julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Heading for new shores? Longitudinal participation patterns in teacher professional development
2024-07-05

Recent research indicated the advantages of diversified teacher professional development participation patterns (PDPP) to foster teachers' professionalisation. This study investigated teachers' PDPP from both cross-sectional and longitudinal perspectives using data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) utilising information on teachers' professional development enrolment across three years (N = 3,539). Results from latent class and multiple group analyses indicated that teachers showing higher professional engagement and teachers who were granted paid temporary leave from teaching demonstrated more diversified PDPP. Multiple logistic regression models revealed that the same variables seemed to prevent changes to less diversified PDPP over time. If our study results are confirmed in replications and studies that allow to detect cause-effect relationships, implications for educational policy and practice could be to raise teachers' professional engagement and grant engaged teachers a paid temporary leave from teaching to participate in professional development activities.
Perfusion in Pedicled Skin Flaps: Initial Insights from Smartphone-Based Thermal Imaging Protocol
2024-07-05

Objective: Successful outcomes in head and neck surgery rely on maintaining perfusion in pedicled skin flaps. Thermal imaging offers a noninvasive means to assess tissue perfusion, potentially aiding in predicting flap viability. This pilot study explores the utility of SBTI (smartphone-based thermal imaging) for predicting flap vitality and monitoring during surgery. Methods: Thermal imaging was employed using the FLIR One System. An imaging protocol was established, defining points of interest (T1-T4) on pedicled skin flaps. Conducted over four months, the study integrated SBTI into reconstructive surgery for the face, head and neck defects post-tumor resections. SBTI’s effectiveness was assessed with n = 11 pedicled flaps, capturing images at key stages and correlating them with clinical flap assessment. Thermal images were retrospectively graded by two surgeons, evaluating flap perfusion on a scale from 1 to 5, based on temperature differences (1 = ΔT &lt; 2 °C, 2 = ΔT ≥ 2 °C, 3 = ΔT ≥ 4 °C, 4 = ΔT ≥ 6 °C, and 5 = ΔT ≥ 8 °C), with assessments averaged for consensus and compared with the clinical assessment control group. Results: The study encountered challenges during implementation, leading to the exclusion of six patients. Patient data included 11 cases with n = 44 SBTI images. Intraoperative assessments consistently showed good perfusion. One postoperative dehiscence was noted, which retrospectively coincided with intraoperative SBTI grading, but not with clinical assessment. Statistical analysis indicated consistent outcomes following clinical and SBTI assessments. Thermal imaging accurately predicted flap viability, although it had limitations with small flaps. Conclusion: SBTI proved effective, inexpensive, and noninvasive for assessing tissue perfusion, showing promise for predicting flap viability and intraoperative monitoring in head and neck surgery.
Fully Automated Spotting Device for Thin-Layer Chromatography based on the Modification of a 3D Printer
2024-07-05

Column chromatography and the subsequent analysis of the collected fractions using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) are immensely popular and frequently used methods in organic chemistry. To analyze the fractions, they have to be spotted onto the TLC plates, which can be a time-consuming task. Therefore, we have developed an automatic spotting device based on a conversion of a 3D printer kit, which could be easily built for around 500 €. All parts come directly from the 3D printer kit, are 3D printed, or are commercially available, such as syringes and tubing. In this manuscript, we describe the design and use of the spotting device. In addition, we provide a detailed step-by-step assembly instruction and all CAD files for easy replication.
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particle Measurements within Cities using a Multi-Rotor Uncrewed Aerial System
2024-07-05

