Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Teaching Practice Lessons on Social Studies Teachers' Self-efficacy Perceptions

Abstract Teaching practice is a course in which prospective teachers acquire skill and experience related to teaching profession during pre-service period and there exist activities about the profession. Applications about the teaching practice are conducted in the schools that are governed by the Ministry of National Education and influence prospective teachers to learn professional knowledge. Ideas of the prospective teachers are important because their ideas reveal efficacy level of the course. The present study was carried out determining impact of teaching practice on prospective teachers’ self-efficacy. Sample of the study consists of 106 4th grade prospective teachers who attended Ataturk University Kazim Karabekir Education Faculty Social Studies Department. The study was designed according to experimental study with pre-test and post-design with control group. Data from the study was analyzed through independent t-test, dependent t-test, Mann Whitney U test at . 05 significance level. As a result of analyses it was found that the course of teaching practice increased prospective teacher’s self-efficacy level, impact of course did not vary according to the gender, but the course have more impact on female prospective teachers’ self-efficacy level than it does on that of male prospective teacher. Impact of course did not differ significantly according to school type.
Assessing Spatial Flood Vulnerability at Kalapara Upazila in Bangladesh Using an Analytic Hierarchy Process

Floods are common natural disasters worldwide, frequently causing loss of lives and huge economic and environmental damages. A spatial vulnerability mapping approach incorporating multi-criteria at the local scale is essential for deriving detailed vulnerability information for supporting flood mitigation strategies. This study developed a spatial multi-criteria-integrated approach of flood vulnerability mapping by using geospatial techniques at the local scale. The developed approach was applied on Kalapara Upazila in Bangladesh. This study incorporated 16 relevant criteria under three vulnerability components: physical vulnerability, social vulnerability and coping capacity. Criteria were converted into spatial layers, weighted and standardised to support the analytic hierarchy process. Individual vulnerability component maps were created using a weighted overlay technique, and then final vulnerability maps were produced from them. The spatial extents and levels of vulnerability were successfully identified from the produced maps. Results showed that the areas located within the eastern and south-western portions of the study area are highly vulnerable to floods due to low elevation, closeness to the active channel and more social components than other parts. However, with the integrated coping capacity, western and south-western parts are highly vulnerable because the eastern part demonstrated particularly high coping capacity compared with other parts. The approach provided was validated by qualitative judgement acquired from the field. The findings suggested the capability of this approach to assess the spatial vulnerability of flood effects in flood-affected areas for developing effective mitigation plans and strategies.
Factors influencing quality of life after lower extremity amputation for peripheral arterial occlusive disease

Recent literature suggests that 84% of lower extremity amputations (LEAs) are due to peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), and half of those will have diabetes. Only 40% will go on to rehabilitate with a prosthetic limb and the remainder will be wheelchair dependent. Until now, the majority of research has focused on the short-term clinical outcomes in this population e.g. prosthetic fitting, morbidity and mortality rates. There is a dearth of research into the long-term impact of a LEA on the individual’s quality of life (QoL), especially in those with PAOD with or without diabetes. Aim This thesis aims to determine which factors influence QoL after an LEA due to PAOD in the presence or absence of diabetes. Methods A prospective review of medical case notes and other relevant documentation was conducted on all patients who underwent a major lower extremity amputation for PAOD in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in Scotland, between 1st March 2014 and 28th February 2015. Patients who consented to follow-up completed the EQ-5D-5L QoL measure, Reintegration into Normal Living (RNLI) and the Prosthetic Limb Users Survey of Mobility (PLUS-M), 6 and 12 months after LEA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 15 participants who completed follow up questionnaires to explore their views and experiences of living with a LEA and to understand which factors influence their QoL. Results There were 171 participants with a LEA in one year and their mean age was 66.2 years, 75% were males and 53% had diabetes. Over two thirds of the cohort lived in the two most deprived areas in Glasgow. From the follow up questionnaires (n=101) participation, measured by the RNLI had the greatest influence on QoL six and twelve months after LEA. Limb fitting positively influenced QoL, however, level of mobility was poor for all levels of LEA and there was a positive association between mobility (PLUS-M) and QoL. Mortality was seven times greater in those who were not limb fitted. Face-to-face interviews identified five broad themes that influenced QoL: the prosthesis; experience of pain; social support/isolation; sense of self/identity and interactions with others with an amputation. Conclusion Quality of Life was influenced by several factors, primarily participation, which was improved if limb-fitted. Those of male gender, younger age and diagnosed with diabetes were more likely to have a prosthesis fitted. While having a prosthesis did not determine QoL per se, those with greater levels of mobility were more likely to be able to participate, feel less isolated and require less social support which afforded them greater levels of QoL. Conversely, those who were wheelchair dependent or had poorer levels of prosthetic mobility reported lower levels of QoL; which was associated with dependence on social support, feelings of isolation and changes in the way they felt about themselves.
The Effect of Inulin on Lifespan, Related Gene Expression and Gut Microbiota in InRp5545/TM3 Mutant Drosophila melanogaster: A Preliminary Study

