Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is nutritional status associated with the level of anxiety, depression and pain in patients with lung cancer?

Background Nutritional deficiencies are common in lung cancer patients, especially in those with advanced and metastatic cancers. The pathogenesis of the development of nutritional disorders in cancer patients has not been fully explained. The study was performed in order to research associations between nutritional status and mental condition and pain. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between nutritional status and the level of anxiety, depression and perceived pain in patients with lung cancer. Methods A total of 257 patients with lung cancer were enrolled. The Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire was used to assess their nutritional status; the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess their levels of anxiety and depression; the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to assess levels of perceived pain. Results The MNA showed that 23% of the study group was malnourished, 33% at risk of malnutrition and 44% displayed a normal nutritional status. The HADS questionnaire showed that 65% of the study group had depressive symptoms and 65% had anxiety. The mean score of the VAS was 4.35. A significant negative correlation between nutritional status and pain was observed (r=-0.65; P<0.001) as well as between nutritional status and anxiety and depression (r=-0.68; P<0.001 and r=-0.60; P<0.001, respectively). Conclusions The prevalence of nutritional disorders and the intensity of somatic symptoms and psychological distress are high among lung cancer patients. The significant levels of depression, anxiety and pain in patients at risk of malnutrition which were highlighted in comparison to patients with a normal nutritional status indicate the need for early supportive psychotherapy or pharmacological interventions.
Photocatalytic Degradation of 4-Nitrophenol by C, N-TiO2: Degradation Efficiency vs. Embryonic Toxicity of the Resulting Compounds

The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 based photocatalysts can be improved by structural modification and elemental doping. In this study, through rational design, one type of carbon and nitrogen co-doped TiO2 (C, N-TiO2) photocatalyst with mesoporous structure was synthesized with improved photocatalytic activity in degrading 4-nitrophenol under simulated sunlight irradiation. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the C, N-TiO2 was much higher than the anatase TiO2 (A-TiO2) based on absorbance and HPLC analyses. Moreover, using zebrafish embryos, we showed that the intermediate degradation compounds generated by photocatalytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol had higher toxicity than the parent compound. A repeated degradation process was necessary to render complete degradation and non-toxicity to the zebrafish embryos. Our results demonstrated the importance of evaluating the photocatalytic degradation efficiency in conjunction with the toxicity assessment of the degradation compounds.
Mathematical Attitudes, Beliefs and Achievement in Primary Pre-service Mathematics Teacher Education

This paper reports on a study focused upon 83 pre-service primary teachers in their first mathematics pedagogy subject at the University of Western Sydney. They completed three surveys: an achievement test of the mathematics they would be expected to teach; a survey of their beliefs about mathematics, mathematics teaching and mathematics learning; and a survey of their attitudes towards mathematics. The experiences and beliefs of pre-service teachers influence the formation of attitudes and these, in turn, influence their classroom practices and beliefs. These beliefs, attitudes and practices may sometimes be at variance with the main direction of their tertiary teaching methods courses. Thus, it is crucial in assisting pre-service teachers to understand their own beliefs, attitudes and practices, and that these are made explicit and examined. This paper reports the data from the achievement test, belief survey and the attitude survey, and investigates the relationships between these data. The results from this study show some connections, although relatively weak, among the three constructs and lead us to speculate on possible reasons for these.
Spatial patterns of medium and large size mammal assemblages in várzea and terra firme forests, Central Amazonia, Brazil

Várzea forests account for 17% of the Amazon basin and endure an annual inundation that can reach 14 m deep during 6–8 months. This flood pulse in combination with topography directly influences the várzea vegetation cover. Assemblages of several taxa differ significantly between unflooded terra firme and flooded várzea forests, but little is known about the distribution of medium and large sized terrestrial mammals in várzea habitats. Therefore, our goal was to understand how those habitats influence mammalian species distribution during the dry season. Specifically, we: (1) compared the species composition between a terra firme (Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve) and a várzea forest (Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve); and (2) tested the influence of the várzea habitat classes on the number of records, occurrence and species composition of mammalian assemblages. The sampling design in each reserve consisted of 50 baited camera trap stations, with an overall sampling effort of 5015 camera trap days. We used Non-Metric Multidimension Scaling (NMDS) to compare species composition between terra firme and várzea forests, and used Generalized Linear Models (GLM) to assess how habitat types and a habitat diversity index affect mammal distributions. We recorded 21 medium and large sized mammalian species, including 20 species in terra firme and only six in várzea (3443 records). Flood pulse and isolation in várzea forest drove the dissimilarity between these two forest types. In várzea forest, medium size mammals, in general, avoided habitats associated with long flooding periods, while jaguars (Panthera onca) appeared to prefer aquatic/terrestrial transition zones. Habitats that remain dry for longer periods showed more mammalian occurrence, suggesting that dispersion via soil is important even for semi-arboreal species. This is the first study to evaluate differential use of várzea habitats by terrestrial mammalian assemblages.
Unexpected trent of neural tube deffects in Elazığ: New data

