Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self‐reported cognitive scales in a US National Survey: reliability, validity, and preliminary evidence for associations with alcohol and drug use

AIMS To evaluate relationships between measures of cognitive functioning and alcohol or drug use among adults (≥ 18 years) in the US general population. DESIGN Two cognitive scales were created based on dimensionality and reliability of self-reported Executive Function Index items. Relationships between the two scales and validators were evaluated. Associations between the cognitive scales and past-year frequency of alcohol or drug use were estimated with adjusted odds ratios (aOR). SETTING United States, using the 2012-13 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, a nationally representative adult sample selected by multi-stage probability sampling. PARTICIPANTS 36 085 respondents. MEASUREMENTS Past-year substance use outcome variables categorized binge drinking, marijuana, cocaine, opioid, sedative/tranquilizer and stimulant use as frequent (at least weekly to daily), infrequent (any to two to three times/month) or no use, assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-5. Key predictors were the two cognitive scales. Construct validators included education and functional impairment. Covariates included age, gender, income and race/ethnicity. FINDINGS Nine cognitive items fitted a two-factor model (comparative fit index = 0.973): attention (five items) and executive functioning (four items). Both scales were associated positively with higher education (Ps < 0.001) and negatively with functional impairment (Ps < 0.001), demonstrating construct validity. Poorer attention was associated with frequent and infrequent binge drinking and use of drugs [aOR range = 1.07 (binge drinking) to 1.72 (stimulants), Ps ≤ 0.01]. Poorer executive functioning was associated with frequent binge drinking and use of drugs [aOR range = 1.22 (binge drinking) to 2.03 (cocaine), Ps < 0.001] and infrequent use of all drugs [aOR range = 1.19 (marijuana) to 1.63 (cocaine), Ps < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS Impairments in attention and executive functioning are positively associated with substance use in the US general population.
Increased functional protein expression using nucleotide sequence features enriched in highly expressed genes in zebrafish

Many genetic manipulations are limited by difficulty in obtaining adequate levels of protein expression. Bioinformatic and experimental studies have identified nucleotide sequence features that may increase expression, however it is difficult to assess the relative influence of these features. Zebrafish embryos are rapidly injected with calibrated doses of mRNA, enabling the effects of multiple sequence changes to be compared in vivo. Using RNAseq and microarray data, we identified a set of genes that are highly expressed in zebrafish embryos and systematically analyzed for enrichment of sequence features correlated with levels of protein expression. We then tested enriched features by embryo microinjection and functional tests of multiple protein reporters. Codon selection, releasing factor recognition sequence and specific introns and 3′ untranslated regions each increased protein expression between 1.5- and 3-fold. These results suggested principles for increasing protein yield in zebrafish through biomolecular engineering. We implemented these principles for rational gene design in software for codon selection (CodonZ) and plasmid vectors incorporating the most active non-coding elements. Rational gene design thus significantly boosts expression in zebrafish, and a similar approach will likely elevate expression in other animal models.
Evidence for the Active Role of a Novel Nuclease from Helicobacter pylori in the Horizontal Transfer of Genetic Information

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the human stomach, causes gastritis, and is associated with ulcers and gastric cancer. H. pylori is naturally competent for transformation. Natural genetic transformation is believed to be essential for the genetic plasticity observed in this species. While the relevance of horizontal gene transfer in H. pylori adaptiveness and antibiotic resistance is well documented, the DNA transformation machinery components are barely known. No enzymatic activity associated with the transformation process has been determined experimentally and described. We isolated, microsequenced, and cloned a major DNA nuclease from H. pylori. This protein, encoded by the open reading frame hp0323, was expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified protein, NucT, has a cation-independent thermostable nuclease activity that preferentially cleaves single-stranded DNA. NucT is associated with the membrane. NucT-deficient H. pylori strains are one or more orders of magnitude less efficient than the parental strain for transformation with either chromosomal or self-replicating plasmid DNA. To the best of our knowledge, NucT is the first nuclease identified in a gram-negative natural transformation system, and its existence suggests that there is a mechanism of DNA processing and uptake similar to the mechanisms in well-studied gram-positive systems.
Valuing and Evaluating Informal Learning in Workplace Communities of Practice

Informal and incidental learning are pervasive, organic, and managed by learners themselves. Communities of Practice (CoPs) rely on this intrinsically motivated learning for their vibrancy. Yet organizations have increasingly sought to set up, support, and leverage CoPs to meet performance goals. This chapter describes a model of CoPs in Catalan Public Administration and examines research in two departments to portray the tensions that may emerge when informal learning is mandated and credentialed. Specifically, the purpose of the chapter is to examine how CoPs can be designed to support organic learning and how such learning can be evaluated. The authors discuss implications for future research around underlying processes and principles that might address tensions in organization-based CoPs, evaluation of learning transfer in open-ended learning contexts using a theory of change approach, and insight into links between informal learning and dimensions of a learning organization.
Diagnostic probability matrix for identification of slowly growing mycobacteria in clinical laboratories

