Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Curcumin Regulates the Progression of Colorectal Cancer via LncRNA NBR2/AMPK Pathway

Objective: To identify the effect of curcumin on tumor suppression and the possible molecular pathways involved. Methods: The expression of long noncoding RNA neighbor of BRCA1 lncRNA 2 (NBR2) was quantified using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on cultured colorectal cancer cells. Next, we used Western blot to measure the activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) signaling molecules. Both cell proliferation and viability were measured via MTT assay, and the cell ratio and S phase were detected by BrdU assay. Colorectal cancer cells were pretreated with curcumin or transfected with shNBR2 or adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibitor Compound C to examine the molecular pathway involved. Results: Current data showed that glucose deficiency increased the expression of NBR2 in colorectal cancer cells, and NBR2 knockdown affected the progression of colorectal cancer cells under glucose starvation conditions. When NBR2 was silenced in the treated colorectal cancer cells, the proliferation, the clone formation, and the percentage of S-phase cells suppressed by glucose deprivation were compromised. Furthermore, NBR2 knockdown could suppress glucose deprivation-induced adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activation plus mTOR inactivation. Similarly, when colorectal cancer cells were treated with curcumin, the expression of NBR2 was significantly increased. NBR2 knockdown reversed curcumin-suppressed proliferation, clone formation, and the percentage of S-phase colorectal cancer cells. Furthermore, NBR2 knockdown abolished curcumin-induced activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and inactivation of the mTOR signaling pathway. Conclusion: This study revealed a novel mechanism by which long noncoding RNA NBR2 mediates curcumin suppression of colorectal cancer proliferation by activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and inactivating the mTOR signaling pathway.
Opportunities and Challenges for Undergraduate Public Health Education in Australia and New Zealand

The international emergence of undergraduate education in public health has transformed the public health education landscape. While this shift is clearest and most widely evaluated in the United States, efforts in other parts of the world—such as Australasia—have not kept pace. This article aims to redress the evidence gap by identifying and discussing the different approaches through which Australian and New Zealand universities deliver public health education at the undergraduate level. A content analysis was conducted of online handbook information published by 47 universities across Australia and New Zealand, to gauge the various ways in which these universities implement undergraduate public health education. Each offering identified was assigned to one of four predetermined categories. Of the 47 universities, 45 were found to offer some form of undergraduate coursework in public health. Offerings took primarily the form of single subjects. Less commonly implemented were specializations (n = 20), stand-alone undergraduate degrees (n = 11), and double degree combinations (n = 6). This breadth of activity highlights the need for renewed efforts in evaluating undergraduate public health education across the region. Further research is recommended into three areas: (1) emerging best practices in curriculum development and implementation, (2) explorations of public health accreditation in the region, and (3) the outcomes achieved by students and graduates of undergraduate public health degrees across Australia and New Zealand. These efforts will ultimately strengthen the operationalization and contribution of this education in helping shape the future public health workforce in Australasia.
Experimental and numerical determination of mode II fracture toughness of woven composites verified through unidirectional composite test data

Due to the increase in prevalence of fibre-reinforced polymer matrix composites (FRPMC) in aircraft structures, the need for adaption of failure prediction tools such as fatigue spectra has become more pertinent. Fracture toughness is an important measure with regard to fatigue, while adequate techniques and an ASTM standard for unidirectional FRPMC exist, there are mixed opinions when investigating woven FRPMC. This study describes a three-dimensional finite element model developed to assist in determining the mode II interlaminar fracture toughness (G IIc) of fibre-reinforced woven composites, validated by an experimental and numerical comparison of G IIc determination for unidirectional FRPMC. Experimental testing mirroring the ASTM D7905 resulted in a measure of 1176 J m−2 for the unidirectional specimen, while comparisons made with the literature achieved an average value of 1459.24 J m−2 or the woven specimen. Three numerical methods were employed due to their prominence in the literature: displacement field, virtual crack closure techniques and the J integral. Both the J integral and the displacement field three-dimensional models produced satisfactory unidirectional G IIc estimates of 1284 and 1116.8 J m−2, respectively. Displacement field had a 5% uncertainty in G IIc when compared with experimental results, while J integral had an approximately 8.5% uncertainty. Extending the analysis to the woven specimens, values of 1302.8 and 1465.3 J m−2 were obtained from J integral and displacement field methods, respectively, both within 10% of the experimental values. Hence, numerically determined unidirectional G IIc values were verified with experimental results, leading to the successful employment and extension to woven composites which displayed similar agreement.
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) of Organic Compounds: A Review

