cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Targeted Optical Imaging Agents in Cancer: Focus on Clinical Applications

Molecular imaging is an emerging strategy for in vivo visualization of cancer over time based on biological mechanisms of disease activity. Optical imaging methods offer a number of advantages for real-time cancer detection, particularly in the epithelium of hollow organs and ducts, by using a broad spectral range of light that spans from visible to near-infrared. Targeted ligands are being developed for improved molecular specificity. These platforms include small molecule, peptide, affibody, activatable probes, lectin, and antibody. Fluorescence labeling is used to provide high image contrast. This emerging methodology is clinically useful for early cancer detection by identifying and localizing suspicious lesions that may not otherwise be seen and serves as a guide for tissue biopsy and surgical resection. Visualizing molecular expression patterns may also be useful to determine the best choice of therapy and to monitor efficacy. A number of these imaging agents are overcoming key challenges for clinical translation and are being validated in vivo for a wide range of human cancers.
Author Correction for Jones et al., "Identification of the I38T PA Substitution as a Resistance Marker for Next-Generation Influenza Virus Endonuclease Inhibitors".

Volume 9, issue 2, e00430-18, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00430-18. We correct the following error in our publication. The primary focus of the work …
US National Trends in Pediatric Deaths From Prescription and Illicit Opioids, 1999-2016.

Importance It is not yet known how many children and adolescents die each year from opioid poisonings and how mortality rates have changed over time. Objective To examine national trends in pediatric deaths from prescription and illicit opioids. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional in which serial mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were analyzed. The population included 8986 children and adolescents (age, Exposures All opioids. Main Outcomes and Measures Age-specific mortality rates per 100 000 were estimated with smoothing spline Poisson regression. Results Of the 8986 children and adolescents who died between 1999 and 2016 from prescription and illicit opioid poisonings, 6567 (73.1%) were male, 7921 (88.1%) were among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years, and 605 (6.7%) were among children aged 0 to 4 years. The overall pediatric mortality rate increased from 0.22 (95% CI, 0.19-0.25) to 0.81 (95% CI, 0.76-0.88) per 100 000, an increase of 268.2% (Pfor time effect Conclusions and Relevance Over 18 years, nearly 9000 children and adolescents died from opioid poisonings, and the mortality rate increased nearly 3-fold. These findings suggest that the opioid epidemic is likely to remain a growing public health problem in the young unless legislators, public health officials, clinicians, and parents take a wider view of the opioid crisis and implement protective measures that are pediatric specific and family centered.
Magnets and school turnarounds: Revisiting policies for promoting equitable, diverse schools

This case study examines how magnet school and school turnaround processes can work together to promote desegregation and improvement. Based on cross-case analysis of three magnet schools undergoing turnarounds, this study draws on data from the 2010 federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant and qualitative fieldwork through observations, interviews, and focus groups. In academically struggling schools with high concentrations of students of color and low-income students, successful magnet turnarounds involve changes across many aspects of the schools. While the local context is essential for shaping the magnet turnaround process, these three schools reveal common ways in which participants viewed their schools as successful turnarounds, the elements that supported success, and the challenges that magnets undergoing a turnaround are likely to face. Participants’ perceptions of a successful turnaround were based on increasing family interest and increasing racial and economic diversity, as well as improvements in curriculum and instruction, school culture, and academic achievement. This study helps broaden our definition of a school turnaround beyond higher test scores and reminds us of the origins of the concept, which revolved around desegregation. Lessons from the sites suggest that rather than closing underperforming or under-enrolled schools, districts should consider magnet schools as a turnaround approach.
Predicting success in pharmaceutical calculations.

Abstract Introduction Understanding preadmission predictors of success in pharmacy calculations, an important aspect of pharmacy practice, could impact admissions selection and advising practices. The objective of this study was to determine which student specific preadmission variables best predict success in a pharmaceutical calculations course. Methods Preadmission data from 388 students who completed a one semester pharmaceutical calculations course between 2013 and 2016 were evaluated. This retrospective analysis was performed to determine which of the independent preadmission variables were positively correlated to the pharmaceutical calculations course grade. Fifteen preadmission variables, including demographics, grade point average (GPA), Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) score, prior degrees, and number of pre-professional credit hours completed, were evaluated. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline characteristics and relative importance analysis was used to examine association between the dependent and independent variables. Results The relative importance analysis revealed eight of the fifteen preadmission variables were significantly correlated with final grades in pharmaceutical calculations. Overall, 26.1% of the variance was explained by these variables. GPA (cumulative and science specific) and PCAT (quantitative and verbal) were the strongest indicators. Conclusions Preadmission GPA and PCAT scores were the best predictors of success in a pharmaceutical calculations course. About one quarter of the variance was explained by the identified predictive variables, therefore other factors, not evaluated in this study, likely influence the success in pharmaceutical calculations and should be investigated to determine a more dependable set of predictors.
The 1918 influenza pandemic: 100 years of questions answered and unanswered

