Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Integrating Obesity and Eating Disorder Prevention: A Pilot and Feasibility Trial of INSPIRE

INTEGRATING OBESITY AND EATING DISORDER PREVENTION: A PILOT AND FEASIBILITY TRIAL OF INSPIRE By: Courtney C. Simpson, M. S. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2018 Director: Suzanne Mazzeo, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Department of Psychology Obesity and eating disorders are pervasive concerns among young adult women, and profoundly impact physical and psychological functioning. Weight-related disorders are typically chronic conditions; their treatment is often complex and frequently ineffective. Moreover, Black and Latina women have disproportionately high rates of obesity, and experience rates of eating disorders comparable to those of their White peers; yet, they are less likely to be referred to appropriate treatment. Given the intractability of weight-related concerns and their detrimental consequences, attempts to prevent unhealthy eating attitudes and behaviors are essential. To date, few prevention programs have significantly reduced both obesity risk and eating disorder symptoms. The purpose of the current study was to develop and pilot an intervention designed to prevent obesity and eating disorders among young adult women (age 18-25). In the first phase of the study, focus groups were conducted with 30 young adult women to explore disparate racial and ethnic appearance ideals and assess cultural acceptability of the proposed intervention. Additionally, an innovative manualized intervention informed by the qualitative data and grounded in social psychological principles and dialectical behavior therapy was developed. In
Implication des systèmes à deux composants dans les réponses de Streptococcus thermophilus à des changements environnementaux, dont la coculture avec Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

S. thermophilus est une bacterie lactique largement utilise dans l'industrie laitiere et, comme toute bacterie, doit s'adapter a des environnements varies tels que le lait, le yaourt et meme le tractus digestif, apres que le produit ait ete ingere. Les systemes a deux composants (TCS) constituent un des mecanismes essentiels qu'utilisent les bacteries pour percevoir et s'adapter a des changements environnementaux. D'un point de vue structural, les TCS sont constitues de deux composants: un « senseur » ou proteine histidine kinase (HK) qui s'auto-phosphoryle en reponse a un stimulus puis transfere son groupement phosphate au « response regulator » (RR), le deuxieme composant. Celui-ci se comporte alors le plus souvent comme un regulateur transcriptionnel permettant une reponse physiologique adaptee. Afin de mieux comprendre ces phenomenes de regulation impliques dans la reponse aux changements environnementaux, nous avons etudie la contribution de chacun des 8 TCS de Streptococcus thermophilus LMD-9 a son adaptation dans le lait. Ainsi, des etudes transcriptionnelles effectuees sur des cultures en lait montrent que tous les RR sont exprimes, a des niveaux et profils d'expression differents. Nous avons note en coculture avec Lactobacillus bulgaricus, le partenaire de Streptococcus thermophilus dans le yaourt, une induction de l'expression de 4 RR qui atteint, pour rr02 et rr09, un facteur 6. Nous avons construit par ailleurs des mutants negatifs pour 7 des 8 RR de S. thermophilus et montre l'essentialite de RR05, un orthologue de YycF chez B. subtilis ou de or de WalR chez S. aureus. Pour les 7 autres mutants RR, l'absence d'un seul gene rr n'impacte pas suffisamment la croissance du streptocoque en lait. Enfin, la determination du regulon du TCS06 par des etudes post-genomiques a permis de montrer que ce systeme est implique dans la resistance a la bacitracine en modulant entre autres la voie de biosynthese du polysaccharide a rhamnose (RGP).
Draft Genome Sequence of a 16SrII-A Subgroup Phytoplasma Associated with Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Witches’ Broom Disease in Taiwan

ABSTRACT The bacterial genus “Candidatus Phytoplasma” contains a group of insect-transmitted plant pathogens in the class Mollicutes. Here, we report a draft genome assembly and annotation of strain NCHU2014, which belongs to the 16SrII-A subgroup within this genus and is associated with purple coneflower witches’ broom disease in Taiwan.
Preemergence and Postemergence Herbicides for Large Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) Control in Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides)