Optical emission of laser-produced plasmas from solids, liquids, and gases, from their fundamentals to their potential applications, has been comprehensively reported in multiple research manuscripts, reviews, and books. There are nevertheless enough serious unanswered issues and questions still present on what at first sight seemed to be much easier, the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) of organic compounds. Ideally, for all organic molecules, one would expect homologous emission spectra, differing only in the presence or absence of signals associated to the containing elements and their intensity relative to their content. Yet, the reality is much more complex. In laser-induced plasmas of organic compounds, a broad variety of species may be formed depending on the irradiation parameters. Furthermore, there is not a uniform breakage for all the molecules constituting the ablated mass. At once, the plasma is a dynamic entity per se, which implies that the spatial distribution of each species in the source plasma is different. In addition, multiple circumstances and mechanisms may contribute to the extinction of some species and the formation of new ones. Thus, the surrounding atmosphere where the plasma evolves and the time elapsed from its formation also have a strong influence on the spectral signature gathered. In essence, any change in any of the variables involved in the cycle of an organic plasma, from those causing its formation to those governing its expansion, defines a new scenario that lead to a different LIBS spectrum for a same organic compound. The present paper reviews the common emitting species populating the laser plasmas of organic compounds, the routes to their formation, mostly those related to the production of diatomic radicals, the dynamics of such species, in space and time, and the physical parameters that they confer to the plasma. Concurrently, the influence that the structures of the molecular solids and the set of excitation variables may exert on the optical emissions observed is also discussed. Finally, some details on the modeling of organic plasmas are provided.
Illusions of Imagery and Magical Experiences

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the idea that we may gain new insights in cognitive science by studying the art of magic. Here, I offer a first exploratory overview and preliminary conceptual analysis of a class of magic tricks, which has been largely neglected in this pursuit, namely, a set of tricks that can be loosely defined as topological tricks. The deceptive powers of many of these tricks are difficult to understand in light of known psychological principles, which suggests that closer scientific scrutiny may raise interesting questions and challenges for cognitive science. I discuss a number of known and novel psychological principles that may explain why these tricks evoke the strong feelings of impossibility that are characteristic of magical experiences. A profound and detailed understanding of how topological tricks evoke magical experiences remains elusive, though, and more research on this topic could advance our understanding of perception, imagery and reasoning.
Testis Size and Asymmetry in the Guinea Fowl (Numida Meleagris): A Test of the Compensation Hypothesis

Despite numerous studies on testicular asymmetry in birds, there are still inconsistent reports on the pattern of asymmetry in species belonging to various phylogenetic groups and exhibiting diverse lifestyles. In addition, there is a lack of clarity on whether functional differences exist between the left and right testes despite differences in size, as well as no evidence of naturally occurring compensation in testis size in terrestrial and galliform birds. A study involving 400 Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) cocks was conducted to determine asymmetry and compensatory growth in the testes as well as age-related changes in absolute and relative testicular asymmetry. The left testis had significantly higher weight, volume and relative weight than the right testis. Similarly, populations of round spermatids, type I spermatocytes, total germ cell, Sertoli efficiency, actual and apparent seminiferous tubular diameters and testicular sperm production were higher in the left than the right testis. Correlations between the left and right testicular gross anatomical and histological biometric traits were strong and positive. Left biased asymmetry was recorded in the Guinea Fowl. Absolute testicular asymmetry increased with age, but tended to stabilise from 20 weeks of age, while relative testicular asymmetry remained stable throughout. Both absolute and relative testicular asymmetries were higher in breeding than non-breeding males. Compensatory growth was recorded in both testes with no difference in the degree of compensation. The left biased asymmetry observed in the Guinea Fowl was reflected in functional differences between the two testes.
Survey of attitude towards and understanding of the elderly amongst Chinese undergraduate medical students

Abstract Background: Gerontology has an increasing role in medicine and public health. The provision of better medical services to the elderly closely correlates with the attitude towards and understanding of the elderly by medical personnel. Objectives: We investigated factors affecting a medical student’s choice of gerontology as a career. This included a survey of attitude towards the elderly and understanding of aging among first and third year Chinese undergraduates. Data between students in different streams, at different levels, and between sexes were compared. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to recruit 335 undergraduate medical students in Sichuan for a survey using Kogan’s Attitudes toward Older People Scale (KAOP) and Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ1) as tools. Results: Among undergraduates, 71.3% did not acquire significant knowledge about the elderly (mean KAOP score 139.5 ± 16.0); and had a mean score of knowledge of aging (12.2 ± 2.7). The majority of first year students (98.7%) and third year students (98.8%) had a positive attitudes (KAOP > 102). The KAOP score among first year students was higher than that among third years (P < 0.01). Students with an interest in problems of the elderly had significantly higher scores and were more willing to consider careers in gerontology than students without an interest in the elderly (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The majority of Chinese undergraduate medical students surveyed had positive attitudes towards elderly. We recommend greater accessibility of courses in gerontology to meet the increasing need for personnel in this health care sector.
Overcoming adversity