The 2018-2019 period marks the centennial of the "Spanish" influenza pandemic, which caused at least 50 million deaths worldwide. The unprecedented nature of the pandemic's sudden appearance and high fatality rate serve as a stark reminder of the threat influenza poses. Unusual features of the 1918-1919 pandemic, including age-specific mortality and the high frequency of severe pneumonias, are still not fully understood. Sequencing and reconstruction of the 1918 virus has allowed scientists to answer many questions about its origin and pathogenicity, although many questions remain. This Review summarizes key findings and still-to-be answered questions about this deadliest of human events.
The Factish in the Field: An Anthropological Inquiry of Genetically Modified Seeds and Yields as Beings

Research in GM crops is of pressing importance to biotechnologists, development economists, government officials, and concerned citizens. Each of these stakeholders carries preconceived notions of success and failure that not only influence how data regarding GM crops is shared but also reify the objective reality of GM seeds as a technology that might exist outside the idiosyncracies of a farmer’s field. In this essay, I draw on ethnographic fieldwork conducted among GM cotton planting farmers in Telangana, India to deconstruct the process by which scientific facts are created, leveraged, and then divorced from their subjective contexts in agricultural research. In paying closer attention to the ways that the science of agricultural development has limited possibilities of farmer experience and transformed GM seeds into autonomous beings, this paper attempts to take up Latour’s call for a compositionist investigation of a common world slowly assembled by its constituent actors.
Just Another School: The Need to Strengthen Legal Protections for Students Facing Disciplinary Transfers

Over the past decade, there has been increasing national, state, and local attention focused on the negative impacts of school expulsion and suspension. As a result of the well-documented and long-standing research showing the harm to students of exclusionary school discipline practices, states and school districts have begun reforming their policies and practices to limit the use of suspensions and expulsions. Many of these new reforms, however, have not included changes to provisions in state law and district policies allowing for students to be transferred from their neighborhood schools to alternative schools for disciplinary reasons. In this article, we argue that state and school district policies should expressly limit the use of alternative school transfers as part of overall strategies to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline practices. Like suspension and expulsion, disciplinary placements in alternative schools can have devastating consequences for students. Alternative schools are often further from the student’s home and are more likely to have high concentrations of peers with high risk factors and negative behaviors. Students who are removed from their neighborhood school to an alternative school for disciplinary reasons are separated from their friends and teachers and need to begin completely new classes in an entirely different school setting, often in the middle of the school year. Student mobility, including mobility as a result of alternative school placements, is associated with negative results that include reduced academic achievement, reduced likelihood of graduation on time, fewer years of schooling, increased risk of depression, and increased likelihood of arrest as an adult. This article reviews social science research and data surrounding disciplinary transfers and explores the legal protections governing alternative school placements for disciplinary purposes. As a case study, the article highlights lessons learned from implementation of a recent Illinois school discipline reform law, a large-scale overhaul to existing disciplinary provisions and one of the first of its kind across the country. The article provides recommendations to limit the use of alternative school transfers for disciplinary reasons.
Implementing Comprehensive Literacy Instruction for Students with Severe Disabilities in General Education Classrooms.

The purpose of this conceptual replication study was to investigate the efficacy of an early literacy intervention when it was implemented by special educators in general education classrooms with ...
Can the 12-lead ECG distinguish RVOT from aortic cusp PVCs in pediatric patients?

Background The ability to differentiate right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) from coronary cusp (CC) site of origin (SOO) by 12-lead ECG in pediatric patients may impact efficacy and procedural time. The objective of this study was to predict RVOT versus CC SOO by ECG in pediatric patients. Methods Pediatric patients ( Results Thirty-seven patients were evaluated (mean age 14.6 years, weight 60.6 kg): 11 CC and 26 RVOT PVC SOO. CC PVCs were less likely to exhibit left bundle branch block (64% vs 100%, P = .005), had larger R-wave amplitude in V1 (0.27 vs 0.11 mV, P = .03), larger R/S ratio in V1 (0.37 vs 0.09, P = .003), and had precordial transition in V3 or earlier (73% vs 15%, P = .002). A composite score was created with the following variables: isodiphasic or positive QRS in V1, R/S ratio in V1 > 0.05, S wave in V1 Conclusions 12-lead ECG of PVCs from the CC was associated with larger V1 R-wave amplitude, larger R/S ratio in V1, and precordial transition at or before V3. A composite score may help predict PVC/VT arising from the CC.
Trends Among Rural and Urban Medicare Beneficiaries in Care Delivery and Outcomes for Acute Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attacks, 2008-2017.

