Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Students´ preferences for learning materials in technology-enhanced higher education

Current trend of using ICT in different areas of modern life is also reflected in the educational process. At present higher education is run in different forms of instruction which range from traditional classes through blended ones to pure online classes. Many research studies also confirm that students like being provided online courses because they appreciate having study materials within their easy reach and being able to see and read once again the lecture texts or other materials from their face-to-face classes. In addition, they can easily access them independently on their location. Designers of these materials try to tailor these study materials to the learners’ needs. Therefore the purpose of this article is to discuss what form of instruction students prefer; and on the basis of a questionnaire survey to explore whether students really welcome the online learning materials and their likes and dislikes about these study materials which are offered to them.
Navigating Islam: The Hijab and the American Workplace

The United States Constitution allows individuals to practice any religion they choose. However, the austerity of this right is tested when an individual’s belief is publicly displayed. For Muslim women wearing the hijab, or headscarf, the intersection between private religious practice and its social expression is explored on a daily basis. To fully understand the manifestation of public religious expression, this paper examines a series of interviews with 35 hijab-wearing Muslim women living in the United States. By exploring the lived experiences of Muslim-American women, this paper highlights the broader issues of the media’s influence on perceptions of Muslim culture, the complex and often unclear legality of religious symbols in the workplace, and the barriers that exist for hijab-wearing women in the workplace. With the rise of Islamophobia, the participants found a stronger sense to exert their right to express their religious identities. Moreover, the women interviewed demonstrate their agency by continuing to embrace their religious practice despite intersecting forms of discrimination.
Prevalence of Dry Eye Subtypes in Clinical Optometry Practice

Background Dry eye conditions are now recognized as having multiple causes. A subtype-based dry eye diagnostic protocol was developed to determine the prevalence of dry eye and dry eye subtypes, and the effects of age and gender, in subjects presenting to clinical optometry practice. Methods Dry eye diagnostic criteria were: presence of one or more McMonnies dry eye survey primary symptoms, fluorescein tear break time <10 s and rose bengal ocular surface staining. Dry eye subtype differential diagnosis was made predominantly on the basis of biomicroscopic signs. Subtype categories were: lipid anomaly dry eye (LADE), aqueous tear deficiency (ATD), primary mucin anomalies, allergic/toxic dry eye (ADE), primary epitheliopathies and lid surfacing/blinking anomalies (LSADE). Results Dry eye prevalence was 10.8% for n = 1584 subjects. Dry eye was significantly more prevalent in subjects 40 years or older (18.1%) compared with those <40 years (7.3%) (p = 0.001). LADE was the most prevalent subtype (4.0%), followed by ADE at 3.1%, LSADE at 1.8%, and ATD at 1.7%. ATD was the only subtype with a significant gender prevalence difference, being more prevalent in women (p = 0.0023). The prevalence of LADE and ATD were significantly greater in those 40 years or older (p = 0.001 and p = 0.0023 respectively). Conclusions The results of this study support a subtype-based approach to dry eye diagnosis and management in clinical practice.
Prevalence, associated factors, and prognostic determinants of AIDS-related toxoplasmic encephalitis in the era of advanced highly active antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND Characteristics, associated factors, and survival probability of toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) in the era of advanced highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) have not been fully clarified. METHODS Data for 205 individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related TE were derived from the Italian Registry Investigative NeuroAIDS database, and the cases were studied longitudinally to evaluate prevalence, clinical characteristics, and survival. Moreover, the relationship between the occurrence of TE and exposure to antiretroviral therapy and to TE prophylaxis was evaluated. RESULTS With an overall prevalence of 26%, TE represented the most frequent neurological disorder in the cohort. Female sex, severe immunodeficiency, and absence of primary TE prophylaxis significantly increased the risk of TE, and previous exposure to antiretroviral therapy reduced the probability of disease occurrence. Thirty-six percent of patients who had received antiretroviral therapy developed TE, although in most of these cases, the patient experienced failure of antiretroviral therapy. Of note, 66% of patients who had experienced antiretroviral therapy did not receive prophylaxis for TE at TE diagnosis. The 1-year probability of that infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) would progress or that death would occur after TE was 40% and 23%, respectively. Cognitive symptoms, low CD4(+) cell count, not receiving HAART after TE, and initiating HAART >2 months after TE diagnosis were all significantly associated with an increased probability of progression of HIV infection. Not receiving HAART after diagnosis negatively affected survival. CONCLUSIONS TE remains a highly prevalent disorder of the central nervous system, even in the late HAART era, particularly among severely immunosuppressed patients and in absence of prophylaxis. Considering that persons with TE have a high probability of early death, prophylaxis should be maintained in immunosuppressed patients who experience failure of antiretroviral therapy, and HAART should be initiated as soon as possible after TE diagnosis.
Expression of the Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor, S1P1, on T-cells Controls Thymic Emigration*

