Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dysregulation of Subcutaneous White Adipose Tissue Inflammatory Environment Modelling in Non-Insulin Resistant Obesity and Responses to Omega-3 Fatty Acids – A Double Blind, Randomised Clinical Trial

Background Obesity is associated with enhanced lipid accumulation and the expansion of adipose tissue accompanied by hypoxia and inflammatory signalling. Investigation in human subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT) in people living with obesity in which metabolic complications such as insulin resistance are yet to manifest is limited, and the mechanisms by which these processes are dysregulated are not well elucidated. Long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs) have been shown to modulate the expression of genes associated with lipid accumulation and collagen deposition and reduce the number of inflammatory macrophages in adipose tissue from individuals with insulin resistance. Therefore, these lipids may have positive actions on obesity associated scWAT hypertrophy and inflammation. Methods To evaluate obesity-associated tissue remodelling and responses to LC n-3 PUFAs, abdominal scWAT biopsies were collected from normal weight individuals and those living with obesity prior to and following 12-week intervention with marine LC n-3 PUFAs (1.1 g EPA + 0.8 g DHA daily). RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR, and histochemical staining were used to assess remodelling- and inflammatory-associated gene expression, tissue morphology and macrophage infiltration. Results Obesity was associated with scWAT hypertrophy (P < 0.001), hypoxia, remodelling, and inflammatory macrophage infiltration (P = 0.023). Furthermore, we highlight the novel dysregulation of Wnt signalling in scWAT in non-insulin resistant obesity. LC n-3 PUFAs beneficially modulated the scWAT environment through downregulating the expression of genes associated with inflammatory and remodelling pathways (P <0.001), but there were altered outcomes in individuals living with obesity in comparison to normal weight individuals. Conclusion Our data identify dysregulation of Wnt signalling, hypoxia, and hypertrophy, and enhanced macrophage infiltration in scWAT in non-insulin resistant obesity. LC n-3 PUFAs modulate some of these processes, especially in normal weight individuals which may be preventative and limit the development of restrictive and inflammatory scWAT in the development of obesity. We conclude that a higher dose or longer duration of LC n-3 PUFA intervention may be needed to reduce obesity-associated scWAT inflammation and promote tissue homeostasis. Clinical Trial Registration www.isrctn. com, identifier ISRCTN96712688.
Neuroprotective Drug Discovery From Phytochemicals and Metabolites for CNS Viral Infection: A Systems Biology Approach With Clinical and Imaging Validation

Background Recent studies have reported that pulmo-neurotropic viruses can cause systemic invasion leading to acute respiratory failure and neuroinfection. The tetracycline class of secondary metabolites of microorganisms is effective against several migrating neurotropic viral disorders, as Japanese-Encephalitis (JE), Severe-Acute-Respiratory-Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV2), Human-Immunodeficiency-Virus (HIV), and Simian-Immunodeficiency-Virus (SIV). Another microbial secondary metabolite, cephalosporin, can be used for anti-viral combination therapy. However, a substantial public health debacle is viral resistance to such antibiotics, and, thus, one needs to explore the antiviral efficiency of other secondary metabolites, as phytochemicals. Hence, here, we investigate phytochemicals like podophyllotoxin, chlorogenic acid, naringenin, and quercetin for therapeutic efficiency in neurotropic viral infections. Methods To investigate the possibility of the afferent neural pathway of migrating virus in man, MRI scanning was performed on human subjects, whereby the connections between cranial nerves and the brain-stem/limbic-region were assessed by fiber-tractography. Moreover, human clinical-trial assessment (n = 140, p = 0.028) was done for formulating a quantitative model of antiviral pharmacological intervention. Furthermore, docking studies were performed to identify the binding affinity of phytochemicals toward antiviral targets as (i) host receptor [Angiotensin-converting Enzyme-2], (ii) main protease of SARS-COV2 virus (iii) NS3-Helicase/Nucleoside triphosphatase of Japanese-encephalitis-virus, and the affinities were compared to standard tetracycline and cephalosporin antibiotics. Then, network pharmacology analysis was utilized to identify the possible mechanism of action of those phytochemicals. Results Human MRI-tractography analysis showed fiber connectivity, as: (a) Path-1: From the olfactory nerve to the limbic region (2) Path-2: From the peripheral glossopharyngeal nerve and vagus nerves to the midbrain-respiratory-center. Docking studies revealed comparable binding affinity of phytochemicals, tetracycline, and cephalosporin antibiotics toward both (a) virus receptors, (b) host cell receptors where virus-receptor binds. The phytochemicals effectively countered the cytokine storm-induced neuroinflammation, a critical pathogenic pathway. We also found that a systems-biology-based double-hit mathematical bi-exponential model accounts for patient survival-curve under antiviral treatment, thus furnishing a quantitative-clinical framework of secondary metabolite action on virus and host cells. Conclusion Due to the current viral resistance to antibiotics, we identified novel phytochemicals that can have clinical therapeutic application to neurotropic virus infection. Based on human MRI scanning and clinical-trial analysis, we demarcated the anatomical pathway and systems-biology-based quantitative formulation of the mechanism of antiviral action.
Implementation of Group and Individual Supervision Techniques, and Its Effect on the Work Motivation and Performance of Teachers at School Organization