Importance Over the last decade or so, there have been substantial investments in the development of stroke systems of care to improve access and quality of care in rural communities. Whether these have narrowed rural-urban disparities in care is unclear. Objective To describe trends among rural and urban patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack in the type of health care centers to which patients were admitted, what care was provided, and the outcomes patients experienced. Design, Setting, and Participants This descriptive observational study included 100% claims for beneficiaries of traditional fee-for-service Medicare from 2008 through 2017. All rural and urban areas in the US were included, defined by whether a beneficiary’s residential zip code was in a metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area. All admissions in the US among patients with traditional Medicare who had a transient ischemic attack or acute stroke (N = 4.01 million) were eligible to be included in this study. Admissions for beneficiaries with end-stage kidney disease (n = 85 927 [2.14%]), beneficiaries with unidentified Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes (n = 12 797 [0.32%]), and beneficiaries not continuously enrolled in traditional Medicare in the 12 months before and 3 months after their admission (n = 442 963 [11.0%]) were excluded. Exposures Residence in an urban or rural area; admission to a hospital with a transient ischemic attack or acute stroke. Main Outcomes and Measures Discharge from a certified stroke center, receiving a neurology consultation during admission, treatment with alteplase, days institutionalized, and 90-day mortality. Results The final sample included 3.47 million admissions from 2008 through 2017. In this sample, 2.01 million patients (58.0%) were female, and the mean (SD) age was 78.6 (10.5) years. In 2008, 24 681 patients (25.2%) and 161 217 patients (60.6%) in rural and urban areas, respectively, were cared for at a certified stroke center (disparity, −35.4%). By 2017, this disparity was −26.6%, having narrowed by 8.7 percentage points (95% CI, 6.6-10.8 percentage points). There was also narrowing in the rural-urban disparity in neurologist evaluation during admission (6.3% [95% CI, 4.2%-8.4%]). However, the rural-urban disparity widened or was similar with regard to receiving alteplase (0.5% [95% CI, 0.1%-0.8%]), mean days in an institution from admission (0.5 [95% CI, 0.2-0.8] days), and mortality at 90 days (0.3% [95% CI, −0.02% to 0.6%]), respectively. Conclusions and Relevance In the last decade, care for rural residents with acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack has shifted to certified stroke centers and now more likely includes neurologist input. However, disparities in access to treatments, such as alteplase, and outcomes persist, highlighting that work still is needed to extend improvements in stroke care to all US residents.
A visual quantification of tissue distinction in robotic transabdominal lateral adrenalectomy: comparison of indocyanine green and conventional views

Recent studies have reported the feasibility of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging of adrenal tumors to guide dissection. Although the adrenal has been reported to concentrate the dye more than surrounding tissues, the amount of tissue distinction and how this compares with conventional vision has not been quantified before. The aim of this study is to quantify this distinction using color analysis. This was an institutional review board-approved retrospective study. By excluding adrenal cortical carcinoma, metastasis and pheochromocytoma, video recordings of 50 patients who underwent robotic transabdominal lateral adrenalectomy with indocyanine green (ICG) imaging for adrenocortical tumors between August 2015 and May 2018 were reviewed. Using a color analysis software, the pixel intensity of adrenal tumors versus adjacent retroperitoneal tissues was calculated for conventional red, green and blue, as well as indocyanine green (ICG) scales. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA. A total of 50 patients underwent unilateral robotic transabdominal lateral adrenalectomy. All procedures were completed robotically without a conversion to laparoscopy or open. Morbidity was 4%. Measured pixel intensity of adrenal tumors was higher than adjacent retroperitoneal tissues for all conventional color and ICG modes (p < 0.0001), with the gradient being more pronounced for ICG green versus conventional red, green and blue modes. To our knowledge this is the first study attempting to encode tissue planes in robotic adrenalectomy. The results show that the visual contrast distinction observed between adrenal and adjacent retroperitoneal tissues can be quantified using pixel intensity. ICG enabled the distinction of tissue planes with a wider gradient compared to conventional RGB view, quantifying its subjective benefits reported in prior studies.
Radiation dosimetry of androgen receptor (AR) ligand 7α-fluoro-17α-methyl 5α-dihydrotestosterone (FMDHT), a PET probe to detect prostate cancer

