Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization and application of multiple genetic markers for Plasmodium malariae

SUMMARY Plasmodium malariae, a protozoan parasite that causes malaria in humans, has a global distribution in tropical and subtropical regions and is commonly found in sympatry with other Plasmodium species of humans. Little is known about the genetics or population structure of P. malariae. In the present study, we describe polymorphic genetic markers for P. malariae and present the first molecular epidemiological data for this parasite. Six microsatellite or minisatellite markers were validated using 76 P. malariae samples from a diverse geographical range. The repeat unit length varied from 2 to17 bp, and up to 10 different alleles per locus were detected. Multiple genotypes of P. malariae were detected in 33 of 70 samples from humans with naturally acquired infection. Heterozygosity was calculated to be between 0·236 and 0·811. Allelic diversity was reduced for samples from South America and, at some loci, in samples from Thailand compared with those from Malawi. The number of unique multilocus genotypes defined using the 6 markers was significantly greater in Malawi than in Thailand, even when data from single genotype infections were used. There was a significant reduction in the multiplicity of infection in symptomatic infections compared with asymptomatic ones, suggesting that clinical episodes are usually caused by the expansion of a single genotype.
Risk and Resilience in Beginning Special Education Teachers

Special education teachers leave the field at a rate that outpaces their general education teacher counterparts, with special education teaching positions unfilled at a rate 5.5 times greater than general education positions (Boe, 2006). This study identified perceptions of risk and resilience in nine first year special education teachers in order to identify how to best support and retain them. Through semi-structured interviews the teachers described their experiences in the following roles (1) co-teaching, (2) self-contained, (3) case management, and (4) “other” (e.g., coach, tutor). Participants identified and positively or negatively ranked six “feeling” words they experienced in each role, which resulted in a portrait of risk and resilience. Results indicated that participants felt the most positive in an “other” and self-contained teaching role with less positive feelings in co-teaching and case management roles. When participants felt supported and perceived that they were making a difference, they felt the most resilient. When participants felt isolated and underprepared, they felt the least resilient. Implications for school-based supports and teacher preparation are discussed.
Sociodemographic patterning of non-communicable disease risk factors in rural India: a cross sectional study

Objectives To investigate the sociodemographic patterning of non-communicable disease risk factors in rural India. Design Cross sectional study. Setting About 1600 villages from 18 states in India. Most were from four large states due to a convenience sampling strategy. Participants 1983 (31% women) people aged 20–69 years (49% response rate). Main outcome measures Prevalence of tobacco use, alcohol use, low fruit and vegetable intake, low physical activity, obesity, central adiposity, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, and underweight. Results Prevalence of most risk factors increased with age. Tobacco and alcohol use, low intake of fruit and vegetables, and underweight were more common in lower socioeconomic positions; whereas obesity, dyslipidaemia, and diabetes (men only) and hypertension (women only) were more prevalent in higher socioeconomic positions. For example, 37% (95% CI 30% to 44%) of men smoked tobacco in the lowest socioeconomic group compared with 15% (12% to 17%) in the highest, while 35% (30% to 40%) of women in the highest socioeconomic group were obese compared with 13% (7% to 19%) in the lowest. The age standardised prevalence of some risk factors was: tobacco use (40% (37% to 42%) men, 4% (3% to 6%) women); low fruit and vegetable intake (69% (66% to 71%) men, 75% (71% to 78%) women); obesity (19% (17% to 21%) men, 28% (24% to 31%) women); dyslipidaemia (33% (31% to 36%) men, 35% (31% to 38%) women); hypertension (20% (18% to 22%) men, 22% (19% to 25%) women); diabetes (6% (5% to 7%) men, 5% (4% to 7%) women); and underweight (21% (19% to 23%) men, 18% (15% to 21%) women). Risk factors were generally more prevalent in south Indians compared with north Indians. For example, the prevalence of dyslipidaemia was 21% (17% to 33%) in north Indian men compared with 33% (29% to 38%) in south Indian men, while the prevalence of obesity was 13% (9% to 17%) in north Indian women compared with 24% (19% to 30%) in south Indian women. Conclusions The prevalence of most risk factors was generally high across a range of sociodemographic groups in this sample of rural villagers in India; in particular, the prevalence of tobacco use in men and obesity in women was striking. However, given the limitations of the study (convenience sampling design and low response rate), cautious interpretation of the results is warranted. These data highlight the need for careful monitoring and control of non-communicable disease risk factors in rural areas of India.
The Effects of Second-Order Theory of Mind and Executive Function on Children's Understanding of Irony

