Multimedia Information eXchange for I-NET, Inc. at the Kennedy Space Center: A continuing study of the application of worldwideweb technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metcalf, David

1995-01-01

Multimedia Information eXchange (MIX) is a multimedia information system that accommodates multiple data types and provides consistency across platforms. Information from all over the world can be accessed quickly and efficiently with the Internet-based system. I-NET's MIX uses the World Wide Web and Mosaic graphical user interface. Mosaic is available on all platforms used at I-NET's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) facilities. Key information system design concepts and benefits are reviewed. The MIX system also defines specific configuration and helper application parameters to ensure consistent operations across the entire organization. Guidelines and procedures for other areas of importance in information systems design are also addressed. Areas include: code of ethics, content, copyright, security, system administration, and support.

Multimedia-based training on Internet platforms improves surgical performance: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pape-Koehler, Carolina; Immenroth, Marc; Sauerland, Stefan; Lefering, Rolf; Lindlohr, Cornelia; Toaspern, Jens; Heiss, Markus

2013-05-01

Surgical procedures are complex motion sequences that require a high level of preparation, training, and concentration. In recent years, Internet platforms providing surgical content have been established. Used as a surgical training method, the effect of multimedia-based training on practical surgical skills has not yet been evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of multimedia-based training on surgical performance. A 2 × 2 factorial, randomized controlled trial with a pre- and posttest design was used to test the effect of multimedia-based training in addition to or without practical training on 70 participants in four groups defined by the intervention used: multimedia-based training, practical training, and combination training (multimedia-based training + practical training) or no training (control group). The pre- and posttest consisted of a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a Pelvi-Trainer and was video recorded, encoded, and saved on DVDs. These were evaluated by blinded raters using a modified objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS). The main evaluation criterion was the difference in OSATS score between the pre- and posttest (ΔOSATS) results in terms of a task-specific checklist (procedural steps scored as correct or incorrect). The groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic parameters, surgical experience, and pretest OSATS scores. The ΔOSATS results were highest in the multimedia-based training group (4.7 ± 3.3; p < 0.001). The practical training group achieved 2.5 ± 4.3 (p = 0.028), whereas the combination training group achieved 4.6 ± 3.5 (p < 0.001), and the control group achieved 0.8 ± 2.9 (p = 0.294). Multimedia-based training improved surgical performance significantly and thus could be considered a reasonable tool for inclusion in surgical curricula.

A broadband multimedia TeleLearning system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Ruiping; Karmouch, A.

1996-12-31

In this paper we discuss a broadband multimedia TeleLearning system under development in the Multimedia Information Research Laboratory at the University of Ottawa. The system aims at providing a seamless environment for TeleLearning using the latest telecommunication and multimedia information processing technology. It basically consists of a media production center, a courseware author site, a courseware database, a courseware user site, and an on-line facilitator site. All these components are distributed over an ATM network and work together to offer a multimedia interactive courseware service. An MHEG-based model is exploited in designing the system architecture to achieve the real-time, interactive,more » and reusable information interchange through heterogeneous platforms. The system architecture, courseware processing strategies, courseware document models are presented.« less

Improving healthcare services using web based platform for management of medical case studies.

PubMed

Ogescu, Cristina; Plaisanu, Claudiu; Udrescu, Florian; Dumitru, Silviu

2008-01-01

The paper presents a web based platform for management of medical cases, support for healthcare specialists in taking the best clinical decision. Research has been oriented mostly on multimedia data management, classification algorithms for querying, retrieving and processing different medical data types (text and images). The medical case studies can be accessed by healthcare specialists and by students as anonymous case studies providing trust and confidentiality in Internet virtual environment. The MIDAS platform develops an intelligent framework to manage sets of medical data (text, static or dynamic images), in order to optimize the diagnosis and the decision process, which will reduce the medical errors and will increase the quality of medical act. MIDAS is an integrated project working on medical information retrieval from heterogeneous, distributed medical multimedia database.

A Knowledge-based Multimedia System to Support the Teaching and Learning of Chinese Characters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ki, W.; And Others

A current project is underway to develop a multimedia system that would support the teaching and learning of Chinese characters, as well as provide a platform for conducting research into the cognitive aspects of Chinese language acquisition. Although the number of commonly used Chinese characters amounts to thousands, there are many structural…

Probabilities and Predictions: Modeling the Development of Scientific Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Ron; Johnson, David F.; Soller, Amy

2005-01-01

The IMMEX (Interactive Multi-Media Exercises) Web-based problem set platform enables the online delivery of complex, multimedia simulations, the rapid collection of student performance data, and has already been used in several genetic simulations. The next step is the use of these data to understand and improve student learning in a formative…

Adding Celecoxib With or Without Zoledronic Acid for Hormone-Naïve Prostate Cancer: Long-Term Survival Results From an Adaptive, Multiarm, Multistage, Platform, Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Mason, Malcolm D.; Clarke, Noel W.; James, Nicholas D.; Dearnaley, David P.; Spears, Melissa R.; Ritchie, Alastair W.S.; Attard, Gerhardt; Cross, William; Jones, Rob J.; Parker, Christopher C.; Russell, J. Martin; Thalmann, George N.; Schiavone, Francesca; Cassoly, Estelle; Matheson, David; Millman, Robin; Rentsch, Cyrill A.; Barber, Jim; Gilson, Clare; Ibrahim, Azman; Logue, John; Lydon, Anna; Nikapota, Ashok D.; O’Sullivan, Joe M.; Porfiri, Emilio; Protheroe, Andrew; Srihari, Narayanan Nair; Tsang, David; Wagstaff, John; Wallace, Jan; Walmsley, Catherine; Parmar, Mahesh K.B.; Sydes, Matthew R.