1463 Objectives FMDHT is designed as a PET imaging probe to diagnose prostate cancer in patients by targeting AR. With the anticipation of its use in humans, we performed whole body distribution studies in non-human primates (NHP) and calculated an estimated human radiation absorbed dose. Methods 5 whole-body dynamic PET scans were performed in NHP after injecting 20 ± 13 MBq/kg (0.5 ± 0.3 mCi/kg) of F-18 FMDHT. Scanning was performed under isoflurane anesthesia and continued over 150 min, providing 22 dynamic frames. Additionally, to assess the affect of anesthesia on F-18 accumulation in the liver and gall bladder, an additional PET imaging studies was performed. The NHP was injected with F-18 FMDHT without anesthesia, and at 90 min after injection, animal was anesthetized and scanned over one hour. Results The F-18 FMDHT showed favorable kinetics and no adverse effects were observed. Initial accumulation of tracer in various tissues was consistent with blood perfusion and rapidly cleared with the time via the hepatobilliary excretion, as anticipated for a steroid based probe. While a high accumulation was observed in gall bladder, this accumulation was strongly dependent on anesthesia (three times higher in anesthetized animal). Since no anesthesia is necessary during human studies, the gall bladder accumulation is anticipated to be much lower. No F-18 accumulation was seen in urinary bladder by 20 min. At 100 min, 2 ± 0.4 %ID was in urinary bladder, suggesting favorable tissue distribution properties which would aid in better visualization of prostate cancer. The estimates of the Effective Dose Equivalent for in human studies was 0.08 mSv/MBq (0.3 rem/mCi). Conclusions These results suggest that distribution characteristics and kinetics of F-18 FMDHT are favorable to image prostate cancer in humans. Also, injecting 150 - 190 MBq (4 - 5 mCi) of F-18 FMDHT to research volunteer would be within the FDA guidelines. Research Support NIH RO1 CA10538
Modeling the dispersal of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) early life stages in the Pacific Arctic using a biophysical transport model

Abstract Polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) are the most abundant and ecologically important forage fishes in the Pacific Arctic marine ecosystem, yet little is known about their spawning locations or the habitats occupied by their early life stages (ELS). We developed a biophysical transport model coupled to a Pan-Arctic hydrodynamic ocean circulation model to identify potential spawning locations and examine connectivity between the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. We simulated the growth and transport of newly hatched polar cod and saffron cod larvae until the early juvenile stage (to 45 mm in length) using circulation model hindcasts from 2004 to 2015. Analyses identified species-specific differences in dispersal trajectories, despite similar hatch times and locations. Strong interannual variability in growth and dispersal was linked to several global-scale climate indices, suggesting that larval growth and transport may be sensitive to environmental perturbations. Results show that polar cod spawned in the northern Chukchi Sea may be an important source of larvae for the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Basin, while observed larval aggregations in the Chukchi Sea likely originated in the northern Bering and southern Chukchi seas. This study provides new information about potential spawning times and locations for polar cod and saffron cod in the Pacific Arctic and helps to identify important ELS habitat. This knowledge can help improve the management of these species and, by examining how larval connectivity changes in response to changing environmental conditions, improve our ability to anticipate how these species may respond in a rapidly changing Arctic.
Second Grade Students’ Perspectives of Their Classrooms’ Physical Learning Environment: A Multiple Case Study

The study employed a qualitative multiple case study approach to investigate second-grade students’ perceptions of their classrooms’ physical learning environment. Data were collected through interviews, participant-generated photographs, and observations. Participants in the study were 16 students in four classrooms in three school districts. A physical learning environment tool, Assessing the Pillars of the Physical Environment for Academic Learning (APPEAL), developed by Evanshen and Faulk and published in 2019, was used to select classrooms to participate in the study. According to the scale, the top-scoring classrooms were more learner-centered (more constructivist) than the lowest-scoring (more traditional) classrooms. Generally, participants believed that classroom physical learning environments that were best for them were meaningful, offered easy access to resources and materials, and provided active learning and social engagement opportunities. Both physical and emotional comfort were important to participants. There were more similarities than differences between the participants’ perceptions in the classrooms that scored highest on the APPEAL and the classes that scored lowest. The findings suggested that young children’s perceptions of the environment can be influenced by their experiences or contexts and their differences. The results encourage teachers of young children to think about their students as actively affected by their environment and challenge them to design classroom physical learning environments that support the diverse needs of students within these spaces.
Computational methods for characterizing and learning from heterogeneous cell signaling data

Abstract Heterogeneity in cell signaling pathways is increasingly appreciated as a fundamental feature of cell biology and a driver of clinically relevant disease phenotypes. Understanding the causes of heterogeneity, the cellular mechanisms used to control heterogeneity, and the downstream effects of heterogeneity in single cells are all key obstacles for manipulating cellular populations and treating disease. Recent advances in genetic engineering, including multiplexed fluorescent reporters, have provided unprecedented measurements of signaling heterogeneity, but these vast data sets are often difficult to interpret, necessitating the use of computational techniques to extract meaning from the data. Here, we review recent advances in computational methods for extracting meaning from these novel data streams. In particular, we evaluate how machine learning methods related to dimensionality reduction and classification can identify structure in complex, dynamic data sets, simplifying interpretation. We also discuss how mechanistic models can be merged with heterogeneous data to understand the underlying differences between cells in a population. These methods are still being developed, but the work reviewed here offers useful applications of specific analysis techniques that could enable the translation of single-cell signaling data to actionable biological understanding.
Direct capture and sequencing reveal ultra-short single-stranded DNA in biofluids

Abstract Direct capture and sequencing revealed a new DNA population in biofluids, named ultra-short single-stranded DNA (ussDNA), which was neglected by conventional DNA extraction and sequencing approaches. Evaluation of the size distribution and abundance of ussDNA in biofluids manifested generality of its presence in human, animal, and plants. Red blood cells were found to contain abundant ussDNA with enriched functional elements, and thus possesses great potential as a novel DNA biomarker.
Pre-treatment sTNFR1 and HGF levels predict toxicity and overall survival after 90Y radioembolization: potential novel application of biomarkers for personalized management of hepatotoxicity.

