cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rethinking Early Mathematics: What Is Research-Based Curriculum for Young Children?

Descriptions of curricula as “research-based” have been overused and underdeveloped. Two major conceptual tools support efforts of researchers and practitioners to collaborate on producing, evaluating, and implementing truly research-based curricula for early mathematics. The first is a set of learning trajectories that describe how children learn major topics in mathematics and how teachers can support that learning. These learning trajectories constitute the core of the second conceptual tool, a framework for developing curricula and teaching strategies. The chapter describes a framework comprising criteria and procedures for creating scientifically-based curricula using learning trajectories.
Abstract 1379: High throughput screening to identify molecules that alter VHL stability

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) germ line and somatic mutations play determining roles in renal-cell carcinomas (RCC) as well as other diseases, including hemangioblastomas and pheochromocytomas. Although molecules upregulated as a consequence of VHL deficiency have been employed as drug targets in RCC cancer therapy, modulation of pVHL itself has not been explored as a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of VHL derived diseases. Approximately one third of VHL mutations are point mutations, which destabilize pVHL and decrease pVHL intracellular levels, despite in some cases possessing residual functionality. Therefore, interventions that restabilize mutated pVHL may restore physiological protein levels and function. We established a high-throughput screening system to identify small molecules that alter VHL stability. We fused an unstable W117A VHL mutant to a fluorescent protein Venus and transduced the VHL null 786-0 RCC cell line. The fluorescence and protein levels of W117A VHL-Venus were low in untreated cells, and increased significantly after treatment with the proteasome inhibitors MG132 or bortezomib. The fluorescence level served as a VHL protein stability readout for the screen. We then performed a screen on the Prestwick drug library and identified multiple candidates that stabilized VHL protein. Certain candidates have been shown to functionally regulate VHL stability as well as its downstream effecter HIF1a. Our work shows that the high-throughput screening system we established could efficiently identify small molecules that alter VHL stability and functionality, and facilitates exploring VHL as a drug target in the treatment of RCC as well as other VHL diseases. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1379. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1379
O-193 A Decade Of Change In The Primary Care Experiences Of Children In The Us Will Reform Align The Us More Closely With Europe?

Purpose To understand national changes in the quality of primary care reported by families of children and to estimate the potential benefits of recent health insurance expansions to children’s receipt of primary care. Methods A comparison of three iterations of the National Survey of Children’s Health from 2003 to 2012 for children ages 0–18 years on measures of primary care experience (access, continuity, comprehensiveness and coordination). Trend analyses are stratified by insurance status and socio-demographics in order to assess the potential contribution of expanded coverage through health care reform to primary care experiences. Results The results show very little change overall in primary care experiences for children nationally. Some significant gains were made in access and continuity for children considered more vulnerable (i.e., from families with lower-incomes and lower educational attainment), but were mostly explained by changes in insurance coverage over time. Conclusion Insurance in the US remains a major factor in improving the primary care experience of children. The recent health care reforms have the potential to improve children’s primary care access and continuity, but even with the intended goal of near universal insurance coverage for children, the US is not likely to reach the levels of paediatric primary care experience reported among studies in major European economies.
Choosing Single Motherhood

Scholar Micere Keels explores the rise of college-educated women of color having children outside of marriage.
Report of the Standing Committee on Systematics Resources in Entomology: Deposition of Primary Entomological Types

This is one of a series of policy reports from the Entomological Society of America Standing Committee on Systematic Resources in Entomology (for others see Eldridge (1978) on taxonomic services in support of environmental protection, Yoshimoto (1978) on voucher specimens, Chilson (1978) on fee charges for identification, and Knutson (1978) on a general protocol for submitting specimens for identification).
The crystal structure of aravaipaite

The crystal structure of aravaipaite, Pb3AlF9·H2O, monoclinic, P 21/ n , a = 25.048(4), b = 5.8459(8), c = 5.6805(7) A, β = 94.013(3)°, V = 829.7(2) A3, Z □=□4, was solved by direct methods and refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques to R = 0.049 for 1170 observed reflections [ F o > 4σ( F o)] and R = 0.089 for all 1820 reflections collected using Mo K α X-radiation and a CCD-based detector. The structure of aravaipaite contains a square-packed layer of F atoms on either side of which are bonded Pb atoms in a fluorite (β-PbF2)-type configuration. This layer parallel to {100} serves as a template to which on both sides are attached AlF6 octahedra and PbF6(H2O)2 polyhedra. The resulting thick slabs are connected via Pb-O-Pb and Al-F-Pb bonds. The two nonequivalent Pb atoms in the fluorite-type layer are each coordinated to 11 F atoms and exhibit typical lone-pair behavior. Aravaipaite was originally reported to be triclinic. The structure analysis yielded the new monoclinic cell provided above and required the following revisions in the mineral’s description. Morphology: forms {100} and {401}; lamellar on {100}. Twinning: polysynthetic on {100}. Cleavage: {100} perfect micaceous, {011} good, {010} and {001} fair. Density (calc.): 6.703 g/cm3. Optical orientation: X = b ; Z ∧ a = 24° in the obtuse angle β. A powder pattern calculated from the structure data is also provided.
The analysis of element about Nostoc commune vauch

