Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MYOSTATIN, INFLAMMATORY MARKERS AND SARCOPENIA IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), investigate the relationship of the serum myostatin level with sarcopenia and inflammatory markers. METHODS The study was conducted with four patient groups: renal transplantation (TX), stage 3-5 non-dialysis-dependent CKD (NDD-CKD), hemodialysis (HD), and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Laboratory parameters, serum myostatin, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 ​​(IL-6) levels were studied. Body composition was estimated using a multifrequency bioimpedance analysis. Handgrip strength (HGS) was evaluated with a handgrip dynamometer. The HGS and appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) measurements were used to determine sarcopenia presence. RESULTS The study included 130 patients [72(55%) males]. The patient distribution in groups was as follows: 37 in HD, 28 in PD, 37 in renal TX, and 28 in NDD-CKD. The highest level of myostatin was measured in the HD group and the lowest in the TX group (p<0.001). The HGS measurement was significantly lower only in the PD group compared to the TX group (p=0.025). The myostatin was negatively correlated with HGS, albumin, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and Kt/Vurea. However, myostatin had no correlation with inflammatory markers or ASMI. Sarcopenia was present in 37 (29%) of all patients: 15 (40%) in the HD group, nine (32%) in NDD-CKD, seven (25%) in PD, and six (16%) in TX. When the patients with and without sarcopenia were compared, only myostatin was higher in the former (p=0.045). As a result of multivariate analysis, myostatin was the only independent factor which predict sarcopenia (OR: 1.002, 95% CI:1.001-1.005, p=0.048). CONCLUSION To prevent devastating events associated with sarcopenia in patients with CKD, renal transplantation seems to be the best treatment solution. For the early recognition of sarcopenia, the measurement of the serum myostatin level may be a promising diagnostic approach.
The Association between TNF-α, IL-6, and Vitamin D Levels and COVID-19 Severity and Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: An increasing number of scientific journals have proposed a connection between tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the severity of COVID-19. Vitamin D has been discussed as a potential therapy for COVID-19 due to its immunomodulatory effects. This meta-analysis aims to determine the relationship, if any, between TNF-α, IL-6, vitamin D, and COVID-19 severity and mortality. Methods: The design of the study is a systematic review and meta-analysis. A literature search is performed using PubMed, Cochrane, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. Results: TNF-α insignificantly increases the risk of COVID-19 severity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.0304; 95% CI 0.8178–1.2983; p = 0.80) but significantly increases the risk of COVID-19 mortality (crude hazard ratio (HR) = 1.0640; 95% CI 1.0259–1.1036; p = 0.0009). IL-6 significantly increases the risk of COVID-19 severity (aOR = 1.0284; 95% CI 1.0130–1.0441; p = 0.0003) and mortality (aOR = 1.0076; 95% CI 1.0004–1.0148; p = 0.04; adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.0036; 95% CI 1.0010–1.0061; p = 0.006). There is a statistically insignificant difference of the mean vitamin D levels between patients with severe COVID-19 and non-severe COVID-19 (mean difference (MD) = −5.0232; 95% CI 11.6832–1.6368; p = 0.14). A vitamin D deficiency insignificantly increases the risk of mortality of COVID-19 patients (aOR = 1.3827; 95% CI 0.7103–2.6916; p = 0.34). Conclusion: IL-6 is an independent prognostic factor towards COVID-19 severity and mortality.
A Novel STFSA-CNN-GRU Hybrid Model for Short-Term Traffic Speed Prediction

Short-term traffic speed prediction is fundamental to intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and the accuracy of the model largely determines the performance of real-time traffic control and management. In this study, a short-term traffic speed prediction method based on the spatial-temporal analysis of traffic flow and a combined deep-learning model, and a hybrid spatial-temporal feature selection algorithm (STFSA) of a convolutional neural network–gated recurrent unit (CNN-GRU)) is initially developed. Specifically, the STFSA is firstly employed to reconstruct the spatial-temporal matrix of traffic speed based on temporal continuity and spatial characteristics, and then this matrix is considered as the input feature of the prediction model. After this, the nonlinear fitting ability of the CNN is adopted to extract deep features from the convolutional and pooling layers for model training. Finally, by combining the timing and long-range dependence of the captured data with the forward GRU and the reverse GRU, the accuracy of the prediction result is further improved. The validity of the proposed model can be verified by comparing the prediction results with the actual traffic data. Accordingly, in the case study, the performance is compared with various benchmark methods under the same prediction scenario, verifying the superiority of the proposed model.
Calcium cobaltite, a promising oxide for energy harvesting: effective strategies toward enhanced thermoelectric performance

