Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Online learning adoption by Chinese university students during the Covid-19 pandemic

To identify the factors supporting online learning under pandemic conditions, a questionnaire based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology was adapted and administered to a sample of 704 Chinese university students. (2020) have shown how students nonetheless tend to benefit from this blended mode of learning, in terms of improved learning outcomes and even increased college graduation rates. Even a very basic online course has several costly requirements, including: a rapid and stable internet connection;a sizeable internet data allowance, to accommodate video content;a screen that is big enough for extended viewing;and a functioning keyboard, for even minimal interactions. Towards improving university student engagement during the current pandemic and future crises, the current research aimed to identify technology and user characteristics predicting Chinese university students' adoption of a specific online learning platform.
U.S. Summer Precipitation and Temperature Patterns Following the Peak Phase of El Nino

AbstractEvidence for spatially coherent, but different, U.S. summer precipitation and surface air temperature anomalies during the evolving phase and during the summers following the peak phase of the winter El Nino is presented. The spatial patterns during the decaying phase of El Nino are distinctive from patterns in the preceding summer when El Nino is in its evolving phase, that is, the traditional “simultaneous” composite patterns associated with El Nino. The analysis of a multimodel ensemble of global atmospheric models forced by observed sea surface temperature further confirms that the differences in the U.S. summer precipitation and surface temperature anomalies between the developing and decaying phases of El Nino are a result of the atmospheric response to tropical warm SST anomalies that are shifted eastward and are confined east of 120°W during the decaying phase of El Nino. Given the distinctive pattern, and relatively large amplitude of these anomalies during the decaying phase of El Nino, .
How does machine advice influence design choice? The effect of error on design decision making

Engineering design relies on the human ability to make complex decisions, but design activities are increasingly supported by computation. Although computation can help humans make decisions, over-or under-reliance on imperfect models can prevent successful outcomes. To investigate the effects of assistance from a computational agent on decision making, a behavioral experiment was conducted (N = 33). Participants chose between pairs of aircraft brackets while optimizing the design across competing objectives (mass and displacement). Participants received suggestions from a simulated model which suggested correct (i.e., better) and incorrect (i.e., worse) designs based on the global design space. In an uncertain case, both options were approximately equivalent but differed along the objectives. The results indicate that designers do not follow suggestions when the relative design performances are notably different, often underutilizing them to their detriment. However, they follow the suggestions more than expected when the better design choice is less clear.
STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION IN GAMIFIED LEARNING

Recently, technology has been increasingly integrated into higher education through gamified learning, which applies game design principles to educational content. The purpose of the present paper is to assess and depict the engagement of students in the field of economics and business in gamified learning and to understand the relationship between engagement and motivation in gamified learning, elements less studied in the context of economics and business higher education, as shown in the literature. The paper proposes an original approach both in terms of the research method and the context of the study. In order to analyse engagement in gamified learning
B Lineage–speciﬁc Regulation of V(D)J Recombinase Activity Is Established in Common Lymphoid Progenitors

Expression of V(D)J recombinase activity in developing lymphocytes is absolutely required for initiation of V(D)J recombination at antigen receptor loci. However, little is known about when during hematopoietic development the V(D)J recombinase is first active, nor is it known what elements activate the recombinase in multipotent hematopoietic progenitors. Using mice that express a fluorescent transgenic V(D)J recombination reporter, we show that the V(D)J recombinase is active as early as common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs) but not in the upstream progenitors that retain myeloid lineage potential. Evidence of this recombinase activity is detectable in all four progeny lineages (B, T, and NK, and DC), and rag2 levels are the highest in progenitor subsets immediately downstream of the CLP. By single cell PCR, we demonstrate that V(D)J rearrangements are detectable at IgH loci in (cid:2) 5% of splenic natural killer cells. Finally, we show that recombinase activity in CLPs is largely controlled by the E rag enhancer. As activity of the E rag enhancer is restricted to the B cell lineage, this provides the first molecular evidence for establishment of a lineage-specific transcription program in multipotent progenitors.
RHINO: Rotated DETR with Dynamic Denoising via Hungarian Matching for Oriented Object Detection

