Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Baked-Bean Waste: a Potential Substrate for Producing Fungal Amylases

Baked-bean waste was found to be a favorable substrate for amylase production by Aspergillus foetidus NRRL 337. Under optimum conditions, the yields of α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) and glucoamylase (EC 3.2.1.3) were 47 and 226 U, respectively, per ml of the waste fermented.
Characterization of Low-Pathogenic H5 Subtype Influenza Viruses from Eurasia: Implications for the Origin of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Viruses

ABSTRACT Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses are now endemic in many Asian countries, resulting in repeated outbreaks in poultry and increased cases of human infection. The immediate precursor of these HPAI viruses is believed to be A/goose/Guangdong/1/96 (Gs/GD)-like H5N1 HPAI viruses first detected in Guangdong, China, in 1996. From 2000 onwards, many novel reassortant H5N1 influenza viruses or genotypes have emerged in southern China. However, precursors of the Gs/GD-like viruses and their subsequent reassortants have not been fully determined. Here we characterize low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H5 subtype viruses isolated from poultry and migratory birds in southern China and Europe from the 1970s to the 2000s. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that Gs/GD-like virus was likely derived from an LPAI H5 virus in migratory birds. However, its variants arose from multiple reassortments between Gs/GD-like virus and viruses from migratory birds or with those Eurasian viruses isolated in the 1970s. It is of note that unlike HPAI H5N1 viruses, those recent LPAI H5 viruses have not become established in aquatic or terrestrial poultry. Phylogenetic analyses revealed the dynamic nature of the influenza virus gene pool in Eurasia with repeated transmissions between the eastern and western extremities of the continent. The data also show reassortment between influenza viruses from domestic and migratory birds in this region that has contributed to the expanded diversity of the influenza virus gene pool among poultry in Eurasia.
Effects of separating auditory and visual sources on audiovisual integration of speech

When the image of a speaker saying the bisyllable /aga/ is presented in synchrony with the sound of a speaker saying /aba/, subjects tend to report hearing the sound /ada/. The present experiment explores the effects of spatial separation on this class of perceptual illusion known as the McGurk effect. Synchronous auditory and visual speech signals were presented from different locations. The auditory signal was presented from positions 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° in azimuth away from the visual signal source. The results show that spatial incongruencies do not substantially influence the multimodal integration of speech signals.
Effects of bilateral cerebral infarction on respiratory center sensitivity

ALTHOUGH the control of breathing is primarily a function of the medullary respiratory center, this basic regulatory mechanism is often modified by higher cerebral levels and by alterations in blood carbon dioxide. Lesions of the cerebral hemisphere and brain stem are known to be associated with various respiratory changes, including periodic breathing, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, and pulmonary hypoventilation or hyperventilation. '-3 Apart from observations on these respiratory changes, there are few methods of determining whether the respiratory center has been affected in patients with brain damage. One such method may be the measurement of the response to inhalation of a small concentration of carbon dioxide. This technic has been employed in patients with various pulmonary disorders, as well as in physiologic studies of respiratory f u n ~ t i o n . ~ , ~ However, there is little information about the responsiveness of the respiratory center to carbon dioxide inhalation in patients with lesions of the central nervous system. The present report summarizes our findings on the effects of this carbon dioxide stimulus on the neural respiratory mechanisms in patients with bilateral cerebral infarction. The changes in arterial pH, blood gases, and pulmonary ventilation in this group of subjects were also studied and compared with controls.
Hookworm infection: new developments and prospects for control

Purpose of reviewHookworm infection remains a major health burden in developing countries. Successful control will likely be achieved through continued advances in our understanding of the epidemiology, molecular biology and immunopathogenesis of hookworm infection. This review summarizes recent advances in each of these fields, and discusses ongoing efforts to develop vaccines against hookworm anemia and growth delay. Recent developmentsRevised estimates indicate that hookworms afflict over 700 million persons in tropical and subtropical regions. Prevalence and intensity often vary considerably at both the regional and local levels, and may be influenced by climate, soil composition, education, and socioeconomic status. Immunoepidemiological studies suggest that hookworm infection likely induces a complex mixture of host-protective and pathological immune responses. There has been substantial progress in elucidating the molecular pathogenesis of hookworm disease, primarily through the identification of a number of parasite virulence factors. Mass chemotherapy remains a mainstay of hookworm control strategies although continued use of benzimidazole anthelminthics is perhaps contributing to the development of anthelminthic resistance. Consequently, there remains a need for innovative approaches, including the development of vaccines and new chemotherapeutic agents, in order to provide effective global control of hookworm disease. SummaryHookworm infection and disease is a significant threat to global health. Recent advances, particularly those at the molecular level, have provided a wealth of opportunities to better understand pathogenesis. This will likely allow for the development of novel measures such as vaccines to complement existing control methods. SponsorshipWe are grateful for support from the National Institutes of Health (grants F32AI51042 and R01AI47929), the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, and the American Heart Association, Heritage Affiliate.
Growth and Development of the Thyroidectomized Ovine Fetus

Extract: Thyroidectomies were performed through a flank incision and uterotomy on five fetuses of 1–4-year-old Columbia and Columbia Suffolk date-bred ewes of 90–110 days gestation. The fetuses were killed 19–43 days post-thyroidectomy. Body and organ weights, limb roentgenograms, DNA, RNA, and protein concentrations of selected tissues, cerebral and cerebellar lipid concentrations, and cerebellar cerebroside fatty acid composition were measured and compared with similar measurements in control animals. In the thyroidectomized fetuses mean carcass and lung weights were significantly reduced and wool development was consistently delayed. Extremity x-rays showed a delay in the time of appearance and a decrease in the size of epiphyseal centers. The mean DNA concentration was low in muscle tissue; mean protein concentrations were reduced in cerebellum, heart, lung, thymus, and muscle tissues, while mean total lipid concentration was low in cerebral tissue; the percentage of 18-carbon fatty acids was significantly increased in cerebellar cerebrosides. These results indicate that thyroid hormone deficiency, present during the last trimester of gestation in the ovine fetus, impairs carcass and lung growth, delays bone and skin maturation, inhibits growth in cell size in heart, lung, thymus, and cerebral tissues, and delays myelination in the central nervous system (CNS). Speculation: The present results, considered with results of other investigations of the effects of thyroid hormone deficiency in fetal and newborn mammals, indicate that hypothyroidism impairs somatic growth, delays bone growth and maturation, delays cell growth and replication in the CNS, and inhibits CNS myelination. The critical period for these effects varies in different species. In the rat this period is postnatal, whereas in the sheep it extends into the third trimester of pregnancy. During pregnancy, carcass growth, bone maturation, and lung maturation are most affected in the sheep; CNS changes are minimal. In man fetal hypothyroidism may produce some delay in bone maturation but somatic growth retardation and signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are not usually present at birth. Moreover, as in the sheep, any delay in CNS maturation probably is minimal in utero, since very early postnatal treatment minimizes mental retardation. Thus early diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism is necessary and consideration of the possibility of newborn screening would seem appropriate.
A Constraint Programming Based Hadoop Scheduler for Handling MapReduce Jobs with Deadlines on Clouds

A novel MapReduce constraint programming based matchmaking and scheduling algorithm (MRCP) that can handle MapReduce jobs with deadlines and achieve high system performance is devised. The MRCP algorithm is incorporated into Hadoop, which is a widely used open source implementation of the MapReduce programming model, as a new scheduler called the CP-Scheduler. This paper originates from the collaborative research with our industrial partner concerning the engineering of resource management middleware for high performance. It describes our experiences and the challenges that we encountered in designing and implementing the prototype CP-based Hadoop scheduler. A detailed performance evaluation of the CP-Scheduler is conducted on Amazon EC2 to determine the CP-Scheduler's effectiveness as well as to obtain insights into system behaviour and performance. In addition, the CP-Scheduler's performance is also compared with an earliest deadline first (EDF) Hadoop scheduler, which is implemented by extending Hadoop's default FIFO scheduler. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the CP-Scheduler's ability to handle an open stream of MapReduce jobs with deadlines in a Hadoop cluster.
The Magnocellular Mediodorsal Thalamus is Necessary for Memory Acquisition, But Not Retrieval

Damage to the magnocellular mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MDmc) in the human brain is associated with both retrograde and anterograde amnesia. In the present study we made selective neurotoxic MDmc lesions in rhesus monkeys and compared the effects of these lesions on memory acquisition and retrieval. Monkeys learned 300 unique scene discriminations preoperatively and retention was assessed in a one-trial preoperative retrieval test. Bilateral neurotoxic lesions of the MDmc, produced by 10 × 1 μl injections of a mixture of ibotenate and NMDA did not affect performance in the postoperative one-trial retrieval test. In contrast, new postoperative learning of a further 100 novel scene discriminations was substantially impaired. Thus, MDmc is required for new learning of scene discriminations but not for their retention and retrieval. This finding is the first evidence that MDmc plays a specific role in memory acquisition.
Risk computing based on capacity of risk‐absorbing in virtual community environment

The security issues are extremely popular in the virtual community (VC) environment because of the uncertainties. Many works use trust mechanisms as the enhancement. However, trust has flaws in some aspects, making it uncontrollable. Discussed in this paper is the reason that risk is chosen to evaluate individual's credit. Then, risk in VC environment has several properties that are helpful to understand the relationship between VC and members. A new concept is that the capacity of risk absorbing is introduced to make the model more reasonable for usual scenario. In order to compute the capacity of risk absorbing problem, shapley value approach is utilized to equalize the risk of individuals who join the game in series. The evaluation result can provide VC computed evidence to control the individual's behavior. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Complex of Htm1 and the Oxidoreductase Pdi1 Accelerates Degradation of Misfolded Glycoproteins*

A quality control system in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) efficiently discriminates polypeptides that are in the process of productive folding from conformers that are trapped in an aberrant state. Only the latter are transported into the cytoplasm and degraded in a process termed ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD). In the ER, an enzymatic cascade generates a specific N-glycan structure of seven mannosyl and two N-acetylglucosamine residues (Man7GlcNAc2) on misfolded glycoproteins to facilitate their disposal. We show that a complex encompassing the yeast lectin-like protein Htm1 and the oxidoreductase Pdi1 converts Man8GlcNAc2 on glycoproteins into the Man7GlcNAc2 signal. In vitro the Htm1-Pdi1 complex processes both unfolded and native proteins albeit with a preference for the former. In vivo, elevated expression of HTM1 causes glycan trimming on misfolded and folded proteins, but only degradation of the non-native species is accelerated. Thus, modification with a Man7GlcNAc2 structure does not inevitably commit a protein for ER-associated protein degradation. The function of Htm1 in ERAD relies on its association with Pdi1, which appears to regulate the access to substrates. Our data support a model in which the balanced activities of Pdi1 and Htm1 are crucial determinants for the efficient removal of misfolded secretory glycoproteins.
Physician-Led Sepsis Quality Improvement Team

Over the last decade, hospitalizations for sepsis have more than doubled and the incidence of postsurgical sepsis tripled between 1997 and 2006. This upward trend is expected to continue for several reasons, including population-specific characteristics (eg, age, chronic disease status) and health care–specific characteristics (eg, lack of understanding of sepsis, medical treatments that leave patients susceptible). Highly effective, focused, quality improvement teams need to be established in order to successfully manage this condition. Quality improvement, and specifically quality improvement in health care, has evolved substantially over the past few decades. This evolution has been pushed by government initiatives and private accrediting bodies that have exposed concerns regarding quality of care. Hospitals have responded with not only corrective actions but also actions that improve quality despite a lack of noted deficiencies (ie, taking quality from “good” to “better”). Key components of a successful quality improvement program have been identified, as have components of successful quality improvement teams. By applying these components to a physician-led sepsis quality improvement team, hospitals can successfully decrease sepsis mortality and increase compliance with the application of sepsis best practice in the emergency department, intensive care unit, or non–intensive care unit nursing units.
The Concept of Ambivalence With Reference To Alcohol Use and Misuse in American Culture

more general cultural patterns, theoretical comment regarding contemporary patterns of drinking within American culture is conspicuously absent. Myerson’sl6 discussion of the ambivalent character of American drinking has remained the definitive statement on this issue. The present paper attempts to re-examine this 1940 statement in the light of current social scientific knowledge. Further, an analogy is drawn between the development of public sentiments regarding alcohol use and two types of social influence situations from experimental social psychology. The resulting conceptual schema is employed to trace changing attitudes within a changing culture.
Combining an Antioxidant‐Fortified Diet with Behavioral Enrichment Leads to Cognitive Improvement and Reduced Brain Pathology in Aging Canines

Abstract: The number of elderly individuals in our population is rapidly rising and age‐associated neurodegenerative disease is becoming more prevalent. Thus, identifying ways by which we can promote healthy aging are becoming more critical. Lifestyle factors, such as engaging in physical, intellectual, and social activities, are protective against dementia in aged individuals. Similarly, there is some evidence to suggest that antioxidants are beneficial. Observational studies in humans have been confirmed and extended in rodent model systems. We present additional evidence that, in a canine model of aging, combining an antioxidant‐enriched diet and behavioral enrichment (including social, physical, and cognitive components) can lead to substantial improvements in cognition and reduced brain pathology. These results suggest that modifying lifestyle factors can have a beneficial impact on the aging process, even in aged individuals with existing cognitive decline and brain pathology.
Effect of inhaled indomethacin in asthmatic patients taking high doses of inhaled corticosteroids.

BACKGROUND Cyclooxygenase products of arachidonic acid may play a part in bronchoconstriction and airway inflammation in asthma. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine the effect of inhaled indomethacin on asthma control and asthma exacerbations during reduction of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with moderate-to-severe steroid-dependent asthma. METHODS We conducted a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, multicenter study in 38 patients with asthma taking high doses (> or =1500 microg/d) of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP). After a run-in period, patients were assigned inhaled indomethacin (50 mg/d) or placebo for 6 weeks, during which the daily doses of BDP were reduced to half at week 2 and then to one third of the baseline dose at week 4. RESULTS Data were available from 34 patients. After the reduction of BDP doses, FEV(1), peak expiratory flow, asthma symptoms, and exhaled nitric oxide concentrations deteriorated in both treatment groups, but these effects were less pronounced in the indomethacin group compared with the placebo group. During the 6-week treatment period, 89% of the patients receiving placebo had relapse of asthma, whereas only 38% of those receiving inhaled indomethacin did so (P =.003). CONCLUSION Inhalation of indomethacin can reduce asthma exacerbations induced by reduction of high-dose inhaled corticosteroid in steroid-dependent asthma.
Psicopatología infantil y variables familiares: factores de riesgo y factores protectores

El objetivo principal de esta investigacion es identificar y determinar la relevancia de las variables familiares que constituyen factores protectores y de riesgo para el desarrollo de psicopatologia en la infancia. Sin embargo, dado su caracter interactivo, se han tenido en cuenta otros factores tales como los atributos biologicos/geneticos y otras caracteristicas del sujeto y factores del ambiente demografico y socioeconomico que rodean al nino y su familia. Tambien se pretende crear un modelo predictivo de psicopatologia infantil que pueda ser util en la practica diaria. Para ello se ha utilizado un diseno de casos y controles extraidos de dos muestras, una proviniente de poblacion pediatrica (n=49) y otra de poblacion psiquiatrica (n=55). Todos los ninos (edades 10-17 anos) y sus familias contestaron una entrevista clinica estructurada (dica-r; reich y welner, 1988) de la cual se derivaban dos diagnosticos independientes, uno a partir de la informacion aportada por el nino y otro a partir de la informacion facilitada por los padres. Los grupos de casos y controles se reagruparon basandose en la combinacion de informacion de ambas fuentes, puesto que ello refleja la forma habitual de proceder del clinico. Asi pues, el grupo control paso a estar compuesto por 36 sujetos y el grupo de casos por 68 sujetos. Todos los individuos de la muestra y sus padres contestaron cuestionarios y autoinformes sobre la historia familiar, el funcionamiento de la familia, la salud mental y las caracteristicas demograficas. Los resultados de esta investigacion ponen de manifiesto que un alto nivel de cohesion familiar, tener una buena relacion con los padres y con el hermano(s), asi como que los padres esten satisfechos con sus hijos y tengan buena autoestima en su rol como padres son factores protectores de psicopatologia. Tambien hemos hallado que el conjunto de habilidades sociales que conforman el apoyo social del nino (rendimiento
Genomic evidence for complementary purine metabolism in the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and its symbiotic bacterium Buchnera aphidicola

The purine salvage pathway recycles purines to nucleotides, promoting efficient utilization of purine nucleotides. Exceptionally among animals with completely sequenced genomes, the pea aphid lacks key purine recycling genes that code for purine nucleoside phosphorylase and adenosine deaminase, indicating that the aphid can neither metabolize nucleosides to the corresponding purines, nor adenosine to inosine. Purine metabolism genes in the symbiotic bacterium Buchnera complement aphid genes, and Buchnera can meet its nucleotide requirement from aphid‐derived guanosine. Buchnera demand for nucleosides may have relaxed the selection for purine recycling in the aphid, leading to the loss of key aphid purine salvage genes. Further, the coupled purine metabolism of aphid and Buchnera could contribute to the dependence of the pea aphid on this symbiosis.
Large‐Scale Improvement Initiatives in Healthcare: A Scan of the Literature

Context: The goal of this article is to provide a succinct scan of the literature as it relates to the current thinking and practice in large‐scale improvement initiatives in healthcare. Method: We employed a scan of the literature using a modified Delphi technique. A standard review form was used. The scan was limited to large‐scale spread efforts in hospitals and healthcare systems. Each of the main factors that emerged during the scan was linked to secondary factors and organized using a driver diagram. Findings: Four primary drivers (factors) emerged during our scan that inform large‐scale change initiatives in healthcare: Planning and Infrastructure; Individual, Group, Organizational, and System Factors; The Process of Change; and Performance Measures and Evaluation. Conclusion: Our scan identified a tremendous amount of work being done around the world to improve healthcare. In general, our findings suggest these initiatives tend to be fragmented from an implementation standpoint. We identified primary and secondary drivers (factors) that can be used by those responsible for implementing large‐scale improvement initiatives both at a strategy level and in their daily work. These drivers could serve as a “checklist” of ideas to consider in different testing and implementation situations.
Targeting Socially Isolated Older Adults

The Seniors Centre Without Walls (SCWOW) program provides free social and educational programming for older adults via telephone. The target population for SCWOW is socially isolated older adults, a hard to reach population. The aim of this process evaluation was to examine whether SCWOW was reaching its target population and to gather participant feedback about program implementation and the perceived satisfaction and impact of the program. Telephone interviews were conducted with 26 participants (92% females; aged 57-85 years). Forty-two percent of the sample was socially isolated and more than half reported being lonely. Participants reported having no difficulty using the telephone system. On average, participants were very satisfied with the program and reported that SCWOW had several positive effects (e.g., connecting to the larger community, affecting mental well-being). Importantly, no barriers to participation were identified. The study suggests that telephone-based programs can successfully reach socially isolated older adults.