The paper engages analysis of some Metallic elements such as Ca、Mg、Fe、Zn、Cu and Mn in Nostoc commune vauch have been determined by Atomic absortion spectra.The experimetal result indicates that Nostoc commune vauch has full of metallic element which human body need,and has rather high nutrient value.
Hip kinetics during gait are clinically meaningful outcomes in young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked genetic neuromuscular disorder characterized by progressive proximal to distal muscle weakness. The success of randomized clinical trials for novel therapeutics depends on outcome measurements that are sensitive to change. As the development of motor skills may lead to functional improvements in young boys with DMD, their inclusion may potentially confound clinical trials. Three-dimensional gait analysis is an under-utilized approach that can quantify joint moments and powers, which reflect functional muscle strength. In this study, gait kinetics, kinematics, spatial-temporal parameters, and timed functional tests were quantified over a one-year period for 21 boys between 4 and 8 years old who were enrolled in a multisite natural history study. At baseline, hip moments and powers were inadequate. Between the two visits, 12 boys began a corticosteroid regimen (mean duration 10.8±2.4 months) while 9 boys remained steroid-naive. Significant between-group differences favoring steroid use were found for primary kinetic outcomes (peak hip extensor moments (p=.007), duration of hip extensor moments (p=.007), peak hip power generation (p=.028)), and spatial-temporal parameters (walking speed (p=.016) and cadence (p=.021)). Significant between-group differences were not found for kinematics or timed functional tests with the exception of the 10m walk test (p=.03), which improves in typically developing children within this age range. These results indicate that hip joint kinetics can be used to identify weakness in young boys with DMD and are sensitive to corticosteroid intervention. Inclusion of gait analysis may enhance detection of a treatment effect in clinical trials particularly for young boys with more preserved muscle function.
Focus on "Effect of expressing the water channel aquaporin-1 on the CO2 permeability of Xenopus oocytes".

over twenty years of biophysical studies have provided strong evidence that, in some biological membranes, water transport is in part through proteinaceous water-conducting pores (reviewed in Ref.[1][1]). This evidence includes the demonstration of 1 ) a high ratio of osmotic-to-diffusive water
Working Together: An Empirical Analysis of a Multiclass Legislative-Executive Branch Simulation

ABSTRACTMuch of the research on the use of simulations in the political science classroom focuses on how simulations model different events in the real world, including political campaigns, international diplomacy, and legislative bargaining. In the case of American Politics, many simulations focus on the behavior of Congress and the legislative process, yet do so only in isolation, leaving unexamined the complete role of the branch in the policy-making process. We address this gap in the literature through the use of a novel, multiclass simulation that explores the role of the legislative and executive branches in the U.S. policy-making process. Using a quantitative approach, we examine student perceptions of a joint seminar in legislative-executive relations taught at Bowling Green State University in the spring of 2015. The results suggest the multiclass simulation enhanced perceived student learning when compared to traditional lecture or single-course simulations. These effects were conditional upon ...
Age-dependent neurotoxicity in rats chronically exposed to low levels of lead: calcium homeostasis in central neurons.

Chronic exposure of rats to low level (1 mg/kg. day) lead ingestion starting at a prenatal age reduced the number of IP 3 receptors in ER and reduced the capacity of IP 3 to increase Ca 2+ in permeabilized neurons obtained from the cerebral cortices. Chronic exposure of adult rats to a comparable dose of lead did not cause these changes. A second stimulation of samples with IP 3 in the absence of extracellular Ca 2+ did not further increase Ca 2+ suggesting the depletion of the IP 3 sensitive Ca 2+ pool
Sarcopenia in emergency abdominal surgery