Two experiments were conducted over a two-year period for large crabgrass control in centipedegrass. The experiments were: (a) sequential applications of PRE and POST herbicides, and (b) POST herbicides applied as sequential or tank-mixed applications. Large crabgrass control was greater than 80% throughout the spring and summer when dithiopyr was applied PRE at 0.14 kg/ha late in February or when tank mixed at the same rate with sethoxydim at 0.11 kg/ha and applied POST in late May. Control was similar from a sequential program of dithiopyr applied PRE at 0.14 kg/ha in February and followed either by dithiopyr at 0.14 kg/ha or sethoxydim at 0.11 kg/ha as POST in early to mid-summer. Dithiopyr at 0.28 kg/ha as a POST application in late May did not control large crabgrass consistently. Control was > 80% for 6 to 8 wk when the POST dithiopyr treatment was repeated at the same rate 1 mo later. Sethoxydim applied POST controlled large crabgrass greater than 80% throughout the spring and summer when applied once at 0.22 kg/ha or twice at 0.11 kg/ha in each of two applications. Dithiopyr applied alone or with sethoxydim as sequential or tank-mixed treatments caused slight to moderate centipedegrass injury but was commercially acceptable (< 30%). However, injury from tank-mix herbicides was similar to either applied alone. Quinclorac severely injured (> 30%) centipedegrass, and 8 to 10 wk were required for recovery.
A New Antimicrobial Flavonol Glycoside from Alchornea Davidii

A new flavonol glycoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-xyloside, was isolated from the extract of leaves and twigs of Alchornea davidii (Euphorbiaceae). Its structure was established on the basis of the spectral analysis and chemical degradation. Antimicrobial assay showed that it moderately inhibited the growth of test bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens) and fungi (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Trichophyton rubrum) with MICs at 50 μg/Ml.
Cloning and identification of an angiostatic molecule IP-10/crg-2

AIM: To obtain human and murine cDNAs encoding IFN-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and cytokine responsive gene-2 (Crg-2). METHODS: The encoding genes of IP-10 and Crg-2 were amplified by RT-PCR from cultured human fibroblast cells and Balb/c mouse liver treated by IFN-γ and TNF-α , respectively, and cloned into plasmids of pUC19 and pGEM3Zf(+). RESULTS: The nucleotide sequences of the amplified DNA were confirmed by endonucleases digestion and sequencing. CONCLUSION: Recombinant IP-10/crg-2 gene clones with 306 bp and 314 bp inserts were established for further research on biological activities and ligands of hIP-10/mCrg-2
Distribution, abundance and species composition of juvenile scleractinian corals in the Florida reef tract

The density of juvenile scleratinian corals was quantified in shallow-water (4-18 m) sites representing three common reef types of the Florida Reef Tract: high-relief spur and groove, relict reef flat, and relict spur and groove. Reef types were chosen to encompass differences in depth, physical relief, and coral abundance. The purpose of this study was to 1) determine the density of juveniles in relation to non-juvenile corals and depth; and 2) evaluate correlations between juveniles and non-juvenile density in relation to larval dispersal strategies. Juvenile corals were identified and enumerated in random 1-m 2 quadrat surveys and compared to density and cover of non-juveniles. Juveniles of 16 species were identified among the study sites. The number of species observed as juveniles was significantly greater in deeper (>10 m), relict spur and groove sites. Juvenile density differed significantly among sites and reef types, ranging from 1.18 to 3.74 colonies m -2 . Juvenile density was greatest in relict spur and groove sites and was weakly correlated (r = 0.581) with depth. Juveniles comprised from 20.6 to 51.5% of the total coral assemblage in study sites. The majority of juveniles in high-relief spur and groove and relict reef flat communities were Agaricia agaricites, Porites astreoides, and P. porites. The majority of juveniles in relict spur and groove sites were P. astreoides, P. porites, and Montastraea cavernosa. Non-juvenile density and cover were significantly different among the study sites. Non-juvenile density (r = 0.577) was weakly correlated with depth. Coral cover ranged from 0.4 to 13 percent throughout the study area and was greatest in high-relief spur and groove communities. Life history strategies of juveniles in high-relief spur and groove and relict reef flat communities were generally characterized by species that brood larvae and attain a small colony size. Juveniles of three dominant brooding species (A. agaricites, P. astreoides, and P. porites) were significantly correlated to parental abundance across sites, suggesting that either self-seeding may occur for some species or that some recruits have been able to grow and survive. Density of juvenile A. agaricites was inversely related to depth (r = -0.326). Juveniles of three broadcasting species (M. annularis, M. cavernosa, Siderastrea siderea) were significantly correlated to parental abundance and increased in abundance with depth (r > 0.450). In contrast to some previous studies of juvenile coral assemblages in Caribbean reefs, the results suggest that parental abundance and composition may be a direct function of juvenile abundance in reef communities of the Florida Keys.
Age, growth and reproductive biology of whiting Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus 1758) in the Celtic Sea

