julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Teacher Feedback and Students’ Self-Concept, Intrinsic Value, and Achievement in Mathematics: Juxtaposing Between- and Within-Person Perspectives on Long-Term Reciprocal Relationships
2024-04-09

For decades, feedback to students has been discussed as one of the most powerful predictors of student learning and achievement. Previous studies have suggested that the type of feedback and its degree of elaboration, immediacy, and relatability are central to its effectiveness. However, these factors explain only parts of the variability in effects of feedback on student learning. Therefore, more recent work has proposed a shift toward models that more strongly emphasize the role of the student in the effectiveness of feedback and investigate how teacher feedback is perceived and how it is related to specific student characteristics (e.g., motivation and achievement). In this study, we echo the call for a stronger focus on the student when investigating the long-term effectiveness of teacher feedback using rich data from 2,121 German lower secondary school students who were repeatedly assessed in Grades 5 to 7. More specifically, we investigated reciprocal relationships between students’ perceptions of different types of teacher feedback (i.e., at the self-level, the process level, and the self-regulation level) and students’ self-concept, intrinsic value, and achievement in mathematics using full-forward cross-lagged panel models (FF-CLPMs) and random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs). Considering these variables simultaneously, we found evidence for associations between prior self-concept, intrinsic value, achievement, and perceptions of different forms of subsequent teacher feedback. Furthermore, we found that prior perceptions of feedback were related to subsequent self-concept but not to any of the other variables. Our results underscore the need to more thoroughly investigate how feedback is longitudinally and reciprocally related to student motivation and achievement.
RAB32 Ser71Arg in autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease: linkage, association, and functional analyses
2024-04-10

National Institutes of Health, the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program, Aligning Science Across Parkinson's, the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and the UK Medical Research Council.
Towards a zero-waste sustainable biorefinery of Codium sp. seaweed: From bioactives application to soil enhancement materials
2024-04-10

In the pursuit of sustainability and circularity, this study aimed to develop a multi-purpose biorefinery pipeline using extracts from the green seaweed Codium sp. and transforming its post-extracted biomass into biochars, emphasizing holistic resource utilization. Five extracts from Codium sp. were evaluated, testing their antioxidant potential, cytotoxicity, photoprotective effects, anti-inflammatory activity, and inhibitory capabilities against enzymes hyaluronidase, collagenase, and elastase. The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest values in the ORAC assay, indicating antioxidant activity. However, no relevant antioxidant activity was observed in the FRAP and DPPH assays for the other extracts. The hydroethanolic extract exhibited the best anti-enzymatic capacity, inhibiting elastase by 88% at 200 μg/mL. It also demonstrated a photoprotective effect and reduced ROS production (30%) induced by UVB exposure. The hydroethanolic and ethanol extracts significantly reduced the concentration of the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in response to LPS stimulation, indicating anti-inflammatory activity. The hydroethanolic post-extracted biomass was converted into biochars using conventional slow pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), and acid-mediated carbonization (AMC). The biochars contained 56–75% C and 22–30% O and the one synthesized by HTC had the highest textural development. The biochar obtained by AMC showed better performance in improving soil water retention capacity, suggesting that acid surface chemistry plays a more significant role than porosity. The Codium sp. extracts and biochars produced from the post-extracted biomass have demonstrated potential as a source of valuable bioactive compounds and biomaterials for a circular economy framework and biorefinery pipeline with wide-ranging applications.
Higgs production at RHIC and the positivity of the gluon helicity distribution
2024-04-10

We show that the negative polarized gluon distribution found in a recent global next-to-leading-order QCD analysis of the nucleon helicity structure is incompatible with the fundamental requirement that physical cross sections must not be negative. Specifically, we show that the fact that this polarized gluon strongly violates the positivity condition in terms of the unpolarized gluon distribution leads to negative cross sections for Higgs boson production at RHIC as a physical process, implying that this negative is unphysical.
Childhood maltreatment and the risk of impaired glucose metabolism or type 2 diabetes in young adults: Findings from the Lifelines Cohort Study
2024-04-10

We examined the associations between childhood maltreatment and the risk of impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) or type 2 diabetes (T2D) in young adults aged 18–35. Participants ( N = 8506) from the Lifelines Cohort Study without IGM or diabetes at baseline (2007–2013) were included. Childhood maltreatment was assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and incident IGM/T2D was assessed by haemoglobin A 1c levels (≥5.7%) in 2014–2017. There were 223 (2.6%) cases of IGM/T2D during the follow-up period. After adjusting for sociodemographic and health/lifestyle covariates and follow-up time, only the CTQ Sexual Abuse subscale was significantly associated with IGM/T2D (RR = 1.05 [95% CI = 1.01, 1.10]). The association remained when additionally accounting for depressive and anxiety symptoms (RR = 1.05 [95% CI = 1.00, 1.09]). Childhood sexual abuse was associated with an increased risk of IGM/T2D in young adults, highlighting the long-term metabolic consequences of childhood maltreatment.
Generative AI-Enabled Therapy Support Tool Improves Clinical Outcomes and Patient Engagement in NHS Talking Therapies
2024-04-10

