cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inactivation of Toxoplasma gondii on blueberries using low dose irradiation without affecting quality

Toxoplasma gondii is a common protozoan parasite, whose environmentally-resistant stage, the oocyst, can contaminate irrigation water and fresh edible produce. Current washing steps in produce processing may not be effective for eliminating T. gondii from at-risk varieties of produce. The objective of this study was to evaluate low-dose irradiation as a means to inactivate T. gondii oocysts on blueberries. Blueberries (10 g) inoculated with T. gondii (5 log oocysts/g) were exposed to an absorbed dose of 0 (control), 0.2, 0.4 or 0.6 kGy gamma radiation at 4°C. After treatment, oocysts were recovered from berries by washing, and excysted sporozoites were enumerated using a plaque assay. Vero cells were maintained as monolayers in a 6-well microplate, exposed to sporozoites recovered from berries, and incubated for 7 days to determine plaque-forming units (PFU). Immediately after treatment, blueberries without inoculated T. gondii were analyzed for compression firmness, surface color, and total anthocyanins. The results from this experiment demonstrate that the viability of T. gondii oocysts was significantly reduced after an irradiation treatment of 0.2 kGy. All treatments produced reductions of 4 log PFU/g beyond the detection limit of 1 log PFU/g. Quality analysis showed that there was no significant change in compression firmness, anthocyanins, or color in berries after the irradiation treatment. Results of this study indicated that low-dose irradiation is a potential intervention measure for controlling T. gondii contamination on blueberries without affecting product quality.
Bugs clogging your arteries? Take an anti-B2 shot.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic process resulting in the formation of plaques, which can rupture and occlude affected arteries. It is the major pathological contributor to mortality from cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease. The effect of gut microbiota on host physiology is well established, with recent data supporting their role in weight gain, impairment of glucose metabolism, and now atherosclerosis. Gut microbiota drive the development of atherosclerotic plaques through metabolism of substrates such as choline, phosphatidylcholine, and L-carnitine (a substance found in red meat) to trimethylamine, with subsequent conversion to trimethylamine oxide by host flavin monooxygenase 3. Now, Chen and colleagues describe a microbiota-driven pathway that promotes atherosclerotic plaques by an effect on immune cells. The authors of this study found that antibiotic treatment decreased the proatherogenic effect of gut microbes in genetically susceptible mice fed a Western diet, as evidenced by a decrease in atherosclerotic lesion size. In contrast, antibiotic treatment did not attenuate Western diet–induced metabolic alterations or weight gain, suggesting that the effect of microbiota on atherosclerosis is independent of lipid metabolism. Atherosclerosis has been associated with immune cell components such as B cells, but there is a clear gap in knowledge, which is filled by this study, as it shows that activation of B2 B cells mediates the effect of gut microbiota on atherosclerosis. The authors further demonstrated that anti–B2 cell antibody can prevent microbiota-driven atherosclerosis in Western diet–fed mice. Despite billions of dollars spent, cardiovascular disease remains a leading killer worldwide. This study identifies a potential microbiota-driven target that can be used to prevent onset of cardiovascular disease. Although this study adds an important layer of information linking gut microbiota to atherosclerosis, additional work targeting B2 cells in humans is needed to establish the translational potential of these findings. L. Chen et al. , Commensal microbe-specific activation of B2 cell subsets contributes to atherosclerosis development independently of lipid metabolism. EBioMedicine 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.10.030 (2016). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396416304911
App Use in Psychiatric Education: A Medical Student Survey.

Objective The objective of the study is to understand and appraise app use by medical students during their clerkships.
What's in a URL: Fast Feature Extraction and Malicious URL Detection

Phishing is an online social engineering attack with the goal of digital identity theft carried out by pretending to be a legitimate entity. The attacker sends an attack vector commonly in the form of an email, chat session, blog post etc., which contains a link (URL) to a malicious website hosted to elicit private information from the victims. We focus on building a system for URL analysis and classification to primarily detect phishing attacks. URL analysis is attractive to maintain distance between the attacker and the victim, rather than visiting the website and getting features from it. It is also faster than Internet search, retrieving content from the destination website and network-level features used in previous research.We investigate several facets of URL analysis, e.g., performance analysis on both balanced and unbalanced datasets in a static as well as live experimental setup and online versus batch learning.
Hearing and Mortality Outcomes following Temporal Bone Fractures.

