Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endoscopic ear examination improves self-reported confidence in ear examination skills among undergraduate medical students compared with handheld otoscopy

Objectives: Handheld otoscopy is the standard tool used to teach ear examination in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Previous studies have shown that the undergraduate teaching of ear examination with handheld otoscopes is inadequate, resulting in low self-reported levels of student confidence in their diagnostic skills. With the increase in popularity of endoscopic ear surgery, an increasing number of otolaryngologists are using endoscopes for office examinations of the ear due to the method’s superior visualization and excellent image qualities. However, medical students usually do not receive exposure to endoscopic ear examination during their undergraduate curriculum. The aim of this study is to assess our preliminary experience with teaching endoscopic ear examination to undergraduate medical students. Methods: A two-hour-long pilot practical course on basic ear examination was administered to undergraduate medical students with little to no previous experience with ear examination. The course was designed to minimize the duration of campus attendance and patient contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. The course included theoretical didactics, exemplary digital endoscopic images and peer physical practice of ear examination with both a handheld otoscope and a 0-degree endoscope. At the end of the course, the students completed a survey questionnaire consisting of eight questions mainly relating to their subjective confidence level with ear examination using either handheld otoscopes or endoscopes and their overall preference for either examination tool. Results: Most students expressed a preference for ear examination with endoscopes over that with handheld otoscopes and reported an improved confidence level in their diagnostic ability with the former technique. The vast majority of students supported the teaching of endoscopic ear examination to future medical students. Conclusion: The findings of this pilot project report and survey study support the early exposure of novice medical learners to endoscopic ear examination, which may help improve the confidence and diagnostic skill of medical students with regard to ear examination. The findings may have implications for the undergraduate teaching of ear examination in the post-COVID-19 era.
Mapping Glycan to Glycan Binding Protein (GBP) Interactions by Live Cell Proximity Tagging

Interactions between glycans and glycan‐binding proteins (GBPs) consist of weak, noncovalent, and transient binding events, making them difficult to study in live cells void of a static, isolated system. Furthermore, the glycans are often presented as protein glycoconjugates, but there are limited efforts to identify these proteins. Proximity labeling permits covalent tagging of the glycoprotein interactors to query GBP in live cells. Coupled with high‐resolution mass spectrometry, it facilitates determination of the proteins bearing the interacting glycans. In this method, fusion protein constructs of a GBP of interest with a peroxidase enzyme allows for in situ spatiotemporal radical‐mediated tagging of interacting glycoproteins in living cells that can be enriched for identification. Using this method, the capture and study of glycan‐GBP interactions no longer relies on weak, transient interactions, and results in robust capture and identification of the interactome of a GBP while preserving the native cellular environment. This protocol focuses on (1) expression and characterization of a recombinant fusion protein consisting of a peroxidase and the GBP galectin‐3, (2) corresponding in situ labeling and visualization of interactors, (3) and proteomic workflow and analysis of captured proteins for robust identification using mass spectrometry. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Male ant reproductive investment in a seasonal wet tropical forest: Consequences of future climate change

Tropical forests sustain many ant species whose mating events often involve conspicuous flying swarms of winged gynes and males. The success of these reproductive flights depends on environmental variables and determines the maintenance of local ant diversity. However, we lack a strong understanding of the role of environmental variables in shaping the phenology of these flights. Using a combination of community-level analyses and a time-series model on male abundance, we studied male ant phenology in a seasonally wet lowland rainforest in the Panama Canal. The male flights of 161 ant species, sampled with 10 Malaise traps during 58 consecutive weeks (from August 2014 to September 2015), varied widely in number (mean = 9.8 weeks, median = 4, range = 1 to 58). Those species abundant enough for analysis (n = 97) flew mainly towards the end of the dry season and at the start of the rainy season. While litterfall, rain, temperature, and air humidity explained community composition, the time-series model estimators elucidated more complex patterns of reproductive investment across the entire year. For example, male abundance increased in weeks when maximum daily temperature increased and in wet weeks during the dry season. On the contrary, male abundance decreased in periods when rain receded (e.g., at the start of the dry season), in periods when rain fell daily (e.g., right after the beginning of the wet season), or when there was an increase in the short-term rate of litterfall (e.g., at the end of the dry season). Together, these results suggest that the BCI ant community is adapted to the dry/wet transition as the best timing of reproductive investment. We hypothesize that current climate change scenarios for tropical regions with higher average temperature, but lower rainfall, may generate phenological mismatches between reproductive flights and the adequate conditions needed for a successful start of the colony.
CollectionsEducation.org: Connecting Students to Citizen Science and Curated Collections

