Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antileukemic Effects of Anti-miR-146a, Anti-miR-155, Anti-miR-181a, and Prednisolone on Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Prednisolone has been used frequently in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, to overcome the challenges of the treatment, the development of additional therapies is of great importance. Small, non-protein-coding RNAs, namely, microRNAs (miRNAs), are critical epigenetic regulators with physiological and pathological importance. This study is aimed at determining the effects of miR-146a, miR-155, and miR-181a inhibition with their corresponding anti-miRs on both leukemic and healthy cells, individually and with prednisolone. Leukemic (SUP-B15) and healthy B-lymphocyte (NCI-BL 2171) cell lines were used in this study. A total of 12 experimental groups included individual and combinational silenced ALL-associated miRNAs (hsa-miR-155, hsa-miR-146a, and hsa-miR-181a) and their combination with prednisolone. Cytotoxicity, proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis analyses were performed by using WST-1, trypan blue, APC-BrdU, Annexin V, and JC-1 methods in each study group, respectively. To control the effectiveness of anti-miR transfection and prednisolone application, miRNA expression analysis was performed from all groups. Anti-miR application was effective on the viability, proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis of leukemia cells, and this effect was increased with prednisolone administration. In addition, this activity was found to be very low on healthy cells. In conclusion, anti-miR applications may have the potential for clinical use of adjuvant to or as an alternative to conventional therapies for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
SMEs Corporate Governance Mechanisms and Business Performance: Evidence of an Emerging Economy

This paper empirically examines the nexuses between SMEs governance mechanisms [board size (BS), board composition (BC), chief executive officer duality (CEOD), chief executive officer tenure (CEOT), board meetings (BMET), gender diversity (GEND), firm size (SZ) and firm age (AGE)] and business performance (BP) [ROA and Tobin’s Q]. The study deployed panel data multivariate regression via fixed effect for its analysis. By using annual reports of 124 Ghanaian SMEs selected on the basis of data availability, covering 2010-2019, the paper explored SMEs governance-performance-connexion by following the methodologies of researchers/scholars in extant literature. Findings/Results indicates that, there exists positive relationships among CEOT, BMET, SZ and AGE and BP. Nevertheless, BS, BC, CEOD and GEND depicted negative relationships with BP. Findings showed there are mixed results vis-à-vis governance mechanisms and BP. Findings further connote that; Ghanaian SME sector have distinctive attributes and may respond differently to governance mechanisms. Stakeholders will be abreast of the happenings in the Ghanaian SME sector for improved governance mechanisms. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge in extant literature on corporate governance and BP in the SME sector from an emerging economy’s perspective.
Antibacterial effects of iron oxide and silver nanoparticles synthesized by Bacillus subtilis: a comparative study

The present study aimed to characterize silver and iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by Bacillus subtilis for their physicochemical properties and antibacterial activities. The antibacterial properties of NPs were evaluated using agar well diffusion method. In the following, zone of inhibition diameter, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were estimated against the standard bacteria of Staphylococcus aureus (PTCC 1112), Bacillus cereus (PTCC 1015), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PTCC 1074), and Escherichia coli (O157:H7). According to the findings, the maximum optical density of Ag NPs and Fe3O4 NPs was read at 435 and 225 nm, respectively, which therefore verified the fabrication of NPs. The shape of Ag NPs was spherical with the size range of 25–45 nm, while the Fe3O4 NPs had cubic and spherical shapes and the size range of 55–80 nm. The results of antimicrobial potentials indicated that the Ag NPs were more active than the Fe3O4 NPs. Also, the biomass synthesis method for both NPs exhibited relatively better physicochemical properties and antimicrobial effects than the supernatant methods. There was a significant difference in antimicrobial effects between selected antibiotics and both synthesized NPs (P < 0.05). S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were the most sensitive and resistant bacteria for both NPs. The MIC values of Ag NPs for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were 10 and 40 μg/mL, and the MBC values were 20 and 80 μg/mL, respectively. The obtained properties for the Fe3O4 NPs were weaker than for the Ag NPs, so that the MIC value was 20 μg/mL for S. aureus and B. cereus, and 40 μg/mL for E. coli and P. aeruginosa, in addition to, the MBC values were 40 and 80 μg/mL, respectively. Due to the antimicrobial potential of synthesized NPs, they can be used as antimicrobial agents in formulations of various disinfectants and antiseptics, because the used materials possess a very high reactivity due to nanoparticle nature and are able to inhibit unwanted microbial growth during a very short time.
Children as Next of Kin in Higher Education: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study Among Health, Social Care, and Teacher Education Programs

