Round Of Test Research Articles

Improved CycleGAN-based feature recognition in young children and preschool education research

Abstract Pre-school education is an integral part of primary education, and with the development of digital technology, the integration of pre-school education and information technology development is deepening. The study first adds category constraints to the CycleGAN network to improve the efficiency of algorithm operations. The facial features of young children are extracted using the LBP method and recognized by improving the CycleGAN network after they are classified using the SOC classification method. On this basis, the improved model is applied to early childhood preschool education to explore the recognition of young children’s characteristics and educational effects. In this paper, the recognition accuracy of the improved CycleGAN network model is improved by 0.02~0.14 in the expression recognition accuracy of seven basic expressions. in early childhood education, the third round of test scores of the experimental group of young children is 93 compared to the first round of test improved by 34 points, compared with the control group scores improved by 15 points. This study provides practical and feasible development directions for constructing and reforming information technology in preschool education.

Busulfan Interlaboratory Proficiency Testing Program Revealed Worldwide Errors in Drug Quantitation and Dose Recommendations.

The clinical outcomes of busulfan-based conditioning regimens for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) have been improved by personalizing the doses to target narrow busulfan plasma exposure. An interlaboratory proficiency test program for the quantitation, pharmacokinetic modeling, and busulfan dosing in plasma was developed. Previous proficiency rounds (ie, the first 2) found that 67%-85% and 71%-88% of the dose recommendations were inaccurate, respectively. A proficiency test scheme was developed by the Dutch Foundation for Quality Assessment in Medical Laboratories (SKML) and consisted of 2 rounds per year, with each round containing 2 busulfan samples. In this study, 5 subsequent proficiency tests were evaluated. In each round, the participating laboratories reported their results for 2 proficiency samples (ie, low and high busulfan concentrations) and a theoretical case assessing their pharmacokinetic modeling and dose recommendations. Descriptive statistics were performed, with ±15% for busulfan concentrations and ±10% for busulfan plasma exposure. The dose recommendations were deemed accurate. Since January 2020, 41 laboratories have participated in at least 1 round of this proficiency test. Over the 5 rounds, an average of 78% of the busulfan concentrations were accurate. Area under the concentration-time curve calculations were accurate in 75%-80% of the cases, whereas only 60%-69% of the dose recommendations were accurate. Compared with the first 2 proficiency test rounds (PMID 33675302, October, 2021), the busulfan quantitation results were similar, but the dose recommendations worsened. Some laboratories repeatedly submit results that deviated by more than 15% from the reference values. The proficiency test showed persistent inaccuracies in busulfan quantitation, pharmacokinetic modeling, and dose recommendations. Additional educational efforts have yet to be implemented; regulatory efforts seem to be needed. The use of specialized busulfan pharmacokinetic laboratories or a sufficient performance in busulfan proficiency tests should be required for HCT centers that prescribe busulfan.

Analysis of the hail impacts on the performance of commercially available photovoltaic modules of varying front glass thickness

Hail has a significant impact on the output of photovoltaic (PV) modules. Hence, this paper aims to give complete understanding of hail impacts on PV modules performance analytically and experimentally. The investigation was carried out followed the guidelines as prescribed by the IEC 61215–2:2016/IS 14286: 2019 standard on three PV modules of different thicknesses (2.8 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm) of the front glass. Hail size has been varied from 25 mm to 55 mm, the variation in weight of the ice ball is 7.5 gm to 80 gm, and the variation in speed of the ice ball is from 23 m/s to 34 m/s. After each round of the hail test, the samples are tested for Standard Test Condition (STC), Insulation Test (IT) and Wet Leakage Current Test (WLCT). In addition to measuring electric power output, an electroluminescence (EL) inspection of the cracks of the PV module has been performed. The scientific novelty is the optimization of the PV module based on experimental data under hail tests. Results show that the there is a continuous irreversible effect of the excitation force on the PV modules in the event of hail, and it can reduce the power output. Parametric analysis reveals that the glass thickness of 4 mm is sufficient to withstand severe damage; sample 3 only loses 1.1% of its power output compared to the initial value. However, samples 1 and 2 lose 21.8% and 11.74%, respectively. The insulating resistance of the samples appears to be decreasing with each round of the testing. The % reduction in wet leakage current resistance with respect to the initial value for samples 1, 2 and 3 are 55.25%, 46.81% and 27.23%, respectively. Lesser decrement in wet leakage current resistance indicates that sample 3 is more reliable for the hail-prone area. According to the findings, PV modules with a front glass thickness of 3.2 mm are exemplary when hit by hail up to 35 mm in diameter at a velocity of 27 m/s. However, in hail-prone areas, installers should choose PV modules with a front glass thickness of 4 mm or higher to minimize or eliminate hail damage.

