Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of Sox2, Oct4, and Nanog in Human Lung Cancer Non-small-cell

Background: Cancer stem cells are a subpopulation of tumor cells with self-renewal capacity that promote tumorigenesis, resistance to chemotherapy, and metastasis. Sox2, Oct4, and Nanog are three pluripotent transcription factors expressed in embryonic stem cells and cancer stem cells. Materials and Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the expression of Sox2, Nanog, and Oct4, and analyze their clinical significance in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Expression of Sox2, Nanog, and Oct4 was assayed in cancer tissues and their corresponding paracancerous tissues from 30 patients with NSCLC. RT-PCR was used to analyze the expression of these genes. The correlation between the expression of these three genes and clinical parameters including disease stage, smoking, lymph node, and cancer subgroups (adenocarcinoma and squamous) were analyzed. Results: All three genes were expressed simultaneously in 76.6% of tumor samples. A significant correlation was observed between the expression of Sox2, Nanog, and Oct4 in the cancer tissues in comparison to the paracancerous tissues (P<0.000). Expression of Sox2 and Oct4 gene had a positive correlation with the stage of cancer (Sox2 P=0.01, Oct4 P=0.0007), while the expression profile of Nanog showed a significant positive correlation with sex (P=0.0063), smoking (P=0.0253), tumor stages (P=0.0003), and tumor type (P=0.0085). Conclusion: Evaluating the expression of Sox2, Nanog, and Oct4 genes in NSCLC might have some implications for diagnosis and prognosis; they might be also promising treatment targets. The correlations between prognosis and pathological features and Nanog overexpression in NSCLC suggest Nanog is a potential indicator of the early stage of NSCLC.
Cortex-specific transcriptome profiling reveals upregulation of interferon-regulated genes after deeper cerebral hypoperfusion in mice

Background: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is commonly accompanied by brain injury and glial activation. In addition to white matter lesions, the intensity of CCH greatly affects the degree of gray matter damage. However, little is understood about the underlying molecular mechanisms related to cortical lesions and glial activation following hypoperfusion. Efforts to investigate the relationship between neuropathological alternations and gene expression changes support a role for identifying novel molecular pathways by transcriptomic mechanisms. Methods: Chronic cerebral ischemic injury model was induced by the bilateral carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) using 0.16/0.18 mm microcoils. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was evaluated using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system. Spatial learning and memory were assessed by Morris water maze test. Histological changes were evaluated by Hematoxylin staining. Microglial activation and neuronal loss were further examined by immunofluorescence staining. Cortex-specific gene expression profiling analysis was performed in sham and BCAS mice, and then validated by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: In our study, compared with the sham group, the right hemisphere CBF of BCAS mice decreased to 69% and the cognitive function became impaired at 4 weeks postoperation. Besides, the BCAS mice displayed profound gray matter damage, including atrophy and thinning of the cortex, accompanied by neuronal loss and increased activated microglia. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that hypoperfusion-induced upregulated genes were significantly enriched in the pathways of interferon (IFN)-regulated signaling along with neuroinflammation signaling. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) predicted the importance of type I IFN signaling in regulating the CCH gene network. The obtained RNA-seq data were validated by qRT-PCR in cerebral cortex, showing consistency with the RNA-seq results. Also, IHC staining revealed elevated expression of IFN-inducible protein in cerebral cortex following BCAS-hypoperfusion. Conclusion: Overall, the activation of IFN-mediated signaling enhanced our understanding of the neuroimmune responses induced by CCH. The upregulation of IFN-regulated genes (IRGs) might exert a critical impact on the progression of cerebral hypoperfusion. Our improved understanding of cortex-specific transcriptional profiles will be helpful to explore potential targets for CCH.
Disruption of the foxe1 gene in zebrafish reveals conserved functions in development of the craniofacial skeleton and the thyroid

Introduction: Mutations in the FOXE1 gene are implicated in cleft palate and thyroid dysgenesis in humans. Methods: To investigate whether zebrafish could provide meaningful insights into the etiology of developmental defects in humans related to FOXE1, we generated a zebrafish mutant that has a disruption in the nuclear localization signal in the foxe1 gene, thereby restraining nuclear access of the transcription factor. We characterized skeletal development and thyroidogenesis in these mutants, focusing on embryonic and larval stages. Results: Mutant larvae showed aberrant skeletal phenotypes in the ceratohyal cartilage and had reduced whole body levels of Ca, Mg and P, indicating a critical role for foxe1 in early skeletal development. Markers of bone and cartilage (precursor) cells were differentially expressed in mutants in post-migratory cranial neural crest cells in the pharyngeal arch at 1 dpf, at induction of chondrogenesis at 3 dpf and at the start of endochondral bone formation at 6 dpf. Foxe1 protein was detected in differentiated thyroid follicles, suggesting a role for the transcription factor in thyroidogenesis, but thyroid follicle morphology or differentiation were unaffected in mutants. Discussion: Taken together, our findings highlight the conserved role of Foxe1 in skeletal development and thyroidogenesis, and show differential signaling of osteogenic and chondrogenic genes related to foxe1 mutation.
VERY WEAK FOUNTAINS IN A HOMOGENEOUS FLUID