2017-01-01

Purpose Systemic Therapy for Advanced or Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy is a randomized controlled trial using a multiarm, multistage, platform design. It recruits men with high-risk, locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer who were initiating long-term hormone therapy. We report survival data for two celecoxib (Cel)-containing comparisons, which stopped accrual early at interim analysis on the basis of failure-free survival. Patients and Methods Standard of care (SOC) was hormone therapy continuously (metastatic) or for ≥ 2 years (nonmetastatic); prostate (± pelvic node) radiotherapy was encouraged for men without metastases. Cel 400 mg was administered twice a day for 1 year. Zoledronic acid (ZA) 4 mg was administered for six 3-weekly cycles, then 4-weekly for 2 years. Stratified random assignment allocated patients 2:1:1 to SOC (control), SOC + Cel, or SOC + ZA + Cel. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality. Results were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards and flexible parametric models adjusted for stratification factors. Results A total of 1,245 men were randomly assigned (Oct 2005 to April 2011). Groups were balanced: median age, 65 years; 61% metastatic, 14% N+/X M0, 25% N0M0; 94% newly diagnosed; median prostate-specific antigen, 66 ng/mL. Median follow-up was 69 months. Grade 3 to 5 adverse events were seen in 36% SOC-only, 33% SOC + Cel, and 32% SOC + ZA + Cel patients. There were 303 control arm deaths (83% prostate cancer), and median survival was 66 months. Compared with SOC, the adjusted hazard ratio was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.80 to 1.20; P = .847; median survival, 70 months) for SOC + Cel and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.70 to 1.05; P =.130; median survival, 76 months) for SOC + ZA + Cel. Preplanned subgroup analyses in men with metastatic disease showed a hazard ratio of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.62 to 0.98; P = .033) for SOC + ZA + Cel. Conclusion These data show no overall evidence of improved survival with Cel. Preplanned subgroup analyses provide hypotheses for future studies. PMID:28300506

Adding Celecoxib With or Without Zoledronic Acid for Hormone-Naïve Prostate Cancer: Long-Term Survival Results From an Adaptive, Multiarm, Multistage, Platform, Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Mason, Malcolm D; Clarke, Noel W; James, Nicholas D; Dearnaley, David P; Spears, Melissa R; Ritchie, Alastair W S; Attard, Gerhardt; Cross, William; Jones, Rob J; Parker, Christopher C; Russell, J Martin; Thalmann, George N; Schiavone, Francesca; Cassoly, Estelle; Matheson, David; Millman, Robin; Rentsch, Cyrill A; Barber, Jim; Gilson, Clare; Ibrahim, Azman; Logue, John; Lydon, Anna; Nikapota, Ashok D; O'Sullivan, Joe M; Porfiri, Emilio; Protheroe, Andrew; Srihari, Narayanan Nair; Tsang, David; Wagstaff, John; Wallace, Jan; Walmsley, Catherine; Parmar, Mahesh K B; Sydes, Matthew R

2017-05-10

Purpose Systemic Therapy for Advanced or Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy is a randomized controlled trial using a multiarm, multistage, platform design. It recruits men with high-risk, locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer who were initiating long-term hormone therapy. We report survival data for two celecoxib (Cel)-containing comparisons, which stopped accrual early at interim analysis on the basis of failure-free survival. Patients and Methods Standard of care (SOC) was hormone therapy continuously (metastatic) or for ≥ 2 years (nonmetastatic); prostate (± pelvic node) radiotherapy was encouraged for men without metastases. Cel 400 mg was administered twice a day for 1 year. Zoledronic acid (ZA) 4 mg was administered for six 3-weekly cycles, then 4-weekly for 2 years. Stratified random assignment allocated patients 2:1:1 to SOC (control), SOC + Cel, or SOC + ZA + Cel. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality. Results were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards and flexible parametric models adjusted for stratification factors. Results A total of 1,245 men were randomly assigned (Oct 2005 to April 2011). Groups were balanced: median age, 65 years; 61% metastatic, 14% N+/X M0, 25% N0M0; 94% newly diagnosed; median prostate-specific antigen, 66 ng/mL. Median follow-up was 69 months. Grade 3 to 5 adverse events were seen in 36% SOC-only, 33% SOC + Cel, and 32% SOC + ZA + Cel patients. There were 303 control arm deaths (83% prostate cancer), and median survival was 66 months. Compared with SOC, the adjusted hazard ratio was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.80 to 1.20; P = .847; median survival, 70 months) for SOC + Cel and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.70 to 1.05; P =.130; median survival, 76 months) for SOC + ZA + Cel. Preplanned subgroup analyses in men with metastatic disease showed a hazard ratio of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.62 to 0.98; P = .033) for SOC + ZA + Cel. Conclusion These data show no overall evidence of improved survival with Cel. Preplanned subgroup analyses provide hypotheses for future studies.

Small Flux Buoy for Characterizing Marine Surface Layers

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

platform for air-sea interaction study since early 1960s (Fisher and Spiess 1963). It was designed to be a stable platform for mounting various types of...COARE algorithm. J. of Climate, 16, 571–591. Fisher F. H., and F. N. Spiess , 1963: FLIP-floating instrument platform. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 35, 1633

A Self-Sustained Wireless Multi-Sensor Platform Integrated with Printable Organic Sensors for Indoor Environmental Monitoring

PubMed Central

Wu, Chun-Chang; Chuang, Wen-Yu; Wu, Ching-Da; Su, Yu-Cheng; Huang, Yung-Yang; Huang, Yang-Jing; Peng, Sheng-Yu; Yu, Shih-An; Lin, Chih-Ting; Lu, Shey-Shi

2017-01-01

A self-sustained multi-sensor platform for indoor environmental monitoring is proposed in this paper. To reduce the cost and power consumption of the sensing platform, in the developed platform, organic materials of PEDOT:PSS and PEDOT:PSS/EB-PANI are used as the sensing films for humidity and CO2 detection, respectively. Different from traditional gas sensors, these organic sensing films can operate at room temperature without heating processes or infrared transceivers so that the power consumption of the developed humidity and the CO2 sensors can be as low as 10 μW and 5 μW, respectively. To cooperate with these low-power sensors, a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) system-on-chip (SoC) is designed to amplify and to read out multiple sensor signals with low power consumption. The developed SoC includes an analog-front-end interface circuit (AFE), an analog-to-digital convertor (ADC), a digital controller and a power management unit (PMU). Scheduled by the digital controller, the sensing circuits are power gated with a small duty-cycle to reduce the average power consumption to 3.2 μW. The designed PMU converts the power scavenged from a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) module into required supply voltages for SoC circuits operation under typical indoor illuminance conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first multiple environmental parameters (Temperature/CO2/Humidity) sensing platform that demonstrates a true self-powering functionality for long-term operations. PMID:28353680

A Self-Sustained Wireless Multi-Sensor Platform Integrated with Printable Organic Sensors for Indoor Environmental Monitoring.