Birth prevalances of total neural tube defects and anencephaly were monitored among all live-and still-births delivered between January 1983 and December 1993. Of the 11502 newborns, 38 had neural tube defects, giving a birth pre­ valence of 3.3 per 1000 total births. Of these, 33 were anencephalic (2.8 per 1000). In all of 5532 conception estimated to have occurred prior to the Chernobyl disaster in May 1986, the birth prevalences of total neural tube defects and anencephally were the same (1.8 per 1000). However, the rates of neural tube defects and anencephaly increased to levels of 6.9 and 5.5 per 1000, respectively, during the period 1988-1990, subsequently gradually declining the previous levels within three years. This dramatic change in birth prevalence which parallels to a previous finding from Turkey, suggests that this finding may be associated with the Chernobyl disaster of May 1986. Therefore, new studies from both Turkey and other European countries are needed in order to explain this unexpected trend. [Turk J Med Res 1996, 14 (3):89-91]
Fungal community composition and diversity vary with soil depth and landscape position in a no‐till wheat‐based cropping system

ABSTRACT Soil edaphic characteristics are major drivers of fungal communities, but there is a lack of information on how communities vary with soil depth and landscape position in no‐till cropping systems. Eastern Washington is dominated by dryland wheat grown on a highly variable landscape with steep, rolling hills. High‐throughput sequencing of fungal ITS1 amplicons was used to characterize fungal communities across soil depth profiles (0 to 100 cm from the soil surface) among distinct landscape positions and aspects across a no‐till wheat field. Fungal communities were highly stratified with soil depth, where deeper depths harbored distinct fungal taxa and more variable, less diverse fungal communities. Fungal communities from deep soils harbored a greater portion of taxa inferred to have pathotrophic or symbiotrophic in addition to saprotrophic lifestyles. Co‐occurrence networks of fungal taxa became smaller and denser as soil depth increased. In contrast, differences between fungal communities from north‐facing and south‐facing slopes were relatively minor, suggesting that plant host, tillage, and fertilizer may be stronger drivers of fungal communities than landscape position.
Potential technique for improving the survival of victims of tsunamis

We investigated a method for surviving tsunamis that involved the use of personal flotation devices (PFDs). In our work, we succeeded in numerically demonstrating that the heads of all the dummies wearing PFDs remained on the surface and were not dragged underwater after the artificial tsunami wave hit them. In contrast, the heads of all the dummies not wearing PFDs were drawn underwater immediately; these dummies were subsequently entrapped in a vortex. The results of our series of experiments are important as a first step to preventing the tragedies caused by tsunamis.
Analyst Coverage, Market Liquidity and Disclosure Quality: A Study of Fair-Value Disclosures by European Real Estate Companies Under IAS 40 and IFRS 13

Disclosures in notes have been criticized by practitioners for being unwieldy and contributing little to the quality of the financial information. This study presents evidence on the association between disclosure quality, analyst following and liquidity in the real estate sector. More specifically, we study the disclosure of the methods and significant assumptions applied in determining fair values of investment properties under IAS 40 and IFRS 13. We find that disclosure quality is significantly higher under IFRS 13. Furthermore, we show that the quality is associated with analyst following and bid-ask spreads. However, the improved disclosures following the adoption of IFRS 13 are not associated with any significant positive economic consequences. This result indicates that the revised disclosure requirements in IFRS 13 did not solve any market imperfections.
MiR‐205 suppresses tumor growth, invasion, and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition by targeting SEMA4C in hepatocellular carcinoma

Growing evidence indicates that microRNAs are involved in tumorigenesis and progression of hepa tocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the functional mechanisms of miR‐205 in HCC remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that miR‐205 expression was significantly down‐regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines and was correlated with metastatic pathologic features and shorter disease‐free and overall survival. Overexpression of miR‐205 dramatically inhibited HCC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo. We subsequently identified semaphorin 4C (SEMA4C) as a novel target of miR‐205. Furthermore, high expression levels of SEMA4C were frequently found in HCC tissues and were associated with poor prognosis. Ectopic expression of SEMA4C restored the suppressive effect of overex pressed miR‐205 on migration, invasion, and EMT. Taken together, our findings provide new insight into the critical role of miR‐205 in regulating tumor growth, invasion, and EMT of HCC, suggesting miR‐205 may serve as a promising therapeutic target and novel prognostic indicator for patients with HCC. —Lu, J., Lin, Y. , Li, F. , Ye, H. , Zhou, R. , Jin, Y. , Li, B. , Xiong, X. , Cheng, N. MiR‐205 suppresses tumor growth, invasion, and epithelialmesenchymal transition by targeting SEMA4C in hepatocellular carcinoma. FASEB J. 32, 6123–6134 (2018). www.fasebj. org
Discrete-Continuum Transition: A Discussion of the Continuum Limit

