cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A View Inside the “Black Box” of Hot Spots Policing From a Sample of Police Commanders:

This study used observations of crime strategy meetings and interviews with police commanders to “get inside the black box of hot spots policing.” The findings focus on what the studied police comm...
Contrast Enema and Risk of Sepsis in Premature Babies: A 12-Year Retrospective Study.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the association between contrast enema (CE) and clinical sepsis (CS) in premature babies (PB) and the role of antibiotics (ABs) in its prevention. Study Design A retrospective electronic chart review of preterm babies, who underwent CE during their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. Group I includes CEs of babies exposed to AB during or within 48 hours of the procedure. Group II represents CEs of babies, not exposed to AB. Variables for both groups were collected and analyzed. Results There were 161 CEs performed in 133 babies. The overall incidence of CS after CE in preterm babies was 21/160 cases (13%). The incidence was significantly lower in Group I (1/79, 1.2%), compared with Group II (20/81, 24.7%) ( p Conclusion There is a possible association between CE and CS in preterm babies. ABs given during or before the procedure prevent this complication.
Design for dielectric slab photonic crystals to realize topological edge states

We propose a design for nanoscale dielectric slab photonic crystals that possess topological edge states. Finite-difference-time-domain simulations show controllable directional light propagation with circularly-polarized dipole excitations and backscattering-free propagation around sharp corners.
Artificial high temperature sources for noise modeling studies

Al though much progress has been made in the understanding of the high-frequency noise behaviour of electron streams [1], many problems remain, especially in the correlation of theory with experiment in the low-velocity region. Perhaps the major difficulty results from the fact that most experiments must be made in the high-velocity region through the determination of induced noise current, noise figure, or correlation coefficients in the accelerated beam. Deductions may then be made concerning conditions in the low-velocity region, but often the deductions are not unique.
Volumetric analysis demonstrates that true and false lumen remodeling persists for 12 months after thoracic endovascular aortic repair

A 62-year-old man underwent an elephant trunk procedure followed by thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Computed tomography angiography-based models were built to quantify volume of the whole aorta and true and false lumens preoperatively, before TEVAR, after TEVAR, and at follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months. With TEVAR, descending aortic true lumen volume increased by 54%, then increased additionally by 60% during 12 months. The descending aortic false lumen volume regressed continuously for 12 months following TEVAR, with the most rapid rate from 6 to 12 months at 16 cm3/month. TEVAR immediately increased true lumen volume and continued to remodel the true and false lumens throughout the following 12 months.
The Diffusion of User Roles via Social Networks in Online Health Communities

As a major source of social support for people with health problems, Online Health Communities (OHCs) have attracted a great number of members. Using text mining and unsupervised machine learning techniques, we revealed that users of a popular breast cancer OHC play different roles in social support activities. A role transition network was constructed to illustrate how users’ roles change over time. We also found evidence for role diffusion via social ties -- users tend to adopt roles of their network neighbors. The comparison of how users’ roles spread among users suggests that some roles are more viral that others. Our findings provide a better understanding of dynamics in users’ roles, which could greatly help managing an active and successful OHC.
Fibrin Glue Increases the Tensile Strength of Conduit-Assisted Primary Digital Nerve Repair:

Background: An ideal peripheral nerve repair construct does not currently exist. Our primary goal was to determine whether fibrin glue adds to the tensile strength of conduit-assisted primary digit...
Preclinical Development of a Prophylactic Neuroprotective Therapy for the Preventive Treatment of Anticipated Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Ischemia-reperfusion brain injury can be iatrogenically induced secondary to life-saving procedures. Prophylactic treatment of these patients offers a promising prevention for lifelong complications. We postulate that a cytosine-guanine (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) can provide robust antecedent protection against cerebral ischemic injury with minimal release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, making it an ideal candidate for further clinical development. Mouse and nonhuman primate (NHP) models of cerebral ischemic injury were used to test whether an A-type CpG ODN, which induces minimal systemic inflammatory cytokine responses, can provide prophylactic protection. Extent of injury in the mouse was measured by histological staining of live tissue. In the NHP, injury was assessed 2 and 7 days post-occlusion from T2-weighted magnetic resonance images and neurological and motor deficits were cataloged daily. Plasma cytokine levels were measured using species-specific Luminex assays. Prophylactic administration of an A-type CpG ODN provided robust protection against cerebral ischemic injury in the mouse with minimal systemic inflammation. Rhesus macaques treated with D192935, a mixture of human optimized A-type CpG ODNs, had smaller infarcts and demonstrated significantly less neurological and motor deficits following ischemic injury. Our findings demonstrate the translational potential of D192935 as a prophylactic treatment for patients at risk of cerebral ischemic injury.
Case Studies on the Use of Workflow Technologies for Scientific Analysis: The Biomedical Informatics Research Network and the Telescience Project