PubMed

Wu, Chun-Chang; Chuang, Wen-Yu; Wu, Ching-Da; Su, Yu-Cheng; Huang, Yung-Yang; Huang, Yang-Jing; Peng, Sheng-Yu; Yu, Shih-An; Lin, Chih-Ting; Lu, Shey-Shi

2017-03-29

A self-sustained multi-sensor platform for indoor environmental monitoring is proposed in this paper. To reduce the cost and power consumption of the sensing platform, in the developed platform, organic materials of PEDOT:PSS and PEDOT:PSS/EB-PANI are used as the sensing films for humidity and CO₂ detection, respectively. Different from traditional gas sensors, these organic sensing films can operate at room temperature without heating processes or infrared transceivers so that the power consumption of the developed humidity and the CO₂ sensors can be as low as 10 μW and 5 μW, respectively. To cooperate with these low-power sensors, a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) system-on-chip (SoC) is designed to amplify and to read out multiple sensor signals with low power consumption. The developed SoC includes an analog-front-end interface circuit (AFE), an analog-to-digital convertor (ADC), a digital controller and a power management unit (PMU). Scheduled by the digital controller, the sensing circuits are power gated with a small duty-cycle to reduce the average power consumption to 3.2 μW. The designed PMU converts the power scavenged from a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) module into required supply voltages for SoC circuits operation under typical indoor illuminance conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first multiple environmental parameters (Temperature/CO₂/Humidity) sensing platform that demonstrates a true self-powering functionality for long-term operations.

History in Your Hand: Design Elements to Enhance Adoption of a Mobile Multimedia Historical Tour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallchok, Malia M.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative design case study was to determine the design elements that can lead to technology acceptance of a mobile multimedia tour at an informal historical site. Using rapid prototyping, a tour prototype was developed using a low-cost Website building platform. The tour was then tested with thirteen participants in two…

Multimedia as an Interactive Platform in Learning Volcanoes in Social Sciences among Upper Primary Students--An Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravi, R.; Malathy, V. A.

2010-01-01

Instructional technology is a growing field which uses technology as a means to solve teaching and learning challenges, both in the classroom and outside the classroom that is in distance learning environments. Multimedia is an interactive instructional technology used in the classroom for teaching learning process has a wide significance to the…

Mechanism of the entire overdischarge process and overdischarge-induced internal short circuit in lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Guo, Rui; Lu, Languang; Ouyang, Minggao; Feng, Xuning

2016-07-22

Lithium-ion batteries connected in series are prone to be overdischarged. Overdischarge results in various side effects, such as capacity degradation and internal short circuit (ISCr). However, most of previous research on the overdischarge of a cell was terminated when the cell voltage dropped to 0 V, leaving the further impacts of overdischarge unclear. This paper investigates the entire overdischarge process of large-format lithium-ion batteries by discharging the cell to -100% state of charge (SOC). A significant voltage platform is observed at approximately -12% SOC, and ISCr is detected after the cell is overdischarged when passing the platform. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate that the overdischarge-induced ISCr is caused by Cu deposition on electrodes, suggesting possible Cu collector dissolution at the voltage platform near -12% SOC. A prognostic/mechanistic model considering ISCr is used to evaluate the resistance of ISCr (RISCr), the value of which decreases sharply at the beginning of ISCr formation. Inducing the ISCr by overdischarge is effective and well controlled without any mechanical deformation or the use of a foreign substance.

Mechanism of the entire overdischarge process and overdischarge-induced internal short circuit in lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Rui; Lu, Languang; Ouyang, Minggao; Feng, Xuning

2016-07-01

Lithium-ion batteries connected in series are prone to be overdischarged. Overdischarge results in various side effects, such as capacity degradation and internal short circuit (ISCr). However, most of previous research on the overdischarge of a cell was terminated when the cell voltage dropped to 0 V, leaving the further impacts of overdischarge unclear. This paper investigates the entire overdischarge process of large-format lithium-ion batteries by discharging the cell to -100% state of charge (SOC). A significant voltage platform is observed at approximately -12% SOC, and ISCr is detected after the cell is overdischarged when passing the platform. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate that the overdischarge-induced ISCr is caused by Cu deposition on electrodes, suggesting possible Cu collector dissolution at the voltage platform near -12% SOC. A prognostic/mechanistic model considering ISCr is used to evaluate the resistance of ISCr (RISCr), the value of which decreases sharply at the beginning of ISCr formation. Inducing the ISCr by overdischarge is effective and well controlled without any mechanical deformation or the use of a foreign substance.

CompatPM: enabling energy efficient multimedia workloads for distributed mobile platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nathuji, Ripal; O'Hara, Keith J.; Schwan, Karsten; Balch, Tucker

2007-01-01

The computation and communication abilities of modern platforms are enabling increasingly capable cooperative distributed mobile systems. An example is distributed multimedia processing of sensor data in robots deployed for search and rescue, where a system manager can exploit the application's cooperative nature to optimize the distribution of roles and tasks in order to successfully accomplish the mission. Because of limited battery capacities, a critical task a manager must perform is online energy management. While support for power management has become common for the components that populate mobile platforms, what is lacking is integration and explicit coordination across the different management actions performed in a variety of system layers. This papers develops an integration approach for distributed multimedia applications, where a global manager specifies both a power operating point and a workload for a node to execute. Surprisingly, when jointly considering power and QoS, experimental evaluations show that using a simple deadline-driven approach to assigning frequencies can be non-optimal. These trends are further affected by certain characteristics of underlying power management mechanisms, which in our research, are identified as groupings that classify component power management as "compatible" (VFC) or "incompatible" (VFI) with voltage and frequency scaling. We build on these findings to develop CompatPM, a vertically integrated control strategy for power management in distributed mobile systems. Experimental evaluations of CompatPM indicate average energy improvements of 8% when platform resources are managed jointly rather than independently, demonstrating that previous attempts to maximize battery life by simply minimizing frequency are inappropriate from a platform-level perspective.

Accessing multimedia content from mobile applications using semantic web technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreutel, Jörn; Gerlach, Andrea; Klekamp, Stefanie; Schulz, Kristin

2014-02-01

We describe the ideas and results of an applied research project that aims at leveraging the expressive power of semantic web technologies as a server-side backend for mobile applications that provide access to location and multimedia data and allow for a rich user experience in mobile scenarios, ranging from city and museum guides to multimedia enhancements of any kind of narrative content, including e-book applications. In particular, we will outline a reusable software architecture for both server-side functionality and native mobile platforms that is aimed at significantly decreasing the effort required for developing particular applications of that kind.

A Topographic Field Trip of Washington, D.C. - A Cartographic Multimedia Application

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1999-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has produced ?A Topographic Field Trip of Washington, D.C.,' a multimedia CD-ROM that uses topographic maps to tour Washington, D.C. Although designed for the middle school grade level, it can also be used to teach introductory topographic map reading skills to any level. Two versions of ?A Topographic Field Trip of Washington, D.C.,? are available. The first version, for Macintosh? systems only, was developed and produced as a prototype with educational resources funds and is available free of charge. The second version, for dual platforms, Macintosh?, and Windows? systems, is a sales item. The dual platform version contains improvements in content and navigational capabilities.