Teachers have a very important role in determining the quality of the teaching-learning process and the students’ learning outcomes. Learning outcomes will optimally be achieved if it is supported by qualified teachers. One way to enhance the teachers’ performance is through instructional supervision which can be divided into two techniques, namely group and individual supervision techniques. Therefore, this study aims to find out the influence of instructional supervision techniques on the work motivation and performance of elementary school teachers. This study was conducted in East Java, Indonesia, and an explanatory research design was used. The sample was taken from 80 elementary school teachers in Malang and Blitar using a multi-stage random sampling technique. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires and documentation, and then they were analyzed by using the structural equation modeling technique. The result of this study showed that group supervision has a significant effect on teachers’ performance, whereas individual supervision influenced teachers’ work motivation and it affected their performance.
Applying the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation to Repetitive Head Impacts and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with a history of repetitive head impacts (RHI). CTE was described in boxers as early as the 1920s and by the 1950s it was widely accepted that hits to the head caused some boxers to become “punch drunk. ” However, the recent discovery of CTE in American and Australian-rules football, soccer, rugby, ice hockey, and other sports has resulted in renewed debate on whether the relationship between RHI and CTE is causal. Identifying the strength of the evidential relationship between CTE and RHI has implications for public health and medico-legal issues. From a public health perspective, environmentally caused diseases can be mitigated or prevented. Medico-legally, millions of children are exposed to RHI through sports participation; this demographic is too young to legally consent to any potential long-term risks associated with this exposure. To better understand the strength of evidence underlying the possible causal relationship between RHI and CTE, we examined the medical literature through the Bradford Hill criteria for causation. The Bradford Hill criteria, first proposed in 1965 by Sir Austin Bradford Hill, provide a framework to determine if one can justifiably move from an observed association to a verdict of causation. The Bradford Hill criteria include nine viewpoints by which to evaluate human epidemiologic evidence to determine if causation can be deduced: strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient, plausibility, coherence, experiment, and analogy. We explored the question of causation by evaluating studies on CTE as it relates to RHI exposure. Through this lens, we found convincing evidence of a causal relationship between RHI and CTE, as well as an absence of evidence-based alternative explanations. By organizing the CTE literature through this framework, we hope to advance the global conversation on CTE mitigation efforts.
Changes in authoritarianism before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Comparisons of latent means across East and West Germany, gender, age, and education

Modern theories of authoritarianism have stressed the importance of threat to the expression of authoritarian attitudes and intolerance. Arguably, authoritarian tendencies may have increased during COVID-19 pandemic, a major threat to life and security. One issue arising when comparing mean scores is that of measurement invariance. Meaningful comparisons are only possible, if latent constructs are similar between groups and/or across time. This prerequisite is rarely ever tested in research on authoritarianism. In this study, we aim to analyze the short scale for authoritarianism KSA-3 by investigating its measurement invariance on two levels (three first-order and one second-order factors) and latent mean changes using two German representative samples (N = 4,905). Specifically, we look at differences before and during the pandemic (2017 vs. 2020). While measurement invariance holds across both levels in all conditions, we find a decrease in latent means in 2020, contrary to expectations and established theories. Moreover, latent means differ with regard to gender, education, and east–west Germany. We conclude that analyses of latent means and measurement invariance instead of mean comparisons with composites should become the standard. Future studies should focus on threat as a moderator between authoritarianism and intolerance, and on possible interactions with context variables.
Effect of teachers’ asynchronous e-feedback and synchronous oral feedback on English language learners’ writing accuracy

This research aims to assess the efficacy of electronic feedback (e-feedback) and traditional oral feedback on undergraduate students’ English writing over 12 weeks of teaching. Three treatment groups were involved: Asynchronous written e-feedback through Microsoft Word Track Changes; teacher–student oral metalinguistic conferencing; no feedback control group. Two grammatical features (i.e., conjunctions and articles), the most problematic forms, were targeted to determine the effect of feedback on these grammatical features. One-way ANOVA test resulted to reveal that the feedback-receiving group performed better than those given no feedback at all. Furthermore, students who received e-feedback performed much better in improving conjunctions errors than those who received oral feedback. The study suggests to train learners and teachers toward e-feedback for better learning of English language.
Epibiotic Fauna on Cetaceans Worldwide: A Systematic Review of Records and Indicator Potential