The advent of “Grids,” or Grid computing, has led to a fundamental shift in the development of applications for managing and performing computational or data-intensive analyses. A current challenge faced by the Grid community entails modeling the work patterns of domain or bench scientists and providing robust solutions utilizing distributed infrastructures. These challenges spawned efforts to develop “workflows” to manage programs and data on behalf of the end user. The technologies come from multiple scientific fields, often with disparate definitions, and have unique advantages and disadvantages, depending on the nature of the scientific process in which they are used. In this chapter, we argue that to maximize the impact of these efforts, there is value in promoting the use of workflows within a tiered, hierarchical structure where each of these emerging workflow pieces are interoperable. We present workflow models of the Telescience™ Project1 and BIRN2 architectures as frameworks that manage multiple tiers of workflows to provide tailored solutions for end-to-end scientific processes.
Uncertainties in reanalysis surface wind stress and their relationship with observing systems

Atmospheric reanalysis surface wind stress (SWS) estimates have been widely used as surface forcings to drive ocean model simulations and ocean reanalyses, and for understanding climate variability. In this study, we quantify uncertainty in SWS products from six reanalyses, with five from the third generation reanalysis (CFSR, MERRA-1, MERRA-2, JRA-55, ERA-Interim) and one from the first generation reanalysis (R2). Our goals are to (1) characterize uncertainties in monthly mean reanalysis SWS estimates, (2) investigate relationship between the spatial and temporal variations of uncertainties and changes in numbers of observed surface wind data and (3) examine consistency of SWS estimates across different generation of reanalysis products. The six reanalysis SWS estimates broadly agree on the global pattern but differ considerably in magnitude. Compared with TAO SWS estimates, R2 and MERRA-1 significantly underestimate SWS speed over the central Pacific Ocean, while MERRA-2 overestimates easterly wind stress over the north western Pacific. On interannual time scale, high consistency among the reanalyses is located in mid-to-high latitudes, while large uncertainty is found in tropical oceans. All six reanalyses exhibit a similar pattern of wind response to ENSO, but differ significantly in the strength. Compared with TAO estimates, MERRA-2, JRA-55 and ERA-Interim capture the evolution and amplitude of wind anomaly associated with ENSO reasonably well, while CFSR is the outlier which underestimates the peak wind anomaly by more than 35%. Our analysis highlights the importance of observed surface wind data in constraining the reanalysis SWS. It is found that the time variations of the spread among the six reanalyses follows closely to changes in the input of ocean surface winds from satellite scatteometers in all the three tropical oceans. In the tropical Pacific, the accuracy of reanalysis SWS is also linked to the return number of TAO/TRITON winds. The correlation between R2 and the third generation reanalysis products display a clear TAO signature, while the third generation reanalysis products are in a closer agreement with each other.
Developing a neural network model for health care.

Patient adherence is key to successfully managing chronic disease and to helping the patients to maintain quality of life. Quarterly visits to health care providers are an important part of care management for patients with diabetes. The objective of this study was to determine if patient visit adherence could be predicted by a set of known variables enabling health care providers to individualize a care management plan based on the possibility of a patient not completing quarterly visits. A secondary data set including 225 records was used for the study. The secondary data set included both clinical and patient reported variables. Data was collected from patient self-reported survey data and a retrospective chart audit conducted by knowledgeable health care professionals. There were a total of 39 variables in the data set. The dependent variable in the data set was visit compliance. Five separate neural network models were initially developed as part of the variable reduction method. Both a ROC curve graph and variable importance chart were reviewed for each model. Variables that had low variable importance values were eliminated. Variables that were found to play an important role in the prediction and classification of patient compliance were included in the final model. Because the sample size of 220 was small, the final model was limited to no more than 15 variables. If the model included more than 15 variables, it would have difficulty discovering and learning the patterns that could exist. The final model was then tested for accuracy and validity. This study suggests that a decision support model that could help a physician as well as a health care system manage this diabetic population could be a cost-effective solution to time and resource management. In addition, neural networks could be beneficial as a tool for attention focusing. Decision support systems incorporating models like the model developed during this study that are able to alert both patients and health care practitioners of high risk for certain diseases or attributes such as noncompliance could help a health care system care, assess, and diagnose the growing number of elderly patients accessing the health system on a regular basis. In addition tools like this can be a more cost-effective way of preliminary diagnosis that could or could not lead to additional and expensive diagnostic testing or variance in patient treatment plans.
On the Requirements for the Implementation of Knowledge-Based Industrial Planning and Configuration Systems

This paper is aimed at presenting a review of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques needed for the implementation of planning and configuration systems for the use of prospective end users or domain experts.
Dynamic Deformation of Materials and Structures Under Explosive Loadings

Computerized analysis of materials and structures under explosive loadings has lead to the development of finite difference and finite element codes which are capable of treating nonlinear materials with a variety of dissipative mechanisms, such as thermal energy dependence, and hysteretic behavior in load-unload cycles in both shear and dilatation. Incremental plasticity theory is widely used for this purpose and a significant factor in this choice is the accompanying uniqueness — stability theory. The object of this paper is to review and illustrate this methodology for modeling nonlinear hysteretic materials and for analyzing the behavior under shock loadings of nonlinear media and structures embedded in such media.
Increasing beta-amyloid deposition in cognitively healthy aging predicts nonlinear change in BOLD modulation to difficulty.

