Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Designing Authentic Online Distance Learning Assessments in Teaching Asian History

Authentic assessments are known to provide evidence of skills application because these mirror tasks in real world situations. This study attempts to address the question: How can designing authentic online distance learning assessments improve student performance in an Asian History class? Primary research data was obtained by selecting one Grade 7 intact class (N=38) with lesson on “Physical Features of Asia”. A learning guide and learning playlist were designed with authentic assessments using G Suite for Education applications. Thereafter, formal class sessions were facilitated to validate curriculum preparation and assessment design, where content processing and feedback-giving were carried out in a virtual classroom setting. The action research study employed the mixed-method approach. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics while descriptive data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results of this study show that authentic assessments enabled students to apply their skills in performing authentic tasks. They demonstrated learning based on their high assessment scores, high self-assessment ratings, and highly positive perception on how the lesson was delivered. Teachers also reflected on the relevance of what they teach, affirming that such tasks increased student engagement and motivated them to demonstrate what they have learned. The implications of this study help students develop their 21st century skills and make them future ready.
Teacher's acceptance of online education platform into foreign language teaching in Chinese higher education

China's increasingly frequent multilateral economic trade activities require continuous cultivate high-quality foreign language talents. With the outbreak of the COVID-19, foreign language teaching in universities is confronted with the rapid transition of teaching mode, and teacher's using status of online teaching platforms is urgently demanded to be understood. The purpose of this research is to explore the variable factors that influence teachers’ intention to use online teaching platforms. This research uses the Technology Acceptance Model which has a relatively complete explanatory ability as the theoretical basis, extracts two core independent variables and introduces experience as interference factors to construct the framework of this research. Taking Guangxi universities as an example, a questionnaire survey was distributed to 35 universities, with 263 foreign language teachers participated anonymously. The results of data analysis can help education researchers comprehend the current foreign language teachers’ using status of online teaching platforms, at the same time provide a knowledge-based understanding of how to optimize and cultivate teachers informationization teaching capabilities to governments and universities.
Mapping the types of modularity in open-source hardware

Abstract The importance of intangible code modularity in open-source software, as well as of tangible product modularity in proprietary hardware, is widely acknowledged. Nevertheless, modularity in open-source hardware (OSH) remains under-researched. This article first describes qualitatively different types of modularity based on two OSH case studies and then quantifies each type of modularity, following a unified network-based approach. The results are discussed and compared within each case to test the ‘mirroring hypothesis’, and between cases to evaluate the impact of physical against intangible modularity types. The ultimate goal is to prompt a discussion into a wide but under-explored subset in OSH.
Rotation and shear control of a weakly magnetized plasma column using current injection by emissive electrodes

The evolution of the radial profile of the rotation of a weakly magnetized plasma column is investigated experimentally in a radio-frequency argon plasma at low pressure when a strong electron current is emitted by large emissive cathodes. Current injection from large emissive cathodes over a background plasma column (with a plasma density of a few $10^{18}\ \textrm {m}^{-3}$) is characterized. Radial scans of the ion velocity show that a continuous control of the rotation profile may be obtained using two spatial configurations for the locations of the emissive cathodes (either in the centre or at the edge of the plasma column). The rotation profile results from the electric drift velocity, damped by the drag exerted on the ions. We demonstrate that the evolution of the rotation profile with the injected current is then controlled by the modification of the plasma potential profile in the presence of strongly emissive cathodes.
Deprivation of dietary fiber in specific-pathogen-free mice promotes susceptibility to the intestinal mucosal pathogen Citrobacter rodentium

The change of dietary habits in Western societies, including reduced consumption of fiber, is linked to alterations in gut microbial ecology. Nevertheless, mechanistic connections between diet-induced microbiota changes that affect colonization resistance and enteric pathogen susceptibility are still emerging. We sought to investigate how a diet devoid of soluble plant fibers impacts the structure and function of a conventional gut microbiota in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) mice and how such changes alter susceptibility to a rodent enteric pathogen. We show that absence of dietary fiber intake leads to shifts in the abundances of specific taxa, microbiome-mediated erosion of the colonic mucus barrier, a reduction of intestinal barrier-promoting short-chain fatty acids, and increases in markers of mucosal barrier integrity disruption. Importantly, our results highlight that these low fiber diet-induced changes in the gut microbial ecology collectively contribute to a lethal colitis by the mucosal pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, which is used as a mouse model for enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EPEC and EHEC, respectively). Our study indicates that modern, low-fiber Western diets might make individuals more prone to infection by enteric pathogens via the disruption of mucosal barrier integrity by diet-driven changes in the gut microbiota, illustrating possible implications for EPEC and EHEC infections.
Oncomodulin Delays Age-Related Hearing Loss in C57 and CBA Mice

