding. Differences in binding have implications for the mode of exchange of protein partners in transcriptional complexes and indicate a divergence in functions of Lhx3/4 and Isl1/2. The formation of weaker Lhx·Isl complexes would likely be masked by the availability of the other Lhx·Isl complexes in postmitotic motor neurons.
Clinicopathological correlates of plasma cell CD56 (NCAM) expression in multiple myeloma

The aim of this prospective, long-term study was to define the flow cytometric characteristics of plasma cell CD56 expression as well as determine the clinical characteristics of 204 multiple myeloma (MM) patients and 26 plasma cell leukemia (PCL) patients with regard to CD56 expression. CD56 expression intensity was determined by measurement of antigen molecules on the cell defined as Antibodies Bound per Cell (ABC) and calculation of Relative Fluorescence Intensity (RFI). CD56 expression was found in 66% of MM and 54% of PCL cases. The RFI values for individual MM patients ranged from 7.6 to 27.4 while ABC values on MM plasma cells from 2255 to 58469. There was a correlation between the proportion of all bone marrow CD38++/CD138+ cells with CD56 expression and ABC and RFI indices. With regard to CD56 expression positive patients, the CD56− MM patients presented lower frequency of osteolysis (p = 0.01). The median survival was 48 months in CD56+ patients and 43 months (p = 0.84) in CD56− cases. In conclusion, CD56 expression carries no distinct adverse prognosis and the lack of CD56 expression does not define a unique clinicopathological or prognostic entity in MM. A remarkable heterogeneity of CD56 expression intensity in CD56+ patients imposes the necessity of determining CD56 expression intensity in candidates to antibody-based therapy.
Using ‘omic’ technology to target Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori is a causative agent for ulcers, gastritis and cancer of the stomach. Its colonisation of approximately half the world's population makes it a serious health risk and the increase in resistance to antibiotic therapies means that the search for new treatments to abrogate the disease is of growing importance. Since the publication of the complete DNA sequence data for H. pylori, it has been possible to examine the global pattern for different aspects of the bacteria, such as its proteome, genome and transcriptome and use this information to address the problem of H. pylori associated disease. This review examines the use of techniques collected together under the term ‘omics’ in order to target the disease caused by H. pylori and suggests where these technologies may lead in the future.
PAPER 353 THE APPLICATION OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION PROGRAM TO CORRECTIONS AND CRIME PREVENTION

This paper describes the research studies on the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program which have relevance to corrections and to crime prevention in urban communities. Physiological and psychological laboratory studies of the TM program which bear on criminal rehabilitation are briefly reviewed, followed by consideration of applied studies. Eight research projects in six correctional settings are reviewed. These studies give strong evidence that regular practice of the TM program leads to positive changes in health, personality development, and behavior among prisoners. Evidence of reduced recidivism among TM program participants is also indicated. Seven studies are reviewed which support the hypothesis that decreased crime rate in urban areas is associated with the percentage of persons practicing the TM program in that area. The research evidence suggests that the TM program participation is the causal factor in this decrease; theoretical explanations of the phenomenon are described. Practical implications of this research are also discussed.
Isolation and identification of a new neo-clerodane diterpenoid from Teucrium chamaedrys L.

Teucrium chamaedrys L. is an aromatic and medicinal plant used as traditional medicine. Aerial parts of the plant material were dried and extracted with hexane–dichloromethane (extract 1), ethyl acetate–dichloromethane (extract 2) and methanol–dichloromethane (extract 3) in a ratio of 1:1 at rt successively. The solvents were evaporated to give crude extracts. Extract 1 was suspended in water at 60°C then partitioned successively with hexane and ethyl acetate to give hexane and ethyl acetate portions. After the column chromatography (silica gel) of ethyl acetate extract, one new and four known compounds were isolated. The new compound was named as 1(12S,18R)-15,16-epoxy-2β,6β-dihydroxy-neo-cleroda-13(16),14-dien-20,l2-olide-l8,l9-hemiacetal (teuchamaedryn D) (4). The known compounds were teucrin A (1), dihydroteugin (2), teucroxide (3), syspirensin A (5). The chromatographic methods were also applied for extract 3 to isolate verbascoside (6) and teucrioside (7). The structure of isolated compounds was elucidated by spectroscopic methods including LC-TOF/MS, 1D NMR and 2D NMR.
Is the simian virus SV40 associated with idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in humans?

BACKGROUND Glomerulosclerosis was reported in mice transgenic for the simian polyomavirus SV40 early region that contains the transforming sequences encoding the SV40 large T-antigen (TAG). This was discovered when an SV40 epidemic occurred following the use of contaminated polio vaccines during 1955-1963, and led to investigations that showed an association between SV40 infection and tumors in humans. We investigated the possible association of SV40 infection and idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). METHODS The study was performed in 17 Bouin-fixed, paraffin-embedded renal biopsies from FSGS patients and 10 matched biopsies from patients with IgA glomerulonephritis; all patients had undergone polio vaccination in the early 1960s. Extracted DNA was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified using SV.for3/SV.rev primers and GabE1/GabE2 primers; both sets of primers map in the region of SV40 TAG sequences, and amplify a fragment of respectively 105-bp and 135-bp. The biopsies considered were those in which the DNA was sufficiently intact to allow amplification of a fragment of 102-bp of the ApoE gene. RESULTS Three FSGS and none of the IgA biopsies were positive for the SV.for3/SV.rev fragment. Conversely, amplification with GabE1/GabE2 primers did not lead to any specific product in either the IgA or FSGS biopsies. Restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing analyses revealed that the positive results obtained with the SV.for3/SV.rev primers were due to amplicons generated by multiple dimerization of forward and reverse primers. CONCLUSIONS With the limited number of patients investigated, this study excludes the hypothesis that SV40 is associated with idiopathic FSGS.
Two amino acid amidohydrolase genes encoding L-stereospecific carbamoylase and aminoacylase are organized in a common operon in Bacillus stearothermophilus

