bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Examining engineering students' perceptions of learner agency enactment in problem‐ and project‐based learning using Q methodology
Authors: Du Xiangyun , Lundberg Adrian , Ayari Mohamed A. , Naji Khalid K. , Hawari Alaa 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundFew studies have reported how students enact learner agency in a team setting or examined what elements of team settings students perceive as more supportive of their learning in problem‐ and project‐based learning (PBL) processes.PurposeThis study explores how engineering students perceive their enactment of learner agency, particularly which aspects of the PBL process they find most important.MethodThirty‐nine students from two PBL civil engineering courses in Qatar participated in the study. Q methodology was chosen for both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. A 40‐item Q set based on a theoretical model of learner agency was used.ResultsEight significantly different student viewpoints emerged from the Q methodological factor analysis, indicating a range of individual perceptions of learner agency. Intrapersonal dimensions were highlighted by three of the eight viewpoints, behavioral dimensions were underlined by seven viewpoints, and environmental dimensions were valued by all viewpoints.ConclusionWhile the results reveal a wide range of individual experiences with learner agency across the three dimensions, students addressed self‐directed learning aspects both actively and passively, suggesting that many participants still value instructors' roles of providing direct instruction and authorized knowledge in PBL. The results highlight the need for more awareness of learner agency and more opportunities for students to enact learner agency by increasing PBL knowledge, skills, and efficacy. Q methodology can contribute to engineering education research by providing new theoretical and empirical insights into learners' subjective understanding of agency in a PBL setting as a complex system.
Neddylation of Coro1a determines the fate of multivesicular bodies and biogenesis of extracellular vesicles
Authors: Fei Xuefeng , Li Zhijie , Yang Diya , Kong Xianghui , Lu Xinliang , Shen Yingying , Li Xu , Xie Shaofang , Wang Jiaoli , Zhao Yongchao , Sun Yi , Zhang Jing , Ye Zhaoming , Wang Jianli , Cai Zhijian 
Published: October 2021

AbstractMultivesicular bodies (MVBs) fuse with not only the plasma membranes to release extracellular vesicles (EVs) but also lysosomes for degradation. Rab7 participates in the lysosomal targeting of MVBs. However, the proteins on MVB that directly bind Rab7, causing MVB recruitment of Rab7 remain unidentified. Here, we show that Coro1a undergoes neddylation modification at K233 by TRIM4. Neddylated Coro1a is associated with the MVB membrane and facilitates MVB recruitment and activation of Rab7 by directly binding Rab7. Subsequently, MVBs are targeted to lysosomes for degradation in a Rab7‐dependent manner, leading to reduced EV secretion. Furthermore, a decrease in neddylated Coro1a enhances the production of tumour EVs, thereby promoting tumour progression, indicating that neddylated Coro1a is an ideal target for the regulation of EV biogenesis. Altogether, our data identify a novel substrate of neddylation and reveal an unknown mechanism for MVB recruitment of Rab7, thus providing new insight into the regulation of EV biogenesis.
Kiær and the rebirth of the representative method: A case‐study in controversy management at the International Statistical Institute (1895–1903)
Authors: Lusinchi Dominic 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAnders N. Kiær (1838–1919), the director of Norway's Central Bureau of Statistics between 1877 and 1913, was the foremost promoter, at the turn of the 20th century, of the rebirth of what came to be known as the “representative method” or sample survey. His advocacy of a methodology that had been abandoned at the beginning of the 19th century in favor of complete enumeration (the census) provoked a controversy at the International Statistical Institute (ISI) when he first presented it in 1895. Yet, it was “recommended” in fairly short order, by 1903. This was the result of a convergence of factors that prevented the dispute from degenerating into a full‐blown conflict and facilitated continuing the discussion while preventing a potential break‐up of the association. To understand how this came about, the paper examines (1) the role of the historical background from which the ISI emerged; (2) the epistemic beliefs that informed the ISI members in their daily professional practice; (3) the social structure of the ISI and its “ethos”; (4) the professional standing Kiær enjoyed within the international statistical community. This is a case‐study in the sociology of how and why some scientific practices initially seen as “dangerous” gain acceptance and become part of science's lore.
