Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unleashing the Potential of Chatbots in Education: A State-Of-The-Art Analysis

Chatbots are becoming a ubiquitous trend in many fields such as medicine, product and service industry, and education. Chatbots are computer programs used to conduct auditory or textual conversations. A growing body of evidence suggests that these programs have the potential to change the way students learn and search for information. Especially in large-scale learning scenarios with more than 100 students per lecturer, chatbots are able to solve the problem of individual student support. However, until now, there has been no systematic, structured overview of their use in education. The aim of this paper is therefore to conduct a systematic literature review based on a multi-perspective framework, from which we have derived initial search questions, synthesized past research, and highlighted future research directions. We reviewed titles and abstracts of 1405 articles drawn from management, education, information systems, and psychology literature before examining and individually coding a relevant subset of 80 articles. The results show that chatbots are in the very beginning of entering education. Few studies suggest the potential of chatbots for improving learning processes and outcomes. Nevertheless, past research has revealed that the effectiveness of chatbots in education is complex and depends on a variety of factors. With our literature review, we make two principal contributions: first, we structure and synthesize past research by using an input-process-output framework, and secondly, we use the framework to highlight research gaps for guiding future research in that area.
Cascading effects of N input on tritrophic (plant–aphid–parasitoid) interactions

Abstract Because N is frequently the most limiting mineral macronutrient for plants in terrestrial ecosystems, modulating N input may have ecological consequences through trophic levels. Thus, in agro‐ecosystems, the success of natural enemies may depend not only from their herbivorous hosts but also from the host plant whose qualities may be modulated by N input. We manipulated foliar N concentrations by providing to Camelina sativa plants three different nitrogen rates (control, optimal, and excessive). We examined how the altered host‐plant nutritional quality influenced the performances of two aphid species, the generalist green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, and the specialist cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae, and their common parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae. Both N inputs led to increased N concentrations in the plants but induced contrasted concentrations within aphid bodies depending on the species. Compared to the control, plant biomass increased when receiving the optimal N treatment but decreased under the excessive treatment. Performances of M. persicae improved under the optimal treatment compared to the control and excessive treatments whereas B. brassicae parameters declined following the excessive N treatment. In no‐choice trials, emergence rates of D. rapae developing in M. persicae were higher on both optimum and excessive N treatments, whereas they remained stable whatever the treatment when developing in B. brassicae. Size of emerging D. rapae females was positively affected by the treatment only when it developed in M. persicae on the excessive N treatment. This work showed that contrary to an optimal N treatment, when N was delivered in excess, plant suitability was reduced and consequently affected negatively aphid parameters. Surprisingly, these negative effects resulted in no or positive consequences on parasitoid parameters, suggesting a buffered effect at the third trophic level. Host N content, host suitability, and dietary specialization appear to be major factors explaining the functioning of our studied system.
[The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment predicts healthy life expectancy better than health checkups in older people: JAGES cohort study].

AIM In Japan, the Kihon checklist, which a useful part of the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), is performed using questionnaire. On the other hand, specific health checkup screens are available for some basic diseases, such as diabetes and dyslipidemia, which can cause stroke, the largest cause of long-term care need. However, to date, no report has compared CGA and health checkups in older people for their ability to predict healthy life expectancy; therefore, this study was undertaken to do that. METHODS Data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) 2010, a self-administered mail survey of independent people aged 65 years or older, were used. A total of 9,756 participants in six cities responded to the questionnaire, underwent a health check, and were followed up for 3 years.Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for the eventual need for long-term care level 2 or more or death, adjusting for sex, age, drinking or smoking habits, educational years, and equivalent income. Explanatory variables in the Kihon checklist included seven risks, namely, general frailty, functional disability, malnutrition, oral dysfunction, seclusion, cognitive impairment, and depression, and in specific health checkups, 15 required items including metabolic syndrome. RESULTS The incident rate of long-term care level 2 or more or death was 19.4/1,000 person-years. All risks in the Kihon checklist, excluding oral dysfunction, were significant (range of HRs: 1.44-3.63). Six items in the specific health checkups (urine protein, low BMI, AST, HDL, FPG, and HbA1c) were significant (range of HRs: 1.37-2.07). Metabolic syndrome was not significant (HR: 1.05). CONCLUSIONS Therefore, CGA performed using questionnaire predicts healthy life expectancy better than a health checkup based on a blood test.
Cybersecurity: Positive Changes Through Processes and Team Culture