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a highly effective treatment for depression and anxiety disorders. Nonetheless, a substantial proportion of patients do not respond to treatment. The lack of engagement with therapeutic materials and exercises between sessions - a necessary component of CBT - is a key determinant of unsuccessful treatment. Here we tested whether the deployment of a generative artificial intelligence (AI) powered personalised therapy support tool supporting patients in between sessions leads to improved treatment success and patient engagement with treatment. We conducted a real-world observational study of 137 patients receiving CBT in five of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) Talking Therapies services. Ninety-three patients (68%) used the AI-enabled therapy support tool whilst forty-four patients were provided with the standard CBT worksheets. Patients using the AI-enabled therapy support tool exhibited greater attendance at therapy sessions and fewer dropouts from treatment. Furthermore, these patients demonstrated higher reliable improvement, recovery and reliable recovery rates when compared to the control group. Within the intervention group, the degree of usage of the AI-enabled tool was directly related to the number of attended therapy sessions and reduced dropouts. Our results thus show that an AI-enabled, personalised support tool is a promising avenue to improve treatment outcomes and patient adherence.
Development of Peptoid-Based Heteroaryl-Decorated Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Inhibitors with Dual-Stage Antiplasmodial Activity
2024-04-10

Malaria remains a significant global health challenge, causing approximately 608,000 deaths and over 249 million infections in 2022. With the rise of resistance to current chemotherapies, including artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), the search for novel antimalarial drugs with new modes of action is of utmost importance. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) have been identified as promising targets for antiplasmodial drug development. In this study, we present a novel series of peptoid-based HDAC inhibitors incorporating heteroaryl residues, synthesized via an efficient multicomponent protocol. The subsequent screening of 16 compounds from our mini-library identified 6i as the most promising candidate, demonstrating potent activity against asexual blood-stage parasites (IC50 Pf3D7 = 30 nM; IC50 PfDd2 = 98 nM), low submicromolar activity against liver-stage parasites (IC50 PbEEF = 0.25 μM), excellent microsomal stability (t1/2 &gt; 60 min), and negligible cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells (IC50 &gt; 10 μM).
Predictive Value of the Mayo Adhesive Probability (MAP) Score in Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomies: A Systematic Review from the EAU Section of Uro-Technology (ESUT)
2024-04-10

The Mayo Adhesive Probability (MAP) score is a radiographic scoring system that predicts the presence of adherent perinephric fat (APF) during partial nephrectomies (PNs). The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the current literature on the application of the MAP score for predicting intraoperative difficulties related to APF and complications in laparoscopic PNs. Three databases, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane, were screened, from inception to 29 October 2023, taking into consideration the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines. All the inclusion criteria were met by eight studies. The total operative time was around two hours in most studies, while the warm ischemia time was &lt;30 min in all studies and &lt;20 min in four studies. Positive surgical margins, conversion and transfusion rates ranged from 0% to 6.3%, from 0% to 5.0% and from 0.7% to 7.5%, respectively. Finally, the majority of the complications were classified as Grade I-II, according to the Clavien–Dindo Classification System. The MAP score is a useful tool for predicting not only the presence of APF during laparoscopic PNs but also various intraoperative and postoperative characteristics. It was found to be significantly associated with an increased operative time, estimated blood loss and intraoperative and postoperative complication rates.
Cover Feature: Crystallization of the Fundamental Tetracyanamidometallates Li4[Si(CN2)4] and Li4[Ge(CN2)4] from Polymeric Li‐T‐(NCN)‐I Precursors (T=Si, Ge) (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 14/2024)
2024-04-10

The Cover Feature shows a small section of a layer in the structure of the new Li4[Si(NCN)4]. The solid-state metathesis reaction (SSM) of mixtures of SiI4 and Li2(CN2) are controlled in situ by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), revealing a polymeric reaction stage and the subsequent product formation under successive elimination of LiI. Tetracyanamidosilicates are closely related to orthosilicates and can exist with several cations of the PSE. As demonstrated in our previous research, metal tetracyanamidosilicates can act as robust host structures for luminescent materials to show second harmonic generation (SHG). More information can be found in the Research Article by H.-J. Meyer and co-workers.
Impact of cGMP pathway in the peripheral and central hearing phenotype of Bdnf Pax2 KO mice
2024-04-10

