Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of SP600125 Induced Tetraploid Cells in Comparison With Diploid and Tetraploid Cells of Fish

In our previous research, SP600125 (Anthrapyrazolone) was used to induce autotetraploid of crucian carp cells (SP4N cells), and tetraploid fry was generated from the SP4N cells by somatic cell nuclear transfer technique. However, it is still unclear about biological characteristics of the SP4N cells. In this article, the cytological characteristic and gene expression profiles of the SP4N cells are investigated in comparison with the crucian carp cells (2N cells) and the tetraploid crucian carp cells (CC4N cells). The SP4N cells have tetraploid characteristics in terms of morphology and DNA ploidy levels, and their chromosome behavior is stable during the cell proliferation. The migration ability and the mtDNA copy number of SP4N cells are both lower than those in the CC4N cells and the 2N cells, but there exist giant mitochondria in the SP4N cells. The similar expression trends in the cell cycle regulation genes of the SP4N cells and 2N cells, while the corresponding expression profiles are clearly different between the SP4N cells and the CC4N cells. Moreover, the significant difference genes are associated with energy metabolism pathways among the SP4N cells, 2N cells and CC4N cells. These results can provide deeper understanding of SP600125 induction, as well as finding applications in polyploidization breeding of fish species.
An Evaluation of Speech-Based Recognition of Emotional and Physiological Markers of Stress

Life in modern societies is fast-paced and full of stress-inducing demands. The development of stress monitoring methods is a growing area of research due to the personal and economic advantages that timely detection provides. Studies have shown that speech-based features can be utilised to robustly predict several physiological markers of stress, including emotional state, continuous heart rate, and the stress hormone, cortisol. In this contribution, we extend previous works by the authors, utilising three German language corpora including more than 100 subjects undergoing a Trier Social Stress Test protocol. We present cross-corpus and transfer learning results which explore the efficacy of the speech signal to predict three physiological markers of stress—sequentially measured saliva-based cortisol, continuous heart rate as beats per minute (BPM), and continuous respiration. For this, we extract several features from audio as well as video and apply various machine learning architectures, including a temporal context-based Long Short-Term Memory Recurrent Neural Network (LSTM-RNN). For the task of predicting cortisol levels from speech, deep learning improves on results obtained by conventional support vector regression—yielding a Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) of 0.770 and 0.698 for cortisol measurements taken 10 and 20 min after the stress period for the two corpora applicable—showing that audio features alone are sufficient for predicting cortisol, with audiovisual fusion to an extent improving such results. We also obtain a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 38 and 22 BPM for continuous heart rate prediction on the two corpora where this information is available, and a normalised RMSE (NRMSE) of 0.120 for respiration prediction (−10: 10). Both of these continuous physiological signals show to be highly effective markers of stress (based on cortisol grouping analysis), both when available as ground truth and when predicted using speech. This contribution opens up new avenues for future exploration of these signals as proxies for stress in naturalistic settings.
E-management development and deployment strategy for future organization

In today’s global networked economy, integrated information system is a vital fundamental to a competitive advantage. In order to survive or succeed in the future characterized by radical pace of changing, organizations need to think of ways to integrate, automate as well as intelligentize their operational systems, both internally and externally. This paper firstly conceptualizes what a future organization is to establish a possible objective to achieve. Secondly, it explains the definition of the so-called e-management with some key principles interpreted. Thirdly, the conceptual design of emanagement is proposed from both aspects of attributes and strategies such as database design strategy and application design strategy. Finally, some advices are provided on how to prepare for the implementation of e-management, leaving how to practically implement it for our future work. Worthy to note, all the strategies suggested in this paper have already been successfully experimented by two universities in Malaysia.
Prospects of Inhaled Phage Therapy for Combatting Pulmonary Infections

With respiratory infections accounting for significant morbidity and mortality, the issue of antibiotic resistance has added to the gravity of the situation. Treatment of pulmonary infections (bacterial pneumonia, cystic fibrosis-associated bacterial infections, tuberculosis) is more challenging with the involvement of multi-drug resistant bacterial strains, which act as etiological agents. Furthermore, with the dearth of new antibiotics available and old antibiotics losing efficacy, it is prudent to switch to non-antibiotic approaches to fight this battle. Phage therapy represents one such approach that has proven effective against a range of bacterial pathogens including drug resistant strains. Inhaled phage therapy encompasses the use of stable phage preparations given via aerosol delivery. This therapy can be used as an adjunct treatment option in both prophylactic and therapeutic modes. In the present review, we first highlight the role and action of phages against pulmonary pathogens, followed by delineating the different methods of delivery of inhaled phage therapy with evidence of success. The review aims to focus on recent advances and developments in improving the final success and outcome of pulmonary phage therapy. It details the use of electrospray for targeted delivery, advances in nebulization techniques, individualized controlled inhalation with software control, and liposome-encapsulated nebulized phages to take pulmonary phage delivery to the next level. The review expands knowledge on the pulmonary delivery of phages and the advances that have been made for improved outcomes in the treatment of respiratory infections.
Identification and Characterization of Key Differentially Expressed Genes Associated With Metronomic Dosing of Topotecan in Human Prostate Cancer