Each individual cetacean is an ecosystem itself, potentially harboring a great variety of animals that travel with it. Despite being often despised or overlooked, many of these epizoites have been proven to be suitable bio-indicators of their cetacean hosts, informing on health status, social interactions, migration patterns, population structure or phylogeography. Moreover, epizoites are advantageous over internal parasites in that many of them can be detected by direct observation (e.g., boat surveys), thus no capture or dissection of cetaceans are necessary. Previous reviews of epizoites of cetaceans have focused on specific geographical areas, cetacean species or epibiotic taxa, but fall short to include the increasing number of records and scientific findings about these animals. Here we present an updated review of all records of associations between cetaceans and their epibiotic fauna (i.e., commensals, ecto- or mesoparasites, and mutualists). We gathered nearly 500 publications and found a total of 58 facultative or obligate epibiotic taxa from 11 orders of arthropods, vertebrates, cnidarians, and a nematode that are associated to the external surface of 66 cetacean species around the globe. We also provide information on the use as an indicator species in the literature, if any, and about other relevant traits, such as geographic range, host specificity, genetic data, and life-cycle. We encourage researchers, not only to provide quantitative data (i.e., prevalence, abundance) on the epizoites they find on cetaceans, but also to inform on their absence. The inferences drawn from epizoites can greatly benefit conservation plans of both cetaceans and their epizoites.
Understanding Landscape Aesthetics Using a Novel Viewshed Assessment of Social Media Locations Within the Troodos UNESCO Global Geopark, Cyprus

Globally, geodiversity and the associated ecosystem services it provides, are both under threat from anthropogenic pressures and environmental changes. The UNESCO Global Geoparks Programme was established to create protected areas that not only preserve geodiversity but enhance human wellbeing and cultural heritage. Understanding the role geodiversity plays in providing such ecosystem services is necessary for providing holistic conservation priorities that ensure their sustainable use. Studies have extensively used social media data to assess cultural ecosystem services, however, the photographic viewable area, which demonstrates scenic or areas of interest, has been scarcely evaluated. Studies often take crude measurements of viewsheds rather than isolating viewed content. Here, we gather georeferenced images taken inside geopark boundaries from the social media website Flickr as a proxy for aesthetically pleasing viewpoints. To understand what landscape characteristics are visible from these viewpoints we calculate viewshed analysis following the novel visual magnitude approach. The use of magnitude viewshed provides a metric for visual relevancy compared to traditional viewshed approaches that only provide a binary metric representing visible or non-visible. Here, we find that the use of the visual magnitude methodology provides richer information about what is visible than from traditional viewshed analysis. We find that aesthetically appreciated views as inferred by social media within the Troodos Geopark, Cyprus, do not only include natural features such as forest and water but are often related to geodiversity and anthropogenically altered landscapes such as mineral extraction sites and vineyards, for which the geopark is known. These results can help to inform geoconservation practices with the goal of sustainable access and enjoyment of aesthetic services.
A Study of the Relationship Between Students’ Global Perspective and Willingness to Communicate in English at an English Medium Instruction University in China

Few previous studies have investigated the relationship between global perspective (GP) and willingness to communicate (WTC) in English. Hence, more studies are needed to validate their correlation. Furthermore, hardly any pertaining studies have been conducted at English Medium Instruction (EMI) universities. As such, the current study aimed to fill these gaps in the context of an EMI university in China, by investigating whether GP correlates with second language (L2) WTC and what factors impact the two variables. Data were collected from students via an online questionnaire (n = 315) and follow-up interviews (n = 11). The questionnaire findings confirmed a moderate positive correlation between GP and L2 WTC. The interview data unraveled that several factors influenced students’ L2 WTC, including needs and motivations driving L2 WTC, concerns constraining L2 WTC, and intercultural cognition facilitating L2 WTC. These findings suggest that: (A) students could be more determined to practice their English if they realize the significance of the role of English in their life; (B) teachers could foster students’ WTC by creating a non-threatening English-speaking environment and encouraging students to communicate in English in and outside the classroom; and (C) teachers could educate students about GP and L2 WTC, which might help to expand students’ horizon and stimulate their interests in foreign cultures and global affairs, so as to facilitate the sustainable growth of their English learning.
Assessing Factors Influencing Technology Adoption for Online Purchasing Amid COVID-19 in Qatar: Moderating Role of Word of Mouth

