Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Promoting thinking and conceptual change with digital dialogue games

This paper will present a review of design-based research conducted over the past 10 years that has modeled and promoted students’ reasoning, conceptual change and argumentative dialogue processes and practices through designing a number of digital dialogue games. This line of work was inspired by some challenges and insights that emerged during projects dealing with conceptual change in science. Since then, the dialogical and pedagogical requirements for improved reasoning, knowledge development and conceptual understanding in a range of contexts have been addressed through projects that have designed and evaluated intelligent and highly interactive dialogue game tools, such as CoLLeGE (Computer-based Laboratory for Language Games in Education), AcademicTalk and InterLoc (Collaborative Interaction through scaffolding Locutions). This article will review this line of work through justifying and describing the rationale for its trajectory before presenting ongoing work that synthesizes and operationalizes its findings and insights. The ongoing work emphasizes an inclusive and personalized approach to learning dialogue that stimulates reasoning, collaborative thinking and the development of argumentative dialogue practices. This is arguably relevant to most learning contexts, and especially to contemporary science education. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the role of dialogue in learning in the digital age.
Immunoblastic morphology in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is associated with a nongerminal center immunophenotypic profile

Diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLCBL) are a group of lymphomas whose biologic and prognostic diversity has been recently well characterized. There is also morphologic heterogeneity, but the relevance of subclassification remains uncertain. The World Health Organization Classification states that pathologists have the choice to use only the term diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or to use one of the specific morphologic variants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if there is an association between immunoblastic morphology and the immunophenotypic profile in DLBCL. Two observers reviewed 117 DLBCL cases. Cases of immunoblastic lymphoma and cases of centroblastic polymorphic lymphoma with more than 50% immunoblasts were defined as having immunoblastic morphology. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarray slides to establish the immunophenotypic profile. Patients with immunoblastic morphology more frequently had a non-GCB phenotype (94%vs 6%). This finding suggests that the morphological subclassification of DLBCL does have biological meaning, in line with recent evidence indicating that the immunoblastic morphology should not be overlooked in lymphoma classification.
Polymer surface relief structures caused by light-driven diffusion

Two amorphous side-chain copolymethacrylates containing 60% azobenzene chromophores (PII, PIV) were irradiated homogeneously with a linear polarized Ar+ ion laser beam at 488 nm. From polarized UV/VIS spectra the maximum of the photoinduced dichroism was calculated (dPII=0.25, dPIV=0.35). No intensity dependence of this values was notified. PIV was irradiated under holographic conditions with a grating period of 30 μm. Two types of polarization gratings, circular orthogonal and linear orthogonal ones were inscribed. Using a microscope spectrometer polarized UV/VIS spectra were measured within the grating period with a lateral resolution of about 2 μm. The induced local dichroism was measured and the different modulation of the molecular orientation in the recorded gratings was confirmed by this direct experiment. PII was used to monitor the grows up stages of the surface relief grating, starting from the molecular photoorientation until the surface deformation. Parallel to the online observed diffraction efficiency, the offline surface profile measurements were done by AFM. The details of surface topography and the reversibility of the process are discussed and an interesting possibility of the surface structuring is demonstrated.
Speaker normalization with respect to F0: a perceptual approach

A speaker normalization scheme that uses explicit knowledge of acoustic phonetics is presented. The scheme warps the frequency axis linearly in critical band rate with respect to the fundamental frequency F0. It thus allows an immediate adaption to a new speaker which is an advantage over commonly used schemes. Variants with different values of F0 and different parameters have been evaluated on several tasks of SpeechDat(II). The results show significant performance improvements on three tasks with monophone models, the most prominent result is a reduction in WER of 44.5 % for an isolated digit task. However, the results achieved with tied triphone models are very modest. It is argued that the normalization scheme may still be correct but that the MFCC feature extraction erases its effect. Evidence for the need of a new feature extraction method that locates spectral peaks and ignores irrelevant portions of the spectrum is given.
Expression and function of toll-like receptor 8 and Tollip in colonic epithelial cells from patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Objective. Growing evidence indicates that innate immunity, including toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling, plays a role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This may also apply in the case of TLR-8, which has recently been shown to reverse the immunosuppressive function of regulatory T cells. However, the role of TLR-8 in IBD is currently unknown, and therefore we investigated the expression of TLR-8 and its natural antagonist, Tollip, in normal and inflamed human gut, and examined whether the receptor is functionally active. Methods. TLR-8 and Tollip mRNA expression were measured in colonic epithelial cells (CEC) and lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMNC) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. TLR-8 protein expression was visualized in whole biopsy specimens by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. Cellular localization of TLR-8 protein was assessed by immuno-electron microscopy. IL-8 secretion was measured by ELISA after stimulation with TLR-8 ligand. Results. TLR-8 mRNA and protein expression were substantially up-regulated in CEC from inflamed mucosa from patients with ulcerative colitis (∼350-fold, p<0.01) and Crohn's disease (∼45-fold, p<0.05) compared to controls. TLR-8 proteins resided on the luminal surface membrane and in intracellular organelles. Tollip was not increased in CEC from IBD patients. CEC from normal mucosa responded to TLR-8 stimulation by secreting IL-8. TLR-8 was expressed only on the mRNA level in LPMNC with no differences between IBD patients and controls. Conclusion. Expression of TLR-8, but not Tollip, is highly up-regulated in the colonic epithelium from patients with active IBD. Since the receptor is functionally active, our data suggest that TLR-8 signalling is important in the pathogenesis of IBD.
Visualization on Interactive Surfaces: A Research Overview