Design and Implementation of Coal Mine Safety Monitoring System Based on GIS

In order to further improve the safety production management capacity of coal enterprises and minimize the rate of coal mine safety accidents, based on the purpose of improving safety production efficiency, this paper constructs a coal mine safety detection system based on GIS technology. At the same time, on the basis of fixed-point positioning and remote monitoring at the PC end, this paper implements the whole process detection and monitoring of coal mine safety production with the help of mobile terminal intelligent system. The system software uses Java language to code it. In the first round of test, one function omission, three serious system errors, 14 general errors, and 21 minor errors are found. The accident passing rate of the second test is greater than 99.88%, and all performance indexes of the system meet the performance requirements, which proves the feasibility of the system.

Effects of a Mobile Cloud-Based Learning System Using a P2P Reverse Engineering Approach on Enhancing Computational Thinking

<p>In each country, skills development in the 21<sup>st</sup> century plays a crucial role in education at all levels. One of these skills is computational thinking (CT), which is the ability to systematically think and solve problems in daily life. This research aims to ascertain the benefits of using a mobile cloud-based learning system with a peer-to-peer reverse engineering approach in enhancing CT skill. In this study, a cloud-based learning system and learning management plans were employed as research instruments, and a CT test was used as a data gathering instrument. The data were analyzed using the mean and standard deviation, repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), and t-test. The findings suggested that the students’ scores were higher after using the cloud-based learning system, at a 0.05 level of significance. After performing the repeated-measures ANOVA, the students’ scores were significantly higher at a 0.05 level in each round of the CT test. At the same time, peer learning increased the positive attitude of the learners toward the system and promoted the effectiveness of working in a team. This study provides a better understanding of the current research trends in the field of CT education, the perception of students, and the learning strategies and technology involved in CT education.</p>

The Effect of Simulation-based Training on Athletic Performances among Female Basketball Players

Background: The effectiveness of simulation-based training has been examined in various sports. However, considering the effect of gender and sport on training, it would be interesting to evaluate simulation-based training in female basketball. Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of simulation-based training on physical fitness and performance indices in female basketball players. Methods: Sixteen female semi-professional basketball players were randomly assigned to experimental (n=8; age, 25±2 years; weight, 62±9 kg; height, 167±8 cm) or control (n=8; age, 24±1 years; weight, 57±9 kg; height, 170±8 cm) groups. The experimental group participated in a six week basketball simulation training program including running with different speeds (jogging to sprinting), agility, jumping, and shuffling. Both groups performed the Cooper 12 min run, line drill, an adjusted T-test, 20 ms print, the Sargent vertical jump and basketball exercise simulation test before and after six weeks of the study period. Control and experimental groups performed typical basketball training, three times weekly. The overall training volume was similar for both groups. Results: The perceived exertion was higher in the simulation-based training than control (p<0.05) group. The findings of this study indicated a significant increase in VO2 max (p=0.001), anaerobic power (p=0.009), explosive leg strength (p=0.036), and total distance covered in basketball exercise simulation test (p=0.001) and decrease of the meantime of one round of basketball exercise simulation test (p=0.001) in the simulation training compared to the control group. Conclusion: Generally incorporation of the simulation-based training in conditioning programs is recommended for improving aerobic, anaerobic and leg explosive strength of basketball players.

