Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
System quality, information quality, satisfaction and acceptance of online learning platform among college students in the context of online learning and blended learning

The paper was based on the User Satisfaction and Technology Acceptance Integration Theory (USATA). The authors analyzed the factors that affect college students’ acceptance and satisfaction of online learning platform, as well as the differences in the relationship between various factors in blended learning scenario and online learning scenario. The results showed that the quality of online learning platform and information quality affect user satisfaction, and satisfaction affects usefulness and ease of use, and then affect attitude and intention. The comparison between the two groups showed that there were significant differences in the impact of information quality on information satisfaction and the impact of perceived usefulness on usage intention. In the online learning scenario, the endogenous latent variables of the model had higher explanatory power, which indicates that learners are more dependent on the quality and relevant characteristics of the learning platform in the online learning scenario.
Action potential variability in human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes obtained from healthy donors

Human pluripotent stem cells (PSC) have been used for disease modelling, after differentiation into the desired cell type. Electrophysiologic properties of cardiomyocytes derived from pluripotent stem cells are extensively used to model cardiac arrhythmias, in cardiomyopathies and channelopathies. This requires strict control of the multiple variables that can influence the electrical properties of these cells. In this article, we report the action potential variability of 780 cardiomyocytes derived from pluripotent stem cells obtained from six healthy donors. We analyze the overall distribution of action potential (AP) data, the distribution of action potential data per cell line, per differentiation protocol and batch. This analysis indicates that even using the same cell line and differentiation protocol, the differentiation batch still affects the results. This variability has important implications in modeling arrhythmias and imputing pathogenicity to variants encountered in patients with arrhythmic diseases. We conclude that even when using isogenic cell lines to ascertain pathogenicity to variants associated to arrythmias one should use cardiomyocytes derived from pluripotent stem cells using the same differentiation protocol and batch and pace the cells or use only cells that have very similar spontaneous beat rates. Otherwise, one may find phenotypic variability that is not attributable to pathogenic variants.
The correlation between posttraumatic growth and social support in people with breast cancer: A meta-analysis

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is consistently reported to be associated with social support among people with breast cancer. But so far there is no consensus on the size and direction to which social support are related to PTG in people with breast cancer. Thus, a meta-analysis was performed by us to quantitatively synthesize the previous results. This meta-analysis followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Embase, Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WANFANG DATA databases prior to 1 June 2022. A random effects model of Stata software (version 17.0) was employed to compute the pooled association coefficient and examine a series of moderating factors: economic level, publication type, region, year of publication, participants’ age, and social support measurement tools. Ultimately, 31 studies including 6,380 breast cancer patients were identified. This meta-analysis offers evidence of a highly positive correlation between PTG and social support among people with breast cancer (r = 0.425). Economic level, region, and social support measurement tools moderated the link between PTG and social support among people with breast cancer. Whether variables such as disease stage, time since diagnosis, and disease treatment moderate the link between PTG and social support among people with breast cancer can be further investigated in the future.
Multi-band network fusion for Alzheimer’s disease identification with functional MRI

Introduction The analysis of functional brain networks (FBNs) has become a promising and powerful tool for auxiliary diagnosis of brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its prodromal stage. Previous studies usually estimate FBNs using full band Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal. However, a single band is not sufficient to capture the diagnostic and prognostic information contained in multiple frequency bands. Method To address this issue, we propose a novel multi-band network fusion framework (MBNF) to combine the various information (e.g., the diversification of structural features) of multi-band FBNs. We first decompose the BOLD signal adaptively into two frequency bands named high-frequency band and low-frequency band by the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD). Then the similarity network fusion (SNF) is performed to blend two networks constructed by two frequency bands together into a multi-band fusion network. In addition, we extract the features of the fused network towards a better classification performance. Result To verify the validity of the scheme, we conduct our MBNF method on the public ADNI database for identifying subjects with AD/MCI from normal controls. Discussion Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme extracts rich multi-band network features and biomarker information, and also achieves better classification accuracy.
How health beliefs and sense of control predict adherence to COVID-19 prevention guidelines among young adults in South Korea