The aim of this article is to determine hearing and mortality outcomes following temporal bone fractures. Retrospective chart review was performed of 152 patients diagnosed with a temporal bone fracture presenting to the emergency room at a tertiary care referral center over a 10-year period. Utilizing Patients' previously obtained temporal bone computed tomographic scans and audiograms, fractures were classified based on several classification schemes. Correlations between fracture patterns, mortality, and hearing outcomes were analyzed using χ2 tests. Ossicular chain disruption was seen in 11.8% of patients, and otic capsule violation was seen in 5.9%; 22.7% of patients presented for audiologic follow-up. Seventeen patients with conductive hearing loss had air-bone gaps of 26 ± 7.5 dB (500 Hz), 27 ± 6.8 dB (1,000 Hz), 18 ± 6.2 dB (2,000 Hz), and 32 ± 7.7 dB (4,000 Hz). Two cases of profound sensorineural hearing loss were associated with otic capsule violation. No fracture classification scheme was predictive of hearing loss, although longitudinal fractures were statistically associated with ossicular chain disruption ( p < 0.01). Temporal bone fractures in patients older than 60 years carried a relative risk of death of 3.15 compared with those younger than 60 years. The average magnitude of conductive hearing loss resulting from temporal bone fracture ranged from 18 to 32 dB in this cohort. Classification of fracture type was not predictive of hearing loss, despite the statistical association between ossicular chain disruption and longitudinal fractures. This finding may be due to the low follow-up rates of this patient population. Physicians should make a concerted effort to ensure that audiological monitoring is executed to prevent and manage long-term hearing impairment.
Lumbosacral and Pelvic Fixation Techniques

Due to the considerable amount of motion at the L5–S1 segment, achieving bony fusion at that junction remains a challenge to spine surgeons. As such, pelvic fixation was developed and is used to help solve this problem. Prior to instrumentation, knowledge of the region’s anatomy, including the ligaments, is paramount. There are no absolute indications for when to instrument the pelvis or whether to stop at the sacrum when performing a long-segment construct, but relative indications do exist. The most widely used sacral instrumentation is the S1 pedicle screw. Because the S1 pedicles are wide with less cortical bone to allow for screw purchase, S1 screws at the end of long constructs can be prone to failure. Pelvic fixation helps protect S1 pedicle screws and, when coupled with S1 iliac screws, has been shown to enhance fusion rates at L5–S1. The two most common instrumentation methods for pelvic fixation use iliac screws and S2 alar-iliac (S2AI) screws. S2AI screws have the benefit over traditional iliac screws in that they minimize screw prominence, making it easier to attach these screws to the rest of the construct. The effect of S2AI screw trajectory on sacroiliac joint arthritis and sacroiliac pain continues to be debated.
Phyllodes tumor of the breast: Ultrasound-pathology correlation

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the sonographic and histopathologic features distinguishing benign from borderline and malignant phyllodes tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The ultrasound examinations of women with pathologically proven phyllodes tumors from 2004 to 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. The sonographic features of benign, borderline, and malignant phyllodes tumors were compared and analyzed using the American College of Radiology's BI-RADS ultrasound lexicon. Fisher exact test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS. Fifty-nine women were included in the study; 28 benign (47%), 19 malignant (32%), and 12 borderline (20%) phyllodes tumors were identified. Significant univariate predictors of increased risk of borderline or malignant phyllodes tumors were patient age greater than 55 years (p = 0.014), irregular lesion shape (p = 0.011), and longest lesion dimension greater than 7 cm (p = 0.0022) at sonography. No significant differences were obs...
Demonstrating Predictive Capability of Validated Wind Turbine Blade Models

Verification and Validation (V&V) activities provide a means by which credibility can be established for simulation models developed to predict the behavior of wind turbines. This paper discusses the use of validation activities in the development of finite element (FE) models for wind turbine blades. The nine-meter CX-100 wind turbine blade, developed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), is utilized in this study. The FE model is developed using design specifications for the geometry of the blade, and the rule of mixtures is applied to smear the cross section so that it can be represented using isotropic material properties. Experimental modal data from laboratory tests of the CX-100 blade at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), is collected for a fixed-free boundary condition, in which the blade is bolted to a 20 t steel frame. The experimental modal data is collected in two configurations: (1) in the original fixed-free condition and, (2) with two masses attached to the blade at the 1.6 and 6.75 m stations. To mimic the second experimental configuration, the FE model is modified by incorporating point masses attached to the blade with springs. Calibration of the fixed-free and mass-added FE models is limited to use of the natural frequencies only. By exploring these different configurations of the wind turbine blade, credibility can be established regarding the ability of the FE model to predict the response to different loading conditions. Through the use of test-analysis correlation, the experimental data can be compared to model output and an assessment is given of the predictive capability of the model. (Publication approved for unlimited, public release on September 26, 2011, LA-UR-11-5490, Unclassified.)
Rethinking Adedibu: Politics, Patronage, and The 'Big Man'

The career of late chief Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu is used as a point of departure for a sociology of African politics. By situating Adedibu within mutually reinforcing “local” and “national” currents, two resonant themes in African politics are apprehended: the emergence and continued relevance of “big men” in the political process; and the sociocultural and material conditions that ensure their tenacity.
Family Physicians' disagreements with the US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations

Background The 1989 recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) represent an emerging consensus about which clinical preventive services should be delivered. However, practicing physicians disagree with a number of the recommendations in the Task Force prevention guidelines, and the reasons for disagreement have not been widely explored. Methods A survey questionnaire assessing physician agreement or disagreement with the USPSTF recommendations was sent to all 1784 active members of the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians in October 1990. A factor analysis was performed on the items with which at least 5% of physicians disagreed. Associations of physician demographics and attitudes with the factor scores were then examined. Results At least 5% of the 898 responding physicians disagreed with 67 of 150 USPSTF recommendations. Physicians disagreed with the USPSTF recommendations in three ways: (1) they believed that screening for some cancers is appropriate, even though not recommended by the USPSTF; (2) they believed that screening for other diseases in some populations is appropriate, even though not recommended by the USPSTF; and (3) they disagreed with some USPSTF recommendations for screening that is considered time-consuming or intrusive. Further analyses showed that practice setting and experience with the USPSTF guidelines were predictive of all three disagreement factors. Physician age, race, residency training, and reasons for disagreement were associated with two of the three factors. Conclusions Physician disagreement with the USPSTF recommendations was not random but clustered into three distinct factors. An opportunity exists to design educational interventions for targeted subgroups of physicians. The views of practicing physicians should be incorporated into future guidelines.
Homogeneously Decomposable Modules

The well known theorem of Baer-Kulikov-Kaplansky asserts that a direct summand of a completely decomposable torsion-free abeliah group is again completely decomposable. The study of completely decomposable torsion-free abelian groups was initiated by Baer in [1]. One of the results he proved is that direct summands of such a group are completely decomposable whenever the group satisfies a maximum condition. Kulikov [8] proved that every countable direct summand of an arbitrary completely decomposable torsion-free abelian group is completely decomposable, a nontrivial result. By proving that a direct summand of a direct sum of countably generated modules is again a direct sum of countably generated modules, Kaplan sky [7] obtained the complete theorem. An important contribution was also made by Fuchs [5], vko gave an elegant and much shorter proof of Kulikov’s result.
Students’ Self-Concepts and the Quality of Learning in Public Schools and Universities

This chapter focuses on theory and research concerned with the role of the self in learning. It is based on the assumption that the self-concept is the most significant cognitive structure organizing an individual’s experience, while self-esteem is the most influential affective evaluator of this experience. The self-concept organizes all that we think we are, what we think we can do, and how best we think we can do it, while self-esteem is the extent to which we are pleased by that concept, or feel worthy (Hamachek, 1978; Wylie, 1974). Together, they comprise the self-theory or model of experience that helps us explain our past behavior and predict our future behavior. Like any theory, a self-theory can be a differentiated and valid interpretation of reality, or a vague, invalid one. Thus, it can both facilitate and bias information processing (Kuiper & Derry, 1980). it can also affect the degree of stylistic consistency present in an individual’s behavior, including preferences for certain learning strategies.
Size as Diversity Absent from Multicultural Textbooks

The current clinical approach adopted by many mental health clinicians is the medical model, which, in the case of size diversity, has been connected with weight stigma. Mental health practitioners...
Natural Killer Cells in GvHD and GvL

Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells are effector cells of the innate immune system that respond to viral infections and tumor cells. They can interact with dendritic cells and produce a range of cytokines and chemokines that recruit and modulate the adaptive immune response. In mouse models, NK cells have been shown to eliminate residual host T cells to prevent graft rejection, eliminate host antigen-presenting cells to decrease graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and eliminate cancer cells. In human trials, NK cells have shown efficacy in reducing AML relapse after transplantation and adoptive transfer. When paired with antibody therapies, they can recognize and eliminate cancer cells. Recent advances in our understanding of NK cell biology, including how NK cells acquire function, discovery of adaptive NK cells, and the development of bispecific and trispecific antibodies, make NK cells attractive targets for immune-based therapies to treat cancer.
T Cell Receptor Immunotherapy Drives Human Immunodeficiency Virus Evolution in Humanized Mice

Summary T cell receptor mediated immunotherapy using engineered Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells leads to durable partial suppression of HIV in humanized mice. Sustained viral suppression is accompanied by viral evolution under selection pressure. This study highlights the potential for TCR immunotherapy and the need to target multiple epitopes. Abstract Effective CD8+ T cell responses targeted to the KK10 epitope of HIV presented by HLA-B*27:05, a protective HLA allele, correlate with the ability to control infection without antiretroviral therapy (ART). Here, we report an immunotherapy approach using two B*27:05-KK10-specific T Cell Receptors (TCRs) isolated from HIV controllers. Immunocompromised mice engrafted with human Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells (HSPCs) encoding for the TCRs showed differentiation into functionally active engineered T cells. Following infection with HIV, both TCRs showed sustained, albeit modest, viral suppression over 32 weeks, accompanied by a concomitant increase in CD4+ T cells. Sequencing of viral quasi-species from the plasma of infected mice demonstrated clear evidence for viral evolution under selection pressure from the TCRs. The most commonly observed mutation in the KK10 epitope was L6M, which preserved viral fitness but showed attenuated recognition by the TCRs. These studies show that TCR-immunotherapy was able to suppress HIV infection long-term while driving HIV evolution in humanized mice.
GraphCage: Cache Aware Graph Processing on GPUs.