In recent years, the striving towards a proper understanding of plastic deformation on different scales led to a substantial progress in the development of advanced dislocation based material models. In this paper the limits of a continuum representation of dislocation dynamics in the discrete to continuous transition regime are discussed. Using 2d discrete dislocation dynamic simulations, a systematic investigation of ensemble averages of a bounded structure is presented considering a varying number of dislocations. Based on the results, the question, how we can evaluate the conditions under which a discrete system behaves similarly to a homogenized continuum system, is discussed.
Marker‐Assisted Backcrossing to Develop an Elite Cytoplasmic Male Sterility Line in Rice

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a cornerstone of hybrid production in many crops. In three‐line hybrid systems, use of CMS, maintainer, and fertility restorer lines is necessary for production of hybrid seeds. Limited resources of CMS and low variation of CMS lines cause genetic vulnerability to pathogens. Therefore, diversifying the CMS sources is indispensible for a sustainable production system of hybrid seed. In this study, we attempted for the first time to transfer CMS into maintainer line Yosen B in restricted generations using the marker‐assisted backcrossing (MABC) method. The resultant F1 hybrid of IR68897 A/Yosen B cross was backcrossed to Yosen B, and CMS plants in each backcross generation (from BC1F1 to BC3F1) were selected based on phenotyping test and MABC. Molecular assessment of backcross progenies was conducted using a mitochondrial CMS‐specific marker and 34 polymorphic nuclear simple‐sequence repeat (SSR) markers in early generations (from BC1F1 to BC2F1) and was continued using 9 additional SSRs and 82 inter‐simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers in BC3F1. A MABC strategy could successfully recover the recurrent parent genome (RPG) in BC3F1 generation, and decreased heterozygosity of final CMS plants. Restorability test with known wild‐abortive restorer lines (viz. IR36 and IR24) showed that combination of Yosen A × IR24 could produce highly fertile F1 hybrid. Evaluation of some important agronomic traits of the final CMS line (BC4F1) at field condition showed that it was comparable to the original maintainer fertile counterpart. Phenotypic and marker‐assisted selections could considerably decrease the time needed for full recovery of RPG so that final CMS line could show a high similarity to original fertile counterpart.
An AB-SFC Model of Induced Technical Change along Classical and Keynesian Lines

This paper introduces the classical idea about the so-called directed and induced technical change (ITC) within a Keynesian demand-side and evolutionary endogenous growth model in order to analyze the interplay among technical change, long-run economic growth and functional income distribution. An ITC process is analyzed within an Agent-Based Stock-Flow Consistent (AB-SFC) model, wherein credit-constrained heterogeneous firms choose both the intensity and the direction of the innovation towards a labor- or capital-saving choice of technique. In the long-run, the model reproduces the so-called Kaldor stylized facts (i.e. with a purely labor-saving technical change), however during the transitional phase the model shows a labor-saving/capital-using innovation pattern, as the aggregate output-capital ratio decreases until it stabilizes in the long-run, as well as declining labor share for long time periods and we can ascribe these evidences mainly to the directed technical change process. In order to stress the effective role of the innovation bias on the model dynamics, we compare the baseline scenario with a counterfactual scenario wherein a neutral technical progress is at work.
The Qualitative Report The Qualitative Report Utilizing Multi-Grounded Theory in a Dissertation: Reflections and Utilizing Multi-Grounded Theory in a Dissertation: Reflections and Insights Insights

Abstract Recently developed and growing in popularity in Europe, Multi-Grounded Theory is seldom used in the United States today. In order to promote the research method, this article traces the academic origins of Multi-Grounded Theory and, via a personal reflection, provides an example of successful employment of this approach. Multi-Grounded Theory is recommended to strong, organized doctoral candidates and other researchers who are able to navigate the combination of qualitative and quantitative data encouraged by this approach. Recently developed and growing in popularity in Europe, Multi-Grounded Theory is seldom used in the United States today. In order to promote the research method, this article traces the academic origins of Multi-Grounded Theory and, via a personal reflection, provides an example of successful employment of this approach. Multi-Grounded Theory is recommended to strong, organized doctoral candidates and other researchers who are able to navigate the combination of qualitative and quantitative data encouraged by this approach.
Changes in Body Mass Index after Arthroscopic Surgery and Its Effect on Functional Outcomes