Abstract Recent evidence indicates that the relationship between increased beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and functional task-activation can be characterized by a non-linear trajectory of change in functional activation (Foster et al., 2017), explaining mixed results in prior literature showing both increases and decreases in activation as a function of beta-amyloid burden in cognitively normal adults. Here we sought to replicate this nonlinear effect in the same sample using a different functional paradigm to test the generalizability of this phenomenon. Participants (N = 68 healthy adults aged 49–94) underwent fMRI (0-, 2-, 3-, 4-back working memory task; WM) and 18F-Florbetapir PET scanning. A parametric WM load contrast was used as the dependent variable in a model with age, mean cortical Aβ, and Aβ2 as predictors. Results revealed that nonlinear amyloid (Aβ2) was a significant negative predictor of modulation of activation to WM load in two large inferior clusters: bilateral subcortical nuclei and bilateral lateral cerebellum. Individuals with slightly elevated Aβ burden evidenced greater modulation as compared to individuals with little or no Aβ burden, whereas individuals with the greatest Aβ burden evidenced lesser modulation as compared to individuals with slightly elevated Aβ. Increased modulation to WM load predicted better task accuracy and executive function measured outside the scanner. The current study provides further evidence for a dose-response, nonlinear relationship between increasing Aβ burden and alteration in brain activation in cognitively healthy adults, extending the existing evidence to dynamic range of activation to task difficulty, and reconciling seemingly discrepant effects of amyloid on brain function.
From the Shadow of Overconfidence Into the Light of Humility: Reflections on Experiential Learning Activities Gone Awry:

Many instructors use experiential learning techniques to link students’ academic experience with the reality that awaits them professionally. Careful planning and reflecting on experiential activit...
An Extended Roofline Model with Communication-Awareness for Distributed-Memory HPC Systems

Performance modeling of parallel applications on distributed memory systems is a challenging task due to the effects of CPU speed, memory access time, and communication cost. In this paper, we propose a simple and intuitive graphical model, which extends the widely used Roofline performance model to include the communication cost in addition to the memory access time and the peak CPU performance. This new performance model inherits the simplicity of the original Roofline model and enables performance evaluation on a third dimension of communication performance. Such a model will greatly facilitate and expedite the analysis, development and optimization of parallel programs on high-end computer systems. We empirically validate the extended new Roofline model usingfl oating-point-computation-bound, memory-bound, and communication-bound applications. Three distinct high-end computing platforms have been tested: 1) high performance computing (HPC) systems, 2) high throughput computing systems, and 3) cloud computing systems. Our experimental results with four different parallel applications show that the new model can approximately evaluate the performance of different programs on various distributed-memory systems. Furthermore, the extended new model is able to provide insight into how the problem size can affect the upper bound performance of parallel applications, which is a special property revealed by the new dimension of communication cost analysis.
Association of a Functional Polymorphism in the CHRFAM7A Gene with Inflammatory Response Mediators and Neuropathic Pain after Spinal Cord Injury.

Abstract The alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, α7 nAChR, plays a central role in regulating inflammatory responses. Previous studies showed that pharmacological inhibitors of α7nAChR have a...
Equity in groupwork: the social process of creating justice in a science classroom

Over the last few decades, there has been an international focus on productive talk in science classrooms, requiring teachers to use more dialogic practices with their students. Studies promoting a dialogic approach propose that students have conversations in small, student-led groups. However, the literature in education and science education regarding groupwork has highlighted that students can struggle to work collaboratively without the proper supports and scaffolds–particularly with regards to equity (Webb, in Hmelo-Silver (ed) The international handbook of collaborative learning, Routledge, Abingdon, 2013). Equitable interactions during groupwork are linked to increased learning among all members during a group task (Cohen in Phi Delta Kappan 72(2):134–138, 1990). Thus, equity in quality and quantity of talk becomes the goal for groupwork. I argue that equity in group interactions requires justice that is socially constructed, including the flattening of social hierarchy. As such equitable groupwork has three key features: student voice, visibility (of all students), and student authority. Group interactions between middle and high school students from a suburban California city are used to highlight these features. Images from video-recorded data, event maps from student dialogue, and data from student interviews are used to examine the role of visibility, voice, and authority in creating equitable interactions in groupwork. Implications from this study point to equity as a process—a transformative social process where students use their words (reflection + action; Freire in Pedagogy of the oppressed, Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 2000) to shift inequities and increase communication in science. Equity as a process does not mean the absence of inequity but that students use their words to address inequity when it arises to transform the space. What, then, is the role of the teacher in allowing for this transformative work to take place among the students? What does it look like to organize this kind of classroom? What do students need to know in order to engage in such equitable practice or transformative work? I engage with questions such as these and conclude with a discussion of how teachers can create the classroom conditions necessary to cultivate productive and equitable talk in science classrooms.
The role of an online first-year seminar in higher education doctoral students' scholarly development