Abstract Background Sarcopenia, a loss of skeletal muscle mass associated with aging, is a practical measure of frailty and has been previously identified as a predictor of outcomes in surgical cohorts including cancer resection and elderly patients. We hypothesized that sarcopenia, as measured by preoperative computerized tomography (CT) scan, predicts mortality and morbidity in emergent laparotomy. Methods Institutional American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data were queried for adult patients who underwent open emergency abdominal surgery between 2008 and 2013. Patients with abdominal CT scans within 30 d before surgery were included, and cross-sectional areas of the psoas muscles at vertebral level L4 were summed, normalized by patient height, and stratified by sex. The influence of this total psoas area (TPA) on postoperative morbidity and mortality was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results Of 781 surgeries, 593 (75.9%) had appropriate preoperative CT scans. Median patient age was 61 years old, median TPA was 1719 mm2, and median body mass index was 26.7. Univariate analysis demonstrated a significant association between TPA and total postoperative morbidity (P = 0.0133), increased length of stay ( Conclusions Sarcopenia, as measured by TPA, significantly predicted mortality in univariate analysis but lost significance in multivariate analysis when factors such as American Society of Anesthesiologists score were included. Because TPA is readily available at no additional risk or cost, it is a convenient additional tool for preoperative risk assessment and counseling.
An Experiential Approach to Bring Reality to Introductory Merchandising Students

Much of the material that is taught to students is limited to textbook lectures, field trips, guest speakers, and library projects. This article reports on an exercise that exposes students enrolled in an introductory apparel merchandising class to various aspects of retail merchandising in action. A summary of the students evaluation of the experience indicated that such exposures should become a part of the course curriculum.
The Meaning and Mechanics of Travel in the Victorian Age

In 1870, the writer and loyal Londoner Edmund Gosse travelled with a companion as far north in Scotland as Stornoway. Though critical of most lowland Scottish people he met, Gosse thought the people of Stornoway were very Norse in their looks and among the finest ‘race of men’. With their nicely chiselled features and burnt flesh tints reminiscent of Titian, the lounging Stornoway fishermen seemed like ‘handsome giants’. The women, too, appeared comely and taller even than ‘Scotch lassies’, who seemed more universally towering than English ones. In this extreme northwest area of Scotland, Gosse felt more remote from his beloved London than he would have if he had been in southern Italy or northern Turkey. Tourists were a rarity in Stornoway, and Gosse seemed as strange and unfamiliar to the locals as they did to him. The misunderstandings and lapses in communication between Gosse and the native population were so great as to be amusing. As he explained it, ‘[T]here was a general puzzlement as to what on earth we had come for.’ The puzzlement reached a climax when he asked at his inn for oatcakes, a sample of the local fare. The landlady expressed wonder and dismay. Knowing him to be a gentleman from the South, she had prepared a steamer-like meal — what one might have received in Glasgow. It was impossible for her to believe that he wanted to sample the everyday ‘productions’ of Stornoway. Her perplexed look seemed to say, ‘Could gentlefolk really prefer oatcake to the bread from the south!’1
Where the Negroes are masters: an African port in the era of the slave trade

Randy Sparks’ Two Princes of Calabar will already be well known and admired by many readers of this journal.1 Where the Negroes Are Masters, in the bustling town of Annamaboe on the eighteenth-cent...
Molecular action of aldosterone.

Aldosterone stimulates the reabsorption of sodium across epithelial cells of various target tissues. The initial events in the molecular action of the mineralocorticoid are the following: (1) Diffusion of the steroid across the cellular (baso-lateral, serosal) plasma membrane into the cytoplasmic compartment. (2) Binding of the steroid to a receptor protein specific for the class of steroid and activation of this steroid-receptor-complex. (3) Translocation of the activated aldosterone-receptor complex to the nucleus and stimulation of RNA synthesis (including the synthesis of messenger RNA and ribosomal RNA). (4) Translation of the steroid-induced messenger RNAs at the ribosomal level into the aldosterone-induced proteins (AIP) within the cytoplasmic compartment. Whereas these induction steps are uniformly accepted, the mechanisms by which the AIPs increase the activity of a rate-limiting step in the sodium transport process are still object of debate. In this paper we discuss the initial events in the mode of action of aldosterone and the biochemical and physiological approaches to the aldosterone-induced proteins with special reference to the “sodium permease”, the “energy”, and the “sodium pump” theory. Our analysis shows that despite serious efforts by multiple laboratories, the first AIP with an established relationship to the mineralocorticoid actions of aldosterone is yet to be identified.
K-12 Toolbox: Questions That Guide Instructional Practice

