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The intersection of science and our society has led to legal and ethical issues in which we all play a part. To support development of scientific literacy, college science courses need to engage students in difficult dialogues around ethical issues. We describe a new course, Stem Cells and Society, in which students explore the basic biology of stem cell research and the controversy surrounding it. As part of the course, we highlight the nature of science, looking at the methods and norms within the scientific community. To gain a perspective on the current stem cell controversy, we examine the public debates in the 1970s surrounding in vitro fertilization, the stem cell initiative in Missouri, and the personal and religious viewpoints that have emerged relative to the stem cell debate. In the Stem Cells and Society course, students are challenged to develop and clarify their own personal positions concerning embryonic stem cell research. These positions are grounded in science, religion or personal philosophy, and law. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

Abstract Background Low absolute humidity (AH) has been associated with increased influenza virus survival and transmissibility and the onset of seasonal influenza outbreaks. Humidification of indoor environments may mitigate viral transmission and may be an important control strategy, particularly in schools where viral transmission is common and contributes to the spread of influenza in communities. However, the variability and predictors of AH in the indoor school environment and the feasibility of classroom humidification to levels that could decrease viral survival have not been studied. Methods Automated sensors were used to measure temperature, humidity and CO2 levels in two Minnesota grade schools without central humidification during two successive winters. Outdoor AH measurements were derived from the North American Land Data Assimilation System. Variability in indoor AH within classrooms, between classrooms in the same school, and between schools was assessed using concordance correlation coefficients (CCC). Predictors of indoor AH were examined using time-series Auto-Regressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity models. Classroom humidifiers were used when school was not in session to assess the feasibility of increasing indoor AH to levels associated with decreased influenza virus survival, as projected from previously published animal experiments. Results AH varied little within classrooms (CCC >0.90) but was more variable between classrooms in the same school (CCC 0.81 for School 1, 0.88 for School 2) and between schools (CCC 0.81). Indoor AH varied widely during the winter (range 2.60 to 10.34 millibars [mb]) and was strongly associated with changes in outdoor AH (p 2 levels (p Conclusions During winter, indoor AH in non-humidified grade schools varies substantially and often to levels that are very low. Indoor results are predicted by outdoor AH over a season and CO2 levels (which likely reflects human activity) during individual school days. Classroom humidification may be a feasible approach to increase indoor AH to levels that may decrease influenza virus survival and transmission.

Abstract Background Pluripotent mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be induced in vitro to become neural progenitors. Upon transplantation, neural progenitors migrate toward areas of damage and inflammation in the CNS. We tested whether undifferentiated and neuralized mouse ES cells migrate toward media conditioned by glioma cell lines (C6, U87 & N1321) or Stem Cell Factor (SCF). Results Cell migration assays revealed selective migration by neuralized ES cells to conditioned media as well as to synthetic SCF. Migration of undifferentiated ES cells was extensive, but not significantly different from that of controls (Unconditioned Medium). RT-PCR analysis revealed that all the three tumor cell lines tested synthesized SCF and that both undifferentiated and neuralized ES cells expressed c-kit, the receptor for SCF. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that undifferentiated ES cells are highly mobile and that neural progenitors derived from ES cells are selectively attracted toward factors produced by gliomas. Given that the glioma cell lines synthesize SCF, SCF may be one of several factors that contribute to the selective migration observed.

The Ala Wai Canal is an artificial waterway in the tourist district of Waikiki in Honolulu, HI. Originally built to collect runoff from industrial, residential, and green spaces dedicated to recreation, the Ala Wai Canal has since experienced potent levels of toxicity due to this runoff entering the watershed and making it hazardous for both marine life and humans at current concentration, including Danio rerio (zebrafish). A community of learners at educations levels from high school to postbaccalaureate from Oahu, HI was connected through the Consortium for Increasing Research and Collaborative Learning Experiences (CIRCLE) distance research program. This team conducted research with an Investigator and team from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, with the Ala Wai Canal as its primary subject. Through CIRCLE, research trainees sent two 32 oz bottles of Ala Wai- acquired water to a partnered laboratory at the Mayo Clinic in which zebrafish embryos were observed at differing concentrations of the sampled water against a variety of developmental and behavioral assays. Research trainees also created atlases of developmental outcomes in zebrafish following exposure to environmental toxins and tables of potential pesticide contaminants to enable the identification of the substances linked to structural defects and enhanced stress during Ala Wai water exposure experiments.

When COVID-19 caused worldwide cancellations of summer research immersion programs in 2020, Mayo Clinic rallied to create an alternate virtual experience called Summer Foundations in Research (SFIR). SFIR was designed not only to ensure the continuance of science pathways training for undergraduate scientists but also to support undergraduate mental wellbeing, given the known pandemic stressors. A total of 170 participants took part in the program and were surveyed pre-post for outcomes in biomedical research career knowledge, biomedical research career interest, research skills confidence, and three dimensions of mental wellbeing. Knowledge of and interest in careers involving biomedical research rose significantly following participation in SFIR. The participants' mean research skills confidence also rose between 0.08 and 1.32 points on a 7-point scale across 12 items from the Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory. Success in science pathways support was accompanied by positive shifts in participant mental wellbeing. Measurable decreases in stress (Perceived Stress Scale, p < 0.0001) accompanied gains in resilience (Brief Resilience Scale, p < 0.0001) and life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale, p = 0.0005). Collectively, the data suggest that core objectives of traditional in-person summer research programming can be accomplished virtually and that these programs can simultaneously impact student wellbeing. This theoretical framework is particularly salient during COVID-19, but the increased accessibility of virtual programs such as SFIR can continue to bolster science education pathways long after the pandemic is gone., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

As the population of K-12 English language learners (ELLs) grows, teachers are challenged to employ strategies that efficiently promote content-learning and language-learning. This paper reports an action research project investigating the effects of three consecutive instructional interventions on student language production at a suburban elementary school. Teachers identified a problem of practice, consulted scholarship for intervention design, and conducted collaborative action research in science, mathematics, and social studies classes. Participants included grades 2-4 ELL and non-ELL students. Data was collected using a modified version of Soto's ELL Shadowing Protocol Form (2012), monitoring frequency of student-speaking, teacher-speaking, student-listening, and on- and off-task behavior. Quantitative analyses found that utilization of message abundancy, 'tasks that require talk,' and stretched language positively impacted student language production and on-task behavior. Statistically significant differences were found in mathematics language production for both ELL (Intervention 1 to 2 p =0.0028; Overall p =0.0023) and non-ELL students (Intervention 1 to 2 p <0.0001) and in task-oriented behavior in science and social studies for non-ELL students (Baseline to Intervention 1 and Overall p <0.0001). Differences between ELL and non-ELL students for both language production and on-task behavior narrowed with time, suggesting that the interventions employed equalized student behaviors.