Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adolescent Connectedness and Adult Health Outcomes

Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we document long-term protective associations between family and school connectedness and multiple health outcomes. BACKGROUND: Because little is known about long-term effects of adolescent protective factors across multiple health domains, we examined associations between adolescent connectedness and multiple health-related outcomes in adulthood. METHODS: We used weighted data from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 14 800). Linear and logistic models were used to examine associations between family and school connectedness in adolescence and self-reported health risk behaviors and experiences in adulthood, including emotional distress, suicidal thoughts and attempts, physical violence victimization and perpetration, intimate partner physical and sexual violence victimization, multiple sex partners, condom use, sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis, prescription drug misuse, and other illicit drug use. RESULTS: In multivariable analyses, school connectedness in adolescence had independent protective associations in adulthood, reducing emotional distress and odds of suicidal ideation, physical violence victimization and perpetration, multiple sex partners, STI diagnosis, prescription drug misuse, and other illicit drug use. Similarly, family connectedness had protective effects for emotional distress, all violence indicators, including intimate partner violence, multiple sex partners, STI diagnosis, and both substance use indicators. Compared to individuals with low scores for each type of connectedness, having high levels of both school and family connectedness was associated with 48% to 66% lower odds of health risk behaviors and experiences in adulthood, depending on the outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Family and school connectedness may have long-lasting protective effects across multiple health outcomes related to mental health, violence, sexual behavior, and substance use. Increasing both family and school connectedness during adolescence has the potential to promote overall health in adulthood.
Prevalence of voriconazole-resistant invasive aspergillosis and its impact on mortality in haematology patients.

BACKGROUND Increasing resistance of Aspergillus fumigatus to triazoles in high-risk populations is a concern. Its impact on mortality is not well understood, but rates from 50% to 100% have been reported. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of voriconazole-resistant A. fumigatus invasive aspergillosis (IA) and its associated mortality in a large multicentre cohort of haematology patients with culture-positive IA. METHODS We performed a multicentre retrospective study, in which outcomes of culture-positive haematology patients with proven/probable IA were analysed. Patients were stratified based on the voriconazole susceptibility of their isolates (EUCAST broth microdilution test). Mycological and clinical data were compared, along with survival at 6 and 12 weeks. RESULTS We identified 129 A. fumigatus culture-positive proven or probable IA cases; 103 were voriconazole susceptible (79.8%) and 26 were voriconazole resistant (20.2%). All but one resistant case harboured environment-associated resistance mutations in the cyp51A gene: TR34/L98H (13 cases) and TR46/Y121F/T289A (12 cases). Triazole monotherapy was started in 75.0% (97/129) of patients. Mortality at 6 and 12 weeks was higher in voriconazole-resistant cases in all patients (42.3% versus 28.2%, P = 0.20; and 57.7% versus 36.9%, P = 0.064) and in non-ICU patients (36.4% versus 21.6%, P = 0.16; and 54.4% versus 30.7%; P = 0.035), compared with susceptible ones. ICU patient mortality at 6 and 12 weeks was very high regardless of triazole susceptibility (75.0% versus 66.7%, P = 0.99; and 75.0% versus 73.3%, P = 0.99). CONCLUSIONS A very high prevalence of voriconazole resistance among culture-positive IA haematology patients was observed. The overall mortality at 12 weeks was significantly higher in non-ICU patients with voriconazole-resistant IA compared with voriconazole-susceptible IA.
High-frequency negative-resistance circuit principles for Esaki-diode applications

Certain fundamental principles are presented for analyzing and designing high-frequency amplifiers and oscillators utilizing simple negative resistance elements such as the Esaki or tunnel diodes. The first part of the paper covers the conditions necessary for oscillation and amplification with a single negative-resistance diode, including stability criteria, gain and bandwidth. It is shown that the highest-frequency circuits require diodes with very small dimensions, so that a single-spot diode will have a very low power capacity. In order to obtain higher power at high frequencies, distributed circuits must be used, either with narrow-strip diodes or a multiplicity of small spot diodes. Such circuits present special stabilization problems in suppressing unwanted modes of oscillation. Methods of avoiding such difficulties are presented for one-port oscillator circuits and for traveling-wave amplifier circuits. In the latter case, nonreciprocal attenuation of the gyromagnetic type is recommended.
Congenital lipodystrophy induces severe osteosclerosis