Development and validation of an instrument to assess Chinese upper-level elementary students’ attitudes towards science

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure upper-level Chinese elementary students’ attitudes towards science by addressing problems with existing ones, as highlighted in the literature. The theoretical framework was drawn from the ABC model, which defines attitudes towards science as consisting of affective, behavioural, and cognitive domains in the study. Instrument development was performed through expert review, small-scale pilot tests and student interviews, large-scale field tests and validation. Factor analysis and Rasch analysis provided reliability and validity evidence. According to the results of the first round of the field test, changes were made to the items and the response category in the second round of the development procedure. The final instrument demonstrated good psychometric properties and consisted of four dimensions: enjoyment of science learning, self-efficacy in science learning, value of science learning and intention to learn and do science.

Overtreatment in nonmalignant lesions detected in a colorectal cancer screening program: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundAlthough colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs reduce CRC incidence and mortality, they are associated with risks in healthy subjects. However, the risk of overtreatment and overdiagnosis has not been determined yet. The aim of this study was to report the surgery rates in patients with nonmalignant lesions detected within the first round of a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) based CRC screening program and the factors associated with it.MethodsWe included in this analysis all patients with nonmalignant lesions detected between May 2013 and June 2019 in the Galician (Spain) CRC screening program. We calculated surgery rate according to demographic variables, the risk classification according to the colonoscopy findings (European guidelines for quality assurance), the endoscopist’s adenoma detection rate (ADR) classified into quartiles and the hospital’s complexity level. We determined which variables were independently associated with surgery rate and expressed the association as Odds Ratio and its 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsWe included 15,707 patients in the analysis with high (19.9%), intermediate (26.9%) low risk (23.3%) adenomas and normal colonoscopy (29.9%) detected in the analyzed period. Colorectal surgery was performed in 162 patients (1.03, 95% CI 0.87–1.19), due to colonoscopy complications (0.02, 95% CI 0.00–0.05) and resection of colorectal benign lesions (1.00, 95% CI 0.85–1.16). Median hospital stay was 6 days with 17.3% patients developing minor complications, 7.4% major complications and one death. After discharge, complications developed in 18.4% patients. In benign lesions, an endoscopic resection was performed in 25.4% and a residual premalignant lesion was detected in 89.9%. The variables independently associated with surgery in the multivariable analysis were age (≥60 years = 1.57, 95% CI 1.11–2.23), sex (female = 2.10, 95% CI 1.52–2.91), the European guidelines classification (high risk = 67.94, 95% CI 24.87–185.59; intermediate risk = 5.63, 95% CI 1.89–16.80; low risk = 1.43; 95% CI 0.36–5.75), the endoscopist’s ADR (Q4 = 0.44, 95% CI 0.28–0.68; Q3 = 0.44, 95% CI 0.27–0.71; Q2 = 0.71, 95% CI 0.44–1.14) and the hospital (tertiary = 0.54, 95% CI 0.38–0.79).ConclusionsIn a CRC screening program, the surgery rate and the associated complications in patients with nonmalignant lesions are low, and related to age, sex, endoscopic findings, endoscopist’s ADR and the hospital’s complexity.

