Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of ERCC2 rs13181 and rs1799793 polymorphisms and environmental factors on the prognosis of patients with lung cancer.

PURPOSE The 5-year survival rate of patients with lung cancer in China is < 20%, and predicting their prognosis is difficult. Here, we investigated the association between two common non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the excision repair cross-complementing 2 (ERCC2) genes (rs13181 and rs1799793) and the prognosis of patients with lung cancer. METHODS Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 839 patients with lung cancer and genotyped using the SNPscan technique. The association between patient prognosis and the ERCC2 genotype was analyzed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for multiple potential confounders. RESULTS The presence of ERCC2 rs13181 T>G significantly increased the risk of death (adjust hazard ratio (HR) = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.06-1.56, P = 0.009). Patients with the rs13181 TG genotype (adjust HR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.08-1.65, P = 0.007) and rs13181 dominant mode TG+GG (adjust HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.08-1.63, P = 0.007) had significantly worse overall survival. Moreover, stratified analyses showed that patients with the TG and TG+GG rs13181 genotypes who were male, elderly (≥60 years), had a history of smoking, or without family history of malignant tumors had a significantly increased risk of death. In patients with adenocarcinoma lung cancer (ADC), the rs1799793 genotype CT (adjust HR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.06-2.09, P = 0.023) and dominant model CT+TT (adjust HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.04-2.02, P = 0.027) were associated with an increased risk of death. CONCLUSION ERCC2 rs13181 and rs1799793 SNPs may be significant prognostic factors for the risk of death among patients with lung cancer.
Exploring the Dimensionality of the Social Skills Improvement System Using Exploratory Graph Analysis and Bifactor-(S − 1) Modeling

Since its development over a decade ago, the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) has been one of the most widely used measures of social skills in children. However, evidence of its structural validity has been scant. The current study examined the original seven-factor and more recent five-factor structure (SSIS-SEL) of the self-report SSIS in a sample of English elementary school students (N = 3,331) aged 8 to 10 years (M = 8.66, SD = 0.59). A problematic fit was found for both structures with poor discriminant validity. Using exploratory graph analysis and bifactor-(S − 1) modeling, we found support for a four-factor structure, the variation of which was captured by a general factor defined by “empathy and prosocial skills. ” Future researchers, particularly those interested in using specific domains of the SSIS, are urged to assess its structure in their studies, if their findings are to be theoretically meaningful.
Reduction and Rearrangement of a Boron(I) Carbonyl Complex

Abstract The one‐electron reduction of a cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC)‐stabilized arylborylene carbonyl complex yields a dimeric borylketyl radical anion, resulting from an intramolecular aryl migration to the CO carbon atom. Computational analyses support the existence of a [(CAAC)B(CO)Ar]. − radical anion intermediate. Further reduction leads to a highly nucleophilic dianionic (boraneylidene)methanolate.
Prevalence and Determinants of Stunting and Thinness/Wasting Among Schoolchildren of Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Several studies have been carried out assessing the prevalence of undernutrition and possible determinants among schoolchildren in Ethiopia, but there is a lack of systematically gathered and analyzed information. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize epidemiological data on undernutrition and possible determinants among schoolchildren in Ethiopia. Methods: We conducted a systematic review using open access articles that report the prevalence of stunting and wasting/thinness among schoolchildren from PubMed Central, Scopus, and Science direct. The pooled prevalence was determined using a random-effect model while heterogeneities between studies were evaluated by I 2 test. Results: A total of 24 716 schoolchildren were included in the 39 eligible articles. The prevalence of stunting and wasting/thinness among schoolchildren in Ethiopia were 23.1% (95% CI: 19.0-27.0) and 22% (95% CI: 17-26), respectively. There was a marked difference in the prevalence of stunting and wasting/thinness across regions of Ethiopia. The risk of stunting was increased with meal frequency ≤3 times a day (odds ratio [OR] = 3.02, 95% CI: 1.90-4.14), age >10 years (OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.47-2.85), and family size ≥5 (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.40-2.35). Similarly, the risk of wasting/thinness was increased with male sex (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.54-2.58), low family income (OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.30-3.01), and age >10 years (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 0.74-2.82). Conclusion: This study revealed that more than one-fifth of schoolchildren are stunted or wasted/thin in Ethiopia. Large family size, male sex, and student age were consistently associated with stunting and wasting/thinness among schoolchildren. This study highlights the importance of an integrated effort to reduce undernutrition in Ethiopia.
Ancient Yersinia pestis genomes from across Western Europe reveal early diversification during the First Pandemic (541–750)