Age, growth and reproductive biology were investigated for whiting (Merlangius merlangus) captured from the Celtic Sea (ICES division Vllg), for the period January 2001 to January 2002. Females dominated the sex ratio o f 1 : 2.25. The relative abundance o f females exceeded the number o f males in all length classes. The relationship between weight (g) and total length (cm) was the same for male and female whiting. A total o f 973 fish were aged and the maximum age recorded was 11 years. Results from an intercalibration exercise showed 87% agreement in age readings between the author and an expert in ageing whiting at the Marine Institute. Females were dominated by 2 year olds, while males were dominated by 3 year olds. Lx was estimated as 38cm and a growth rate was calculated K = 0.3769 year'1. Females were fully recruited to the fishery at 3 years o f age, while the age at full recruitment (tr) for males was 4 years. Female whiting spawned from late February to June 2001 and matured at a total length o f 23 cm in their first year. Female whiting reached L5o at a total length o f 28 cm and 2.7 years o f age. Male whiting spawned from February to June 2001. They matured at a total length o f 21 cm and in their first year. Male whiting reached L50 at a total length o f 30.4 cm and 3.6 years o f age. The following critical points should be taken into account in the management o f the Celtic Sea whiting stock: An Fpa should be established in order to assess the current level o f fishing mortality; The maturity ogives need further study; The extent o f gutting o f large fish before landing by fishers in the fleet should be investigated and the apparent decline in size o f 4 7 year old fish in the Celtic Sea between 1996 and 2001 needs to be assessed.
Caracterización de la variabilidad genética en las razas de cerdos chinos y europeos. El proyecto PIGBIODIV2

El proyecto PigBioDiv2 evaluara y comparara la diversidad genetica entre las razas de China y de Europa. Al menos 50 razas chinas seran muestreadas y comparadas con 59 razas europeas previamente estudiadas en el proyecto PigBioDiv1. La base de datos sobre la biodiversidad porcina europea se extendera hasta al menos 100 razas, un tercio del total de las razas porcinas europeas. Seran determinadas las relaciones entre razas por medio de la estimacion de las distancias geneticas basadas en marcadores microsatelites y relaciones haplotipicas desde los polimorfismos del ADN mitocondrial y del cromosoma Y. El proyecto tambien determinara las relaciones entre medidas generales de la diversidad genetica, tales como la distancia genetica, y diferencias funcionales entre razas por la caracterizacion de TGL (marcadores tipo I) y regiones QTL. Las medidas de la diversidad derivadas desde marcadores anonimos (microsatelites) seran comparadas con las medidas derivadas desde los genes de caracteres. Tambien seran desarrollados nuevos avances utilizando datos de marcadores (geneticos) del ADN para identificar genes relacionados con diferencias funcionales entre razas.
Review of: Costanza, R. (ed.), Ecological economics: the science and management of sustainability