With the publication of DINO, a variant of the Detection Transformer (DETR), Detection Transformers are breaking the record in the object detection benchmark with the merits of their end-to-end design and scalability. However, the extension of DETR to oriented object detection has not been thoroughly studied although more beneﬁts from its end-to-end architecture are expected such as removing NMS and anchor-related costs. In this paper, we propose a ﬁrst strong DINO-based baseline for oriented object detection. We found that straightforward employment of DETRs for oriented object detection does not guarantee non-duplicate prediction, and propose a simple cost to mitigate this. Furthermore, we introduce a novel denoising strategy that uses Hungarian matching to ﬁlter redundant noised queries and query alignment to preserve matching consistency between Transformer decoder layers. Our proposed model outperforms previous rotated DETRs and other counterparts, achieving state-of-the-art performance in DOTA-v1.0/v1.5/v2.0, and DIOR-R benchmarks.
Assessing the fish fauna diversity and abundance at Aegean and Ionian seas, with emphasis on certain NIS fish species via Scientific diving and Visual Census

The Mediterranean Sea and its exceptional biodiversity suffer from non-indigenous (NIS) and invasive species. These result from Lessepsian migration and human activities. Species with the highest negative impact include Pterois miles, Lagocephalus sceleratus and Fistularia commersonii. The current study assessed the distribution and abundance of these three species in the Aegean and Ionian Seas in the context of the regional diversity of ichthyofauna. Using Scientific Diving and Visual Census, we focused on NIS fish fauna, and surveyed most of the areas where the occurrence or establishment of NIS had been documented. Emphasis was given to regions with limited available data. This study assessed the homogeneity of diversity and abundance of the fish species at the diving sites; assessed the most dominant species per region; and calculated relevant biodiversity indexes. Our results suggest that the south and east parts of the Aegean Sea are the most affected by the establishment of NIS. Samos Island is concluded to be an important region for the expansion of NIS to the northern parts of the Aegean Sea. Also, both the Saronikos Gulf and the whole area of the Peloponnese seem to have a pivotal role in the expansion of distribution of NIS from the east Mediterranean sub-basin to the west sub-basin. The genus Siganus seems to have very high abundances and population densities in certain areas, and therefore its establishment could have negative impacts in these regions. We conclude that scientific diving is not appropriate for monitoring the population status of L. sceleratus and we propose more appropriate methodologies such as the use of baited cameras and ROV’s to be used in the future.
Maths anxiety and subjective perception of control, value and success expectancy in mathematics

Mathematics anxiety (MA) is an academic anxiety related to doing, learning and testing mathematics. MA can negatively affect mathematics performance, motivation and maths-heavy science and technology-related career choices. Previous data suggest that subjective perceptions and interpretations of students are key in the genesis of MA. Here, based on expectancy-value and control-value theory, we aimed to identify potential, theoretically based subjective factors probably key to understanding MA. We analysed data from 151 745 fifteen-year-old children from 65 ‘countries and economies' from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 dataset. Subjective self-perceptions had a stronger relationship with MA than maths achievement. We found that higher MA was associated with lower perceived control over maths activities and lower subjective expectation of success. Surprisingly, children with higher subjective valuation of maths had higher MA for similar levels of subjective control and success expectancy in maths. Results offer an improved understanding of potential antecedents of MA and suggest that effective interventions could be based on gradual confidence building in maths. These could primarily draw on a deeper understanding of the subject improving subjective success expectancy and feeling of control over maths activities. Cultural variation in findings is discussed.
The Effect of Tidal Fluctuation on a Coastal Aquifer in the UK

