Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Teaching and Learning Continuity Amid and Beyond the Pandemic

The study explored the challenges and issues in teaching and learning continuity of public higher education in the Philippines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employed the exploratory mixed-method triangulation design and analyzed the data gathered from 3, 989 respondents composed of students and faculty members. It was found out that during school lockdowns, the teachers made adjustments in teaching and learning designs guided by the policies implemented by the institution. Most of the students had difficulty complying with the learning activities and requirements due to limited or no internet connectivity. Emerging themes were identified from the qualitative responses to include the trajectory for flexible learning delivery, the role of technology, the teaching and learning environment, and the prioritization of safety and security. Scenario analysis provided the contextual basis for strategic actions amid and beyond the pandemic. To ensure teaching and learning continuity, it is concluded that higher education institutions have to migrate to flexible teaching and learning modality recalibrate the curriculum, capacitate the faculty, upgrade the infrastructure, implement a strategic plan and assess all aspects of the plan.
Enhancing Ocean Biogeochemical Models With Phytoplankton Variable Composition

Chlorophyll (Chl) is widely taken as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, despite well-known variations in Chl:C:biomass ratios as an acclimative response to changing environmental conditions. For the sake of simplicity and computational efficiency, many large scale biogeochemical models ignore this flexibility, compromising their ability to capture phytoplankton dynamics. Here we evaluate modelling approaches of differing complexity for phytoplankton growth response: fixed stoichiometry, fixed stoichiometry with photoacclimation, classical variable-composition with photoacclimation, and Instantaneous Acclimation with optimal resource allocation. Model performance is evaluated against biogeochemical observations from time-series sites BATS and ALOHA, where phytoplankton composition varies substantially. We analyse the sensitivity of each model variant to the affinity parameters for light and nutrient, respectively. Models with fixed stoichiometry are more sensitive to parameter perturbations, but the inclusion of photoacclimation in the fixed-stoichiometry model generally captures Chl observations better than other variants when individually tuned for each site and when using similar parameter sets for both sites. Compared to the fixed stoichiometry model including photoacclimation, models with variable C:N ratio perform better in cross-validation experiments using model-specific parameter sets tuned for the other site; i.e., they are more portable. Compared to typical variable composition approaches, instantaneous acclimation, which requires fewer state variables, generally yields better performance but somewhat lower portability than the fully dynamic variant. Further assessments using objective optimisation and more contrasting stations are suggested.
The Progress of Label-Free Optical Imaging in Alzheimer’s Disease Screening and Diagnosis

As the major neurodegenerative disease of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has caused an enormous social and economic burden on society. Currently, AD has neither clear pathogenesis nor effective treatments. Positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been verified as potential tools for diagnosing and monitoring Alzheimer’s disease. However, the high costs, low spatial resolution, and long acquisition time limit their broad clinical utilization. The gold standard of AD diagnosis routinely used in research is imaging AD biomarkers with dyes or other reagents, which are unsuitable for in vivo studies owing to their potential toxicity and prolonged and costly process of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for human use. Furthermore, these exogenous reagents might bring unwarranted interference to mechanistic studies, causing unreliable results. Several label-free optical imaging techniques, such as infrared spectroscopic imaging (IRSI), Raman spectroscopic imaging (RSI), optical coherence tomography (OCT), autofluorescence imaging (AFI), optical harmonic generation imaging (OHGI), etc., have been developed to circumvent this issue and made it possible to offer an accurate and detailed analysis of AD biomarkers. In this review, we present the emerging label-free optical imaging techniques and their applications in AD, along with their potential and challenges in AD diagnosis.
Occurrence of High Microsatellite-Instability/Mismatch Repair Deficiency in Nearly 2,000 Human Adenocarcinomas of the Gastrointestinal Tract, Pancreas, and Bile Ducts: A Study From a Large German Comprehensive Cancer Center