Berardinelli-Seip congenital generalized lipodystrophy is associated with increased bone mass suggesting that fat tissue regulates the skeleton. Because there is little mechanistic information regarding this issue, we generated "fat-free" (FF) mice completely lacking visible visceral, subcutaneous and brown fat. Due to robust osteoblastic activity, trabecular and cortical bone volume is markedly enhanced in these animals. FF mice, like Berardinelli-Seip patients, are diabetic but normalization of glucose tolerance and significant reduction in circulating insulin fails to alter their skeletal phenotype. Importantly, the skeletal phenotype of FF mice is completely rescued by transplantation of adipocyte precursors or white or brown fat depots, indicating that adipocyte derived products regulate bone mass. Confirming such is the case, transplantation of fat derived from adiponectin and leptin double knockout mice, unlike that obtained from their WT counterparts, fails to normalize FF bone. These observations suggest a paucity of leptin and adiponectin may contribute to the increased bone mass of Berardinelli-Seip patients.
Assessment of Dietary Under-Reporting in Italian College Team Sport Athletes

Background: Nutrition is an important factor for sports performance and the assessment of dietary intakes in athletes can correct unhealthy eating habits. However, dietary assessment may be biased due to misreporting. The aim of our study was to investigate the occurrence of misreporting in a sample of collegiate team sport athletes. Methods: A total of 50 athletes participated. Each athlete filled in food records for seven days. Reported energy intake (EI) was considered in relation to the predicted basal metabolic rate (BMR) and expressed as the ratio EI/ BMR. All participants with EI/BMRestd ≤1.23 were classified as “low energy reporters” (LER), and those with an EI/BMRestd ratio >1.23 were classified as “adequate energy reporters” (AER). Results: According to cut-off values for under-reporting, 28 out of 50 athletes (56%) were classified as LER. The LER (16 M/12 F) had significantly higher BMI (23.17 ± 3.46 kg/m2 compared to 21.41 ± 1.91 kg/m2; p = 0.038) than the AER. The EI/kg fat free mass (FFM) was significantly lower in LER than the AER (33.34 ± 6.56 kcal/FFM compared to 48.51 ± 8.59 kcal/FFM, p < 0.0001). Nutrient intake was also significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: Our results suggest that under-reporting of energy intake by collegiate team sport athletes may occur frequently and needs to be taken into consideration in the interpretation of nutrient intake.
Biological properties of electrospun cellulose scaffolds from biomass

Abstract Nowadays the development of sustainable technologies for the effective production of polymeric materials that can be used as biomaterials will be of importance. In this work, cellulose (CEL) was purified from potato peel waste (PPW) and used to produce electrospun nanofibers for tissue engineering applications. The purified CEL was solubilized in copper ethylenediamine (Cuen) and the electrospun nanofibers was produced through electrospinning technique in diameter range of 250–500 nm at electrical field strength of 20 kV. To confirm the applicability of the electrospun CEL scaffolds in tissue engineering, in vitro BALB-3T3 fibroblastic cell adhesion and cell proliferation tests were employed in this study. Cell viability was evaluated by staining with ethidium bromide (EtBr) and acridine orange (AO) to evaluate the possible effects of cytotoxicity of the CNF scaffolds. Fluorescence studies confirmed that BALB-3T3 viable cells attached and spread throughout the CEL scaffold. The attachment and spreading of viable cells suggests that electrospun CEL scaffolds support growth of BALB-3T3 fibroblasts cells and suggests that PPW can be a useful source of raw material for the production of scaffolds for tissue engineering.
miR-26a-5p is a Stable Reference Gene for miRNA Studies in Chondrocytes from Developing Human Cartilage

miRNAs are emerging as key regulators of complex biological systems in several developmental processes. qRT-PCR is a powerful tool to quantitatively assess the profiles and modulation of miRNA expression. In the emerging field of cartilage maturation studies, from precursor to hypertrophic chondrocytes, few data about miRNA regulation are available, and no consensus on the best reference gene (RG) has been reached. This is a crucial pitfall since reliable outcomes depend on proper data normalization. The aim of this work was to identify reliable and stable miRNA RGs, basing the analysis on available high throughput qRT-PCR miRNA data (from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus database, GSE49152) obtained from human embryonic cartilage tissues enriched in the precursor, differentiated, and hypertrophic chondrocytes. Four normalization approaches were used, and the stability was quantified by combining BestKeeper, delta-Ct, geNorm, and NormFinder statistical tools. An integrated approach allowed to identify miR-26a-5p as the most stable RG and miR-212-3p as the worst one. RNU44, used in original dataset analysis, performed as second best RG. Applications of different normalization strategies significantly impacted the profiles and modulation of miRNA expression. Herein presented results point out the crucial need of a consensus on data normalization studies aimed at dissecting miRNA role in human cartilage development, to avoid the postulation of unreliable biological conclusions.
Reverse Engineering Gene Networks Using Genomic Time-Course Data