<p class="first" dir="auto" id="d3269560e120">In previous studies using different guanylyl cyclase (GC) knock-out mouse models (NO-GC, GC-B, and GC-A KO mice), we found that GCs do not greatly interfere with basic hearing function, but rather work to maintain proper temporal sound coding, fast auditory processing, and adaptation to injury. Both acoustic trauma and age-related hearing loss result in a loss of basic hearing function and fast auditory processing. While NO-GC maintains these processes by preserving auditory nerve fibers during early life, GC-A protects against challenging conditions such as acoustic trauma or aging. To further evaluate the role of the cGMP generators NO-GC and GC-A for fast auditory processing, we analyzed a mouse model in which the fast auditory processing remains immature— <i>Bdnf <sup>Pax2</sup> </i> KO mice. Besides the peripheral, sensory deficits in auditory processing, <i>Bdnf <sup>Pax2</sup> </i> KO mice also exhibited impairments in central auditory function and plasticity and further presented with an autism-like behavioral phenotype. In this mouse model, we aimed to investigate if cGMP signaling, particularly via the GC-A pathway, plays a role in the aforementioned phenotype and whether it is possible to treat the peripheral and central phenotype of <i>Bdnf <sup>Pax2</sup> </i> KO mice using cGMP enhancing drugs, such as a PDE9A inhibitor.
NO/cGMP signaling in the tumor microenvironment
2024-04-10

<p class="first" dir="auto" id="d3279069e92">The NO/cGMP signaling cascade is a central regulator of vascular homeostasis. The tumor microvasculature is often abnormal, decreasing immune cell infiltration and the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies. We investigated whether genetic or pharmacological modulation of the NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO‐GC) affects tumor growth in mouse models of melanoma and breast cancer. Using a combination of immunofluorescence staining and real-time cGMP imaging in tumors of transgenic cGMP sensor mice, we found that the NO/cGMP signaling axis is exclusively present in pericytes of the tumor microvessels. Genetic ablation of NO‐GC in pericytes decreased tumor growth, and administration of a clinically used NO‐GC stimulator increased it. In an in vitro model of human microvessels, pharmacologic NO‐GC inhibition decreased vessel branching and pericyte coverage, while NO‐GC stimulation increased it. Collectively, these results suggest that elevated activity of the NO/cGMP pathway in pericytes may promote tumor growth through unfavorable effects on the tumor microvasculature. Our findings call for studies exploring the possibility of altered tumor growth in cancer patients receiving NO-GC stimulators for cardiovascular indications like heart failure.
Phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitors reverse acute and inflammatory pain in mice
2024-04-10

<p class="first" dir="auto" id="d3272907e239">Acute and chronic pain, although common, are often poorly treated by existing therapies. Accordingly, there is a substantial unmet medical need for safe and efficacious treatments. Recent studies revealed that cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDE) contribute to the processing of pain, and that PDE might be targets for pain therapy. Here we found that the PDE10A isoform is expressed in pain processing neurons in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and the spinal cord in mice. Incubation of DRG neuron cultures with a selective PDE10A inhibitor increased the cGMP levels in enzyme immunoassays. Real-time FRET-based cGMP imaging confirmed increased cGMP signals in DRG neurons after PDE10A inhibition. Notably, PDE10A inhibitor treatment inhibited the pain behavior in mice in models of acute nociceptive pain and persistent inflammatory pain without the development of antinociceptive tolerance. Together, our data support the idea that PDE10A is a suitable target for development of efficacious analgesic drugs.
Central compensation of neural responses to cochlear synaptopathy can be supported by dendritic spine remodeling through elevated cGMP levels
2024-04-10

<p class="first" dir="auto" id="d1188697e171">Increasing evidence suggest the hearing loss as a leading cause of disability but also a significant risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. Older individuals often struggle with speech understanding in noisy environments, which can be due to progressive cochlear synaptopathy (loss of synapses between the hair cells and the auditory nerve fiber). It was previously demonstrated that cochlear synaptopathy leads to poorer temporal auditory processing (e.g., auditory steady state responses, ASSRs). Yet, the temporal auditory processing was not necessarily attenuated, when reduced auditory input is centrally compensated through enhanced input/output function of auditory brainstem responses (neural gain). This is accompanied by a better hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) adjustment and upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Here, we investigated the cyclic guanosine-monophosphate (cGMP) signaling pathway as a potential molecular target involving in the central auditory compensation mechanism. Mice were administered either with phosphodiesterase 9A inhibitor - elevating intracellular cGMP level - or a vehicle. Interestingly, we found that the central auditory adaption processes are supported by the structural remodeling which can be induced by elevated intracellular cGMP levels.
Development of Highly Potent and Selective Covalent FGFR4 Inhibitors Based on SNAr Electrophiles
2024-04-11