The importance of quality teaching in the nation’s public schools is receiving unprecedented attention. School districts are doing whatever they can to grow and retain effective teachers by providing the necessary resources and support to ensure teacher success. With this in mind, the Buhler School District set out to create a useful and research based tool to help teachers with the fundamentals of classroom instruction. The K 12 Toolbox provides a series of guiding questions developed from accepted best practices in classroom instruction. The rich conversations and reflection inspired by the Toolbox’s questions are designed to help teachers lead students to higher order thinking and improved learning.
Abstract 164: The Effects of Resveratrol Treatment on Vascular Function in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have abnormal vascular function characterized by premature aging and aortic stiffness. In animal models of metabolic disease, the plant-derived polyphenol, resveratrol, decreases arterial stiffness through SirT1 activation. Therefore, we hypothesized that resveratrol would improve vascular function and activate SirT1 in patients with DM. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of resveratrol supplementation in 57 patients with DM (age 56±8 years, female 52%, African-American 67%, BMI 31.7±4.4 kg/m 2 ). Patients consumed resveratrol 100 mg/d for 2 weeks followed by 300 mg/d for 2 weeks or a matched placebo containing no polyphenols with a two-week wash-out period between treatments. In the overall study group, there was a trend toward lower carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV) with resveratrol treatment (P=0.18). In a subset of patients with high arterial stiffness at baseline, resveratrol treatment lowered CFPWV without a change in systemic blood pressure consistent with reduced central aortic stiffness (Figure). Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, reactive hyperemia, and pulse amplitude tonometry did not change. In a subset of 7 patients, we collected venous endothelial cells by J-wire biopsy and observed a trend toward increased SirT1 activity with resveratrol treatment. Our findings suggest that resveratrol supplementation may reverse arterial stiffening in patients with DM potentially through activation of endothelial SirT1 activity.
A qualitative study conducted in the USA exploring Latino fathers’ beliefs, attitudes and practices related to their young children’s eating, physical activity and sedentary behaviours

OBJECTIVE Increasing evidence documents fathers' influential role in their children's eating, physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours (SB). We aimed to expand limited existing research examining fathers' influence in these areas by exploring Latino fathers' beliefs, attitudes and practices related to eating, PA and SB of their young children. DESIGN Seven focus group discussions were conducted in Spanish with Latino fathers (n 28) of children aged 2-8 years. Audio recordings were transcribed and translated verbatim without identifiers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key concepts and themes using NVivo 11 software. RESULTS Fathers expressed positive beliefs and attitudes about the importance of healthy eating for their young children, themselves and their families. Nevertheless, the majority reported familial practices including eating out, getting take-out, etc. that have been linked to increased obesity risk among Latino children. Fathers were more involved and engaged in children's PA than eating and feeding. However, several fathers reported engaging predominantly in sedentary activities with their children, appeared permissive of children's sedentary habits and struggled to set limits on children's screen-time. CONCLUSIONS We provide new information on Latino fathers' beliefs and child feeding and PA practices that may provide important targets for interventions aimed at promoting healthful eating and PA behaviours of Latino children. Future research should further quantify the influence of Latino fathers' parenting styles and practices on development of children's eating, PA and SB. This information is needed to identify risk factors amenable to interventions and to design culturally appropriate parenting and family-based interventions targeting Latino children's home environment and designed to meet this ethnic group's specific needs.
Functional reduction in pollination through herbivore-induced pollinator limitation and its potential in mutualist communities.

Plant–pollinator interactions are complex because they are affected by both interactors’ phenotypes and external variables. Herbivory is one external variable that can have divergent effects on the individual and the population levels depending on specific phenotypic plastic responses of a plant to herbivory. In the wild tomato, Solanum peruvianum, herbivory limits pollinator visits, which reduces individual plant fitness due to herbivore-induced chemical defenses and signaling on pollinators (herbivore-induced pollinator limitation). We showed these herbivory-induced decreases in pollination to individual plants best match a Type II functional-response curve. We then developed a general model that shows these individual fitness reductions from herbivore-induced changes in plant metabolism can indirectly benefit overall populations and community resilience. These results introduce mechanisms of persistence in antagonized mutualistic communities that were previously found prone to extinction in theoretical models. Results also imply that emergent ecological dynamics of individual fitness reductions may be more complex than previously thought. Herbivory-induced volatile organic compounds reduce pollinator visits to plants. Here, Glaum and Kessler show that despite reducing individual fitness, herbivore-induced changes can indirectly benefit overall community resilience, explaining species persistence in antagonized mutualistic communities.
Cognitive Offloading and the Extended Digital Self

Memory is more than remembering. Beyond cognitive processes that reside within the confines of internal memory storage exists several extramnemonic processes that produce behavior that we typically understand as within the realm of memory. The proliferation of immersive computing, pervasive computing, ubiquitous computing, and ambient intelligence has brought attention to a myriad of new questions related to the dynamics of memory under the influence of technology, particularly for the shifting interplay between internal and external memory. Control of memory is particularly important in consideration of the current and future potential for offloading aspects of memory onto systems in contexts of novel technology use. If an individual can accurately monitor memory performance, she can make key decisions that will service her intellectual and behavior goals, such as how to recall information and when to terminate practice. In this presentation, I will discuss cognitive offloading in the context of various media experiences. I will also discuss how the ability to rely on external search may increase performance, but may also potentially distort how we understand our own memory and knowledge.
Temporal Processing: Observations on the Psychophysics and Modeling of Temporal Integration and Temporal Resolution

