Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethical Decision-Making in Construction Engineering Projects

Ethical Decision-Making in Construction Engineering Projects by Monique S. Sidaross Bridge Design Academy (construction), State of California, 2000 MSCE, University of Southern California, 1997 MSCE, University of Alexandria, 1982 BSCE, University of Alexandria, 1978 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Engineering Management Walden University February 2018 Abstract Problems exist with ethical decision-making in U.S. construction engineering projects. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that affect ethical decision-making in engineering construction in the United States. The general concepts of marketing ethics, Kohlberg’s discussion of ethical and moral reasoning development, and Gillian’s discussion of ethical care served as the basis of the conceptual framework. Factors that inhibit ethical decision making were addressed in the research questions. The resulting narrative framework included implementable initiatives based on these factors that couldProblems exist with ethical decision-making in U.S. construction engineering projects. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that affect ethical decision-making in engineering construction in the United States. The general concepts of marketing ethics, Kohlberg’s discussion of ethical and moral reasoning development, and Gillian’s discussion of ethical care served as the basis of the conceptual framework. Factors that inhibit ethical decision making were addressed in the research questions. The resulting narrative framework included implementable initiatives based on these factors that could improve the quality of ethical decision-making and the impact of these initiatives on the cost and quality of construction engineering projects. The use of qualitative grounded theory design led to findings from the research questions and enabled the development of a theory to explain the phenomenon. The research was based on data collected from interviews with a purposive sample of 12 civil engineers with 15 to 45 years of forensic and managerial experience with construction engineering projects. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the data. The principal finding from the research was that unethical decision-making in the legal and political systems undermines the image and authority of construction engineers in the United States. The findings of the study may cause social change by indicating how to enhance the ethical behavior of individuals involved in decision-making within the U.S. construction engineering industry, leading to improvements in the cost and quality of construction projects that benefit individual stakeholders as well as society. Ethical Decision-Making in Construction Engineering Projects by Monique Sidaross Bridge Design Academy (construction), State of California, 2000 MSCE, University of Southern California, 1997 MSCE, University of Alexandria, 1982 BSCE, University of Alexandria, 1978 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Engineering Management
Involvement of Fusobacterium nucleatum in malignancies except for colorectal cancer: A literature review

Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is originally an oral opportunistic pathogen and accumulating evidence links the presence of F. nucleatum with the pathogenicity, development, and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, only limited preliminary data is available dealing with the role of F. nucleatum in other malignancies except for CRC. The present review aims to update and systematize the latest information about the mechanisms of F. nucleatum-mediating carcinogenesis, together with the detection rates, clinicopathological, and molecular features in F. nucleatum-associated malignancies. Comparing with adjacent non-tumorous tissue, previous studies have shown an overabundance of intratumoural F. nucleatum. Although the prognostic role of F. nucleatum is still controversial, a higher prevalence of F. nucleatum was usually associated with a more advanced tumor stage and a worse overall survival. Preliminary evidence have shown that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and relevant inflammation and immune response aroused by F. nucleatum may be the probable link between F. nucleatum infection and the initiation of oral/head and neck cancer. Further studies are needed to elucidate the etiologic role of the specific microbiota and the connection between the extent of periodontitis and carcinogenesis in different tumor types. The mechanisms of how the antibiotics exerts the critical role in the carcinogenesis and antitumor effects in malignancies other than CRC need to be further explored.
The comparative effects of oral Chinese patent medicines combined with western medicine in stable angina: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 179 trials