Gene regulatory networks are collections of genes that interact, whether directly or indirectly, with each other and with other substances in the cell. Such gene-to-gene interactions play an important role in a variety of biological processes, as they regulate the rate and degree to which genes are transcribed and proteins are created. By measuring gene expression over time, it may be possible to reverse engineer, or infer, the structure of the gene network involved in a particular cellular process. With the development of microarray and next-generation sequencing technologies, it has become possible to conduct longitudinal experiments to measure the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously over time. However, due to the high dimensionality of gene expression data, the limited number of biological replicates and time points typically measured, and the complexity of biological systems themselves, the problem of reverse engineering networks from transcriptomic data demands a specialized suite of appropriate statistical tools and methodologies. Two methods are proposed that use directed graphical models of stochastic processes, known as dynamic Bayesian networks, and first-order linear models to represent gene regulatory networks. In the first method, an algorithm is developed based on a hierarchical Bayesian framework for a Gaussian state space model. Hyperparameters are estimated using an empirical Bayes procedure, and parameter posterior distributions determine the presence or absence of gene-to-gene interactions. In the second method, a simulation-based approach known as Approximate Bayesian Computing based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling is modified to the context of gene regulatory networks. Because no likelihood calculation is required, this method permits inference even for networks where no distributional assumptions are made. The performance of the proposed approaches is investigated via simulations, and both methods are applied to real longitudinal expression data. The two methods, while not comparable, are complementary, and help illustrate the need for a variety of network inference methods adapted for different contexts.
Genomic signatures of sympatric speciation with historical and contemporary gene flow in a tropical anthozoan

Sympatric diversification is increasingly thought to have played an important role in the evolution of biodiversity around the globe. However, an in situ sympatric origin for co-distributed taxa is difficult to demonstrate empirically because different evolutionary processes can lead to similar biogeographic outcomes-especially in ecosystems with few hard barriers to dispersal that can facilitate allopatric speciation followed by secondary contact (e.g. marine habitats). Here we use a genomic (ddRADseq), model-based approach to delimit a cryptic species complex of tropical sea anemones that are co-distributed on coral reefs throughout the Tropical Western Atlantic. We use coalescent simulations in fastsimcoal2 to test competing diversification scenarios that span the allopatric-sympatric continuum. We recover support that the corkscrew sea anemone Bartholomea annulata (Le Sueur, 1817) is a cryptic species complex, co-distributed throughout its range. Simulation and model selection analyses suggest these lineages arose in the face of historical and contemporary gene flow, supporting a sympatric origin, but an alternative secondary contact model also receives appreciable model support. Leveraging the genome of Exaiptasia pallida we identify five loci under divergent selection between cryptic B. annulata lineages that fall within mRNA transcripts or CDS regions. Our study provides a rare empirical, genomic example of sympatric speciation in a tropical anthozoan-a group that includes reef-building corals. Finally, these data represent the first range-wide molecular study of any tropical sea anemone, underscoring that anemone diversity is under described in the tropics, and highlighting the need for additional systematic studies into these ecologically and economically important species.
Methods of Instruction and Learning Outcomes: A Theoretical Analysis of Two Approaches in an Introductory Information Technology Course*

In introductory information technology (IT) courses, communicating technical concepts so that they can be comprehended by all students, technical and nontechnical, has been a concern. Another challenge in such courses is to teach the real-world applicability of technical concepts. In this conceptual article, we focus on a relatively unexplored issue in IT education—which instructional method is more effective in improving the learning outcomes of all students taking introductory IT courses. In doing so, we consider two instructional methods, lecture and multimedia case studies, and argue that either of these instructional methods, adopted singly, will be perceived by students as less effective in accomplishing learning outcomes than adopting a combination of the two instructional methods. Our arguments both augment existing knowledge about the differential influence of lecture and multimedia case studies on students’ learning outcomes and questions the wisdom of adopting either of these methods singly in introductory IT courses. We derive insights from the literature and anecdotal evidence, presented as four propositions, which illustrate the relationship between the two instructional methods and the specific learning outcomes students perceive they affect.
Cell density‐dependent auto‐inducible promoters for expression of recombinant proteins in Pseudomonas putida

Inducible promoters such as Plac are of limited usability for industrial protein production with Pseudomonas putida. We therefore utilized cell density‐dependent auto‐inducible promoters for recombinant gene expression in P. putida KT2440 based on the RoxS/RoxR Quorum Sensing (QS) system of the bacterium. To this end, genetic regions upstream of the RoxS/RoxR‐regulated genes ddcA (PRox132) and PP_3332 (PRox306) were inserted into plasmids that mediated the expression of superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) and surface displayed mCherry, confirming their promoter functionalities. Mutation of the Pribnow box of PRox306 to the σ70 consensus sequence (PRox3061) resulted in a more than threefold increase of sfGFP production. All three promoters caused cell density‐dependent expression, starting transcription at optical densities (OD578) of approximately 1.0 (PRox132, PRox306) or 0.7 (PRox3061) as determined by RT‐qPCR. The QS dependency of PRox306 was further shown by cultivating P. putida in media that had already been used for cultivation and thus contained bacterial signal molecules. The longer P. putida had grown in these media before, the earlier protein expression in freshly inoculated P. putida appeared with PRox306. This confirmed previous findings that a bacterial compound accumulates within the culture and induces protein expression.
The effect of erythropoietin on rat rotator cuff repair model: An experimental study