Liver function may be negatively affected by radiation for treatment of hepatic malignancy. Pretreatment blood cytokine levels are biomarkers for prediction of toxicity and survival after external beam radiation therapy. We hypothesized that cytokines may also predict outcomes after radioembolization, enabling a biomarker-driven personalized approach to treatment. Methods: Pre-therapy blood samples from patients enrolled on a prospective protocol evaluating 90Y radioembolization for management of intrahepatic malignancy were analyzed for two cytokines selected based on prior studies in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNFR1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and key dosimetric parameters were derived from post-treatment 90Y PET/CT imaging. Toxicity was defined as a change in albumin-bilirubin score (ALBI) from baseline to follow up [3-6-month post-treatment (ΔALBI)]. Associations of cytokine levels, dose metrics, and baseline liver function with toxicity and overall survival were assessed. Results: Data from 43 patients treated with 90Y radioembolization for primary [48.8% (21/43)] or secondary [51.2% (22/43)] malignancy were assessed. Examined dose metrics and baseline liver function were not associated with liver toxicity; however, levels of sTNFR1 (P = 0.045) and HGF (P = 0.005) were associated with liver toxicity in univariate models. Cytokines were the only predictors of toxicity in multivariable models including dose metrics and prior liver directed therapy. sTNFR1 (HR 12.3; CI 3.5-42.5, p<0.001) and HGF (HR 7.5; CI 2.4-23.1, p<0.001) predicted overall survival, and findings were similar when models were controlled for absorbed dose and presence of metastatic disease. Conclusion: Pretreatment cytokine levels predict liver toxicity and overall survival. These pathways can be targeted with available drugs, an advantage over previously studied dose metrics and liver function tests. Interventions directed at the TNF alpha axis should be considered in future studies for prevention of liver toxicity, and HGF should be explored further to determine whether its elevation drives toxicity or indicates ongoing liver regeneration after prior injury.
reply: How was the Sdic gene fixed?

Nurminsky and Hartl reply — One hallmark of persistent strong background selection is a severe diminution of codon usage bias1,3. An example is the Drosophila gene rolled (gene 1 in Fig. 1), which is located in the centromeric heterochromatin of chromosome 2, where recombination is severely restricted. Other genes shown in Fig. 1are located near the base of the X chromosome. Genes 10 and 11 are AnnX and Cdic, respectively, which flank the Sdic gene4. As pointed out by Charlesworth and Charlesworth , gene 2, which is su(f), has much less DNA sequence variation than gene 17 (Zw). This difference is consistent with the discordant levels of codon usage bias and suggests strong background selection at su(f) but not at Zw. The degree of codon usage bias shows an extremely sharp increase as the gene locations progress outwards from su(f). The transition is near genes 5 (sol) and 6 (slgA), which are proximal to the Cdic-AnnXregion.
TMTpedia: a case of extended Wikipedia for the military-based application in Taiwan

– This paper aims to collect the terminologies from the Ministry of National Defense military dictionary and to design a military-based wiki system, TMTpedia, to serve as a collaborative and sharing platform for military personnel. , – The development of the system is based on a prototype design and case illustration. The framework of the Taiwan Military Terminology Wikipedia system (TMTpedia) consists of three major subsystems, namely, Military Terminology Dictionary Processing, Military Article Contents Extension and Military Article and Resource Recommendation. This paper applies the engines of MediaWiki to design the proposed TMTpedia, and embedded different functions into a variety of system modules are developed by using such tools as C#, Java and SQL Server. , – In this demonstration, the focus is on the topics of “Communications, Electronics and Information Operations” that are illustrative of cases that reveal the results of the TMTpedia system. , – The main contributions of this paper are to transform military terminologies from a traditional dictionary into Wiki-based platform that can provide a reference framework for knowledge collaboration, to extend the content on the TMTpedia system from an external knowledge encyclopedia to an extensible mechanism that can renew military concepts for the accuracy of knowledge sharing and transformation and to implement a recommendation model into the TMTpedia system that dynamically provides relevant military information from external resources to enhance the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition.
A framework for using niche models to estimate impacts of climate change on species distributions