Temporal processing is a fundamental aspect of audition. It underlies the basis for auditory communication in virtually all species, including us. This chapter offers a personal perspective on the two most studied aspects of temporal processing: integration and resolution. Some of the issues raised in this chapter are technical and in the broader scheme of things—understanding auditory perception—are relatively minor. I have attempted to raise some general issues, such as the usefulness of the familiar fixed filterbank model or whether the system could be described better in terms of dynamic frequency selectivity. The intent is to be constructively provocative and perhaps help to understand this fundamental aspect of hearing better.
Recent advances on kinetic analysis of solder joint reactions in 3D IC packaging technology

Abstract We review five solder joint reactions in 3D IC packaging technology which are of wide interest: (1) Scallop-type growth of Cu6Sn5 in solid-liquid interdiffusion reaction, (2) Whisker-type growth of Sn crystals at room temperature, (3) Layer-type intermetallic compound (IMC) growth in solid state aging, (4) Porous-type growth of Cu3Sn in μ-bumps, and (5) Pillar-type growth of Cu/Sn IMC down to 1 μm in diameter. The first two have been well covered in books and reviews on solder joint technology, so only certain specific comments will be given here. On the other three, the layer-type IMC growth has been a long standing kinetic problem due to the extremely small concentration gradient across a stoichiometric IMC, but it has been resolved now, following Wagner’s approach. The porous-type Cu3Sn was found in 2014. Kinetically, it is a complete cellular precipitation, containing a set of lamellar pores. It is rare because up to now all cellular precipitations are incomplete. The pillar-type Cu/Sn reactions down to 1 μm in diameter were carried out in 2016. Owing to a large surface/volume ratio, the reaction is controlled by surface diffusion, accompanied by interstitial diffusion of Cu in Sn.
Child, Caregiver, Family, and Social-Contextual Factors to Consider when Implementing Parent-Focused Child Feeding Interventions.

Interventions that aim to alter child eating behaviors often focus on parents as a proximal influence. Yet, parents can be difficult to engage. Therefore, intervention recommendations are often not implemented as designed. The goal of this review is to highlight factors at multiple contextual levels that are important to consider when developing interventions to address child eating, due to their implications for overcoming parent engagement challenges. Intervention studies suggest that parents are often the key to successfully changing child eating behaviors, and many interventions focus on feeding. Factors such as child eating phenotypes, parent stress, family system dynamics, and sociodemographic constraints have also been identified as shaping food parenting. Challenges at multiple contextual levels can affect the likelihood of parent engagement. Addressing factors at the child-, parent-, family-, and broader social-contextual levels of influence is essential in order to promote best practices for parent-focused feeding interventions.
Climate drives variability and joint variability of global crop yields.

Abstract In this study, long-term national-based yields of maize, rice, sorghum and soybean (MRSS) from 1961 to 2013 are decomposed using Robust Principal Component Analysis (RPCA). After removing outliers, the first three principal components (PC) of the persistent yield anomalies are scrutinized to assess their association with climate and to identify co-varying countries and crops. Sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTa), atmospheric and oceanic indices, air temperature anomalies (ATa) and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) are used to study the association between the PCs and climate. Results show that large-scale climate, especially El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are strongly correlated with crop yield variability. Extensive maize harvesting regions in Europe and North America, rice in South America, Oceania and east of Asia, sorghum in west and southeast of Asia, North America and Caribbean and soybean in North and South America, Oceania and south of Asia experienced the influence of local climate variability in this period. Sorghum yield variability across the globe exhibits significant correlations with many atmospheric and oceanic indices. Results indicate that not only do the same crops in many countries co-vary significantly, but different crops, in particular maize, in different PCs also co-vary with other crops. Identifying the association between climate and crop yield variability and recognizing similar and dissimilar countries in terms of yield fluctuations can be informative for the identified nations with regard to the periodic and predictable nature of many large-scale climatic patterns.
Strategic Finance for Criminal Justice Organizations

Law enforcement professionals are trained to systematically approach criminal justice. Few, however, are ever trained in the world of finance and strategic decision-making, and they are therefore uncomfortable navigating through the complex world of organizational budgeting and planning. Doss, Sumrall, and Jones have tackled this gap in traditional criminal justice education with Strategic Finance for Criminal Justice Organizations.
Kinetics Study of Removal Doxycycline Drug from Aqueous Solution Using Aluminum Oxide Surface

