Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Integrating a Learning Management System in two Norwegian higher education institutions A case study of an innovation process in higher education

This study analyses how the introduction of the learning management system Blackboard leads to persistent innovation in teaching activities at the higher education institutions Norwegian School of Management-BI and the College of Buskerud. Innovation theory is used as a theoretical framework for the thesis, where: the outcome of the innovation process is either termination or institutionalisation of the innovation. A model centred on the users’ perception of the innovation’s profitability and compatibility has been selected for this case (Levine 1980). Based on the assumption that high degree of profitability and compatibility lead to persistent innovation, a selection of teachers and administrators at the two institutions have been interviewed on predefined parameters, modelling how profitable and compatible they were perceiving Blackboard. The data from the interviews were complemented by document analysis. The results show a gap between the perception of profitability and compatibility by the teachers, and by the administrators. In general, the administrators perceive Blackboard as highly profitable and compatible, whereas the teachers’ perception of Blackboard is not very positive. Results tend to indicate that the use of Blackboard does not lead to persistent innovation at the two higher education institutions. However, there are indications at both institutions that the use of Blackboard is increasing, and not decreasing. It may indicate that other factors affect the adoption and institutionalisation of Blackboard, such as the perception of an external and internal normative pressure.
Individuals who text crisis text line: Key characteristics and opportunities for suicide prevention

Abstract Objective Text‐based crisis services are increasingly prominent, with inclusion in the national 988 crisis number launching in 2022. Yet little is known about who uses them. This study seeks to understand the population served by Crisis Text Line (CTL), the largest crisis text service in the United States. Methods Secondary data analysis was conducted on de‐identified Crisis Counselor reports, texter post‐conversation survey responses, and anonymized text conversation data from 85,877 texters who contacted CTL during a 12‐month period. We examined Crisis Counselor's ratings of suicide ideation severity, texters' reports of race, gender, sexual orientation, recent mental health symptoms, and additional sources of help, and logs of frequency of contact. Results 76% of texters were under 25. 79% were female. 48% identified as other than heterosexual/straight. 64% had only one conversation. 79% were above the clinical cutoff for depression and 80% for anxiety, while 23% had thoughts of suicide. 23% received help from a doctor or therapist, and 28% received help only from CTL. Conclusions CTL reaches a highly distressed, young, mostly female population, including typically underserved minorities and a substantial percentage of individuals who do not receive help elsewhere. These findings support the decision to include texting in the forthcoming national 988 implementation.
Geography and language divergence: The case of Andic languages

We study the correlation between phylogenetic and geographic distances for the languages of the Andic branch of the East Caucasian (Nakh-Daghestanian) language family. For several alternative phylogenies, we find that geographic distances correlate with linguistic divergence. Notably, qualitative classifications show a better fit with geography than cognacy-based phylogenies. We interpret this result as follows: The better fit may be due to implicit geographic bias in qualitative classifications. We conclude that approaches to classification other than those based on cognacy run a risk to implicitly include geography and geography-related factors as one basis of genealogical classifications.
Aberrant methylmalonylation underlies methylmalonic acidemia and is attenuated by an engineered sirtuin

Organic acidemias such as methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) are a group of inborn errors of metabolism that typically arise from defects in the catabolism of amino and fatty acids. Accretion of acyl-CoA species is postulated to underlie disease pathophysiology, but the mechanism(s) remain unknown. Here, we surveyed hepatic explants from patients with MMA and unaffected donors, in parallel with samples from various mouse models of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase deficiency. We found a widespread posttranslational modification, methylmalonylation, that inhibited enzymes in the urea cycle and glycine cleavage pathway in MMA. Biochemical studies and mouse genetics established that sirtuin 5 (SIRT5) controlled the metabolism of MMA-related posttranslational modifications. SIRT5 was engineered to resist acylation-driven inhibition via lysine to arginine mutagenesis. The modified SIRT5 was used to create an adeno-associated viral 8 (AAV8) vector and systemically delivered to mutant and control mice. Gene therapy ameliorated hyperammonemia and reduced global methylmalonylation in the MMA mice. Description Hyperacylation, specifically methylmalonylation, underlies disease pathophysiology in MMA and can be modulated by SIRT5 activity. Methylmalonylation in metabolic disease Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is a genetic metabolic disorder that results in a buildup of methylmalonic acid in the body and can lead to severe symptoms. Examining liver tissue from patients and a mouse model of MMA, Head et al. found that the buildup of this metabolite resulted in a widespread posttranslational modification, methylmalonylation, on a variety of proteins. This included the sirtuin (SIRT5) that reverses methylmalonylation, dampening its ability to undo the protein modification damage. A SIRT5 gene engineered to be resistant to methylmalonylation reduced symptoms in the MMA mice, demonstrating a proof-of-concept gene therapy strategy.
Identifying positive impression management using the MMPI-2 and the MMPI-2-RF: A meta-analysis