Two experiments were conducted to explore the effects of second-order Theory of Mind and Executive Function on 6 to 10-year-old's understanding of irony. The results showed that the effects of second-order Theory of Mind and Executive Function on different aspects of irony comprehension were different. They all affected the attitude detection and meaning detection of children,but second-order Theory of Mind also affected irony interpretation.
Use of support vector machines for disease risk prediction in genome‐wide association studies: Concerns and opportunities

The success of genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) in deciphering the genetic architecture of complex diseases has fueled the expectations whether the individual risk can also be quantified based on the genetic architecture. So far, disease risk prediction based on top‐validated single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed little predictive value. Here, we applied a support vector machine (SVM) to Parkinson disease (PD) and type 1 diabetes (T1D), to show that apart from magnitude of effect size of risk variants, heritability of the disease also plays an important role in disease risk prediction. Furthermore, we performed a simulation study to show the role of uncommon (frequency 1–5%) as well as rare variants (frequency <1%) in disease etiology of complex diseases. Using a cross‐validation model, we were able to achieve predictions with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of ∼0.88 for T1D, highlighting the strong heritable component (∼90%). This is in contrast to PD, where we were unable to achieve a satisfactory prediction (AUC ∼0.56; heritability ∼38%). Our simulations showed that simultaneous inclusion of uncommon and rare variants in GWAS would eventually lead to feasible disease risk prediction for complex diseases such as PD. The used software is available at http://www.ra. cs.uni‐tuebingen.de/software/MACLEAPS/. Hum Mutat 33:1708–1718, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Socioemotional development in adolescents at risk for depression: The role of maternal depression and attachment style

We examined the impact on adolescent socioemotional functioning of maternal postnatal depression (PND) and attachment style. We also investigated the role of earlier aspects of the child's development–attachment in infancy, and 5-year representations of family relationships. Ninety-one mother–child pairs, recruited in the postnatal period, were followed up at 13 years. Adolescents were interviewed about their friendships, and their level of emotional sensitivity and maturity were rated. Emotional sensitivity was heightened in girls whose mothers experienced PND; notably, its occurrence was also linked to insecure attachment in infancy and raised awareness of emotional components of family relationships at 5 years. High emotional sensitivity was also associated with adolescent depressed mood. Raised social maturity was predicted by a secure maternal attachment style and, for girls, by exposure to maternal PND. Precursors of adolescent social maturity were evident in the narrative coherence of 5-year family representations. Higher social maturity in the friendship interview was also associated with overall good adjustment.This research was supported by the Tedworth Charitable Trust and a Medical Research Council (UK) Program Grant. We thank Sheelah Seeley for her assistance with data collection; Peter Cooper for assistance with diagnostic interviews; and Claire Kempton, Mary-Sue Moore, and Gwen Adshead for assistance with the administration and scoring of the Adult Attachment Interview. Thanks also to Françoise Hentges and anonymous reviewers for comments on the manuscript and Kim Bailey for assistance with its preparation.
Salivary Defense Proteins: Their Network and Role in Innate and Acquired Oral Immunity

There are numerous defense proteins present in the saliva. Although some of these molecules are present in rather low concentrations, their effects are additive and/or synergistic, resulting in an efficient molecular defense network of the oral cavity. Moreover, local concentrations of these proteins near the mucosal surfaces (mucosal transudate), periodontal sulcus (gingival crevicular fluid) and oral wounds and ulcers (transudate) may be much greater, and in many cases reinforced by immune and/or inflammatory reactions of the oral mucosa. Some defense proteins, like salivary immunoglobulins and salivary chaperokine HSP70/HSPAs (70 kDa heat shock proteins), are involved in both innate and acquired immunity. Cationic peptides and other defense proteins like lysozyme, bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI), BPI-like proteins, PLUNC (palate lung and nasal epithelial clone) proteins, salivary amylase, cystatins, prolin-rich proteins, mucins, peroxidases, statherin and others are primarily responsible for innate immunity. In this paper, this complex system and function of the salivary defense proteins will be reviewed.
Fasudil, a Rho-Kinase Inhibitor, Attenuates Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice

The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) involve multiple pathways, such as inflammation, epithelial mesenchymal transition, coagulation, oxidative stress, and developmental processes. The small GTPase, RhoA, and its target protein, Rho-kinase (ROCK), may interact with other signaling pathways known to contribute to pulmonary fibrosis. This study aimed to determine the beneficial effects and mechanisms of fasudil, a selective ROCK inhibitor, on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Our results showed that the Aschcroft score and hydroxyproline content of the bleomycin-treated mouse lung decreased in response to fasudil treatment. The number of infiltrated inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was attenuated by fasudil. In addition, fasudil reduced the production of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) mRNA and protein expression in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. These findings suggest that fasudil may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.
Postcopulatory sexual selection in Mediterranean fruit flies: advantages for large and protein-fed males