Evaluation of microplastic polyvinylchloride and antibiotics tetracycline co-effect on the partial nitrification process

This study investigated the co-effect of microplastic polyvinylchloride and antibiotics tetracycline to partial nitrification process in treating high ammonia wastewater. The average ammonia oxidation rate of all reactors was 53.58, 56.17 and 42.08 mg·N/L·h in round 1, round 7 and round 13, respectively. The ammonia oxidation rate was reduced to 89.40%, 79.08%, 80.60%, 73.37%, 69.50%, 75.72%, 98.93% and 66.04% from 1st round of test to 13th round of test at reactor R1 to R8. The average nitrosation rate was always over 80% in all conditions tested. Tetracycline removal rate was attributed to sludge adsorption in all reactors and was increased continuously with the increment of tetracycline concentration. The nitrous oxide emission was keep decreasing from round 1 to round 13 in all reactors tested. The microbial community results revealed that with the existence of tetracycline and microplastics, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes were reduced and Proteobacteria were increased.

Lifestyle predictors for non-participation and outcome in the second round of faecal immunochemical test in colorectal cancer screening

Background:To reduce colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality through population-based screening programmes using faecal tests, it is important that individuals continue to participate in the repeated rounds of screening. We aimed to identify lifestyle predictors for discontinuation of faecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening after the first round, as well as lifestyle predictors for colorectal neoplasia detected in the second-round FIT screening.Methods:In this longitudinal study, we invited 6959 individuals aged 50–74 years from south-east Norway for a first round of FIT screening and to complete a self-reported lifestyle questionnaire on demographic factors, body mass index (BMI, kg m−2), smoking habits, physical activity, consumption of alcohol and dietary items. Two years later, we estimated the associations between these factors, non-participation and screening results in the second round of FIT screening using adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results:Of the 3114 responders to the questionnaire who completed the first-round FIT and who were invited to participate in second-round FIT screening, 540 (17%) did not participate. The OR and (95% CI) for discontinuation of FIT screening after the first round was 1.61 (1.24–2.10) for current smoking compared with non-smoking; 2.01 (1.25–3.24) for BMI⩾35 kg m−2 compared with BMI 16.9–24.9 kg m−2 and 0.70 (0.52–0.94) for physical activity in the third quartile vs the first. Among participants, smoking, high BMI and high alcohol consumption were associated with an increased odds of detecting colorectal neoplasia (n=107).Conclusions:These results may indicate that Norwegian FIT screening participants who discontinue after the first round have lifestyle behaviours associated with increased risk of CRC.

Results of the FIT-based National Colorectal Cancer Screening Program in Slovenia

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies in the western world. We aimed to assess the first round of fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based National CRC screening program (NCSP). In the NCSP conducted in Slovenia, a FIT and colonoscopy for those tested positive was used. The NCSP central unit sent 536,709 invitations to Slovenian residents age 50 to 69 years old between 2009 and 2011. The adherence rate was 56.9% (303,343 participants). FIT was positive in 6.2% (15,310) of the participants (men, 7.8%; women, 5.0%; P<0.01). A total of 13,919 unsedated colonoscopies were performed with the cecal intubation rate of 97.8%. The overall adenoma detection rate was 51.3% [95% confidence interval (CI), 50.5%-52.1%] of which 61.0% (95% CI, 59.9%-62.1%) was in men, and 39.1% (95% CI, 37.8%-40.3%) in women (P<0.01). The mean number of adenoma per positive colonoscopy was 1.94 (95% CI, 1.90-1.97). Adenoma, advanced adenoma, or cancer were found in 7732 (55.5%) colonoscopies. A total of 862 (6.2%) CRC cases were found. Only 161 (18.7%) carcinomas were situated in the right colon. A total of 597 (70.2%) patients with cancer were in the early clinical stages (N, negative; 194 22.8%) of all cancers were cured with only endoscopic resection. In the NCSP, CRC was found in 6.2% of those participants attending colonoscopy, with 81.3% of carcinomas found in the left colon. A localized clinical stage was found in 70.2% participants. In 22.8% of CRC patients, cancer was cured with endoscopic resection only.