65 nm LP/GP mix low cost platform for multi-media wireless and consumer applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavel, B.; Duriez, B.; Gwoziecki, R.; Basso, M. T.; Julien, C.; Ortolland, C.; Laplanche, Y.; Fox, R.; Sabouret, E.; Detcheverry, C.; Boeuf, F.; Morin, P.; Barge, D.; Bidaud, M.; Biénacel, J.; Garnier, P.; Cooper, K.; Chapon, J. D.; Trouiller, Y.; Belledent, J.; Broekaart, M.; Gouraud, P.; Denais, M.; Huard, V.; Rochereau, K.; Difrenza, R.; Planes, N.; Marin, M.; Boret, S.; Gloria, D.; Vanbergue, S.; Abramowitz, P.; Vishnubhotla, L.; Reber, D.; Stolk, P.; Woo, M.; Arnaud, F.

2006-04-01

A complete 65 nm CMOS platform, called LP/GP Mix, has been developed employing thick oxide transistor (IO), Low Power (LP) and General Purpose (GP) devices on the same chip. Dedicated to wireless multi-media and consumer applications, this new triple gate oxide platform is low cost (+1mask only) and saves over 35% of dynamic power with the use of the low operating voltage GP. The LP/GP mix shows competitive digital performance with a ring oscillator (FO = 1) speed equal to 7 ps per stage (GP) and 6T-SRAM static power lower than 10 pA/cell (LP). Compatible with mixed-signal design requirements, transistors show high voltage gain, low mismatch factor and low flicker noise. Moreover, to address mobile phone demands, excellent RF performance has been achieved with FT = 160 GHz for LP and 280 GHz for GP nMOS transistors.

Linkage of additional contents to moving objects and video shots in a generic media framework for interactive television

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, Alejandro; Noe, Miquel; Fernandez, Gabriel

2004-10-01

The GMF4iTV project (Generic Media Framework for Interactive Television) is an IST European project that consists of an end-to-end broadcasting platform providing interactivity on heterogeneous multimedia devices such as Set-Top-Boxes and PCs according to the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) standard from DVB. This platform allows the content providers to create enhanced audiovisual contents with a degree of interactivity at moving object level or shot change from a video. The end user is then able to interact with moving objects from the video or individual shots allowing the enjoyment of additional contents associated to them (MHP applications, HTML pages, JPEG, MPEG4 files...). This paper focus the attention to the issues related to metadata and content transmission, synchronization, signaling and bitrate allocation of the GMF4iTV project.

Creation of an Integrated Environment to Supply e-Learning Platforms with Office Automation Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palumbo, Emilio; Verga, Francesca

2015-01-01

Over the last years great efforts have been made within the University environment to implement e-learning technologies in the standard educational practice. These learning technologies distribute online educational multimedia contents through technological platforms. Even though specific e-learning tools for technical disciplines were already…

A Multiprocessor SoC Architecture with Efficient Communication Infrastructure and Advanced Compiler Support for Easy Application Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urfianto, Mohammad Zalfany; Isshiki, Tsuyoshi; Khan, Arif Ullah; Li, Dongju; Kunieda, Hiroaki

This paper presentss a Multiprocessor System-on-Chips (MPSoC) architecture used as an execution platform for the new C-language based MPSoC design framework we are currently developing. The MPSoC architecture is based on an existing SoC platform with a commercial RISC core acting as the host CPU. We extend the existing SoC with a multiprocessor-array block that is used as the main engine to run parallel applications modeled in our design framework. Utilizing several optimizations provided by our compiler, an efficient inter-communication between processing elements with minimum overhead is implemented. A host-interface is designed to integrate the existing RISC core to the multiprocessor-array. The experimental results show that an efficacious integration is achieved, proving that the designed communication module can be used to efficiently incorporate off-the-shelf processors as a processing element for MPSoC architectures designed using our framework.

Gamification and Multimedia for Medical Education: A Landscape Review.

PubMed

McCoy, Lise; Lewis, Joy H; Dalton, David

2016-01-01

Medical education is rapidly evolving. Students enter medical school with a high level of technological literacy and an expectation for instructional variety in the curriculum. In response, many medical schools now incorporate technology-enhanced active learning and multimedia education applications. Education games, medical mobile applications, and virtual patient simulations are together termed gamified training platforms. To review available literature for the benefits of using gamified training platforms for medical education (both preclinical and clinical) and training. Also, to identify platforms suitable for these purposes with links to multimedia content. Peer-reviewed literature, commercially published media, and grey literature were searched to compile an archive of recently published scientific evaluations of gamified training platforms for medical education. Specific educational games, mobile applications, and virtual simulations useful for preclinical and clinical training were identified and categorized. Available evidence was summarized as it related to potential educational advantages of the identified platforms for medical education. Overall, improved learning outcomes have been demonstrated with virtual patient simulations. Games have the potential to promote learning, increase engagement, allow for real-word application, and enhance collaboration. They can also provide opportunities for risk-free clinical decision making, distance training, learning analytics, and swift feedback. A total of 5 electronic games and 4 mobile applications were identified for preclinical training, and 5 electronic games, 10 mobile applications, and 12 virtual patient simulation tools were identified for clinical training. Nine additional gamified, virtual environment training tools not commercially available were also identified. Many published studies suggest possible benefits from using gamified media in medical curriculum. This is a rapidly growing field. More research is required to rigorously evaluate the specific educational benefits of these interventions. This archive of hyperlinked tools can be used as a resource for all levels of medical trainees, providers, and educators.

Displays enabling mobile multimedia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimmel, Jyrki

2007-02-01

With the rapid advances in telecommunications networks, mobile multimedia delivery to handsets is now a reality. While a truly immersive multimedia experience is still far ahead in the mobile world, significant advances have been made in the constituent audio-visual technologies to make this become possible. One of the critical components in multimedia delivery is the mobile handset display. While such alternatives as headset-style near-to-eye displays, autostereoscopic displays, mini-projectors, and roll-out flexible displays can deliver either a larger virtual screen size than the pocketable dimensions of the mobile device can offer, or an added degree of immersion by adding the illusion of the third dimension in the viewing experience, there are still challenges in the full deployment of such displays in real-life mobile communication terminals. Meanwhile, direct-view display technologies have developed steadily, and can provide a development platform for an even better viewing experience for multimedia in the near future. The paper presents an overview of the mobile display technology space with an emphasis on the advances and potential in developing direct-view displays further to meet the goal of enabling multimedia in the mobile domain.