Ca2+ signaling is a major contributor to sensory hair cell function in the cochlea. Oncomodulin (OCM) is a Ca2+ binding protein preferentially expressed in outer hair cells of the cochlea and few other specialized cell types. Here, we expand on our previous reports and show that OCM prevents early progressive hearing loss in mice of two different genetic backgrounds: CBA/CaJ and C57BI/6J. In both backgrounds, genetic disruption of Ocm leads to early progressive hearing loss as measured by auditory brainstem response (ABR) and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE). In both strains, loss of Ocm reduced hearing across lifetime (hearing span) by more than 50% relative to wild type (WT). Even though the two WT strains have very different hearing spans, OCM plays a considerable and similar role within their genetic environment to regulate hearing function. The accelerated ARHL of the Ocm KO illustrates the importance of Ca2+ signaling in maintaining hearing health.
Cerebral hemodynamics: a mathematical model including autoregulation, baroreflex and extracranial peripheral circulation

Cerebral autoregulation, the physiological capability to regulate cerebral blood flow, may be assisted by short-term mean arterial pressure control via baroreflex, which, among several effects, modulates total peripheral resistance. It is unclear, however, whether the resistance of the head and neck vasculatures is also affected by baroreflex and whether these extracranial vessels assist autoregulation. Since sensing technologies such as functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and noninvasive intracranial pressure monitoring by strain gauge may be influenced by superficial tissue, it is clinically relevant to understand the relations between intracranial and extracranial hemodynamics. Therefore, we created an autoregulation model consisting of arteries and arterioles regulated by the intralumial pressure and microcirculation regulated by local blood flow. As the first critical step to quantify the signal deterioration introduced by the extracranial circulation on superficial sensors, the extracranial peripheral circulation of the head and neck and baroreflex regulation of the peripheral vasculature and of heart rate were also included. During simulations of a bout of acute hypotension, the model predicts a rapid return of cerebral blood flow to baseline levels and a prolonged suppression of the blood flow to the external carotid vasculature, in accordance with experimental evidence. The inclusion of peripheral control via baroreflex at the external carotid vasculature did not assist cerebral autoregulation, thus we raise the hypothesis that baroreflex may act on the head and neck vasculatures but this action has negligible effects on regulation of cerebral blood flow. When autoregulation is impaired, results suggest that the blood flow of the brain and of the head and neck present similar dynamics, while they are weakly coupled when autoregulation is intact. The model also provides a mechanistic explanation of the protection brought by cerebral autoregulation to the microvasculature and to the brain parenchyma. Our model forms the foundation for predicting the interference introduced by the superficial tissue to nonivasive sensors.
Transcranial stimulation of alpha oscillations up-regulates the default mode network

Significance In the brain’s functional organization, the default mode network (DMN) represents a key architecture, whose dysregulation is involved in a host of major neuropsychiatric disorders. However, insights into the regulation of the DMN remain scarce. Through neural synchrony, the alpha-frequency oscillation represents another key underpinning of the brain’s organization and is thought to share an inherent interdependence with the DMN. Here, we demonstrated that transcranial alternating current stimulation of alpha oscillations (α-tACS) not only augmented alpha activity but also strengthened connectivity of the DMN, with the former serving as a mediator of the latter. These findings reveal that alpha oscillations can support DMN functioning. In addition, they identify an effective noninvasive approach to regulate the DMN via α-tACS. The default mode network (DMN) is the most-prominent intrinsic connectivity network, serving as a key architecture of the brain’s functional organization. Conversely, dysregulated DMN is characteristic of major neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the field still lacks mechanistic insights into the regulation of the DMN and effective interventions for DMN dysregulation. The current study approached this problem by manipulating neural synchrony, particularly alpha (8 to 12 Hz) oscillations, a dominant intrinsic oscillatory activity that has been increasingly associated with the DMN in both function and physiology. Using high-definition alpha-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (α-tACS) to stimulate the cortical source of alpha oscillations, in combination with simultaneous electroencephalography and functional MRI (EEG-fMRI), we demonstrated that α-tACS (versus Sham control) not only augmented EEG alpha oscillations but also strengthened fMRI and (source-level) alpha connectivity within the core of the DMN. Importantly, increase in alpha oscillations mediated the DMN connectivity enhancement. These findings thus identify a mechanistic link between alpha oscillations and DMN functioning. That transcranial alpha modulation can up-regulate the DMN further highlights an effective noninvasive intervention to normalize DMN functioning in various disorders.
Acetylated microtubules are required for maintenance of the barrier between two adjacent tissues