Previous laboratory studies of Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (medflies), have identified large size and protein feeding as positive influences on the ability of males to secure copulations. In this study, we investigated whether large and protein-fed males experience additional advantages in terms of amount and distribution of sperm stored by mates. We also examined relationships between copula duration and sperm storage. Mates of large and protein-fed males were more likely to store sperm and to store more sperm than mates of small and protein-deprived males. Probability of sperm storage was associated with copula duration; all copulations lasting less than 100 min failed whereas 98% lasting longer than 100 min succeeded. Copulations involving sperm storage were longer if males were small or protein deprived or if the female was large, although there was no evidence of a relationship between copula duration and total sperm storage. Evidence from related studies suggests that variation in latency until sperm transfer, caused by size and diet, is a likely explanation for varying copula duration. Sperm tended to be stored asymmetrically between the female's two spermathecae, consistent with a mating system in which females maintain isolated populations of sperm from different males and later select between them. Storage was less asymmetric when large numbers of sperm were stored but there was little evidence that male size or diet affected this asymmetry. It is uncertain whether postcopulatory advantages of large and protein-fed male medflies arise from female preferences or male dominance through coercion or force. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
The dsRNA binding site of human Toll‐like receptor 3

Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors that act as the innate immune system’s first line of defense by sensing invading pathogen through pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). TLRs are type I transmembrane receptors with an ectodomain consisting of 19–25 leucine rich repeats and a cytoplasmic toll/IL‐1 receptor/resistance domain. Evolutionarily conserved microbial or viral ligands such as lipotechoic acids, dsRNA, lipopolysaccharide, flagellin, ssRNA and unmethylated CpG motifs are recognized by TLR ectodomains 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9, respectively. The mechanism by which TLRs recognize such a diverse set of ligands within the secondary structural motif of leucine rich repeat motifs remains to be solved. From our recent TLR3 ectodomain crystal structure, we have predicted several potential modes of dsRNA binding. In these studies we will present mutational analysis of our predicted sites. Stimulation assays on mutants allowed validation of whether the sites participate in dsRNA recognition. Direct binding assays of these mutants reveal altered dsRNA:TLR3 ectodomain interactions. From these studies we have revised our model of TLR3 recognition of dsRNA.
Creating Employee Engagement in Organizations in India: Role of Human Resource Processes

Employee engagement has received the attention of researchers as well as managers in the last decade. It means the degree of commitment and involvement of employees towards their organization and its value. Employees on a high engagement level are energetic, mentally resilient and dedicated to their work. They enjoy challenges; they face at the workplace. Sometimes, it may be difficult for them to detach themselves from daily work. Engaged employees show excellent performance and contribute towards the goals of the organization. On the contrary, disengaged employees are defensive, and they dissociate themselves from work roles and customers. Some factors like personality characteristics, nature of the job, work environment, perceived organizational support, reward, and recognition, etc. influence employee engagement. Personality characteristics namely big five traits have emerged as the valid predictor of job performance. Extraversion and Conscientiousness are positively related to employee engagement. This paper firstly analyses personality characteristics which are linked to employee engagement. Secondly, it examines the role of human resource processes which can facilitate employee engagement.
Spatial parasite ecology and epidemiology: a review of methods and applications

SUMMARY The distributions of parasitic diseases are determined by complex factors, including many that are distributed in space. A variety of statistical methods are now readily accessible to researchers providing opportunities for describing and ultimately understanding and predicting spatial distributions. This review provides an overview of the spatial statistical methods available to parasitologists, ecologists and epidemiologists and discusses how such methods have yielded new insights into the ecology and epidemiology of infection and disease. The review is structured according to the three major branches of spatial statistics: continuous spatial variation; discrete spatial variation; and spatial point processes.
The effect of infection history on the fitness of the gastrointestinal nematode Strongyloides ratti