S1P1 is a widely distributed G protein-coupled receptor whose ligand, sphingosine 1-phosphate, is present in high concentrations in the blood. The sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-signaling pathway is believed to have potent effects on cell trafficking in the immune system. To determine the precise role of the S1P1 receptor on T-cells, we established a T-cell-specific S1P1 knock-out mouse. The mutant mice showed a block in the egress of mature T-cells into the periphery. The expression of the S1P1 receptor was up-regulated in mature thymocytes, and its deletion altered the chemotactic responses of thymocytes to sphingosine 1-phosphate. The results indicated that the expression of the S1P1 receptor on T-cells controls their exit from the thymus and entry into the blood and, thus, has a central role in regulating the numbers of peripheral T-cells.
Expression of mucin 1 (MUC1) in esophageal squamous‐cell carcinoma: Its relationship with prognosis

Using 2 anti‐mucin 1 (MUC1) monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), DF3 and BCP8, we examined MUC1 expression immunohistochemically in 192 esophageal squamous‐cell carcinomas (SCCs). In normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus, DF3 was not expressed, but BCP8 was expressed on the cell membrane, mainly in the surface layer. In esophageal SCCs, DF3 and BCP8 were expressed mainly on the cell membrane of SCC cells, but also in the cytoplasm in several cases. To analyze the correlation of MUC1 expression and the prognosis of the patients, the 192 cases were divided into 2 groups: high‐expression group (HEG, >50% of the neoplastic cells stained) and low‐expression group (LEG, <50% of neoplastic cells stained). DF3‐HEG (24 patients) showed a significantly poorer survival rate than DF3‐LEG (168 patients), whereas there was no significant difference in survival between BCP8‐HEG (43 patients) and BCP8‐LEG (149 patients). Also, in the analysis of 162 patients with advanced stage (submucosal or deeper invasion) to exclude the influence of low expression of DF3 and BCP8 in 30 patients with early stage (up to the level of muscularis mucosae), DF3‐HEG (24 patients) showed significantly poorer survival than DF3‐LEG (138 patients), whereas there was no significant difference in survival between BCP8‐HEG (42 patients) and BCP8‐LEG (120 patients). The results of our study on esophageal SCC suggest that the expression of sialyl oligosaccharides detected by DF3 is related to poor prognosis. Int. J. Cancer (Pred. Oncol.) 84:251–257, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Assessment criteria for compliance with oral hygiene: application of ROC analysis.

PURPOSE Diabetes is an established risk factor for periodontal disease. Management of periodontal disease is highly dependent upon effective oral hygiene. Assessment of plaque and gingivitis has been commonly used and arbitrarily set in clinical practice to evaluate patients' adherence with oral hygiene recommendations. This study aims to determine an objective cut-off criterion for assessing oral hygiene compliance utilising a combination of plaque and bleeding scores. MATERIALS AND METHODS 161 patients with diabetes, from a prospective clinical trial, provided the clinical periodontal parameters at baseline to be used to determine the oral hygiene compliance criterion in relation to a composite score of pocket depth, subgingival calculus and supragingival calculus. A sequence of different combinations of plaque and gingival bleeding scores were used. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve assessment, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were utilised for the determination of the criterion. RESULTS The combination of 25% plaque scores and 15% gingival bleeding scores obtained the highest ROC value (using a probability cut-off of 0.5) of 0.868 with sensitivity 98.6%, specificity 75.0%, positive predictive value (PPV) 97.3% and negative predictive value (NPV) 85.7%. According to this criterion, amongst the cohort of subjects examined, 145 (90.1%) were categorised as non-compliant, and only 16 (9.9%) were considered compliant with oral hygiene at baseline. CONCLUSIONS Based upon the clinical periodontal parameters of subjects from this study, a combination of 25% plaque score and 15% bleeding score appears to be a valid target for determining compliance with oral hygiene in oral health programmes.
Postprandial chylomicron and plasma vitamin E responses in healthy older subjects compared with younger ones