SUMMARY Protecting your organization’s technology systems, devices, and electronic information is more important than ever before as healthcare increasingly becomes a target for cyberattacks, phishing, and ransomware. Hackers have turned this cyber warfare into a multibillion-dollar business, and the attacks are only getting worse. No company or individual is immune to the risks of cyberattacks, which can not only damage an organization’s operations and reputation but also affect patient care quality and safety. At Virtua, one of New Jersey’s largest health systems, cybersecurity is a team effort. From board trustees to frontline employees, everyone is held accountable for protecting the organization against cyberattacks. Virtua’s action plans include technology solutions, process improvements, governance under a chief information security officer, vendor management, and employee education and awareness. Completely eliminating the threat of cyberattacks, phishing, and ransomware is impossible, but keeping cybersecurity a part of an organization’s strategic plan is vital because the best possible offense is a strong, dependable defense.
Amniotic Membrane Extract Eye Drop Promotes Limbal Stem Cell Proliferation and Corneal Epithelium Healing

Objective Human amniotic membrane (HAM) is used as a supporter for limbal stem cell (LSC) expansion and corneal surgery. The aim of study is to use HAM extracts from healthy donors to enhance proliferation of LSCs in vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods In this interventional experimental study, the effective and cytotoxic doses of the amniotic membrane extract eye drops (AMEED) was assessed by adding different concentrations of AMEED (0-2.0 mg/ml) to LSC cultures for 14 days. Subsequently, the expression levels of ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2, a putative stem cell marker), cytokeratin 3 (K3, corneal maker), K12 and K19 (corneal-conjunctival cell makers) were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the second step, the corneal epithelium of 10 rabbits was mechanically removed, and the right eye of each rabbit was treated with 1 mg/ml AMEED [every 2 hours (group 1) or every 6 hours (group 2)]. The left eyes only received an antibiotic. The corneal healing process, conjunctival infection, degree of eyelid oedema, degree of photophobia, and discharge scores were evaluated during daily assessments. Finally, corneal tissues were biopsied for pathologic evidences. Results In comparison to the positive control [10% foetal bovine serum (FBS)], 0.1-1 mg/ml AMEED induced LSC proliferation, upregulated ABCG2, and downregulated K3. There were no remarkable differences in the expression levels of K12 and K19 (P>0.05). Interestingly, in the rabbits treated with AMEED, the epithelium healing duration decreased from 4 days in the control group to 3 days in the two AMEED groups, with lower mean degrees of eyelid oedema, chemosis, and infection compared to the control group. No pathologic abnormalities were observed in either of the AMEED groups. Conclusion AMEED increases LSCs proliferation ex vivo and accelerates corneal epithelium healing in vivo without any adverse effects. It could be used as a supplement for LSC expansion in cell therapy.
The “Polyploid Hop”: Shifting Challenges and Opportunities Over the Evolutionary Lifespan of Genome Duplications

The duplication of an entire genome is no small affair. Whole genome duplication (WGD) is a dramatic mutation with long-lasting effects, yet it occurs repeatedly in all eukaryotic kingdoms. Plants are particularly rich in documented WGDs, with recent and ancient polyploidization events in all major extant lineages. However, challenges immediately following WGD, such as the maintenance of stable chromosome segregation or detrimental ecological interactions with diploid progenitors, commonly do not permit establishment of nascent polyploids. Despite these immediate issues some lineages nevertheless persist and thrive. In fact, ecological modelling supports patterns of adaptive niche differentiation in polyploids, with young polyploids often invading new niches and leaving their diploid progenitors behind. In line with these observations of polyploid evolutionary success, recent work documents instant physiological consequences of WGD associated with increased dehydration stress tolerance in first-generation autotetraploids. Furthermore, population genetic theory predicts both short- and long-term benefits of polyploidy and new empirical data suggests that established polyploids may act as ‘sponges’ accumulating adaptive allelic diversity. In addition to their increased genetic variability, introgression with other tetraploid lineages, diploid progenitors, or even other species, further increases the available pool of genetic variants to polyploids. Despite this, the evolutionary advantages of polyploidy are still questioned, and the debate over the idea of polyploidy as an evolutionary dead-end carries on. Here we broadly synthesise the newest empirical data moving this debate forward. Altogether, evidence suggests that if early barriers are overcome, WGD can offer instantaneous fitness advantages opening the way to a transformed fitness landscape by sampling a higher diversity of alleles, including some already preadapted to their local environment. This occurs in the context of intragenomic, population genomic, and physiological modifications that can, on occasion, offer an evolutionary edge. Yet in the long run, early advantages can turn into long-term hindrances, and without ecological drivers such as novel ecological niche availability or agricultural propagation, a restabilization of the genome via diploidization will begin the cycle anew.
Oligodendrocyte Bioenergetics in Health and Disease

The human brain weighs approximately 2% of the body; however, it consumes about 20% of a person’s total energy intake. Cellular bioenergetics in the central nervous system involves a delicate balance between biochemical processes engaged in energy conversion and those responsible for respiration. Neurons have high energy demands, which rely on metabolic coupling with glia, such as with oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. It has been well established that astrocytes recycle and transport glutamine to neurons to make the essential neurotransmitters, glutamate and GABA, as well as shuttle lactate to support energy synthesis in neurons. However, the metabolic role of oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system is less clear. In this review, we discuss the energetic demands of oligodendrocytes in their survival and maturation, the impact of altered oligodendrocyte energetics on disease pathology, and the role of energetic metabolites, taurine, creatine, N-acetylaspartate, and biotin, in regulating oligodendrocyte function.
How Much of Wireless Rates Can Smartphones Support in 5G Networks?