How community ART delivery may improve HIV treatment outcomes: Qualitative inquiry into mechanisms of effect in a randomized trial of community‐based ART initiation, monitoring and re‐supply (DO ART) in South Africa and Uganda
Authors: Gilbert Hannah N. , Wyatt Monique A. , Pisarski Emily E. , Asiimwe Stephen , van Rooyen Heidi , Seeley Janet , Shahmanesh Maryam , Turyamureeba Bosco , van Heerden Alastair , Adeagbo Oluwafemi , Celum Connie L. , Barnabas Ruanne V. , Ware Norma C. ,   for the Delivery Optimization of Antiretroviral Therapy (DO ART) Study Team
Published: October 2021

AbstractIntroductionUNAIDS fast track targets for ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 call for viral suppression in 95% of people using antiretroviral therapy (ART) to treat HIV infection. Difficulties in linking to care following a positive HIV test have impeded progress towards meeting treatment targets. Community‐based HIV services may reduce linkage barriers and have been associated with high retention and favourable clinical outcomes. We use qualitative data from The Delivery Optimization of Antiretroviral Therapy (DO ART) Study, a three‐arm randomized trial of community ART initiation, monitoring and re‐supply conducted in western Uganda and KwaZulu‐Natal South Africa, to identify mechanisms through which community ART delivery may improve treatment outcomes, defined as viral suppression in people living with HIV (PLHIV).MethodsWe conducted open‐ended interviews with a purposeful sample of 150 DO ART participants across study arms and study sites, from October 2016 to November 2019. Interviews covered experiences of: (1) HIV testing; (2) initiating and refilling ART; and (3) participating in the DO ART Study. A combined inductive content analytic and thematic approach was used to characterize mechanisms through which community delivery of ART may have contributed to viral suppression in the DO ART trial.ResultsThe analysis yielded four potential mechanisms drawn from qualitative data representing the perspectives and priorities of DO ART participants. Empowering participants to schedule, re‐schedule and select the locations of community‐based visits via easy phone contact with clinical staff is characterized as flexibility. Integration refers to combining the components of clinic‐based visits into single interaction with a healthcare provider. Providers” willingness to talk at length with participants during visits, addressing non‐HIV as well as HIV‐related concerns, is termed “a slower pace”. Finally, increased efficiency denotes the time savings and increased income‐generating opportunities for participants brought about by delivering services in the community.ConclusionsUnderstanding the mechanisms through which HIV service delivery innovations produce an effect is key to transferability and potential scale‐up. The perspectives and priorities of PLHIV can indicate actionable changes for HIV care programs that may increase engagement in care and improve treatment outcomes.
Stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth transplantation ameliorates Sjögren's syndrome by secreting soluble PD-L1
Authors: Yang Ning , Liu Xuemei , Chen Xu , Yu Si , Yang Wenxiao , Liu Yao 
Published: October 2021

AbstractMesenchymal stem cell transplantation (MSCT) regulates immune cells, and is a promising therapeutic approach for treating autoimmune diseases. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) are a unique postnatal stem cell population from the cranial neural crest with high self-renewal, multipotent differentiation, and superior immunomodulatory properties. However, the mechanisms by which SHED can treat autoimmune diseases remain unclear. Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease histologically characterized by high lymphocytic infiltration in the salivary and lacrimal glands that results in dryness symptoms. This study explores the potential of systemic transplantation of SHED to ameliorate SS-induced dryness symptoms in mice. Overall, SHED could rescue the balance of regulatory T cell (Treg)/T helper cell 17 (Th17) in the recipient SS mice. Mechanistically, SHED promoted Treg conversion and inhibited Th17 function via paracrine effects, which were related to the secretion of soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 (sPD-L1). Moreover, it directly induced Th17 apoptosis via cell-cell contact, leading to the up-regulation of Treg and down-regulation of Th17 cells. In summary, SHED-mediated rescue of Treg/Th17 balance via the sPD-L1/PD-1 pathway ameliorates the gland inflammation and dryness symptoms in SS mice. These findings suggest that SHED are a promising stem cell source for the treatment of autoimmune diseases in the clinical setting.
Molecular studies of immunological enzyme clumping factor B for the inhibition ofStaphylococcus aureuswith essential oils ofNigella sativa
Authors: Alfaiz Faiz Abdulaziz 
Published: October 2021

AbstractEssential oils from black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa) have largely been used in the manufacturing of nutraceuticals and functional food products due to the presence of a wide variety of bioactive compounds. However, their applications in the pharmaceutical sector have recently attracted interest and started blooming. The present research elucidates the in silico and in vitro efficacies of active leads from essential oil ofN sativaagainst the human pathogenic bacteriumStaphylococcus aureus. Biofilm development has become an inevitable situation in the health care sector. Lowering the efficacies of antimicrobial drugs is one of the vital ramifications that resulted in the emergence of multidrug resistance. Clumping factor B (clfB) ofS aureusplays a key role in the human immune functions during pathogenesis. Through STRING analysis, the interacting protein partners of clfB were found to regulate biofilm pathway. Therefore, eight ligands from essential oil are docked with the critical clfB protein, which revealed p‐cymene, thymoquinone and carvacrol as the robust ligands with highest binding affinity. Therefore, antibiofilm potential ofN sativaessential oil at in vitro states was evaluated againstS aureus. Further, real time PCR analysis showed that the expression ofclfBand intercellular adhesion gene (icaAandicaD) was significantly altered upon treatment with essential oil. Altogether, the findings confirmed the antibiofilm efficacy ofN sativaessential oil againstS aureus. Hence, the essential oil fromN. sativawas envisaged to be promising candidate to treatS aureusbiofilm mediated infection.