The behaviour of very weak axisymmetric and plane fountains formed by the discharge of denser fluids upwards into large containers containing a homogeneous fluid of lower density has been studied by dimensional analysis and direct simulations. For very weak fountains, the momentum fluxes are negligible compared with the buoyancy fluxes and the flows are governed by the balance between the buoyancy and the viscosity. Dimensional analysis shows that the fountain height, fountain width, thickness of the temperature layer on the symmetry axis, and the times for the fountain flow in the fountain core to reach steady state and for the temperature layer to be fully developed are scaled by the Froude, Reynolds, and Prandtl numbers. These scalings have been validated and quantified by direct numerical simulations.
Derivations with Invertible Values

In this paper we study a question which, although somewhat special, has the virtue that its answer can be given in a very precise, definitive, and succinct way. It shows that the structure of a ring is very tightly determined by the imposition of a special behavior on one of its derivations. The problem which we shall examine is: Suppose that R is a ring with unit element, 1, and that d ≠ 0 is a derivation of R such that for every x ∊ R, d(x) = 0 or d(x) is invertible in R; must R then have a very special structure? As we shall see, the answer to this question is yes, in particular we show that except for a special case which occurs when 2R = 0, R must be a division ring D or the ring D 2 of 2 × 2 matrices over a division ring.
A new class of tests for overidentifying restrictions in moment condition models

Abstract In this study, we propose a new class of tests for overidentifying restrictions in moment condition models, extending Neyman’s (1959) test for parameter hypotheses in maximum likelihood to generalized empirical likelihood (GEL). These tests lack the complicated saddle point problem seen in GEL estimation; only a consistent estimator, where n is the sample size, is needed. In addition to discussing their first-order properties, we establish that under some regularity conditions, these tests share the same higher-order properties as GEL overidentifying tests, given proper consistent estimators. A Monte Carlo simulation study shows that the new class of tests of overidentifying restrictions has better finite sample performance than the two-step GMM overidentification test, and compares well to several potential alternatives in terms of overall performance.
Investigation of the performance characteristics of a plasma synthetic jet actuator based on a quantitative Schlieren method

A quantitative Schlieren method is developed to calculate the density field of axisymmetric flows. With this method, the flow field structures of plasma synthetic jets are analysed in detail. Major performance parameters, including the maximum density increase behind the shock wave, the expelled mass per pulse and the impulse, are obtained to evaluate the intensity of the shock wave and the jet. A high-density but low-velocity jet issues out of the cavity after the precursor shock wave, with a vortex ring at the wave front. The vortex ring gradually lags behind the center jet during the propagation, and its profile resembles a pair of kidneys in shape. After the jet terminates, the vortex ring breaks down and the whole density field is separated into two regions. In one period, the jet front velocity first increases and then decreases, with a maximum value of 270 m s−1. The precursor shock wave velocity decays quickly from 370 m s−1 to 340 m s−1 in the first 50 μs. The variation in the maximum density rise behind the precursor shock wave is similar to that of the jet front velocity. The averaged exit density drops sharply at around 50 μs and then gradually rises. The maximum mass flow rate is about 0.35 g s−1, and the total expelled mass in one period occupies 26% of the initial cavity gas mass. The impulse produced in the jet stage is estimated to be 5 μN s–1. The quantitative Schlieren method developed can also be used in the research of other compressible axisymmetric flows.
Environmental Enrichment Engages Vesicular Zinc Signaling to Enhance Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Zinc is highly concentrated in synaptic vesicles throughout the mammalian telencephalon and, in particular, the hippocampal dentate gyrus. A role for zinc in modulating synaptic plasticity has been inferred, but whether zinc has a particular role in experience-dependent plasticity has yet to be determined. The aim of the current study was to determine whether vesicular zinc is important for modulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis in an experience-dependent manner and, consequently, hippocampal-dependent behaviour. We assessed the role of vesicular zinc in modulating hippocampal neurogenesis and behaviour by comparing ZnT3 knockout (KO) mice, which lack vesicular zinc, to wild-type (WT) littermates exposed to either standard housing conditions (SH) or an enriched environment (EE). We found that vesicular zinc is necessary for a cascade of changes in hippocampal plasticity following EE, such as increases in hippocampal neurogenesis and elevations in mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (mBDNF), but was otherwise dispensable under SH conditions. Using the Spatial Object Recognition task and the Morris Water task we show that, unlike WT mice, ZnT3 KO mice showed no improvements in spatial memory following EE. These experiments demonstrate that vesicular zinc is essential for the enhancement of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and behaviour following enrichment, supporting a role for zincergic neurons in contributing to experience-dependent plasticity in the hippocampus.
Procrastination and Stress: A Conceptual Review of Why Context Matters