The effect of ageing on vitamin E bioavailability in humans was assessed by comparing chylomicron and plasma α‐tocopherol postprandial concentrations after a dose of vitamin E (432 or 937 IU as dl‐α‐tocopherol acetate), in eight young (20–30 years old) and eight healthy elderly men (64–72 years old). The fasting plasma α‐tocopherol concentration was significantly higher in the elderly (33 ± 2 μmol L−1) than in the young (22 ± 2 μmol L−1). In both groups, the plasma and chylomicron α‐tocopherol postprandial concentrations were significantly, approximately twofold, higher after the 937‐IU meal than after the 432‐IU meal. For both test meals, the chylomicron α‐tocopherol areas under the curve were significantly lower in the elderly than in the young subjects: 98.9 ± 16.5 (young group) vs. 55.3 ± 7.8 (elderly group) μmol L−1 h for the 937‐IU test meal and 60.4 ± 14.1 (young group) vs. 26.0 ± 7.6 (elderly group) μmol L−1 h for the 432‐IU test meal, whereas the plasma α‐tocopherol area under the curve was significantly higher in elderly than in young subjects: 337.56 ± 16.11 (937‐IU test meal) vs. 159.81 ± 35.55 (432‐IU test meal) μmol L−1 h in the young group and 709.55 ± 69.33 (937‐IU test meal) vs. 436.39 ± 41.08 (432‐IU test meal) μmol L−1 h in the elderly group. We concluded that (a) the amount of vitamin E appearing in plasma is proportional to the dose ingested (up to 937 IU); (b) the intestinal absorption of vitamin E is not increased, even possibly decreased, in the elderly; and (c) the amount of vitamin E transported by non‐chylomicron lipoproteins is apparently higher in the elderly. This suggests that vitamin E postprandial transport is affected by ageing, mainly as the consequence of age‐related modifications of lipoprotein metabolism.
Applying an exemplar model to the serial reaction-time task: Anticipating from experience

We present a serial reaction time (SRT) task in which participants identified the location of a target by pressing a key mapped to the location. The location of successive targets was determined by the rules of a grammar, and we varied the redundancy of the grammar. Increasing both practice and the redundancy of the grammar reduced response time, but the participants were unable to describe the grammar. Such results are usually discussed as examples of implicit learning. Instead, we treat performance in terms of retrieval from a multitrace memory. In our account, after each trial, participants store a trace comprising the current stimulus, the response associated with it, and the context provided by the immediately preceding response. When a target is presented, it is used as a prompt to retrieve the response mapped to it. As participants practise the task, the redundancy of the series helps point to the correct response and, thereby, speeds retrieval of the response. The model captured performance in the experiment and in classic SRT studies from the literature. Its success shows that the SRT task can be understood in terms of retrieval from memory without implying implicit learning.
Written Corrective Feedback: The need for collaboration and multidirectional interaction

Over the last two decades, there has been significant debate surrounding the potential benefits, or potential harm, generated from the provision of written corrective feedback (WCF) on the writing of language learners. The majority of research in the field has been conducted within a positivist paradigm, which often adopted experimental research designs that measured language development in the form of correct output of targeted linguistic items, with the output sometimes being limited to a single writing task. Through the use of an interpretive paradigm and a socio-culturally informed theoretical framework, this case study examines language development reflected by progression within the language learners’ zone of proximal development (ZPD), generated via the provision of direct WCF. Retrospective interviews provide rich qualitative data that highlight the experiences of participants as they process three different types of WCF. This case study found that WCF was not able to generate any significant shifts towards self regulation within the participants’ ZPD, and thus learning generated via WCF was, at best, minimal. The need for learners to collaborate in order to co-construct their ZPDs during both the processing of WCF and construction stage of writing tasks was identified. Pedagogical implications for language teachers are discussed.
Elite exchanges: the cultural politics of Chinese business in Nigeria