Efficient Graph processing is challenging because of the irregularity of graph algorithms. Using GPUs to accelerate irregular graph algorithms is even more difficult to be efficient, since GPU's highly structured SIMT architecture is not a natural fit for irregular applications. With lots of previous efforts spent on subtly mapping graph algorithms onto the GPU, the performance of graph processing on GPUs is still highly memory-latency bound, leading to low utilization of compute resources. Random memory accesses generated by the sparse graph data structure are the major causes of this significant memory access latency. Simply applying the conventional cache blocking technique proposed for matrix computation have limited benefit due to the significant overhead on the GPU. We propose GraphCage, a cache centric optimization framework for highly efficient graph processing on GPUs. We first present a throughput-oriented cache blocking scheme (TOCAB) in both push and pull directions. Comparing with conventional cache blocking which suffers repeated accesses when processing large graphs on GPUs, TOCAB is specifically optimized for the GPU architecture to reduce this overhead and improve memory access efficiency. To integrate our scheme into state-of-the-art implementations without significant overhead, we coordinate TOCAB with load balancing strategies by considering the sparsity of subgraphs. To enable cache blocking for traversal-based algorithms, we consider the benefit and overhead in different iterations with different working set sizes, and apply TOCAB for topology-driven kernels in pull direction. Evaluation shows that GraphCage can improve performance by 2 ~ 4x compared to hand optimized implementations and state-of-the-art frameworks (e.g. CuSha and Gunrock), with less memory consumption than CuSha.
Guidelines for Experiments Using Antisense Oligonucleotides and Double-Stranded RNAs

After decades of research and development, synthetic nucleic acids are beginning to enjoy significant success in the clinic. Approved drugs have increased interest in the field, and many basic research studies have focused on synthetic nucleic acids to control the action of messenger RNA and noncoding RNAs. Unfortunately, experimental designs are often inadequate, resulting in misleading interpretation of data and unconvincing work that wastes resources and does little to advance the field. The goal of this commentary is to outline the problems facing many researchers, especially those new to the use of synthetic oligonucleotides. We describe the minimum control experiments necessary to build a strong case for real effects that are likely due to interactions at the intended molecular target. A common set of standards for preparing and judging experiments should facilitate better interpretation of data and publications that contribute positively to using synthetic nucleic acids as tools and drugs.
Implementing Student-Created Video in Engineering: An Active Learning Approach for Exam Preparedness

In this case study, an active learning approach to exam preparation in engineering was investigated. The Learner Video Thumbnailing (LVT) strategy incorporated video blogs (vlogs) to reinforce course content. In this innovative method, students voluntarily choose one of two roles as either the role of a spectator (watching the vlogs) n=69 or the role of a vlogger (creating the vlogs) n=8 to earn extra credit on a formative exam. Data collected in this study included the vlogs, scores on the achievement questions, and a post-interview of the vloggers. Differences in video development by gender were identified. The use of the LVT approach promoted improved achievement and student engagement.
Global targeting of functional tyrosines using sulfur-triazole exchange chemistry

Covalent probes serve as valuable tools for global investigation of protein function and ligand binding capacity. Despite efforts to expand coverage of residues available for chemical proteomics (e.g., cysteine and lysine), a large fraction of the proteome remains inaccessible with current activity-based probes. Here, we introduce sulfur-triazole exchange (SuTEx) chemistry as a tunable platform for developing covalent probes with broad applications for chemical proteomics. We show modifications to the triazole leaving group can furnish sulfonyl probes with ~5-fold enhanced chemoselectivity for tyrosines over other nucleophilic amino acids to investigate more than 10,000 tyrosine sites in lysates and live cells. We discover that tyrosines with enhanced nucleophilicity are enriched in enzymatic, protein-protein interaction and nucleotide recognition domains. We apply SuTEx as a chemical phosphoproteomics strategy to monitor activation of phosphotyrosine sites. Collectively, we describe SuTEx as a biocompatible chemistry for chemical biology investigations of the human proteome.
Turbulence structures over realistic and synthetic wall roughness in open channel flow at Reτ

ABSTRACTTurbulence structures in flow over three types of wall roughness: sand-grain, cube roughness and a realistic, multi-scale turbine-blade roughness, are compared to structures observed in flo...
Timing and Pacing of Team Communication