Abstract Objective:Individuals may be motivated to conceal or minimize psychological symptoms and engage in positive impression management (PIM) in order to achieve desired outcomes across high stakes contexts (e.g. fitness for duty evaluations, pre-sentencing assessments, medical procedure evaluations, civil commitment). Despite the importance of this topic, the most recent meta-analysis of the MMPI-2, a widely used instrument for detecting PIM, was conducted more than two decades ago. Method:Using a Robust Variance Estimation method, this meta-analysis synthesized the results of 27 studies that examined the MMPI-2 (k = 22) and MMPI-2-RF (k = 5) validity scales’ ability to discriminate individuals who engage in PIM from genuine responders, with a particular focus on the L, K, and S scales. Results:The MMPI-2 L scale produced the largest effect size (g = 1.30), whereas the MMPI-2-RF L-r scale effect size was moderate (g = 1.16). Moderate effect sizes were also found for the K (g = 1.01) and K-r (g = 1.21) scales, and for the MMPI-2 S scale (g = 1.23). Conclusions: Effect sizes did not significantly vary between the two versions of the MMPI. Findings suggest that both versions of the MMPI have demonstrated utility in identifying PIM, but clinicians should interpret T scores conservatively to account for the modest elevations associated with defensiveness. Findings are discussed in the context of the recently released MMPI-3.
Growth Differentiation Factor-15 Correlates with Mortality and Severity in Severe Burns

ABSTRACT Background: Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is expressed in almost all tissues of the body and is necessary for the body's defense response to stress such as inflammation. It has been reported to be associated with incidence and mortality in many diseases, including systemic inflammatory response syndromes. There are no reports on GDF-15 in burns. The purpose of this study was to investigate the trend of GDF-15 in blood in patients with severe burns and to determine its relationship with severity and mortality. Methods: This was a retrospective, observational, single-center study. The level of GDF-15 in the blood was measured and compared with clinical parameters, including prognosis. Time points for sample collection were the day of injury, 4 days after injury, and 1 week after injury. Results: Eighty-three patients were enrolled in the study. At all time points, GDF-15 levels in the nonsurvivor group were significantly higher than those in the survivor group. In the analysis using the ROC curve for 28-day survival, the AUC of the GDF-15 value on the day of injury was 0.798, which was higher than those of % total body surface area, burn index, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. GDF-15 levels correlated positively with SOFA score, and the relationship became stronger along with the time course of severe burn. Conclusions: In the acute phase of severe burn, GDF-15 levels were associated with mortality and SOFA scores.
MINIMUM DISTANCE BASED ROUTING PROTOCOL FOR LIFETIME IMPROVEMENT IN WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK

Balanced utilization of energy of wireless sensor nodes is a challenge while designing wireless sensor network (WSN). This energy of sensor node is a limited resource and measure for the lifespan of WSN. Communication process consumes most of the energy of sensor node hence; energy of sensor node becomes a major design issue for WSN. Clustering is preferred while designing routing protocols for WSN for its many to one traffic pattern. In our minimum distance based routing protocol for lifetime improvement in WSN (MDBRP) clusters are formed once in a lifetime and their heads are selected rotationally based on minimum communication distance between nodes and their next hop. MDBRP considers minimum energy consumption which aims to increase the overall lifespan of WSN.
Crosstalk between cilia and autophagy: implication for human diseases

ABSTRACT Macroautophagy/autophagy is a self-degradative process necessary for cells to maintain their energy balance during development and in response to nutrient deprivation. Autophagic processes are tightly regulated and have been found to be dysfunctional in several pathologies. Increasing experimental evidence points to the existence of an interplay between autophagy and cilia. Cilia are microtubule-based organelles protruding from the cell surface of mammalian cells that perform a variety of motile and sensory functions and, when dysfunctional, result in disorders known as ciliopathies. Indeed, selective autophagic degradation of ciliary proteins has been shown to control ciliogenesis and, conversely, cilia have been reported to control autophagy. Moreover, a growing number of players such as lysosomal and mitochondrial proteins are emerging as actors of the cilia-autophagy interplay. However, some of the published data on the cilia-autophagy axis are contradictory and indicate that we are just starting to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this review, the current knowledge about this axis and challenges are discussed, as well as the implication for ciliopathies and autophagy-associated disorders.
Exploring the impacts of COVID‐19 on the lifestyles of community‐living adults in Singapore: A qualitative study