Since the late 20th century there has been increasing interest in China’s role in Africa, both in academia and popular media. This interest reflects the general curiosity and concerns related to China’s political and business interests. Research into African-Chinese relations is usually on the macro level and rarely provides insight into the lived realities of the people at the heart of these interactions, particularly Africans. As such this thesis examines Nigerian-Chinese elite exchanges by interrogating the stock/conventional narratives constructed in political discourse and popular media (and to a large extent by academic research), in which China appears either as benevolent investor or neo-imperialist; and Africa appears as a passive recipient without agency at the mercy of greedy politicians and elite-pacting. Nigeria is one of China’s most important tradepartners in Africa. In response to this relationship, the Nigerian government has constructed a complex public relations campaign that taps into the aspirations and dreams of Nigerians and links them with Nigerian-Chinese relations. The campaign is centred on three key areas: big business, entrepreneurship and education. Throughout this thesis, I explore the experiences ofaspirational andelite Nigerian actors who attempt to take on the promise of Nigerian-Chinese relations through these three key areas. I argue that although the grand narrative is sold as accessible to all, it is mostly those who have access to capital, both financial and social, that are able to transform the promise of Nigerian-Chinese relations into a reality.
Level of the RNA polymerase II in the fission yeast stays constant but phosphorylation of its carboxyl terminal domain varies depending on the phase and rate of cell growth

Background: The RNA polymerase II of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe consists of 12 Rpb subunits, of which four (Rpb1, Rpb2, Rpb3 and Rpb11) form the assembly and catalytic core and five (Rpb5, Rpb6, Rpb8, Rpb10 and Rpb12) are shared among RNA polymerases I, II and III. The intracellular levels of three RNA polymerase forms should be interrelated, but the control of RNA polymerase formation remains mostly unknown.
Gentamicin enhanced production of hydrogen peroxide by renal cortical mitochondria.

Agents that affect mitochondrial respiration have been shown to enhance the generation of reactive oxygen metabolites. On the basis of the well-demonstrated ability of gentamicin to alter mitochondrial respiration (stimulation of state 4 and inhibition of state 3), it was postulated that gentamicin may enhance the generation of reactive oxygen metabolites by renal cortical mitochondria. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of gentamicin on the production of hydrogen peroxide (measured as the decrease in scopoletin fluorescence) in rat renal cortical mitochondria. The hydrogen peroxide generation by mitochondria was enhanced from 0.17 +/- 0.02 nmol . mg-1 . min-1 (n = 14) in the absence of gentamicin to 6.21 +/- 0.67 nmol . mg-1 . min-1 (n = 14) in the presence of 4 mM gentamicin. This response was dose dependent with a significant increase observed at even the lowest concentration of gentamicin tested, 0.01 mM. Production of hydrogen peroxide was not increased when gentamicin was added to incubation media in which mitochondria or substrate was omitted or heat-inactivated mitochondria were used. The gentamicin-induced change in fluorescence was completely inhibited by catalase (but not by heat-inactivated catalase), indicating that the decrease in fluorescence was due to hydrogen peroxide. Thus this study demonstrates that gentamicin enhances the production of hydrogen peroxide by mitochondria. Because of their well-documented cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen metabolites may play a critical role in gentamicin nephrotoxicity.
Carbonic Anhydrase II Binds to the Carboxyl Terminus of Human Band 3, the Erythrocyte Cl−/HCO3 −Exchanger*