We present a systematic overview of the state-of-the art in research at the intersection of interactive displays and visualization. As the access to and analysis of information is becoming increasingly important anywhere and at any time, researchers have begun to investigate the role of interactive displays as data analysis platforms. Visualization applications play a crucial role in data analysis and development of dedicated systems and tools for small to large interactive displays to support such application contexts is underway. Researchers have investigated how to support data analysis with visualizations with dedicated interaction modalities such as touch, tangibles, or pens; have developed and studied applications for interactive displays such as tabletops or large wall displays; have studied the support of collaborative analysis around interactive displays; and provided toolkits and guidelines for writing software and designing a technical setup for data analysis with visualizations on interactive displays. We contribute a systematic and quantitative assessment of the literature from 10 different venues, an open repository of papers, and a code-set that can be used to categorize the research space. Our work points out that research has so far largely focused on the development of interaction techniques, for multi-touch tabletop devices, and 2D spatial and abstract visualizations.
Insertional Gene Activation by Lentiviral and Gammaretroviral Vectors

ABSTRACT Gammaretroviral and lentiviral vectors are promising tools for gene therapy, but they can be oncogenic. The development of safer vectors depends on a quantitative assay for insertional mutagenesis. Here we report a rapid, inexpensive, and reproducible assay which uses a murine cell line to measure the frequency of interleukin-3 (IL-3)-independent mutants. Lentiviral and gammaretroviral vectors cause insertional mutagenesis at similar frequencies; however, they use different mechanisms. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-based vectors generate mutants by insertion only into the growth hormone receptor (Ghr) locus. The HIV enhancer/promoter is active in the absence of the HIV Tat protein in this locus, and an HIV/Ghr spliced transcript expresses GHR and cells respond to GH. Deletion of the enhancer/promoter in a self-inactivating HIV-based vector prevents this mechanism of insertional mutagenesis. In contrast, gammaretroviral vectors insert into other loci, including IL-3 and genes identified as common insertion sites in the Retroviral Tagged Cancer Gene Database (RTCGD).
Characterization of actuator behaviors of ferrogels obtained from physical and chemical cross-linking methods

Ferrogels are soft polymer materials containing a filler of magnetic particles that allow the material to be activated by magnetic fields. These materials have shown capabilities for large strains, fast response, ease of synthesis and biocompatibility and have potential applications including artificial muscles, controlled drug release systems, and hyperthermia cancer treatment. In this work, the actuator behavior for a selection of ferrogel compositions and synthesis methods are characterized including their free strain and loading behavior. Samples were synthesized using either chemical or physical methods using Sodium Tetra-borate (Na2B4O7 · 10(H2O)) or freeze-thaw cycle, respectively. Compositions consisting of PVA of 4, 8, and 12 wt% and magnetic particles of 1, 5, and 10 wt% were made. These samples were then tested for free strain and strain under loads of up to 4 times their weight by exposing them of fields from between 0.2 and 0.25T. Results show that softer samples with the largest amount of iron achieve the largest strains. Thus, chemically crosslinked sample with 4 wt% PVA and 10 wt% iron achieved the largest strain of almost 40%. However, low modulus samples exhibit low loaded capabilities with a blocked load of 1.7g identified. The physically crosslinked samples which were stiffer achieved very good loading capabilities with only a 20% strain decrease when loaded up to 400% of their weight. This translated in to an energy density of 320 J/m making these materials very promising for actuator applications.
Primary vaccination and revaccination of young adults with BCG: A study using immunological markers