Introduction Children who are “next of kin” (ie, sick/dying/addicted/imprisoned close relatives) are at increased risk for health consequences. Health professionals in Norway are required by law to help such children, and professional educations should focus on this issue. Aim To assess the extent to which students attending health, social care, and teacher education felt their uni-professional education and a mandatory interprofessional learning (IPL) course had taught them about children as next of kin. To explore variations in student responses according to age and educational background. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Students (n = 2811) completed questionnaires relating to IPL courses delivered in 2019 and 2020 (hybrid case-based learning). Students discussed issues relating to interprofessional collaboration targeting children, young people and their families in small IPL groups. Findings The response rates ranged from 25.8% to 36.0%. All but 5.2% of the students agreed that it was important to learn about children as next of kin. Although 61.9% reported that their education had not taught about such children, 73.8% had gained increased insight from the IPL course (difference 35.7% 95% CI (29.0; 42.0), p < 0.001). The teacher and child welfare students had gained greater insight than the health and social care students. Significant pre- to post-course increases were found among the physiotherapy (p < 0.001), Mensendieck physiotherapy (p < 0.001), teacher education (p < 0.001), early childhood education (p < 0.001), and teacher education in art and design (p = 0.042) students. Conclusion Nearly 2/3 reported that they had not been taught about children as next of kin at their own educations, but more than 2/3 had gained greater insight from the IPL course. The health and social care students reported the least gain. Although the law has existed for a decade, the topic of children as next of kin is still omitted from most educational programs.
Mental Health Interest and Its Prediction during the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Google Trends

This study aimed to analyze and predict interest in mental health-related queries created in Google Trends (GT) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Google Trends tool collected data on the Google search engine interest and provided real-time surveillance. Five key phrases: “depression”, “insomnia”, ”loneliness”, “psychologist”, and “psychiatrist”, were studied for the period from 25 September 2016 to 19 September 2021. The predictions for the upcoming trend were carried out for the period from September 2021 to September 2023 and were estimated by a hybrid five-component model. The results show a decrease of interest in the search queries “depression” and “loneliness” by 15.3% and 7.2%, respectively. Compared to the period under review, an increase of 5.2% in “insomnia” expression and 8.4% in the “psychiatrist” phrase were predicted. The expression “psychologist” is expected to show an almost unchanged interest. The upcoming changes in the expressions connected with mental health might be explained by vaccination and the gradual removal of social distancing rules. Finally, the analysis of GT can provide a timely insight into the mental health interest of a population and give a forecast for a short period trend.
Postnatal Cytomegalovirus Infection of Preterm and Very-low-birth-weight Infants Through Maternal Breast Milk: Does It Matter?

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Postnatal infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) in very-preterm and very-low-birth-weight infants, transmitted through breast milk (BM), is potentially associated with adverse outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and clinical significance of postnatal CMV infection in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: Infants of CMV-seropositive mothers born in a neonatal intensive care unit in Melbourne, Australia, were observed for 14 weeks from birth in a prospective cohort study. Maternal BM and infant urine were tested weekly for CMV by culture and polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Clinical and laboratory data were collected and analyzed in relation to the infants’ CMV infection status. Results: Data from 65 infants of 56 CMV-seropositive mothers were available for analysis. Of these mothers, 88% (49/56) shed CMV in their BM. Of the 58 infants exposed to CMV-positive BM, 27 (47%) became urine polymerase chain reaction CMV-positive. There was no significant difference in gestational age, birth weight, incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or necrotizing enterocolitis between the CMV-positive and CMV-negative groups. However, CMV-positive infants had a longer length of hospital stay and more episodes of prolonged neutropenia. Of the CMV-positive infants, 30% (8/27) remained asymptomatic, 48% (13/27) had symptoms categorized as mild and 22% (6/27) as severe. Conclusions: About half of preterm and very-low-birth-weight infants exposed to CMV-positive BM become infected, and a fifth develop significant clinical symptoms. Future studies should address the maternal and neonatal factors that determine the risk of mother-to-infant CMV transmission, as well as those leading to clinical deterioration and long-term sequelae.
In Silico Analysis of PKS and NRPS Gene Clusters in Arisostatin- and Kosinostatin-Producers and Description of Micromonospora okii sp. nov.

