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Experimental research on perception and cognition has shown that inherent and manipulated visual features of mathematics problems impact individuals' problem-solving behavior and performance. In a recent study, we manipulated the spacing between symbols in arithmetic expressions to examine its effect on 174 undergraduate students' arithmetic performance but found results that were contradictory to most of the literature (Closser et al., 2023). Here, we applied educational data mining (EDM) methods to that dataset at the problem level to investigate whether inherent features of the 32 experimental problems (i.e., problem composition, problem order) may have caused unintended effects on students' performance. We found that students were consistently faster to correctly simplify expressions with the higher-order operator on the left, rather than right, side of the expression. Furthermore, average response times varied based on the symbol spacing of the current and preceding problems, suggesting that problem sequencing matters. However, including or excluding problem identifiers in analyses changed the interpretation of results, suggesting that the effect of sequencing may be impacted by other, undefined problem-level factors. These results advance cognitive theories on perceptual learning and provide implications for educational researchers: online experiments designed to investigate students' performance on mathematics problems should include a variety of problems, systematically examine the effects of problem order, and consider applying different analytical approaches to detect effects of inherent problem features. Moreover, EDM methods can be a tool to identify nuanced effects on behavior and performance as observed through data from online platforms.

The current study investigated the effectiveness of three distinct educational technologies--two game-based applications (From Here to There and DragonBox 12+) and two modes of online problem sets in ASSISTments (an Immediate Feedback condition and an Active Control condition with no immediate feedback) on Grade 7 students' algebraic knowledge. More than 3,600 Grade 7 students across nine in-person and one virtual schools within the same district were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. Students received nine 30-minute intervention sessions from September 2020 to March 2021. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses of the final analytic sample (N = 1,850) showed significantly higher posttest scores for students who used From Here to There and DragonBox 12+ compared to the Active Control condition. No significant difference was found for the Immediate Feedback condition. The findings have implications for understanding how game-based applications can affect algebraic understanding, even within pandemic pressures on learning.

Abstract Human malignant pleural mesothelioma (hMPM) is an aggressive, rare disease with a poor prognosis. Histologically, MPM is categorized into epithelioid, biphasic, and sarcomatoid subtypes, with the epithelioid subtype generally displaying a better response to treatment. Conversely, effective therapies for the non-epithelioid subtypes are limited. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of FK228, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, in the suppression of hMPM tumor growth. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the histological and molecular characteristics of two MPM cell lines, CRL-5820 (epithelioid) and CRL-5946 (non-epithelioid). CRL-5946 cells and non-epithelioid patient-derived xenografted mice exhibited heightened growth rates compared to those with epithelioid MPM. Both CRL-5946 cells and non-epithelioid mice displayed a poor response to cisplatin. However, FK228 markedly inhibited the growth of both epithelioid and non-epithelioid tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Cell cycle analysis revealed FK228-induced G1/S and mitotic arrest in MPM cells. Caspase inhibitor experiments demonstrated that FK228-triggered apoptosis occurred via a caspase-dependent pathway in CRL-5946 but not in CRL-5820 cells. Additionally, a cytokine array analysis showed that FK228 reduced the release of growth factors, including platelet-derived and vascular endothelial growth factors, specifically in CRL-5946 cells. These results indicate that FK228 exhibits therapeutic potential in MPM by inducing cytotoxicity and modulating the tumor microenvironment, potentially benefiting both epithelioid and non-epithelioid subtypes.

Objective: This study aimed to study the effect of matcha on lipid oxidation during the storage of coix seed. Methods: The fresh coix seeds were used as raw material and treated with matcha tea powder in different doses. The changes in water content, fatty acid value, peroxidation value, malondialdehyde content, total number of colonies and key enzyme of lipid oxidation were determined during the storage of coix seeds. Results: The treatment with different doses of matcha powder could inhibit the increase of fatty acid value, peroxide value, malondialdehyde content, lipase, and lipoxygenase activities, and reduce water consumption and microbial growth during storage of coix seeds. The preservation effect of matcha on coix seeds was dose-dependent to a certain extent, but the difference in the preservation effect of adding matcha tea powder with a mass fraction of 0.05% and 0.08% was small. After 4 months of storage, compared with the self-sealing bags group, the fatty acid value, peroxide value and malondialdehyde content of coix seeds in the treatment group with the addition of 0.05% matcha powder were decreased by 31.6%, 30.77% and 44.83%, respectively. The activities of lipase and lipoxygenase decreased by 23.05% and 28.74%, respectively, and the composition and content of free fatty acids were more similar to those of fresh coix seeds. Conclusion: Matcha could effectively inhibit lipid oxidation during storage of coix seeds and extended shelf life.