Soil organic carbon - a large scale paired catchment assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunkel, V.; Hancock, G. R.; Wells, T.

2016-12-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration can vary both spatially and temporally driven by differences in soil properties, topography and climate. However most studies have focused on point scale data sets with a paucity of studies examining larger scale catchments. Here we examine the spatial and temporal distribution of SOC for two large catchments. The Krui (575 km2) and Merriwa River (675km2) catchments (New South Wales, Australia). Both have similar shape, soils, topography and orientation. We show that SOC distribution is very similar for both catchments and that elevation (and associated increase in soil moisture) is a major influence on SOC. We also show that there is little change in SOC from the initial assessment in 2006 to 2015 despite a major drought from 2003 to 2010 and extreme rainfall events in 2007 and 2010 -therefore SOC concentration appears robust. However, we found significant relationships between erosion and deposition patterns (as quantified using 137Cs) and SOC for both catchments again demonstrating a strong geomorphic relationship. Vegetation across the catchments was assessed using remote sensing (Landsat and MODIS). Vegetation patterns were temporally consistent with above ground biomass increasing with elevation. SOC could be predicted using both these low and high resolution remote sensing platforms. Results indicate that, although moderate resolution (250 m) allows for reasonable prediction of the spatial distribution of SOC, the higher resolution (30 m) improved the strength of the SOC-NDVI relationship. The relationship between SOC and 137Cs, as a surrogate for the erosion and deposition of SOC, suggested that sediment transport and deposition influences the distribution of SOC within the catchment. The findings demonstrate that over the large catchment scale and at the decadal time scale that SOC is relatively constant and can largely be predicted by topography.

Multimedia explorer: image database, image proxy-server and search-engine.

PubMed Central

Frankewitsch, T.; Prokosch, U.

1999-01-01

Multimedia plays a major role in medicine. Databases containing images, movies or other types of multimedia objects are increasing in number, especially on the WWW. However, no good retrieval mechanism or search engine currently exists to efficiently track down such multimedia sources in the vast of information provided by the WWW. Secondly, the tools for searching databases are usually not adapted to the properties of images. HTML pages do not allow complex searches. Therefore establishing a more comfortable retrieval involves the use of a higher programming level like JAVA. With this platform independent language it is possible to create extensions to commonly used web browsers. These applets offer a graphical user interface for high level navigation. We implemented a database using JAVA objects as the primary storage container which are then stored by a JAVA controlled ORACLE8 database. Navigation depends on a structured vocabulary enhanced by a semantic network. With this approach multimedia objects can be encapsulated within a logical module for quick data retrieval. PMID:10566463

Multimedia explorer: image database, image proxy-server and search-engine.

PubMed

Frankewitsch, T; Prokosch, U

1999-01-01

Multimedia plays a major role in medicine. Databases containing images, movies or other types of multimedia objects are increasing in number, especially on the WWW. However, no good retrieval mechanism or search engine currently exists to efficiently track down such multimedia sources in the vast of information provided by the WWW. Secondly, the tools for searching databases are usually not adapted to the properties of images. HTML pages do not allow complex searches. Therefore establishing a more comfortable retrieval involves the use of a higher programming level like JAVA. With this platform independent language it is possible to create extensions to commonly used web browsers. These applets offer a graphical user interface for high level navigation. We implemented a database using JAVA objects as the primary storage container which are then stored by a JAVA controlled ORACLE8 database. Navigation depends on a structured vocabulary enhanced by a semantic network. With this approach multimedia objects can be encapsulated within a logical module for quick data retrieval.

A JAVA-based multimedia tool for clinical practice guidelines.

PubMed

Maojo, V; Herrero, C; Valenzuela, F; Crespo, J; Lazaro, P; Pazos, A

1997-01-01

We have developed a specific language for the representation of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and Windows C++ and platform independent JAVA applications for multimedia presentation and edition of electronically stored CPGs. This approach facilitates translation of guidelines and protocols from paper to computer-based flowchart representations. Users can navigate through the algorithm with a friendly user interface and access related multimedia information within the context of each clinical problem. CPGs can be stored in a computer server and distributed over the World Wide Web, facilitating dissemination, local adaptation, and use as a reference element in medical care. We have chosen the Agency for Health Care and Policy Research's heart failure guideline to demonstrate the capabilities of our tool.

Tunable Spin-orbit Coupling and Quantum Phase Transition in a Trapped Bose-Einstein Condensate

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yongping; Chen, Gang; Zhang, Chuanwei

2013-01-01

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC), the intrinsic interaction between a particle spin and its motion, is responsible for various important phenomena, ranging from atomic fine structure to topological condensed matter physics. The recent experimental breakthrough on the realization of SOC for ultra-cold atoms provides a completely new platform for exploring spin-orbit coupled superfluid physics. However, the SOC strength in the experiment is not tunable. In this report, we propose a scheme for tuning the SOC strength through a fast and coherent modulation of the laser intensities. We show that the many-body interaction between atoms, together with the tunable SOC, can drive a quantum phase transition (QPT) from spin-balanced to spin-polarized ground states in a harmonic trapped Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), which resembles the long-sought Dicke QPT. We characterize the QPT using the periods of collective oscillations of the BEC, which show pronounced peaks and damping around the quantum critical point. PMID:23727689

System on a Chip Real-Time Emulation (SOCRE)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

code ) i Table of Contents Preface...emulation platform included LDPC decoders, A/V and radio applications Port BEE flow to Emulation Platforms, SOC Technologies One of the key tasks of the...Once the design has been described within Simulink, the designer runs the BEE design flow within Matlab using the bee_xps interface. At this point

Integrating electronic patient records into a multi-media clinic-based simulation center using a PC blade platform: a foundation for a new pedagogy in dentistry.

PubMed

Taylor, David; Valenza, John A; Spence, James M; Baber, Randolph H

2007-10-11

Simulation has been used for many years in dental education, but the educational context is typically a laboratory divorced from the clinical setting, which impairs the transfer of learning. Here we report on a true simulation clinic with multimedia communication from a central teaching station. Each of the 43 fully-functioning student operatories includes a thin-client networked computer with access to an Electronic Patient Record (EPR).