Introduction Knowledge of the high microsatellite-instability (MSI-H)/mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd) status is of increasing interest for personalized neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy planning. Only a few studies are available on MSI-H distribution in the Northern European Caucasian patient population. In this study, we focused on a large cohort of tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Materials and Methods Surgical material from a total of 1,965 patients was analyzed for MSI-H/MMRd status (including 1,267 carcinomas of the esophagus or stomach). All tumors were analyzed with an internationally recommended immunohistochemical panel consisting of four antibodies (MLH1, MSH2, PMS2, and MSH6). The results were molecularly objectified. Results Adenocarcinomas with MSI-H/MMRd were detected with the following distribution: esophagus (1.4%), stomach (8.3%), small intestine (18.2%), large intestine (8.5%), intrahepatic bile ducts (1.9%), and pancreas (0%). In case of gastric tumors with MSI-H/MMRd, neoadjuvant therapy did not influence the prognosis of patients (p = 0.94). Within all tumor entities with MSI-H/MMRd, patients with a UICC stage 4 were also represented. In this advanced stage, 11.7% of patients with MSS tumors were diagnosed compared to 0.5% of patients with MSI-H tumors relative to the entire tumor collective. Discussion In this study, the proportion of MSI-H/MMRd tumors in the stomach is smaller than would have been expected in knowledge of the data published by TCGA or AGRC. Negative prognostic effects regarding MSI-H status and neoadjuvant therapy as described by the MAGIC study group were not seen in our cohort. The extent to which the MSI-H/MMRd status should be known for neoadjuvant therapy planning must be clarified in prospective studies in the future. At present, there is no convincing data to dispense the neoadjuvant therapy for gastric carcinoma. Due to the very convincing, positive data regarding the response rates of MSI-H tumors to treatment with PD1/PD-L1 inhibitors, every metastatic carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract should be tested for its MSI-H status.
Psychosocial Factors Influencing Outdoor Recreation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented disruption to daily life for large swaths of individuals and resulted in potentially widespread implications for individuals' health and wellbeing. This study utilized an online survey of avid outdoor recreationists to understand the psychosocial factors influencing recreationist behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic across rural, urban cluster, and urban communities in the United States. Confirmatory factor analyses indicate that the five studied psychosocial factors–perceived risk, social norms, recommendations from authority, health benefits, and lifestyle adjustments–exist as unique constructs influencing individuals' outdoor recreation behaviors. Repeated measures analyses suggest individuals rated seeking benefits to their general health as most important when making outdoor recreation decisions, followed by recommendations from authority, then perceptions of risk, with lifestyle adjustments and social norms rated as least important. Lastly, analysis across community types indicated individuals across the rural-urban gradient weighed perceptions of risk and recommendations from authority differently when making outdoor recreation decisions. Managerial implications and future directions for research are discussed.
Rehospitalization and “Revolving Door” in Anorexia Nervosa: Are There Any Predictors of Time to Readmission?

Objective: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe psychiatric illness with multifactorial etiology and unsatisfactory treatment outcomes. Hospitalization is required for a substantial number of patients, and readmission (RA) commonly occurs. Some individuals need multiple hospitalizations sometimes over a short amount of time, thus, delineating the “revolving door” (RD) phenomenon. However, very little is known about readmissions and their frequency in AN. Therefore, we aimed to longitudinally investigate readmissions in AN in order to: (a) characterize patients with AN who need readmission (i.e., RA-AN), sometimes rapidly (RD-AN); (b) ascertain differences between RA-AN and non-RA-AN groups during baseline hospitalization; (c) investigate as to whether clinical or psychometric parameters worsened on RA; and (d) analyze predictors of time-to-readmission in AN. Methods: A total of 170 inpatients with AN were enrolled at their baseline hospitalization; all their subsequent rehospitalizations were recorded with a longitudinal design by which each patient has been observed for 3 years. Patients were classified as RD-AN if requiring a readmission <12 months since last discharge. Clinical characteristics were measured upon admission and discharge for each hospitalization, and at all time points, patients completed questionnaires assessing eating and general psychopathology, and body shape concerns. Results: Sixty-seven patients (39.4%) needed at least one readmission and 62 (92.5% of RA-AN) reported RD. Compared with non-RA-AN, those with RA-AN were younger, reported a shorter duration of illness, and were more frequently diagnosed with AN-BP. Also, greater severity of anxious and depressive symptoms and body shape concerns emerged in the RA-AN group. The outcome of baseline hospitalization did not differ between groups, and only depressive symptoms worsened at readmission. Shorter duration of AN and low weight gain during baseline hospitalization predicted early readmission but did not survive statistical control. In contrast, high scores on drive for thinness upon baseline hospital entry robustly predicted a shorter time to readmission even after statistical control. Discussion: Individuals with AN who require readmission do so over a short period notwithstanding a positive treatment outcome during their baseline hospitalization. Shorter time-to-readmission can be predicted mostly in case of marked drive for thinness and poor weight gain at baseline hospital admission.
Distinct Signaling Pathways Distinguish in vivo From in vitro Growth in Murine Ovarian Follicle Activation and Maturation