Microtubule acetylation is found in populations of stable, long-lived microtubules, occurring on the conserved lysine 40 (K40) residue of α-tubulin, catalyzed by α-tubulin acetyltransferases (αTATs). K40 acetylation has been shown to stabilize microtubules via enhancing microtubule resilience against mechanical stress. Here we show that Drosophila CG17003/leaky (Lky), an αTAT, is required for proper oogenesis. We found that loss of lky disrupted the cell junction between germline cyst and follicle epithelial cells, adjacent cells that form an egg chamber. This resulted in leakage of germline contents into somatic follicle cells. The follicle cells that received germline-derived nanos gene product failed to maintain their cell fate, leading to an egg chamber fusion. The same phenotype was observed upon replacement of major α-tubulin84BK40 with α-tubulin84BK40A (non-acetylable tubulin), suggesting α-tubulinK40 acetylation is required for the boundary integrity of these two adjacent tissues. Taken together, this study provides the first in vivo function of tubulin acetylation in maintaining the integrity of a tissue barrier.
High-level language brain regions are sensitive to sub-lexical regularities

A network of left frontal and temporal brain regions supports ‘high-level’ language processing— including the processing of word meanings, as well as word-combinatorial processing—across presentation modalities. This ‘core’ language network has been argued to store our knowledge of words and constructions as well as constraints on how those combine to form sentences. However, our linguistic knowledge additionally includes information about sounds (phonemes) and how they combine to form clusters, syllables, and words. Is this knowledge of phoneme combinatorics also represented in these language regions? Across five fMRI experiments, we investigated the sensitivity of high-level language processing brain regions to sub-lexical linguistic sound patterns by examining responses to diverse nonwords—sequences of sounds/letters that do not constitute real words (e.g., punes, silory, flope). We establish robust responses in the language network to visually (Experiment 1a, n=605) and auditorily (Experiments 1b, n=12, and 1c, n=13) presented nonwords relative to baseline. In Experiment 2 (n=16), we find stronger responses to nonwords that obey the phoneme-combinatorial constraints of English. Finally, in Experiment 3 (n=14) and a post-hoc analysis of Experiment 2, we provide suggestive evidence that the responses in Experiments 1 and 2 are not due to the activation of real words that share some phonology with the nonwords. The results suggest that knowledge of phoneme combinatorics and representations of sub-lexical linguistic sound patterns are stored within the same fronto-temporal network that stores higher-level linguistic knowledge and supports word and sentence comprehension.
Norm Values and Psychometric Properties of the 24-Item Demoralization Scale (DS-I) in a Representative Sample of the German General Population

Purpose: The Demoralization scale (DS-I) is a validated and frequently used instrument to assess existential distress in patients with cancer and other severe medical illness. The purpose of this study was to provide normative values derived from a representative German general population sample and to analyze the correlational structure of the DS-I. Methods: A representative sample of the adult German general population completed the DS-I (24 Items), the Emotion Thermometers (ET) measuring distress, anxiety, depression, anger, need for help, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale (FACIT-fatigue). Results: The sample consists of N = 2,407 adults (mean age = 49.8; range = 18–94 years), 55.7% women). The percentages of participants above the DS-I cutoff (≥30) was 13.5%. The mean scores of the DS-I dimensions were as follows: (1) loss of meaning and purpose: M = 2.78 SD = 4.49; (2) disheartenment: M = 3.19 SD = 4.03; (3) dysphoria M = 4.51 SD = 3.20; (4) sense of failure: M = 6.24 SD = 3.40; and for the DS-I total score: M = 16.72 SD = 12.74. Women reported significantly higher levels of demoralization than men, with effect sizes between d = 0.09 (Loss of Meaning) and d = 0.21 (Dysphoria). Age was not associated with demoralization in our sample. DS-I reliability was excellent (α = 0.94) and DS-I subscales were interrelated (r between 0.31 and 0.87) and significantly correlated with ET, especially depression, anxiety, and need for help and fatigue (r between 0.14 and 0.69). Conclusions: In order to use the DS-I as a screening tool in clinical practice and research the normative values are essential for comparing the symptom burden of groups of patients within the health care system to the general population. Age and sex differences between groups of patients can be accounted for using the presented normative scores of the DS-I.
Two Arabidopsis Homologs of Human Lysine-Specific Demethylase Function in Epigenetic Regulation of Plant Defense Responses