Significance The first historically reported pandemic attributed to Yersinia pestis started with the Justinianic Plague (541–544) and continued for around 200 y as the so-called First Pandemic. To date, only one Y. pestis strain from this pandemic has been reconstructed using ancient DNA. In this study, we present eight genomes from Britain, France, Germany, and Spain, demonstrating the geographic range of plague during the First Pandemic and showing microdiversity in the Early Medieval Period. Moreover, we detect similar genome decay during the First and Second Pandemics (14th to 18th century) that includes the same two virulence factors, thus providing an example of potential convergent evolution of Y. pestis during large-scale epidemics. The first historically documented pandemic caused by Yersinia pestis began as the Justinianic Plague in 541 within the Roman Empire and continued as the so-called First Pandemic until 750. Although paleogenomic studies have previously identified the causative agent as Y. pestis, little is known about the bacterium’s spread, diversity, and genetic history over the course of the pandemic. To elucidate the microevolution of the bacterium during this time period, we screened human remains from 21 sites in Austria, Britain, Germany, France, and Spain for Y. pestis DNA and reconstructed eight genomes. We present a methodological approach assessing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ancient bacterial genomes, facilitating qualitative analyses of low coverage genomes from a metagenomic background. Phylogenetic analysis on the eight reconstructed genomes reveals the existence of previously undocumented Y. pestis diversity during the sixth to eighth centuries, and provides evidence for the presence of multiple distinct Y. pestis strains in Europe. We offer genetic evidence for the presence of the Justinianic Plague in the British Isles, previously only hypothesized from ambiguous documentary accounts, as well as the parallel occurrence of multiple derived strains in central and southern France, Spain, and southern Germany. Four of the reported strains form a polytomy similar to others seen across the Y. pestis phylogeny, associated with the Second and Third Pandemics. We identified a deletion of a 45-kb genomic region in the most recent First Pandemic strains affecting two virulence factors, intriguingly overlapping with a deletion found in 17th- to 18th-century genomes of the Second Pandemic.
Network analysis of PTSD and depressive symptoms in 158,139 treatment‐seeking veterans with PTSD

In recent years, a new framework for analyzing and understanding posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was introduced; the network approach. Up until now, network analysis studies of PTSD were largely conducted on small to medium sample sizes (N < 1,000), which might be a possible cause of variability in main findings. Moreover, only a limited number of network studies investigated comorbidity.
Social Norms and Social Change

We study how social norms aﬀect social change in a setting where people have both internal motivations and a desire to conform. We distinguish two kinds of internal motivations: common values in which people wish to behave consistent with some evolving, uncertain ground truth and private values in which individuals genuinely disagree about proper behavior for non-informational reasons. In both settings aggregate behavior changes more slowly than beliefs about proper behavior, and increased information reduces such inertia. Inertia is a more severe problem, but information is more eﬀective, when values are common rather than private. In this common-values setting, we identify conditions under which increased information leads to a normative improvement. Finally, we elucidate empirical implications for the relationships between measures of attitudes, behavior, and descriptive norms. The average perceived descriptive norm is lower than the average action which is lower than the average belief about the right action (injunctive norm). Thus, behavioral forecasts based on survey answers about perceived descriptive or injunctive norms are under-and over-estimates, respectively.
Additive effect of glutathione S-transferase T1 active genotype and infection with Toxoplasma gondii for increasing the risk of schizophrenia

Abstract Purpose To determine if Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection may play a role in the development of schizophrenia in genetically susceptible persons with regard to genes encoding glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) and M1 (GSTM1). Methods A total of 78 cases with psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia were compared with 91 healthy controls. For detection of IgG antibodies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used. Genotyping of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was performed by multiplex PCR. Chi-square and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses. Results A higher frequency of the GSTT1 active gene in schizophrenic patients was observed. When risk categories based on the combination of T. gondii status and GSTs polymorphisms were compared, risk of schizophrenia increased in T. gondii positive/GSTT1 absent subjects (OR = 4.75, p = 0.05) compared with T. gondii negative/GSTT1 absent group. When T. gondii positive subjects had the GSTT1 active genotype, the risk increased linearly (OR = 10.20, p < 0.001). Odds ratio in T. gondii positive groups were almost the same in combination with the GSTM1 active genotype (OR = 4.45, p = 0.003) or null genotype (OR = 4.37, p = 0.006). Conclusions Our results showed an additive effect for T. gondii and GSTT1 active genotype as risk factors for schizophrenia in Iranian population. This is a small pilot study and replicating the study with larger groups of patients in multinational investigation to clarify these findings is recommended.
Changes in the dynamics of dengue incidence in South and Central America are possibly due to cross‐population immunity after Zika virus epidemics

We tested the hypothesis that Zika virus (ZIKV) immunity may protect against dengue virus (DENV) infection, disease severity or human amplification, based on analysis of epidemiological data from our long‐term surveillance study (2009–2016) in the city of Salvador, Brazil, that indicated a substantial reduction in the frequency of laboratory‐confirmed dengue cases following the Zika outbreak. To assess whether similar patterns were observed across the Americas, we did a broader explorative investigation of historical series (2004 to 2019) of suspected cases of dengue fever, covering 20 DENV‐endemic South and Central American countries.
Control of growth and patterning: a novel role for jak/stat in regulation morphogen production and signaling

