Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predicting University Student Retention using Artificial Intelligence

— Based on the advancement in the field of Artificial Intelligence, there is still a room for enhancement of student university retention. The main objective of this study is to assess the probability of using Artificial Intelligence techniques such as deep and machine learning procedures to predict university student retention. In this study a variable assessment is carried out on the dataset which was collected from Kaggle repository. The performance of twenty supervised algorithms of machine learning and one algorithm of deep learning is assessed. All algorithms were trained using 10 variables from 1100 records of former university student registrations that have been registered in the University. The top performing algorithm after hyper-parameters tuning was NuSVC Classifier. Therefore, we were able to use the current dataset to create supervised Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) models for predicting student retention with F1-score (90.32 percent) for ML and the proposed DL algorithm with F1-score (93.05 percent).
Chang'e-2 spacecraft observations of asteroid 4179 Toutatis

Abstract On 13 December 2012, Chang'e-2 completed a successful flyby of the near-Earth asteroid 4179 Toutatis at a closest distance of 770 meters from the asteroid's surface. The observations show that Toutatis has an irregular surface and its shape resembles a ginger-root of a smaller lobe (head) and a larger lobe (body). Such bilobate shape is indicative of a contact binary origin for Toutatis. In addition, the high-resolution images better than 3 meters provide a number of new discoveries about this asteroid, such as an 800-meter depression at the end of the large lobe, a sharply perpendicular silhouette near the neck region, boulders, indicating that Toutatis is probably a rubble-pile asteroid. Chang'e-2 observations have significantly revealed new insights into the geological features and the formation and evolution of this asteroid. In final, we brief the future Chinese asteroid mission concept.
GAMMA-RAY BURST FLARES: X-RAY FLARING. II.

We present a catalog of 498 flaring periods found in gamma-ray burst (GRB) light curves taken from the online Swift X-Ray Telescope GRB Catalogue. We analyzed 680 individual light curves using a flare detection method developed and used on our UV/optical GRB Flare Catalog. This method makes use of the Bayesian Information Criterion to analyze the residuals of fitted GRB light curves and statistically determines the optimal fit to the light curve residuals in an attempt to identify any additional features. These features, which we classify as flares, are identified by iteratively adding additional “breaks” to the light curve. We find evidence of flaring in 326 of the analyzed light curves. For those light curves with flares, we find an average number of ∼1.5 flares per GRB. As with the UV/optical, flaring in our sample is generally confined to the first 1000 s of the afterglow, but can be detected to beyond 105 s. Only ∼50% of the detected flares follow the “classical” definition of Δt/t ⩽ 0.5, with many of the largest flares exceeding this value.
PD-1/PD-L1 combined with LAG3 is associated with clinical activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma

Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (PLELC) is an Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-related, rare subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) show durable responses in advanced NSCLC. However, their effects and predictive biomarkers in PLELC remain poorly understood. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 48 metastatic PLELC patients treated with ICI. Pretreated paraffin-embedded specimens (n = 19) were stained for PD-1, PD-L1, LAG3, TIM3, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD68, FOXP3, and cytokeratin (CK) by multiple immunohistochemistry (mIHC). Next-generation sequencing was performed for 33 PLELC samples. Among patients treated with ICI monotherapy (n = 30), the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), median progression-free survival (mPFS), and overall survival (mOS) were 13.3%, 80.0%, 7.7 months, and 24.9 months, respectively. Patients with PD-L1 ≥1% showed a longer PFS (8.4 vs. 2.1 months, p = 0.015) relative to those with PD-L1 <1%. Among patients treated with ICI combination therapy (n = 18), ORR, DCR, mPFS, and mOS were 27.8%, 100.0%, 10.1 months, and 19.7 months, respectively. Patients with PD-L1 ≥1% showed a significantly superior OS than those with PD-L1 <1% (NA versus 11.7 months, p = 0.001). Among the 19 mIHC patients, those with high PD-1/PD-L1 and LAG3 expression showed a longer PFS (19.0 vs. 3.9 months, p = 0.003). ICI also showed promising efficacy for treating metastatic PLELC. PD-L1 may be both predictive of ICI treatment efficacy and prognostic for survival in PLELC. PD-1/PD-L1 combined with LAG3 may serve as a predictor of ICI treatment effectiveness in PLELC. Larger and prospective trials are warranted to validate both ICI activity and predictive biomarkers in PLELC. This study was partly presented as a poster at the IASLC 20th World Conference on Lung Cancer 2019, 7–10 September 2019, Barcelona, Spain.
Trichoderma- from lab bench to field application: Looking back over 50 years