SUMMARY Hosts in nature will often acquire infections by different helminth species over their lifetime. This presents the potential for new infections to be affected (particularly via the host immune response) by a host's history of previous con- or hetero-specific infection. Here we have used an experimental rat model to investigate the consequences of a history of primary infection with either Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Strongyloides venezuelensis or S. ratti on the fitness of, and immunological response to, secondary infections of S. ratti. We found that a history of con-specific, but not hetero-specific, infection reduced the survivorship of S. ratti; the fecundity of S. ratti was not affected by a history of either con- or hetero-specific infections. We also found that a history of con-specific infection promoted Th2-type responses, as shown by increased concentrations of total IgE, S. ratti-specific IgG1, rat mast cell protease II (RMCPII), IL4 (but decreased concentrations of IFNγ) produced by mesenteric lymph node cells in response to S. ratti antigen. Additionally, S. ratti-specific IgG1 was positively related to the intensity of both primary and secondary infections of S. ratti. Hetero-specific primary infections were only observed to affect the concentration of total IgE and RMCPII. The overall conclusion of these experiments is that the major immunological effect acting against an infection is induced by the infection itself and that there is little effect of prior infections of the host.
Independent Demographic Responses to Climate Change among Temperate and Tropical Milksnakes (Colubridae: Genus Lampropeltis)

The effects of Late Quaternary climate change have been examined for many temperate New World taxa, but the impact of Pleistocene glacial cycles on Neotropical taxa is less well understood, specifically with respect to changes in population demography. Here, we examine historical demographic trends for six species of milksnake with representatives in both the temperate and tropical Americas to determine if species share responses to climate change as a taxon or by area (i.e., temperate versus tropical environments). Using a multilocus dataset, we test for the demographic signature of population expansion and decline using non-genealogical summary statistics, as well as coalescent-based methods. In addition, we determine whether range sizes are correlated with effective population sizes for milksnakes. Results indicate that there are no identifiable trends with respect to demographic response based on location, and that species responded to changing climates independently, with tropical taxa showing greater instability. There is also no correlation between range size and effective population size, with the largest population size belonging to the species with the smallest geographic distribution. Our study highlights the importance of not generalizing the demographic histories of taxa by region and further illustrates that the New World tropics may not have been a stable refuge during the Pleistocene.
Securing Electronic Transactions to Support E-Commerce

Many reports regarding online fraud in varieties media create skepticism for conducting transactions online, especially through an open network such as the Internet, which offers no security whatsoever. Therefore, encryption technology is vitally important to support secure e-commerce on the Internet. Two well-known encryption representing symmetric and asymmetric cryptosystems as well as their applications are discussed in this paper. Encryption is a key technology to secure electronic transactions. However, there are several challenges such as crytoanalysis or code breaker as well as US export restrictions on encryption. The future threat is the development of quantum computers, which makes the existing encryption technology cripple.
Feedback from Supercritical Disk Accretion Flows: Two-dimensional Radiation-Hydrodynamic Simulations of Stable and Unstable Disks with Radiatively Driven Outflows

The supercritical disk accretion flow with radiatively driven outflows is studied based on two-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations for a wide range of the mass input rate, Ṁinput, which is the mass supplied from the outer region to the disk per unit time. The α-prescription is adopted for the viscosity. We employ α = 0.5, as well as α = 0.1, for Ṁinput ≥ 3 × 102LE/c2 and only α = 0.5 for Ṁinput ≤ 102LE/c2, where LE is the Eddington luminosity and c is the speed of light. The quasi-steady disk and radiatively driven outflows form in the case in which the mass input rate highly exceeds the critical rate, Ṁinput > 3 × 102LE/c2. Then, the disk luminosity, as well as the kinetic energy output rate by the outflow, exceeds the Eddington luminosity. The moderately supercritical disk, Ṁinput ~ 10-102LE/c2, exhibits limit-cycle oscillations. The disk luminosity goes up and down across the Eddington luminosity, and the radiatively driven outflows intermittently appear. The time-averaged mass, momentum, and kinetic energy output rates by the outflow, as well as the disk luminosity, increase with an increase of the mass input rate, ∝Ṁ-Ṁ for α = 0.5 and ∝Ṁ-Ṁ for α = 0.1. Our numerical simulations show that the radiatively driven outflow model for the correlation between black hole mass and bulge velocity dispersion proposed by Silk & Rees and King is successful if Ṁinputc2/LE ~ a few 10 (α = 0.5) or ≳ a few (α = 0.1).
Cypher: An Evolving Query Language for Property Graphs

The Cypher property graph query language is an evolving language, originally designed and implemented as part of the Neo4j graph database, and it is currently used by several commercial database products and researchers. We describe Cypher 9, which is the first version of the language governed by the openCypher Implementers Group. We first introduce the language by example, and describe its uses in industry. We then provide a formal semantic definition of the core read-query features of Cypher, including its variant of the property graph data model, and its ASCII Art graph pattern matching mechanism for expressing subgraphs of interest to an application. We compare the features of Cypher to other property graph query languages, and describe extensions, at an advanced stage of development, which will form part of Cypher 10, turning the language into a compositional language which supports graph projections and multiple named graphs.