Background: Stable angina is a common condition with high morbidity and mortality rates. It has been reported that combining oral Chinese patent medicines (OCPMs) and Western medicine (WM) could potentially achieve a better effect than WM alone. However, the optimal OCPMs for stable angina remain controversial and merit further empirical research. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Ovid-Medline, Clinical Trials.gov, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Weipu Journal Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were all searched from inception to 13 March 2022. We employed Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (ROB2) to assess the overall quality of the selected studies. We also used R 4.1. 2 and STATA 14.0 software applications to perform network meta-analysis, followed by sensitivity and subgroup analysis. Results: A total of 179 randomized controlled trials with 16,789 patients were included. The selected trials were all assessed as some concerns. OCPMs combined with WM had a better treatment effect than WM alone. In terms of the effective clinical rate, a significant increase was detected for Qishen Yiqi dripping pill (QSYQ)+WM as compared with Shensong Yangxin capsule (SSYX)+WM, Shexiang Baoxin pill (SXBX)+WM, Tongxinluo capsule (TXL)+WM, Xuefu Zhuyu capsule (XFZY)+WM, Qiliqiangxin capsule (QLQX)+WM, Naoxintong capsule (NXT)+WM, Fufang Danshen dripping pill (FFDS)+WM, and Danlou tablet (DL)+WM. QSYQ + WM had the highest-ranking probability (98.12%). Regarding the effective rate in ECG, QSYQ + WM was superior to SXBX + WM, TXL + WM, DL + WM, FFDS + WM, and NXT + WM. QSYQ + WM ranked first (94.21%). In terms of weekly frequency of angina, QLQX + WM obtained a better effect than FFDS + WM, Kuanxiong aerosol (KXQW)+WM, NXT + WM, QLQX + WM, SSYX + WM, SXBX + WM, and TXL + WM. QLQX + WM ranked first (100.00%). Regarding the duration of an angina attack, KXQW + WM was superior to SSYX + WM; KXQW + WM ranked first (95.71%). Adverting to weekly nitroglycerin usage, TXL + WM had the highest-ranking probability (82.12%). Referring to cardiovascular event rate, DL + WM had the highest effect (73.94%). Additionally, SSYX + WM had the lowest rate of adverse drug reactions (1.14%). Conclusion: OCPMs combined with WM had a higher efficacy. QSYQ + WM, QLQX + WM, KXQW + WM, TXL + WM, DL + WM, SSYX + WM, and SXBX + WM merit further investigation. SXBX + WM is presumably the optimal treatment prescription for both clinically effective and cardiovascular event rates. Further high-quality empirical research is needed to confirm the current results. Systematic Review Registration: URL = https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/PROSPERO/display_record. php? RecordID=316534, CRD 42022316534
Measuring the effects of mind wandering in people with insomnia: A driving simulator study

Purpose Studies have shown that individuals with insomnia experience more frequent and longer episodes of mind wandering (MW) while driving. However, the effect of the interaction between insomnia and MW on driving behavior is not fully understood. This study aimed to gain deeper insights into the relationships among insomnia, MW, and driving behavior. Patients and methods Forty-two participants (21 diagnosed with insomnia and 21 controls) were recruited, and subjective sleep quality and cognitive function were assessed. A driving simulator experiment with a within-subject design was performed, involving two distraction tasks (no-distraction task versus MW task) and two driving scenarios (lane-keeping versus lane-changing). Results In the lane-keeping scenario, there was no significant between-group difference (people with insomnia and controls) in longitudinal driving performance for the no-distraction task, although the interaction between MW and insomnia significantly increased drivers’ longitudinal control variation. Correlation analysis confirmed that longitudinal driving performance was positively correlated with sleep quality and the cognitive level. Unlike longitudinal driving performance, lateral driving performance was significantly weaker in people with insomnia than in controls under both distraction tasks. In the lane-changing scenario, although there was no between-group difference in driving performance, the MW task led to significant changes in driving performance within each group compared with the no-distraction task, and these findings were associated with cognitive function, but not with sleep quality. Conclusion These findings show that insomnia and MW combined can lead to reduced driving performance. Further research is needed to elucidate the factors that influence this phenomenon.
Niche, not phylogeny, governs the response to oxygen availability among diverse Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen, is a leading cause of chronic infection of airways in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Chronic infections typically arise from colonization by environmental strains, followed by adaptation of P. aeruginosa to the conditions within the CF airway. It has been suggested that oxygen availability can be an important source of selection causing trait changes associated with the transition to chronic infection, but little data exist on the response of P. aeruginosa to varying levels of oxygen. Here, we use a diverse collection of P. aeruginosa strains recovered from both CF patients and environmental sources to evaluate the role of oxygen availability in driving adaptation to the CF lung while also accounting for phylogenetic relatedness. While we can detect a signal of phylogeny in trait responses to oxygen availability, niche of origin is a far stronger predictor. Specifically, strains isolated from the lungs of CF patients are more sensitive to external oxidative stress but more resistant to antibiotics under anoxic conditions. Additionally, many, though not all, patho-adaptive traits we assayed are insensitive to oxygen availability. Our results suggest that inferences about trait expression, especially those associated with the transition to chronic infection, depend on both the available oxygen and niche of origin of the strains being studied.
Acupuncture modulates the frequency-specific functional connectivity density in primary dysmenorrhea

Background The study aimed to investigate how acupuncture modulates brain activities across multiple frequency bands to achieve therapeutic effects in PDM. Methods A total of 47 patients with PDM were randomly assigned to the verum acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group with three menstrual cycles of the acupuncture course. The fMRI scans, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, and other clinical evaluations were assessed at baseline and after three menstrual-cycles treatments. The global functional connectivity density (gFCD) analyses were performed between the pre-and post-acupuncture course of two groups at full-low frequency band, Slow-3 band, Slow-4 band, and Slow-5 band. Results After the acupuncture treatments, the patients with PDM in the verum acupuncture group showed significantly decreased VAS scores (p < 0.05). The frequency-dependent gFCD alternations were found in the verum acupuncture group, altered regions including DLPFC, somatosensory cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), middle cingulate cortex (MCC), precuneus, hippocampus, and insula. The sham acupuncture modulated regions including angular gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and hippocampus. The gFCD alternation in DLPFC at the Slow-5 band was negatively in the patients with PDM following verum acupuncture, and S2 at the Slow-4 band was positively correlated with VAS scores. Conclusion These findings supported that verum acupuncture could effectively modulate frequency-dependent gFCD in PDM by influencing abnormal DLPFC at Slow-5 band and hippocampus at the Slow-3 band. The outcome of this study may shed light on enhancing the potency of acupuncture in clinical practice.
Identification of Nitrogen Starvation-Responsive miRNAs to Reveal the miRNA-Mediated Regulatory Network in Betula luminifera