Through completing your own collections, you have been able to experience first-hand what goes into collecting, identifying, and archiving biodiversity data. Now that you know where the data comes from, let’s explore where the data goes. Research-grade observations on iNaturalist are shared with other data archives, such as the ​Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, ​https://gbif.org​), a database of biological collections and occurrence data. This is important because aggregated data allows researchers, land managers, policy-makers, and others all over the world access to your observation information in the broad context of many other sources, both observational and collections-based. Observational data is species occurrence data, and represents where someone saw, and often imaged, a living specimen. ​Collections-based data takes this a step further by ​vouchering ​specimens. Vouchering ensures that specimens have been sampled and archived indefinitely. If we want to explore some aggregated observation and collection information, we can do this through BISON, or ​Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation​ (​https://bison.usgs.gov​ ), a tool for visualizing GBIF data.
Oral Nano-Curcumin in a Model of Chronic Gulf War Illness Alleviates Brain Dysfunction with Modulation of Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Function, Neuroinflammation, Neurogenesis, and Gene Expression

Unrelenting cognitive and mood impairments concomitant with incessant oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are among the significant symptoms of chronic Gulf War Illness (GWI). Curcumin (CUR), an antiinflammatory compound, has shown promise to alleviate brain dysfunction in a model of GWI following intraperitoneal administrations at a high dose. However, low bioavailability after oral treatment has hampered its clinical translation. Therefore, this study investigated the efficacy of low-dose, intermittent, oral polymer nanoparticle encapsulated CUR (nCUR) for improving brain function in a rat model of chronic GWI. Intermittent administration of 10 or 20 mg/Kg nCUR for 8 weeks in the early phase of GWI improved brain function and reduced oxidative stress (OS) and neuroinflammation. We next examined the efficacy of 12-weeks of intermittent nCUR at 10 mg/Kg in GWI animals, with treatment commencing 8 months after exposure to GWI-related chemicals and stress, mimicking treatment for the persistent cognitive and mood dysfunction displayed by veterans with GWI. GWI rats receiving nCUR exhibited better cognitive and mood function associated with improved mitochondrial function and diminished neuroinflammation in the hippocampus. Improved mitochondrial function was evident from normalized expression of OS markers, antioxidants, and mitochondrial electron transport genes, and complex proteins. Lessened neuroinflammation was noticeable from reductions in astrocyte hypertrophy, NF-kB, activated microglia with NLRP3 inflammasomes, and multiple proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, nCUR treated animals displayed enhanced neurogenesis with a normalized expression of synaptophysin puncta, and multiple genes linked to cognitive dysfunction. Thus, low-dose, intermittent, oral nCUR therapy has promise for improving brain function in veterans with GWI.
Latent Factors of Language Disturbance and Relationships to Quantitative Speech Features

Background and Hypothesis Quantitative acoustic and textual measures derived from speech ("speech features") may provide valuable biomarkers for psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). We sought to identify cross-diagnostic latent factors for speech disturbance with relevance for SSD and computational modeling. Study Design Clinical ratings for speech disturbance were generated across 14 items for a cross-diagnostic sample (N=343), including SSD (n=97). Speech features were quantified using an automated pipeline for brief recorded samples of free-speech. Factor models for the clinical ratings were generated using exploratory factor analysis, then tested with confirmatory factor analysis in the cross-diagnostic and SSD groups. Relationships among factor scores, speech features and other clinical characteristics were examined using network analysis. Study Results We found a 3-factor model with good fit in the cross-diagnostic group and acceptable fit for the SSD subsample. The model identifies an impaired expressivity factor and two interrelated disorganized factors for inefficient and incoherent speech. Incoherent speech was specific to psychosis groups, while inefficient speech and impaired expressivity showed intermediate effects in people with nonpsychotic disorders. Network analysis showed that the factors had distinct relationships with speech features, and that the patterns were different in the cross-diagnostic versus SSD groups. Conclusions We report a cross-diagnostic 3-factor model for speech disturbance which is supported by good statistical measures, intuitive, applicable to SSD, and relatable to linguistic theories. It provides a valuable framework for understanding speech disturbance and appropriate targets for modeling with quantitative speech features.
National Survey of the Perceptions of Selected School Board Members Regarding the Quality and Condition, Maintenance, and Improvement and Renovation of Existing Public School Facilities