Research over the past two decades has continued to highlight the robust associations between procrastination and stress across multiple populations and contexts. Despite this burgeoning evidence base and theory linking procrastination to higher levels of stress, as well as the reverse, the role of context in this potentially dynamic association has received relatively little attention. In this conceptual review I argue that from a mood regulation perspective of procrastination, stressful contexts necessarily increase risk for procrastination because they deplete coping resources and lower the threshold for tolerating negative emotions. Drawing on insights from coping and emotion regulation theory, the new stress context vulnerability model of procrastination proposes that the risk for procrastination increases in stressful contexts primarily because procrastination is a low-resource means of avoiding aversive and difficult task-related emotions. The new model is then applied to evidence on the primary and secondary sources of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they may have increased vulnerability for procrastination. After discussing potential applications of the new model for understanding how and why risk for procrastination may increase in other stressful contexts, approaches that might mitigate vulnerability for procrastination in high-stress contexts are discussed. Overall, this new stress context vulnerability model underscores the need for taking a more compassionate view of the antecedents and factors that may increase the risk for procrastination.
Salicylic Acid Treatment and Its Effect on Seed Yield and Seed Molecular Composition of Pisum sativum under Abiotic Stress

The reproductive stage of plant development has the most critical impact on yield. Flowering is highly sensitive to abiotic stress, and increasing temperatures and drought harm crop yields. Salicylic acid is a phytohormone that regulates flowering and promotes stress resilience in plants. However, the exact molecular mechanisms and the level of protection are far from understood and seem to be species-specific. Here, the effect of salicylic acid was tested in a field experiment with Pisum sativum exposed to heat stress. Salicylic acid was administered at two different stages of flowering, and its effect on the yield and composition of the harvested seeds was followed. Plants treated with salicylic acid produced larger seed pods, and a significant increase in dry weight was found for the plants with a delayed application of salicylic acid. The analyses of the seed proteome, lipidome, and metabolome did not show any negative impact of salicylic treatment on seed composition. Identified processes that could be responsible for the observed improvement in seed yields included an increase in polyamine biosynthesis, accumulation of storage lipids and lysophosphatidylcholines, a higher abundance of components of chromatin regulation, calmodulin-like protein, and threonine synthase, and indicated a decrease in sensitivity to abscisic acid signaling.
Investigating behaviours of hydrogen in a tungsten grain boundary by first principles: from dissolution and diffusion to a trapping mechanism

We have investigated the dissolution, segregation and diffusion of hydrogen (H) in a tungsten (W) grain boundary (GB) using a first-principles method in order to understand the GB trapping mechanism of H. Optimal charge density plays an essential role in such a GB trapping mechanism. Dissolution and segregation of H are directly associated with the optimal charge density, which can be reflected by the H solution and segregation energy sequence for the different interstitial sites. To occupy the optimal-charge-density site, H can be easily trapped by the W GB with the solution and segregation energy of −0.23 eV and −1.11 eV, respectively. Kinetically, such a trapping is easier to realize due to the much lower diffusion barrier of 0.13–0.16 eV from the bulk to the GB in comparison with the segregation energy, suggesting that it is quite difficult for the trapped H to escape out of the GB. However, the GB can hold no more than 2 H atoms because the isosurface of optimal charge density almost disappears with the second H atom in, leading to the conclusion that H2 molecule and thus H bubble cannot form in the W GB. Taking into account the lower vacancy formation energy in the GB as compared with the bulk, we propose that the experimentally observed H bubble formation in the W GB should be via a vacancy trapping mechanism.
Clinical practices, challenges, and job satisfaction of occupational therapists working in Community Mental Health Centers in Turkey

Introduction: Occupational therapists have been involved in Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) since 2016 in Turkey. To the best of our knowledge, no data about occupational therapists’ practices in CMHCs is available in the extant research literature. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the clinical practices, challenges, and job satisfaction of occupational therapists working for CMHCs in Turkey. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey study in which 28 volunteer occupational therapists working in CMHCs participated. The participants filled out the Sociodemographic and Professional Experience Information Form and the Job Satisfaction Scale. Results: Occupational therapists were experienced practitioners implementing various occupational therapist practices in community mental health and they were generally satisfied with their job. The challenges facing Occupational therapists were communicating with caregivers, motivating the client, enabling the client to perform occupational participation. Collaborative teamwork and participation in training about community mental health were found as the important factors contributing to occupational therapist professionals’ job satisfaction. Conclusion: Investigating the professional behaviors of Occupational therapists, an emerging health profession in Turkey, is important for the development of the profession. The education and supervision specially adapted for community mental health and the supportive teamwork seem to be significant for the job satisfaction of community mental health Occupational therapists.
Accuracy of Asymptotic Standard Errors of the Maximum and Weighted Likelihood Estimators of Proficiency Levels With Short Tests