Because of the immobility, plants encounter a series of stresses, such as varied nutrient concentrations in soil, which regulate plant growth, development, and phase transitions. Nitrogen (N) is one of the most limiting factors for plants, which was exemplified by the fact that low nitrogen (LN) has a great adverse effect on plant growth and development. In the present study, we explored the potential role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in response to LN stress in Betula luminifera. We identified 198 miRNAs using sRNA sequencing, including 155 known and 43 novel miRNAs. Among them, 98 known miRNAs and 31 novel miRNAs were differentially expressed after 0.5 h or 24 h of LN stress. Based on degradome data, 122 differential expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) including 102 known miRNAs and 20 novel miRNAs targeted 203 genes, comprising 321 miRNA–target pairs. A big proportion of target genes were transcription factors and functional proteins, and most of the Gene Ontology terms were enriched in biological processes; moreover, one Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes term “ascorbate and aldarate metabolism” was significantly enriched. The expression patterns of six miRNAs and their corresponding target genes under LN stress were monitored. According to the potential function for targets of DEmiRNAs, a proposed regulatory network mediated by miRNA–target pairs under LN stress in B. luminifera was constructed. Taken together, these findings provide useful information to elucidate miRNA functions and establish a framework for exploring N signaling networks mediated by miRNAs in B. luminifera. It may provide new insights into the genetic engineering of the high use efficiency of N in forestry trees.
Stable physical activity tracking during children's guided active play

Objective Physical activity (PA) decreases during childhood with PA tracking statistics showing moderate coefficients in early childhood moving to poor coefficients in late childhood. The age-related instability of PA tracking is attributed to variations in age-related PA behaviors when quantifying PA in different settings (in/out of school, sports camps, and habitual PA). This study has examined the stability of age-related PA for children (from 7 to 11 years) during self-paced guided active play (GAP) sessions separated by 12 months. Methods Children (n = 65) recruited from community camps in two consecutive years were assessed for growth and PA participation during GAP sessions (1 h.d−1 on 2 d.wk−1) using cooperative games. Accelerometer outputs were used to quantify PA and estimate energy expenditure (EE) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Tracking statistics were assessed by Spearman coefficients (r) and agreement scores for percentile rankings (Kappa (k)) after a 1-year interval. Results Grouped data for PA tracking (EE) over the 1-year interval showed strong coefficients (r = 0.88, p = 0.001) and moderate agreement scores (k = 0.54). Boys and girls showed similar results. During the 1-year interval, the MVPA tracking coefficient was r = 0.54 (p = 0.01) with a moderate k score of 0.47. Age-related PA (EE) tracking coefficients at 7 (r = 0.90), 8 (r = 0.88), 10 (r = 0.82), and 11 (r = 0.83) years showed strong coefficients except at 9 years (r = 0.51). Conclusion Children's age-related PA tracking (EE and MVPA) is stable during self-paced GAP assessed over a 1-year interval. Since PA tracking is stable in self-paced GAP, GAP should be included in children's PA intervention strategies to improve health and fitness.
Calculating intraocular lens power in anterior megalophthalmos: A case report

Introduction We report a case of a man with cataract and anterior megalophthalmos (AM), in which some myopia was retained when calculating intraocular lens (IOL) power using the Haigis formula to avoid postoperative farsightedness. Case description A 59-year-old Chinese man was referred to our clinic for cataract surgery in his right eye. He had strong bilateral megalocornea, and his left eye had undergone surgery four times. After complete preoperative examinations and repeated biometry, the Haigis formula was used, and a 3-piece IOL was implanted with a target power of −1.97 D. At 1-year follow-up, the patient showed the best-corrected distance vision of 20/20 with the refraction of −1.50 DC × 160°, and the IOL was stable. Conclusion Our patient with anterior megalophthalmos showed postoperative hyperopia drift even though the Haigis formula was used as suggested in previous studies. To prevent farsightedness after surgery, some myopia should be retained when calculating IOL power. The Kane, Holladay II with AL adjustment, and Barrett Universal II formulas may be more accurate for calculating IOL power in such patients.
Motivational disturbances in rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders

Motivated behavior is integral to the survival of individuals, continuously directing actions toward rewards or away from punishments. The orchestration of motivated behavior depends on interactions among different brain circuits, primarily within the dopaminergic system, that subserve the analysis of factors such as the effort necessary for obtaining the reward and the desirability of the reward. Impairments in motivated behavior accompany a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders, decreasing the patients’ quality of life. Despite its importance, motivation is often overlooked as a parameter in neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we review motivational impairments in rodent models of schizophrenia, depression, and Parkinson’s disease, focusing on studies investigating effort-related behavior in operant conditioning tasks and on pharmacological interventions targeting the dopaminergic system. Similar motivational disturbances accompany these conditions, suggesting that treatments aimed at ameliorating motivation levels may be beneficial for various neuropsychiatric disorders.
An approach to involve municipal leaders into strategic decision-making for sustainability—A case study

In a previous study we tested a model for implementation of methodological support for cross-sectoral collaboration for strategic transition toward sustainability. To make the model viable long-term, practitioners emphasized the importance to recruit and engage leaders into the process upfront, however, this was also the key missing element according to the ten municipalities and regions in the action research project. Nevertheless, if addressed sufficiently, active leadership could favor other needed support, such as capacity building and merging with ongoing work. Therefore, this study aimed to design, test and evaluate an approach to better involve leaders into strategic decision-making for sustainability early on in the collaboration processes. The approach evolved as an in-depth study in one of the municipalities. A pre-assessment based on semi-structured interviews and desktop review was compiled and presented back to municipal top management during a session that included a focus group discussion to capture the leaders' feedback on the assessment as well as advice on how to make the implementation model viable long-term. Results gave that the leaders reached a good understanding of the implementation model and how current practice in the municipality related or could be related to it. As an indicator of spurred engagement and hence, a successful result, one outcome from the session was a strategic decision to carry out a thorough sustainability analysis according to the methodology that the model is supposed to implement. This work is ongoing. In addition, support for alignment with existing management systems was asked for. An evaluation of the approach itself was positive, however, pointed at the extensive work needed for the assessment. Alternative ways, such as self-assessment or peer-assessment was discussed. Forthcoming research will test and further refine the applied approach of this study to enhance strategic decision-making for sustainability while also considering the role of academia in municipal practices for sustainability.
Normal oil body formation in Marchantia polymorpha requires functional coat protein complex I proteins

Eukaryotic cells possess endomembrane organelles equipped with specific sets of proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides that are fundamental for realizing each organelle’s specific function and shape. A tightly regulated membrane trafficking system mediates the transportation and localization of these substances. Generally, the secretory/exocytic pathway is responsible for transporting cargo to the plasma membrane and/or the extracellular space. However, in the case of oil body cells in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, the oil body, a liverwort-unique organelle, is thought to be formed by secretory vesicle fusion through redirection of the secretory pathway inside the cell. Although their formation mechanism remains largely unclear, oil bodies exhibit a complex and bumpy surface structure. In this study, we isolated a mutant with spherical oil bodies through visual screening of mutants with abnormally shaped oil bodies. This mutant harbored a mutation in a coat protein complex I (COPI) subunit MpSEC28, and a similar effect on oil body morphology was also detected in knockdown mutants of other COPI subunits. Fluorescently tagged MpSEC28 was localized to the periphery of the Golgi apparatus together with other subunits, suggesting that it is involved in retrograde transport from and/or in the Golgi apparatus as a component of the COPI coat. The Mpsec28 mutants also exhibited weakened stiffness of the thalli, suggesting impaired cell–cell adhesion and cell wall integrity. These findings suggest that the mechanism of cell wall biosynthesis is also involved in shaping the oil body in M. polymorpha, supporting the redirection of the secretory pathway inward the cell during oil body formation.
Comparative analysis of bacterial communities in the sediment and seawater environments from marine large yellow croaker cages (Zhejiang coast, China)

Bacterial community plays a vital role in the open-oceanic aquaculture ecosystem, and its stability is crucial for maintaining the health of mariculture fish. However, there are no reported studies on microbial communities in the culture environment of marine fish cages. In this study, bacterial community composition and diversity of seawater and sediment habitats from 5 large yellow croaker cage farms were first investigated by 16S rRNA-based high-throughput sequencing. The composition of bacterial communities was visualized at the phylum and genus levels. Meanwhile, biological and ecological functions were also predicted. The bacterial diversity observed at 3 inshore sampling sites was higher in seawater groups than that in sediment groups. The alpha diversity indices were influenced by the geographic location, especially the inshore site Yueqing (YQ), showing higher values than other sampling sites. The pathogenic bacteria were prevalent in the aquaculture environments, and probiotics showed a relatively low proportion by comparing the potential pathogens. Our study provides baseline data on bacterial communities and diversity in the open-oceanic environments of cage-culture large yellow croaker.