Tidal fluctuation is shown to affect the piezometer readings taken in a nearshore aquifer around a working nuclear power station. Continuous monitoring of a network of 40 piezometers provided relations between the tidal cycle and the piezometer readings. These relations can be expressed in terms of a time lag and amplitude scaling factor. Using these parameters, tidal interference was filtered from the day-to-day piezometer readings. The early detection of ground-water drawdown below the working station caused by construction of a new nuclear power station on an adjacent site could thus be achieved. In parallel with the field work, the theoretical relationship between the tide and piezometric response was shown to be of the same form as that observed in the field. Values of the aquifer characteristics could then be deduced and compared with those measured in conventional pumping tests. The transmission of the pressure oscillation is shown to be faster in areas of higher permeability and in the deeper parts of the aquifer. This second effect is thought to be caused by the presence of the phreatic surface.
In Silico Analysis of the Dextransucrase Obtained From Leuconostoc mesenteroides Strain IBUN 91.2.98

The DSR-IBUN dextransucrase produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain IBUN 91.2. 98 has a short production time (4.5 hours), an enzymatic activity of 24.8 U/mL, and a specific activity of purified enzyme 2 times higher (331.6 U/mg) than that reported for similar enzymes. The aim of this study was to generate a structural model that, from an in silico approach, allows a better understanding, from the structural point of view, of the activity obtained by the enzyme of interest, which is key to continue with its study and industry application. For this, we translated the nucleotide sequence of the dsr_IBUN gene. With the primary structure of DSR-IBUN, the in silico prediction of physicochemical parameters, the possible subcellular localization, the presence of signal peptide, and the location of domains and functional and structural motifs of the protein were established. Subsequently, its secondary and tertiary structure were predicted and a homology model of the dextransucrase under study was constructed using Swiss-Model, performing careful template selection. The values obtained for the model, Global Model Quality Estimation (0.63), Quality Mean (−1.49), and root-mean-square deviation (0.09), allow us to affirm that the model for the enzyme dextransucrase DSR-IBUN is of adequate quality and can be used as a source of information for this protein.
Assessing the Knowledge and Awareness Among Selected Tertiary Students in the Accra Metropolis on Zoonotic Infections

Background: Zoonotic infections are a serious threat to human health and a direct risk that could potentially be fatal. Animals both domestic and wild serve as reservoirs for zoonotic infections. Thus, frequent contact with animals might occasionally result in the transfer of infections from animals to people. Ghana is especially susceptible to the effects of zoonotic infections due to the increase in the household human-animal ratio. This study assessed the awareness and knowledge level of tertiary students in a selected tertiary institution on zoonotic infections. Methods: A quantitative research method was employed making use of a descriptive cross-sectional study design. The target population chosen for the research was mainly students from the University of Ghana. A stratified sampling technique was used in selecting participants for the study. 440 participants were selected for the study. The university’s four primary colleges served as the strata for the basis of data collection. Results: The study revealed a moderate knowledge level among students. The term “zoonoses” was understood by the majority (70%) of the respondents. Respondents knew at least one route of transmission of zoonotic infection. For the spread of zoonotic infections, close contact with infected animals and consumption of contaminated food were seen as ways of spread by a majority. Conclusion: Although the basic strategies required for the control and elimination of the zoonotic diseases in such tertiary institutions are well known and practiced as per the study findings, zoonoses still persists and this can be attributed to low education on the subject. Knowledge and awareness level on zoonoses especially in tertiary institutions such as the University of Ghana could be improved if relevant authorities create adequate enlightenment programs on improving the knowledge of zoonotic diseases through a variety of media including seminars, workshop, television, radio, newspaper and social media.
Connecting the multiple dimensions of global soil fungal diversity