Whether a team is tasked with a developing a new product, incrementally improving an existing situation, or reacting to an emergency, all members of the project team must collectively discuss what they need to be doing, how they will do it, and when it will happen. To understand how these conversations may transpire, we use network pictographs and basic statistics to examine communication timing and pacing in this chapter. Timing identifies what topics a team may benefit from discussing early versus those that may be more appropriately considered later. Pacing will help team leaders consider when and how frequently teams may need to iterate among topics at various times over their lifecycles. The specific topics, timing, and pacing may differ depending upon the conditions under which the team is working. Planning the timing and pacing of conversations are rarely considered explicitly; yet, giving these communication aspects some consideration may facilitate more efficient interactions among team members.
The limited influence of transference number on the performance of nanoscale batteries

We present a model of a nanoscale Li-ion-type battery that includes explicit, atomistic representation of the current-carrying cations and their counter-ions. We use this model to simulate the dependence of battery performance on the transference number of the electrolyte. We report simulated values of the current at constant applied voltage for a series of model electrolytes with varying cation and anion mobilities. Unlike the predictions of macroscopic device models, our simulation results reveal that under conditions of fixed cation mobility, the performance of a nanoscale battery is not improved by increasing the transference number of the electrolyte. We attribute this model discrepancy to the ability of the electrolyte to support deviations from charge neutrality over nanometer length scales and conclude that models for nanoscale electrochemical systems need to include the possibility of deviations from electroneutrality.
Preliminary Psychometrics of the Knowledge and Attitudes Toward SBAR Instrument (KA-SBAR).

Background When measuring new practice approaches for improving patient safety in the clinical setting, researchers need instruments with evidence of reliability and validity. Objective The purpose of this analysis was to examine the reliability and validity of an instrument to assess knowledge and attitudes toward communication using situation-background-assessment-recommendation (SBAR; KA-SBAR). Methods This psychometric analysis was conducted with data from an interprofessional simulation-based learning experience with doctor of nursing practice students (n = 19) and physical therapy students (n = 52). Internal consistency reliability and construct validity tests including factor analysis for the KA-SBAR were conducted. Results The KA-SBAR instrument had adequate internal consistency reliability and evidence of construct validity, including identification of two factors that explained 70% of the instrument's variance. However, there may be a ceiling effect of scores, making it difficult to show change. Conclusions The KA-SBAR instrument may be useful in assessing clinicians' perceptions of SBAR communication in education and practice settings. Implications for nursing When selecting data collection measures, nurses need to carefully consider the purpose of the measure and evidence of the instrument's reliability and validity. Educators need to consider the clinical expertise of the students in designing challenging simulations to advance learning.
Does cannabis alleviate tinnitus? A review of the current literature.

Objectives Endocannabinoid pathways have been proposed to affect the underlying pathophysiology of tinnitus. The aim of this study is to evaluate the scope and findings of existing literature on the relationship between cannabis and cannabinoid pathways and tinnitus. Methods We conducted a review of animal, clinical and survey studies investigating the relationship between the use of cannabis-derived agents and tinnitus. Using pertinent keywords and MeSH terms on PubMed, relevant studies were identified, yielding four animal studies, two large cross-sectional survey studies, one clinical cross-over study, and one case report. Results Animal studies revealed that cannabinoid receptor expression in the cochlear nucleus varied with tinnitus symptomatology and the use of cannabinoid agents either increased or had no effect on tinnitus-related behavior. Survey studies yielded conflicting results between cannabis use and tinnitus in the general population. Clinical data is largely lacking, although a small cohort study showed a dose-dependent relationship between tetrahydrocannabinol consumption and frequency of tinnitus episodes in patients receiving treatment for cancer. Conclusion While animal studies have revealed that cannabinoid receptors likely have a role in modulating auditory signaling, there is no compelling data either from animal or human studies for the use of cannabinoids to alleviate tinnitus. Further research is necessary to elucidate their precise role to guide development of therapeutic interventions. Level of evidence NA.
How much testing can a kid take? Feasibility of collecting pediatric patient experience ratings of neuropsychological and psychological assessment.

Parent-reported satisfaction is an important outcome measure in pediatric neuropsychology; however, self-report of patient experience following lengthy pediatric assessments has been under-investig...
The role of endoscopic ultrasound in evaluating patients with bile duct dilation of unclear etiology.