Questions have been raised about the effectiveness of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination against tuberculosis (TB) in adults. We therefore analysed the immune response after BCG vaccination in primary-vaccinated and revaccinated young adults. 31 tuberculin skin test (TST) negative healthy students were BCG-vaccinated; 15 were primary-vaccinated and 16 revaccinated. Tuberculin-induced lymphocyte transformation (LT) and cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were studied before BCG vaccination, as well as after 2 months and 1 y. In the primary-vaccinated as well as the revaccinated group the LT response increased after 2 months and remained significantly higher than baseline values after 1 y. In both groups the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels increased significantly after 2 months and the increase was maintained after 1 y. LT increased more in the revaccinated group than in the primary-vaccinated group, while the increase in IFN-γ response did not differ between the 2 groups. Both primary vaccination and revaccination of TST negative young adults caused a significant increase in the T-helper 1-type immune response, suggesting a protective effect against TB. The present in vitro results thus support the policy in several low-endemic countries of primary vaccination as well as revaccination of young adults at risk of TB exposure.
An antibody to a synthetic peptide recognizes polyomavirus middle-T antigen and reveals multiple in vitro tyrosine phosphorylation sites

Antibodies were raised against three synthetic peptides corresponding to sequences surrounding tyrosine 315, a putative in vitro phosphorylation site in polyomavirus middle-T antigen. Only one of the peptides (called C and corresponding to residues 311 to 330) elicited antibodies that recognized middle-T efficiently. Middle-T present in immunoprecipitates formed with purified anti-C serum still accepted phosphate on tyrosine in an in vitro kinase reaction. This implies that tyrosines other than 315 and 322 that lie within the antibody binding region are phosphorylated under these conditions. This conclusion was supported by the altered partial V8 proteolysis fingerprint of the labeled middle-T. Two-dimensional tryptic fingerprint analysis of 32P-labeled middle-T showed that several tryptic peptides identified as including tyrosine 315 and 322 were missing from middle-T labeled in anti-C immunoprecipitates compared with middle-T labeled in immunoprecipitates made by using anti-tumor cell serum. However, one major labeled peptide remained. This peptide was also present in fingerprints of 32P-labeled middle-T coded by M45, dl23, pAS131, and dl1013, but a peptide with altered mobility was present in dl8 middle-T. This identified the peptide as including tyrosine 250. We deduce from these data that (i) the presence of the antibody against peptide C inhibits phosphorylation of tyrosines 315 and 322; (ii) middle-T labeled in the kinase reaction after immunoprecipitation with anti-C serum is phosphorylated on tyrosine 250; and (iii) when anti-tumor cell serum is used in the in vitro kinase reaction, middle-T is phosphorylated at multiple sites, including residues 250, 315, and 322.
Reproductive biology and nectar secretion dynamics of Penstemon gentianoides (Plantaginaceae): a perennial herb with a mixed pollination system?

Background In many plant species, pollination syndromes predict the most effective pollinator. However, other floral visitors may also offer effective pollination services and promote mixed pollination systems. Several species of the species-rich Penstemon (Plantaginaceae) exhibit a suite of floral traits that suggest adaptation for pollination by both hymenopterans and hummingbirds. Transitions from the ancestral hymenopteran pollination syndrome to more derived hummingbird pollination syndrome may be promoted if the quantity or quality of visits by hummingbirds is increased and if the ancestral pollinator group performs less efficiently. The quantification of such shifts in pollination systems in the group is still limited. We aimed to investigate floral traits linked to this pollination syndrome in Penstemon gentianoides with flowers visited by bumblebees and hummingbirds. Methods We investigated the floral biology, pollinator assemblages, breeding system and nectar production patterns ofP. gentianoides inhabiting a temperate montane forest in central Mexico. Pollination experiments were also conducted to assess the pollinator effectiveness of bumblebees and hummingbirds. Results P. gentianoides flowers are protandrous, with 8-d male phase (staminate) flowers, followed by the ∼1–7 d female phase (pistillate phase). Flowers display traits associated with hymenopteran pollination, including purple flowers abruptly ampliate-ventricose to a broad throat with anthers and stigmas included, and long lifespans. However, the nectar available in the morning hours was abundant and dilute, traits linked to flowers with a hummingbird pollination syndrome. Two hummingbird species made most of the visits to flowers, Selasphorus platycercus (30.3% of all visits), followed by Archilochus colubris (11.3%). Bumblebees (Bombus ephippiatus, B. huntii and B. weisi) accounted for 51.8% of all recorded visits, but their foraging activity was restricted to the warmer hours. Hummingbirds made more foraging bouts and visited more flowers than hymenopteran species. Flowers experimentally pollinated by B. ephippiatus produced significantly more fruits than those pollinated by S. platycercus. However, there was no statistical difference in the number of seeds produced per fruit when a bumblebee or a hummingbird was the pollinator. Conclusions We have shown that bumblebees and hummingbirds visit and pollinate P. gentianoides flowers. Despite floral traits resembling the hymenoptera pollination syndrome, flowers of P. gentianoides offer characteristic nectar rewards to flowers with a hummingbird pollination syndrome. Although pollination efficiency is higher among flowers visited by hymenoptera, the noteworthy percentage of fruit production and number of seeds per fruit derived from hummingbird pollination highlights the importance of hummingbirds as a functional group of pollinators that might have potential evolutionary consequences to the plants.
Current distribution in tissues with conducted electrical weapons operated in drive-stun mode