In this study, we provide evidence that the 33-residue carboxyl-terminal (Ct) region of the human erythrocyte chloride/bicarbonate exchanger, band 3, binds carbonic anhydrase II (CAII). Immunofluorescence showed that tomato lectin-mediated clustering of band 3 in ghost membranes caused a similar clustering of CAII, indicating an in situ association. CAII cosolubilized and coimmunoprecipitated with band 3, suggesting that the two proteins form a complex. Band 3 (K 1/2 = 70 nm) or the membrane domain of band 3 (K 1/2 = 100 nm) bound saturably to immobilized CAII in a solid phase binding assay. The interaction with CAII was specifically blocked by an antibody to the Ct of band 3. Affinity blotting showed that a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fusion protein (GST-Ct) containing the last 33 residues of human band 3 bound to CAII. The solid phase binding assay showed that binding of GST-Ct to immobilized CAII was saturable (K 1/2 = 20 nm). The binding rate was slow (t 1/2 = 12 h) at physiological ionic strength and pH but was enhanced at low ionic strength or acidic pH. Intact band 3 (K i = 15 nm), the membrane domain of band 3 (K i = 100 nm), or antibodies to the Ct of band 3 were able to block GST-Ct binding to CAII, confirming the specificity of the interaction. Affinity chromatography showed that CAII bound to immobilized GST-Ct with a 1:1 stoichiometry. This work indicates that CAII, the bicarbonate supplier, is directly coupled to band 3, the chloride/bicarbonate exchanger in red blood cells.
Patterns Histopathologic of Fox-Fordyce Disease

Fox-Fordyce disease is an uncommon condition that is biopsied even less commonly. Since the publication of Shelley and Levy, in 1956, the disease is regarded widely to be "apocrine miliaria", an analogue of eccrine miliaria. Histopathologically, an "intraepidermal sweat retention vesicle" is considered the only feature diagnostic of the condition. In this article, the entire literature devoted to the subject and reviewed features clinically and histopathologically as they were presented in those publications. Furthermore, observations in sections of tissue cut from 8 biopsy specimens taken from 4 patients with Fox-Fordyce disease are presented including correlation clinicopathologic. Changes histopathologically in Fox-Fordyce disease vary greatly. Apart from findings described previously as being typical (e.g., dilation, hyperkeratosis, and spongiosis of infundibula), there were vacuolar alteration at the dermo-epithelial junction of infundibula, dyskeratotic cells scattered in infundibula, and parakeratosis in the manner of cornoid lamellation within an orthokeratotic plug filling a dilated infundibulum. Infundibula and apocrine ducts were surrounded by numerous foamy macrophages. Despite that variation of features histopathologically, the appearance clinically, was similar in all patients, namely small infundibulocentric papules, sometimes with a keratotic plug in the center of it, and sometimes with a yellow cast. In conclusion, current concept of Fox-Fordyce disease is too restricted. All the different patterns histopathologically observed by us are manifestations of one single pathologic process named for Fox and Fordyce.
Toward a Factor Structure in Crypto Asset Returns

A new market has emerged from active trading of major cryptocurrencies and the listing of many initial coin offering (ICO) tokens. The authors conduct an early investigation into potential factor structures in the expected returns of crypto assets. They find that crypto assets with large market capitalization, low volatility, and high past returns tend to outperform in the following month. These are suggestive evidences for an emerging factor structure, even though crypto asset returns are still largely dominated by idiosyncratic noise. Their findings could help investors make better decisions in the nascent crypto asset market.
Ahmed valve implantation for refractory glaucoma following pars plana vitrectomy.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness of Ahmed valve implantation for refractory glaucoma following pars plana vitrectomy. METHODS Seventeen eyes of 15 patients suffering from secondary glaucoma following pars plana vitrectomy underwent Ahmed valve implantation. All the eyes were in critical condition, and intraocular pressure could not be controlled with anti-glaucoma medications. Success was characterized by an intraocular pressure less than 22 mmHg and greater than 6 mmHg, regardless of anti-glaucoma medication usage. RESULTS The total success rate was 83.4% at 6 months and 76.4% at the final visit. The reduction in intraocular pressure and the number of medications used postoperatively were both statistically and clinically significant (p<0.005). Postoperative complications included: transiently increased intraocular pressure, transient hyphema, early postoperative hypotony, choroidal detachment, malposition of the valve tip, and phthisis bulbus. CONCLUSIONS Ahmed valve implantation is a safe and effective method for refractory glaucoma following vitrectomy.