New forms of spin-orbit coupling in a strontium optical lattice clock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perlin, Michael; Safavi-Naini, Arghavan; Ozeri, Roee; Rey, Ana Maria

2017-04-01

Ultracold atomic systems allow for the simulation of a variety of condensed matter phenomena, including spin-orbit coupling (SOC), a key ingredient behind recently discovered topological insulators and a path for the realization of topological superfluids. While many experimental efforts have used alkali atoms to engineer SOC via Raman transitions, undesirable heating mechanisms have limited the observation of many-body phenomena manifest at long timescales. Alkaline earth atoms (AEA) have been recently shown to be a potentially better platform for the implementation of SOC due to their reduced sensitivity to spontaneous emission. While previous work has used electronic clock states as a pseudo-spin degree of freedom, we consider the effects of clock side-band transitions. We discuss the richer SOC dynamics which emerges as a result of this extension, and present methods to probe these dynamics in current AEA optical lattice clocks. AFOSR, NSF-PFC and DARPA.

A Multimedia Tutorial for Charged-Particle Beam Dynamics. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silbar, Richard R.

1999-07-26

In September 1995 WhistleSoft, Inc., began developing a computer-based multimedia tutorial for charged-particle beam dynamics under Phase II of a Small Business Innovative Research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. In Phase I of this project (see its Final Report) we had developed several prototype multimedia modules using an authoring system on NeXTStep computers. Such a platform was never our intended target, and when we began Phase II we decided to make the change immediately to develop our tutorial modules for the Windows and Macintosh microcomputer market. This Report details our progress and accomplishments. It also gives a flavormore » of the look and feel of the presently available and upcoming modules.« less

Fast software-based volume rendering using multimedia instructions on PC platforms and its application to virtual endoscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, Kensaku; Suenaga, Yasuhito; Toriwaki, Jun-ichiro

2003-05-01

This paper describes a software-based fast volume rendering (VolR) method on a PC platform by using multimedia instructions, such as SIMD instructions, which are currently available in PCs' CPUs. This method achieves fast rendering speed through highly optimizing software rather than an improved rendering algorithm. In volume rendering using a ray casting method, the system requires fast execution of the following processes: (a) interpolation of voxel or color values at sample points, (b) computation of normal vectors (gray-level gradient vectors), (c) calculation of shaded values obtained by dot-products of normal vectors and light source direction vectors, (d) memory access to a huge area, and (e) efficient ray skipping at translucent regions. The proposed software implements these fundamental processes in volume rending by using special instruction sets for multimedia processing. The proposed software can generate virtual endoscopic images of a 3-D volume of 512x512x489 voxel size by volume rendering with perspective projection, specular reflection, and on-the-fly normal vector computation on a conventional PC without any special hardware at thirteen frames per second. Semi-translucent display is also possible.

Using Web-Based Tools for Teaching Embryology

EPA Science Inventory

Computers, imaging technologies, and the worldwide web have assumed an important role in augmenting traditional learning. Resources to disseminate multimedia information across platforms, and the emergence of communal knowledge environments, facilitate the visualization of diffi...

All-Electrical Spin Field Effect Transistor in van der Waals Heterostructures at Room Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dankert, André; Dash, Saroj

Spintronics aims to exploit the spin degree of freedom in solid state devices for data storage and information processing. Its fundamental concepts (creation, manipulation and detection of spin polarization) have been demonstrated in semiconductors and spin transistor structures using electrical and optical methods. However, an unsolved challenge is the realization of all-electrical methods to control the spin polarization in a transistor manner at ambient temperatures. Here we combine graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) in a van der Waals heterostructure to realize a spin field-effect transistor (spin-FET) at room temperature. These two-dimensional crystals offer a unique platform due to their contrasting properties, such as weak spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in graphene and strong SOC in MoS2. The gate-tuning of the Schottky barrier at the MoS2/graphene interface and MoS2 channel yields spins to interact with high SOC material and allows us to control the spin polarization and lifetime. This all-electrical spin-FET at room temperature is a substantial step in the field of spintronics and opens a new platform for testing a plethora of exotic physical phenomena, which can be key building blocks in future device architectures.

Significances of Multimedia Technologies Training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Fulei

The use of multimedia technologies in education has enabled teachers to simulate final outcomes and assist s-tudents in applying knowledge learned from textbooks, thereby compensating for the deficiency of traditional teach- ing methods. It is important to examine how effective these technologies are in practical use. This study developed online learning-teaching resource platforms using Flash multimedia, providing interactive and integrated features in an easy-to-use user interface, in order to discuss Computer-Aided Drawing (CAD). The study utilized a teaching experiment with a non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design to test and discuss students' professional cognition, operating skill cognition, and level of learning satisfaction during the learning process. No significant differences emerged between the groups in regards to professional cognition or operation skills cognition. However, a significant difference in learning satisfaction was noted, indicating that the coursework with multimedia Flash produced greater satisfaction than with traditional learning methods. Results are explained in detail and recommendations for further research provided.

Multimedia telehomecare system using standard TV set.

PubMed

Guillén, S; Arredondo, M T; Traver, V; García, J M; Fernández, C

2002-12-01

Nowadays, there are a very large number of patients that need specific health support at home. The deployment of broadband communication networks is making feasible the provision of home care services with a proper quality of service. This paper presents a telehomecare multimedia platform that runs over integrated services digital network and internet protocol using videoconferencing standards H.320 and H.323, and standard TV set for patient interaction. This platform allows online remote monitoring: ECG, heart sound, blood pressure. Usability, affordability, and interoperability were considered for the design and development of its hardware and software components. A first evaluation of technical and usability aspects were carried forward with 52 patients of a private clinic and 10 students in the University. Results show a high rate (mean = 4.33, standard deviation--SD = 1.63 in a five-points Likert scale) in the global perception of users on the quality of images, voice, and feeling of virtual presence.

Scaling and self-organized criticality in proteins I

PubMed Central

Phillips, J. C.

2009-01-01

The complexity of proteins is substantially simplified by regarding them as archetypical examples of self-organized criticality (SOC). To test this idea and elaborate on it, this article applies the Moret–Zebende SOC hydrophobicity scale to the large-scale scaffold repeat protein of the HEAT superfamily, PR65/A. Hydrophobic plasticity is defined and used to identify docking platforms and hinges from repeat sequences alone. The difference between the MZ scale and conventional hydrophobicity scales reflects long-range conformational forces that are central to protein functionality. PMID:19218446

Computer-assisted teaching of skin flap surgery: validation of a mobile platform software for medical students.