Abstract In this study, we explored higher education doctoral students' perceptions of their socialization, development, and preparation in an online foundational course for all incoming doctoral students in a higher education program at a public research university in the Midwest. Framed by Weidman, Twale, and Stein's (2001) graduate socialization framework and Anderson's (2008) model of online learning, the findings of this qualitative case study shed light on ways online students developed their scholarly identity while gaining knowledge of the skills and habits necessary for navigating their doctoral program. Implications for practice and future research in online education and the socialization and development of graduate students are discussed.
Use of dimensional analysis in the X-, Y-, and Z-axis to predict occurrence of injury in human stampede

BACKGROUND Human stampedes (HS) may result in mass casualty incidents (MCI) that arise due to complex interactions between individuals, collective crowd, and space, which have yet to be described from a physics perspective. HS events were analyzed using basic physics principles to better understand the dynamic kinetic variables that give rise to HS. METHODS A literature review was performed of medical and nonmedical sourced databases, Library of Congress databases, and online sources for the term human stampedes resulting in 25,123 references. Filters were applied to exclude nonhuman events. Retrieved references were reviewed for a predefined list of physics terms. Data collection involved recording frequency of each phrase and physics principle to give the final proportions of each predefined principle used a single-entry method for each of the 105 event reports analyzed. Data analysis was performed using the R statistics packages "tidyverse", "psych", "lubridate", and "Hmisc" with descriptive statistics used to describe the frequency of each observed variable. RESULTS Of the 105 reports of HS resulting in injury or death reviewed, the following frequency of terms were found: density change in a limited capacity, 45%; XY-axis motion failure, 100%; loss of proxemics, 100%; deceleration with average velocity of zero, 90%; Z-axis displacement pathology (falls), 92%; associated structure with nozzle effect, 93%; and matched fluid dynamic of high pressure stagnation of mass gathering, 100%. CONCLUSIONS Description or reference to principles of physics was seen in differing frequency in 105 reports. These include XY-axis motion failure of deceleration that leads to loss of human to human proxemics, and high stagnation pressure resulting in the Z-axis displacement effect (falls) causing injury and death. Real-time video-analysis monitoring of high capacity events or those with known nozzle effects for loss of proxemics and Z-axis displacement pathology offers the opportunity to prevent mortality from human stampedes.
Deconvolution of transcriptional networks identifies TCF4 as a master regulator in schizophrenia.

Applying tissue-specific deconvolution of transcriptional networks to identify their master regulators (MRs) in neuropsychiatric disorders has been largely unexplored. Here, using two schizophrenia (SCZ) case-control RNA-seq datasets, one on postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and another on cultured olfactory neuroepithelium, we deconvolved the transcriptional networks and identified TCF4 as a top candidate MR that may be dysregulated in SCZ. We validated TCF4 as a MR through enrichment analysis of TCF4-binding sites in induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)–derived neurons and in neuroblastoma cells. We further validated the predicted TCF4 targets by knocking down TCF4 in hiPSC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and glutamatergic neurons (Glut_Ns). The perturbed TCF4 gene network in NPCs was more enriched for pathways involved in neuronal activity and SCZ-associated risk genes, compared to Glut_Ns. Our results suggest that TCF4 may serve as a MR of a gene network dysregulated in SCZ at early stages of neurodevelopment.
Multi-Institutional Regional Otolaryngology Bootcamp.

Introduction:In order to increase junior resident physician proficiency and improve patient safety, simulation-based procedural training courses, or bootcamps, have been become an emerging educatio...
Evaluation of Perioperative Complications in the Management of Biliary Atresia.

Purpose: To analyze the influence of perioperative complications in the management of biliary atresia (BA). Methods: A retrospective study was performed using a total of 422 BA patients who underwent Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) in a single institution between February 2016 and May 2017. Data on patients' clinical characteristics, laboratory examinations, perioperative complications, and outcomes were collected. Unpaired two-tailed t-test and χ2 test were employed for the comparison between BA patients with and without perioperative complications. Cox regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors for 2-years NLS in BA, and their influence on the 2-years NLS was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis as well as the log-rank test. Results: The incidence of perioperative complications, 6-months jaundice clearance (JC) and 2-years native liver survival (NLS) rate were 60.4, 59.5, and 56.6%, respectively. Patients with perioperative complications had lower serum albumin (ALB) level, but higher aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and international normalized ratio (INR) levels when compared with those without perioperative complications (ALB, P 0.05). However, multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated 6-months JC was an independent protective factor for 2-years NLS [P < 0.0001, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.074, 95% confidence interval = 0.05-0.11], and concordance index of this prediction model including age, weight, APRI, glucocorticoid, and 6-months JC was 0.811. Conclusion: Although perioperative complication is common during and after KPE, it had no influence on the prognosis of BA. However, assessment of the serum level of total bilirubin after KPE may serve as an important predictor for the outcome in BA.
The Motives for Exclusionary Zoning