Thermoelectric (TE) materials are able to generate power from waste heat and thereby provide an alternative source of sustainable energy. Calcium cobaltite is a promising p-type TE oxide because of its intrinsically low thermal conductivity arising from the misfit-layered structure. Its structural framework contains two sub-layers with different incommensurate periodicities, offering different sites for substituting elements; the plate-like grain structure contributes to texture development, thereby providing opportunities to modulate the TE response. In this topical review, we briefly introduce the misfit crystal structure of calcium cobaltite and summarize three efficient strategies to enhance the TE performance, namely (a) elemental doping, (b) optimization of fabrication route, and (c) composite design. For each strategy, examples are presented and enhancing mechanisms are discussed. The roles of dopants, processing routes and phase composition are identified to provide insights into processing-microstructure-property relationships for calcium cobaltite based materials. We outline some of the challenges that still need to be addressed and hope that the proposed strategies can be exploited in other TE systems.
Increased academic performance and prolonged career duration among principal investigators in ecology and evolutionary biology in Taiwan

Academic job markets have become increasingly challenging worldwide, yet it remains poorly characterized how competitively-successful candidates should be and what the underlying determinants of their success are. Focusing on the field of ecology and evolutionary biology, we analyzed the academic performance (measured as h-index) as well as the duration before recruitment as a new faculty member and promotion to full professor of 145 principal investigators (PI) over the past 34 years in Taiwan. We found that PIs had higher performance and longer duration before recruitment more recently. Performance before promotion remained stable, whereas the duration increased over time. The origin and prestige of doctorate had no effect on the performance or duration either before recruitment or before promotion. We also found that the difference in performance before and after recruitment (“After” performance — “Before” performance) decreased in recent years, with PIs recruited in earlier years maintaining their performance after recruitment while those recruited in later years exhibiting a performance drop. While PIs performed equally well before and after recruitment irrespective of doctorate origin, those with domestic PhD degrees showed a decrease in performance after promotion compared to their counterparts with foreign degrees. Taken together, our findings reveal a prolonged career duration for researchers as a result of intensifying competition in academia, and highlight the increasingly crucial role of academic performance, rather than PhD degree itself, in determining academic success.
MicroRNAs and Exosomal microRNAs May Be Possible Targets to Investigate in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance that occurs during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. As the incidence of GDM rises, so does the risk of maternal and fetal complications with short- and long-term consequences. As a result, early diagnosis and treatment of this condition are important to avoiding adverse pregnancy outcomes. Exosomes are tiny vesicles secreted by living cells which contain a variety of bioactive substances. They are released by cells to facilitate cell-to-cell communication and regulate a variety of biological processes such as cellular immune response, inflammatory response, and apoptosis, among others. Many studies have recently confirmed that changes in the expression and secretion of exosomal miRNAs can be used as novel markers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of GDM. In this review, we summarized the various roles of exosomal miRNAs and circulating miRNAs in GDM. We found that the changes in the expression of certain miRNAs could be used to diagnosing GDM. Exosomal miRNAs target metabolic pathways, resulting in insulin resistance. We also highlighted the potential for miRNAs and exosomal miRNAs to be used as biomarkers for diagnosis or therapeutic agents.
Conducting Research Six Feet Apart: The Feasibility of Transitioning Qualitative Research to Meet the Emerging Research Needs During a Pandemic

The county-wide lockdowns that were implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in some in-person qualitative research studies needing to be transitioned online using a video conferencing platform. However, evaluating the feasibility of transitioning an ongoing qualitative research study focused on low-income, racial/ethnic minorities had not been performed. Orsmond and Cohn’s feasibility framework was used to evaluate this study in three primary areas: recruitment capability, data collection procedures, and evaluation of relevant resources. Recruitment efforts for the in-person focus groups (January–March 2020) and online focus groups (March–April 2020), along with data collection procedures, were measured through various counts. To gauge the resources needed to transition a study from in-person to online, the administrative capacity, the space, technology, and funds necessary to support the research study were recorded. Sample characteristics were extracted from administrative and survey data. To estimate the differences in the sample characteristics, recruitment efforts and the length of the focus groups before and during the lockdown, independent sample t-tests, or proportion tests were conducted. The sociodemographic characteristics of participants pre-lockdown and during the lockdown were similar between the two groups with most participants identifying as female, Black, single, unemployed. The average number of participants recruited, confirmed, and attended per focus group, along with the total number of contact attempts remained similar before and during the lockdown. The length of the focus groups before and during the lockdown also remained similar. The in-person focus groups did require more financial resources for their successful execution than the online focus groups. It is feasible to sustain a research study focused on low-income, racial/ethnic minorities by transitioning the study from in-person to online using a video conferencing platform. This approach should be considered from the onset of qualitative research studies to increase reach to low-income, racial/ethnic minorities.
Sheep dung disappearance from grazed hill country landscapes