PubMed

de Sena, David P; Fabricio, Daniela D; Lopes, Maria Helena I; da Silva, Vinicius D

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a multimedia software application for mobile platforms to assist in the teaching and learning process of design and construction of a skin flap. Traditional training in surgery is based on learning by doing. Initially, the use of cadavers and animal models appeared to be a valid alternative for training. However, many conflicts with these training models prompted progression to synthetic and virtual reality models. Fifty volunteer fifth- and sixth-year medical students completed a pretest and were randomly allocated into two groups of 25 students each. The control group was exposed for 5 minutes to a standard text-based print article, while the test group used multimedia software describing how to fashion a rhomboid flap. Each group then performed a cutaneous flap on a training bench model while being evaluated by three blinded BSPS (Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery) board-certified surgeons using the OSATS (Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill) protocol and answered a post-test. The text-based group was then tested again using the software. The computer-assisted learning (CAL) group had superior performance as confirmed by checklist scores (p<0.002), overall global assessment (p = 0.017) and post-test results (p<0.001). All participants ranked the multimedia method as the best study tool. CAL learners exhibited better subjective and objective performance when fashioning rhomboid flaps as compared to those taught with standard print material. These findings indicate that students preferred to learn using the multimedia method.

Knowledge base for v-Embryo: Information Infrastructure for in silico modeling

EPA Science Inventory

Computers, imaging technologies, and the worldwide web have assumed an important role in augmenting traditional learning. Resources to disseminate multimedia information across platforms, and the emergence of communal knowledge environments, facilitate the visualization of diffi...

Modelling multimedia teleservices with OSI upper layers framework: Short paper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widya, I.; Vanrijssen, E.; Michiels, E.

The paper presents the use of the concepts and modelling principles of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) upper layers structure in the modelling of multimedia teleservices. It puts emphasis on the revised Application Layer Structure (OSI/ALS). OSI/ALS is an object based reference model which intends to coordinate the development of application oriented services and protocols in a consistent and modular way. It enables the rapid deployment and integrated use of these services. The paper emphasizes further on the nesting structure defined in OSI/ALS which allows the design of scalable and user tailorable/controllable teleservices. OSI/ALS consistent teleservices are moreover implementable on communication platforms of different capabilities. An analysis of distributed multimedia architectures which can be found in the literature, confirms the ability of the OSI/ALS framework to model the interworking functionalities of teleservices.

Applying the System Component and Operationally Relevant Evaluation (SCORE) Framework to Evaluate Advanced Military Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

and charac- terize the actions taken by the soldier (e.g., running, walking, climbing stairs ). Real-time image capture and exchange N The ability of...multimedia information sharing among soldiers in the field, two-way speech translation systems, and autonomous robotic platforms. Key words: Emerging...soldiers in the field, two-way speech translation systems, and autonomous robotic platforms. It has been the foundation for 10 technology evaluations

Comprehensive multiplatform collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Kundan; Wu, Xiaotao; Lennox, Jonathan; Schulzrinne, Henning G.

2003-12-01

We describe the architecture and implementation of our comprehensive multi-platform collaboration framework known as Columbia InterNet Extensible Multimedia Architecture (CINEMA). It provides a distributed architecture for collaboration using synchronous communications like multimedia conferencing, instant messaging, shared web-browsing, and asynchronous communications like discussion forums, shared files, voice and video mails. It allows seamless integration with various communication means like telephones, IP phones, web and electronic mail. In addition, it provides value-added services such as call handling based on location information and presence status. The paper discusses the media services needed for collaborative environment, the components provided by CINEMA and the interaction among those components.

Innovating information-delivery for potential clinical trials participants. What do patients want from multi-media resources?

PubMed

Shneerson, Catherine; Windle, Richard; Cox, Karen

2013-01-01

To discover whether the provision of clinical trials information via a multi-media platform could better meet the needs, preferences and practices of potential cancer trial participants. A mixed qualitative and quantitative questionnaire was delivered to 72 participants from cancer support groups to elicit views on the provision and design features of multimedia resources in delivering clinical trials information. Perceived lack of information is an expressed barrier to clinical trials participation. Multimedia resources were viewed positively as a way to address this barrier by most potential clinical trials participants; in particular by helping to align information to individual needs, promote active engagement with information, and by allowing more control of the learning experience. Whilst text remained the most valued attribute of any resource, other highly rated attributes included the resource being simple to use, easily accessible, having a clear focus, incorporating examples and visual aids, and being interactive. Provision of support for the learning resource was also rated highly. As in other areas, such as education, multimedia resources may enhance the delivery and acceptance of information regarding clinical trials. Better alignment of information may have a positive impact on recruitment and retention into clinical trials. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Amplifying IFN-γ Signaling in Dendritic Cells by CD11c-Specific Loss of SOCS1 Increases Innate Immunity to Infection while Decreasing Adaptive Immunity.

PubMed

Alice, Alejandro F; Kramer, Gwen; Bambina, Shelly; Baird, Jason R; Bahjat, Keith S; Gough, Michael J; Crittenden, Marka R

2018-01-01

Although prophylactic vaccines provide protective humoral immunity against infectious agents, vaccines that elicit potent CD8 T cell responses are valuable tools to shape and drive cellular immunity against cancer and intracellular infection. In particular, IFN-γ-polarized cytotoxic CD8 T cell immunity is considered optimal for protective immunity against intracellular Ags. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 is a cross-functional negative regulator of TLR and cytokine receptor signaling via degradation of the receptor-signaling complex. We hypothesized that loss of SOCS1 in dendritic cells (DCs) would improve T cell responses by accentuating IFN-γ-directed immune responses. We tested this hypothesis using a recombinant Listeria monocytogenes vaccine platform that targets CD11c + DCs in mice in which SOCS1 is selectively deleted in all CD11c + cells. Unexpectedly, in mice lacking SOCS1 expression in CD11c + cells, we observed a decrease in CD8 + T cell response to the L. monocytogenes vaccine. NK cell responses were also decreased in mice lacking SOCS1 expression in CD11c + cells but did not explain the defect in CD8 + T cell immunity. We found that DCs lacking SOCS1 expression were functional in driving Ag-specific CD8 + T cell expansion in vitro but that this process was defective following infection in vivo. Instead, monocyte-derived innate TNF-α and inducible NO synthase-producing DCs dominated the antibacterial response. Thus, loss of SOCS1 in CD11c + cells skewed the balance of immune response to infection by increasing innate responses while decreasing Ag-specific adaptive responses to infectious Ags. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Imaging informatics-based multimedia ePR system for data management and decision support in rehabilitation research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ximing; Verma, Sneha; Qin, Yi; Sterling, Josh; Zhou, Alyssa; Zhang, Jeffrey; Martinez, Clarisa; Casebeer, Narissa; Koh, Hyunwook; Winstein, Carolee; Liu, Brent