Exclusionary zoning, land use rules which restrict affordable housing, define American suburbia. Such zoning disproportionately prevents people of color from living in the suburbs. While legal scholars widely acknowledge this harm, the disparities are typically seen as unintentional. The motives for exclusionary zoning are seen as either economic, environmental, or — at worst — rooted in a race-neutral desire to exclude the poor. This Article challenges that consensus by detailing the history of a zoning ordinance in upstate New York, one famously described as race-neutral in the landmark 1975 case Warth v. Seldin. That history challenges not only Supreme Court’s conclusion in Warth, but also the traditional understanding of what motivates exclusionary zoning. The complex and unexpected relationship between class, race, and Penfield’s turn toward exclusion suggests that racism deserves to be reconsidered as a potential central motivator behind exclusionary zoning ordinances.
Associations between tobacco use patterns and demographic characteristics of sexual minority and heterosexual youth: Results from a nationwide online survey.

Introduction Youth are at risk for tobacco use, and previous research has pointed to increased vulnerabilities associated with sexual minority identity. For example, LGB youth have increased odds for using tobacco than their heterosexual peers, and bisexual youth have higher odds of smoking than other sexual identity groups. As new tobacco products proliferate and health risks from dual/poly use grow, increased understanding of tobacco use patterns by sexual minority youth is needed. Methods For 3117 youth, aged 13-18 years, who completed an online questionnaire in 2017 and identified their sexual orientation [minority (e.g. lesbian/gay, bisexual, or pansexual) vs majority (heterosexual)] and gender, we classified current tobacco use into four categories: e-cigarette only, other product only (such as cigarette, cigar, or smokeless tobacco; not an e-cigarette), dual/poly use, and no use. Analyses were conducted separately for male and female participants. Multinomial logistic regression was employed. Results Female sexual minority youth had nearly twofold odds of dual/ poly tobacco use (OR=1.95; 95% CI: 1.12-3.40), compared to their heterosexual counterparts. For male youth, sexual minority identification was not significantly associated with dual/poly use. No significant differences were found in sexual minority and heterosexual youth e-cigarette only or other tobacco only use groups. Tobacco use patterns also significantly differed by age, race, place of residence, and parental education level. Conclusions Study findings reveal greater odds of dual/poly tobacco use for female sexual minority youth. Tailored tobacco prevention and cessation programs or interventions are needed for sexual minority youth most at risk of tobacco use, especially multiple product use.
Auction Type Resolution on Smart Derivatives

This paper proposes an auction type resolution for smart derivatives. It has been discussed to migrate derivatives contracts to smart contracts (smart derivatives). Automation is often discussed in this context. It is also important to prepare to avoid disputes from practical perspectives. There are controversial issues to terminate the relationship at defaults. In OTC derivative markets, master agreements define a basic policy for the liquidation process but there happened some disputes over these processes. We propose to define an auction type resolution in smart derivatives, which each participant would find beneficial.
[Development of intervention databases to promote evidence-based prevention and health promotion-methodological considerations].

Kommunale AkteurInnen erfahren bei der Entwicklung und Auswahl von Masnahmen der Pravention und Gesundheitsforderung (MPG) keine ausreichende wissenschaftliche Unterstutzung. Interventionsdatenbanken konnen Abhilfe leisten, indem sie wissenschaftlich abgesicherte und gut dokumentierte MPG prasentieren. Dadurch kann wissenschaftliche Evidenz zur Wirksamkeit einzelner Masnahmen in lokale Entscheidungen einfliesen. Die Datenbanken konnen ebenfalls dazu dienen, die Qualitatsentwicklung von Masnahmen voranzutreiben. In diesem Beitrag werden methodische und konzeptuelle Uberlegungen erlautert, wie MPG fur Datenbanken identifiziert und wie sie hinsichtlich ihrer Wirksamkeit eingeordnet und zielgruppengerecht aufbereitet werden konnen. Grundlage sind Erkenntnisse aus der Public-Health-Literatur und dem Projekt „Alter werden in Balance“ der Bundeszentrale fur gesundheitliche Aufklarung (BZgA). Systematische Ubersichtsarbeiten sind fur die Suche nach geeigneten MPG fur die Datenbank nur bedingt geeignet, u. a. weil die darin aufgefuhrten Interventionstypen begrenzt und umsetzungsrelevante Angaben oft unvollstandig dargestellt sind. Es erscheint aber vielversprechend, MPG aus der Praxis in die Datenbank einzustellen, wenn zusatzlich eine Einordnung hinsichtlich ihrer Wirksamkeit erfolgt bzw. Konsequenzen fur die Weiterentwicklung und Evaluation formuliert werden. Es sollten zudem moglichst viele Informationen zur praktischen Umsetzung der MPG angegeben werden. In einem ersten Vorschlag wird gezeigt, wie eine Masnahmenbeschreibung aussehen konnte. Zusatzlich sollten Manuale zur Durchfuhrung von Masnahmen zur Verfugung stehen.
Strain and host-cell dependent role of type-1 fimbriae in the adherence phenotype of super-shed Escherichia coli O157:H7