The batch adsorption of doxycycline from aqueous solution using aluminum oxide under different experimental conditions was investigated in this study. The effect of initial concentration, sample volume, contact time and pH ‎ have been reported. A comparison of kinetic models applied to the adsorption of doxycycline on the adsorbents was evaluated for the pseudo first-order, the pseudo-second-order, Elovich, Fractional power and intra particle diffusion kinetic models were utilized to the adsorption data in respect of investigating the kinetic process; kinetic data were best fitted to the pseudo-second-order model validated by normalized standard deviation (NSD), average relative error (ARE) and chi-square test (Chi-X2). The result suggested that the intra particle diffusion was one of the rate-limiting steps.
Analysis of Three Sign Management Program Case Studies

Traffic signs play a major role on the national highway system because they provide users with important information such as warnings, regulations, and directions. To ensure sign visibility at nigh...
Adult onset of type 3 deiodinase deficiency in mice alters brain gene expression and increases locomotor activity

Abstract Constitutive loss of the type 3 deiodinase (DIO3) causes abnormally increased levels of thyroid hormone action in the developing and adult brain, leading to an array of behavioral abnormalities. To determine to what extent those phenotypes derive from a lack of DIO3 in the adult brain, versus developmental consequences, we created a mouse model of conditional DIO3 inactivation. Mice carrying “floxed” Dio3 alleles and a tamoxifen-inducible cre transgene were injected with tamoxifen at two months of age. Compared to oil-injected controls, the brain tissue of these mice showed a 75–80% decrease in DIO3 activity and 85–95% Dio3 mRNA was expressed from recombinant alleles. Mice with adult DIO3 deficiency did not show significant differences in growth, serum thyroid hormone parameters or behaviors related to anxiety and depression. However, female mice exhibited elevated locomotor activity and increased marble-burying behavior. They also manifested relatively modest alterations in the expression of T3-dependent genes and genes related to hyperactivity in a sex- and region-specific manner. Upon thyroid hormone treatment, the expression response of T3-regulated genes was generally more pronounced in DIO3-deficient female mice than in female controls, while the opposite effect of altered genotype was noticed in males. The extent of the molecular and behavioral phenotypes of adult-onset DIO3 deficiency suggests that a substantial proportion of the neurological abnormalities caused by constitutive DIO3 deficiency has a developmental origin. However, our results show that DIO3 in the adult brain also influences behavior and sensitivity to thyroid hormone action in a sexually dimorphic fashion.
Design of a disaster preparedness escape room for first and second-year pharmacy students.

Abstract Background and purpose Educational escape rooms assist students with the development of teamwork, augmentation of problem-solving skills, and reinforcement of key course concepts. In this report, we examined the feasibility of creating a bioterror preparedness escape room in a small enrollment pharmacy public health elective course. Educational activity and setting A bioterror preparedness escape room was developed for pharmacy students in a health elective course. The instructional objectives of training students in disaster preparedness were assessed via group readiness assessment tests in the scenario and individual readiness assessment tests after the completion of the activity. Findings Twenty-eight students participated in the escape room activity in groups of 6 to 8 students (n = 4 observations) and all groups escaped. Student performance was higher on the initial attempts of three group readiness assessment tests (88 ± 16.0%, 82 ± 7.1%, 78 ± 12.0%) than in the final individual readiness assessment test (73.4 ± 20.4%). Students indicated that they found the educational escape room to be enjoyable (95.7%) and felt that all members of the team were involved in solving the problems (86.9%). Summary A disaster preparedness educational escape room was designed and implemented in a public health elective for pharmacy students. Findings indicate that the educational escape room format is an effective method for reinforcing course content, however additional improvements could be made to the instructional design to enhance individual student knowledge retention.
Radiocarbon Chronology of Red Sea Sediments

Radiocarbon dates have been obtained on seven cores taken from the central part of the Red Sea in the axial trough. The observed sedimentation rates (over the past 20,000 years) range from about 5cm/1,000 yr to more than 60cm/1,000 yr. Variations are primarily due to the episodic precipitation of minerals associated with the geothermal activity of the hot-brine deeps. The brine-derived materials precipitate at a rate of more than 40cm/1,000 yr, whereas accumulation rates of the detrital silicates and calcareous shells are on the order of 2cm/1,000 yr and 8cm/1,000 yr respectively, for the area studied.
Omic association studies with and bioconductor: by Juan R. Gonzalez and Alejandro Caceres, 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487, CRC Press, 2019, pp. 375+xiii, $112.06 (hardcover), ISBN 13: 978-1-138-34056-5