Repetitive, low-dose (metronomic; METRO) drug administration of some anticancer agents can overcome drug resistance and increase drug efficacy in many cancers, but the mechanisms are not understood fully. Previously, we showed that METRO dosing of topotecan (TOPO) is more effective than conventional (CONV) dosing in aggressive human prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and in mouse tumor xenograft models. To gain mechanistic insights into METRO-TOPO activity, in this study we determined the effect of METRO- and CONV-TOPO treatment in a panel of human PCa cell lines representing castration-sensitive/resistant, androgen receptor (+/−), and those of different ethnicity on cell growth and gene expression. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified for METRO-TOPO therapy and compared to a PCa patient cohort and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The top five DEGs were SERPINB5, CDKN1A, TNF, FOS, and ANGPT1. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis predicted several upstream regulators and identified top molecular networks associated with METRO dosing, including tumor suppression, anti-proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and inflammation. Further, the top DEGs were associated with increase survival of PCa patients (TCGA database), as well as ethnic differences in gene expression patterns in patients and cell lines representing African Americans (AA) and European Americans (EA). Thus, we have identified candidate pharmacogenomic biomarkers and novel pathways associated with METRO-TOPO therapy that will serve as a foundation for further investigation and validation of METRO-TOPO as a novel treatment option for prostate cancers.
Accelerometer Signal Features and Classification Algorithms for Positioning Applications

The continuous development of Micro ElectroMechanical Sensors (MEMSs) and their integration into cell-phones and other mobile devices is pushing the design of new algorithms capable of determining the user activity. Determining what the user is doing allows one to bound his displacement and provide information about his location. The design of such algorithms is a classification problem where the different classes are specified by the MEMS location and user activity. In this paper, MEMS accelerometer signals are analyzed in different domains and several features are selected for the design of classification algorithms. Frequency domain analysis is performed as a function of the user velocity and sensor location, showing the potential of the selected features even when the MEMS is not placed on the user foot. The selected features are finally integrated into three different classification algorithms whose characteristics are analyzed and compared under several operating conditions.
Seismic performance evaluation of reinforced slopes

The field of earthquake engineering is moving towards performance-based concepts for design and evaluation of buildings and bridges, and also geotechnical structures. Rather than basing a design or evaluation on a single ‘design’ seismic event or hazard level, performance-based earthquake engineering considers all possible hazard levels, including those less likely and more likely to occur than the design level. This paper illustrates the way in which the basic concepts of performance-based earthquake engineering can be applied to an evaluation of a reinforced slope. In doing so, it illustrates the practical use of a model for prediction of the permanent displacement of reinforced slopes that is described in a companion paper.
Collegial Organizational Climate Alleviates Japanese Schoolteachers’ Risk for Burnout