Abstract Introduction Disruptions caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic have not only restricted people from performing occupations but also adversely affected their health and quality of life. However, the impact of the pandemic on Singaporean adults at different life stages remains unclear. This study aimed to understand the impact of COVID‐19 on a range of community‐living age groups' occupations and sense of well‐being. Methods Community‐living adults in Singapore were invited to participate in this qualitative descriptive study. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate themes and identify common patterns (e.g. impacts on different occupations) in different age groups. Findings Twenty‐nine semi‐structured interviews (young adults: 10, middle‐aged adults: 10, older adults: 9) were conducted and thematically analysed, revealing three main themes: (1) impact on occupations, (2) impacts on personal well‐being, and (3) responses to COVID‐19 situation. Participants from all age groups experienced both positive and negative impacts across various occupations, such as productivity (work and study), leisure, and self‐care activities. Young and middle‐aged adults were less affected as they were more proficient in using technology to make adequate adaptations. Older adults were least equipped with coping strategies and thus the most compromised. In response to the impacts of the pandemic on occupations and well‐being, participants from different age groups adjusted differently (e.g. adopting a sedentary lifestyle and developing different coping strategies). Conclusion This study identified the impacts of COVID‐19 on the daily occupations of Singaporean adults and how it is intricately linked with their well‐being. Findings also revealed the significant role of technology in adapting to the COVID‐19 situation. The younger Singaporean adults were more agile to make occupational changes and adaptations. More can be done by occupational therapists to assist community‐living older adults to enable continued participation in meaningful occupations during pandemics.
Studying children's growth in self-regulation using changing measures to account for heterotypic continuity: A bayesian approach to developmental scaling.

Self-regulation is thought to show heterotypic continuity-its individual differences endure but its behavioral manifestations change across development. Thus, different measures across time may be necessary to account for heterotypic continuity of self-regulation. This longitudinal study examined children's (N = 108) self-regulation development using 17 measures, including 15 performance-based measures, two questionnaires, and three raters across seven timepoints. It is the first to use different measures of self-regulation over time to account for heterotypic continuity while using developmental scaling to link the measures onto the same scale for more accurate growth estimates. Assessed facets included inhibitory control, delayed gratification, sustained attention, and executive functions. Some measures differed across ages to retain construct validity and account for heterotypic continuity. A Bayesian longitudinal mixed model for developmental scaling was developed to link the differing measures onto the same scale. This allowed charting children's self-regulation growth across ages 3-7 years and relating it to both predictors and outcomes. Rapid growth occurred from ages 3-6. As a validation of the developmental scaling approach, greater self-regulation was associated with better school readiness (math and reading skills) and fewer externalizing problems. Our multi-wave, multi-facet, multi-method, multi-measure, multi-rater, developmental scaling approach is the most comprehensive to date for assessing the development of self-regulation. This approach demonstrates that developmental scaling may enable studying development of self-regulation across the lifespan. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Provision of pulmonary rehabilitation in Latin America 18 months after the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey of the Latin American Thoracic Association

Introduction The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly altered the provision of rehabilitation services, especially pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Our objective was to assess the provision of PR services in Latin America 18 months after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. Methods A cross-sectional study that included professionals dedicated to PR in centres in Latin America was applied. Responses to an online questionnaire were collected from May to September 2021. The following data were included for the analysis: demographic data, evaluation strategies, program structure, PR intervention in post-COVID-19 patients, and perception of strategies therapies for the care of post-COVID-19 patients. The questionnaire was distributed in Spanish and Portuguese languages. Results Responses were received from 196 PR centres. Exercise tolerance was predominantly measured with the six-minute walk test. Less than 50% of the institutions evaluate quality of life, physical qualities, symptoms, and lung function. Most of the programmes have physiotherapists (90.8%), as well as pulmonologists (60%), and psychologists (35%), among other professionals. Conclusion PR services in Latin America have adapted in their way to the requirements of the pandemic, and most continued to provide face-to-face services. It was identified that the application of the programs is heterogeneous both in evaluations and interventions.
Multifunctional icariin and tanshinone IIA co-delivery liposomes with potential application for Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a protective barrier for brain safety, but it is also a major obstacle to the delivery of drugs to the cerebral parenchyma such as the hippocampus, hindering the treatment of central nervous system diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this work, an anti-AD brain-targeted nanodrug delivery system by co-loading icariin (ICA) and tanshinone IIA (TSIIA) into Aniopep-2-modified long-circulating (Ang2-ICA/TSIIA) liposomes was developed. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1) was a receptor overexpressed on the BBB. Angiopep-2, a specific ligand of LRP1, exhibited a high binding efficiency with LRP1. Additionally, ICA and TSIIA, drugs with neuroprotective effects are loaded into the liposomes, so that the liposomes not only have an effective BBB penetration effect, but also have a potential anti-AD effect. The prepared Ang2-ICA/TSIIA liposomes appeared narrow dispersity and good stability with a diameter of 110 nm, and a round morphology. Cell uptake observations, BBB models in vitro, and imaging analysis in vivo showed that Ang2-ICA/TSIIA liposomes not only penetrate the BBB through endocytosis, but also accumulate in N2a cells or brain tissue. The pharmacodynamic analysis in vivo demonstrated that Ang2-ICA/TSIIA liposomes could improve AD-like pathological features in APP/PS1 mice, including inhibiting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, reducing apoptosis, protecting neurons, and improving cognitive function. Therefore, Ang2-ICA/TSIIA liposomes are considered a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for AD.
Optimizing mixture properties of biodiesel production using genetic algorithm-based evolutionary support vector machine