Recent urban development trends have increased focus on air quality, drawing significant attention from the public, media, and policymakers. Key pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) - primarily emitted by vehicles, energy production, and heating - pose substantial health risks. To address this, the EU has implemented several strategies, including driving bans, speed limits, and green space enhancements. Despite these efforts, the effectiveness of pollution assessments using conventional monitoring stations, which are sparse and limited, has been a topic of extensive debate in public and scientific forums.Moreover, establishing an extensive sensor network throughout a city presents financial and logistical challenges, including high costs, intensive maintenance, and competition for public space. To circumvent these issues and bolster public support for pollution control, an innovative approach involving small, affordable unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) has been developed. This partnership, backed by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport and involving select municipalities, focuses particularly on enhancing NO2 measurement precision. The system utilizes cutting-edge, high-precision NO2 sensors mounted on drones to collect accurate and flexible data on nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. This methodology, supported by recent guidelines on pollutant dispersion using UAS, enables targeted measurement campaigns both before and after the implementation of pollution reduction measures. By deploying these drones, comprehensive datasets covering particulate and gas concentrations alongside meteorological conditions can be obtained across various locations. The data are then analyzed to evaluate the efficacy of the implemented pollution control measures, thus providing a novel, high-resolution approach in NO2 measurements on a vertical scale to urban air quality management.
UAS measurements as part of the project&#160;WINSENT ("Wind Science and Engineering Test Site in Complex Terrain")
2024-07-05

Wind energy is one of the key technologies in the transition to cleaner energy. WINSENT ("Wind Science and Engineering Test Site in Complex Terrain"), a project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) and the Baden-W&amp;#252;rttemberg Ministry of the Environment, has established a wind energy test site in complex terrain, providing invaluable insights into the dynamics of wind energy in such environments.Located on the Swabian Alb near Stuttgart, Germany, the site has unique features, including its proximity to a steep afforested edge and specialised equipment such as research wind turbines (RWTs) and meteorological measurement masts, which allow the study of the turbulent overflow of the seasonally changing slope and the behaviour of wind turbines in complex terrain.The University of T&amp;#252;bingen is contributing to the project by carrying out in-situ measurements using fixed-wing and multi-copter uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) at the test site. These UAS are deployed in different positions, including the inflow, the slope, above and behind the test site, and resolve turbulent fluctuations down to the sub-metre range. Previous measurement campaigns (Intensive Operation Period, IOP) were carried out in the previous WINSENT project. In the followup WINSENTvalid project, additional IOPs will be carried out to collect in-situ measurement data to validate the numerical models developed by WINSENT. Furthermore, the impact of the newly constructed RWT on the airflow is being investigated by comparing it with pre-construction data.The presentation will include a description of the test site, the IOPs carried out and a presentation of the first measurement data.
In-situ measurements of Saharan dust concentrations and charge over Cyprus with an uncrewed aircraft system
2024-07-05

Mineral dust is one of the biggest contributors of particulate matter in the atmosphere, and its transport as well as atmospheric implications has been a topic of interest for the last few decades. Still, mineral dust dynamics are often not appropriately accommodated in model simulations, which require in-situ datasets for more accurate representation of dust events. In our study, the uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) of type MASC-3 was employed for measurements of meteorological parameters (potential temperature, mixing ratio and the three-dimensional wind vector at high temporal resolution), turbulent quantities, aerosol particles and space charge, during an intense dust event over Cyprus in spring, 2022. Vertical profiles up to 3000 m above sea level (a.s.l) revealed how the dust layer had peaks at 1800 and 2500 m, as well as affected the extent of the atmospheric boundary layer. The measurements from the UAS were in good agreement with remote sensing instrumentation in the vicinity of the flights, with the observations being further supported by satellite imagery and back tracking model simulations. Vertical profiles of charge were also co-related to approximated modeled one-dimensional profiles of the expected charge for the given dust concentrations. The results showed several layers of charge throughout the dust cloud&amp;#8217;s vertical extent, most notably at its upper and lower boundaries, as anticipated from theoretical calculations. This is the first time charge measurements were made possible using a UAS, and in combination with data for dust concentrations and meteorological quantities, new insights can be discovered regarding mineral dust charge, characteristics and its interaction with the atmosphere.
Establishment of a national travel medicine vaccination network to assess reactogenicity of new and rarely used vaccines: a TropNet study
2024-07-06