Introduction: The TASER® conducted electrical weapon (CEW) is best known for delivering electrical pulses that can temporarily incapacitate subjects by overriding normal motor control. The alternative drive-stun mode is less understood and the goal of this paper is to analyze the distribution of currents in tissues when the CEW is operated in this mode. Methods and Results: Finite element modeling (FEM) was used to approximate current density in tissues with boundary electrical sources placed 40 mm apart. This separation was equivalent to the distance between drive-stun mode TASER X26™, X26P, X2 CEW electrodes located on the device itself and between those located on the expended CEW cartridge. The FEMs estimated the amount of current flowing through various body tissues located underneath the electrodes. The FEM simulated the attenuating effects of both a thin and of a normal layer of fat. The resulting current density distributions were used to compute the residual amount of current flowing through deeper layers of tissue. Numerical modeling estimated that the skin, fat and skeletal muscle layers passed at least 86% or 91% of total CEW current, assuming a thin or normal fat layer thickness, respectively. The current density and electric field strength only exceeded thresholds which have increased probability for ventricular fibrillation (VFTJ), or for cardiac capture (CCTE), in the skin and the subdermal fat layers. Conclusion: The fat layer provided significant attenuation of drive-stun CEW currents. Beyond the skeletal muscle layer, only fractional amounts of the total CEW current were estimated to flow. The regions presenting risk for VF induction or for cardiac capture were well away from the typical heart depth.
Skeleton-based Hierarchical Shape Segmentation

We present an effective framework for segmenting 3D shapes into meaningful components using the curve skeleton. Our algorithm identifies a number of critical points on the curve skeleton, either fully automatically as the junctions of the curve skeleton, or based on user input. We use these points to construct a partitioning of the object surface using geodesies. Because it is based on the curve skeleton, our segmentation intrinsically reflects the shape symmetry and topology. By using geodesies we obtain segments that have smooth, minimally twisting borders. Finally, we present a hierarchical segmentation of shapes which reflects the hierarchical structure of the curve skeleton. We describe a voxel-based implementation of our method which is robust and noise resistant, computationally efficient, able to handle shapes of complex topology, and which delivers level- of-detail segmentations. We demonstrate the framework on various real-world 3D shapes.
Is insulin an endogenous cardioprotector?

This review discusses the myocardial protective property of the insulin/glucose-insulin-potassium regimen and the mechanisms involved in this beneficial action. Several recent studies suggest that insulin not only is useful to control hyperglycemia and maintain glucose homeostasis but also may have the unique property to protect the myocardium from reperfusion injury and ischemia and prevent apoptosis of myocardial cells. The insulin/glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) regimen suppresses the production of tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, interleukin-6, macrophage migration inhibitory factor and other pro-inflammatory cytokines, and free radicals; and enhances the synthesis of endothelial nitric oxide and anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. Thus, the insulin/GIK regimen brings about its cardioprotective action. This may also explain why the insulin/GIK regimen is useful in sepsis and septic shock, myocardial recovery in acute myocardial infarction, and critical illness. It is suggested that the infusion of adequate amounts of insulin to patients with acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and critical illness preserves myocardial integrity and function and ensures rapid recovery. In view of the suppressive action of insulin on the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines and free radicals, it is possible that the insulin/GIK regimen, when used in a timely and appropriate fashion, may also protect other tissues and organs and facilitate in the recovery of patients who are critically ill.
Postoperative treatment with low molecular weight heparin after right heart assist for coronary artery bypass grafting

Right heart assist (RHA) was used for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We explored the affection of the coagulation system during surgery and evaluated two different antithrombotic treatments postoperatively. The pilot study comprised 14 patients. During surgery activated clotting time (ACT) was kept > 200 sec. By random the patients were selected to different postoperative treatments. The control group received acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) 150 mg daily, the intervention group received ASA 150 mg daily and Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) 5000 IU×2 for three days. Serum levels of prothrombin fragment 1 and 2 (F 1 + 2), plasmin-antiplasmin product (PAP), anti-Xa activity and functional antithrombin (ATIII) were measured. During surgery there was no increase of F 1 + 2 or PAP. After protamin was administered there was a significant increase of F 1 + 2 but not in PAP during the next 6 hours. Postoperative antithrombotic treatment with LMWH seems to normalise F1 + 2 while ASA does not. ACT level > 200 sec. seems sufficient for RHA-CABG surgery. Fibrinolytic agents are not necessary. It seems that postoperative LMWH treatment prevents increased thrombine formation. General recommendations with respect to antithrombotic treatment beyond ASA can not be made based on study.