Make more knowledge even in less time every day. You may not always spend your time and money to go abroad and get the experience and knowledge by yourself. Reading is a good alternative to do in getting this desirable knowledge and experience. You may gain many things from experiencing directly, but of course it will spend much money. So here, by reading ecological economics the science and management of sustainability, you can take more advantages with limited budget.
Subcellular Localization of Nicotiana tabacum TGA Transcription Factors

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important signaling molecule in the regulation of plant defense against pathogens. as-1-like cis-elements in the promoters of many defense genes mediate SA- and also auxin-inducible gene expression. Those elements are recognized by the ASF-1/SARP protein complex, comprised of members the TGA family of bZIP plant transcription factors. In this work GFP-fusion proteins of TGA2.1, TGA2.2 and TGA1a were created, over-expressed under the control of the HBT promoter transiently in plant protoplasts or stably in transgenic plants and visualized directly in the living cells by fluorescence and confocal laser-scanning microscopy. Most of the fluorescence from the three TGA-GFP fusion proteins was observed predominantly in the nucleus (excluding the nucleolus), still with biochemical methods a small pool of TGA2.1-GFP and TGA2.2-GFP was detected with antiserum recognizing both their C-termini in cytosolic extracts. C-terminal domain fusions of TGA2.2 and TGA1 a at the C-terminus of CHS-GFP were also observed in the cytosol in transient assays; it could not be clarified with certainty whether this localization is due to a lack of the NLS or the presence of a NES. In a gel-retardation in vitro assay the TGA-GFP fusion proteins were still able to recognize the as-1-element and to bind to it in the form of homo- or hetero-dimers with endogenous TGA factors. The TGA-GFP fusion proteins were also able to influence the expression level of the immediate-early GST gene Nt103 upon induction with salicylic acid or auxin in leaves. TGA2.1-GFP and TGA2.2-GFP showed in general a positive effect on the Nt103 mRNA level (2-4-fold increase compared to wild-type), while TGA1a-GFP seemed to influence slightly negatively or not at all the expression of Nt103 in both cases in leaves. The mobility parameters of the different TGA-GFP fusion proteins in the nucleus were studied by FCS, combined with CLMS. While the mobility of the control protein TetR-GFP, which has no endogenous interaction partners, was not changed, subfractions of the TGA-GFP fusion proteins seemed to be influenced. In general a mobile and a less mobile fraction were distinguished. In several measurements the TGA factors in the nucleus were almost completely immobile. The relative ratios between immobile and mobile TGA factors varied in the different cell types tested (longitudal and real epidermal cells, stomata guard cells, trachoma cells). Due to the variability of the data, additional measurements are necessary to clarify with certainty the effect of salicylic acid on the mobility of the TGA factors.
ITALICS package : GeneChip Mapping 100K and 500K Set Normalization

Affymetrix GeneChip Human Mapping 100K and 500K Set allows the DNA copy number measurement of respectively 2× 50K and 2× 250K SNPs along the genome. Their high density allows a precise localization of genomic alterations and makes them a powerful tool for cancer and copy number polymorphism study. As any other microarray technology, it is influenced by non-relevant sources of variation which need to be corrected. Moreover, the amplitude of variation induced by
Teaching of French in Upper Secondary Education: Improvement of Interactive Speaking Proficiency through Peer Feedback

Ample research is available about how learners acquire a second or a foreign language, how they learn while speaking in interaction and which kinds of tasks provide opportunities for meaningful use of the target language. Less research has been conducted into the manner in which learners learn from each other while speaking together, observing interaction and giving each other feedback on their performances. The present study investigates these aspects in communicative teaching of French as a foreign language in upper secondary education. We designed a curriculum consisting of speaking activities, constructed on the basis of a fixed task format, and a rubric for assessing the performances during the execution of the speaking tasks. Twenty-five students and a teacher of French participated in this project. The students learned French as a foreign language. They performed seven interactive and communicative speaking activities in which they executed the roles of interlocutors and observers. First results indicate that these activities stimulate the students in thinking about and interacting in the target language.
Oral epithelium in the pathogenesis of periodontitis