Measuring consumer outcomes: Development and testing of the Australian Community Care Outcomes Measure

In the increasingly competitive environment of aged care in Australasia, how can providers and consumers be sure that the care support delivered is efficient and makes a positive difference? Monitoring outcomes has long been emphasised for ensuring quality service delivery, yet there is currently no consistently applied approach available. This paper considers the importance of measuring outcomes in community care and reports on the development and field trial of the Australian Community Care Outcomes Measure (ACCOM). The ACCOM combines data already collected by services on the capabilities and care needs of individual consumers and their demographic characteristics with a short questionnaire on quality of life based on the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT). It is completed by consumers and staff. In the first round of a field test of the ACCOM (2016), baseline data were successfully collected for over 200 individual aged care clients, each receiving consumer-directed care (CDC) packages at home. Results show the measure to be practical and easy to use. A second round to measure change and enable the calculation of outcomes for each consumer was successfully completed 6 months later. Field testing of the ACCOM shows promising results. More extensive trials of the measure are planned across Australia.

On the role of the mode as a location parameter for the results of proficiency tests in chemical measurement

Results from a round of a proficiency test in chemical measurement quite often deviate noticeably from a symmetrical distribution, throwing into doubt the worth of the mean (or a robust mean) as an apt location estimator and basis for further inferences such as attributing scores to the participants.

Colorectal cancer mortality 10 years after a single round of guaiac faecal occult blood test (gFOBT) screening: experiences from a Danish screening cohort

BackgroundIn Denmark, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequent cancer. Randomised trials have shown that guaiac faecal occult blood test (gFOBT) screening can reduce CRC mortality, but a recent...

Traceability from governmental producers of radiopharmaceuticals in measuring 18F in Brazil

Since the inception of its proficiency test program to evaluate radionuclide measurement in hospitals and clinics, the National Metrology Laboratory of Ionizing Radiation-LNMRI, that represents Brazilian National Metrology Institute (NMI) for ionizing radiation has expanded its measurement and calibration capability.Requirements from the National Health Surveillance Agency from Ministry of Health (ANVISA), to producers of radiopharmaceuticals provided an opportunity to improve the full traceability chain to the highest level.Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-18F) is the only radiopharmaceutical simultaneously produced by all Brazilian radiopharmaceutical production centers (RPCs). By running this proficiency test, LNMRI began to provide them with the required traceability.For evaluation, the ratio of RPC to reference value results and ISO/IEC17043:2010 criteria were used.The reference value established as calibration factor on the secondary standard ionization chamber was obtained from three absolute measurements systems, and routinely confirmed in each round of proficiency test by CIEMAT/NIST liquid scintillation counting. The γ-emitting impurities were checked using a High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector.The results show that Brazilian RPCs are in accordance with (accuracy within ±10%) the Brazilian standard for evaluation of measurements with radionuclide calibrators (CNEN NN 3.05., 2013). Nevertheless, the RPCs should improve the methodology of uncertainty estimates, essential when using the statistical criteria of ISO/IEC 17043 standard, in addition to improving accuracy to levels consistent with their position in the national traceability chain

A novel image encryption algorithm based on chaos and Line map

In the age of big data, border of data security has become increasingly blurred. Our privacy security is facing a new round of test. The multimedia big data especially images often carry many secrets or privacy information. How to ensure safety and the authorization of accessing to confidential data becomes a hot problem of urgency in image information processing and transmission. In this paper, we propose a novel symmetrical image encryption algorithm based on skew tent map. Utilizing a new chaos based Line map, the proposed algorithm is suitable for encryption of any size of image. In order to disrupt the correlations between the R, G, B components of the true color image, these three components are encrypted at bit level and operated at the same time. The proposed algorithm realizes fast encryption and decryption of both gray-scale image and color image. In addition, the algorithm can be implemented parallelly because there is no complex sub-block processing operation. Results of various analyses and numerical simulations show that the new algorithm has high security and is suitable for practical image encryption.