This study defined adherence to COVID-19 prevention guidelines as health behavior and examined whether the two constructs of the health belief model (i.e., perceived susceptibility and perceived severity) and sense of control predict the level of adherence among young adults in South Korea. An online survey (N = 200) conducted in June 2021, showed that perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and sense of control positively predict adherence behavior. Sense of control significantly moderated the relationship between perceived susceptibility and adherence even after controlling for depression and perceived health status. Specifically, individuals with a lower level of perceived susceptibility still adhered to COVID-19 prevention guidelines if they had a higher level of sense of control. The finding demonstrates the key role of sense of control in promoting adherence to COVID-19 prevention guidelines and the relationship between sense of control and two constructs of the health belief model. Implication for public messaging targeted at young adults during pandemic situations is also discussed.
Machine learning methods for protein-protein binding affinity prediction in protein design

Protein-protein interactions govern a wide range of biological activity. A proper estimation of the protein-protein binding affinity is vital to design proteins with high specificity and binding affinity toward a target protein, which has a variety of applications including antibody design in immunotherapy, enzyme engineering for reaction optimization, and construction of biosensors. However, experimental and theoretical modelling methods are time-consuming, hinder the exploration of the entire protein space, and deter the identification of optimal proteins that meet the requirements of practical applications. In recent years, the rapid development in machine learning methods for protein-protein binding affinity prediction has revealed the potential of a paradigm shift in protein design. Here, we review the prediction methods and associated datasets and discuss the requirements and construction methods of binding affinity prediction models for protein design.
IL-15 induced bystander activation of CD8+ T cells may mediate endothelium injury through NKG2D in Hantaan virus infection

Introduction Hantaan virus (HTNV) can cause endothelium injury in hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) patients. Bystander activation of CD8+ T cells by virus infection has been shown that was involved in host injury, but it is unclear during HTNV infection. This project aimed to study the effect of bystander-activated CD8+ T cell responses in HTNV infection. Methods The in vitro infection model was established to imitate the injury of endothelium in HFRS patients. Flow cytometry was performed to detect the expression of markers of tetramer+ CD8+ T cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The levels of interleukin-15 (IL-15) in serum and supermanant were detected using ELISA kit. The expression of MICA of HUVECs was respectively determined by flow cytometry and western blot. The cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells was assessed through the cytotoxicity assay and antibody blocking assay. Results EBV or CMV-specific CD8+ T cells were bystander activated after HTNV infection in HFRS patients. HTNV-infected HUVECs in vitro could produce high levels of IL-15, which was positively correlated with disease severity and the expression of NKG2D on bystander-activated CD8+ T cells. Moreover, the elevated IL-15 could induce activation of CD122 (IL-15Rβ)+NKG2D+ EBV/CMV-specific CD8+ T cells. The expression of IL-15Rα and ligand for NKG2D were upregulated on HTNV-infected HUVECs. Bystander-activated CD8+ T cells could exert cytotoxicity effects against HTNV-infected HUVECs, which could be enhanced by IL-15 stimulation and blocked by NKG2D antibody. Discussion IL-15 induced bystander activation of CD8+ T cells through NKG2D, which may mediate endothelium injury during HTNV infection in HFRS patients.
Therapists’ experiences of remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives To explore the experiences of therapists who delivered remote psychological therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design This was a qualitative, phenomenological study. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis elicited themes from semi-structured interviews. Methods A purposive sample of eight therapists was recruited from breast cancer services in the United Kingdom. Results Analysis identified three superordinate themes. Participants spoke about how their experience of remote working changed over time from an initial crisis response to a new status quo. They adapted to the specific practical and personal challenges of remote working and struggled to connect with clients as the use of technology fundamentally changed the experience of therapy. Conclusion Consideration should be given to the impact of remote working on therapists and the quality of their practise. Adjustments to ways of working can help to maximize the advantages of remote working while minimizing potential issues.
A transient receptor potential channel-related model based on machine learning for evaluating tumor microenvironment and immunotherapeutic strategies in acute myeloid leukemia

Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematopoietic malignancy. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in AML still need to be further explored. A TRP channel-related model based on machine learning was established in this study. Methods The data were downloaded from TCGA-LAML and Genome-Tissue Expression (GTEx). TRP-related genes (TRGs) were extracted from previous literature. With the use of Single-Sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), TRP enrichment scores (TESs) were calculated. The limma package was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify prognostic DEGs. The above prognostic DEGs were analyzed by Random Survival Forest and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) analysis to create the TRP signature. The Kaplan–Meier and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to investigate the efficiency and accuracy of prognostic prediction. Moreover, genomic mutation analysis was based on GISTIC analysis. Based on ESTIMATE, TIMER, MCPcounter, and ssGSEA, the tumor microenvironment and immunological characteristics were expressly evaluated to explore immunotherapeutic strategies. Enrichment analysis for TRP signature was based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes Genomes (KEGG), Gene Ontology (GO), over-representation analysis (ORA), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) and pRRophetic were used to carry out drug sensitivity analysis. Conclusively, SCHIP1 was randomly selected to perform in vitro cyto-functional experiments. Results The worse clinical outcomes of patients with higher TESs were observed. There were 107 differentially expressed TRGs identified. Our data revealed 57 prognostic TRGs. Eight TRGs were obtained to establish the prognostic TRP signature, and the worse clinical outcomes of patients with higher TRP scores were found. The efficiency and accuracy of TRP signature in predicting prognosis were confirmed by ROC curves and five external validation datasets. Our data revealed that the mutation rates of DNMT3A, IDH2, MUC16, and TTN were relatively high. The level of infiltrating immune cell populations, stromal, immune, and ESTIMATE scores increased as the TRP scores increased. Nevertheless, AML patients with lower TRP scores exhibited more tumor purity. The TRP scores were found to be correlated with immunomodulators and immune checkpoints, thus revealing immune characteristics and immunotherapeutic strategies. The IC50 values of six chemotherapeutics were lower in the high TRP score (HTS) group. Finally, it was found that SCHIP1 may be the oncogenic gene. Conclusion The results of this study will help in understanding the role of TRP and SCHIP1 in the prognosis and development of AML.
Effect of dog-related parameters on the flexion test outcome: A large cohort retrospective study on physiological and orthopedic pathological-related factors

Objectives This retrospective study evaluates the dog-related factors of variation influencing the outcome of the flexion test (FT), when performed to localize pain to a joint area, on a large group of canine orthopedic patients. Materials and methods The selection criteria for this retrospective study were dogs undergoing a FT in a referral orthopedic clinic between 2009 and 2020 with a complete medical record. The canine FT, described in a previously published protocol, was performed on dogs presented with an orthopedic problem. In summary, a dog's joint, identified as suspected of an orthopedic problem according to the clinical examination, was flexed for 1 min before walking 15 m on a hard and even surface. The FT was considered positive if the lameness increased after the application of the FT and negative when it remained unchanged. Statistical analysis was performed to determine which of the following criteria could influence the outcome of the flexion test: age, gender, neutered status, weight category, tested joint and initial lameness score. Results Over 1,161 patients' files were collected and analyzed for this research. The FT showed 82.8% (95%IC: 80.5–84.9) of true positives and 17.2% of false negatives. None of the patient's intrinsic characteristics influenced the outcome of the test (age, gender, neutered status, and weight category). The orthopedic parameters, such as the initial lameness score and the tested joint, showed to have a statistically significant influence on the outcome of the test. Clinical relevance The FT is an easy-to-perform technique presenting reliable results on most joints. This test presents an interest when performed in addition to a complete orthopedic examination to localize pain to a joint area. Only the orthopedic pathological-related parameters such as the lameness score and the tested joint seem to influence the outcome of the FT. The FT is not influenced by the physiological-related characteristic of the patient (age, weight category, sex, and neutered status).
Refugees' time investments—Differences in the time use of refugees, other immigrants, and natives in Germany

Introduction Since the 2015/16 refugee influx to Germany and other European countries, these host societies have been challenged with the integration of culturally distant refugees. These recent arrivals can strategically invest their time in activities promoting their integration, thereby rendering time use as a channel of integration. Refugees are a vulnerable group that differs from other immigrants with respect to their migration motivation, experience, and conditions in the receiving countries. Accordingly, refugees might also differ from other immigrants with respect to their time use. This might play a role in explaining differences in refugees' and other immigrants' integration outcomes. Methods Using a cluster analysis approach, this contribution (1) descriptively examines whether and to what extent refugees' time use differs from that of other immigrants and the host-country population in Germany and (2) examines the role of refugees' legal status for their time use. The study examines time allocation to different activities of refugees, other first-generation immigrants, and native Germans, using data collected from 2016 to 2019 of the German Socio-Economic Panel, including the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees and the IAB-SOEP Migration Sample. Results and discussion Results from (1) the cluster analysis approach show different clusters of time use patterns for the three population groups of refugees, other immigrants, and natives. For native Germans and other immigrants, the dominant time use cluster is characterized by full-time investment in employment activities. For refugees, the dominant time use pattern is characterized by low overall invested hours to the measured activities (low activity cluster). In contrast to the other two groups, a cluster of refugees predominantly allocating their time to employment activities is not found. Pooled analyses (2) of the role of refugees' legal status show some evidence that those who have a form of protection status, in comparison to those who have asylum seeker status, have a lower probability to display childcare- and household-related activities than to report low activity. However, fixed effects analyses show that refugees receiving a positive decision on their asylum application do not change with respect to their time use patterns.
Lp-Frechet Differentiable Preference and Local Utility Analysis