Objective Bile duct dilation (BDD) of unclear etiology is a common indication for further imaging via endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). We aimed to assess the yield of EUS in determining BDD etiology in patients with prior non-diagnostic imaging studies. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed at a single, tertiary-care university hospital for patients referred for EUS for BDD with or without pancreatic duct dilation (PDD). EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) was performed if a focal lesion was identified. Cases with an etiology of BDD diagnosed or strongly suggested by prior imaging were excluded. EUS findings believed to represent a structural cause for BDD included a wide range of pancreaticobiliary and luminal pathology as well as patients' clinical factors. Results In total, 307 patients were identified. Findings to explain BDD were found by EUS in 213 patients for a diagnostic yield of 69.4%. Patients with jaundice were significantly more likely to receive a diagnosis by EUS than those without (78.8% vs 55.3%, P Conclusions EUS continues to play a substantial role in evaluating BDD of unclear etiology, most notably in patients with jaundice. In addition, given that 8.1% of asymptomatic patients without jaundice or abnormal LFT had malignancy diagnosed on EUS, the use of EUS for BDD of unclear etiology remains warranted. Take home messages The diagnostic yield of EUS in patients referred for bile duct dilation of unclear etiology was substantial at 69.4%. Nearly 1/5 (19.5%) of patients referred for evaluation of a dilated bile duct failed to have confirmation of bile duct dilation on EUS. Even among patients with normal LFT, a malignancy was found by EUS in 8.1% of patients. Because important pathology, including malignancy, was frequently discovered by EUS in patients with seemingly incidental bile duct dilation, the routine use of EUS and EUS-FNA/FNB for this indication seems warranted.
Overcoming the effect of ASH1L haploinsufficiency on stem cells amenability to genome editing and differentiation into the neuronal lineage - a technical report

Genome editing and neuronal differentiation protocols have proliferated in the last decade. Mutations in genes that control pluripotency could lead to a potential obstacle with regards to the survival and differentiation potential of the genome-edited cell lines. Here we describe a protocol for the generation, and differentiation, of cell lines containing CRISPR/Cas9 induced mutations in the histone methyl transferase ASH1L. This chromatin modifier was previously implicated in hematopoietic stem cell pluripotency and is a major genetic risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We find that haploinsufficiency of ASH1L leads to decreased NANOG gene expression leading to reduce cell survival and increased spontaneous differentiation. We report a method that provides improved single-cell survival with higher colony formation efficiency in ASH1L mutant stem cells. Additionally, we describe a modified dual-SMAD inhibition neuronal induction methodology that permits the successful generation of human neurons with mutations in ASH1L, in a smaller scale than previously reported methods. With our modified CRISPR-genome editing and neuronal differentiation protocols, it is possible to generate genome-edited stem cells containing mutations in genes that impact pluripotency and could affect subsequent cell lineage specific differentiation. Our detailed technical report presents cost-effective strategies that will benefit researchers focusing on both translational and basic science using stem cell experimental systems.
Becoming Ambitious: How a Practice-based Methods Course and “Macroteaching” Shaped Beginning Teachers’ Critical Pedagogical Discourses

This study reports on eleven second-year teachers who were all students in the same practice-based secondary science methods courses framed around ambitious science teaching. In this qualitative em...
Fabrication and Evaluation of Split-Gate Type Charge-Trapping Nonvolatile Memory with High-k Trapping and Blocking Layers for Embedded Flash

High-k dielectrics are implemented in a split-gate type charge-trapping nonvolatile memory (SG-CTNVM) [1]. Owing to the split-gate structure and optimized trapping properties of HfSiO film, a memory window of 3.0 V was realized under ±6 V and fast 1 μs program/ 100 μs erase condition. Retention property was significantly improved by insertion of SiON film in blocking Al 2 O 3 layer and introduction of SiO 2 inner spacer. The blocking SiON layer was formed by deposition technique only, without thermal oxidation which was found to degrade P/E cycling.
Effects of polyploidy and reproductive mode on life history trait expression

Ploidy elevation is increasingly recognized as a common and important source of genomic variation. Even so, the consequences and biological significance of polyploidy remain unclear, especially in animals. Here, our goal was to identify potential life history costs and benefits of polyploidy by conducting a large multiyear common garden experiment in Potamopyrgus antipodarum, a New Zealand freshwater snail that is a model system for the study of ploidy variation, sexual reproduction, host-parasite coevolution, and invasion ecology. Sexual diploid and asexual triploid and tetraploid P. antipodarum frequently coexist, allowing for powerful direct comparisons across ploidy levels and reproductive modes. Asexual reproduction and polyploidy are very often associated in animals, allowing us to also use these comparisons to address the maintenance of sex, itself one of the most important unresolved questions in evolutionary biology. Our study revealed that sexual diploid P. antipodarum grow and mature substantially more slowly than their asexual polyploid counterparts. We detected a strong negative correlation between the rate of growth and age at reproductive maturity, suggesting that the relatively early maturation of asexual polyploid P. antipodarum is driven by relatively rapid growth. The absence of evidence for life history differences between triploid and tetraploid asexuals indicates that ploidy elevation is unlikely to underlie the differences in trait values that we detected between sexual and asexual snails. Finally, we found that sexual P. antipodarum did not experience discernable phenotypic variance-related benefits of sex and were more likely to die before achieving reproductive maturity than the asexuals. Taken together, these results suggest that under benign conditions, polyploidy does not impose obvious life history costs in P. antipodarum and that sexual P. antipodarum persist despite substantial life history disadvantages relative to their asexual counterparts.
Magnetization and d/sub eff/ in multifilamentary Nb/sub 3/Sn strands

The magnetization of various design internal-Sn type Nb/sub 3/Sn strands was analyzed in terms of effective filament diameter, d/sub eff/. Assuming circular geometry and ignoring demagnetization, values of d/sub eff/ have been calculated numerically for various configurations including unsplit subelement and split subelement cases with 2, 3, 4 and 6 splits. In the numerical calculation, the magnetization was treated as the summation of the magnetization of sections aligned perpendicular to the applied field. The angle-averaged d/sub eff/ value was calculated for every degree over the split regions. The d/sub eff/ of single restacked strands using subelements with various numbers of splits has been calculated and the results show the influence of the split design of strands on the magnetization in high fields. Furthermore, the numerical results were compared with the reported simplified analytical results, about 20% difference indicates the approximation of the simplification.
Engaging Student Disengagement: Resistance or Disagreement?