The successful establishment and roll-out of a post-licensing surveillance network to assess the reactogenicity of rarely used new vaccines by anonymous data donation to rapidly share early experiences from daily practice.
Are you learning or performing? A comparison of students’ goal orientation during experimentation at an outreach science laboratory and at school using the CEAS model
2024-07-06

Many outreach science laboratories have been established in the fields of STEM to counteract negative developments in student motivation such as a decrease in mastery-approach goal orientation and an increase in avoidance-performance goal orientation. Studies to date have not yet addressed the question whether a visit to an outreach science laboratory could have a buffering or counteracting effect on these negative developments. We investigated differences in students' state goal orientations, state of interest, perceived need satisfaction, and perceived pressure when conducting experiments in an outreach science laboratory or at school. Participants were 358 German school students (age: M = 16.43 years, SD = 0.76 years; gender: 58% female). In a quasi-experimental study, the students conducted the same experiments at an outreach science laboratory (n = 186) or at school (n = 171) under local conditions. The students in the outreach science laboratory perceived themselves as more competent, more related, and less pressured than the students at school. Their state of interest and perceived autonomy were similarly high. Furthermore, we found no differences in their state mastery-approach goal orientation, while the students in the outreach science laboratory exhibited lower performance goal orientations than the students at school. Our findings support the assumption that students may be motivated to learn about biological content in outreach science laboratories as at school, but with more competence perception and beyond performance pressure. Regarding the recent negative developments of student motivation, outreach science laboratories might be valuable complements to formal biology education.
Cognition and Activity of Daily Living Function in people with Parkinson’s disease
2024-07-08

Abstract The ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) function is a multifaceted construct that reflects functionality in different daily life situations. The loss of ADL function due to cognitive impairment is the core feature for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). In contrast to Alzheimer’s disease, ADL impairment in PD can be compromised by various factors, including motor and non-motor aspects. This narrative review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the association of cognition and ADL function in people with PD and introduces the concept of “cognitive ADL” impairment for those problems in everyday life that are associated with cognitive deterioration as their primary cause. Assessment of cognitive ADL impairment is challenging because self-ratings, informant-ratings, and performance-based assessments seldomly differentiate between “cognitive” and “motor” aspects of ADL. ADL function in PD is related to multiple cognitive domains, with attention, executive function, and memory being particularly relevant. Cognitive ADL impairment is characterized by behavioral anomalies such as trial-and-error behavior or task step omissions, and is associated with lower engagement in everyday behaviors, as suggested by physical activity levels and prolonged sedentary behavior. First evidence shows that physical and multi-domain interventions may improve ADL function, in general, but the evidence is confounded by motor aspects. Large multicenter randomized controlled trials with cognitive ADL function as primary outcome are needed to investigate which pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions can effectively prevent or delay deterioration of cognitive ADL function, and ultimately the progression and conversion to PDD.
Loss of Fic causes progressive neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of hereditary spastic paraplegia
2024-07-08

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP) is a group of rare inherited disorders characterized by progressive weakness and spasticity of the legs. Recent newly discovered biallelic variants in the gene FICD were found in patients with a highly similar phenotype to early onset HSP. FICD encodes filamentation induced by cAMP domain protein. FICD is involved in the AMPylation and deAMPylation protein modifications of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone BIP, a major constituent of the ER that regulates the unfolded protein response. Although several biochemical properties of FICD have been characterized, the neurological function of FICD and the pathological mechanism underlying HSP are unknown. We established a Drosophila model to gain mechanistic understanding of the function of FICD in HSP pathogenesis, and specifically the role of BIP in neuromuscular physiology. Our studies on Drosophila Fic null mutants uncovered that loss of Fic resulted in locomotor impairment and reduced levels of BIP in the motor neuron circuitry, as well as increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the ventral nerve cord of Fic null mutants. Finally, feeding Drosophila Fic null mutants with chemical chaperones PBA or TUDCA, or treatment of patient fibroblasts with PBA, reduced the ROS accumulation. The neuronal phenotypes of Fic null mutants recapitulate several clinical features of HSP patients and further reveal cellular patho-mechanisms. By modeling FICD in Drosophila, we provide potential targets for intervention for HSP, and advance fundamental biology that is important for understanding related rare and common neuromuscular diseases.
Influence of adjuvant therapies on organ‐specific recurrence of cutaneous melanoma: A multicenter study on 1383 patients of the prospective DeCOG registry ADOReg
2024-07-08