The maximum likelihood (ML) and the weighted likelihood (WL) estimators are commonly used to obtain proficiency level estimates with pre-calibrated item parameters. Both estimators have the same asymptotic standard error (ASE) that can be easily derived from the expected information function of the test. However, the accuracy of this asymptotic formula is unclear with short tests when only a few items are administered. The purpose of this paper is to compare the ASE of these estimators with their exact values, evaluated at the proficiency-level estimates. The exact standard error (SE) is computed by generating the full exact sample distribution of the estimators, so its practical feasibility is limited to small tests (except under the Rasch model). A simulation study was conducted to compare the ASE and the exact SE of the ML and WL estimators, with the “true”SE (i.e., computed as the exact SE with the true proficiency levels). It is concluded that with small tests, the exact SEs are less biased and return smaller root mean square error values than the asymptotic SEs, while as expected, the two estimators return similar results with longer tests.
Institutional presence: Toward a further developed Community of Inquiry model integrating institutional functions in online and blended learning environment

In this research we examine the Community of Inquiry model and further develop the model by integrating a complementary institutional presence. For this purpose, a questionnaire including five presences and 73 questions was designed. In total, a response of 762 questionnaires from five universities were collected. Correspondingly, statistical analysis like factor analysis and structural equation model were conducted. The present paper is, duly, a quantitative investigation of the correlations between institutional presence and other presences in the new model as well. Finally, a further developed Community of Inquiry model that integrates institutional presence is generated. With a relatively large sample, the results meet the applicable requirements, indicating that the generated model is acceptable and fits well with the data.
Examining the Relationship between Adaptive Behavior and Intelligence

Adaptive behavior and intelligence are both essential components of defining and diagnosing intellectual disability. The exact relationship between these two constructs still warrants some clarification. Previous studies have examined the correlation between adaptive behavior and intelligence and have reported differing results. Overall, there seems to be agreement that a modest to moderate correlation exists between adaptive behavior and intelligence and that the strength of this relationship may increase as ability level decreases further below the population mean. Using the Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale and a sample of 57 youth aged from 4 to 21 years old, we examined the correlation coefficients between the full-scale IQ scores and their scores obtained on conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skill domain scores, as well as the total adaptive behavior score. The results obtained indicated a modest to moderate correlation between adaptive behavior and intelligence. The strongest statistically significant correlation coefficient was between the full-scale IQ score and the conceptual adaptive skills domain score (r = 0.64). The correlation between the full-scale IQ score and the practical adaptive skills domain (r = 0.39) and social adaptive skills domain (r = 0.28; ns) were more modest. The correlation coefficient between the full-scale IQ score and the total adaptive behavior score also showed a moderate relationship with intelligence (r = 0.46). These findings are consistent with previous research, documenting that adaptive behavior and intelligence are two related but independent constructs. We discuss these findings and their implications.
Characterization of viral pathogens associated with symptomatic upper respiratory tract infection in adults during a low COVID-19 transmission period

Background The epidemiology of respiratory tract infections (RTI) has dramatically changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. A major effort in the clinical management of RTI has been directed toward diagnosing COVID-19, while the causes of other, common community RTI often remain enigmatic. To shed light on the etiological causes of RTI during a low COVID-19 transmission period in 2021, we did a pilot study using molecular testing for virologic causes of upper RTI among adults with respiratory symptoms from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Methods Adults presenting at two public hospitals with respiratory symptoms were screened using SARS-CoV-2 PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs. A subset of RTI+, COVID-19-negative adults (n = 50) was then tested for the presence of common RTI viruses and influenza A virus (IAV). Next generation virome sequencing was used to further characterize the PCR-detected RTI pathogens. Results Of 1,812 symptomatic adults, 21 (1.2%) tested SARS-CoV-2-positive. Within the COVID-19 negative outpatient subset, 33/50 subjects (66%) had a positive PCR result for a common community RTI virus, consisting of human parainfluenza virus 3-4 (hPIV 3-4) in 25/50 (50%), rhinovirus (hRV) in 2 (4%), hPIV4-hRV co-infection in four (8%) and adenovirus or the OCR43/HKU-1 coronavirus in two (4%) cases; no IAV was detected. Virome sequencing allowed to reconstruct sequences of most PCR-identified rhinoviruses and hPIV-3/human respirovirus-3. Conclusions COVID-19 was cause to a low proportion of symptomatic RTI among adults. Among COVID-negative participants, symptomatic RTI was predominantly associated with hPIV and hRV. Therefore, respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 should be considered in the clinical management and prevention of adult RTI in the post-pandemic era.