Predicting species geographic distributions in the future is an important yet exceptionally challenging endeavor. Overall, it requires a two-step process: (1) a niche model characterizing suitability, applied to projections of future conditions and linked to (2) a dispersal/demographic simulation estimating the species' future occupied distribution. Despite limitations, for the vast majority of species, correlative approaches are the most feasible avenue for building niche models. In addition to myriad technical issues regarding model building, researchers should follow critical principles for selecting predictor variables and occurrence data, demonstrating effective performance in prediction across space, and extrapolating into nonanalog conditions. Many of these principles relate directly to the niche space, dispersal/demographic noise, biotic noise, and human noise assumptions defined here. Issues requiring progress include modeling interactions between abiotic variables, integrating biotic variables, considering genetic heterogeneity, and quantifying uncertainty. Once built, the niche model identifying currently suitable conditions must be processed to approximate the areas that the species occupies. That estimate serves as a seed for the simulation of persistence, dispersal, and establishment in future suitable areas. The dispersal/demographic simulation also requires data regarding the species' dispersal ability and demography, scenarios for future land use, and the capability of considering multiple interacting species simultaneously.
Community- vs. healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infections, Finland, 2008-2013: incidence, case fatality and genotypes

Methods CDI cases were identified from the National Infectious Disease Register to which all microbiology laboratories have notified toxin-positive C. difficile findings since 2008. Using cases’ national identity codes, dates of death were obtained from the National Population Information System and data of the National Hospital Discharge Register was used to classify cases as CA or HA. PCR ribotyping results were obtained from the reference laboratory.
Strategic behavior, workload, and performance in task scheduling

Scheduling theory is proposed as a normative model for strategic behavior when operators are confronted by several tasks, all of which should be completed within a fixed time span, and when they are free to choose the order in which the tasks should be done. Three experiments are described to investigate the effect of knowing the correct scheduling rule on the efficiency of performance, subjective workload, and choice of strategy under different conditions of time pressure. The most potent effects are from time pressure. The reasons for the weak effect of knowing the rules are discussed, and implications for strategic behavior, displays, and decision aids are indicated.
Alternative therapies, 1990: An overview

The availability of alternative therapies for many health problems is a well-documented historical fact. Alternative therapies are generally understood to be those therapies outside of the usually accepted medical therapies for disease processes, such as cancer, arthritis, diabetes, psoriasis, lupus, and AIDS. Some other descriptive terms utilized include questionable, unproven, dubious, unorthodox, and unconventional. These alternative therapies vary from active involvement in promotion of one's own health (exercise, diet) to quackery. In today's society, with emphasis on self-involvement with individual health, metabolic therapies have become the most widely practiced alternative therapy. In an antiestablishment, anti-intellectual climate, with an increasingly mobile, rootless population, alternative therapies are in somewhat of a renaissance. Some confusion exists regarding clinical trials and alternative therapies in the general population and in the noninvolved health profession. Various studies indicate that from 10% to 50% of cancer patients use some alternative therapy, with national expenditures ranging as high as $10 billion annually. Better-educated patients with higher-than-average income are more likely to choose alternative therapies and are frequently supported by a physician in this choice. Most cancer patients continue under a physician's care and continue usual therapy while pursuing alternative methods. Approximately 5% of cancer patients abandon appropriate therapy and pursue potentially harmful alternative methods. A variety of sociomedical questions are brought forth by studies of the use of alternative therapies. A great need for public and professional education regarding this subject is evident.
Effects of phenobarbital on bile salt metabolism in cholestasis due to intrahepatic bile duct hypoplasia.

The effects of phenobarbital (PB) on bile salt metabolism in a patient with severe cholestasis due to congenital paucity of perilobular bile ducts were studied with 14C-cholate and 3H-chenodeoxycholate. During the control period (without PB) cholate was the predominant bile salt in the peripheral blood, whereas chenodeoxycholate was predominant in the total bile salt pool. This difference in the distribution of the two primary bile salts appeared to be caused by relatively greater impairment of excretion of cholate from the liver cell into the bile. PB administration caused a decrease in the total serum bile salt concentration (from 132 to 62µg/ml), in the total bile salt pool (from 412 to 304 mg) and in the biologic half-life (cholate from 106 to 34 hours; chenodeoxycholate from 77 to 42 hours). The proportion of the total bile salt pool present in the peripheral blood decreased from 16.8% to 11.7%. In addition, PB markedly increased the fecal bile salt excretion. These data suggest the PB improves pruritus in this type of intrahepatic cholestasis by reducing serum bile salt concentrations. This is accomplished by a shift in bile salts from the peripheral blood into the enterohepatic circulation and by enhancing fecal bile salt excretion.
AAL toxin-induced physiological changes in Lycopersicon esculentum Mill: Differential sucrose transport in tomato lines isogenic for the Asc locus