Biological control of plant pathogens has become increasingly possible with the use of fungi, which have a high reproductive rate (both sexually and asexually) and a short generation time and are very specific to their target. Trichoderma species are found in diverse habitats and experience various interactions with other organisms. They are used as bio-fungicides owing to their plant-protecting abilities, and they produce a large number of secondary metabolites (SMs) accompanied by enrichment in secondary metabolism-associated genes. This article aims to review and discuss the SMs produced by Trichoderma species, including their physiology, mode of action, mass production, and industrial and field applications for the control of plant diseases. We also discuss the evolutionary history, taxonomical gradient, classification, and ecology of Trichoderma species, as well as indirect and direct mechanisms used as plant protectors with gene improvement strategies. Aside from the bioactivity of SMs derived from Trichoderma species, compatibility with fungicides, mass formulation techniques, and industrial applications of Trichoderma species, the review focuses on its advent and progress as a global research pioneer.
Equitable, inclusive and sustainable public transit mobility through mobility on demand? A critical perspective

In recent decades, public transit authorities have increasingly opted to invest in commuter transit that caters to a whiter, wealthier demographic as opposed to lower-income transit-dependent populations. In addition, urban-suburban population shifts caused by central-city gentrification has meant that those who depend on public transit the most have been forced to move outside the city center. This presents challenges for transit-dependent riders, particularly in sprawling, car-dependent Southern US cities where transit agencies are spatially constrained and underfunded. Quite simply, the transit does not reach the destinations where the people who need it most are moving. Mobility-on-demand (MOD) has emerged in recent years as an innovative approach to sustainability through mobility. Increasingly, scholars are exploring its ability to increase access to opportunity areas (i.e., shopping, employment, social commitments) previously disconnected because of transit spatial mismatching. In this paper, we situate the discussion of MODs within the larger context of the unequal development in cities. We discuss extant research on MODs, and an initiative being piloted in a medium-sized Southern US city, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Using a transit equity lens we explore, within the context of historical and present uneven development, whether MODs are truly disruptive in reducing transit disadvantage, can address the limits of the “city-centric” nature of fixed and sparse public transit in areas of the country with a poor history of public transit investment (e.g., the US South), and respond to the dynamic nature of regional migration that constitute cities in the 21st century.
Identification of cuproptosis-related subtypes in lung adenocarcinoma and its potential significance

Cuproptosis is a novel and unique cell death mode that has attracted significant interest in recent years. Little is currently known about whether cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) are associated with the pathophysiology and survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The present study sought to characterize the transcriptional and genetic alteration of CRGs in LUAD and its potential significance in the tumor microenvironment and predicting the prognosis of LUAD. The secondary eventual aim was to study the role of CRGs in predicting immunotherapy response and its clinical value combined with the TNM stage. We found that several CRGs, including FDX1, DLD, SLC31A1, and MTF1, were enriched in macrophages in our single-cell RNA-seq data. Three distinct molecular subtypes were identified and correlated with clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis, biological pathways, and tumor microenvironment (TME) in LUAD. We developed a cuproptosis-related gene score (CRG_score) and validated it in three independent cohorts and clinical subtypes. The low CRG_score group, characterized by a greater immune score, immunophenoscore (IPS), lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score, and T-cell dysfunction score, had a better prognosis, suggesting that the low CRG_score group responded more favorably to immunotherapy, which was validated in the anti-PD-1/L1 immunotherapy cohort (IMvigor210). In contrast, the high CRG_score group was more sensitive to targeted therapy and chemotherapy, with a higher cancer stem cell (CSC) index and lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for many drugs. Given the established crosstalk between CRG_score and tumor TNM stage, we developed an accurate nomogram for clinical application of the CRG_score. Taken together, our rigorous and comprehensive examination of CRGs in LUAD identified their potential functions in TME, clinicopathological characteristics, drug sensitivity, and prognosis. These findings improve the current understanding of cuproptosis in LUAD, paving the way for more accurate prognosis assessment and tailored treatment for this patient population.
Natural killer cell-related prognosis signature characterizes immune landscape and predicts prognosis of HNSCC

Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the most common head and neck cancer, is highly aggressive and heterogeneous, resulting in variable prognoses and immunotherapeutic outcomes. Natural killer (NK) cells play essential roles in malignancies’ development, diagnosis, and prognosis. The purpose of this study was to establish a reliable signature based on genes related to NK cells (NRGs), thus providing a new perspective for assessing immunotherapy response and prognosis of HNSCC patients. Methods In this study, NRGs were used to classify HNSCC from the TCGA-HNSCC and GEO cohorts. The genes were evaluated using univariate cox regression analysis based on the differential analysis of normal and tumor samples in TCGA-HNSCC conducted using the “limma” R package. Thereafter, we built prognostic gene signatures using LASSO-COX analysis. External validation was carried out in the GSE41613 cohort. Immunity analysis based on NRGs was performed via several methods, such as CIBERSORT, and immunotherapy response was evaluated by TIP portal website. Results With the TCGA-HNSCC data, we established a nomogram based on the 17-NRGs signature and a variety of clinicopathological characteristics. The low-risk group exhibited a better effect when it came to immunotherapy. Conclusions 17-NRGs signature and nomograms demonstrate excellent predictive performance and offer new perspectives for assessing pre-immune efficacy, which will facilitate future precision immuno-oncology research.
The nomogram predicting the early failure rate of the Pavlik harness for developmental dysplasia of the hip in infants under 6 months of age