As GPs we meet, each day, many people facing adversity of various kinds. We encounter a huge variety of people who have made remarkable and admirable progress in overcoming personal difficulties, and some who struggle. After a lifetime in general practice I met with three equally experienced colleagues to share thoughts and experiences that might inform the promotion of wellbeing for patients and help in overcoming adversity. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or prescriptive list, but aims simply to offer prompts for further discussion between doctors and patients.
Comparison of two statistical shape models for the femur segmentation in MRI

Active Shape Models (ASM) have been widely used in the literature for the extraction of the tibial and the femoral bones from MRI. These methods use Statistical Shape Models (SSM) to drive the deformation and make the segmentation more robust. One crucial step for building such SSM is the shape correspondence (SC). Several methods have been described in the literature. The goal of this paper is to compare two SC methods, the Iterative Median Closest Point-Gaussian Mixture Model (IMCP-GMM) and the Minimum Description Length (MDL) approaches for the creation of a SSM, and to assess the impact on the accuracy of the femur segmentation in MRI. 28 MRI of the knee have been used. The validation has been performed by using the leave-one-out cross-validation technique. An ASMMDL and an ASMIMCP-GMMM has been built with the SSMs computed respectively with the MDL and IMCP-GMM methods. The computation time for building both SSMs has been also measured. For 90% of data, the error is inferior to 1.78 mm and 1.85 mm for respectively the ASMIMCP-GMM and the ASMMDL methods. The computation time for building the SSMs is five hours and two days for respectively the IMCP-GMM and the MDL methods. Both methods seem to give, at least, similar results for the femur segmentation in MRI. But (1) IMCP-GMM can be used for all types of shape, this is not the case for the MDL method which only works for closed shape, and (2) IMCP-GMM is much faster than MDL.
Knowledge and attitudes regarding pain among surgical nurses in three teaching hospitals in Ireland

Background: Excessive pain following surgery is a common entity that has been highlighted in the literature for almost 40 years. The exponential growth in the understanding of the multifarious nature of pain physiology and perception has been paralleled with significant scientific advancements in the interventional management of pain. Despite this progress, the literature remains replete with examples of patients experiencing unnecessary levels of pain following surgery. Unalleviated pain after surgery is highly prevalent and impacts negatively on patients’ morbidity and mortality. The deleterious short and long-term effects of unrelieved pain on patients are multifold. There is increasing evidence which shows that acute pain can progress into chronic pain. The literature documents that chronic pain after surgery is a common occurrence. Nurses play a crucial role in pain management and must be highly knowledgeable to ensure their practices in the management of pain are of a high quality standard. Aim: The central purpose of this study was to determine the baseline level of knowledge and attitudes regarding pain of Irish surgical nurses working in three teaching hospitals in Dublin. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey research design was employed into this study. A modified version of the validated ‘Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain’ (NKAS) tool and a demographic form were utilized to ascertain the knowledge and attitudes base of Irish nurses’ working in these acute surgical settings. The sample comprised a convenience sample of 94 nurses working in the acute surgical wards of the three hospitals. Results: Results revealed that the mean percentage score overall was 65.7%. Only 3.2% of nurse participants obtained a passing score of 80% or greater. Widespread knowledge deficits and poor attitudes were noted in this study, particularly in the domain of pharmacological management of pain. Positive correlations were observed between the respondents’ score and nursing grade and level of education. Further analysis revealed respondents had an inaccurate self-evaluation of their pain management knowledge. Conclusion: The results of this study support the universal concern of inadequate knowledge and attitudes of nurses’ regarding pain. Educational and quality improvement initiatives in pain management could enhance nurses’ knowledge base in the area of pain and possibly improve practices.
Enriching career experience of international academics through language training and practicing programs

