Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Virtual Stick Balancing: Statistical Invariants of Human Response

Human behavior during the process of virtual inverted pendulum balancing in viscous environment is analyzed. The results of the virtual experiments are compared to the results of previous studies on so called dynamical trap effect. It is shown that the phase trajectories and phase variables distributions of the virtual stick motion under human control are similar to those of an oscillator under the presence of noise described by the dynamical trap model. Moreover, it is discovered that the patterns of system dynamics under human control are similar for all feasible values of system parameters. We therefore suggest that the dynamical trap model could reflect certain features of human behavior during processes of dynamical systems control near equlibrium points.
Changes of stressful life events, coping strategies and mental health among youths in the pre- and post-coronavirus 2019 pandemic era: A cross-sectional study

Background: In the pandemic era, stressful life events (StressLEv) aggravated the impact on mental health. However, youths exhibited different responses to StressLEv because of diverse coping strategies, social support, and emotional intelligence before and after the pandemic. Aims: To explore the changes in StressLEv and coping strategies before and after the coronavirus 2019 pandemic, as well as report the associations among mental health and related factors in a sample of Chinese youths experiencing the post-pandemic era. Method: A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling was conducted from July 1 to August 30, 2022, covering 3,038 youths aged 14 to 25 in China. Multiple logistic regression was conducted for crude odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted ORs. The relationships between lasso-selected variables was examined using structural equation modeling. Results: More StressLEv and limited coping strategies were reported after the pandemic. In the post-pandemic era, BSI-positive youths (youths diagnosed as considered case by Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI) reported more StressLEv (BSI-positive: mean = 75.47; BSI-negative: mean = 28.69), less social support (BSI-positive: mean = 31.81; BSI-negative: mean = 39.22), and lower emotional intelligence (BSI-positive: mean = 75.34; BSI-negative: mean = 89.42). The willingness to engage in mental health counseling (OR: no vs. yes: 1.89; uncertain vs. yes: 4.42), being punished (OR: 1.27), adaptation problems (OR: 1.06), task-oriented coping (OR: 0.95), social diversion coping (OR: 0.90), objective support (OR: 0.90), utilization of social support (OR: 0.81), and regulation of emotion in oneself (OR: 0.94) were associated with mental health. Structural equation modeling supported our theoretical framework. Conclusions: Pandemic-induced mental health problems should not be ignored. The proposed response mechanisms could guide the development of effective interventions, which can help youths better cope with StressLEv and maintain good mental health.
Sustained oral spermidine supplementation rescues functional and structural defects in COL6-deficient myopathic mice

ABSTRACT COL6 (collagen type VI)-related myopathies (COL6-RM) are a distinct group of inherited muscle disorders caused by mutations of COL6 genes and characterized by early-onset muscle weakness, for which no cure is available yet. Key pathophysiological features of COL6-deficient muscles involve impaired macroautophagy/autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuromuscular junction fragmentation and myofiber apoptosis. Targeting autophagy by dietary means elicited beneficial effects in both col6a1 null (col6a1 –/– ) mice and COL6-RM patients. We previously demonstrated that one-month per os administration of the nutraceutical spermidine reactivates autophagy and ameliorates myofiber defects in col6a1 –/– mice but does not elicit functional improvement. Here we show that a 100-day-long spermidine regimen is able to rescue muscle strength in col6a1 –/– mice, with also a beneficial impact on mitochondria and neuromuscular junction integrity, without any noticeable side effects. Altogether, these data provide a rationale for the application of spermidine in prospective clinical trials for COL6-RM. Abbreviations: AChR: acetylcholine receptor; BTX: bungarotoxin; CNF: centrally nucleated fibers; Colch: colchicine; COL6: collagen type VI; COL6-RM: COL6-related myopathies; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3; NMJ: neuromuscular junction; Spd: spermidine; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TA: tibialis anterior; TOMM20: translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20; TUNEL: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP-mediated nick-end labeling.
Analysis and identification of ferroptosis-related genes in ulcerative colitis

