Using Social Media to Promote STEM Education: Matching College Students with Role Models

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields have become increasingly central to U.S. economic competitiveness and growth. The shortage in the STEM workforce has brought promoting STEM education upfront. The rapid growth of social media usage provides a unique opportunity to predict users' real-life identities and interests from online texts and photos. In this paper, we propose an innovative approach by leveraging social media to promote STEM education: matching Twitter college student users with diverse LinkedIn STEM professionals using a ranking algorithm based on the similarities of their demographics and interests. We share the belief that increasing STEM presence in the form of introducing career role models who share similar interests and demographics will inspire students to develop interests in STEM related fields and emulate their models. Our evaluation on 2,000 real college students demonstrated the accuracy of our ranking algorithm. We also design a novel implementation that recommends matched role models to the students.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, accepted by ECML/PKDD 2016, Industrial Trac

Ethnicity and incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma in Canadian population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Research has shown that ethnicity is a significant predictor of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Variations in cancer incidence among ethnic groups in the same country can lead to important information in the search for etiological factors. Other risk factors important in the etiology of HL are medical history and exposure to pesticides. In this report we investigated the association between ethnicity and HL in the presence of medical history, and exposure to pesticides.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The data resulting from a matched population-based case-control study conducted in six provinces of Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia) was analyzed to determine whether or not there was any association between ethnicity and incidence of HL when adjusted for personal medical history and pesticide exposure. Information on ethnicity, personal medical history, and pesticide exposure was collected by questionnaires via mail on 316 men diagnosed with HL; and on 1506 controls. A conditional logistic regression was utilized and results were presented as odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In our study population, the distribution of ethnic groups was: 38.5% North American, 15% British, 8.4% Western European, 8.2% Eastern European, 1.7% Asian, 1.4% Scandinavian and 27% of other ethnic origin. Compared to North Americans (i) the risk of HL was greater among the Eastern European descendents (Odds Ratio (OR_adj): 1.82; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 3.25) and Western European (OR_adj: 1.62; 95% CI: 0.95–2.76) descent population (borderline significance at 5% level); and (ii) the risk of HL was lower in Asian descents. Diagnosis with measles (OR_adj: 0.72, 95% C.I.: 0.53–0.98) and/or positive history of allergy desensitization shots (OR_adj: 0.55, 95% C.I.: 0.30–0.99) were negatively associated with the incidence of HL, while diagnosis with acne (OR_adj: 2.12, 95% C.I.: 1.19–3.78), shingles (OR_adj: 2.41, 95% C.I.: 1.38–4.22) and positive family history of cancer (OR_adj: 1.93, 95% C.I.: 1.40–2.65) increased the risk of HL. Exposure to individual herbicide dichlorprop showed an increased risk of HL (OR_adj: 6.35, 95% C.I.: 1.56–25.92).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In Canada, compared to North Americans descendents, the risk of HL was significantly greater among the Eastern European and Western European descent population. Our results related to association between ethnicity and HL support the findings reported by other researchers. Our data showed that subjects who were diagnosed with measles or had allergy desensitization shots negatively associated with the incidence of HL; and other medical conditions, ever diagnosed with acne, and positive family history of cancer were positively associated with the incidence of HL.</p

Development and Applications of Fluorogen/Light-Up RNA Aptamer Pairs for RNA Detection and More.

The central role of RNA in living systems made it highly desirable to have noninvasive and sensitive technologies allowing for imaging the synthesis and the location of these molecules in living cells. This need motivated the development of small pro-fluorescent molecules called "fluorogens" that become fluorescent upon binding to genetically encodable RNAs called "light-up aptamers." Yet, the development of these fluorogen/light-up RNA pairs is a long and thorough process starting with the careful design of the fluorogen and pursued by the selection of a specific and efficient synthetic aptamer. This chapter summarizes the main design and the selection strategies used up to now prior to introducing the main pairs. Then, the vast application potential of these molecules for live-cell RNA imaging and other applications is presented and discussed.journal article2020importe

EFFECTIVENESS OF EARLY STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR RANGE OF MOTION IN THE SHOULDER JOINT AND QUALITY OF FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY IN PATIENTS WITH BURNS - A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL

Background: This study evaluated the effects of an early stretching exercises programme on the range of motion of the shoulder joint and functional recovery in patients with burns. Methods: A randomized controlled study was conducted. Patients from 15 to 55 years of age with a total burn injury surface area (TBSA) of 10% to 45% involving the shoulder joint including axilla were eligible. Participants were randomized into two groups; intervention and a usual care control group, with 110 patients in each group. A standardized protocol was used in the management of intervention group for 14 days. The control group was subjected to usual protocol currently used. The range of Motion (ROM) was measured, and Functional recovery (FR) was assessed with the Quick DASH questionnaire and the Abduction Ladder. Data were obtained before and after the intervention phase and at 3, 6 and 12 months of post-burn period. Results: The mean (SD) age of intervention group and control group were 29.76 [9.81] and 30.31 [9.45] respectively. The mean (SD) TBSA% of intervention group and control group was 26.15[9.45] and 24.60[9.56] respectively. There is a significant beneficial difference (p=<0.0001) in ROM and FR between the intervention group and the control group. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that an early sustained stretching exercise regime significantly improved the ROM and functional recovery of the shoulder joint after a severe burn involving the axilla

Redefining regional development in Sri Lanka: realities and challenges

INTRODUCTION The on-going debate on devolution and power sharing in Sri Lanka has also brought into focus the need to overcome regional imbalances in development. While regional development has been of central importance in the agenda of post-independence governments there has not been an overall vision for the purpose. As a consequence while significant gains have been achieved in the quality of life and income level of the Sri Lankan population (per capita GNP rose from US$ 273 in 1980 to 841 in 2000 poverty continues to assail large numbers of the urban and rural population. Marked regional inequalities exist between the &apos;core&apos; and the &apos;periphery&apos;. There are also inter and intra regional differences within the periphery itself

ДЕТЕРМИНАНТЫ ФИЗИЧЕСКОЙ АКТИВНОСТИ В РОССИИ: РОЛЬ ИНДИВИДУАЛЬНЫХ МЕЖВРЕМЕННЫХ ПРЕДПОЧТЕНИЙ

Social policy includes such components as health care, education, physical activity, and sports, where the state acts not only as a financier, but also as a provider of services. Studying the determinants of physical activity makes it possible to identify the set of social policy measures aimed at the formation of a healthy lifestyle. Among the determinants of physical activity, there are socioeconomic characteristics of an individual, such as age, gender, health status, income level, marital and employment status. There is also an individual trend for a healthy lifestyle, or to refuse it, which was formed because of the influence of the environment, education, and personal beliefs. The purpose of this article is to examine the influence of individual time preferences on physical activity. Physical activity is monitored using physical exercises and walking indicators. The proxy for individual time preferences is individual discount rate. This rate is determined using a hypothetical money experiment. Individuals with a higher individual discount rate demonstrate impatience in obtaining utility from consumption. They are not ready to take health-improving actions. The study is carried out on the data of a special survey of the Levada Center dedicated to a healthy lifestyle of the Russian population in 2017. The main hypothesis is tested by estimating the system of binary equations. Individuals with higher individual discount rate are less likely to engage in physical exercises for health purposes. The findings provide additional information for the development of public policy measures aimed at creating healthy lifestyle.Широкая трактовка социальной политики включает в себя такие составляющие, как здравоохранение, образование, физкультура и спорт, т.е. те области, где государство в большинстве случаев выступает не только финансистом, но и производителем услуг. Изучение факторов, определяющих физическую активность населения, позволяет точнее определить набор мер социальной политики, направленной на формирование здорового образа жизни. Среди детерминант физической активности традиционно выделяют социально-экономические характеристики индивида, такие как возраст, пол, состояние здоровья, уровень дохода, семейный статут и статус занятости. Вместе с тем имеет место и индивидуальная склонность к ведению здорового образа жизни либо отказу от него, сформировавшаяся вследствие воздействия окружения, образования, личных убеждений. Целью данной статьи является проверка влияния межвременных предпочтений индивида на его физическую активность. Физическая активность рассматривается при помощи индикаторов занятия физкультурой в оздоровительных целях и ходьбы пешком. Переменной, позволяющей оценить межвременные предпочтения, выступает индивидуальная ставка дисконтирования. Она определяется с помощью гипотетического эксперимента, предлагающего респондентам выбрать разные денежные суммы в разные моменты времени. Исследование проведено на данных специального опроса Левада-центра 2017 г., посвященного здоровому образу жизни населения. Индивиды, имеющие повышенную ставку межвременных предпочтений, демонстрируют нетерпение в получении полезности от потребления и не готовы предпринимать оздоровительные действия ввиду издержек, сопутствующих данному выбору. Основная гипотеза исследования проверялась при помощи оценки системы бинарных уравнений. Результаты оценки параметров системы позволяют сделать вывод о том, что индивиды с более высокой ставкой межвременных предпочтений менее вероятно будут заниматься физкультурой в оздоровительных целях. Полученные результаты могут быть использованы при определении целей и формировании перечня мероприятий социальной политики, направленных на популяризацию здорового образа жизни и физической активности