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) is thought to be a driver in several cancer types, most notably in hepatocellular carcinoma. One way to achieve high potency and isoform selectivity for FGFR4 is covalently targeting a rare cysteine (C552) in the hinge region of its kinase domain that is not present in other FGFR family members (FGFR1-3). Typically, this cysteine is addressed via classical acrylamide electrophiles. We demonstrate that noncanonical covalent "warheads" based on nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S<sub>N</sub>Ar) chemistry can be employed in a rational manner to generate highly potent and (isoform-)selective FGFR4 inhibitors with a low intrinsic reactivity. Key compounds showed low to subnanomolar potency, efficient covalent inactivation kinetics, and excellent selectivity against the other FGFRs, the kinases with an equivalent cysteine, and a representative subset of the kinome. Moreover, these compounds achieved nanomolar potencies in cellular assays and demonstrated good microsomal stability, highlighting the potential of S<sub>N</sub>Ar-based approaches in covalent inhibitor design.
Desert locusts ( Schistocerca gregaria ) feed with self-sharpening, scissor-like mandibles
2024-04-11

The mandibles of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Forsskål, 1775) are digger-shovel-shaped mouthparts that are part of the locust's exoskeleton formed by the insect cuticle. The cuticle is a polymer–fibre composite, which supports, encases and protects the entire body. Mandibles experience heavy loading and wear due to direct contact with hard and abrasive food, just like teeth, their mineralized analogues in vertebrates. With dual-energy X-ray tomography, we image well-defined regions of zinc (Zn)-enriched cuticle at the mandible cutting edges and quantify the Zn concentrations in these regions. Zn is known to increase stiffness, hardness and wear resistance of the otherwise purely polymeric insect cuticle. In S. gregaria, the position of the Zn-enriched cutting-edge regions relative to one another suggests that the mandibles form a scissor-like cutting tool, which sharpens itself as the mouthparts shear past one another during feeding. Comparing the architecture of these purely polymeric mandibles with the mineralized incisors of rodents, we find fundamental design differences in cutting-tool structure and performance. Locusts' scissors and rodents’ carving knives perform different functions, because they act on food that differs significantly in properties and shape: softer, sheet-like material in the case of locusts and harder bulk material in the case of rodents.
Photochromic reversion enables long-term tracking of single molecules in living plants
2024-04-11

Abstract Single-molecule imaging promises the observation of individual molecules at work in living cells 1,2 . In plants, however, the tracking of single molecules is generally limited to mere hundred milliseconds 3–5 , making it virtually impossible to observe live dynamic cellular events with molecular resolution. Here, we introduce photochromic reversion which uses the reversion of EOS fluorescent protein’s dark state upon blue light illumination 6 , thereby stabilizing the fluorescent state of single molecules and extending single-molecule tracking in single particle tracking photoactivated localization microscopy (spt-PALM) experiments. Utilizing photochromic reversion, we tracked single molecules over micrometre distances for seconds. We captured transient spatial arrest events of plasma membrane proteins indicative of the observation of dynamic cellular events under physiological conditions. Finally, we implemented an analysis pipeline leveraging machine learning-based diffusional fingerprinting to automatically detect and quantify spatial arrestment, allowing precise kinetic measurements of molecular events at the nanoscale. We envision that photochromic reversion will constitute a pivotal instrument to decipher fundamental principles underlying membrane dynamics and function in plants.
VisionaryVR: An Optical Simulation Tool for Evaluating and Optimizing Vision Correction Solutions in Virtual Reality
2024-04-11

In the rapidly advancing field of vision science, traditional research approaches struggle to accurately simulate and evaluate vision correction methods, leading to time-consuming evaluations with limited scope and flexibility. To overcome these challenges, we introduce ‘VisionaryVR’, a virtual reality (VR) simulation framework designed to enhance optical simulation fidelity and broaden experimental capabilities. VisionaryVR leverages a versatile VR environment to support dynamic vision tasks and integrates comprehensive eye-tracking functionality. Its experiment manager’s scene-loading feature fosters a scalable and flexible research platform. Preliminary validation through an empirical study has demonstrated VisionaryVR’s effectiveness in replicating a wide range of visual impairments and providing a robust platform for evaluating vision correction solutions. Key findings indicate a significant improvement in evaluating vision correction methods and user experience, underscoring VisionaryVR’s potential to transform vision science research by bridging the gap between theoretical concepts and their practical applications. This validation underscores VisionaryVR’s contribution to overcoming traditional methodological limitations and establishing a foundational framework for research innovation in vision science.
Prediction of Atmospheric Ozone Concentrations with a Temperature-Modulated Gas Sensor Array
2024-04-11

Ozone is one of the most important pollutant gases. The excellent sensitivity and low limit of detection of gas sensors based on Semiconducting Metal Oxides (SMOXs) make them ideal candidates to accurately monitor outdoor air quality. We present a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture that is trained on the resistance readout of a multi-pixel SMOX gas sensor array operated in temperature modulation. The trained model outperforms a ridge regressor in the quantification of ozone concentrations in real outdoor air.