The purpose of the current study was to examine the influence of individuals’ help-seeking preference (HSP) and their collective perception of the organizational climate in school on teachers’ mental health. Previous studies demonstrated that HSP was negatively associated with risk of burnout, suggesting that teachers who hesitate to seek help from their colleagues are more likely to have mental health problems. Thus, the current study hypothesized that a collegial organizational climate would be negatively associated with burnout. To test this hypothesis, we developed a scale to measure schoolteachers’ collective perception of their organizational climate (Study 1), and the newly developed scale was used to assess its relationship with HSP and teachers’ burnout risk (Study 2). The results demonstrated that younger teachers, a low level of help-seeking, and a less collaborative climate increased the risk of burnout. The results also showed a significant interaction effect, indicating that HSP was less closely associated with teachers’ burnout risk if their organization was perceived as having a collegial climate. These findings clearly show how the social environment of a school’s organizational climate can affect schoolteachers’ mental health in Japan.
Efficacy and Safety of Fusion Imaging in Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Compared to Ultrasound: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), generally performed under real-time guidance of ultrasound which is safe and effective, is a common minimally invasive therapy for treating hepatocellular carcinoma. Fusion imaging (FI) is a newly developed imaging method, which integrates CT/MRI accurate imaging and matches the characteristics of real-time ultrasound imaging, thereby providing a new approach to guide tumor ablation therapy. However, the efficacy and safety of FI as opposed to ultrasound in tumor ablation remains unclear. Objective: The present study sought to evaluate the difference in the efficacy and safety between FI and ultrasound in radiofrequency surgery for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma through a metaanalysis. Materials and Methods: Searching for studies comparing the efficacy and safety of FI and ultrasound in radiofrequency of hepatocellular carcinoma in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published until April 2021. Random or fixed effect models were used for statistical analysis. Metaanalysis and sensitivity analysis were used on the included studies. Results: A total of six studies met predefined inclusion criteria, and were finally included in the analysis. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses, based on predetermined patient characteristics, allowed minimization of bias. In the RFA of hepatocellular carcinoma, FI decreased 1-year overall survival (OS) when compared with ultrasound. But FI was not significantly different from ultrasound in terms of technical efficiency, 1-, 2-, and 3-year local tumor progression (LTP), complications, as well as 2-year OS. Subgroup analysis, based on tumor mean diameter, showed that FI reduced the rate of 1- and 2-year LTP in patients with tumors of mean diameter ≥15 mm when compared with ultrasound. Moreover, operative complications could be reduced in patients with tumor mean diameter <15 mm using FI, compared with ultrasound. Conclusion: Overall, these results showed that FI may have some effects on improving efficacy and safety of thermal ablation in HCC patients, relative to ultrasound. However, it may be a more effective method for managing large lesions, as well as those that are difficult to ablate. Further large-scale and well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings.
CREM Is Correlated With Immune-Suppressive Microenvironment and Predicts Poor Prognosis in Gastric Adenocarcinoma

The transcriptional repressor cAMP response element modulator (CREM) has an important role in T-cell development. In this study, we used the integrated Bioinformatics Methods to explore the role of CREM in gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Our results showed that high CREM expression was closely related with poorer overall survival in GAC. By GSEA cluster analysis, we found that the high expression of CREM was associated with the cancer-associated pathway in GAC. Moreover, single-cell sequencing data showed that CREM is mainly localized in exhausted CD8+ T cells. Its prognostic value and the potential function lead to T-cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Similar results were also obtained in glioma and lung cancer. High expression of CREM, correlated with clinical relevance of GAC, was associated with T-cell exhaustion and M2 polarization in GAC. These findings suggest that CREM can be used as a prognostic biomarker in GAC, which might provide a novel direction to explore the pathogenesis of GAC.
The Effects of a Mindfulness Program on Mental Health in Students at an Undergraduate Program for Teacher Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Real-Life

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of a mindfulness program including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on the mental health of student teachers when offered at their educational institution in a real-life context. Methods: A parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted among self-selected student teachers at a Danish undergraduate program for teacher education in the autumns of 2019 and 2020. Participation was not recommended in case of (1) clinical depression or a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia, (2) abuse of alcohol, drugs, and/or medicine. Randomization was performed by a Statistician who was blinded to the identity of the students. Data was collected using self-reported questionnaires. The primary outcome was a change in perceived stress 3 months from baseline. Secondary outcome measures were symptoms of anxiety and depression, well-being, resilience, mindfulness, and thoughts and feelings during rest. The effects were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle using mixed-effect linear regression models. Mediating effects of mindfulness skills on the mental health outcomes were explored using structural equation modeling. Results: The study group included 67 student teachers with 34 allocated to the intervention group (median age: 25 years; women: n = 24, 71%); and 33 students (median age: 25 years; women: n = 25, 76%) allocated to a waiting list control group. At baseline, mean Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores were 18.88 (SD: 5.75) in the intervention group and 17.91 (SD: 6.36) in the waiting list control group. A total of 56 students completed the questionnaire at a 3-month follow-up (28 in both the intervention- and the control group). Statistically significant effects of the intervention were found on perceived stress, symptoms of anxiety and depression, well-being, and on three of seven resting-state dimensions. No effects were found on resilience or mindfulness. Statistically significant mediated effects via resting-state dimensions were found. Conclusion The findings suggested that offering a mindfulness program at an undergraduate program for teacher education could significantly improve the mental health among self-selected students within 3 months. Results of mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that some of the effects might be explained by reduced distracting thoughts. Clinical Trial Registration: [www.ClinicalTrials. gov], identifier [NCT04558099].
Histogenous Hypoxia and Acid Retention in Schizophrenia: Changes in Venous Blood Gas Analysis and SOD in Acute and Stable Schizophrenia Patients