Abstract This paper introduces the Lp-Frechet differentiable preference functionals, which is an extension of the class of Frechet differentiable preference functionals introduced by M. Machina (Econometrica50 (1982), 277–323). It shows that the type of "local utility analysis" conducted in Machina′s paper is applicable to this broader class of Lp-Frechet differentiable preference functionals. Effort has been made to clarify the relationship between Frechet differentiability and Gâteaux differentiability. Under mild conditions, it is shown that anticipated utility and betweenness functionals are Lp-Frechet differentiable. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: 022, 026.
Comments on a Collocation Spectral Solver for the Helmholtz Equation

We present a simple extension of the spectral-collocation Helmholtz solver that was first derived by Ehrenstein and Peyret. Ehrenstein and Peyret considered the case of a Helmholtz equation with constant coefficients under Dirichlet boundary conditions. We derive the more general case of nonhomogeneous, Robin boundary conditions. For simplicity, our discussion is restricted to the one-dimensional case d{sup 2}u/dx{sup 2} - au = f, x {element_of} [-1, +1], where a is a constant which is assumed to be {ge} 0. To solve this equation we impose the boundary conditions {alpha}{sub =} + {beta}{sub {+-}} du/dx = g{sub {+-}}, at x = {+-}1.
Therapeutic Options for the Management of Pompe Disease: Current Challenges and Clinical Evidence in Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management

Abstract Pompe disease is a genetic disorder produced by mutations in the GAA gene leading to absence or reduced expression of acid alpha-glucosidase, an enzyme that metabolizes the breakdown of glycogen into glucose. There are two main phenotypes, the infantile consisting of early onset severe weakness and cardiomyopathy, and the adult which is characterized by slowly progressive skeletal and respiratory muscle weakness. Enzymatic replacement therapy (ERT) has been available for Pompe disease for more than 15 years. Although the treatment has improved many aspects of the disease, such as prolonged survival through improved cardiomyopathy and acquisition of motor milestones in infants and slower progression rate in adults, ERT is far from being a cure as both infantile and adult patients continue to progress. This fact has prompted the development of improved or new enzymes and other treatments such as gene therapy or substrate reduction strategies. Here, we review the data obtained from randomized clinical trials but also from open-label studies published so far that have assessed the advantages and limitations of this therapy. Moreover, we also review the new therapeutic strategies that are under development and provide our opinion on which are the unmet needs for patients with this disease.
A Smoluchowski theory with simple approximations for hydrodynamic interactions in concentrated dispersions

In the literature there exist many theories that provide predictions for the rheological properties of concentrated colloidal suspensions, some in excellent agreement with existing experimental data. However, the manner in which hydrodynamic interactions are included differs greatly among the various approaches. Here we incorporate hydrodynamic interactions into the formalism developed previously to account for many body thermodynamic interactions in concentrated suspensions. A conservation equation involving two particle conditional averages of the hydrodynamic functions is derived and solved with different approximations for the functions, including the dilute limit, the rescaling due to Brady, and a lubrication approximation from our previous work. Through our previous calculations without hydrodynamic interactions we have a well characterized approximation for the thermodynamic couplings in concentrated suspensions. The addition of approximations for the hydrodynamic interactions allows prediction for.
Real-Time Estimation of 2-D Motion for Object Tracking

An algorithm capable of estimating the image motion of a moving object in real-time is described. Our method is based on the image correlation technique. But unlike previous approaches, we estimate the motion along the image gradient direction only. As the result we obtain the normal flow vector. This approach allows us to avoid difficulties often arise due to the multiple matching. Normal flow vectors are used to estimate the actual flow vector (often called full flow vector) by assuming that the 2-D motion is locally constant in a small neighborhood. This process requires solving a linear system of order 2 only. This entire process operates uniformly on several spatial resolutions of image sequence. Each resolution is tuned to a specific range of image motion, and the correct resolution is determined by comparing the confidence which has been computed in the course of full flow estimation.