Inulin is considered an efficient prebiotic and is beneficial for metabolic diseases via promoting intestinal probiotic enrichment and the metabolites of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). However, the effect of inulin on patients with InR deficiencies has seldom been reported. In this study, the lifespan, related gene expression, and gut microbiota of InRp5545/TM3 (insulin receptor mutant) Drosophila melanogaster under inulin treatment were investigated. The results showed that the lifespan was extended in only males and not in females. Furthermore, distinctly different patterns of gene expression were found between males and females, especially in the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-like signalling (IIS) and target of rapamycin (TOR) pathways. Additionally, as a link between inulin and lifespan responses, the gut microbiota was distinctly separated by gender in both the standard diet group and the inulin treatment group, and the relationship between lifespan and the gut microbiota community was stronger in male flies than in females. This study provides preliminary evidence for the gender-dependent lifespan responses to inulin in insulin signalling-deficient Drosophila. However, controls such as wild-type and TM3 flies, and more InR mutant strains with different genetic backgrounds need to be further investigated to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon.
Clinical impact of citrate-containing tubes on the detection of glucose abnormalities by the oral glucose tolerance test

Abstract Background Plasma glucose levels provide the cornerstone of diabetes evaluation, and so it is crucial that clinical laboratories provide accurate and reliable plasma glucose results. To prevent in vitro glycolysis, citrate is used. Here, we present the first study on the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) using the currently available new citrate-containing tubes in liquid and granular forms and the previous sodium fluoride (NaF) for the diagnosis of carbohydrate metabolism disorders and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines. Methods The 75-g OGTT was performed in 147 volunteers, 83 of whom were pregnant women. Blood was collected in NaF/K3 ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and NaF/Na2EDTA/citrate in liquid form in tubes in Brescia and in NaF/K2Ox and NaF/Na2EDTA/citrate in granular form in Vicenza. Glucose was measured within 3–4 h from the OGTT. The mean biases were calculated and compared with the desirable bias (<± 2.1%). Results OGTT glucose concentrations were higher in citrate tubes when compared to NaF-containing tubes. When citrate tubes were used, GDM increased to 12.5 and 11.7% in Brescia and Vicenza, respectively. Impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes mellitus (DM) increased to 36.7, 6.7 and 3.4%, respectively, in Brescia. In Vicenza, an increase of 47 and 1.9% in IFG and IGT, respectively, was found. Conclusions OGTT glucose measurement in citrate-containing tubes was shown to be more effective than those containing only NaF in diagnosing carbohydrate disorders. This new glycolysis inhibitor seems to be a necessary preanalytical tool for accurate and reliable plasma glucose results.
Constructing the Microbial Association Network from Large-Scale Time Series Data Using Granger Causality

The increasing availability of large-scale time series data allows the inference of microbial community dynamics by association network analysis. However, correlation-based association network analyses are noninformative of causal, mediating and time-dependent relationships between microbial community functional factors. To address this insufficiency, we introduced the Granger causality model to the analysis of a recent marine microbial time series dataset. We systematically constructed a directed acyclic network, representing both internal and external causal relationships among the microbial and environmental factors. We further optimized the network by removing false causal associations using the conditional Granger causality. The final network was visualized as a Granger graph, which was analyzed to identify causal relationships driven by key functional operators in the environment, such as Gammaproteobacteria, which was Granger caused by total organic nitrogen and primary production (p < 0.05 and Q < 0.05).
Does Protein Intake Affect Metabolic Risk Factors among Older Adults in Korea?

Background Carbohydrate intake can impact metabolic risk factors, but related research on protein intake in the elderly is rare. Our purpose was to estimate protein intake and explore how different levels of protein intake influence metabolic risk factors in Korean older adults. Methods Data were obtained from men aged 51–70 years (n=1,735), men aged ≥71 years (n=700), women aged 51–70 years (n=2,305), and women aged ≥71 years (n=957). Health and dietary data were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2010–2011. Results Relative to the recommended protein intake based on the Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans, inadequate intake was higher in women and super-aging groups than in others. Women had an increased risk of having metabolic risk factors. After adjustment for age and sex, compared with those in the highest quartile of protein intake levels (>1.2 g protein/kg body weight/day), participants in the lowest quartile (<0.8 g protein/kg body weight/day) had increased odds ratios (ORs) for abdominal obesity (men: OR, 2.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.00–3.56; women: OR, 3.42; 95% CI, 2.64–4.43), hypertriglyceridemia (men: OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.08–1.93; women: OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.45–2.29), and high fasting blood glucose (men: OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.07–1.87; women: OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.48–2.79). Conclusion Protein intake (<0.8 g protein/kg body weight/day) lower than the recommend level was associated with a higher risk of metabolic abnormalities in Korean older adults. In particular, lower intake of protein contributed to a higher prevalence of metabolic risk factors in women than in men.
Phenomics for sustainable production in the South African dairy and beef cattle industry