I used to agonize over the “resisters” and they are, of course, still of concern because they too are going to graduate in the fullness of time and be let loose to teach the nation’s children. However...no matter what I do, for a very small percentage, ‘race talk’ is simply not what a teacher education course ought to be about. I must admit that after a decade I am frequently tempted to give up on these students despite the fact that they have taught me much. I have, for example, learned to no longer take their harsh criticisms personally. I have learned that much as I might want to, I cannot simply dismiss these students as “hard-core racists”....I am, however, still not entirely clear about how to go about this....I find it extremely difficult, for example, to put myself as well as the other students through racist diatribes based on some of the students’ experiences with Indigenous people that they want to pass on as the ultimate “truth” because it had happened to them.
Humoral Immunity in Essential Fatty Acid-Deficient Rats and Mice: Effect of Route of Injection of Antigen

Weanling male Lewis Mai F rats and A/J mice were fed semi-puri fied diets either adequate or deficient in essential fatty acids (EFA) for 50-60 days. After death livers were excised, the lipids were extracted, and the fatty acid profile was determined. Groups of rats and mice were immunized by injection with sheep red blood cells (sRBC) either i.v. or i.p. One group of rats received an injection of sRBC plus Bordetella pertussis organisms. The plaque-forming cell response (PFC) of all groups was determined. Samples of mouse spleens were analyzed for prostaglandin FUÂ«. EFA-deficient rat and mice liver fatty acid profiles showed elevated levels of u>7 and to9 fatty acids and decreased 016 fatty acids. The fatty acid profiles of mice differed quantitatively from the rats. As determined by the ratios of 18:0 to 18:2u6 and 18:2o)6 to 20:4o>6mice showed a higher A9 and a lower A6 desaturase activity. When the antigen was injected i.v. the EFA-deficient animals of both species showed an in creased PFC response compared to controls, but when it was injected i.p. there was no difference between dietary groups. The PFC response in rats receiving B. pertussis increased dramatically but the difference between dietary groups was abrogated. As had been previously shown in rats the increase in PFC response in the mice immunized by the i.v. route correlated with a decreased synthesis of PGF2â€ by the spleen. J. Nutr. 114: 89-94, 1984. Recently we reported that essential fatty which was given i.p. in the DeWille study acid-deficient (EFA) Lewis rats exhibited a rather than i.v., and the species difference stimulated plaque-forming cell (PFC) re- Another difference between the two reports sponse over that observed in EFA-adequate was the method of induction of the EFA rats. We showed that the increased PFC deficiency. We used a semipurified diet response correlated with the reduced prosta- containing hydrogenated coconut oil, glandin (PC) synthesis induced by the whereas DeWille et al. used a fat-free diet, deficiency (1). These findings were incon- Here we report that there is no difference
Suppression of Glutamic Acid Codons by Mutant Glycine Transfer Ribonucleic Acid

In previous mutational studies with mutant trpA46 (Gly [GGA] --> Glu [GAA] at position 211 of the tryptophan synthetase alpha chain) of Escherichia coli, no missense suppressors were detected. Such suppressors have now been obtained by single mutations in gly Vins, the structural gene for a GGA/G-reading, mutationally altered form of gly V transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) (tRNA(Gly) which reads GGU/C). A trpA46 strain containing the gly Vins alteration was mutagenized with hydroxylamine, and suppressor mutations were detected in the prototrophs obtained. Eighteen independent suppressors were examined and shown to have alterations which map in the gly V region. Chromatography of the glycyl-tRNAs of one suppressed mutant on a benzoylated diethylaminoethyl-cellulose column revealed an alteration in the tRNA(ins) (Gly) peak. The trpA46 suppressor mutation thus appears to involve a change of tRNA(ins) (Gly) from a GGA/G (Gly) reader to a GAA (Glu) reader. Since this suppressor presumably retains the "wobble" pairing of gly Vins tRNA, it was used to select the conversion of GAU (Asp211) to GAG (Glu211) in the alpha chain. supD (serine-inserting amber suppressor) was then used to obtain the conversion of GAG (Glu211) to UAG211. Missense revertants of trpA (UAG211) are being isolated as a means of introducing new codons which can be used in the selection of additional missense suppressors.
Affinity labels for NAD(P)-specific sites.