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown that ferroptosis is associated with the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Therefore, this study aimed to identify key ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) associated with the diagnosis of UC. Methods UC-related expression datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. First, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify UC-related genes (UCRGs). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and UC groups were screened in GSE87466, and DEGs were subjected to an intersection analysis with FRGs and UCRGs to obtain ferroptosis-related DEGs (FR DEGs). Then a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed for FR DEGs. The hub genes were extracted based on the degree, Maximum Neighborhood Component (MNC), closeness, and Maximal Clique Centrality (MCC). Biomarkers with diagnostic values were screened by support vector machine (SVM) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithms. Next, the infiltration of immune cells was compared between UC and normal groups, and the correlation between different immune cells and diagnostic genes was analyzed. The biological functions, classical pathways, and intermolecular interaction networks of diagnostic genes were characterized utilizing ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). Finally, a TF-mRNA network was constructed and potential small-molecule compounds were screened. Results Thirty-six FR DEGs were obtained, and these were enriched in biological processes such as positive regulation of cytokine production, cytokine-mediated signalling pathway, long-chain fatty acid-CoA ligase activity, etc. Among 18 hub genes, five genes (ALOX5, TIMP1, TNFAIP3, SOCS1, DUOX2) were captured with diagnostic values for UC, and they displayed significant differences between UC and normal groups. Sixteen immune cell infiltrates were significantly different between UC and normal groups, such as activated dendritic cells and resting dendritic cells. TNFAIP3 and ALOX5 were positively correlated with neutrophils, and TIMP1, SOCS1, ALOX5, and DUOX2 were negatively correlated with M2 macrophages. IPA showed that diagnostic genes were related to 43 function modules and activated 17 pathways. The constructed TF-mRNA regulatory network comprised three diagnostic genes and 17 differentially expressed TFs. Potential small-molecule compounds including helveticoside and cymarin were identified. Conclusion Our findings yielded several promising FRGs for UC, providing a scientific reference for further studies on the pathogenesis of UC.
The persistence of L1 patterns in SLA: incidental learning and the boundary crossing constraint

The present study analyses the influence of L1 patterns in the descriptions of motion events by Arab EFL learners. First we establish the differences in the construal of motion events by native speakers of Arabic and English (n=20 for each group). 12 prompts (cartoons) were used where a figure crosses a boundary in a certain manner (running, crawling etc.). In line with the literature (Talmy 1985, 1991, 2000a, 2000b and Slobin 1987 et passim), Arab native speakers avoid the use of manner of motion verbs in the description of these events in their first language and use simple path verbs (e.g. enter, go etc.), whereas speakers of English mostly use manner verbs. These deeply engrained differences between L1 and L2 are a learning challenge in SLA. The same prompts were used with two groups of Arab EFL learners (intermediate, n = 34; advanced, n = 30), who live in the UK. These learners follow the Arabic pattern in English. They use only simple path verbs and avoid the use of manner verbs in the description of the boundary crossings. As the learners do not produce ungrammatical sentences, they will not get negative feedback (e.g. from a teacher) and rely entirely on incidental learning from the input. However, despite the high frequency of these manner verbs in the daily input of the learners, they do not acquire the patterns of the target language even at a high proficiency level. This confirms results from earlier studies with different language pairs (e.g. Larranaga et al. 2012). L1 patterns in the use of manner verbs with boundary crossings are persistent across proficiency levels in L2, and their influence cannot be overcome simply by exposure to the target language. Implicit learning in this context is hardly possible and explicit teaching and learning is needed to overcome the influence of the first language.
Evaluation of the “We Can Do This” Campaign Paid Media and COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake, United States, December 2020–January 2022

Public education campaigns are promising methods for promoting vaccine uptake. In April 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched the We Can Do This COVID-19 public education campaign. This study is one of the first evaluations of this COVID-19 public education campaign. We tested associations between channel-specific campaign exposure (i.e. digital, TV, radio, print, and out-of-home advertising) and COVID-19 first-dose vaccinations among a nationally representative online sample of 3,278 adults. The study introduces novel ways to simultaneously evaluate short- and long-term cumulative media dose, filling an important gap in campaign evaluation literature. We observed a positive, statistically significant relationship between the short-term change in digital media dose and the likelihood of first-dose vaccination, and a positive, statistically significant relationship between long-term cumulative TV dose and the likelihood of first-dose vaccination. Results suggest that both digital and TV ads contributed to vaccination, such that digital media was associated with more immediate behavioral changes, whereas TV gradually shifted behaviors over time. As findings varied by media channel, this study suggests that public education campaigns should consider delivering campaign messages across multiple media channels to enhance campaign reach across audiences.
Characterization and Usefulness of Clot-Fibrinolysis Waveform Analysis in Critical Care Patients with Enhanced or Suppressed Fibrinolysis