ADVERTIMENT. La consulta d’aquesta tesi queda condicionada a l’acceptació de les següents condicions d'ús: La difusió d’aquesta tesi per mitjà del servei TDX (www.tdx.cat) i a través del Dipòsit Digital de la UB (diposit.ub.edu) ha estat autoritzada pels titulars dels drets de propietat intel·lectual únicament per a usos privats emmarcats en activitats d’investigació i docència. No s’autoritza la seva reproducció amb finalitats de lucre ni la seva difusió i posada a disposició des d’un lloc aliè al servei TDX ni al Dipòsit Digital de la UB. No s’autoritza la presentació del seu contingut en una finestra o marc aliè a TDX o al Dipòsit Digital de la UB (framing). Aquesta reserva de drets afecta tant al resum de presentació de la tesi com als seus continguts. En la utilització o cita de parts de la tesi és obligat indicar el nom de la persona autora.
The bank lending channel of conventional and unconventional monetary policy: evidence from a panel of euro-area banks

Using a new monthly dataset on bank-level lending rates, we assess the transmission of monetary policy on the cost of credit in the euro area. We find that the stimulus provided by both conventional and unconventional monetary policy measures led to a reduction in lending rates. We show that a bank lending channel was at work for both conventional and unconventional operations. For conventional policy, consistently with previous studies highlighting the role of asymmetric information problems, we find that the transmission is weaker for relatively sounder banks. On the contrary, in response to unconventional measures, less capitalized banks expanded loan supply less. We document that this behaviour is likely to reflect perceived constraints on their capital positions, as the results are robust – and are indeed reinforced – once we control for the possible negative impact of unconventional measures on the net interest margin (bank capital channel). In addition, we find that a large sovereign exposure muted the response of lending rates to conventional policy, but amplified the transmission of unconventional measures.
The Impact of Financial and Non-Financial Rewards on Employee

It is widely debated that the pivotal function of Human resource management is to implement practices that enhance the satisfaction of employees with their jobs. Employees expect financial and non-financial rewards for their services and efforts. In the absence of equitable pay, training and development opportunities and recognition, employees get dissatisfied and do not perform to the standards. The dissatisfaction resulting from the unavailability of financial and nonfinancial reward usually leads to high employee turnover and poor performance. The benefits that employee foresee for themselves and their families motivates the employees to give their best. The Rewards are categorized into two groups‟ financial and non-financial rewards. The financial rewards are also called extrinsic rewards and non-financial rewards are called intrinsic rewards. The financial rewards include pay, bonuses, allowances, insurance, incentives, promotions and job security, whereas the non-financial rewards include. Appreciation, meeting the new challenges, caring attitude from employer, appreciation and recognition motivates the employee.
The impact of piler-radiation on the growth rate of opportunistic microorganisms

The spread of resistant to antimicrobial agents strains of opportunistic microorganisms causes the search for new ways of struggle with them. Among these ways, special attention is drawn to the use of physical factors, in particular, different types of radiation, with potential antimicrobial activity. Purpose: to investigate the direct effect of the PILER wave length line on the growth rate of S.aureus ATCC 25923 and P.aeruginosa ATCC 27853 on solid nutrient media. The influence of PILER (Polarized Polychromatic Incoherent Low Energy Radiation) on various wavelengths on the growth intensity of the collection test- strains of S.aureus ATCC 25923 and P.aeruginosa ATCC 27853 on solid nonselective nutrient media (NA) was investigated. The results were determined by counting the number of bacterial colonies on the dishes and compared with control – similar unirradiated cultures. The effect of PILER of different wavelengths and exposures (5, 10, 15 and 20 min) was investigated by separate series. PILER light source – Med All Bioptron light therapy system by Zepter Group. The obtained results testify to the significant influence of PILER radiation on the intensity of the growth of research objects. The degree of influence depended on the duration of irradiation and showed insignificant stimulation of the growth of bacteria in 5–10-minute exposures and expressed bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect at exposure for 20 minutes. The 20-minute exposure PILER on the S.aureus 25923 strain resulted in a decrease of the number of bacterial colonies by 37–65% compared to control, P.aeruginosa 27853 – by 58–81% compared to control. PILER has a significant modulator effect on the growth of the examined conditionally pathogenic microorganisms on solid nutrient media. The degree of this effect depends on the radiation parameters, in particular on the dose density and the wavelength of light, and at exposures of 20 minutes is manifested in marked bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects on microorganisms.
Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein B Genotypes Distribution among HIV Positive Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Bida, North Central Nigeria Distribution among HIV Positive Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Bida, North Central