Micromonospora sp. TP-A0316 and Micromonospora sp. TP-A0468 are producers of arisostatin and kosinostatin, respectively. Micromonospora sp. TP-A0316 showed a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 100% to Micromonospora oryzae CP2R9-1T whereas Micromonospora sp. TP-A0468 showed a 99.3% similarity to Micromonospora haikouensis 232617T. A phylogenetic analysis based on gyrB sequences suggested that Micromonospora sp. TP-A0316 is closely related to Micromonospora oryzae whereas Micromonospora TP-A0468 is an independent genomospecies. As Micromonospora sp. TP-A0468 showed some phenotypic differences to its closely related species, it was classified as a novel species, for which the name Micromonospora okii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TP-A0468T (= NBRC 110461T). Micromonospora sp. TP-A0316 and M. okii TP-A0468T were both found to harbor 15 gene clusters for secondary metabolites such as polyketides and nonribosomal peptides in their genomes. Arisostatin-biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) of Micromonospora sp. TP-A0316 closely resembled tetrocarcin A-BGC of Micromonospora chalcea NRRL 11289. A large type-I polyketide synthase gene cluster was present in each genome of Micromonospora sp. TP-A0316 and M. okii TP-A0468T. It was an ortholog of quinolidomicin-BGC of M. chalcea AK-AN57 and widely distributed in the genus Micromonospora.
Lean Construction Conformance among Construction Contractors in Turkey

Lean construction is the term that corresponds to the reflection of the production system developed at the Toyota Corporation (automotive industry) on the construction industry. Turkish contractors constitute a large portion of the local economy and are important global actors in contracting business. Lean construction-based research and practice, as a production management-based approach for in- creasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the construction industry, are scarce among Turkish contractors. This paper presents the results of a questionnaire prepared to predict the lean conformance levels of Turkish contractors and discusses the results. The comparative strengths and weaknesses of Turkish contractors for a lean construction initiative are highlighted. The findings that are presented in this paper can be used as a starting point to disseminate the research and practice in lean construction among Turkish contractors in the future. A similar kind of research can be repeated to compare the lean conformance levels in different countries and to evaluate the lean construction programs at different companies after the introduction of lean construction. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000145. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Lean construction; Turkey; Contractors. Author keywords: Lean construction; Conformance; Construction industry; Turkey; Contractors; Production management.
Dependency of knee extension torque on different types of stabilisation

Can isolated single-joint torque measurements be used for every practical use case concerning strength prediction or does the possibility of support and stabilisation influence the results? Some studies show that, for example, using or not using handgrips influences maximum knee extension joint torques. This suggests that a muscle can transmit a higher force than it can generate. This would have incisive consequences on digital human modelling. In this case, a strength prediction model would need the information about possible contact points that could increase the resulting joint torque by recruiting further muscle groups. In this study, three stabilisation methods (waist belt, upper body restraint, handgrips and waist belt) were used for maximum isometric knee joint torque measurements using 21 young, male subjects. The results show that in contrast to some earlier studies no significant differences could be obtained. Based on the results recommendations for appropriate stabilisation are given.
Psycoeducation of Responsible Scouts Care for Others in Disaster Response

The attitude of disaster response to disaster-affected communities in general is an urgent priority to be given so that the community becomes resilient. So far, people are accustomed to relying on government assistance and are not able to provide an appropriate first response. This is because the community does not understand how to act appropriately when a disaster occurs in the area where they live. Law No. 24 of 2007 on Disaster Management. The subjects in this study were 110 Advanced Coaches, the Surabaya Kwarcab Helping Brigade, the Surabaya Kwarcab Care Scouts, the Surabaya Kwartir Branch Work Council using a knowledge scale on disaster response and psychoeducation related to Psychological First Aids. The results of the calculation of the t test (Paired Sample Test) obtained the results of t = 6.473 at p = 0.000. This means that between the pre-test and post-test of there is a very significant difference the experimental group in the knowledge of disaster response. The pre-test of the experimental group (Mean = 96.2553) was higher than the post-test of the experimental group (Mean = 88.5745), this indicates that PFA psychoeducation can increase knowledge about disaster response, thus indicating a significant relationship between psychoeducational independent variables. PFA with the dependent variable is knowledge about disaster response. The implication of this research is that it is expected to become an extension program so that it can increase knowledge related to disaster mitigation so that in the future members of the Rescue Brigadier can become the vanguard of disaster mitigation.
Tornado-induced wind loads on a low-rise building

Current design wind loads for buildings and other structures are based upon model tests in low-speed boundary-layer wind tunnels that generate straight-line winds. Winds resulting from tornadoes that can occur during extreme weather events such as thunderstorms or hurricanes differ greatly from conventionally conceived atmospheric boundary-layer winds. This paper presents transient wind loads on a one-story, gable-roofed building in a laboratory-simulated tornado and compares them with the provisions of building standards. Tornadoes were simulated in smooth, open terrain with vortex core diameters from roughly five to twelve times the plan dimension of the building model (0.46 to 1.06 m). A 1:100 scale model of a building with dimensions of 9.1 m×9.1 m×6.6 m and gable roof angle of 35° was used for this study. Comparisons of peak loads measured in this study showed that tornado-like vortices can generate load coefficients greater than those prescribed by ASCE 7-05 for straight-line wind over open terrain.
Studying Online Travel Reviews related to tourist attractions using NLP methods: the case of Guanajuato, Mexico