Introduction Recently, clot-fibrinolysis waveform analysis (CFWA), which is a coagulation and fibrinolysis global assay based on assessing the activated partial thromboplastin time with tissue-type plasminogen activator, was developed. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of CFWA using plasma samples from patients in the critical care unit. Materials and Methods The fibrinolysis times using CFWA were measured in 298 plasma samples. These samples were divided into three groups based on the reference interval (RI) of fibrinolysis time using CFWA: shortened group, less than RI; within group, within RI; prolonged group, more than RI. The coagulation and fibrinolysis markers, including D-dimer, plasmin–α 2 plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC), fibrin monomer complex (FMC), plasmin–α 2 plasmin inhibitor (α 2 -PI), plasminogen (Plg), and fibrinogen (Fbg) were analyzed and compared among the three groups. Results The FMC level decreased in the order of shortened, within, and prolonged groups, and the decrease was statistically significant among all three group pairs. The opposite tendency was observed for Fbg and fibrinolysis-related markers of α 2 -PI and Plg, and significant differences were recognized in all pair comparisons except for between within and prolonged groups in Plg. The mean values of the fibrinolysis markers D-dimer and PIC in all three groups were higher than the cut-off values, and the PIC value differed significantly between the within and prolonged groups. Conclusion The fibrinolysis reaction was detected in all three groups, but the status differed. CFWA has the potential to reflect the fibrinolysis status in one global assay.
Evaluation of Peyton's Four-Step Approach for Skill Acquisition in Undergraduate Medical Students: A Prospective Randomized Study

Background: Skills laboratory training for procedural skills has gained a lot of significance in recent years. An instructional approach that is becoming increasingly prevalent in medical education is Peyton's four -step approach which demonstrates benefit of peer learning under supervision of teachers. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of application of Peyton's four -step approach versus traditional learning on medical students' performance. Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of training effect of application of Peyton's four -step approach versus traditional learning on medical students' performance to measure blood pressure, and in performing hand washing procedures. As well as to assess and compare student self -satisfaction level and confidence level. Methodology: The present prospective intervention study was carried out among 50 Medical students of Phase I MBBS by 4 faculty members with approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. [Group A (intervention Group) and B (Control Group)], 25 students in each group were selected by using randomization. For the control group; the blood pressure measurement procedure and washing techniques were explained using the two -stage approach ''see one, do one'' and for the study group; each subgroup was trained to perform blood pressure measurement procedure and washing techniques using Peyton's four -step approach. A common scoring checklist for outcome evaluation was prepared to evaluate the student's skills following the training session to avoid discrepancies in scoring among the faculties. Results: It was found that in the control group 52% of students were able to measure blood pressure and in the study group 88% of students were able to do the following skill sessions and in the control group 48% of students were able to wash hands as per required protocol and in study group, 96% of students were able to do following skill sessions. Regarding Student's self -confidence and satisfaction levels, 24% were highly satisfied and confident in the control group as compared to 88% of students in the study group, and a statistical difference was noted in confidence level between two groups. Regarding the average and very good effectiveness of training, a statistical difference was found between control and study group. Conclusions: Students who learnt through using Peyton's four-step approach showed rapid learning, more confidence and exhibited higher competency in performing blood measurement procedure and hand washing techniques than those who learned through traditional method.
Changing cancer mindsets: A randomized controlled feasibility and efficacy trial

A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment can disrupt the full spectrum of physical, social, emotional, and functional quality of life. But existing psychological treatments are focused primarily on specific psychological symptoms as opposed to improving the overall patient experience. We studied the feasibility and efficacy of a novel digital intervention targeting patient mindsets—core assumptions about the nature and meaning of illness—designed to improve overall health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in newly diagnosed cancer patients undergoing treatment with curative intent.
Occupational exposure to cosmetic talc and mesothelioma in barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists: A systematic review of the epidemiology

Inhalation exposure to cosmetic talc has generated much scientific debate regarding its potential as a risk factor for mesothelioma, a rare, but fatal cancer. Barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists have regularly used cosmetic talc-containing products, but the collective epidemiological evidence for mesothelioma in these occupations has yet to be described. As such, we conducted a systematic review of PubMed and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Numbered Publications list to identify original epidemiological literature reporting measures of association between these occupations and incidence of or death from mesothelioma. Literature screening was performed independently twice, the results of which were summarized and tabulated and underwent a review for their accuracy. A total of 12 studies met our inclusion criteria, including three cohort, six case–control, and three proportionate mortality/registration studies. The data from these studies were collected in 13 European and North American countries, spanning more than 50 years. We supplemented this review with queries of occupational mortality databases that are managed by the Washington State Department of Health and NIOSH for 26 U.S. states. Most findings were null and if statistically significant, nearly all showed an inverse relationship, indicative of a protective effect of these occupations on mesothelioma risk. Overall, the epidemiological evidence does not support an increased risk of mesothelioma for these occupations. This research fills an important data gap on the etiology of mesothelioma in barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists, and provides a benchmark for those with comparatively less exposure, such as non-occupational users of similar cosmetic talc-containing products.
Treatment of Anisometropic Amblyopia with a Dichoptic Digital Platform in Argentinian Children and Adults