A Simple, Powerful, and Widely Applicable Micro-RNA Scoring System in Prognostication of De Novo Myeloid Leukemia Patients

IntroductionAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous disease with various cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities, some of which bear prognostic significance. Expression levels of some single microRNAs are influential for prognosis, but a system integrating several together and considering the weight of each should be more powerful. We sought to define a simple microRNA signature to predict prognosis in the patients.MethodA cohort of 195 de novo AML patients who had cryopreserved marrow cells for study were subjected to global microRNA analysis. Analysis for overall survival (OS) was based on the 138 patients who received standard intensive chemotherapy (NTUH cohort). The AML cohort from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), which contains publically available data of microRNA and clinical information, serves as a validation cohort.To build a risk scoring system based on the global microRNA expression, we first analyzed the association between OS and the expression levels of individual microRNAs using univariate Cox proportional hazards regression model. MicroRNAs whose expression levels harbored top significance on OS (univariate Cox P < 0.005) were then analyzed with the multivariate Cox model. These microRNAs with independent survival significance (multivariate Cox P < 0.1) were selected to generate a risk scoring system, in which the expression of component microRNAs went through another round of multivariate Cox regression test to get beta values as weights for each microRNA. We also analyzed the global mRNA expression profiles from ours and TCGA cohort to sort out the physiologic pathways associated with high/low scores.ResultsEleven microRNAs were significantly associated with OS by univariate Cox analysis (P < 0.005). After introducing the expression of these microRNAs into a multivariate Cox model, we identified high expression of hsa-miR-9-5p and hsa-miR-155-5p were independently associated with poor OS, while that of hsa-miR-203 had a trend of association with favorable OS. We constructed a risk scoring system: Risk = 0.4908 [Zhsa-miR-9-5p] + 0.2243 [Zhsa-miR-155-5p] - 0.7187 [Zhsa-miR-203], where the weights of microRNAs are beta values from multivariate Cox analysis and ZmicroRNA means the levels of specific microRNA expression after z-transformation.AML patients with higher scores had significantly shorter OS compared with those with lower scores in ours (median 13.5 months vs. not reached, P < 0.0001, Figure 1) as well as in the validation TCGA AML cohort (median 12.2 vs 26.4 months, P = 0.008, Figure 2). When restricting the analysis in our patients with a normal karyotype, the OS of patients with higher scores still fared worse (median 17.0 months vs. not reached, P = 0.006). Moreover, high score appeared to be an unfavorable prognostic factor independent of age, white cell count, cytogenetics, and gene mutation in both ours (HR=2.079, 95% CI 1.407-3.073, p<0.001) and TCGA cohort (HR=1.544, 95% CI 1.229-1.940, p<0.001). We also noted that the 3-microRNA signature outperformed all the single microRNA expression in prognostic significance. By analyzing the mRNA expression profiles, we sorted out several cancer-related pathways highly correlated with the microRNA prognostic signature. Since the scoring system was designed by z-transformed microRNA expression levels as inputs, cohort mean and cohort standard deviation of each of the three microRNAs are required for that formula. We provide the calculating formula we used in the NTUH dataset: Risk = 0.4908 (-Delta Cthsa-miR-9-5p+15.71)/3.60 + 0.2243 (-Delta Cthsa-miR-155-5p+6.94)/1.45 - 0.7187 (-Delta Cthsa-miR-203+17.16)/2.66. Here the Delta Ct values are Ct of the microRNA subtract Ct of the endogenous control MAMMU6; 15.71 and 3.60 are the mean and standard deviation of Delta Ct hsa-miR-9-5p. The same annotation applies to hsa-miR-155-5p and hsa-miR-203. For each newly diagnosed patient, the expression levels of hsa-miR-9-5p, hsa-miR-155-5p, hsa-miR-203, and MAMMU6 as determined by real-time PCR is sufficient to get a prognostic score, which will then be compared with our cohort median score 0.0031 to stratify the risk group.ConclusionWe present a simple and user-friendly 3-microRNA signature as a powerful prognostic factor for AML through multiple rounds of statistical analyses on our cohort and further validation by another independent patient group. [Display omitted] [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