Super-shed (SS) Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli O157) demonstrate a strong, aggregative, locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE)-independent adherence phenotype on bovine recto-anal junction squamous epithelial (RSE) cells, and harbor polymorphisms in non-LEE-adherence-related loci, including in the type 1 fimbriae operon. To elucidate the role of type 1 fimbriae in strain- and host-specific adherence, we evaluated the entire Fim operon (FimB-H) and its adhesion (FimH) deletion mutants in four E. coli O157 strains, SS17, SS52, SS77 and EDL933, and evaluated the adherence phenotype in bovine RSE and human HEp-2 adherence assays. Consistent with the prevailing dogma that fimH expression is genetically switched off in E. coli O157, the ΔfimHSS52, ΔfimB-HSS52, ΔfimB-HSS17, and ΔfimHSS77 mutants remained unchanged in adherence phenotype to RSE cells. In contrast, the ΔfimHSS17 and ΔfimB-HSS77 mutants changed from a wild-type strong and aggregative, to a moderate and diffuse adherence phenotype, while both ΔfimHEDL933 and ΔfimB-HEDL933 mutants demonstrated enhanced binding to RSE cells (p < 0.05). Additionally, both ΔfimHSS17 and ΔfimHEDL933 were non-adherent to HEp-2 cells (p < 0.05). Complementation of the mutant strains with their respective wild-type genes restored parental phenotypes. Microscopy revealed that the SS17 and EDL933 strains indeed carry type 1 fimbriae-like structures shorter than those seen in uropathogenic E. coli. Taken together, these results provide compelling evidence for a strain and host cell type-dependent role of fimH and the fim operon in E. coli O157 adherence that needs to be further evaluated.
Learning Artificial Intelligence: Insights into How Youth Encounter and Build Understanding of AI Concepts

Artificial Intelligence’s impact on society is increasingly pervasive. While innovative educational programs are being developed, there has been little understanding of how students, especially pre-college aged students, construct understanding and gain practice with core ideas about AI or what concepts are most appropriate for what age-levels. In this paper, we discuss a cognitive interview study with high school students to better understand how students learn AI concepts. We aim to shed light on questions including: what is the range of background knowledge and experiences students are able to apply in encountering AI concepts; what concepts are most readily accessible and which are more challenging; what misconceptions do students bring to bear on AI problems; and how to help students approach AI concepts by leveraging related concepts, such as mathematical and computational thinking). Results from the exploratory study have the potential to provide important insights into AI learning for pre-college youth. These initial findings can inform further investigations to ground the design of learning and assessment in evidence-based learning progressions and grade-level performance expectations.
Iodine and vitamin D content and variability in U.S. shell eggs and processed eggs

Abstract The objective was to measure differences in iodine and vitamin D in shell eggs and processed eggs, due to public health concerns regarding iodine and vitamin D intake. USDA’s shell egg study obtained representative samples from 24 retail locations in 2019, using statistical plans. Processed (frozen whole) eggs were obtained in 2017 from five major producers (up to 3 lots each; n = 14). Sample units were prepared and sent to approved analytical laboratories using validated methods. To monitor accuracy and precision, standard control materials were analyzed. Nutrient means were computed with linear models using appropriate data transformations and compared using t-tests. Vitamin D3 (mean ± SE; mcg/100 g) (1.9 ± 0.3) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (0.56 ± 0.04) for shell eggs were not significantly different (p = 0.3) than respective values in sampling conducted in 2010. Vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3 of shell eggs did not differ significantly (p > 0.5) from processed eggs. Iodine concentration (mean ± SE; mcg/100 g) of 49.2 ± 4.32 was not significantly different (p > 0.1) than processed eggs. Agreement of vitamin D data over time, and between egg types, suggests consistent content of eggs. Comparison of shell versus processed egg iodine data suggests consistency. These data contribute valuable information for estimating iodine and vitamin D intakes.
KSHV-induced oncogenesis