Epigenetic marks such as covalent histone modification and DNA methylation are crucial for mitotically and meiotically inherited cellular memory-based plant immunity. However, the roles of individual players in the epigenetic regulation of plant immunity are not fully understood. Here we reveal the functions of two Arabidopsis thaliana homologs of human lysine-specific demethylase1-like1, LDL1 and LDL2, in the maintenance of methyl groups at lysine 4 of histone H3 and in plant immunity to Pseudomonas syringae infection. The growth of virulent P. syringae strains was reduced in ldl1 and ldl2 single mutants compared to wild-type plants. Local and systemic disease resistance responses, which coincided with the rapid, robust transcription of defense-related genes, were more stably expressed in ldl1 ldl2 double mutants than in the single mutants. At the nucleosome level, mono-methylated histone H3K4 accumulated in ldl1 ldl2 plants genome-wide and in the mainly promoter regions of the defense-related genes examined in this study. Furthermore, in silico comparative analysis of RNA-sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation data suggested that several WRKY transcription factors, e.g., WRKY22/40/70, might be partly responsible for the enhanced immunity of ldl1 ldl2. These findings suggest that LDL1 and LDL2 control the transcriptional sensitivity of a group of defense-related genes to establish a primed defense response in Arabidopsis.
Primary Hepatic Leiomyoma in a Healthy Middle-Aged Woman: Literature Review and Case Report

Introduction: Primary hepatic leiomyoma (PHL) is a rare benign hepatic tumor with unclear pathogenesis. It more commonly occurs in immunosuppressed patients, while only 24 cases have been described among immunocompetent individuals. To date, only one successful preoperative diagnosis of PHL has been achieved. Case Presentation: Here we report a case of PHL in a middle-aged woman with no history of immunosuppression. Preoperative diagnosis of PHL was established using ultrasound-guided fine needle trucut biopsy (FNTB). Nevertheless, due to the growing nature of tumor and patient's symptoms, we proceeded with surgical resection, which confirmed the diagnosis of PHL. At 6-month follow up, the patient is in good condition with no evidence of tumor recurrence. Conclusions: PHL is an uncommon tumor that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of rare liver tumors. Image guided FNTB appears to be effective in achieving preoperative diagnosis of PHL. Surgical resection, however, remains both diagnostic and curative in the management of PHL.
Phenolic Compounds From Brewer's Spent Grains: Toward Green Recovery Methods and Applications in the Cosmetic Industry

Brewers' spent grain (BSG) is the main by-product derived from the brewing industry, where it accounts for 85% of the total waste generated. The total annual production worldwide of this waste is 39 million tons. This lignocellulosic material is traditionally used as cattle feed and sold at a low retail price (~USD 45.00 per ton). However, efforts for the revalorization of this by-product are emerging since research has established that it can be used as a low-cost source of bioactive molecules and commodity chemicals that can bring value to integral biorefinery ventures. Among commodities, phenolic compounds have attracted attention as added-value products due to their antioxidant properties with applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. These phytochemicals have been associated with antiaging and anticancer activities that have potential applications on cosmetic products. This mini-review summarizes the most relevant extraction techniques used for the recovery of phenolic compounds from BSG while discussing their advantages and shortcomings and the potential applications from BSG bioactive extracts in the cosmetic industry and their reported beneficial effects. This mini-review also makes a brief comment on the role of phenolic compounds extraction in the economic feasibility of an integral BSG biorefinery.
Addressing the Antimicrobial Resistance of Ruminant Mycoplasmas Using a Clinical Surveillance Network

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance of mycoplasmas of veterinary importance has been held back for years due to lack of harmonized methods for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and interpretative criteria, resulting in a crucial shortage of data. To address AMR in ruminant mycoplasmas, we mobilized a long-established clinical surveillance network called “Vigimyc. ” Here we describe our surveillance strategy and detail the results obtained during a 2-year monitoring period. We also assess how far our system complies with current guidelines on AMR surveillance and how it could serve to build epidemiological cut-off values (ECOFFs), as a first attainable criterion to help harmonize monitoring efforts and move forward to clinical breakpoints. Clinical surveillance through Vigimyc enables continuous collection, identification and preservation of Mycoplasma spp. isolates along with metadata. The most frequent pathogens, i.e., M. bovis and species belonging to M. mycoides group, show stable clinicoepidemiological trends and were included for annual AST. In the absence of interpretative criteria for ruminant mycoplasmas, we compared yearly minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results against reference datasets. We also ran a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis on the overall service provided by our AMR surveillance strategy. Results of the 2018–2019 surveillance campaign were consistent with the reference datasets, with M. bovis isolates showing high MIC values for all antimicrobial classes except fluoroquinolones, and species of the Mycoides group showing predominantly low MIC values. A few new AMR patterns were detected, such as M. bovis with lower spectinomycin MICs. Our reference dataset partially complied with European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) requirements, and we were able to propose tentative epidemiological cut-off values (TECOFFs) for M. bovis with tilmicosin and spectinomycin and for M. mycoides group with tilmicosin and lincomycin. These TECOFFs were consistent with other published data and the clinical breakpoints of Pasteurellaceae, which are often used as surrogates for mycoplasmas. SWOT analysis highlighted the benefit of pairing clinical and antimicrobial resistance surveillance despite the AST method-related gaps that remain. The international community should now direct efforts toward AST method harmonization and clinical interpretation.