A probability matrix is presented for identification of slowly growing mycobacteria that are likely to be encountered in clinical laboratories. The matrix includes 23 features that are useful for identifying members of 14 species or species complexes. The computer program identifies strains as a function of the ID (identification) score, which measures the discrimination among possible alternative identifications, and the R (ratio) score, which measures the degree of fit to the most likely taxa. It is not necessary to employ all 23 tests when initiating an identification; the program will suggest additional tests to perform when a partial data set fails to yield a definitive identification. Two independent sets of cultures comprising a total of 1,212 strains were used to test the matrix. Correct diagnoses were based on clustering behavior in numerical taxonomic analysis with larger numbers of features. The probable efficiencies with the two sets were 94.2 and 83.4%, respectively, and the accuracy of the definitive identifications for both sets exceeded 95%. A discussion is presented of situations when it may be appropriate to override an R score that has caused the rejection of an identification and to thereby enhance the efficiency.
Association of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease With Insulin Resistance: Is OGTT Indicated in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is frequently associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dyslipidemia. We tested the hypothesis that there may be an association between NAFLD and insulin resistance (IR); and its correlation with glucose tolerance status of subjects who aren't known patients with diabetes. One hundred and seventy-six consecutive patients with elevated serum aminotransferase levels and bright liver were evaluated. Sixty-two patients were excluded from the study. Age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, waist circumferences, and family history of diabetes were recorded. Fasting plasma glucose, insulin, lipid profile were measured. A standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed and the index of IR was calculated according to the HOMA method. Patients with a normal glucose tolerance formed group 1 (64 patients) and patients with impaired or diabetic glucose tolerance group 2 (50 patients). Age, female sex, family history of type 2 diabetes, fasting insulin, fasting plasma glucose and HOMA-R index were statistically significantly different between the groups. Although the subjects in the study are not known patients with diabetes, the prevalence of impaired or diabetic glucose tolerance was prominent. In conclusion, performing OGTT in cases with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease may be useful for early screening of diabetes mellitus.
Simplified Medium for Ampicillin Susceptibility Testing of Haemophilus influenzae

Recent reports of bona fide ampicillin resistance among strains of Haemophilus influenzae have emphasized the need for improved methods of susceptibility testing of clinical isolates. A simplified medium composed of only Mueller-Hinton medium plus supplement C (yeast autolysate and hematin) was used successfully for ampicillin susceptibility testing of 20 recent clinical isolates of H. influenzae, including six strains with confirmed ampicillin resistance. With this medium, susceptible strains were inhibited by less than 1 μg of ampicillin per ml, whereas resistant strains had minimal inhibitory concentrations of 8 μg or greater per ml. This medium can be used for either disk diffusion, tube dilution, or agar plate dilution methods of susceptibility testing. It has the practical advantage of simplicity of preparation and retains the light color and transparency of Mueller-Hinton medium. This medium can also be used for preparation of an inoculum suspension that can be adjusted to a standardized turbidity.
Caregiver Efficacy and Efficacy Determinants for Elderly Care Recipients Who Accept Home Respite Care in Taiwan

Background: This study examined the efficacies and the determining factors of respite care in an effort to assess the effectiveness of respite care policy implementation in Taiwan. Purpose: This study sought to identify the impact of home respite care on caregivers who used the service. Impact was defined to include the effects on the caregiver and considered the background characteristics of both caregivers and elderly care recipients. Methods: The efficacies of respite care in 117 caregivers, all of whom were currently caring for elderly care recipients suffering from chronic diseases, were rated on relevant efficacy scales. This research used three measures, including (1) caregiver data (demographics, relationship with care recipient, personal health status, and duration of care), (2) elderly care recipient data (demographics, number of distinct medical conditions, and self-care ability), and (3) efficacy scales consisting of the five subscales of physiological health, psychological emotion, social relationships, care tasks, and family roles. Content and face validity were used to evaluate the test instrument, and reliability was established through internal consistency testing. Cronbach's alphas for the pilot study and formal research were . 92 and . 90, respectively. Results: Efficacies identified by caregivers were, in order of importance, care tasks, psychological emotions, family roles, physiological health, and social relationships. Factors that positively and significantly affected respite care efficacy for caregivers included being 65 years of age or more, currently married, suffering from chronic illnesses, having a poor present health status, having a declining health status, and having cared for their elderly care recipient for 10 years or more. Elderly care recipient factors that significantly influenced respite care efficacy included health status and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) score. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: The results of this study should be helpful to decision makers and home support service units in planning and implementing in-home respite care programs and policies in the future.
A GOG 210 aCGH study of gain at 1q23 in endometrioid endometrial cancer in the context of racial disparity and outcome