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of biological (composition and site history) and topographic (slope and aspect) factors affecting sheep dung disappearance rates in hill country pastures. We used three of the farmlets that have been receiving 0 (NF), 125 (LF) or 375 (HF) kg of single superphosphate (SSP)/ha since 1980) from the long-term phosphorus fertiliser trial at Ballantrae. Experiment one examined the effect of farmlet, slope (low and medium slope class), and aspect (E, SW, NW), whereas Experiment two examined the effect of farmlet, both as a source of dung (from LF or HF farmlets) and as a site in the landscape (on LF or HF farmlets). In both experiments, disappearance of dung followed a quadratic curve, and no improvements were made using higher-order polynomials. Despite a lower fibre concentration, dung from sheep grazing the HF farmlet did not disappear at a faster rate than dung from the other farmlets, but soil activity in situ (placement) was pivotal to the rate of dung disappearance. A faster rate of dung disappearance on the HF farmlet is consistent with a greater capacity for turnover of plant biomass and animal excreta in this high fertility environment. These experiments contribute to our understanding of the influence of biological and topographic drivers of dung disappearance rates, and enable further advances to be made in the modelling of nutrients in these topographically complex agroecosystems.
Professionals’ Perceptions of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System as a structure for professional community and development

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explored Norwegian ECEC professionals’ perceptions and reflections concerning the use of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Pre-K and Toddler for professional development. Focus group interviews (n = 22), group interviews (n = 4), and in-depth interviews (n = 3) were conducted online. Conventional content analysis was performed using NVivo 12 software. The professionals reported that CLASS contributed to positive structures for professional community and development within which both individual and collective learning occurred. The content analysis yielded four main categories: A shared professional platform, Professionalisation, Quality in practice and Outcomes for children and parents. The CLASS structure improved communication and collaboration between the early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres and support systems. Overall, the findings contribute to new knowledge on how ECEC professionals experience CLASS as a tool for professional development, sense of community, improved collaboration and more thoughtful classroom practice.
SMEs Performance in Malaysia: The Role of Contextual Ambidexterity in Innovation Culture and Performance

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in both the industrial and service sectors have been identified as the drivers of Malaysia’s fast economic growth. However, SMEs are faced with an inherent issue of lack of resources and capabilities which constrains the ability of SMEs to improve performance. Due to this, it is critical for SMEs to understand and develop an important capability that supports them in facing a dynamic and competitive business environment. This study examines the mediating role of contextual ambidexterity as a dynamic capability in the relationship between innovation culture and SME performance. The online surveys were carried out starting from 5th July until 25th July 2021. A total of 277 SMEs in Selangor, Malaysia participated in this study and Covariance-Based Structural Equation modeling analysis was utilized to test the hypotheses. The findings show that in terms of direct relationships, innovation culture has a significant positive relationship with contextual ambidexterity, while innovation culture and contextual ambidexterity have a significant positive relationship with SME performance. The findings showed that contextual ambidexterity is significant as a mediator in the relationship between innovation culture and SME performance. This study makes an important contribution to the management field by highlighting the role of contextual ambidexterity, which is often the focus of large companies. These findings support the notion of dynamic capability that accentuates the importance of developing capabilities in dealing with dynamic and challenging situations.
Correlation Between Healthcare Service Quality and HIV Testing Services Patient’s Satisfaction in Kedungdoro Primary Health Care Surabaya