Human infection by KSHV is associated with the development of at least three proliferative disorders: Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and a subset of multicentric Castleman’s disease (MCD). In keeping with the classification of KSHV as a lymphotropic (γ2) herpesvirus, two of these (PEL and MCD) are primary disorders of the B cell lineage. The third, KS, is a more complex lesion driven by proliferation of cells of endothelial lineage. KSHV is the second human γ-herpesvirus to be linked to neoplasia (EBV being the first). As such, many notions about how KSHV engenders these lesions have been heavily influenced by paradigms derived from the study of EBV-induced malignancies. In EBV, the viral latency program is powerfully immortalizing in vitro, and is thought to be the principal genetic program driving virus-related tumorigenesis. Lytic infection, while presumed important for dissemination of infection to target cells early in infection (and following lytic reactivation at later times), is not thought to play a direct role in the histogenesis of the tumors. As we shall see, although many parallels indeed exist with EBV, the distinctive features of the KSHV-associated diseases makes routine extrapolation from other viral models an enterprise to be undertaken with caution. In this chapter, we will review the biology of the KSHV-associated malignancies and consider the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which KSHV infection contributes to their pathogenesis.
Characterization of the stimulatory action of insulin on insulin-like growth factor II binding to rat adipose cells. Differences in the mechanism of insulin action on insulin-like growth factor II receptors and glucose transporters

Insulin is known to increase the number of cell surface insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) receptors in isolated rat adipose cells through a subcellular redistribution mechanism similar to that for the glucose transporter. The effects of insulin on these two processes, therefore, have now been directly compared in the same cell preparations. 1) Insulin increases the steady state number of cell surface IGF-II receptors by 7-13-fold without affecting receptor affinity; however, insulin stimulates glucose transport activity by 25-40-fold. 2) The insulin concentration required for half-maximal stimulation of cell surface IGF-II receptor number is approximately 30% lower than that for the stimulation of glucose transport activity. 3) The half-time for the achievement of insulin's maximal effect at 37 degrees C is much shorter for IGF-II receptor number (approximately 0.8 min) than for glucose transport activity (approximately 2.6 min). 4) Reversal of insulin's action at 37 degrees C occurs more rapidly for cell surface IGF-II receptors (t1/2 congruent to 2.9 min) than for glucose transport activity (t1/2 congruent to 4.9 min). 5) When the relative subcellular distribution of IGF-II receptors is examined in basal cells, less than 10% of the receptors are localized to the plasma membrane fraction indicating that most of the receptors, like glucose transporters, are localized to an intracellular compartment. However, in response to insulin, the number of plasma membrane IGF-II receptors increases only approximately 1.4-fold while the number of glucose transporters increases approximately 4.5-fold. Thus, while the stimulatory actions of insulin on cell surface IGF-II receptors and glucose transport activity are qualitatively similar, marked quantitative differences suggest that the subcellular cycling of these two integral membrane proteins occurs by distinct processes.
Chronic biological effects of methyl methacrylate vapor. I. Body and tissue weights, blood chemistries, and intestinal transit in the rat.

Abstract The effects upon body and tissue weights, various blood parameters, and intestinal transit time associated with chronic exposures of rats to monomeric methyl methacrylate (MMA) vapor concentrations are summarized in this report. The most remarkable and readily apparent phenomenon was the obvious lack of body fat in the group which had been exposed for 3 months to an MMA vapor concentration of 116 ppm in air. It was determined that rats which have received a daily 8-hour exposure to 116 ppm of MMA vapor for 6 months have significantly lower adiposity, as measured by the popliteal fat pad, than those of a similar group which have received sham exposures. It was also determined that protracted exposures to MMA vapor in this concentration were associated with a significant decrease in intestinal transit performance.
Spontaneous regression of malignant tumors

Summary o 1. Malignant tumors frequently show fluctuation in rate of growth. Some have periods of very slow and then rapid growth. Some are slow tometastasize or the metastases may be dormant for many years. There are a few proved cases of malignant tumors that have completely regressed without any therapy. 2. Most of the cases reported as “spontaneous cures” cannot be accepted when examinedcritically. To aid in the segregation of cases of complete spontaneous regression, a list of criteria is proposed. 3. A case is reported of a girl who had an extensive ftbrosarcoma when five months of age, received no treatment and is now entirely well at thirteen years of age. 4. A list of possible factors concerned in spontaneous regression of malignant tumors is presented. 5. The various theories which have been suggested to explain late recurrence and metastasis are discussed. 6. The variability of rate of growth of all types of malignant tumors must be considered when evaluating a particular type of therapy or inestimating the prognosis.
Atom-based RF electric field measurements: An initial investigation of the measurement uncertainties

We discuss a new method for the measurement of electric (E) fields that will lead to a self-calibrating, direct SI-traceable E-field probe. The technique is based on radio frequency E-field interactions with alkali atoms placed in glass cells. After we present the concept of this approach and present some experimental data to show its validity, we give a discussion of the different types of uncertainties that are associated with this new approach. We discuss how the uncertainties of this approach compare to commonly used E-field measurement techniques.
Nitroheterocycle metabolism in mammalian cells: Stimulation of the hexose monophosphate shunt