ABSTRACT Nowadays, biodiesel is used as one of the alternative renewable energy due to the increasing energy demand. However, optimum production of biodiesel still requires a huge number of expensive and time-consuming laboratory tests. To address the problem, this research develops a novel Genetic Algorithm-based Evolutionary Support Vector Machine (GA-ESIM). The GA-ESIM is an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based tool that combines K-means Chaotic Genetic Algorithm (KCGA) and Evolutionary Support Vector Machine Inference Model (ESIM). The ESIM is utilized as a supervised learning technique to establish a highly accurate prediction model between the input--output of biodiesel mixture properties; and the KCGA is used to perform the simulation to obtain the optimum mixture properties based on the prediction model. A real biodiesel experimental data is provided to validate the GA-ESIM performance. Our simulation results demonstrate that the GA-ESIM establishes a prediction model with better accuracy than other AI-based tool and thus obtains the mixture properties with the biodiesel yield of 99.9%, higher than the best experimental data record, 97.4%.
Brinzolamide- and latanoprost-loaded nano lipid carrier prevents synergistic retinal damage in glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a common eye disease and a major cause of blindness. We designed brinzolamide (Brla)- and latanoprost (Ltp)-loaded nano-lipoidal carriers (NLCs) for glaucoma treatment. Brla and Ltp-loaded NLCs were designed and characterized by assessing the zeta potential, polydispersity index, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy images, and particle size. Drug release was assessed by in vitro and ex vivo methods to determine transcorneal permeation, ocular irritation, and cell viability. Moreover, Brla- and Ltp-loaded NLCs were assessed in terms of the management of raised intraocular pressure (IOP). The size of Brla- and Ltp-loaded NLCs was <200 nm, the drug entrapment efficiency was 97.5%, and the zeta potential was 35.33 mv. The transcorneal permeation levels of Blra and Ltp after 8 h were 50.5% and 49.4%, respectively; after 24 h, they were 81.4% and 84.2%, respectively. However, NLCs are not cytotoxic. Moreover, Brla+Ltp-treated NLCs effectively reduced IOP in glaucoma patients. Therefore, Brla+Ltp-loaded NLCs showed promising effects against glaucoma.
Analysis of Dynamic Interactions between Different Drivetrain Components with a Detailed Wind Turbine Model

The presented work describes a detailed analysis of the dynamic interactions among mechanical and electrical drivetrain components of a modern wind turbine under the influence of parameter variations, different control mechanisms and transient excitations. For this study, a detailed model of a 2MW wind turbine with a gearbox, a permanent magnet synchronous generator and a full power converter has been developed which considers all relevant characteristics of the mechanical and electrical subsystems. This model includes an accurate representation of the aerodynamics and the mechanical properties of the rotor and the complete mechanical drivetrain. Furthermore, a detailed electrical modelling of the generator, the full scale power converter with discrete switching devices, its filters, the transformer and the grid as well as the control structure is considered. The analysis shows that, considering control measures based on active torsional damping, interactions between mechanical and electrical subsystems can significantly affect the loads and thus the individual lifetime of the components.
Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia patients with KMT2A rearrangements: a single-center retrospective study

ABSTRACT Purpose Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with KMT2A rearrangements has a very different prognosis. Poor outcomes cannot be avoided even after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In order to investigate the prognosis and efficacy, we conducted a retrospective analysis. Patients and methods We retrospectively analyzed a total of 32 children with KMT2A rearrangements AML treated in our hospital between January 2015 and February 2021. Results The proportion of patients with KMT2A-rearranged in the medium-risk group of overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) was 100%. No differences in OS, EFS and cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) were detected between the haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) and full matched HSCT (P = 0.289, P = 0.303, P = 0.303). Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was often detected in the haplo-HSCT cohort, while full matched HSCT had no obvious aGVHD, assessed as≤1 grade (P < 0.05). Patients in the medium-risk pediatric group could acquire 100% OS and EFS only after chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in OS, EFS and CIR between full matched HSCT and haploidentical transplantation in pediatric AML with KMT2A rearrangements, but full matched HSCT seemed to have a lower death rate. The severity of aGVHD in the full matched HSCT was less than that in the haploidentical transplantation group. Conclusion The primary choice of donor can be HLA-matched sibling donors or matched unrelated donors for children with AML with KMT2A rearrangements, and the secondary choice can be haploid donors.