The L-carbamoylase gene (amaB) upstream of the previously detected L-aminoacylase gene (amaA) in the Bacillus stearothermophilus NCIB8224 strain was identified in this study. The amaB and amaA genes are cotranscribed as a single mRNA from the same transcriptional start. The two-ama-gene operon is conserved in B. stearothermophilus strains. A cross-activity of L-carbamoylase towards respective substrates for L-aminoacylase supports the hypothesis of a common ancestor for both amino acid amidohydrolase genes.
The role of microsatellite instability testing in management of colorectal cancer.

FS MSI refers to an accumulation of errors within microsatellite regions of DNA that lead to hypermutation and are caused by a deficient DNA mismatch repair system. The mismatch repair system serves an editing function— similar to a spellcheck mechanism—that identifies errors and removes them from the DNA. When this repair system is faulty, microsatellites in the DNA develop short nucleotide repeats that lead to frame-shift mutations.
A Meta-Analysis of Research on Information Technology Implementation in Small Business

The small business sector is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. The firms in this sector are becoming increasingly dependent on information systems (IS) for their operations. Traditional research in IS has primarily focused on large corporations. The problems, opportunities, and management issues encountered by small business in the IS area are unique, and research is too limited to provide useful guidelines. This study compares the research literature on IS implementation and research on IS in small business, examines the commonality and differences, and identifies research gaps. An overall research framework is developed to review the research in the two areas and determine areas of opportunity. As a follow-up of this analysis, a research model is developed to explore the factors influencing the adoption of computer-mediated communication technologies in small business. The model incorporates some of the innovation factors that are identified as potential gaps in the earlier analysis. The research model evaluates the impact of 6 factors-perceived usefulness, cost, compatibility, top management support, competitive advantage, and size-on the adoption of computer-mediated communications technologies. A telephone interview was used to collect data from 207 firms. The results of data analysis reveal that competitive advantage, top management support, and size are important determinants of adoption of computer-mediated communication technologies.
Monoclonal antibody purification using cationic polyelectrolytes: An alternative to column chromatography

The potential of cationic polyelectrolytes to precipitate host cell and process related impurities was investigated, to replace one or more chromatography steps in monoclonal antibody purification. The impact of antibody isoelectric point, solution properties (pH and ionic strength), and polyelectrolyte properties (structure, molecular weight and pKa) on the degree of precipitation was studied. At neutral pH, increasing solution ionic strength impeded the ionic interaction between the polyelectrolyte and impurities, reducing impurity precipitation. Increasing polyelectrolyte molecular weight and pKa enabled precipitation of impurities at higher ionic strength. PoIy(arginine) was selected as the preferred polyelectrolyte in unconditioned cell culture fluid. PoIy(arginine) precipitation achieved consistent host cell protein clearance and antibody recovery for multiple antibodies across a wider range of polyelectrolyte concentrations. Poly(arginine) precipitation was evaluated as a flocculant and as a functional replacement for anion exchange chromatography in an antibody purification process. Upstream treatment of cell culture fluid with poly(arginine) resulted in flocculation of solids (cells and cell debris), and antibody recovery and impurity clearance (host cell proteins, DNA and insulin) comparable to the downstream anion exchange chromatography step. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2010
A Minor Catalytic Activity of Src Family Kinases Is Sufficient for Maximal Activation of Mast Cells via the High-Affinity IgE Receptor

Src family kinases (SFK) are critical for initiating and regulating the response of mast cells activated by engagement of the high-affinity IgE receptor, FcεRI. Lyn is the predominant SFK in mast cells and has been ascribed both positive and negative roles in regulating mast cell activation. We analyzed the mast cell phenotype of WeeB, a recently described mouse mutant that expresses a Lyn protein with profoundly reduced catalytic activity. Surprisingly, we found that this residual activity is sufficient for wild-type levels of cytokine production and degranulation in bone marrow-derived mast cells after low-intensity stimulation with anti-IgE. High-intensity stimulation of lyn−/− bone marrow-derived mast cells with highly multivalent Ag resulted in enhanced cytokine production as previously reported, and WeeB cells displayed an intermediate phenotype. Under this latter condition, SFK inhibition using PP2 increased cytokine production in wild-type and WeeB but not lyn−/− cells, resulting in substantially higher levels in the PP2-treated WeeB than in lyn−/− cells. Restoration of wild-type and WeeB lyn alleles in lyn−/− cells generated activation phenotypes similar to those in nontransduced wild-type and WeeB cells, respectively, whereas a kinase-dead allele resulted in a phenotype similar to that of empty-vector–transduced cells. These data indicate that inhibition of Lyn and/or SFK activity can result in higher levels of mast cell activation than simple deletion of lyn and that only near-complete inhibition of Lyn can impair its positive regulatory functions. Furthermore, the data suggest that both positive and negative regulatory functions of Lyn are predominantly carried out by its catalytic activity and not an adaptor function.