The readers need to have sufficient background and knowledge in statistical theory, programming, and computing to read, comprehend, and appreciate the rich contents of this book. It is a well-writt...
Combined gas embolization and chemotherapy can result in complete tumor regression in a murine hepatocellular carcinoma model.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an intractable cancer with a high mortality rate. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), a non-curative method, is the first line therapy for intermediate stage patients. This effectively extends patient survival but requires a complicated intraarterial catheterization procedure and is poorly suited to repeated administration. Here, we investigate gas chemoembolization, a less invasive, more easily administered transient occlusion method that circumvents these limitations. We examined the efficacy of repeated embolization combined with systemically administered doxorubicin, the most common chemotherapeutic in TACE, or tirapazamine, a hypoxia-activated cytotoxic agent, in an ectopic xenograft model of HCC. Emboli were generated in situ using acoustic droplet vaporization, the noninvasive focused ultrasound-mediated conversion of intravenously administered perfluorocarbon microdroplets into microbubbles. Gas embolization alone significantly reduced the Ki67 index and tumor viability (11.6 ± 6.71% non-necrotic vs 100% in control; p < 0.01) after 3 treatments, as assessed by histological analysis. Mice treated for three weeks exhibited significant tumor regression compared to control (23.8 ± 5.37% of initial volume vs 427 ± 49.7% in controls, p < 0.01), irrespective of the chosen chemotherapeutic agent. However, an additional three weeks of monitoring post-treatment elucidated a significant difference in the tumor recurrence rate, with combined gas embolization and doxorubicin resulting in the best treatment outcomes (60% complete regression). While doxorubicin administration resulted in significant cardiotoxicity (p < 0.01), it strongly interacted with the droplet shells, reducing the systemic dose by 11.4%. Overall, gas chemoembolization shows promise as a developmental therapy and merits further study in more complex tumor models.
Genomics and the beef industry

Genomic selection has become pervasive across all animal breeding programs. In the beef industry, genotyping a non-parent animal is equivalent to that animal having already produced approximately 5 to 25 offspring, depending on the trait. Although this increase in information can greatly increase the rate of genetic gain, if utilized, the benefit of genomic information could be multiplied if it were to be used throughout all sectors of the beef industry. This would ideally require a data feedback loop whereby commercial-level phenotypes were used in genetic evaluation and prediction of genetic merit to inform management decisions of commercial animals. The decisions made could be enhanced using sophisticated software to contemplate genetics, environment, management, and societal demands many of which manifest into economic constraints. The objective of this paper is to briefly summarize the current state of genomic selection and to propose a path forward relative to a more comprehensive use of genetic information throughout the beef industry.
Methodological considerations for longitudinal investigations of young drivers

Abstract Introduction Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are the leading cause of mortality among teenagers. Teen driving research has a longstanding history; however, much of this work is cross-sectional. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development funded a study, REACT ( R oadway E xperiences and A ttentional C hange in T eens) which combined factorial and longitudinal designs to investigate the independent and joint effects of age and driving experience on driving attention over time among young drivers. Method Longitudinal methods offer important contributions to teen driving research by enabling characterization of driving trajectories. This paper describes methodological considerations for longitudinal studies of teen drivers. Such considerations are organized into overarching themes, including population, recruitment, enrollment, and retention, throughout this paper. These considerations were compiled as a combination of our own experiences in REACT and previous literature. We elaborate on these considerations below to illustrate the value of each consideration. Results Issues encountered are discussed and strategies for dealing with various issues are described. Transportation barriers, scheduling difficulties, and skipped study milestones were among the most frequent challenges; we outline these and other issues encountered in REACT and corresponding considerations for such issues in Table 2 . Sharing these experiences should aid future longitudinal investigations of young drivers, which are critically needed to reduce teen MVCs. Conclusions Studies similar to REACT are considerable undertakings due to the comprehensive nature of longitudinal design. Such investigations must maintain a delicate balance between appropriate amounts of rigor and flexibility in the development of thoroughly defined research questions and theoretically driven frameworks. Key considerations that have contributed to the success of REACT are outlined, challenges encountered throughout data collection are documented, and recommendations based on choices made and lessons learned to inform future longitudinal investigations on young drivers are provided.
Unpacking Public Discourses of Ubuntu a Decoloniality Approach