Publisher Summary Locating the coenzyme site within a known nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP)-dependent dehydrogenase and identifying the amino acid contributors to that coenzyme site are critical steps in understanding the relationship of structure to function in the nicotinamide coenzyme-requiring enzymes. In some cases, the coenzyme site has been located by recognition of an amino acid sequence motif commonly found in crystalline nucleotide-binding enzymes. Affinity labeling provides an alternate approach to identify the coenzyme site of an enzyme while it is in solution. In this approach, a reagent is designed that has a close structural resemblance to the natural coenzyme, but also features a functional group capable of reacting covalently and indiscriminantly with many different types of amino acids. This approach is aimed at forming a reversible complex of the enzyme and affinity label and, once bound at the coenzyme site, the affinity label reacts irreversibly with an amino acid accessible from that site.
Focused Deterrence, Selective Targeting, Drug Trafficking and Organised Crime: Concepts and Practicalities

Focused-deterrence strategies, selective targeting, and sequential interdiction efforts are being increasingly embraced as more promising law enforcement alternatives. They seek to minimize the most pernicious behavior of criminal groups, such as engaging in violence, or to maximize certain kinds of desirable behavior sometimes exhibited by criminals, such as eschewing engagement with terrorist groups. The focused-deterrence, selective targeting strategies also enable overwhelmed law enforcement institutions to overcome certain under resourcing problems. Especially, in the United States, such approaches have produced impressive results in reducing violence and other harms generated by organized crime groups and youth gangs. Such approaches have, however, encountered implementation difficulties elsewhere in the world.This report first outlines the logic and problems of zero-tolerance and undifferentiated targeting in law enforcement policies. Second, it lays out the key theoretical concepts of law-enforcement strategies of focused-deterrence and selective targeting and reviews some of their applications, as in Operation Ceasefire in Boston in the 1990s and urban-policing operations in Rio de Janeiro during the 2000s decade. Third, the report analyses the implementation challenges selective targeting and focused-deterrence strategies have encountered, particularly outside of the United States. And finally, it discusses some key dilemmas in designing selective targeting and focused-deterrence strategies to fight crime.
Openness, Dynamic Specialization, and the Disaggregated Future of Higher Education

Openness is a fundamental value underlying significant changes in society and is a prerequisite to changes institutions of higher education need to make in order to remain relevant to the society in which they exist. There are a number of ways institutions can be more open, including programs of open sharing of educational materials. Individual faculty can also choose to be more open without waiting for institutional programs. Increasing degrees of openness in society coupled with innovations in business strategy like dynamic specialization are enabling radical experiments in higher education and exerting increasing competitive pressure on conventional higher education institutions. No single response to the changes in the supersystem of higher education can successfully address every institution’s situation. However, every institution must begin addressing openness as a core organizational value if it desires to both remain relevant to its learners and to contribute to the positive advancement of the field of higher education.
The relevance of vigilance research to aerospace monitoring tasks.

The basic task dynamics of classical vigilance research are outlined and compared with those of representative contemporary monitoring tasks. It is argued that, while monitoring functions are increasing in modern technology, those particular functions on which the classical vigilance research paradigm is based are declining. The difficulty of generalizing from simple laboratory vigilance tasks to the generally more complex applied monitoring functions is discussed. It is suggested that the results of classical vigilance research may not be particularly germane to contemporary monitoring problems. Recommendations for future research are given.
Effect of Fermentation, Postfermentation, and Postbottling Heat Treatment on Cabernet Sauvignon Glycoconjugates

In Cabernet Sauvignon must, total and phenol-free glycosides (expressed as glycosyl-glucose) rose during fermentation while skin concentrations dropped. Wines were heated postfermentation, prior to dejuicing (rising 2 to 3°C per day from 23 to 42°C, and held for one day at 42°C), or after bottling (at 42°C for 21 days) to determine the effect on total glycosides, glycosidic fractions, and anthocyanin complexing. Pre-dejuicing thermal vinification resulted in higher total (12%) and phenol-free (18%) glycosides. Large polymeric pigments rose 208% and small polymeric pigments rose 41%. Skins had lower total glycosides (-16%), and no significant difference in phenol-free glycosides. Postbottling heat treatment resulted in lower total (-15%) and phenol-free (-16%) glycosides, and increased hue (25%). Large polymeric pigments increased 62% compared to control wines.
The Variability of Platelet Response to Aspirin and Clopidogrel: Revisiting the Caprie, Cure, Credo, and Match Trials

In a significant number of patients, platelets do not respond to aspirin and/or clopidogrel. Furthermore, this lack of response has recently been shown to affect cardiovascular outcome. At the time of the CAPRIE, CURE, CREDO, and MATCH studies, no in vitro assessment was made to determine platelet response. In vitro platelet response should be considered as an important correctable risk factor for atherosclerotic events.