Background The aim of our study was to develop a nomogram predicting the early failure rate of Pavlik harness in infants under 6 months of age with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 227 patients (372 hips) with DDH who were treated with Pavlik harness at our institution from August 2019 to January 2022. Fifty-eight patients (102 hips) failed the Pavlik harness treatment, and 169 patients (270 hips) were successfully treated. Then, the independent risk factors for treatment failure were determined via univariate and multivariate logistic regression and used to generate the nomogram predicting the failure rate of the Pavlik harness. Results It was found that age at initial treatment (OR 1.031, 95% CI 1.022–1.040, P < 0.001), angle α (OR 0.723, 95% CI 0.671–0.779, P < 0.001), and concomitant deformity (OR 0.129, 95% CI 0.036–0.459, p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for treatment failure. The nomogram showed good discrimination [the area under the curve (AUC): 0.862], good calibration, and a net benefit in the range of probabilities between 5 and 90% according to the decision curve analysis. Conclusion This study successfully established the nomogram prediction model based on three independent risk factors. Due to the high level of predicting accuracy, this nomogram could be a useful resource for pediatric orthopedic surgeons to identify patients at major risk of Pavlik harness failure who might need more reliable treatments.
The endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein Sec62 as potential therapeutic target in SEC62 overexpressing tumors

The human SEC62 gene is located on chromosome 3q, was characterized as a tumor driver gene and is found to be overexpressed in an ever-growing number of tumors, particularly those with 3q26 amplification. Where analyzed, SEC62 overexpression was associated with poor prognosis. Sec62 protein is a membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and has functions in endoplasmic reticulum protein import, endoplasmic reticulum-phagy and -in cooperation with the cytosolic protein calmodulin- the maintenance of cellular calcium homeostasis. Various human tumors show SEC62 overexpression in immunohistochemistry and corresponding cell lines confirm this phenomenon in western blots and immunofluorescence. Furthermore, these tumor cells are characterized by increased stress tolerance and migratory as well as invasive potential, three hallmarks of cancer cells. Strikingly, plasmid-driven overexpression of SEC62 in non-SEC62 overexpressing cells introduces the same three hallmarks of cancer into the transfected cells. Depletion of Sec62 from either type of SEC62 overexpressing tumor cells by treatment with SEC62-targeting siRNAs leads to reduced stress tolerance and reduced migratory as well as invasive potential. Where tested, treatment of SEC62 overexpressing tumor cells with the small molecule/calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine (TFP) phenocopied the effect of SEC62-targeting siRNAs. Recently, first phase II clinical trials with the prodrug mipsagargin/G202, which targets cellular calcium homeostasis in prostate cells as well as neovascular tissue in various tumors were started. According to experiments with tumor cell lines, however, SEC62 overexpressing tumor cells may be less responsive or resistant against such treatment. Therefore, murine tumor models for tumor growth or metastasis were evaluated with respect to their responsiveness to treatment with a mipsagargin analog (thapsigargin), or trifluoperazine, which had previously been in clinical use for the treatment of schizophrenia, or with the combination of both drugs. So far, no additive effect of the two drugs was observed but trifluoperazine had an inhibitory effect on tumor growth and metastatic potential in the models. Here, we review the state of affairs.
Microglial repopulation alleviates age-related decline of stable wakefulness in mice