Entrepreneurship is crucial for fostering innovation and opportunity in a rapidly evolving global economy. Introducing it in secondary schools is challenging due to potential cognitive overload and the complexity of the skills required. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a Learning Management System (LMS) using Cognitive Load Theory for improving entrepreneurial skills among secondary students in Hong Kong. In the study, 280 students from 16 schools completed the LMS intervention. Through a series of t-tests, ANCOVAs, and multilevel models, we examined the effects of an LMS on students' entrepreneurial attributes and aspirations. The results indicated that the LMS enhances students' perceptions of entrepreneurial concepts. However, the effectiveness of the LMS was influenced by two key factors: the level of student engagement with the system and their previous entrepreneurial experiences. Higher engagement with the LMS and more extensive prior entrepreneurial experiences were found to significantly boost students' entrepreneurial attributes and aspirations. The outcomes indicate that by organizing content to minimize cognitive overload, the LMS facilitated the development of sophisticated cognitive schemas essential for entrepreneurial thinking.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy disorder associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia and macrosomia. Recent research has shown that the buildup of excess lipids within the placental trophoblast impairs mitochondrial function. However, the exact lipids that impact the placental trophoblast and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. GDM cases and healthy controls were recruited at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. The placenta and cord blood were taken during birth. Confocal and electron microscopy were utilized to examine the morphology of the placenta and mitochondria. We determined the lipid composition using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in data-independent analysis mode (LC/MSE). In vitro studies were carried out on choriocarcinoma cells (JEG3) to investigate the mechanism of trophoblast mitochondrial dysfunction. Results showed that the GDM placenta was distinguished by increased syncytial knots, chorangiosis, lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-1 (LOX-1) overexpression, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) 16:0 was significantly elevated in the cord blood LDL of GDM patients. In vitro, we demonstrated that LPC dose-dependently disrupts mitochondrial function by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and HIF-1α signaling. In conclusion, highly elevated LPC in cord blood plays a pivotal role in GDM, contributing to trophoblast impairment and pregnancy complications.

Abstract While new vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 are authorized based on neutralizing antibody (nAb) titer against emerging variants of concern, an analogous pathway does not exist for preventative monoclonal antibodies. In this work, nAb titers were assessed as correlates of protection against COVID-19 in the casirivimab + imdevimab monoclonal antibody (mAb) prevention trial (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT4452318) and in the mRNA-1273 vaccine trial (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT04470427). In the mAb trial, protective efficacy of 92% (95% confidence interval (CI): 84%, 98%) is associated with a nAb titer of 1000 IU50/ml, with lower efficacy at lower nAb titers. In the vaccine trial, protective efficacies of 93% [95% CI: 91%, 95%] and 97% (95% CI: 95%, 98%) are associated with nAb titers of 100 and 1000 IU50/ml, respectively. These data quantitate a nAb titer correlate of protection for mAbs benchmarked alongside vaccine induced nAb titers and support nAb titer as a surrogate endpoint for authorizing new mAbs.

Summary: To better implement mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy toward cartilage diseases, a more efficient and less off-target chondrogenesis protocol is needed. Here, we present a protocol to induce human MSC chondrogenesis via Wnt antagonism. We describe steps for pellet formation, Wnt antagonism-based chondrogenic induction, and refreshing the differentiation medium. We detail procedures for characterizing MSC chondrogenesis. By using Wnt antagonism instead of conventional transforming growth factor β-based induction, this protocol avoids the potential for induction of chondrocyte hypertrophy/osteogenesis or other lineages.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hsieh et al. (2023).1 : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.

Background Rectal distension increases regulatory burden to autonomic nervous system in the brain. Purpose To determine the effect of rectal defecation on endurance performance and blood supply to the prefrontal brain and sub-navel regions of elite triathletes. Methods Thirteen elite triathletes completed a cycling time trial (80% VO2max) under defecated and non-defecated conditions, using a counterbalanced crossover design. Oxygenation and blood distribution in prefrontal brain and sub-navel regions were monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during cycling. Results Defecation moderately decreased systolic blood pressure (−4 mmHg, p

The PhoPhiKat-45 measures three dispositions toward ridicule and laughter, including gelotophobia (i.e., the fear of being laughed at), gelotophilia (i.e., the joy of being laughed at), and katagelasticism (i.e., the joy of laughing at others). Despite numerous cultural adaptations, there is a paucity of cross-cultural studies investigating measurement invariance of this measure. Undergraduate students from a Canadian university (N = 1467; 71.4% females) and 14 universities in Taiwan (N = 1274; 64.6% females) completed the English and Chinese PhoPhiKat-45 measures, respectively. Item response theory and differential item functioning analyses demonstrated that most items were well-distributed across the latent continuum. Five of 45 items were flagged for DIF, but all values had negligible effect sizes (McFadden’s pseudo R2 < 0.13). The Canadian sample was further subdivided into subsamples who identified as European White born in Canada (n = 567) and Chinese born in China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan (n = 180). In the subgroup analyses, no evidence of DIF was found. Findings support the utility of this measure across these languages and samples.

Background/purpose: Recent studies showed that Histone deacetylases 6 (HDAC6) inhibitors could improve arthritis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rodent models, whereas lower HDAC6 expression was observed in RA patients’ synovial fibroblasts, raising the concerns to use HDAC6 inhibitors to treat RA patients. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of HDAC6 mRNA expression and promoter methylation in RA. Methods: The DNA and RNAs were extracted from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 138 RA patients and 102 healthy controls. The pyrosequencing technique was used for promoter methylation analysis. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the HDAC6 mRNA expression. The patients’ clinical characteristics and disease biomarkers were recorded when blood sampling. Results: The HDAC6 mRNA expression was lower in the RA patients than controls (p = 0.001). The RA patients had significant hypomethylation of the HDAC6 promoter (p

The current study investigated the effectiveness of three distinct educational technologies—two game-based applications (From Here to There and DragonBox 12+) and two modes of online problem sets in ASSISTments (an Immediate Feedback condition and an Active Control condition with no immediate feedback) on Grade 7 students’ algebraic knowledge. More than 3,600 Grade 7 students across nine in-person and one virtual schools within the same district were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. Students received nine 30-minute intervention sessions from September 2020 to March 2021. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses of the final analytic sample (N = 1,850) showed significantly higher posttest scores for students who used From Here to There and DragonBox 12+ compared to the Active Control condition. No significant difference was found for the Immediate Feedback condition. The findings have implications for understanding how game-based applications can affect algebraic understanding, even within pandemic pressures on learning.