The COVID-19 pandemic developed new challenges for global consumers. In response to this disaster, digital technology users have faced the necessity to adopt and use specific technology apps for online shopping. This article examines how contingencies disrupt existing theoretical models and their implications for the post-COVID-19 era for online purchases. Customers prefer apps to use on the websites for search and purchase amid the COVID-19 crisis. The websites offer competitive advantages to apps for branding and CRM prospects. This motive keeps customers happy and satisfied with the website offers. This study focuses on consumer electronics and observes the comparative influence of fundamental elements (i.e., hedonic motivation, habits, perceived risk, technological trust, and technological awareness) on purchasing customer satisfaction. The study further examines the impact of customer satisfaction with online purchases with website continuance intention (WCI). Notably, this study explores the moderating effect of word-of-mouth (WOM) on the relationship between customer satisfaction with online purchases and website continuance intention. This study designed a web-based survey and recruited frequent visitors including international and citizens of Qatar for data collection. The study employed a purposive sampling technique and used three standardized psychological tools to obtain the data set needed to measure customer satisfaction with online purchases. The survey used a web link, distributed 600 questionnaires via email and social media, and received only 468 responses. After screening, only 455 were valid responses. The study showed a response rate of 75.83%. The study results showed that hedonic motivation, habits, perceived risk, and technological awareness were positively related to customer satisfaction with online purchasing. Besides, customer satisfaction with subsequent online purchases is also positively associated with website continuance intention (WCI). The results revealed that this relationship remained stronger when word-of-mouth (WOM) was higher. Hence, this shows that online shopping is seen as a vital and interesting activity in the Qatari context. The findings provide useful insights for future studies to explore the effects of COVID-19 on online purchase intentions.
Grapevine nursery propagation material as source of fungal trunk disease pathogens in Uruguay

Grapevine fungal trunk diseases (GTDs) have become a serious problem for grapevines worldwide. Nursery vines infected during the propagation process are considered one of the main ways of dissemination of GTD pathogens. In this study, we examined the status of GTDs in grapevine planting material, from rootstocks and scion mother cuttings to grafted rooted vines ready to plant, according to the local nursery propagation process. During 2018-2019, internal symptoms of GTDs were examined in 2400 propagation materials and fungal isolations were carried out from a subsample of 1026 selected materials. Our results revealed that nursery grapevine plants produced in Uruguay have a high incidence of GTDs, regardless of the scion/rootstock combination. Typical brown to black streaks and sectorial wood necrosis were observed in materials on all propagation stages, with a markedly increasing incidence throughout the nursery process, reaching almost 100% in grafted rooted vines ready to plant. Botryosphaeria dieback, Petri disease and black-foot disease were the main GTDs found. The results showed that Botryosphaeria dieback and Petri disease pathogens infect materials from the early stages of the process, with a marked increase towards the end of the plant production process, whereas black-foot disease pathogens were found exclusively in vines ready to plant. Diaporthe dieback pathogens were also detected in materials in all stages but in a low proportion (less than 10% of infected material). Based on single locus analysis, the 180 isolates selected were placed into eight genera and 89% identified within 22 fungal species associated with GTDs, with Phaeoacremonium oleae and Diaporthe terebinthifolii as new records on grapevine worldwide. Our results have concluded that locally produced vines are one of the main ways of dissemination of GTD pathogens and showed that a nursery sanitation programme is required to reduce the incidence of these diseases.
GmFT3a fine-tunes flowering time and improves adaptation of soybean to higher latitudes

Onset of flowering of plants is precisely controlled by extensive environmental factors and internal molecular networks, in which FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) is a key flowering integrator. In soybean, a typical short-day plant, 11 FT homologues are found in its genome, of which several homologues are functionally diversified in flowering pathways and the others including GmFT3a are yet unknown. In the current study, we characterized GmFT3a, which is located on the same chromosome as the flowering promoters GmFT2a and GmFT5a. Overexpression of GmFT3a significantly promoted flowering of Arabidopsis under the inductive long-day (LD) photoperiod. GmFT3a over-expressed soybean also flowered earlier than the control under LD, but they were not significantly different under inductive short-day (SD) conditions, indicating that GmFT3a acts as a flowering promoter in the non-inductive photoperiod in soybean. Compared with other GmFT homologues, GmFT3a exhibited a slighter effect in flowering promotion than GmFT2a, GmFT5a and GmFT2b under LD conditions. GmFT3a promoted flowering by regulating the expression of downstream flowering-related genes and also affected the expression of other GmFTs. According to the re-sequencing data, the regional distributions of two major haplotypes in 176 soybean varieties were analyzed. The varieties with GmFT3a-Hap2 haplotype matured relatively early, and relative higher expression of GmFT3a was detected in early maturing varieties, implying that Hap2 variation may contribute to the adaptation of soybean to higher latitude regions by increasing expression level of genes in metabolism and signaling pathways. The early flowering germplasm generated by overexpression of GmFT3a has potential to be planted at higher latitudes where non-inductive long day is dominant in the growing season, and GmFT3a can be used to fine-tune soybean flowering and maturity time and improve the geographical adaptation.