Changes in wake/sleep architecture have been observed in both aged human and animal models, presumably due to various functional decay throughout the aging body particularly in the brain. Microglia have emerged as a modulator for wake/sleep architecture in the adult brain, and displayed distinct morphology and activity in the aging brain. However, the link between microglia and age-related wake/sleep changes remains elusive. In this study, we systematically examined the brain vigilance and microglia morphology in aging mice (3, 6, 12, and 18 months old), and determined how microglia affect the aging-related wake/sleep alterations in mice. We found that from young adult to aged mice there was a clear decline in stable wakefulness at nighttime, and a decrease of microglial processes length in various brain regions involved in wake/sleep regulation. The decreased stable wakefulness can be restored following the time course of microglia depletion and repopulation in the adult brain. Microglia repopulation in the aging brain restored age-related decline in stable wakefulness. Taken together, our findings suggest a link between aged microglia and deteriorated stable wakefulness in aged brains.
Socioeconomic status and other factors associated with HIV status among OVC in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Background Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are a high-risk group for HIV infection, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Purpose This study aims to portray the socioeconomic profile of OVC and examine the association of household and parent/guardian characteristics with the HIV status of OVC. Methods For this quantitative retrospective study, we obtained data from ICAP/DRC for a total of 1,624 OVC from households enrolled for social, financial, and clinical services between January 2017 and April 2020 in two provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haut-Katanga and Kinshasa. We computed descriptive statistics for OVC and their parents' or guardians' characteristics. We used the chi-square test to determine bivariate associations of the predictor variables with the dichotomous dependent variable, HIV positivity status. To analyze the association between these independent variables and the dichotomous dependent variable HIV status after controlling for other covariates, we performed firth's logistic regression. Results Of the OVC included in this study, 18% were orphans, and 10.9% were HIV+. The chi-square analysis showed that among parents/guardians that were HIV+, a significantly lower proportion of OVC (11.7%) were HIV+ rather than HIV- (26.3%). In contrast, for parents/guardians with HIV- status, 9.0% of OVC were HIV-negative, and 11.7% of OVC were OVC+. The firth's logistic regression also showed the adjusted odds of HIV+ status were significantly lower for OVC with parents/guardians having HIV+ status themselves (AOR, 0.335; 95% CI, 0.171–0.656) compared with HIV-negative parents/guardians. The adjusted odds of HIV+ status were significantly lower for OVC with a monthly household income of < $30 (AOR, 0.421; 95% CI, 0.202–0.877) compared with OVC with a monthly household income > $30. Conclusions Our results suggest that, with the exception of a few household and parent/guardian characteristics, the risk of HIV+ status is prevalent across all groups of OVC within this study, which is consistent with the existing body of evidence showing that OVC are in general vulnerable to HIV infection. With a notable proportion of children who are single or double orphans in DRC, HIV+ OVC constitute a high-risk group that merits customized HIV services. The findings of this study provide data-driven scientific evidence to guide such customization of HIV services.
Achieving diagnostic excellence for infectious keratitis: A future roadmap

COPYRIGHT © 2022 Ting, Chodosh and Mehta. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Achieving diagnostic excellence for infectious keratitis: A future roadmap
Comprehensive analysis of cuproptosis in immune response and prognosis of osteosarcoma

Copper-induced cell death, a form of apoptosis, has been extensively investigated in human diseases. Recent studies on the mechanisms underlying copper-induced cell death have provided innovative insights into copper-related toxicity in cells, and this form of programmed cell death was termed cuproptosis. Herein, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to determine the specific role of cuproptosis in osteosarcoma. Using consensus clustering analysis, patients with osteosarcoma from the TARGET database were classified into subgroups with distinct cuproptosis-based molecular patterns. Accordingly, these patients displayed diverse clinicopathological features, survival outcomes, tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics, immune-related scores, and therapeutic responses. Furthermore, we constructed a cuproptosis-based risk signature and nomogram, as well as developed a cuproptosis score for improved patient characterization. The prognostic model and cuproptosis score were well validated and confirmed to efficiently distinguish high- and low-risk patients, thereby affording great predictive value. Finally, we verified the abnormal expression of prognostic CUG in OS patients by immunohistochemistry. In conclusion, we suggest that cuproptosis may play an important role in regulating the tumor microenvironment features, tumor progression and the long-term prognosis of osteosarcoma.
Neurodynamic correlates for the cross-frequency coupled transcranial alternating current stimulation during working memory performance

Transcranial current stimulation is a neuromodulation technique used to modulate brain oscillations and, in turn, to enhance human cognitive function in a non-invasive manner. This study investigated whether cross-frequency coupled transcranial alternating current stimulation (CFC-tACS) improved working memory performance. Participants in both the tACS-treated and sham groups were instructed to perform a modified Sternberg task, where a combination of letters and digits was presented. Theta-phase/high-gamma-amplitude CFC-tACS was administered over electrode F3 and its four surrounding return electrodes (Fp1, Fz, F7, and C3) for 20 min. To identify neurophysiological correlates for the tACS-mediated enhancement of working memory performance, we analyzed EEG alpha and theta power, cross-frequency coupling, functional connectivity, and nodal efficiency during the retention period of the working memory task. We observed significantly reduced reaction times in the tACS-treated group, with suppressed treatment-mediated differences in frontal alpha power and unidirectional Fz-delta-phase to Oz-high-gamma-amplitude modulation during the second half of the retention period when network analyses revealed tACS-mediated fronto-occipital dissociative neurodynamics between alpha suppression and delta/theta enhancement. These findings indicate that tACS modulated top-down control and functional connectivity across the fronto-occipital regions, resulting in improved working memory performance. Our observations are indicative of the feasibility of enhancing cognitive performance by the CFC-formed tACS.