ABSTRACT This research's main objective is to analyse Online Travel Reviews (OTRs) related to tourist attractions aiming at identifying recurring discussion topics/themes to infer whether travellers make reference to positive or negative experiences during their trips. This study focuses on the case of Guanajuato, a Mexican cultural destination. It is important to mention that similar analyses have not been carried out to study any Mexican destination so far. OTRs are analysed using two Natural Language Processing approaches: Mutual Information Ranking and Jaccard Coefficient. These are applied to quantify and extract the most representative themes and the main topics from each polarity within the OTRs. These techniques have been extensively studied in various areas, however, to the best of our knowledge, they have not been applied in digital tourism to detect essential issues during the travel experience. As a result, two recurrent negative themes/topics (‘cleanliness’, ‘prices’) were identified throughout this analysis. One surprising finding of this work relates to the lack of variation between national and international travellers' evaluations. The findings of this study contribute to confirming the role of OTRs within the contemporary tourist experience by identifying those places perceived negatively or positively directy from the visitors' perspective.
Static Magnetic Fields Enhance the Chondrogenesis of Mandibular Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Coculture Systems

Objectives Combining the advantages of static magnetic fields (SMF) and coculture systems, we investigated the effect of moderate-intensity SMF on the chondrogenesis and proliferation of mandibular bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MBMSCs) in the MBMSC/mandibular condylar chondrocyte (MCC) coculture system. The main aim of the present study was to provide an experimental basis for obtaining better cartilage tissue engineering seed cells for the effective repair of condylar cartilage defects in clinical practice. Methods MBMSCs and MCCs were isolated from SD (Sprague Dawley) rats. Flow cytometry, three-lineage differentiation, colony-forming assays, immunocytochemistry, and toluidine blue staining were used for the identification of MBMSCs and MCCs. MBMSCs and MCCs were seeded into the lower and upper Transwell chambers, respectively, at a ratio of 1 : 2, and exposed to a 280 mT SMF. MBMSCs were harvested after 3, 7, or 14 days for analysis. CCK-8 was used to detect cell proliferation, Alcian blue staining was utilized to evaluate glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) detected protein and gene expression levels of SOX9, Col2A1 (Collagen Type II Alpha 1), and Aggrecan (ACAN). Results The proliferation of MBMSCs was significantly enhanced in the experimental group with MBMSCs cocultured with MCCs under SMF stimulation relative to controls (P < 0.05). GAG content was increased, and SOX9, Col2A1, and ACAN were also increased at the mRNA and protein levels (P < 0.05). Conclusions Moderate-intensity SMF improved the chondrogenesis and proliferation of MBMSCs in the coculture system, and it might be a promising approach to repair condylar cartilage defects in the clinical setting.
Improving the performance of a piezoelectric energy harvester using a variable thickness beam

In recent years, researchers have shown a growing interest in the possibility of harvesting mechanical energy from vibrating structures. A common way to proceed consists of using the direct piezoelectric effect of a bimorph cantilever beam with integrated piezoelectric elements. Several studies focused on the development of analytical models describing the electromechanical coupling. Historically, most of these models have been limited to simple structures such as a constant cross-section cantilever beam harvester. This paper studies the effect of a variable thickness beam harvester on its electromechanical performance. A semi-analytical mechanical model was developed using Rayleigh–Ritz approximations with a trigonometric functions set. The model was next validated by a finite element (FE) modeling. Numerical simulations were then performed for different beam slope angles in order to find the optimum for a given maximal strain across the piezoelectric elements. For the case under study, it is shown that tapered beams lead to a more uniform strain distribution across the piezoelectric material and increase the harvesting performance by a factor of 3.6.
Supply chain relationship quality, the competitive environment and performance

In today's competitive environment, it is supply chains (SC) rather than companies that compete. Empirical research in the area of SC relationships have primarily sought to explain the nature of relationship processes rather than their effect on performance. However, the impact of SC relationship quality on SC performance has received less attention in the literature. Furthermore, the nature of the competitive environment can vary greatly across different supply chains. As such it is appropriate to consider whether or not the effect of SC relationship quality on SC performance is monotonic across different competitive environments. Accordingly, this paper investigates if SC relationship quality has an impact on SC performance quality and whether or not the competitive environment moderates this relationship.