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether erythropoietin (EPO) can enhance rotator cuff healing in rats as measured by histological analysis and biomechanical testing. Methods: A total of 72 rats were included in this study. In the control group (n = 24), repair was performed without EPO injection. In the local group (n = 24) EPO was injected in the repair site. In the systemic group (n = 24) EPO was administered as an intraperitoneal injection every day for 10 days after repair. Rats were euthanized on day 10 (n = 12 from each group) and day 28 (n = 12 from each group). Histopathological (n = 6) and biomechanical examinations (n = 6) were done. Results: Biomechanical results reveal that the maximum load to failure values of the early control group were statistically lower than those of the early systemic group (p = 0.006). Comparing the the total Bonar values histopathologically reveal that the early systemic group was statistically higher than those of the early local group (p = 0.043). The late control group was statistically higher than those of the late local group (p = 0.003) and the late systemic group (p = 0.034). The late systemic group was statistically higher than those of the late local group (p = 0.003). Conclusions: EPO application had a positive effect biomechanically in the early euthanized group and histopathologically in the late euthanized group.
Feeding Practices and Parenting: A Pathway to Child Health and Family Happiness

Feeding and parenting are inextricably linked. The complex bidirectional interactions between parent feeding practices and child eating behaviour shape the early feeding environment which in turn interacts with genetic predispositions to lay the foundation for life-long eating habits and health outcomes. Parent feeding and child (and parent) eating are central to the fabric of family life and are strongly rooted in culture and tradition. Yet, many parents experience stress and anxiety related to this ubiquitous parenting task and perceive their child as a “fussy eater” or a “difficult feeder. ” Parents commonly misinterpret heritable and developmentally “normal” child eating behaviour, such as food refusal, as cause for concern. In an effort to get their child to “eat well” they respond with coercive feeding practices, such as pressure, reward and restriction. Emotional feeding that uses food to comfort, distract, calm or shape behaviour is also common. Although well intentioned, these non-responsive, parent- rather than child-centred feeding practices are ineffective, even counterproductive. They teach children to eat for reasons unrelated to appetite and, hence, more than they need and fail to support development of healthy food preferences and appetite regulation. Early feeding interventions are needed that assist parents to understand normal child eating behaviour and promote responsive feeding practices and effective food parenting. The aim of this chapter is to review (1) “normal” eating behaviour of young children, (2) the range of feeding practices and strategies that parents use to respond to and try to shape these behaviours, (3) evidence for approaches to feeding young children that have potential to reduce conflict related to child feeding and promote life-long healthy eating patterns that are a key determinant of long-term health and well-being and (4) to provide an overview of an early feeding intervention, NOURISH, which demonstrated a positive impact on maternal feeding practices and potentially reduced parent anxiety and stress related to feeding.
Is a Quality Course a Worthy Course? Designing for Value and Worth in Online Coursess

There are many strategies for estimating the effectiveness of instruction. Typically, most methods are based on the student evaluation. Recently a more standardized approach, Quality Matters (QM), has been developed that uses an objectives-based strategy. QM, however, does not account for the learning process, nor for the value and worth of the learning experience. Learning is a complex and individualized process that course designers and instructors can capitalize on to increase the value and subsequent worth of a course for all stakeholders. This article explores the concepts of value, worth, and quality of online education, seeking a method to improve outcomes by increasing a course’s value and worth.
Two‐Dimensional Arrays of Transition Metal Nitride Nanocrystals

The synthesis of low‐dimensional transition metal nitride (TMN) nanomaterials is developing rapidly, as their fundamental properties, such as high electrical conductivity, lead to many important applications. However, TMN nanostructures synthesized by traditional strategies do not allow for maximum conductivity and accessibility of active sites simultaneously, which is a crucial factor for many applications in plasmonics, energy storage, sensing, and so on. Unique interconnected two‐dimensional (2D) arrays of few‐nanometer TMN nanocrystals not only having electronic conductivity in‐plane, but also allowing transport of ions and electrolyte through the porous nanosheets, which are obtained by topochemical synthesis on the surface of a salt template, are reported. As a demonstration of their application in a lithium–sulfur battery, it is shown that 2D arrays of several nitrides can achieve a high initial capacity of >1000 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C and only about 13% degradation over 1000 cycles at 1 C under a high areal sulfur loading (>5 mg cm−2).