(ABSTRACT) The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of selected school board members across the country regarding the quality and condition, maintenance, and improvement and renovation of existing public school facilities within their district. There were three research questions in this study. The first question examined how selected school board members perceived the quality and condition of existing public school facilities. The second question examined how they perceived the maintenance of these facilities. The third question examined what actions had been taken by the school boards of these selected members to address the improvement and renovation of these facilities. A descriptive research methodology was employed in this study. A nationwide stratified random sample had been selected to receive a coded mailed questionnaire consisting of twenty-one survey items, seven for each of the three research questions. The questionnaire included demographic information designed to allow the researcher to disaggregate the data received according to each of nine geographic regions throughout the country. Two follow-up mailings were made to non-respondents to increase the data collection return rate. Incomplete returns were not included in the data analysis. iii Frequency tables and descriptive statistics were constructed to display results with respect to each of the three research questions. The researcher found that the results of this study did not support significant recommendations that affirm findings in previous studies. Those findings described a continual pattern in the failure of school districts across the country to properly maintain the quality and condition, maintenance, and improvement and renovation of existing public school facilities. This study surveyed selected school board members nationally for the first time regarding their perceptions on these issues. iv DEDICATION This study is dedicated to my family. They have supported me in countless ways and helped me to realize the completion of this amazing journey. To my mother and father, Charles and Elizabeth Baumann, I give my never-ending love and appreciation for opening my eyes to the importance of being a lifelong learner. To my mother and father-in law, Ruth and Meade McCubbin, I express my heartfelt thanks for your words of encouragement and support. To my brother, Fred, and to my sister-in-law, MaryAnn, thank you for your words of encouragement. To Ann and Win, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, I shall always appreciate your prayers and faith in me. To my sons, Jeffrey and Stacy, I can never thank you enough for …
OVERRIDE AND ANTI-WINDUP CONTROL STRATEGY FOR ACTIVE VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEM

Vehicle suspension plays important roles in vehicle performance. The main function of the vehicle suspension is to improve ride and handling performance. The other important requirements need to be considered in the controller design are suspension def ection and actuator saturation. However, these requirements are conf icting. For example, to obtain better ride comfort it is usually required larger control input and larger suspension def ection, but the actuator that deliver the control signal have a limitation which is commonly known as actuator saturation. There is also a structural constraint that limits the suspension def ection. Most of the vehicle active suspension control strategies deal with actuator saturation and limitation of suspension def ection by keeping the control signals small, until the point where constraint is not met at all. The advantage of this approach is allowing one to use the unconstrained design methods and hence a linear analysis of the problem can be carried out. However, this is achieved at the cost of reducing achievable performance since we expect high performance to be associated with acting on or near constraints. In this study, an alternative approach to the vehicle active suspension system is studied. In this approach, some separation in the controller such that one part is devoted to achieve nominal performance and the other part is devoted to constraint handling is performed. This control strategy involves a two-step design procedure. Namely, a state feedback controller is first synthesized for a linear system ignoring saturation and state constraint. Then, the anti-windup and override compensator is designed such that, when saturation occurs or state constraints limits is exceeded, this compensator becomes active to recovers as much as possible the performance lost. Local control design technique based on the circle criterion and L2 gain performance is used for the anti-windup and override compensator synthesis. A quarter car model is considered in this study and the effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown by a numerical example. The application of the override control for active vehicle suspension system is studied. It is shown that the occurrence of the suspension hits it def ection limits and control input reaches the saturation bound can be minimized by override and anti windup control strategy.
Resource Management in Wireless Access Networks: A layer-based classification - Version 1.0

In recent years, wireless access networks have recently experienced significant breakthrough that strongly impacted the way of managing network resources. We can observe considerable emergence of heterogeneous wireless networks where different types of wireless technologies coexist in the same region. Beside widespread deployment of heterogeneous wireless networks, the progress of electronic devices enables implementation of multiple radio interfaces on a single mobile device. Consequently it requires new resource management approaches to exploit diversity gain. Moreover, the dramatic increase in traffic leads to a necessity of efficient resource management. As a result, numerous studies have been conducted to address various issues in resource management. In this report, a survey of recent resource management solutions is presented. It is a layer-based classification survey that can be helpful for any researcher that wants to know the state of the art on existing resource management schemes as well as for technical experts who wants to apply them to real devices.
Optimal deep brain stimulation sites and networks for cervical vs. generalized dystonia