Objective: Arthroscopic surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in orthopedic surgery. Post-surgery weight gain is one of the most important factors that affects the functional outcomes of arthroscopic surgery. This study investigated the effect of changes in the body mass index (BMI) in the period after arthroscopic surgery and the potential impact of these changes on functional outcomes. Methods: One hundred-sixty four patients (knee and hip arthroscopy patients) were evaluated retrospectively. Changes in the BMI and functional scores of the patients between the preoperative period and first, third, and sixth months postoperatively were compared. Results: The mean age of the patients was 36.03 (15 - 64) years, and the mean follow-up was 14.2 months (6 - 29) months. Postoperative increases in the BMI values in the first, third, and sixth months were statistically significant in the three groups of patients (i.e., meniscal pathology, ligament pathology, and intra-articular hip pathology) (p < 0.001). The correlations of the BMI and functional score changes in the intra-articular hip pathology (hip arthroscopy) (p = 0.564), meniscal pathology (p = 0.854), and ligament pathology groups (p = 0.908) were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Patients may gain weight following arthroscopic surgery of the knee and hip. Orthopedic surgeons should keep this issue in mind and educate patients about how to prevent potential weight gain to ensure it does not adversely affect functional outcomes.
Mannose-Binding Lectin: A Potential Therapeutic Candidate against Candida Infection

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is one of the key players in the innate immune system. It has the ability to identify a broad range of pathogens based on recognition of carbohydrate repeats displayed on microbial surfaces. Since mannans make about 40% of the total polysaccharide content of cell wall of Candida species (spp.) and MBL is capable of high-affinity binding to the mannan fraction of their cell wall component, this study has investigated the direct influence of MBL on Candida in vitro. Candida (C.) albicans and C. glabrata were in vitro exposed to different doses of recombinant human MBL for various time points to assess MBL influence on the production of hyphae and on the yeast forms. Moreover, the direct effect of MBL on the growth of C. albicans was measured by a cell proliferation assay. MBL induced agglutination of yeast forms as well as hyphal forms of Candida spp. and significantly reduced proliferation of C. albicans in vitro. MBL can be used as a potential antifungal candidate against Candida infection.
Dirichlet-based Gaussian Processes for Large-scale Calibrated Classification

In this paper, we study the problem of deriving fast and accurate classification algorithms with uncertainty quantification. Gaussian process classification provides a principled approach, but the corresponding computational burden is hardly sustainable in large-scale problems and devising efficient alternatives is a challenge. In this work, we investigate if and how Gaussian process regression directly applied to the classification labels can be used to tackle this question. While in this case training time is remarkably faster, predictions need be calibrated for classification and uncertainty estimation. To this aim, we propose a novel approach based on interpreting the labels as the output of a Dirichlet distribution. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed approach provides essentially the same accuracy and uncertainty quantification of Gaussian process classification while requiring only a fraction of computational resources.
Investigation of Teachers’ Attitudes towards Computer Use in Primary Education in Kurdistan

Technological advances have pervasively changed our behaviours, beliefs and approaches in working, socialising and entertaining. Educators, including those in primary education, have acknowledged the positive effects of computer use in the classroom in various ways. With regard to pedagogical consideration, primary school teachers have adopted computer use in teaching pupils with emphasis on student-centred teaching techniques. The integration of computers in the primary curriculum has been applied in many countries, from developing (Chile) to developed nations (the US and UK). With regard to Iraqi Kurdistan, in particular, the education sector has undergone a major reform in order to improve the regional education standards and, as part of a new curriculum, the computer element has been embedded alongside the mathematics subject. Since the reform occurred, no academic study has been conducted to not only evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of computer use in primary schools in Kurdistan, but also to investigate teachers’ attitudes towards the use of computers in their teaching approach. Hence, the present study aims primarily to explore the general background of primary school teachers as well as their experiences, skills and pedagogical attitudes towards computer use in primary education. Keywords: Computer use, technology, primary schools; teachers; pedagogical approaches
Adversarial learning with multi-scale loss for skin lesion segmentation

Inspired by classic Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), we propose a novel end-to-end adversarial neural network, called SegAN, for the task of medical image segmentation. Since image segmentation requires dense, pixel-level labeling, the single scalar real/fake output of a classic GAN's discriminator may be ineffective in producing stable and sufficient gradient feedback to the networks. Instead, we use a fully convolutional neural network with new activation function in the last layer as the segmentor to generate segmentation label maps, and propose a novel adversarial critic network with a multi-scale L1 loss function to force the critic and segmentor to learn both global and local features that capture long- and short-range spatial relationships between pixels. We show that such a SegAN framework is more effective in the segmentation task and more stable to train, and it outperforms current state-of-the-art segmentation methods in the ISBI International Skin Imaging Collaboration (ISIC) 2017 challenge, Part I Lesion Segmentation.