Introduction: Service quality of primary healthcare centre especially at HIV testing services must be improved. When the service quality is improved there will be a positive feedback such as patient’s satisfaction. Within the high patient satisfaction rate, People Living with HIV (PLWH) are expected to be more active, productive and also invited friends to check themselves, so the iceberg phenomenon will be revealed and prevention will be easier to control.Methods: This research used observational analytic design with purposive sampling method. The total research sample was 189 respondent, assess the questionnaire that consisted of five dimensions of service quality which were tangible, reliability, responsiveness, empathy and assurance, and also three indicators of patient satisfaction which were overall satisfaction, expectation and experience.Results: Among 189 respondents, mostly male with 129 responses or 68.3%, according to age group, mostly from 20-25 years old age group with 88 responses or 46.6% and according to time visit, mostly first visit patient with 162 responses or 85.8%. According to service quality, mostly categorized in a good group with 173 respondents or 91.5%. In patient satisfaction, mostly were categorized in a satisfy group with 157 respondents or 81.5%, There was a positive correlation between service quality and patient satisfaction with p value <0.01 and correlation coefficient 0.632. Conclusion: There is a correlation between every dimension of service quality which are tangible, reliability, responsiveness, empathy and assurance with patient satisfaction of HIV testing services patient in Kedungdoro Primary Health Care Surabaya
Design optimization and flow field analysis of the nozzle structure of a foreign fiber sorter

With the purpose of solving the problems of uneven velocity and energy loss of the foreign fiber sorters, this paper has analyzed the nozzle distribution and structure in the foreign fiber sorting system, and presented the design of a nozzle with the circular distribution contraction–expansion structure. The turbulent kinetic energy was optimized through a circular distribution of the nozzle to improve nozzle velocity uniformity, according to the effect of air flow on wall surface distance. Meanwhile, the nozzle was optimized with the contraction–expansion structure based on the relationship between the Mach number and the nozzle’s cross-sectional area. The stepped cross-section of the nozzle was replaced by a transition curve cross-section to restrain the sudden change of the air flow velocity in the nozzle. The optimized nozzle structure was discussed in terms of the velocity, the pressure, and the energy loss. It was found that the velocity increases by 9.2%, the required pressure decreases, and the energy loss decreases. So the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method were illustrated.
Graph-Grounded Goal Planning for Conversational Recommendation

Conversational recommendation casts the recommendation problem as a dialog-based interactive task, which could acquire user interest more efficiently and effectively by allowing users to express what they like. In this work, we move a step towards a new conversational recommendation task that is more suitable for real-world applications. In this task, the recommender will proactively and naturally lead a dialog from non-recommendation content (i.e., chitchat or question answering) to approach an item being of interest to users, and allow users to ask questions about the item for better support of user decisions. The challenge of this task lies in how to effectively control the dialog flow to complete the recommendation while appropriately responding to user utterances. To address this challenge, we first construct a Chinese recommendation dialog dataset with 10k dialogs and 156k utterances at Baidu (DuRecDial). We then propose a two-stage Multi-Goal driven Conversation Generation framework (MGCG) with a graph-grounded goal planning module and a goal-guided responding module. The goal planning module leverages the information of global graph structure information and local goal-sequence information to effectively control the dialog flow step by step. The goal-guided responding module can produce an in-depth dialog about each goal by fully exploiting hierarchical goal information for response retrieval or generation. Results on DuRecDial demonstrate that compared with the state of the art models, MGCG can lead the dialog more proactively and naturally, and complete the recommendation task more effectively, confirming the benefits of hierarchical goal information to conversational recommendation.
Seeking support for mental health: Evaluating social identity, social capital, and self-stigma of agricultural producers and their help-seeking preferences

Stigma, cultural norms, nature of work and lack of access to care are among the many variables that place agricultural producers particularly at risk for compromised mental health and related illness. One variable related to improved mental health outcomes is help-seeking intention, which can be mediated by variables such as social identity and social capital. The study’s purpose was to characterize these variables among producers and describe the intention of agricultural producers to seek mental health assistance. Researchers conducted a bi-regional state survey of agricultural producers in 32 Texas counties. A representative sample of Texas agricultural producers (n = 429) were surveyed to understand their social identity and social capital as well as their intentions to seek mental health assistance for personal or emotional problems and for suicide ideation. Results support the use of identity-based programming to increase social capital, in conjunction with tailored mental health education and training to promote healthy help-seeking behavior among agricultural producers. Researchers recommend innovative solutions for agricultural extension to consider for improving stakeholder’s lives. An agricultural extension central resource or information hub, which houses national resources and information about this growing area of research would be a valuable investment of time and resources.