How the multiple facets of soil fungal diversity vary worldwide remains virtually unknown, hindering the management of this essential species-rich group. By sequencing high-resolution DNA markers in over 4000 topsoil samples from natural and human-altered ecosystems across all continents, we illustrate the distributions and drivers of different levels of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of fungi and their ecological groups. We show the impact of precipitation and temperature interactions on local fungal species richness (alpha diversity) across different climates. Our findings reveal how temperature drives fungal compositional turnover (beta diversity) and phylogenetic diversity, linking them with regional species richness (gamma diversity). We integrate fungi into the principles of global biodiversity distribution and present detailed maps for biodiversity conservation and modeling of global ecological processes.
Synthetic genetic circuits to uncover the OCT4 trajectories of successful reprogramming of human fibroblasts

Reprogramming human fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is inefficient, with heterogeneity among transcription factor (TF) trajectories driving divergent cell states. Nevertheless, the impact of TF dynamics on reprogramming efficiency remains uncharted. We develop a system that accurately reports OCT4 protein levels in live cells and use it to reveal the trajectories of OCT4 in successful reprogramming. Our system comprises a synthetic genetic circuit that leverages noise to generate a wide range of OCT4 trajectories and a microRNA targeting endogenous OCT4 to set total cellular OCT4 protein levels. By fusing OCT4 to a fluorescent protein, we are able to track OCT4 trajectories with clonal resolution via live-cell imaging. We discover that a supraphysiological, stable OCT4 level is required, but not sufficient, for efficient iPSC colony formation. Our synthetic genetic circuit design and high-throughput live-imaging pipeline are generalizable for investigating TF dynamics for other cell fate programming applications.
Effects of different light intensity on the growth of tomato seedlings in a plant factory

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were the best artificial light source for plant factories. Red light-emitting diodes (LEDs, R) and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs, B) were used to obtain different light intensities of uniform spectra, and the greenhouse environment was considered as a comparison. The results showed that root dry weight, shoot dry weight and stem diameter were superior in plant growth under 240 μmolm-2s-1, additionally, the Dixon Quality Index (DQI) was also best. Under 240 μmolm-2s-1, the net photosynthesis rate (Pn) was consistent with the greenhouse’s treatment, superior to other experimental groups. The results implied that the PPFD was more suitable for the cultivation of tomato seedlings under the condition of 240 μmolm-2s-1, and can replace the greenhouse conditions so as to save energy and reduce emissions.
Marginated aberrant red blood cells induce pathologic vascular stress fluctuations in a computational model of hematologic disorders

Red blood cell (RBC) disorders such as sickle cell disease affect billions worldwide. While much attention focuses on altered properties of aberrant RBCs and corresponding hemodynamic changes, RBC disorders are also associated with vascular dysfunction, whose origin remains unclear and which provoke severe consequences including stroke. Little research has explored whether biophysical alterations of RBCs affect vascular function. We use a detailed computational model of blood that enables characterization of cell distributions and vascular stresses in blood disorders and compare simulation results with experimental observations. Aberrant RBCs, with their smaller size and higher stiffness, concentrate near vessel walls (marginate) because of contrasts in physical properties relative to normal cells. In a curved channel exemplifying the geometric complexity of the microcirculation, these cells distribute heterogeneously, indicating the importance of geometry. Marginated cells generate large transient stress fluctuations on vessel walls, indicating a mechanism for the observed vascular inflammation.
Regional differences in historical diphtheria and scarlet fever notification rates in The Netherlands, 1905–1925: a spatial-temporal analysis