The goal of this study was to identify recurrent regions of genomic gain or loss in endometrial cancer of the endometrioid type in the context of racial disparities in mortality for this disease. Array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis was performed on 80 frozen primary tumors from the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG)‐210 bank using the RPCI 19K BAC arrays. The 80 patients included 20 African American (AA) Stage I, 20 White (W) Stage I, 20 African American (AA) Stage IIIC/IV, and 20 White (W) Stage IIIC/IV. A separate subset of 220 endometrial cancers with outcome data was used for validation. A 1.6‐Mbp region of gain at 1q23 was identified by aCGH in all AA patients and high grade W patients, but not W low grade patients. In the validation arm of 220 patients copy number gain at this region was validated using FISH and locus specific BACs. The number of AA patients in the validation arm was too small to confirm the aCGH association with racial disparity. Kaplan‐Meier curves for survival showed a significant difference for gain at 1q23 versus no gain (log rank P = 0.0014). When subdivided into various groups of risk by stage and grade the survival curves showed a decreased survival for high grade and/or stage tumors, but not for low grade and/or stage endometrioid tumors. Univariate analyses for gain at 1q23 showed a significant association (P = 0.009) with survival. Multivariate analysis for gain at 1q23 did not show a significant association with survival (P = 0.14). © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nodal T‐cell lymphoma in an HTLV‐I‐endemic area: proviral HTLV‐I DNA, histological classification and clinical evaluation

Adult T‐cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a human malignancy associated with human T‐cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV‐I). The histology usually indicates a pleomorphic type, but is not consistent. To clarify the relationship between the histological classification and prognosis in ATLL, and to confirm the significance of clonal HTLV‐I integration, we reclassified 572 cases with nodal T‐cell lymphoma in which the T‐cell phenotype and/or genotype was confirmed. In all cases the clonal integration of HTLV‐I proviral DNA in the lymph nodes was examined by Southern blot analysis. In addition, anti‐ATL antigen (ATLA) determination in the serum or PCR analysis of HTLV‐I pX amplification in lymph nodes was also performed. 66/313 (21%) cases with ATLA had no evidence of clonal HTLV‐I integration. 572 cases were classified into three groups: (A) cases with clonal integration (247 cases), (B) cases with ATLA without clonal integration of HTLV‐I proviral DNA (66 cases), (C) cases without ATLA (259 cases). Histologically, groups B and C frequently demonstrated large cell type and angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinaemia (AILD) type; however, group A tended to show a pleomorphic type. Clinically, group A showed a poorer prognosis than groups B and C.
A conditional response time of the M/M/1 processor-sharing queue

In this paper we examine the distribution of the response time of an arriving customer conditioned on the number of customers present in an M/M/1 processor-sharing queue. We show that the rth moment of the distribution is a polynomial in the number of customers present, and obtain a recursion for its determination. The Laplace-Stieltjes transform of the conditional distribution is also obtained. We find an expansion in powers of the arrival rate, which permits accurate computation when the utilization is not too close to one, and also give an asymptotic expansion when the number of customers in the system is large. This permits assessment of response time in a heavily loaded system. We present numerical results using these methods and discuss their relative merits.
Do Firms Strategically Disseminate? Evidence from Corporate Use of Social Media

ABSTRACT We examine whether firms use social media to strategically disseminate financial information. Analyzing S&P 1500 firms' use of Twitter to disseminate quarterly earnings announcements, we find that firms are less likely to disseminate when the news is bad and when the magnitude of the bad news is worse, consistent with strategic behavior. Furthermore, firms tend to send fewer earnings announcement tweets and “rehash” tweets when the news is bad. Cross-sectional analyses suggest that incentives for strategic dissemination are higher for firms with a lower level of investor sophistication and firms with a larger social media audience. We also find that strategic dissemination behavior is detectable in high litigation risk firms, but not low litigation risk firms. Finally, we find that the tweeting of bad news and the subsequent retweeting of that news by a firm's followers are associated with more negative news articles written about the firm by the traditional media, highlighting a potential downsi.
Rv2358 and FurB: Two Transcriptional Regulators from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Which Respond to Zinc

ABSTRACT In a previous work, we demonstrated that the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2358-furB operon is induced by zinc. In this study, the orthologous genes from Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 were inactivated and mutants analyzed. Rv2358 protein was purified and found to bind upstream of the Rv2358 gene. Binding was inhibited by Zn2+ ions.
Identification of a binding site in c-Ab1 tyrosine kinase for the C-terminal repeated domain of RNA polymerase II