BACKGROUND There are increasing numbers of academic staff employed at Australian universities who have immigrated from overseas, and English is their second language (so called ESL Academics). ESL academics can face a range of socio-cultural and language challenges when they enter into the learning and teaching profession at Australian universities containing diverse cohort of local and international students. This paper reports on the progress of a staff professional development project carried out at The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) since 2011. PURPOSE The project aimed to provide smooth transition for international academics to adjust to Australian tertiary teaching environment. Distinguished from others, the project was initiated and organised by ESL academics, who have been striving to develop socio-cultural communication and English language presentation skills through training and practice. The project demonstrated that continuous systematic institutional support is necessary for achieving our goals in improving communication skills and teaching performance for international academics. DESIGN/METHOD A series of trial workshops were conducted in 2011 and 2012. The contents of the workshop focused on hands-on practice sessions (i.e. practical training). The workshops covered pronunciation, stress, intonation, gesture and general presentation skills. The segments of lectures were recorded before and after the training. A participant feedback survey about the usefulness of the training program was also conducted. The effectiveness of the training program was evaluated by; (a) comparing the differences between the two recordings; and (b) using participants' feedback surveys. RESULTS The results clearly demonstrated direct and indirect benefits of the workshops to the participants. During training workshops, participants became aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their English communication and lecture presentation. They addressed the identified issues during the training workshops. After training program, participants learned to communicate clearly (i.e. tone, speed and expression), consciously avoided monotonous lecture delivery, and significantly improved the clarity of their presentations. CONCLUSIONS Although there are many challenges for ESL Academics in improving English communication and presentation skills, the training programs has been useful to equip them with appropriate knowledge for a smooth transition to Australian tertiary learning and teaching environment. The benefit of such training program is received by both individuals and the institution.
Genetic background and impact of Staphylococcus aureus in a cross-border region

MRSA (the hospital bacteria) occurs more in Belgian and German hospitals in the Euregion Meuse-Rhine than in Dutch hospitals. The ‘Search & Destroy’ policy of the Dutch government has – in spite of the high cost – realized containment of the MRSA contaminations in hospitals. Via genetic research this dissertation shows that several MSRA variants have dispersed to the Dutch patient population. Because there are many cross-border movements by patients between hospitals, and new ‘variants’ of the MRSA bacteria occur, the MRSA containment policy between the hospitals in the Euregion Meuse-Rhine should be matched to prevent transfer of MRSA between patients.
The Populist Radical Right and the Media in the Benelux: Friend or Foe?

Although most scholars acknowledge that the media play an instrumental role in furthering or limiting the spread of populism, the exact nature of the relationship between right-wing populist parties (RWPPs) and the media remains poorly understood. This article analyzes the various ways in which the media choose to deal with RWPPs in the Benelux region (i.e., Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg). Using evidence from interviews with media practitioners (n = 46), the findings suggest that in the absence of a credible right-wing populist challenger, media practitioners in Luxembourg and Wallonia adhere to strict demarcation, whereas the Dutch and Flemish media have become gradually more accommodative to RWPPs. This study makes two contributions to the field. First, it systematically theorizes the different ways in which the media can approach the populist radical right. Second, it provides illustrative, comparative evidence about the rationale for why some media provide space for RWPPs while others deny it, thereby illuminating the under-researched topic of societal responses to the populist radical right.
Practitioners’ perspectives on patient autonomy at end of life

Report on research undertaken to provide qualitative data on practitioner’s perspectives on patient autonomy in end of life in hospital settings in Ireland. The research is part of a larger project entitled ‘An Ethical Framework for End-of-Life Care’ The latter aims to identify the key ethical issues arising in relation to death, dying and bereavement and to develop a set of educational resources to deepen public and professional understanding of experiences of death, dying and bereavement and to enhance the experience of dying in diverse health care settings in Ireland.
Learning in and out of university : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ conceptions and strategies used to learn

Research suggests that students’ approaches to learning and learning outcomes are closely related to their conceptions of learning. This paper describes a phenomenographically inspired investigation into conceptions of formal learning held by 22 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from three Australian universities in Queensland; experiences of informal learning, reasons for studying and strategies used to learn were also investigated. The attrition rate for these students in tertiary education is higher than that of any other group of students. It was hoped that information gained may delineate factors that contribute to high attrition rates and therefore inform courses of action that may lead to improved teaching and learning practices for these students. Additionally, success in tertiary education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students may increase their involvement in mainstream society. Results showed that they view and approach university learning in much the same way as other university students. It was also apparent that, generally, the strategies these students used did not match the conceptions of learning they held. An interesting result was the difference between the conceptions of formal learning and explanations of informal learning