Background. We describe how rates of two frequently occurring notifiable diseases—diphtheria and scarlet fever—varied between regions of The Netherlands in the early twentieth century, and identify potential factors underlying this variation. Methods. Digitized weekly mandatory notification data for 1905–1925, municipality level, were aggregated into 27 ‘spatial units’ defined by unique combinations of province and population density category (high: more than 4500; mid : 1250–4500; low: less than 1250 inhabitants km−2). Generalized additive regression models were fitted to estimate the associations between notification rates and population density, infant mortality rate and household income, while adjusting for temporal trends per spatial unit. Results. Annual per capita notification rates for both diphtheria and scarlet fever tended to rise from the beginning of the period 1905–1925 until peaking around 1918/1919. Adjusted diphtheria notification rates were higher for high- and mid- compared with low-density municipalities (by 71.6 cases per 100 000, 95% confidence interval (CI) : 52.7–90.5; 39.0/100 k, 95% CI : 24.7–53.3, respectively). Scarlet fever showed similar associations with population density (35.7 cases per 100 000, 95% CI : 9.4–62.0; 21.4/100 k, 95% CI: 1.5–41.3). Conclusions. There was considerable spatial variation in notification rates for both diseases in early twentieth century Netherlands, which could partly be explained by factors capturing variation in living conditions and socio-economic circumstances. These findings aid understanding of contemporary respiratory infection transmission.
Reliability of maximal respiratory nasal pressure tests in healthy young adults

Introduction Sniff nasal inspiratory (SNIP) and expiratory pressure (SNEP) may complement the assessment of respiratory muscle strength. Thus, specifying their reliability is relevant to improving the clinical consistency of both tests. Objective To assess the reliability of SNIP and SNEP in healthy young adults. Methods This cross-sectional study included self-reported healthy aged 18 to 29 years. SNIP was performed using a plug to occlude one nostril, while SNEP was conducted using a facemask. Participants performed 20 SNIP and SNEP maneuvers with 30-second intervals in between. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimum detectable change (MDC) assessed the reliability of SNIP and SNEP. Analyses were conducted between the highest peak pressure and the first reproducible maneuver in men and women. Results The total sample comprised 32 participants: 16 men and 16 women. The ICC, SEM, and MDC for SNIP maneuvers were 0.994 (95%CI 0.988 to 0.997), 1.820 cmH2O, and 5.043 cmH2O, respectively. For SNEP, these parameters were 0.950 (95%CI 0.897 to 0.976), 6.03 cmH2O, and 16.716 cmH2O. The SNIP and SNEP in men showed ICC of 0.992 (95%CI 0.977 to 0.997) and 0.877 (95%CI 0.648 to 0.957), SEM of 2.07 and 7.66 cmH2O, and MDC of 5.74 and 21.23 cmH2O. In women, SNIP and SNEP presented ICC of 0.992 (95%CI 0.977 to 0.997) and 0.957 (95%CI 0.878 to 0.985), SEM of 1.15 and 6.11 cmH2O, and MDC of 3.19 and 16.95 cmH2O. Also, 60% of the highest SNIPs occurred among the 11th and 20th maneuvers in men and women. In men, 55% of the highest SNEPs occurred among the 11th and 20th maneuvers; this value was 50% in women. Conclusion SNIP and SNEP showed excellent reliability. The reliability of SNIP and SNEP in men was good and excellent, respectively, whereas both tests had excellent reliability in women. Also, women reached the highest peak pressure faster than men in both tests.
m6A RNA demethylase AtALKBH9B promotes mobilization of a heat-activated long terminal repeat retrotransposon in Arabidopsis

Transposons are mobile and ubiquitous DNA molecules that can cause vast genomic alterations. In plants, it is well documented that transposon mobilization is strongly repressed by DNA methylation; however, its regulation at the posttranscriptional level remains relatively uninvestigated. Here, we suggest that transposon RNA is marked by m6A RNA methylation and can be localized in stress granules (SGs). Intriguingly, SG-localized AtALKBH9B selectively demethylates a heat-activated retroelement, Onsen, and thereby releases it from spatial confinement, allowing for its mobilization. In addition, we show evidence that m6A RNA methylation contributes to transpositional suppression by inhibiting virus-like particle assembly and extrachromosomal DNA production. In summary, this study unveils a previously unknown role for m6A in the suppression of transposon mobility and provides insight into how transposons counteract the m6A-mediated repression mechanism by hitchhiking the RNA demethylase of the host.