Abstract This study investigated whether adjuvant treatments in stage III cutaneous melanoma (CM) influenced patterns of recurrence. Patients with primary ( n = 1033) or relapsed CM ( n = 350) who received adjuvant therapies with Nivolumab (N), Pembrolizumab (P), or Dabrafenib and Trametinib (D + T) were extracted from the prospective multicenter real‐world skin cancer registry ADOReg. Endpoints were progression‐free survival (PFS), distant metastasis‐free survival (DMFS), organ‐specific DMFS, and overall survival (OS). For primary cases, D + T indicated an improved PFS (1‐ and 2‐year PFS: 90.9%; 82.7%) as compared to P (81.0%, 73.9%; p = .0208), or N (83.8%, 75.2%; p = .0539). BRAF ‐mutated(mut) CM demonstrated significantly lower PFS ( p = .0022) and decreased DMFS ( p = .0580) when treated with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) instead of D + T. Besides, NRAS ‐mut CM tended to perform worse than wt CM upon ICI (PFS: p = .1349; DMFS: p = .0540 ) . OS was similar between the groups. Relapsed cases showed decreased PFS, DMFS, and OS in comparison to primary (all: p &lt; .001), without significant differences between the subgroups. Organ‐specific DMFS was significantly altered for primary cases with bone ( p = .0367) or brain metastases ( p = .0202). In relapsed CM, the frequency of liver (D + T: 1.5%; P: 12%; N: 9%) and LN metastases (D + T: 1.5%; P: 12%; N: 10.2%) was significantly lower with adjuvant D + T than ICI. NRAS ‐mut CM showed increased recurrence in primary and relapsed cases. These data show that adjuvant D + T is superior to ICI in primary BRAF ‐mut CM.
Ancilla-free measurement of out-of-time-ordered correlation functions: General measurement protocol and Rydberg atom implementation
2024-07-08

We introduce a protocol that gives access to out-of-time-ordered correlation functions in many-body quantum systems. Unlike other such protocols, our proposal, which can be applied to arbitrary initial states, neither requires ancilla degrees of freedom to the quantum system of interest, nor has the need for randomized measurements. Nontrivial experimental capabilities required to implement the protocol are single-site measurements, single-site rotations, and backwards time evolution. To exemplify the implementation of the protocol, we put forward a strategy for Hamiltonian sign inversion in arrays of Rydberg-dressed atoms. In this way, a complete and practical toolbox is obtained for the measurement of out-of-time-ordered correlations in equilibrium and nonequilibrium situations.
Effectiveness of CRISPR-Cas in Sensitizing Bacterial Populations with Plasmid-Encoded Antimicrobial Resistance
2024-07-08