Abstract Misonidazole, SR-2508, nitrofurazone and other nitroheterocycles stimulated release of 14CO2 from [1-14C]glucose but not from [6-14C]glucose when incubated with mouse Ehrlich ascites cells or human A549 lung carcinoma cells in vitro. This demonstrated that the nitro compounds activated the hexose monophosphate shunt and is evidence that an important pathway of nitro reduction in these cell lines is electron transfer from NADPH-dependent cytochrome c reductase to the nitro group. Shunt activity was stimulated under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. For catalase-free Ehrlich cells, aerobic effects were greater than anaerobic, indicating that NADPH was used for reduction of H2O2, via GSH peroxidase and reductase, as well as for one-electron nitro reduction, under aerobic conditions. Several of the compounds tested stimulated 14CO2 release from [2-14C]glucose as well as from [1-14C]glucose. This shows that the cellular requirement for NADPH, in the presence of nitro drug, was great enough to cause recycling of pentose phosphates. Recycling could decrease the availability of ribose-5-P needed for nucleic acid synthesis, which could partly explain the inhibition of DNA synthesis observed upon prolonged aerobic incubation of cells with nitro compounds. Comparison of the rate of disappearance of nitrofurazone from anaerobic A549 cell suspensions with the rate of 14CO2 release suggests that the drug reduction in this cell line was catalyzed almost entirely by NADPH-requiring enzymes.
Zagarri, Rosemarie. Revolutionary Backlash: Women and Politics in the Early American Republic

Revolutionary Backlash: Women and Politics in the Early American Republic remains one of the most outstanding records on the relationship between women and American politics after 1776. In a respec...
Integration of science and mathematics methods and preservice teachers’ understanding of constructivism

Abstract The study examined the integration of science and mathematics methods courses and preservice teachers’ understanding of constructivism. The participants were 50 preservice teachers who were enrolled in early childhood education mathematics and science methods courses, and an early childhood practicum. The two methods courses were integrated and the instructors adopted a collaborative approach, including common syllabi, texts, assignments, and teaching strategies. The preservice teachers completed e‐journal reflection that were subsequently coded and analyzed. The findings suggested that the instructional approach enabled students to develop and refine their understanding of constructivism. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Abstract 2326: S6K activation is essential for the development of follicular thyroid cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The PI3K signaling cascade is frequently activated in follicular and anaplastic thyroid tumors. Mice in which the PI3K pathway is constitutively activated through loss of Pten (PtenL/L;TPO-Cre mice) develop thyroid hyperplasia that progresses to thyroid follicular carcinoma. The wide range of downstream targets of this pathway raises the question of the relative role and relevance of its multiple effectors. This issue has important therapeutic implications, since it would be ideal to only target molecules directly involved in the transformation process, thus reducing the toxicity associated with wide-range inhibitors. PDK1 plays a central role in the PI3K cascade, acting as a master regulator of both AKT and S6K. Notably, PDK1 possesses a substrate docking site named “PIF pocket” that is required to phosphorylate and activate S6K but not AKT. In order to define the relative contribution of Akt and S6k to the development of thyroid lesions and to their progression to follicular carcinoma, we have generated a compound mouse strain in which, in addition to thyroid-specific Pten loss, the PIF-pocket site of Pdk1 can be conditionally disrupted by the L155E mutation, resulting in constitutive activation of Akt and mTor, but not of S6k. We have found that young double mutant mice display a significant reduction in thyroid size, compared to PtenL/L;TPO-Cre mice, and that such rescue is associated with a marked decrease in the thyrocytes proliferation rate. More strikingly, while 60% of Pten mutants develop adenomas and carcinomas by one year of age, none of the age-matched double mutant mice displays neoplastic lesions, indicating that Akt activation, in the absence of S6k activation, is completely unable to drive transformation. Furthermore, we have identified STAT3 as a molecule that is selectively activated downstream of S6k, and that is inactive in double mutants. Pharmacological STAT3 inhibition drastically reduces the proliferation rate of thyroid cancer cell lines, suggesting that STAT3 may be one key conduit of S6k oncogenic activity. Citation Format: Valeria Gabriela Antico Arciuch, Antonio Di Cristofano. S6K activation is essential for the development of follicular thyroid cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2326. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2326
TRANSNATIONAL SOCIETY VS. STATE SOVEREIGNTY

SUMMARY The elaborate fabric of a transnational society and the organization of political power in sovereign states provide a dual system of order, and a source of disorder in the world. Each of the two elements tends to dissolve the other. History shows various models of harmonizing the conflict, but none has had lasting success. International catastrophes have been followed by fresh growth of the two elements and of their vulnerability. After World War II, the world has explored the organization of society and political power in two international camps, led by two great states, an unprecedented effort on that scale. The decay of the effort in the 1960's releases forces that threaten national and international life with a war of all against all. Alternative models show as yet little promise of stemming this process of disintegration, and of reconciling the ambitions for change and for order. Competition among the models is overlaid with competition among states and movements. There is but a slender hope that communities and liberties will be preserved until some kind of civilized government is found for the transnational society.