OBJECTIVE : Cytomegalovirus is considered to be one of the most serious pathogens affecting immunosuppressed individuals particularly HIV/AIDS and glycoprotein B (gB) is essential for viral infectivity as they play a role in attachment and penetration of the host cells during viral transmission and fusion into infected cells. This study was conducted to determine the molecular diversity of gB glycoproteins of CMV strains distribution among HIV positive patients in Federal Medical Centre Bida. METHODS : Blood samples were collected for IgM ELISA and CD4 + cell counts. Viral DNA extraction was carried out on all IgM positive samples and genotyping of glycoprotein B gene (UL 55 region) was detected by multiplex nested PCR. RESULTS : Out of the three hundred and eighty five (385) HIV positive subjects, a prevalence of 19.8% CMV IgM was found among patients with HIV in Bida. PCR revealed that gB1 was more prevalent (83.7%) followed by gB2 (16.3%) among subjects. The absence of mixed infection confirmed that there was no case of reinfection as all the primary infections were cases of reactivation of CMV infection among HIV patients. CONCLUSION : This study found significant relationship in marital status, location and educational status with gB genotype distribution in Bida. Although, there was paucity of reports on CMV gB genotype distribution with socio demographic factors and behavioral data, this study provided baseline information on CMV molecular diversity of CMV genotypes gB1 and gB2 among HIV positive patients in Nigeria, more studies on CMV glycoprotein B genotype from Nigeria may help to determine the optimal strains for CMV vaccine development in Nigerian population.
A longitudinal study on the effect of entrepreneurship courses taught at the vocational colleges in Turkey on students’ entrepreneurial tendency

In the current international context, it is important to maintain vocational and technical education by providing entrepreneurship qualities within the mission of raising median labor force, which is undertaken by vocational colleges. The aim of this study is to make a longitudinal assessment of the effect of entrepreneurship courses taught at vocational colleges on entrepreneurship tendency. According to the study findings, having entrepreneurship courses at vocational colleges does not allow students to gain sufficient entrepreneurship qualifications. However, students feel inspired to establish their own business and gain a consciousness of the fact that they should not leave their lives at the mercy of external factors. In order to ensure that students acquire entrepreneurship qualities through entrepreneurship courses and prefer entrepreneurship, it is necessary for this course to be taught as an applied course: students’ application performance must be included in the course assessment criteria; students must be given supervision support and a sense of making money on their own; and structural problems must be resolved.
The effect of speech rate on age estimation in conversational speech

Previous studies found that older speakers generally speak slower than younger speakers and further showed that listeners make use of this age-rate correlation in estimating speakers’ age. This study examines how speakers’ speech rates affect the perception of speaker age in conversational speech as well as how listeners’ own age affects age perception. After hearing a short dialogue in which two speakers’ speech rates were varied orthogonally, listeners estimated the age of each speaker. The results showed that listeners judged slower voices as older than faster voices and this effect was more pronounced for older speakers. We found no effect of interlocutors’ speech rate, indicating that the listeners were able to reliably separate the speech rate information of the two speakers in the dialogue. We also found a significant effect of listeners’ own age; other things being equal, younger listeners judged the speakers to be younger than older listeners.
Modeling the Linear Viscoelastic Behavior of Entangled Linear and Star Polymer Systems

Disclaimer This document contains a student thesis (bachelor's or master's), as authored by a student at Eindhoven University of Technology. Student theses are made available in the TU/e repository upon obtaining the required degree. The grade received is not published on the document as presented in the repository. The required complexity or quality of research of student theses may vary by program, and the required minimum study period may vary in duration.
Pre-Analysis Plan Does Cross-Cutting Interaction Reduce Support for Sectarian Politics? Evidence from a Discussion Experiment in Lebanon

For countries in which ethnic politics prevail, is it possible to reduce the predominance of the ethnic cleavage and increase support for multi-ethnic, programmatic politics? This study builds on research on the role of cross-cutting cleavages and inter-group contact to examine how crosscutting social interaction—specifically interaction that cuts across ethnic and class lines—affects social identity and political preferences. We organized 120 discussion groups in Beirut, Lebanon and randomly assigned 720 lower and upper income Sunni, Shia, and Christian participants to one of four discussion types: (i) homogeneous class and confession; (ii) homogeneous class, mixed confession; (iii) homogeneous confession, mixed class; or (iv) mixed class and confession. We examine how discussing key economic and political issues with individuals from similar or different identity groups shapes social identity, cooperation, and ultimately support for sectarian versus programmatic politics. This project was implemented in 2016 in the context of historic protests in Lebanon that created a window of opportunity for public discussion on the future of the dominance of sectarian politics in the country. ∗Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh (corresponding author). †Director, Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS). ‡Ph.D. Candidate, University of Pittsburgh. This project is made possible by funding that LCPS has received from the International Development Research Center and the Government of Norway.