Abstract The spread of bacteria resistant to antibiotics poses a serious threat to human health. Genes that encode antibiotic resistance are often harbored on plasmids, extra-chromosomal DNA molecules found in bacteria. The emergence of multiresistance plasmids is particularly problematic and demands the development of new antibiotics and alternative strategies. CRISPR-Cas derived tools with their sequence specificity offer a promising new approach to combating antibiotic resistance. By introducing CRISPR-Cas encoding plasmids that target antibiotic resistance genes on plasmids, the susceptibility of bacteria to conventional antibiotics can be restored. However, genetic variation within bacterial populations can hinder the effectiveness of such CRISPR-Cas tools by allowing some mutant plasmids to evade CRISPR-mediated cleaving or gene silencing. In this study, we develop a model to test the effectiveness of CRISPR-Cas in sensitizing bacterial populations carrying resistance on non-transmissible plasmids and assess the success probability of a subsequent treatment with conventional antibiotics. abstract hgt We evaluate this probability according to the target interference mechanism, the copy number of the resistance-encoding plasmid, and its compatibility with the CRISPR-Cas encoding plasmid. Our results identify promising approaches to revert antibiotic resistance with CRISPR-Cas encoding plasmids: A DNA-cleaving CRISPR-Cas system on a plasmid incompatible with the targeted plasmid is most effective for low copy numbers, while for resistance plasmids with higher copy numbers gene silencing by CRISPR-Cas systems encoded on compatible plasmids is the superior solution.
Oblique subcostal transverse abdominis plane block for postoperative pain control in patients undergoing open sublay mesh hernia repair: a prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial
2024-07-08

Background A bilateral oblique subcostal transverse abdominis plane block may help provide perioperative analgesia and reduce opioid use in patients undergoing sublay mesh hernia repair, but its clinical value is unclear. Methods In a single-centre, prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, patients scheduled for sublay mesh hernia repair were randomized to receive oblique subcostal transverse abdominis plane blocks with either 60 ml of 0.375% ropivacaine (n=19) or isotonic saline (placebo, n=17). The primary outcome was patient-controlled total morphine consumption at 8:00 p.m. on the second postoperative day (POD), while secondary outcomes included the total morphine consumption during the post-anesthesia care unit stay and the occurrence of adverse events. Results Total morphine consumption at 8:00 p.m. on the second POD was higher in patients receiving ropivacaine (39 mg, IQR 22, 62) compared with placebo (24 mg, IQR 7, 39), p value = 0.04. In contrast, the ropivacaine group received 2 mg less morphine during the post-anesthesia care unit stay (4 mg, IQR: 4, 9 mg vs 2 mg, IQR: 2,6 mg, p = 0.04). Patients receiving ropivacaine used more morphine (8:00 p.m. on the first POD until 8:00 a.m. on the second POD: 8 mg, IQR: 4, 18 mg vs 2 mg, IQR: 0, 9 mg, p = 0.01) and reported higher maximum pain scores since the last assessment (8:00 a.m. on the second POD: 5, IQR: 4, 7 vs 4, IQR: 3, 5, p = 0.03). There were no differences in adverse events between groups. Conclusions Bilateral oblique subcostal transverse abdominis plane blocks in patients undergoing sublay mesh hernia repair were not associated with a prolonged reduction in patient-controlled total morphine consumption in the evening of the second POD in this study. Rebound pain might explain the additional excess opioid required by the ropivacaine group.
A three-step, “brute-force” approach toward optimized affine spatial normalization
2024-07-08

The first step in spatial normalization of magnetic resonance (MR) images commonly is an affine transformation, which may be vulnerable to image imperfections (such as inhomogeneities or “unusual” heads). Additionally, common software solutions use internal starting estimates to allow for a more efficient computation, which may pose a problem in datasets not conforming to these assumptions (such as those from children). In this technical note, three main questions were addressed: one, does the affine spatial normalization step implemented in SPM12 benefit from an initial inhomogeneity correction. Two, does using a complexity-reduced image version improve robustness when matching “unusual” images. And three, can a blind “brute-force” application of a wide range of parameter combinations improve the affine fit for unusual datasets in particular. A large database of 2081 image datasets was used, covering the full age range from birth to old age. All analyses were performed in Matlab. Results demonstrate that an initial removal of image inhomogeneities improved the affine fit particularly when more inhomogeneity was present. Further, using a complexity-reduced input image also improved the affine fit and was beneficial in younger children in particular. Finally, blindly exploring a very wide parameter space resulted in a better fit for the vast majority of subjects, but again particularly so in infants and young children. In summary, the suggested modifications were shown to improve the affine transformation in the large majority of datasets in general, and in children in particular. The changes can easily be implemented into SPM12.