Statistical climate model downscaling for impact projections in the Midwest United States
Authors: Polasky Andrew D. , Evans Jenni L. , Fuentes Jose D. , Hamilton Holly L. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractFor future climate projections to be useful they must be actionable at the local level. In this study, we develop daily temperature and precipitation climate scenarios suitable for use in projections of drought, energy use, water use, and crop production. We investigate the magnitude of future changes to air temperature and precipitation in the Midwest United States in response to three future climate change scenarios. Results are used to assess changes to incidence of precipitation extremes and human comfort (using heat index) associated with the anticipated climate changes in the region. We use self‐organizing maps and random forest based techniques to generate daily realizations of temperature and precipitation for 279 weather stations in a region centred on Illinois. We determine that the random forest model performs best for maximum and minimum temperatures, while the self‐organizing map performs best for precipitation. Using nine models from the Coupled Model Inter‐Comparison Project Phase 5, downscaled daily temperature and precipitation values are generated for low, moderate, and high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios for historical and future periods. Based on recent trends, we focus our results on the high emissions scenario, and show an average increase of 4.3°C in maximum daily air temperature across the region for the 2071–2100 period. Precipitation decreases by up to 15% in the southern half of the study region, with a similar percentage increase in the northern half of the region. The regional environmental changes result in an increase of 5.8° in average summer heat index, and increase of 48% in the number of days likely to produce extreme heat, and a decrease in the average value of the standardized precipitation and evapotranspiration index of 1.9 (indicating increased drought) across the region by 2100.
Retrospective median power, false positive meta‐analysis and large‐scale replication
Authors: Stanley T. D. , Doucouliagos Hristos , Ioannidis John P. A. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractRecent, high‐profile, large‐scale, preregistered failures to replicate uncover that many highly‐regarded experiments are “false positives”; that is, statistically significant results of underlying null effects. Large surveys of research reveal that statistical power is often low and inadequate. When the research record includes selective reporting, publication bias and/or questionable research practices, conventional meta‐analyses are also likely to be falsely positive. At the core of research credibility lies the relation of statistical power to the rate of false positives. This study finds that high (>50%–60%) median retrospective power (MRP) is associated with credible meta‐analysis and large‐scale, preregistered, multi‐lab “successful” replications; that is, with replications that corroborate the effect in question. When median retrospective power is low (<50%), positive meta‐analysis findings should be interpreted with great caution or discounted altogether.
The physicochemical and fire extinguishing performance of aqueous film‐forming foams based on a class of short‐chain fluorinated surfactants
Authors: Zhu Xinhua , Jia Xuhong , Zhang Yuqiang 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAqueous film‐forming foams (AFFFs) are an important for fire extinguishing, and their key ingredient is fluorinated surfactant. In recent years, traditional long‐chain fluorinated surfactants have been banned by most countries because of their persistence, bio‐accumulation and toxicity. Therefore, increased attention has been paid to the research and development of short‐chain fluorinated surfactants. As is well known, the introduction of hydrophilic or hydrophobic groups in a surfactant affects its surface activity, and therefore, the fire extinguishing performance of AFFFs. In this work, a series of short‐chain fluorosurfactant‐based AFFFs with different hydrophobic chain lengths were prepared. The physicochemical performance of mixed systems (fluorinated surfactant plus sodium hexanesulfonate), including surface activity, spreading ability, foam expansion, drainage time, and the fire extinguishing and burn‐back performance of AFFFs were studied. The results show that the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and the surface tension (γCMC) at the CMC of mixed systems at 25°C are lower than 7.68 mmol/L and 16.51 mN/m, respectively. For mixed systems, the average spreading rate is more than 1.09 cm/s, the foam expansion is over 7.1, and the drainage time is greater than 3.28 min. The fire extinguishing time of AFFFs on fuels is less than 51 s while the burn‐back time is more than 15.18 min. The results imply a potential application prospect of the short‐chain fluorinated surfactants in AFFFs.