Significance We studied deep brain stimulation effects in two types of dystonia and conclude that different specific connections between the pallidum and thalamus are responsible for optimal treatment effects. Since alternative treatment options for dystonia beyond deep brain stimulation are scarce, our results will be crucial to maximize treatment outcome in this population of patients.
Adolescent Peer Victimization and Deliberate Self-Harm: A Three-Wave Moderated Mediation Model

Background: Identifying deliberate self-harm (DSH) and peer victimization in adolescents is a public health issue. The present study evaluates a three-wave longitudinal model to examine the effect of peer victimization on DSH and the roles of internalizing problems (depression and anxiety) and perceived peer and teacher support climate in this relationship. Methods: The participants were 2381 adolescents (51.2% boys, Mage = 13.38, SD = .59) from Chinese middle schools. Self-report measures were used to collect data every 6 months in three waves. Results: (1) Peer victimization at T1 positively predicted DSH at T3. (2) Depression at T2, rather than anxiety, mediated the relationship between peer victimization at T1 and DSH at T3. (3) Perceived peer support climate at T1 played a moderating role between peer victimization at T1 and depression and anxiety at T2, but perceived teacher support climate did not. Peer victimization had a stronger predictive effect on depression and anxiety for students with high level of perceived peer support climate. Limitations: Study limitations include the short interval (6 months) of the longitudinal design, the reliance on self-report questionnaires, the inclusion of only one aspect of student-student and teacher–student relationships, and the age limitation. Conclusions: The results demonstrated the importance of prevention for improving social and emotional skills to reduce peer victimization and of interventions to promote a peer support climate in the classroom. The findings highlight the need to consider different types of internalizing problems and perceived support in studies of DSH in adolescents.
Alcohol consumption messages in Korean dramas: the globalization of South Korean drinking norms

South Korea has one of the highest rates of monthly alcohol consumption, high-risk drinking, and alcohol-related problems. Global viewers of Korean dramas consume messages about the cultural norms regarding alcohol consumption. There is limited data on the portrayal of alcohol in Korean dramas. The purpose of this embedded mixed methods study is to explore the nature of the portrayal of alcohol consumption in Korean dramas. Content analysis was conducted on a random selection of six drama series. The portrayal of alcohol consumption is ubiquitous, with a reference to alcohol approximately every 12 minutes of programming. The primary messages include the ritualistic importance of alcohol, the over consumption of alcohol by males and females, alcohol as a stress reliever, alcohol as a relationship facilitator, intoxication as a positive valence, unrealistic consequences of intoxication, males as reliable caretakers of intoxicated females, and nondepiction of driving while intoxicated. The results of this study further our understanding of the frequency of the portrayal of alcohol and the prevailing messages about alcohol consumption and intoxication in Korean dramas.
Overwintering ecology and movement of anadromous Arctic char ( Salvelinus alpinus) in a large, ice‐covered river in the Canadian Arctic

Abstract Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) is a facultatively anadromous fish species that is critically important to many Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. Plasticity in life history has allowed the species to persist in a diversity of challenging Holarctic environments. Despite their ecological and cultural importance and their presence in aquatic ecosystems that are ice‐covered for much of the year, few under‐ice studies of Arctic char have been conducted. Most winter studies of adult Arctic char have focused on lakes, where they typically overwinter. Several populations of Arctic char, however, overwinter in large river systems, and subsistence fishers have reported that Arctic char overwinter in the lower reaches of the Coppermine River. The Coppermine River is a large Arctic river that flows into Coronation Gulf near Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada. The authors used acoustic telemetry to investigate the overwintering ecology of Arctic char in the region. Consistent with local knowledge, they detected Arctic char overwintering within the fluvial environment of the Coppermine River from 2018 to 2020. Unlike other fluvial environments known to be used by overwintering Arctic char, the lower reaches of the Coppermine River are completely ice‐covered throughout the winter, are of moderate depths (3.8–14.1 m) and have no known groundwater inputs. Acoustic telemetry observations indicated long‐distance movement (7–8 km) within the river in early winter (October) in response to dynamic ice formation. Under‐ice movement generally declined 2 weeks after river freeze‐up but continued throughout winter in the lower 5 km of the river, where there were fewer under‐ice disturbances. Migration into the marine environment before river ice break‐up (June), as well as winter (November–May) movements into and within the marine environment, was unexpectedly observed for some fish. Under‐ice use of the marine environment is unusual for Arctic char at the distances observed (up to 18 km) and has not previously been documented at the temperatures (fish body temperatures from −0.76 to 1.90°C) observed. Results allow further understanding of the diverse life‐history tactics employed by Arctic char and lay a foundation for future research into fluvial and other diverse overwintering tactics employed by the species.