The c-abl proto-oncogene encodes a nuclear tyrosine kinase that can phosphorylate the mammalian RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) on its C-terminal repeated domain (CTD) in vitro. Phosphorylation of the CTD has previously been shown to require the tyrosine kinase and the SH2 domain of Abl. We show here that a CTD-interacting domain (CTD-ID) at the C-terminal region of c-Abl is also required. Deletion of the CTD-ID causes the Km 0.4 microM to increase by 2 orders of magnitude. Direct binding of the CTD-ID to CTD and to RNAP II could be demonstrated in vitro. Phosphorylation of a recombinant glutathione S-transferase-CTD by c-Abl was observed in cotransfected COS cells. Mutant Abl proteins lacking the CTD-ID, while capable of autophosphorylation, neither phosphorylated nor associated with the glutathione S-transferase-CTD in vivo. Transient overexpression of c-Abl also led to a four- to fivefold increase in the phosphotyrosine content of the RNAP II large subunit. Moreover, the large subunit of RNAP II could be coprecipitated with c-Abl. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the coprecipitated RNAP II was again dependent on the presence of the CTD-ID in Abl. Finally, the ability of c-Abl to phosphorylate and associate with RNAP II could be correlated with the enhancement of transcription by c-Abl in transient cotransfection assays. Taken together, these observations demonstrate that c-Abl can function as a CTD kinase in vitro as well as in vivo.
More bucks, more growth, more justice? The effects of regional structural funds on regional economic growth and convergence in Germany

This paper analyzes the impact of the German structure program "Joint Task for the Improvement of Regional Economic Structure" (GRW) on regional economic growth. The paper extends the existing literature by several aspects. First of all, using the popular augmented Solow model by Mankiw et al. (1992) as starting point, we develop an enhanced growth model by including employment as well as technological spatial spillovers to the model. Secondly, the program has not been analyzed within a dynamic spatial panel framework on the level of the 402 German small scale regions before. We used a detailed dataset on this regional level and adress the problem of endogeneity by using a System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator. Finally, we investigate the impact of regional conditions on the effects of the GRW program. The result illustrates that the impact of public subsidies is overestimated in the current literature. In fact, the infrastructure program even emanates a negativ direct impact on regional economic growth, especially in sparely populated regions as well as in non-innovative regions.
Evaluating the Senior Companion Program

Abstract This article reports on a mixed-method assessment of the Senior Companion Program (SCP), a federal program which provides volunteer opportunities with small stipends to low-income older adults, 60 years of age and older, who provide companionship and offer assistance to frail community elders. Through four standardized scales and open-ended questions regarding the impact of the SCP in their lives, 34 Senior Companion volunteers and 32 of their clients were interviewed. Informants reported relatively large social networks and low levels of depression and loneliness. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed the benefits of the program for both volunteers and their clients. Themes emerging from the rich narratives included: companionship, independence, reduced anxiety, giving, and rewards. The article concludes with a suggested brief evaluation instrument that directors of SCP programs, and other similar programs, can use to collect data on the impact of their programsomething that is required, but often difficult to do.
A revision of the Cautires obsoletus species group from Java (Coleoptera, Lycidae)

Abstract The Javanese fauna of the species group Cautires obsoletus is revised. Altogether, eight Javanese species were classified in the group; five of them are proposed to be junior subjective synonyms: Cautires fruhstorferi Dudkova & Bocak, 2010, a replacement name of Bulenides lineatus Pic, 1921, Cautires javanicus Bourgeois, 1883, Cautires inhumeralis (Pic, 1921), Cautires nigromaculatus (Pic, 1925), and Cautires pudicus (Kleine, 1931) (all synonymized to Cautires obsoletus Waterhouse, 1879). Three Javanese species are redescribed: Cautires apicalis (Pic, 1925), Cautires obsoletus (Waterhouse, 1878), and Cautires singularithorax (Pic, 1925). Cautires apicalis (Pic, 1925) is removed from the synonymy of Cautires corporaali (Pic, 1921) and reinstated as a valid name. Three new species are proposed: Cautires walteri sp. n. , Cautires taoi sp. n. , and Cautires sukosarensis sp. n. All species are keyed and principal diagnostic characters are illustrated. The distribution and relationships to Cautires fauna of other Great Sundas islands are briefly discussed.
64-Mb/s data transmission beyond the relaxation oscillation frequency using monolithically integrated two laterally coupled diode lasers

In this letter, we demonstrate the possibility of using two monolithically integrated laterally coupled diode lasers for data transmission beyond the intrinsic relaxation oscillation frequency of semiconductor lasers. The resonance of the lateral modes of such structure provides a peak in the small signal modulation response of the device above the relaxation oscillation frequency of the intrinsic emitters that is studied in terms of relative intensity noise and phase noise to characterize this new, simple, and compact device. Optical transmission of a 64-Mb/s pseudorandom bit sequence signal using a microwave carrier over this resonance peak of the lateral modes above the relaxation oscillation is demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge.