Genetic Basis of Tetracycline Resistance in Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis

All strains of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis described to date show medium level resistance to tetracycline. Screening of 26 strains from a variety of sources revealed the presence of tet(W) in all isolates. A transposase gene upstream of tet(W) was found in all strains, and both genes were cotranscribed in strain IPLAIC4. Mutants with increased tetracycline resistance as well as tetracycline-sensitive mutants of IPLAIC4 were isolated and genetically characterized. The native tet(W) gene was able to restore the resistance phenotype to a mutant with an alteration in tet(W) by functional complementation, indicating that tet(W) is necessary and sufficient for the tetracycline resistance seen in B. animalis subsp. lactis

Validity and Reliability of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Working Alliance Self-Efficacy Scales

In this paper, the authors report on the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Working Alliance Self-Efficacy Scales (LGB-WASES) with data collected from two studies and 534 counseling trainees. Exploratory factor analysis results yielded a 32-item scale with a three-factor model (a) Emotional Bond, (b) Establishing Tasks, and (c) Setting Goals. LGB-WASES scores were internally consistent and remained stable over a 3-week period. Construct validity evidence suggests the LGB-WASES scores were (a) positively related to general perceptions of counseling self-efficacy and multicultural counseling competency, (b) negatively related to attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, and (d) unrelated to social desirability. Recommendations for future research are also discussed

Hawking radiation and thermodynamics of dynamical black holes in phantom dominated universe

The thermodynamic properties of dark energy-dominated universe in the presence of a black hole are investigated in the general case of a varying equation-of-state-parameter $w(a)$. We show that all the thermodynamics quantities are regular at the phantom divide crossing, and particularly the temperature and the entropy of the dark fluid are always positive definite. We also study the accretion process of a phantom fluid by black holes and the conditions required for the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics. As a results we obtain a strictly negative chemical potential and an equation-of-state parameter $w<-5/3.$Comment: 22 pages,3 figure

‘‘There’s so much more to it than what I initially thought’’: Stepping into researchers’ shoes with a class activity in a first year psychology survey course

In psychology, it is widely agreed that research methods, although central to the discipline, are particularly challenging to learn and teach, particularly at introductory level. This pilot study explored the potential of embedding a student-conducted research activity in a one-semester undergraduate Introduction to Psychology survey course, with the aims of (a) engaging students with the topic of research methods; (b) developing students’ comprehension and application of research methods concepts; and (c) building students’ ability to link research with theory. The research activity explored shoe ownership, examining gender differences and relationships with age, and linking to theories of gender difference and of consumer identity. The process of carrying out the research and reflecting on it created a contextualized, active learning environment in which students themselves raised many issues that research methods lectures seek to cover. Students also wrote richer assignments than standard first year mid-term essay

Ocena czterech wariantów klasyfikacji TIRADS w grupie pacjentów z wolem guzkowym — badanie wstępne

Purpose The goal this study was to evaluate the utility of four variants of the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS) in the differentiation of focal lesions in individuals with multinodular goiter.   Materials and Methods The study was approved by the Local Bioethical Committee. Each patient gave informed consent before enrolment. A total of 163 nodules in 124 patients with multinodular goiter were evaluated by ultrasound. B-mode and PD imaging and strain elastography were performed. Archived images were evaluated via retrospective analysis using four different proposed TIRADS classifications   Results Sensitivity and specificity of the Horvath, Park, Kwak, and Russ classifications were 0.625 and 0.769, 0.813 and 0.864, 0.938 and 0.667, and 0.875 and 0.293, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 0.227 and 0.95, 0.394 and 0.977, 0.234 and 0.99, and 0.119 and 0.956, respectively. Receive operating characteristic analysis suggests that the best differentiation potential was demonstrated by the Kwak classification with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.896, followed by the Park (AUC = 0.872), Horvath (AUC = 0.774), and Russ (AUC = 0.729) classifications.   Conclusion The TIRADS classification proposed by Kwak can be a useful tool in daily practice for the evaluation of thyroid cancer in individuals with multinodular goiter, particularly for selecting cases that require biopsy, which may improve and simplify clinical decision making. To adopt a definitive, comprehensive variant of the TIRADS classification with potential for universal, practical application, further prospective studies that include improvement of the lexicon and evaluation of the full spectrum of thyroid malignancy are warranted.Wstęp: Celem tej pracy była ocena przydatności 4 wariantów systemu raportowania badań ultrasonograficznych tarczycy (TIRADS) do różnicowania zmian ogniskowych u pacjentów z wolem guzkowym. Materiał i metody: Badanie było zatwierdzone przez właściwą komisję bioetyczną. Każdy pacjent wyraził świadomą zgodę przed przy­stąpieniem do badania. W badaniu ultrasononograficznym analizowano 163 zmiany ogniskowe u 124 pacjentów z wolem guzowatym. Wykonano obrazowanie w skali szarości, z dopplerem mocy oraz elastografię odkształceń względnych. Zarchiwizowane obrazy zostały poddane analizie retrospektywnej z zastosowaniem 4 wariantów klasyfikacji TIRADS. Wyniki: Czułość i swoistość klasyfikacji Horvath, Park, Kwak i Russ wyniosły odpowiednio 0,625 i 0,769, 0,813 i 0,864, 0,938 i 0,667 oraz 0,875 i 0,293. Dodatnie i ujemne wartości predykcyjne wynosiły odpowiednio 0,227 i 0,95, 0,394 i 0,977, 0,234 i 0,99 oraz 0,119 i 0,956. Analiza ROC sugeruje, że najlepszy potencjał w różnicowaniu prezentuje wariant Kwak z polem pod krzywą (AUC) of 0,896, następnie Park (AUC = 0,872), Horvath (AUC = 0,774) i Russ (AUC = 0,729). Wnioski: Klasyfikacja TIRADS proponowana przez Kwaka może być przydatnym narzędziem w codziennej praktyce oceny pod kątem raka tarczycy u pacjentów z wolem guzkowym, szczególnie do wyselekcjonowania przypadków wymagających biopsji, co może polepszyć i uprościć podjęcie decyzji klinicznej. Wskazane są dalsze badania prospektywne, obejmujące ulepszenie leksykonu i ocenę pełnego spektrum guzów złośliwych tarczycy, aby ostatecznie przyjąć optymalny wariant klasyfikacji TIRADS, co zapewne umożliwi jej uniwersalne praktyczne zastosowanie

Low Dirac Eigenmodes and the Topological and Chiral Structure of the QCD Vacuum

Several lattice calculations which probe the chiral and topological structure of QCD are discussed. The results focus attention on the low-lying eigenmodes of the Dirac operator in typical gauge field configurations.Comment: Talk presented at the DPF2000 Conferenc

Employing geographical principles for sampling in state of the art dialectological projects

The aims of this paper are twofold: First, we locate the most effective human geographical methods for sampling across space in large-scale dialectological projects. We propose two geographical concepts as a basis for sampling decisions: Geo-demographic classification, which is a multidimensional method used for the socio-economic grouping of areas. We also develop an updated version of functional regions that can be used in sociolinguistic research. We then report on the results of a pilot project that applies these models to collect data regarding the acceptability of vernacular morpho-syntactic forms in the North-East of England. Following the method of natural breaks advocated for dialectology by Horvath and Horvath (2002), we interpret breaks in the probabilistic patterns as areas of dialect transitions. This study contributes to the debate about the role and limitations of spatiality in linguistic analysis. It intends to broaden our knowledge about the interfaces between human geography and dialectology

Physical Baryon Resonance Spectroscopy from Lattice QCD

We complement recent advances in the calculation of the masses of excited baryons in quenched lattice QCD with finite-range regulated chiral effective field theory enabling contact with the physical quark mass region. We examine the P-wave contributions to the low-lying nucleon and delta resonances.Comment: Contributed paper at FB17, the 17th International Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics, Durham, NC, June 5-10, 2003. 3 pages, 6 figure