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate and compare the results of dichoptic training in Argentinian children and adults with anisometropic amblyopia. Methods Prospective non-comparative study enrolling 41 subjects with anisometropic amblyopia (age, 6–60 years old). Two groups were differentiated according to age, children (6–16 years, 24 subjects) and adults (>17 years, 17 subjects). All patients were treated with the Bynocs® platform (Kanohi Eye Pvt. Ltd, India) following a protocol of 30 sessions of training of 30 min daily 5 times a week for 6 weeks. Changes in corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and binocular function (BF) score with treatment were analyzed. Results In the whole sample, CDVA in the amblyopic eye improved significantly, with a mean change of 0.30 logMAR (p < .001). Likewise, a significant improvement was also found in BF score (p < .001), with a mean change of 1.14 log units. The change achieved in CDVA was significantly correlated with the baseline CDVA in the amblyopic eye (r=-0.568, p < .001). Furthermore, no significant differences were found between age groups in the change achieved in CDVA (p = .431) and BF with therapy (p = .760). Conclusions Dichoptic training with the digital platform evaluated provides an effective improvement of visual acuity and binocular function in children and adults with anisometropic amblyopia.
Microbial disease in coral reefs: An ecosystem in transition

Infectious disease outbreaks are considered an important factor for the degradation of coral reefs. Reef-building coral species are susceptible to the influences of black band disease (BBD), characterized by cyanobacteria-dominated microbial mat that migrates rapidly across infected corals, leaving empty coral skeletons behind. We investigate coral-macroalgal phase shift in presence of BBD infection by means of an eco-epidemiological model under the assumption that the transmission of BBD occurs through both contagious and non-contagious pathways. It is observed that in presence of low coral-recruitment rate on algal turf, reduced herbivory and high macroalgal immigration, the system exhibits hysteresis through a saddle-node bifurcation and a transcritical bifurcation. Also, the system undergoes a supercritical Hopf bifurcation followed by a saddle-node bifurcation if BBD-transmission rate crosses certain critical value. We examine the effects of incubation time lag of infectious agents develop in susceptible corals after coming in contact with infected corals and a time lag in the recovery of algal turf in response to grazing of herbivores by performing equilibrium and stability analyses of delay-differential forms of the ODE model. Computer simulations have been carried out to illustrate different analytical results.
A Thompson Sampling Algorithm With Logarithmic Regret for Unimodal Gaussian Bandit

In this article, we propose a Thompson sampling algorithm with Gaussian prior for unimodal bandit under Gaussian reward setting, where the expected reward is unimodal over the partially ordered arms. To exploit the unimodal structure better, at each step, instead of exploration from the entire decision space, the proposed algorithm makes decisions according to posterior distribution only in the arm’s neighborhood with the highest empirical mean estimate. We theoretically prove that the asymptotic regret of our algorithm reaches $\mathcal {O}(\log T)$ , i.e., it shares the same regret order with asymptotic optimal algorithms, which is comparable to extensive existing state-of-the-art unimodal multiarm bandit (U-MAB) algorithms. Finally, we use extensive experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm on both synthetic datasets and real-world applications.
Prognostic significance of long noncoding RNA TTN‐AS1 in various malignancies

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that high TTN‐AS1 expression is highly related to poor prognosis in diverse human cancers. However, the findings concerning the prognostic value of TTN‐AS1 were inconsistent, as these conclusions were usually drawn with relatively small sample sizes. Hence, this meta‐analysis proposes to investigate the prognostic significance of TTN‐AS1 in multiple malignancies systematically.
Algorithms and monte carlo methods in computational biology

We study three different aspects of computational biology: interacting particle systems, phylogenetic distance methods, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo. Our study of interacting particle systems has two components: First, a Windows-based simulator has been developed. It serves as a platform for many spatial biology studies; for example, plasmid transfer in biofilms. Second, a specific ecological model of multi-species cross-feeding has been studied using the simulator, where we have observed spatial self-organization and pattern formation (particularly, spiral waves). A mathematical derivation, which is based on analysis of partial differential equations, explains the phase-transitions observed in simulations. Distance methods have been widely used to infer phylogenies (evolution trees among different species) because they are fast and reasonably accurate. In this study, we have proved that a popular distance method named neighbor-joining is in fact a special case of least squares methods. The proof relates neighbor-joining to least squares statistics. Hence it provides an explanation for the robustness and accuracy of neighbor-joining. In an empirical study of MCMC, we investigate, through extensive simulations. , how a mixture of local and heavy-tailed proposals (a.k.a. "small world proposals") can dramatically increase the convergence rates of Markov chains that admit stationary measures that are multi-modal. In the theoretical part of the study, we have proved, using techniques of state decomposition and isoperimetric inequalities for log-concave distributions, that the ''small world proposals" turn a "slowly mixing" chain into a "rapidly mixing" chain.