Women with cancer and low ovarian reserves face serious challenges in infertility treatment. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation is currently used for such patients to preserve fertility. One major challenge is the activation of dormant ovarian follicles, which is hampered by our limited biological understanding of molecular determinants that activate dormant follicles and help maintain healthy follicles during growth. Here, we investigated the transcriptomes of oocytes isolated from dormant (primordial) and activated (primary) follicles under in vivo and in vitro conditions. We compared the biological relevance of the initial molecular markers of mature metaphase II (MII) oocytes developed in vivo or in vitro. The expression levels of genes involved in the cell cycle, signal transduction, and Wnt signaling were highly enriched in oocytes from primary follicles and MII oocytes. Interestingly, we detected strong downregulation of the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in oocytes from primordial follicles, in contrast to oocytes from primary follicles and MII oocytes. Our results showed a dynamic pattern in mitochondrial and ROS production-related genes, emphasizing their important role(s) in primordial follicle activation and oocyte maturation. The transcriptome of MII oocytes showed a major divergence from that of oocytes of primordial and primary follicles.
Clinical Outcomes of Salvage Endoscopic Nasopharyngectomy for Patients With Advanced Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Background Salvage endoscopic nasopharyngectomy has better survival prognosis and fewer complications in the management of early stage rNPC, compared to re-irradiation. However, the treatment modality of advanced recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rNPC) remains controversial. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the demographics, clinical outcomes, and prognostic factors associated with salvage endoscopic nasopharyngectomy in advanced rNPC. Methods This study conducted a retrospective analysis of advanced rNPC patients who underwent salvage surgery betweenm January 2014 and December 2019. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed. Univariable and multivariable analyses of OS and PFS were performed using the Cox regression model. The predicted values of the parameters were determined by means of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results Among the 120 patients included, there were 75 patients with rT3 stage and 45 patients with rT4 stage. With the median follow-up time of 18 months,the 3 -year OS and PFS were 55.2% and 29.4%, respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that the rNPC patients with older age, low BMI (Body Mass Index), rT4 stage, tumor necrosis, and tumor invasion into the ICA was predictive of worse OS, whereas low BMI and rT4 stage were associated with worse PFS. In addition, the rT stage was identified as a better predictor of OS (area under the ROC curve: 0.669; P=0.003) than the other clinical features. Conclusions Salvage treatment using endoscopic nasopharyngectomy appears to be an effective treatment in the management of patients with advanced rNPC. In addition, case matching studies and prospective studies with larger clinical samples are required to further evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic surgery compared with re-irradiation in advanced rNPC.
The Search for Origin of Young Adoptees—A Clinical Study

In the current area of social media propagation, the adoptees' search for the birth family is increasingly reversed: more and more adopted adolescents are contacted directly by their birth parents, even if they did not search for them. This study explores the impact of these new forms of contact between adoptive family members and birth family members, through the qualitative analysis of clinical protocols of five adoptive families that sought counseling in a clinical setting devoted to international adoption. The interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed three themes. Two of them shared by the parents and their children: the feelings of anxiety and intrusion, as well as the feelings of guilt and debt. The last theme concerns only the parents: feelings of endangered family relations and can be divided into two sub-themes: feelings of threat by the birth family, feelings of an undermined parental role. Nevertheless, these new kinds of confrontations with the children's origins bear a potential of renegotiating adoptive family relationships and positive effects on mutual feeling of filiation. Exploring the impact of the search of adoptees by the birth family enables professionals involved in adoption to improve preventive and supportive work in the adoption process.
Kaempferol Alleviates Murine Experimental Colitis by Restoring Gut Microbiota and Inhibiting the LPS-TLR4-NF-κB Axis

Intestinal microbiota dysbiosis is an established characteristic of ulcerative colitis (UC). Regulating the gut microbiota is an attractive alternative UC treatment strategy, considering the potential adverse effects of synthetic drugs used to treat UC. Kaempferol (Kae) is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant flavonoid derived from a variety of medicinal plants. In this study, we determined the efficacy and mechanism of action of Kae as an anti-UC agent in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice. DSS challenge in a mouse model of UC led to weight loss, diarrhea accompanied by mucous and blood, histological abnormalities, and shortening of the colon, all of which were significantly alleviated by pretreatment with Kae. In addition, intestinal permeability was shown to improve using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)–dextran administration. DSS-induced destruction of the intestinal barrier was also significantly prevented by Kae administration via increases in the levels of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1. Furthermore, Kae pretreatment decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α and downregulated transcription of an array of inflammatory signaling molecules, while it increased IL-10 mRNA expression. Notably, Kae reshaped the intestinal microbiome by elevating the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio; increasing the linear discriminant analysis scores of beneficial bacteria, such as Prevotellaceae and Ruminococcaceae; and reducing the richness of Proteobacteria in DSS-challenged mice. There was also an evident shift in the profile of fecal metabolites in the Kae treatment group. Serum LPS levels and downstream TLR4-NF-κB signaling were downregulated by Kae supplementation. Moreover, fecal microbiota transplantation from Kae-treated mice to the DSS-induced mice confirmed the effects of Kae on modulating the gut microbiota to alleviate UC. Therefore, Kae may exert protective effects against colitis mice through regulating the gut microbiota and TLR4-related signaling pathways. This study demonstrates the anti-UC effects of Kae and its potential therapeutic mechanisms, and offers novel insights into the prevention of inflammatory diseases using natural products.
Parental Reports of Preschoolers' Lexical and Syntactic Development: Validation of the CDI-III for European Portuguese