April 2020, Vol. 10, No. 2 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact journals.permissions@oup.com © Visser, Van Marle-Köster, Myburgh, and De Freitas Feature Article Phenomics for sustainable production in the South African dairy and beef cattle industry
Prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the semen of patients submitted to assisted reproductive technology treatment in a private clinic in Brazil

Objective: The aim of our study was to identify the prevalence of HPV in the semen of men submitted to ART treatment and look into the possible impacts of the virus on sperm parameters. Methods: Thirty-five patients treated for infertility from March to August 2016 were invited to join the study. Samples with a minimum concentration of 40x106 spermatozoa per milliliter were included in the study. After the evaluation of semen parameters, DNA extraction and PCR were performed to verify the presence of HPV by electrophoresis in 8% polyacrylamide gel. Results: Patient age ranged from 27 to 68 years (mean 39.2 years). Semen analysis showed a mean volume of 2.5mL; mean concentration of 58.9x106; and mean motility of 51.8%. HPV DNA was identified in seven semen samples from 25 patients (28%). Ten samples with DNA concentrations below 10ng/µL were excluded from the study due to poor amplification quality. There was no statistical difference in sperm concentration when HPV-negative and HPV-positive samples were compared (65.9x106 vs. 62.3x106; p=0.70). However, sperm motility was significantly higher in HPV-positive semen (65% vs. 46.6%; p=0.02). Conclusions: HPV prevalence was 28% in the semen of patients submitted to ART treatment. HPV-positive samples had statistically increased motility compared to negative samples (65% vs. 46.6%; p=0.02).
Are left angular gyrus and amygdala volumes important for financial capacity in mild cognitive impairment?

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of specific brain areas for financial capacity in patients suffering from amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) over time. PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifteen aMCI patients underwent assessment of cognitive and mood functioning, as well as quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (for three times a 3 Tesla MRI). We used a detailed neuropsychological examination and a new instrument measuring financial capacity, the Legal Capacity for Property Law Transactions Assessment Scale (LCPLTAS), during a 12-month period. RESULTS Spearman and Kendall correlations revealed a number of statistically significant positive relationships at synchronous testing between financial capacity and brain volumes, while repetitive testing revealed that the right amygdala volume correlated with measured financial capacity (r first-third time=.908, P=.000), and the left angular gyrus volume difference showed a similarly strong correlation. In contrast to that, a number of neuropsychological tests correlated with financial capacity, but only MMSE seems to have the strongest correlation (r=.899, P=.000). CONCLUSION Financial capacity in Greek aMCI patients strongly correlates with right amygdala and left angular gyrus volumes, a finding that supports that emotion as well arithmetic skills are involved in financial capacity, while the importance of MMSE as the only neuropsychological test with the strongest positive correlation is discussed.
Fimasartan for Remodeling after Myocardial Infarction

An angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) mitigates cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). Here, we investigated the effect of fimasartan, a new ARB, on cardiac remodeling after MI. Sprague–Dawley rats were assigned into 3 groups: surgery only (sham group, n = 7), MI without (MI-only group, n = 13), and MI with fimasartan treatment (MI + Fima group, n = 16). MI was induced by the permanent ligation of the left anterior descending artery. Treatment with fimasartan (10 mg/kg) was initiated 24 h after MI and continued for 7 weeks. Rats in the MI + Fima group had a higher mean ejection fraction (66.3 ± 12.5% vs. 51.3 ± 14.8%, P = 0.002) and lower left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (9.14 ± 1.11 mm vs. 9.91 ± 1.43 mm, P = 0.045) than those in the MI-only group at 7 weeks after MI. The infarct size was lower in the MI + Fima than in the MI group (P < 0.05). A microarray analysis revealed that the expression of genes related to the lipid metabolism and mitochondrial membrane ion transporters were upregulated, and those involved in fibrosis and inflammation were downregulated by fimasartan. Fimasartan attenuates cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in rats after MI and may prevent the progression to heart failure after MI.
A Study of Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Western India