Background: Oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia (SCH), and there is considerable indirect evidence that hypoxia is closely related to SCH, but direct evidence of hypoxia in SCH has never been found. Methods:In this study, superoxide dismutase (SOD), venous blood gas, and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were examined in 40 SCH patients and compared with those of 40 healthy controls. The patients were treated with combination of atypical antipsychotics and Ditan Huayu Lishen decoction (a Chinese medicine decoction) and examined in the acute and stable period, respectively. Comparisons of indicators between two groups were performed using an independent-samples t-test, comparison of indicators between the acute and stable periods in the SCH group was performed using paired-samples t-test. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationships between the effect indicators. Results: Higher venous pH, PvO2, and fasting blood glucose levels and lower SOD, lactic acid, and PvCO2 levels were found in SCH patients compared with the control group; SOD was negatively correlated with the general psychopathology subscale score (PANSS-G), and PvO2 levels were closely related to venous pH in SCH and related to PvCO2 in the control group. It was also found that SOD activity showed no significant difference in acute and stable period, whereas PvO2 showed a downward trend, and venous pH was decreased significantly after treatment. Both the venous pH and PvO2 were higher in patients with SCH than that in healthy controls. Conclusion: It suggests that histogenous hypoxia and acid retention exist in relation to SCH, and there is an improvement of acid retention and a downward trend in histogenous hypoxia after combination treatment. Venous pH, PvO2, and PvCO2 are trait variables, but not state variables of SCH. The theory of histogenous hypoxia and acid retention can well explain the decrease in pH value and the increase in lactic acid in brain tissue of patients with SCH. Histogenous hypoxia and acid retention closely related to glucose metabolism. So they may play an important role in pathophysiology for SCH.
Hybrid double flying capacitor multicell converter and its application in grid-tied renewable energy resources

Multicell multilevel voltage source power converters are the state-of-the-art and key elements for harnessing and integration of medium-voltage high-power renewable energy resources. This study proposes a novel hybrid topology for double flying capacitor multicell (DFCM) converters that is suitable for grid-tied renewable energy systems. The proposed power converter is realised by cascade connection of one DFCM converter and one full-bridge converter (FBC) comprising a floating-capacitor. The floating-capacitor voltage of the FBC is regulated naturally at its requisite voltage level because of the existence of the abundant redundant charging/discharging states provided by the proposed switching and modulation pattern for the suggested hybrid converter. Hence the proposed control technique not only preserves the natural balancing for the FC voltages of the DFCM converter but also provides natural balancing for the floating-capacitor voltage of the FBC. The main objective of the FBC is to generate additional intermediate voltage steps to double the number of DFCM converter's voltage levels for enhancing power quality significantly. The proposed hybrid DFCM converter is simulated to inject/absorb active/reactive-power provided and harvested from renewable energy resources into/from electric power grid. Furthermore, experimental measurements of the proposed hybrid power converter are also presented to validate its viability, merits, effectiveness and the proposed modulation and control strategy.
Summer Mortality Syndrome Affecting Cultured European Seabass at Kafrelsheikh Province, Egypt

The present work aimed to investigate the causes of summer mortality syndrome affecting cultured European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) by examining physiochemical farm water characteristics, isolation, and identification of recovered bacterial pathogens from diseased fish studying the effect of water temperature on stress biomarkers and disease severity. Studied water parameters were normal except ammonia and dissolved oxygen was higher and lower than the standard value. Sixty-two bacterial isolates were recovered from moribund fish and identified as 31 Vibrio fluvialis, 23 Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 8 Staphylococcus aureus isolates. The calculated LD50 of V. fluvialis, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus for D. labrax fingerlings were 4.67 × 107, 2.37 × 106 and 1.38 × 107, respectively. There was a direct correlation between water temperature and mortality rate of fish challenged with V. fluvialis as the mortality rate was 44.44, 50, 66.66, and 83.33% for fish maintained at 27, 30, 33, and 36°C. Plasma cortisol, superoxide dismutase, catalase and malondialdehyde significantly increased when the water temperature exceeded 30°C. The experimentally infected fish showed similar clinical signs and postmortem lesions of naturally diseased fish with no boundary between different pathogens. Antibiogram test indicated that florfenicol was the most effective antibiotic against all the recovered bacterial isolates while all isolates resisted sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. Massive degenerative changes observed in the hepatopancreas, posterior kidney and gill tissues of experimentally infected fish.