Identification of a thermophilic protease‐producing strain and its application in solid‐state fermentation of soybean meal
Authors: Dai Chunhua , Hou Yizhi , Xu Haining , Umego Ekene C , Huang Liurong , He Ronghai , Ma Haile 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDThermophiles can thrive at 50–80 °C and produce some enzymes with special promise for biocatalysis. A thermophilic protease‐producing strain YYC4 was isolated from Yunyan cigarette and employed in solid‐state fermentation (SSF) of unsterilized soybean meal (SBM).RESULTSThe isolate was identified as Bacillus licheniformis based on appearance of colonies, microscopic observation and 16S rDNA sequencing. After SSF, soluble and crude protein contents in SBM increased from 49.24 to 185.73 g kg−1 and from 404.18 to 479.46 g kg−1, respectively, under the fermentation conditions of 107 cfu g−1 inoculation of strain YYC4, 1:1.8 (g mL−1) SBM to distilled water, 1.2 g kg−1 magnesium sulphate addition, 55 °C and 48 h. During fermentation, pH of the medium increased from 6.30 to 9.09 and protease activity especially neutral protease increased significantly from 13.5 to 181.31 U g−1. Meanwhile, trypsin inhibitor (TI) activity was decreased from 8.19 to 3.19 mg g−1. The safety of fermented SBM (FSBM) was verified by acute toxicity animal experiment. Analysis of microbial community in FSBM showed that Bacillus licheniformis YYC4 as a dominant strain inhibited most of the other microorganisms pre‐existing in the materials during fermentation.CONCLUSIONIncrements of soluble and crude protein by 277.19% and 18.63% and decrement of harmful TI by 61.05% in SBM were achieved using thermophilic SSF by Bacillus licheniformis YYC4, providing a basis for the application of thermophiles in fermentation industry in an environmentally friendly and energy‐saving way. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Identification of factors influencing the level of maturity of dealerships in Norway process orientation
Authors: Sliż Piotr 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe main purpose of the article is to identify the factors limiting the achievement of higher levels of maturity in the implementation of process orientation elements on the example of automotive sector organizations in Norway. The study uses a systematic review of the literature and opinion poll carried out using the CAWI technique of 48 car dealerships functioning on the Norwegian automotive market. In the surveyed group of automotive sector organizations in Norway, based on the proprietary maturity model, it was shown that most of these are organizations in which business processes are only identified and formalized. The group of factors that prevent the achievement of higher levels of maturity includes the lack of process measurement systems, the lack of employee activation in process improvement, the lack of implementation of the customer‐supplier relationship mechanism in external and internal terms, and deficiencies in the management of knowledge diffusion within the organization. The presented results have been formulated for the examined group of 48 organizations and they cannot be extended to the entire population of authorized services. The theoretical model presented in the article, as well as the attached questionnaire for assessing the implementation of process orientation, enables self‐assessment of the process maturity for organizations operating in the automotive sector, both at the dealership level, as well as manufacturers and importers managing the dealership network. It is also a source of knowledge regarding the functioning of the examined dealership group in the selected market, primarily from the perspective of assessing the orientation of external and internal customers and the flexibility of the organization in responding to changes generated both in the environment and its interior. The theoretical model presented in the article is an innovative approach in assessing the level of the organization's process orientation implementation on the basis of an objectified and not subjective assessment of the respondents. In addition, the assessment model presented in the article was adapter to the specifics of the studied organizations of the automotive sector, which definitely increases the credibility of the obtained results in contrast to the use of universal models.
Deep Learning for nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Identification Using Both White Light and Narrow‐Band Imaging Endoscopy
Authors: Xu Jianwei , Wang Jun , Bian Xianzhang , Zhu Ji‐Qing , Tie Cheng‐Wei , Liu Xiaoqing , Zhou Zhiyong , Ni Xiao‐Guang , Qian Dahong 
Published: October 2021

Objectives/HypothesisTo develop a deep‐learning‐based automatic diagnosis system for identifying nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) from noncancer (inflammation and hyperplasia), using both white light imaging (WLI) and narrow‐band imaging (NBI) nasopharyngoscopy images.Study DesignRetrospective study.MethodsA total of 4,783 nasopharyngoscopy images (2,898 WLI and 1,885 NBI) of 671 patients were collected and a novel deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) framework was developed named Siamese deep convolutional neural network (S‐DCNN), which can simultaneously utilize WLI and NBI images to improve the classification performance. To verify the effectiveness of combining the above‐mentioned two modal images for prediction, we compared the proposed S‐DCNN with two baseline models, namely DCNN‐1 (only considering WLI images) and DCNN‐2 (only considering NBI images).ResultsIn the threefold cross‐validation, an overall accuracy and area under the curve of the three DCNNs achieved 94.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 93.3%–96.5%) and 0.986 (95% CI 0.982–0.992), 87.0% (95% CI 84.2%–89.7%) and 0.930 (95% CI 0.906–0.961), and 92.8% (95% CI 90.4%–95.3%) and 0.971 (95% CI 0.953–0.992), respectively. The accuracy of S‐DCNN is significantly improved compared with DCNN‐1 (P‐value <.001) and DCNN‐2 (P‐value = .008).ConclusionUsing the deep‐learning technology to automatically diagnose NPC under nasopharyngoscopy can provide valuable reference for NPC screening. Superior performance can be obtained by simultaneously utilizing the multimodal features of NBI image and WLI image of the same patient.Level of Evidence3 Laryngoscope, 132:999–1007, 2022