Pocket/sulcular epithelium is the first line of defence to plaque bacteria and its potential role in periodontitis is investigated. This thesis describes the development of a model system, utilising an immortal epithelial cell line (H400) in order to investigate responses to periodontal pathogen stimulation (P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum) in terms of NF-\(\kappa\)B activation, differential gene expression and cytokine production. The pathogenesis of periodontitis suggests that susceptible patients exhibit a hyper-inflammatory response to plaque bacteria, so an attempt to modulate the pro-inflammatory epithelial response using a natural di-thiol antioxidant \(\alpha\)-lipoate was also investigated. Data demonstrated that periodontal pathogens P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum elicited a pro-inflammatory response in the H400 model system. This was confirmed by demonstrating NF-\(\kappa\)B activation, gene expression changes and downstream cytokine production. Ontological grouping of gene expression changes revealed a range of gene functions which support the hypothesis that the epithelium may play a role in the initiation and propagation of the periodontal lesion. In addition, alipoate was able to modulate this inflammatory response but not completely block this essential defence mechanism. Data obtained indicates the potential of utilising \(\alpha\)-lipoate as an adjunct in the management of periodontitis.
Reliability of heart rate responses both during and following a 6 min Yo-Yo IR1 test in highly trained youth soccer players

ABSTRACT Purpose: To examine the reliability of heart rate (HR) measures obtained during a 6-min Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1), and following a 3-min passive recovery, within a group of highly trained youth soccer players Methods: Eight players completed three separate 6-min Yo-Yo IR1 tests, with a passive recovery, over a 2-week period. Measures of absolute heart rate (bpm) and relative HR (%HRmax) were obtained at the 3rd and 6th min of the test, with measures relative to the end HR (%HRend) 10, 20, 30, 60, 90, and 180 s, during the 3-min passive recovery. Variability in HR measures were assessed across successive trials (trial 1 vs. 2 and trial 2 vs. 3) and across all three trials, using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV) and typical error (TE). Results: HR measures obtained during the 6-min Yo-Yo IR1 test displayed good levels of reliability (ICC: 0.95–0.98, CV: 1.1–1.3% and TE: 0.96–2.44). Results, display a potential learning effect, with lower levels of variability between trial 2 and trial 3. Examination of %HRend obtained during the passive 3-min recovery demonstrated an increased variance, as the passive-recovery period progressed. Conclusion: The 6-min Yo-Yo IR1 test presents a novel and potentially practical approach to regularly assessing youth soccer players’ physical response to intermittent exercise. Practitioners and researchers should, however, consider the need for appropriate familiarisation when undertaking this test.
Minimally Invasive Surgery of Tibial Plateau Fractures Reduces Incision-Healing Complications of Open Reduction and Internal Fixation

Background: Recently, minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques have become more common in orthopedics and traumatology practice. MIS techniques may also reduce complications in the treatment of tibial plateau fractures (TPFs). Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the radiological and functional outcomes of TPF, treated by MIS techniques and the conventional approach (open reduction and internal fixation). Methods: The patients were divided into two groups, receiving either MIS (group A) or conventional treatment (group B). Each group consisted of 20 patients. The mean age of patients was 46.8 ± 2.85 years in group A and 50.3± 2.41 years in group B. Incisionhealing complications were classified based on severity. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Lysholm scale in the first year. Results: Complete healing without incision-healing complications was reported in all patients from group A, whereas nine incisionhealing complications were found in group B (P < 0.001). The mean Lysholm scores of patients in group A and group B were 81.8 ± 1.72 and 76.3 ± 2.27, respectively (P = 0.06). Also, the mean fracture union time in group A and group B was 9.55 ± 0.46 and 10.25 ± 0.71, respectively (P = 0.41). Conclusions: Widespread use of MIS can be promoted in order to reduce incision-healing complications in TPF. However, further prospective studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm our results.