Susceptibility to Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici and sensitivity to AAL toxin are regulated by the Asc locus in tomato. Toxin-induced patterns in leaflet necrosis, defined by cell location and relative tissue age, correspond to developmental patterns in capacity to retrieve exogenous sucrose in leaves. Uptake of AAL toxin by detached leaflets of sensitive asc / asc and resistant Asc / Asc lines induced interveinal necrosis within 48 h, the magnitude of which was dependent on the age of the tissue. The youngest leaflets were the most sensitive. In the absence of the toxin, the youngest asc / asc leaflets tested exhibited a three-fold higher endogenous sucrose transport capacity compared to equivalent Asc / Asc leaflets. Exposure to toxin resulted in a strong temporal decrease in sucrose influx within 4 h in both lines, although the magnitude of this effect was greater in asc / asc than in Asc / Asc . Recovery in sucrose influx was observed in Asc / Asc by 8 h but not in asc / asc . In intermediate-aged leaflets, differential genotype-specific changes in sucrose influx were observed within 1 h following toxin treatment. Treatment of leaflets of each genotype with an inhibitor of sucrose transport, p-chloromercuribenzene-sulphonic acid, or with lithium, an inhibitor of sucrose transport via perturbation of signal transduction pathways, caused genotype-specific necrosis similar to AAL toxin. These inhibitors enhanced necrosis in the presence of AAL toxin in both genotypes. These observations suggest: (1) a relationship between sucrose transport capacity, initial response to the toxin, and the Asc locus, and (2) a correlation between high capacity for sucrose influx in the asc / asc isoline and sensitivity to AAL toxin.
A Pilot QMR Consultation Service in an ICU

Abstract Our work explored the educational utility of a pilot QMR® (Quick Medical Reference) consultation service in the Medical and Respiratory Intensive Care Units (MICU and RICU) at North Carolina Memorial Hospital. A consultation team made up of a senior medical resident and an internal medicine attending used QMR as a principal resource to develop consultation notes that addressed specific information needs of the patient care team in the units. Nine physicians (N=9) reviewed and rated eleven QMR consultations on their educational content as well as the consultations' effect on their clinical thinking. The participants rated the mean overall educational value of the diagnostic information in the consultations as 3.95 (sd 1.27) on a six-point scale. Two specific educational issues dealing with thinking about a patient in a “new way” and expanding a differential were consistently seen as positive effects of the consultations.
Dehydrogenase Activity of Lactobacillus Species

Abstract The quantities of acetaldehyde and ethanol produced by single-strain cultures of Lactobacillus brevis, L. casei, L. lactis , and L. plantarum were determined by a gas-liquid chromatographic technique after incubation at both their optimum growth temperature and at 8C. Significant differences in the production of these compounds were noted both between species and between strains within a species. Growth and production of these compounds were very slow at 8C. All organisms were capable of reducing added acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde to the corresponding alcohol. In addition, L. brevis strains reduced added butanone to 2-butanol. A strain of L. brevis produced n-propanol as a normal metabolite when grown in milk cultures.
Laboratory Investigation into Interactions Among Chemicals Used for Snow and Ice Control

Recent years have seen increased use of chemicals for snow and ice control both on roadways and at airports. One relatively new concern has been the potential chemical and physical reactions among different deicer formulations. This issue has significant operational and safety implications and thus was the focus of this laboratory investigation. When allowed to sit without stirring at room temperature, precipitates formed in the blend solutions of reagent-grade magnesium chloride with acetate- or formate-based deicers. When a magnesium-chloride-based deicer was used in place of its reagent-grade counterpart, precipitates did not form in its blend solutions with a sodium acetate deicer or a potassium formate deicer, but the solutions were milky in appearance. In light of the Fourier transform infrared and solubility data, the precipitates consist of magnesium acetate tetrahydrate or magnesium formate dihydrate formed by chemical reaction, along with additives from the parent solutions.
Fibrillovesicular cells in the Fundic glands of the canine stomach: Evidence for a new cell type

Biopsies of the gastric fundal mucosa were obtained from 25 dogs and processed for light and electron microscopy. A cell distinguishable from superficial mucous, mucous neck, chief, parietal, or argentaffin cells was observed. By light microscopy in resin-embedded, methylene-blue-stained sections, this cell was noted to have a prominent apical region which protruded into the gland lumen, a conspicuous terminal web traversed by parallel fibrils, and a crescent-shaped nucleus; secretory granules were absent. By electron microscopy this cell had the following features: (1) short, stubby microvilli with well developed terminal web, (2) fibril-bundles constituting the cores of microvilli and extending through the apical cytoplasm to the paranuclear region, (3) characteristic vesicles and tubular structures in the apical cytoplasm, (4) spiral structures, and (5) oval dense bodies. Morphological evidence supported the hypothesis that this is a distinct cell type; it is referred to as a fibrillovesicular (FV) cell.
Neural organization of linguistic short-term memory is sensory modality--dependent: Evidence from signed and spoken language

Despite decades of research, there is still disagreement regarding the nature of the information that is maintained in linguistic short-term memory (STM). Some authors argue for abstract phonological codes, whereas others argue for more general sensory traces. We assess these possibilities by investigating linguistic STM in two distinct sensory--motor modalities, spoken and signed language. Hearing bilingual participants (native in English and American Sign Language) performed equivalent STM tasks in both languages during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Distinct, sensory-specific activations were seen during the maintenance phase of the task for spoken versus signed language. These regions have been previously shown to respond to nonlinguistic sensory stimulation, suggesting that linguistic STM tasks recruit sensory-specific networks. However, maintenance-phase activations common to the two languages were also observed, implying some form of common process. We conclude that linguistic STM involves sensory-dependent neural networks, but suggest that sensory-independent neural networks may also exist.
Race talk: The psychology of racial dialogues.