Due to the higher wireless transmission rates in the 5G cellular networks, higher computation overhead is incurred in smartphones, which can cause the wireless transmission rates to be limited by the computation capability of wireless terminals. In this case, is there a maximum receiving rate for smartphones to maintain stable wireless communications in 5G cellular networks? The main objective of this article is to investigate the maximum receiving rate of smartphones and its influence on 5G cellular networks. Based on Landauer's principle and the safe temperature bound on the smartphone surface, a maximum receiving rate of the smartphone is proposed for 5G cellular networks. Moreover, the impact of the maximum receiving rate of smartphones on the link adaptive transmission schemes has been investigated. Numerical analyses imply that the maximum receiving rate of smartphones cannot always catch up with the downlink rates of future 5G cellular networks. Therefore, the link adaptive transmission scheme for future 5G cellular networks has to take the maximum receiving rate of smartphones into account.
The N terminus and transmembrane segment S1 of Kv1.5 can coassemble with the rest of the channel independently of the S1–S2 linkage

The voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.5 belongs to the Shaker superfamily. Kv1.5 is composed of four subunits, each comprising 613 amino acids, which make up the N terminus, six transmembrane segments (S1–S6), and the C terminus. We recently demonstrated that, in HEK cells, extracellularly applied proteinase K (PK) cleaves Kv1.5 channels at a single site in the S1–S2 linker. This cleavage separates Kv1.5 into an N-fragment (N terminus to S1) and a C-fragment (S2 to C terminus). Interestingly, the cleavage does not impair channel function. Here, we investigated the role of the N terminus and S1 in Kv1.5 expression and function by creating plasmids encoding various fragments, including those that mimic PK-cleaved products. Our results disclosed that although expression of the pore-containing fragment (Frag(304–613)) alone could not produce current, coexpression with Frag(1–303) generated a functional channel. Immunofluorescence and biotinylation analyses uncovered that Frag(1–303) was required for Frag(304–613) to traffic to the plasma membrane. Biochemical analysis revealed that the two fragments interacted throughout channel trafficking and maturation. In Frag(1–303)+(304–613)-coassembled channels, which lack a covalent linkage between S1 and S2, amino acid residues 1–209 were important for association with Frag(304–613), and residues 210–303 were necessary for mediating trafficking of coassembled channels to the plasma membrane. We conclude that the N terminus and S1 of Kv1.5 can attract and coassemble with the rest of the channel (i.e. Frag(304–613)) to form a functional channel independently of the S1–S2 linkage.
Prenatal nutrition, stimulation, and exposure to punishment are associated with early child motor, cognitive, language, and socioemotional development in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

BACKGROUND Despite growing evidence that early life experiences and exposures can impact child development, there is limited research on how prenatal and early life nutrition and early life parenting practices predict specific domains of child development in resource-limited settings. This study examines the association between prenatal factors, birth outcomes, and early life characteristics with motor, cognitive/language, and socioemotional development in Tanzania. METHODS We assessed motor, cognitive/language, and socioemotional development among a cohort of 198 children aged 20-39 months in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, whose mothers were previously enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of prenatal vitamin A and zinc supplementation. Linear regression models were used to assess standardized mean differences in child development scores for randomized prenatal regimen and pregnancy, delivery, and early childhood factors. RESULTS Children born to mothers randomized to prenatal vitamin A had significantly lower reported motor scores in minimally adjusted and multivariate analyses, -0.29 SD, 95% CI [-0.54, -0.04], p = 0.03, as compared with children whose mothers did not receive vitamin A. There was no significant effect of randomized prenatal zinc on any development domain. Greater caregiver-child stimulation was associated with 0.38 SD, 95% CI [0.14, 0.63], p < 0.01, better cognitive/language scores, whereas children who experienced both verbal and physical punishment had 0.29 SD, 95% CI [-0.52, -0.05], p = 0.02, lower scores in socioemotional development. Maternal completion of primary school was associated with higher reported motor and cognitive/language development. Further, children of mothers who were <155 cm tall had lower cognitive and language scores. CONCLUSION Prenatal vitamin A supplements in a setting with low levels of vitamin A deficiency may not provide child development benefits. However, integrated environmental, educational, parenting, and stimulation interventions may have large positive effects across child development domains in resource-limited settings.
Digital health app development standards: a systematic review protocol