Introduction: Either independently or in association with other factors low vitamin D is one of risk factors in coronary atherosclerosis athough the causal relationship is not yet established. Aim & Objective: To study the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with acute myocardial infarction and to study if any association exists between them. Materials & Methods: Hundred cases of acute myocardial infarction (MI) and hundred healthy controls were included in this study. The study was conducted at SDM hospital Cum Medical Research Institute, Jaipur during November 2015 to October 2016. Biochemical and clinical risk factors assessed for MI . Serum 25 (OH) vitamin D levels measured using radioimmunoassay. Results: Severe vitamin D deficiency (25(OH) vitamin D less than 10 ng/ml) found in 67% of cases and 48% of controls. Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH) vitamin D 10_<30 ng/ml) found in 24% of cases and 34% of controls. Sufficient vitamin D ( 25(OH) vitamin D >30 ng/ml) found in 9% of cases and 18% of controls. Risk of Myocardial infarction in patients with severe vitamin D deficiency associated with an odds ratio of 2.19 (95% CI 1.1-4.9) (statistically significant p<0.05). Conclusions: High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was found among patients of acute Myocardial Infarction and controls. 25 (OH) vitamin D was significantly lower in cases as compared to controls. Even after considering for conventional risk factors for myocardial infarction severe vitamin D deficiency was associated with risk of acute myocardial infarction.
Effect of Timing and Duration of Statin Exposure on Risk of Hip or Knee Revision Arthroplasty: A Population-based Cohort Study

Objectives. To determine whether the timing and duration of statin exposure following total hip/knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) influence the risk of revision arthroplasty. Methods. Subjects from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a large population-based clinical database, who had THA/TKA from 1988 to 2016, were included. Propensity score adjusted Cox regression models were used to determine the association between statin exposure and the risk of revision THA/TKA, (1) at any time, and (2) if first exposed 0–1, 1–5, or > 5 years following THA/TKA. We also investigated the effect of duration of statin exposure (< 1, 1–2, 2–3, 3–4, 4–5, > 5 yrs). Results. The study included 151,305 participants. There were 65,032 (43%) exposed to statins during followup and 3500 (2.3%) had revision arthroplasty. In a propensity score adjusted model, exposure to statins was associated with a reduced risk of revision arthroplasty (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.75–0.90). Participants first exposed within 1 year and between 1 and 5 years following THA/TKA (vs unexposed) had a reduced risk of revision arthroplasty (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.74–0.91 and HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.65–0.90, respectively). In relation to duration of statin therapy, participants exposed for more than 5 years in total (vs < 1 yr) had a reduced risk of revision (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.62–0.88). Conclusion. Statin therapy initiated up to 5 years following THA/TKA may reduce the risk of revision arthroplasty.
CONGENITAL IDIOPATHIC TALIPES EQUINOVARUS: CURRENT CONCEPTS AND TREATMENT

Clubfoot is a congenital malformation that has a global distribution. Despite recent advances, its etiopathogenesis still remains unknown. Although surgical treatment was preferred in the past, the actual gold standard for treatment is conservative (the Ponseti method). Nevertheless, surgery can still be an option in a small percent of cases. As clubfeet are prone to relapses, their prevention with the use of the foot abduction orthosis (FAO) is important.
Protein translocation by the SecA ATPase occurs by a power‐stroke mechanism

SecA belongs to the large class of ATPases that use the energy of ATP hydrolysis to perform mechanical work resulting in protein translocation across membranes, protein degradation, and unfolding. SecA translocates polypeptides through the SecY membrane channel during protein secretion in bacteria, but how it achieves directed peptide movement is unclear. Here, we use single‐molecule FRET to derive a model that couples ATP hydrolysis‐dependent conformational changes of SecA with protein translocation. Upon ATP binding, the two‐helix finger of SecA moves toward the SecY channel, pushing a segment of the polypeptide into the channel. The finger retracts during ATP hydrolysis, while the clamp domain of SecA tightens around the polypeptide, preserving progress of translocation. The clamp opens after phosphate release and allows passive sliding of the polypeptide chain through the SecA‐SecY complex until the next ATP binding event. This power‐stroke mechanism may be used by other ATPases that move polypeptides.
Early Detection of Hypoglycemia in Type 1 Diabetes Using Heart Rate Variability Measured by a Wearable Device

OBJECTIVE Changes in heart rate variability (HRV) occur at the initiation of hypoglycemia due to sympathetic nervous system activity. We investigated the use of HRV detection by a wearable device as an early alert for hypoglycemia. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This proof-of-principle study included 23 patients with type 1 diabetes (14 women, mean age 42 ± 11 years). Patients wore a VitalConnect HealthPatch for 5 days. Hypoglycemia was defined as glucose ≤70 mg/dL (≤3.9 mmol/L) by fingerstick measurement. HRV was analyzed in standardized periods before the hypoglycemic event. RESULTS Sixty-six hypoglycemic events were recorded. Hypoglycemia caused a typical HRV pattern in 36 (55%) of the hypoglycemic events. Eighteen events (27%) showed an atypical pattern. Ten events were unclassified (15%), and two did not display a change in HRV (3%). CONCLUSIONS Hypoglycemia causes early changes in HRV that can be detected by a wearable device. Measuring real-time HRV seems promising for early hypoglycemia detection.