Constructive dialogues on race have been proposed as a means to heal racial and ethnic divides, reduce prejudice and misinformation, increase racial literacy, and foster improved race relations. Studies on the psychology of racial dialogues indicate social and academic norms that dictate against race talk between White Americans and persons of color: (a) the politeness protocol, (b) the academic protocol, and (c) the color-blind protocol. These protocols discourage race talk and allow society to enter into a conspiracy of silence regarding the detrimental impact oppression plays on persons of color. Facilitating difficult dialogues on race requires educators to recognize what makes such discussions difficult. For people of color, engaging in race talk exposes them to microaggressions that invalidate and assail their racial/ethnic identities. For Whites, honest discussions are impeded by fears of appearing racist, of realizing their racism, of acknowledging White privilege, and of taking responsibility to combat racism.
One health: towards safeguarding the health, food security and economic welfare of communities.

It is a privilege for me to be invited to join this conference organised by young African scientists who are exploring the opportunities for integrated approaches to animal and human health. Thank you for inviting me.
Equilibrium charge state distributions for boron and carbon ions emerging from carbon and aluminum targets

Abstract Equilibrium charge state distributions of boron and carbon ions through carbon and aluminum targets were measured with an energy range of 3–6 MeV. Comparisons of the data with relevant semi-empirical models for the equilibrium mean charge states and for the charge state distribution widths could provide valuable insight on the underlying mechanisms for a fast ion to lose or capture electrons. In-depth examinations of the experimental results in combination with semi-empirical models suggest that equilibrium charge state distributions are well represented by Gaussian distributions.
Gene Expression Profiles in Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia Reflect the Effects of Hedgehog Signaling on Pancreatic Ductal Epithelial Cells

Invasive pancreatic cancer is thought to develop through a series of noninvasive duct lesions known as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN). We used cDNA microarrays interrogating 15,000 transcripts to identify 49 genes that were differentially expressed in microdissected early PanIN lesions (PanIN-1B/2) compared with microdissected normal duct epithelium. In this analysis, a cluster of extrapancreatic foregut markers, including pepsinogen C, MUC6, KLF4, and TFF1, was found to be up-regulated in PanIN. Up-regulation of these genes was further validated using combinations of real-time reverse transcription-PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry in a total of 150 early PanIN lesions from 81 patients. Identification of these gastrointestinal transcripts in human PanIN prompted assessment of other foregut markers by both semiquantitative and real-time reverse transcription-PCR, revealing similar up-regulation of Sox-2, Gastrin, HoxA5, GATA4/5/6, Villin and Forkhead 6 (Foxl1). In contrast to frequent expression of multiple gastric epithelial markers, the intestinal markers intestinal fatty acid binding protein, CDX1 and CDX2 were rarely expressed either in PanIN lesions or in invasive pancreatic cancer. Hedgehog pathway activation induced by transfection of immortalized human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells with Gli1 resulted in up-regulation of the majority of foregut markers seen in early PanIN lesions. These data show frequent up-regulation of foregut markers in early PanIN lesions and suggest that PanIN development may involve Hedgehog-mediated conversion to a gastric epithelial differentiation program.
In Situ Characterization of Electrochemical Polymerization of Methylene Green on Platinum Electrodes

A novel in situ characterization technique using imaging ellipsometry in conjunction with cyclic voltammetric (CV) deposition has been applied to correlate polymerized methylene green (poly-MG) film thickness and morphology, with charge transferred during CV cycles. We also report values for the refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k) of the monomer solution and the poly-MG film, for the first time. These values have been derived from measurements that employ multiple angles of incidence in the ellipsometry and analysis using an optical model based on Fresnel theory. The in situ characterization of film growth with thickness progression provided comprehensive information on the deposition process that could not be obtained using ex situ techniques such as scanning electron microscopy or optical microscopy. The results demonstrate the value of imaging ellipsometry as a quantitative characterization technique to monitor polymer film growth in situ and to characterize the quality of the film in terms of surface morphology and homogeneity as a function of film thickness. Comment is also provided on how the technique can be combined with other characterization techniques to deliver a more comprehensive analysis and control of the electrochemical deposition process.