This study presents the validation analysis of the European Portuguese version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory III (CDI-III-PT). The CDI-III-PT is a parental report measure allowing researchers to assess expressive vocabulary and the syntactic abilities of children aged 2;6–4;0. In this study, we present a version comprising a lexical subscale which follows the Swedish adaptation and an original syntactic subscale allowing us to include language-specific structures. The reports of 739 children were collected; in addition, a standardized measure of language was also administered to a sub-sample of these children and the reports of preschool teachers were collected for another sub-sample. The results indicate a high internal consistency of the lexical and syntactic subscales. As for sociodemographic variables often found to be predictors of language development, as measured by this type of instrument, the results indicate that age and maternal education are significant predictors of the scores, and that first-born children attain higher scores in vocabulary than later born children, but no significant gender differences were found. The scores of the CDI-III-PT are positively correlated with the ones obtained in the standardized language measure, thus supporting their validity. A high agreement between the reports of parents and teachers was also found. These findings indicate that the CDI-III-PT has adequate psychometric properties and that it can be a useful tool for research and clinical practice. The age-based norms that are now provided can be used to evaluate whether a child is performing poorly compared to their peers.
Internal and External Factors’ Influence on Recycling: Insights From a Laboratory Experiment With Observed Behavior

Internal psychological factors, such as intentions and personal norms, are central predictors of pro-environmental behavior in many theoretical models, whereas the influence from external factors such as the physical environment is seldom considered. Even rarer is studying how internal factors interact with the physical context in which decisions take place. In the current study, we addressed the relative influence and interaction of psychological and environmental factors on pro-environmental behavior. A laboratory experiment presented participants (N = 399) with a choice to dispatch a used plastic cup in a recycling or general waste bin after participating in a staged “yogurt taste test. ” Results showed how the spatial positioning of bins explained more than half of the variance in recycling behavior whilst self-reported recycling intentions were not related to which bin they used. Rinsing cups (to reduce contamination) before recycling, on the other hand, was related to both behavioral intention and external factors. These results show that even seemingly small differences in a choice context can influence how well internal psychological factors predict behavior and how aspects of the physical environment can assist the alignment of behavior and intentions, as well as steering behavior regardless of motivation.
Integrated Bioinformatics and Validation Reveal Potential Biomarkers Associated With Progression of Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome

Background Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease of the exocrine glands characterized by specific pathological features. Previous studies have pointed out that salivary glands from pSS patients express a unique profile of cytokines, adhesion molecules, and chemokines compared to those from healthy controls. However, there is limited evidence supporting the utility of individual markers for different stages of pSS. This study aimed to explore potential biomarkers associated with pSS disease progression and analyze the associations between key genes and immune cells. Methods We combined our own RNA sequencing data with pSS datasets from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) via bioinformatics analysis. Salivary gland biopsies were collected from 14 pSS patients, 6 non-pSS patients, and 6 controls. Histochemical staining and scanning electron micrographs (SEM) were performed to macroscopically and microscopically characterize morphological features of labial salivary glands in different disease stages. Then, we performed quantitative PCR to validate hub genes. Finally, we analyzed correlations between selected hub genes and immune cells using the CIBERSORT algorithm. Results We identified twenty-eight DEGs that were upregulated in pSS patients compared to healthy controls. These were mainly involved in immune-related pathways and infection-related pathways. According to the morphological features of minor salivary glands, severe interlobular and periductal lymphocytic infiltrates, acinar atrophy and collagen in the interstitium, nuclear shrinkage, and microscopic organelle swelling were observed with pSS disease progression. Hub genes based on above twenty-eight DEGs, including MS4A1, CD19, TCL1A, CCL19, CXCL9, CD3G, and CD3D, were selected as potential biomarkers and verified by RT-PCR. Expression of these genes was correlated with T follicular helper cells, memory B cells and M1 macrophages. Conclusion Using transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis combined with our clinical data, we identified seven key genes that have potential value for evaluating pSS severity.