The CLISS Project: Receptive Vocabulary in CLIL versus non-CLIL Groups

Basically, Content and Language Integrated Learning, CLIL, aims at increasing language learners’ exposure to a foreign language by using it as the medium of instruction when teaching ordinary school subjects, e.g. biology and history. It is nowadays a widespread educational approach in Europe and research into CLIL is attracting increasing interest. However, research on the effects of CLIL in the Swedish context is scarce. To remedy this to some extent, the large-scale, longitudinal CLISS project, focusing primarily on CLIL as well as non-CLIL students’ proficiency and progress in written academic English and Swedish in upper secondary school, was launched in 2011. In this article, the CLISS project is accounted for in some detail, and the results from the first round of English receptive vocabulary test are presented. As this test, known as the Vocabulary Levels Test, was administered at the very outset of the CLIL experience for the CLIL students, these results represent baseline data. Findings reveal that already from the start, the CLIL students outperform the non-CLIL ones, and also that the males have a larger vocabulary than the females in both groups of students. Some possible reasons for these results are discussed.

QM/MM–PB/SA scoring of the interaction strength between Akt kinase and apigenin analogues

Identification of small-molecule compounds that can bind specifically and stably to protein targets of biological interest is a challenge task in structure-based drug design. Traditionally, several fast approaches such as empirical scoring functions and free energy analysis have been widely used to fulfill for this purpose. In the current study, we raised the rigorous quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics in combination with semi-empirical Poisson–Boltzmann/surface area (QM/MM–PB/SA) as an efficient strategy to characterize the intermolecular interaction between Akt kinase and its small-molecule ligands, although this hybrid approach is computationally expensive as compared to those empirical methods. In a round of experimental activity reproduction test based on a set of known Akt–inhibitor complexes, QM/MM–PB/SA has been shown to perform much better than two widely used scoring functions as well as the sophisticated MM-PB/SA analysis with or without improvement by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Next, the QM/MM–PB/SA was employed to screen for strong Akt binders from an apigenin analogue set. Consequently, four compounds, namely apigenin, quercetin, gallocatechin and myricetin, were suggested to have high binding potency to Akt active site. A further kinase assay was conducted to determine the inhibitory activity of the four promising candidates against Akt kinase, resulting in IC50 values of 38.4, 67.5, 157.1 and 25.5nM, respectively.

Auteurism and the secondary agency of portfolios

Based on an ethnographic study of evaluators' micro-practices during the admission test at a prominent Danish design school, this paper looks into the decisions made by evaluators when selecting future students.Two rounds make up the test in question: A first round where evaluators review portfolios made by anonymous candidates and a second round where a number of candidates are invited to interviews based on positive reviews of their portfolios. Following the two-tier course of the test, the analysis discusses the co-constitutive relationship between portfolios and candidates. Whereas the first round of the admission test clearly builds on the principle that talent can be identified in applicants' work, the second round introduces the premise that the person in question may be more important than the work. Hence, while objects constitute active participants during the review round, they tend to become neglected when applicants step in. To consider the selection processes during the test, the paper draws inspiration from the anthropologist of art Alfred Gell's art nexus that consists of artist, recipients, art objects and prototypes. With these four cardinal points, it becomes possible to identify relations made between evaluators and candidates along with portfolios and conventions which they refer to. That is, rather than seeing the test as a social game played solely by evaluators and applicants, the art nexus calls attention also to the roles played by portfolios and aesthetic conventions. However, based on the structure of the test, evaluators rank the subjectivity of candidates as paramount, while portfolios become in Gell's words ‘secondary agents’. By introducing a specific form of personhood as the final selection parameter, the admission test continues a long tradition of auteurism, which may have problematic effects, as previous studies of cultural education have demonstrated within fashion design and the congruent domains of film and fine art.