In 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the Dalai Lama called for human beings to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility, for well-being of all not for some I would add. He posed this call as a primary concern of the twenty-first century: that we all become intentional in our vision and purposes for a shared humanity. To unpack the narratives told about Ubuntu in public discourse, I borrow Lee Ann Bell’s (2010) typology in storytelling for social justice. Bell identifies four kinds of narratives, stock narratives—which maintain status quo, concealed stories—while they shake up status quo narratives, resistance stories—have the potential to inspire change—and emerging/transformative stories catalyze change. In exploring the public discourses of Ubuntu, we learn how evocations of Ubuntu are maintaining status quo and/or how they are transforming us to greater sense of universal responsibility.
Coming to Terms with Reality: Why Xenotransplantation Is a Necessity

Transplantation is considered to be established therapy for a variety of end-stage diseases. Despite some obvious parallels, transplantation stands in stark contrast to many other health care services. First, while cost is an extremely critical issue, donor organ supply has always been the foremost concern. Second, the gap between need and demand is narrowing. Third, this situation has been the source of highly controversial disputes. Finally, it is conceivable that if we were to resolve the supply issue, the financial one would become even more significant than it is today. Too often, naive analysts and misleading analyses give the impression that the future will be unlike the past, since both xenotransplantation and mechanical devices will enable to overcome the supply constraint. This chapter focuses on actual and potential cadaveric donors and donor organs. It presents data in tables to enable to put xenotransplantation into an appropriate perspective. Despite the data reported here, futile health policy efforts will be directed toward eliminating the disparity between the need for solid organ transplantation and the supply of human donor organs. The pace of progress may be exceedingly slow, as nonclinical issues take center stage as resource constraints become as apparent as they are real.
Contextual Factors Affecting the Organizational Commitment of Diverse Police Officers: A Levels of Analysis Perspective

This study examined the relationship of contextual factors to organizational commitment among 372 police officers in 13 police commands in New York City's public housing projects. Setting-level variables were formed by aggregating officers' perceptions of management support and fairness and management sensitivity to diversity within commands and within three subgroups formed by gender and ethnicity. Individual-level measures were deviations from these subgroup means within commands as well as perceptions of support from family and social support and negative interactions within commands. Overall, path analyses, confirmed by hierarchical linear modeling, showed direct setting-level effects for management support and fairness, but not for sensitivity to diversity, on organizational commitment. Both women and minority men experienced more negative social interactions than white men; support from management, co-workers, and family were important predictors of commitment. Family support was particularly important for women.
Interference-aware multicasting in wireless mesh networks

Multicasting is one of the most important applications in Wireless Ad hoc Networks and the currently emerging Wireless Mesh Networks. In such networks, interference due to the shared wireless medium is a prime factor in determining the data rate achievable by a multicast application. In this research work, we present an interference-aware multicast routing algorithm that takes into account the effects of interference to determine the maximum bandwidth multicast structure. We characterize the problem of computing maximum bandwidth multicast structure as a graph problem of finding minimum degree weakly induced subgraph in a graph subject to the connectivity and interference constraints. We establish the intractability of the problem and provide efficient heuristic that performs close to the optimal in most of the cases. We also present the design of a more practical distributed algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate the benefits of our heuristic over Shortest Path Tree and Minimum Steiner Tree approximation algorithms.
The mathematical background of chemical reactor analysis. I. Preliminaries. Batch reactors

Abstract The name “chemical reaction engineering” has been given to the branch of chemical engineering that focusses on the conditions which make for useful chemical transformation. Within this subdiscipline there are studies related primarily to the static and dynamic behavior of the reactor and of these the more analytical are rich in mathematical problems. In this paper the preliminary considerations of stoicheiometry, thermodynamics and chemical kinetics are outlined as background to a discussion of the batch reactor. The characteristic problems of other important reactor types will be taken up in a sequel.
An Improved Virtual-Source-Based Transport Model for Quasi-Ballistic Transistors—Part II: Experimental Verification

In the first part of this two-part paper, a revised MIT virtual-source (MVS)-based transport model, called MVS-2, is presented. The MVS-2 model captures the essential physics of quasi-ballistic nanotransistors by accounting for the effects of: 1) degeneracy on the thermal velocity and the mean free path of the carriers in the channel; 2) nonequilibrium transport conditions on the gate–channel capacitance; and 3) the conduction band nonparabolicity on the effective mass of the carriers. The formulation of the extrinsic device regions as nonlinear current-dependent resistances allows MVS-2 to describe the degradation in the device transconductance under high drain currents as measured experimentally in InGaAs quantum well HEMT devices. In this paper, we test the accuracy of the MVS-2 model by comparing the model results with the measured $I$ – $V$ data of the InGaAs HEMT devices with gate lengths from 30 to 130 nm and Si extremely thin silicon on insulator devices with gate lengths from 30 to 50 nm. We also discuss why at the expense of some physical rigor the basic MVS model can fit more simply the experimental data (except for the degradation in transconductance under high drain currents).