Introduction There is currently a lack of clear and accepted standards for the development (planning, requirement analysis and research, design and application testing) of apps for medical and healthcare use which poses different risks to developers, providers, patients and the public. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of the current standards, frameworks, best practices and guidelines for the development of digital health apps. This review is a critical ’stepping stone’ for further work on producing appropriate standards that can help mitigate risks (eg, clinical, privacy and economic risks). Methods and analysis A systematic review identifying criteria from applicable standards, guidelines, frameworks and best practices for the development of health apps. We will draw from standards for software for medical devices, clinical information systems and medicine because of their relatedness and hope to apply lessons learnt to apps. We will exclude other types of publications, and those published in languages other than English. We will search websites of relevant regulatory and professional organisations. For health apps, we will also search electronic research databases (eg, MEDLINE, Embase, SCOPUS, ProQuest Technology Collection and Engineering Index) because relevant publications may not be found on other websites. We will hand-search reference lists of included publications. The review will focus on international, USA, European and UK standards because these are the markets of primary interest to the majority of app developers currently. We will provide a narrative overview of findings and tabular summaries of extracted data. Also, we will examine the relationship between different standards and compare USA and European Union standards. Ethics and dissemination No ethics approval is required. The review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and inform efforts that aim to improve the quality of health apps through existing links with relevant organisations.
Synergistic Effect of Simvastatin and Romidepsin on Gamma-globin Gene Induction

Objective Hemoglobinopathies such as beta-thalassemia and sickle cell disease (SCD) are inherited disorders that are caused by mutations in beta-globin chain. Gamma-globin gene reactivation can ameliorate clinical manifestations of beta- thalassemia and SCD. Drugs that induce fetal hemoglobin (HbF) can be promising tools for treatment of beta-thalassemia and SCD patients. Recently, it has been shown that Simvastatin (SIM) and Romidepsin (ROM) induce HbF. SIM is a BCL11a inhibitor and ROM is a HDAC inhibitor and both of these drugs are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for hypercholesterolemia and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma respectively. Our aim was to evaluate the synergistic effects of these drugs in inducing HbF. Materials and Methods In our experimental study, we isolated CD34+ cells from five cord blood samples that were cultured in erythroid differentiation medium containing ROM and Simvastatin. Then Gamma-globin, BCL11a and HDAC gene expression were evaluated on the 7thand 14thday of erythroid differentiation by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunocytochemistry. Results Our results showed that combination of SIM and ROM significantly increased Gamma-globin gene expression and inhibit BCL11a and HDAC expression compared to results of using each of them alone. SIM and ROM lead to 3.09- fold increase in HbF production compared to the control group. Also, SIM inhibited BCL11a expression (0.065-fold) and ROM inhibited HDAC1 expression (0.47-fold) as two important inhibitors of HbF production after birth. Conclusion We propose combination therapy of these drugs may be ameliorate clinical manifestation in beta-thalassemia and SCD with at least side effects and reduce the need for blood transfusion.
Safety, Feasibility of Intravenous and Intrathecal Injection of Autologous Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Open Label Phase I Clinical Trial

Objective Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most severe disorder within the spectrum of motor neuron diseases (MND) that has no effective treatment and a progressively fatal outcome. We have conducted two clinical trials to assess the safety and feasibility of intravenous (IV) and intrathecal (IT) injections of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) in patients with ALS. Materials and Methods This is an interventional/experimental study. We enrolled 14 patients that met the following inclusion criteria: definitive diagnosis of sporadic ALS, ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALS-FRS) ≥24, and ≥40% predicted forced vital capacity (FVC). All patients underwent bone marrow (BM) aspiration to obtain an adequate sample for cell isolation and culture. Patients in group 1 (n=6) received an IV and patients in group 2 (n=8) received an IT injection of the cell suspension. All patients in both groups were followed at 24 hours and 2, 4, 6, and 12 months after the injection with ALS-FRS, FVC, laboratory tests, check list of side effects and brain/spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In each group, one patient was lost to follow up one month after cell injection and one patient from IV group died due to severe respiratory insufficiency and infection. Results During the follow up there were no reports of adverse events in terms of clinical and laboratory assessments. In MRI, there was not any new abnormal finding. The ALS-FRS score and FVC percentage significantly reduced in all patients from both groups. Conclusion This study has shown that IV and IT transplantation of BM-derived stromal cells is safe and feasible (Registration numbers: NCT01759797 and NCT01771640).