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Purpose: Through reviewing an education policy blueprint in Norway, titled "An Offer of Homework Assistance" (issued by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training in June 2010), the present article aims to shed light on how Norway uses education as an arena to realize social equality and equity. Design/Approach/Methods: This is an analytical policy review. Findings: By examining the background, goals, contents, and implementation of the homework assistance program, we have found that the Norwegian government institutes evidence-based policies in education. Although there is criticism concerning the policy and its implementation, empirical evaluative investigations have found that it brings a variety of benefits. Originality/Value: The present article is useful to understand educational policymaking in Norway and how the country is making efforts to achieve social equality and equity through education.

Adoptive transfer of T cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) is a promising strategy for immunotherapy against solid tumors. However, the potential of [CD4.sup.+] T cells in mediating tumor regression has been neglected. Nasopharyngeal cancer is consistently associated with EBV. Here, to evaluate the therapeutic potential of CD4 TCR-T in nasopharyngeal cancer, we screened for CD4 TCRs recognizing EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) presented by HLA-DP5. Using mass spectrometry, we identified [EBNA1.sub.567-581], a peptide naturally processed and presented by HLA-DP5. We isolated TCR135, a CD4 TCR with high functional avidity, that can function in both [CD4.sup.+] and [CD8.sup.+] T cells and recognizes HLA-DP5-restricted [EBNA1.sub.567-581]. TCR135-transduced T cells functioned in two ways: directly killing [HLA-DP5.sup.+][EBNA1.sup.+] tumor cells after recognizing EBNA1 presented by tumor cells and indirectly killing HLA-DP5-negative tumor cells after recognizing EBNA1 presented by antigen- presenting cells. TCR135-transduced T cells preferentially infiltrated into the tumor microenvironment and significantly inhibited tumor growth in xenograft nasopharyngeal tumor models. Additionally, we found that 62% of nasopharyngeal cancer patients showed 50%-100% expression of HLA-DP on tumor cells, indicating that nasopharyngeal cancer is well suited for CD4 TCR-T therapy. These findings suggest that TCR135 may provide a new strategy for EBV-related nasopharyngeal cancer immunotherapy in [HLA-DP5.sup.+] patients., Introduction Recent advances in immunotherapy have shown promising results in the treatment of solid tumors. Adoptive transfer of T cell receptor- engineered (TCR-engineered) T cells (TCR-T) is a promising approach [...]

This paper firstly studies the regional economic law under the perspective of blockchain, using the characteristics of blockchain as a regulatory system outside the bottom layer, but also needs to combine the application scenario of supply chain finance and build a financial and economic regulatory system and a heterogeneous multi-chain cooperative regulatory system. Secondly, in response to the problems such as the irrationality of regional economic law, the price discrimination antitrust litigation system is proposed to play the role of economic recovery. Then the digital currency economic law is studied by using an adaptive differential evolutionary algorithm, using the process of crossover, variation, and selection to obtain digital currency behavioral characteristics so as to ensure the digital currency economic visualization analysis and to plan the monetary policy of economic law and analyze the digital currency economic risk. The results show that Bitcoin’s daily average right-tail VaR (94.8%) is the lowest among the listed crypto-digital currencies at 2.58%, while the left-tail mean is the highest among the three crypto-digital currencies, which is consistent with the fact that BTC has been issued for the longest time and is more mature among the crypto-digital currencies with the most dramatic tail risk variation as well as the largest magnitude.

The essential purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between foreign assistance and economic growth. It also analyzes the role corruption might play in influencing this relationship in aid-recipient countries that have similar real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, but different development patterns. An analysis is performed on specific samples from 2000 to 2019. The model is split into three sections for this purpose: i.e., all developing economies, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and the most corrupt countries from regions other than SSA. The difference generalized method of moments (GMM) panel framework is used for empirical analysis. The study concludes that foreign aid does not result in encouraging and significant changes in overall economic growth in developing economies. By contrast, corruption has a powerful impact on foreign aid effectiveness. It is also observed from the analysis that SSA economies receive high levels of foreign assistance, but still cannot extract maximum benefit due to various economic and social problems. Furthermore, foreign assistance effectiveness is almost insignificant in most corrupt economies from other regions.

Urethral stricture (US) is a challenging problem in urology and its pathogenesis of US is closely related to the fibrotic process. Previous evidence has indicated the downregulation of microRNA (miR)‐486 in injured urethral specimens of rats. This study aimed to explore the effects of miR‐486‐overexpressed bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on US. BMSCs were identified by detecting their multipotency and surface antigens. Lentivirus virus expressing miR‐486 was transduced into rat BMSCs to overexpress miR‐486. Transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 induced fibrotic phenotypes in urethral fibroblasts (UFs) and rat models. Western blotting showed protein levels of collagen I/III and collagen type XIII alpha 1 chain (Col13a1). Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was utilized for messenger RNA level evaluation. Hematoxylin‐eosin, Masson's trichrome, and Von Willebrand Factor staining were conducted for histopathological analysis. Immunofluorescence staining was employed for detecting alpha smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) expression. Luciferase reporter assay verified the interaction between miR‐486 and Col13a1. The results showed that miR‐486‐overexpressed BMSCs suppressed collagen I/III and α‐SMA expression in TGF‐β1‐stimulated UFs. miR‐486‐overexpressed BMSCs alleviated urethral fibrosis, collagen deposition, and epithelial injury in the urethral tissue of US rats. miR‐486 targeted and negatively regulated Col13a1 in US rats. In conclusion, overexpression of miR‐486 in BMSCs targets Col13a1 and attenuates urethral fibrosis in TGF‐β1‐triggered UFs and US rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The x%Ni/Sm2O3-MnO (x = 0, 10, 15, 20) catalysts derived from SmMn2O5 mullite were prepared by solution combustion and impregnation method; auto-thermal reforming (ATR) of acetic acid (HAc) for hydrogen production was used to explore the metal-support effect induced by Ni loadings on the catalytic reforming activity and product distribution. The 15%Ni/Sm2O3-MnO catalyst exhibited optimal catalytic performance, which can be due to the appropriate Ni loading inducing a strong metal–support interaction to form a stable Ni/Sm2O3-MnO active center, while side reactions, such as methanation and ketonization, were well suppressed. According to characterizations, Sm2O3-MnO mixed oxides derived from SmMn2O5 mullite were formed with oxygen vacancies; nevertheless, loading of Ni metal further promoted the formation of oxygen vacancies, thus enhancing adsorption and activation of oxygen-containing intermediate species and resulting in higher reactivity with HAc conversion near 100% and hydrogen yield at 2.62 mol-H2/mol-HAc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]