2013-03-01

With the rapid development of science and technology, large-scale rehabilitation centers and clinical rehabilitation trials usually involve significant volumes of multimedia data. Due to the global aging crisis, millions of new patients with age-related chronic diseases will produce huge amounts of data and contribute to soaring costs of medical care. Hence, a solution for effective data management and decision support will significantly reduce the expenditure and finally improve the patient life quality. Inspired from the concept of the electronic patient record (ePR), we developed a prototype system for the field of rehabilitation engineering. The system is subject or patient-oriented and customized for specific projects. The system components include data entry modules, multimedia data presentation and data retrieval. To process the multimedia data, the system includes a DICOM viewer with annotation tools and video/audio player. The system also serves as a platform for integrating decision-support tools and data mining tools. Based on the prototype system design, we developed two specific applications: 1) DOSE (a phase 1 randomized clinical trial to determine the optimal dose of therapy for rehabilitation of the arm and hand after stroke.); and 2) NEXUS project from the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center(RERC, a NIDRR funded Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center). Currently, the system is being evaluated in the context of the DOSE trial with a projected enrollment of 60 participants over 5 years, and will be evaluated by the NEXUS project with 30 subjects. By applying the ePR concept, we developed a system in order to improve the current research workflow, reduce the cost of managing data, and provide a platform for the rapid development of future decision-support tools.

Multimedia educational tools for cognitive surgical skill acquisition in open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Shariff, U; Kullar, N; Haray, P N; Dorudi, S; Balasubramanian, S P

2015-05-01

Conventional teaching in surgical training programmes is constrained by time and cost, and has room for improvement. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a multimedia educational tool developed for an index colorectal surgical procedure (anterior resection) in teaching and assessment of cognitive skills and to evaluate its acceptability amongst general surgical trainees. Multimedia educational tools in open and laparoscopic anterior resection were developed by filming multiple operations which were edited into procedural steps and substeps and then integrated onto interactive navigational platforms using Adobe® Flash® Professional CS5 10.1. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on general surgical trainees to evaluate the effectiveness of online multimedia in comparison with conventional 'study day' teaching for the acquisition of cognitive skills. All trainees were assessed before and after the study period. Trainees in the multimedia group evaluated the tools by completing a survey. Fifty-nine trainees were randomized but 27% dropped out, leaving 43 trainees randomized to the multimedia group (n = 25) and study day group (n = 18) who were available for analysis. Posttest scores improved significantly in both groups (P < 0.01). The change in scores (mean ± SD) in the multimedia group was not significantly different from the study day group (6.02 ± 5.12 and 5.31 ± 3.42, respectively; P = 0.61). Twenty-five trainees completed the evaluation survey and experienced an improvement in their decision making (67%) and in factual and anatomical knowledge (88%); 96% agreed that the multimedia tool was a useful additional educational resource. Multimedia tools are effective for the acquisition of cognitive skills in colorectal surgery and are well accepted as an educational resource. Colorectal Disease © 2014 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

Evaluation Study of a Wireless Multimedia Traffic-Oriented Network Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasiliadis, D. C.; Rizos, G. E.; Vassilakis, C.

2008-11-01

In this paper, a wireless multimedia traffic-oriented network scheme over a fourth generation system (4-G) is presented and analyzed. We conducted an extensive evaluation study for various mobility configurations in order to incorporate the behavior of the IEEE 802.11b standard over a test-bed wireless multimedia network model. In this context, the Quality of Services (QoS) over this network is vital for providing a reliable high-bandwidth platform for data-intensive sources like video streaming. Therefore, the main issues concerned in terms of QoS were the metrics for bandwidth of both dropped and lost packets and their mean packet delay under various traffic conditions. Finally, we used a generic distance-vector routing protocol which was based on an implementation of Distributed Bellman-Ford algorithm. The performance of the test-bed network model has been evaluated by using the simulation environment of NS-2.

The Coming of Digital Desktop Media.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galbreath, Jeremy

1992-01-01

Discusses the movement toward digital-based platforms including full-motion video for multimedia products. Hardware- and software-based compression techniques for digital data storage are considered, and a chart summarizes features of Digital Video Interactive, Moving Pictures Experts Group, P x 64, Joint Photographic Experts Group, Apple…

So Wide a Web, So Little Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConville, David; And Others

1996-01-01

Discusses new trends in the World Wide Web. Highlights include multimedia; digitized audio-visual files; compression technology; telephony; virtual reality modeling language (VRML); open architecture; and advantages of Java, an object-oriented programming language, including platform independence, distributed development, and pay-per-use software.…

Networking CD-ROMs: A Tutorial Introduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perone, Karen

1996-01-01

Provides an introduction to CD-ROM networking. Highlights include LAN (local area network) architectures for CD-ROM networks, peer-to-peer networks, shared file and dedicated file servers, commercial software/vendor solutions, problems, multiple hardware platforms, and multimedia. Six figures illustrate network architectures and a sidebar contains…

Comparative and Predictive Multimedia Assessments Using Monte Carlo Uncertainty Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whelan, G.

2002-05-01

Multiple-pathway frameworks (sometimes referred to as multimedia models) provide a platform for combining medium-specific environmental models and databases, such that they can be utilized in a more holistic assessment of contaminant fate and transport in the environment. These frameworks provide a relatively seamless transfer of information from one model to the next and from databases to models. Within these frameworks, multiple models are linked, resulting in models that consume information from upstream models and produce information to be consumed by downstream models. The Framework for Risk Analysis in Multimedia Environmental Systems (FRAMES) is an example, which allows users to link their models to other models and databases. FRAMES is an icon-driven, site-layout platform that is an open-architecture, object-oriented system that interacts with environmental databases; helps the user construct a Conceptual Site Model that is real-world based; allows the user to choose the most appropriate models to solve simulation requirements; solves the standard risk paradigm of release transport and fate; and exposure/risk assessments to people and ecology; and presents graphical packages for analyzing results. FRAMES is specifically designed allow users to link their own models into a system, which contains models developed by others. This paper will present the use of FRAMES to evaluate potential human health exposures using real site data and realistic assumptions from sources, through the vadose and saturated zones, to exposure and risk assessment at three real-world sites, using the Multimedia Environmental Pollutant Assessment System (MEPAS), which is a multimedia model contained within FRAMES. These real-world examples use predictive and comparative approaches coupled with a Monte Carlo analysis. A predictive analysis is where models are calibrated to monitored site data, prior to the assessment, and a comparative analysis is where models are not calibrated but based solely on literature or judgement and is usually used to compare alternatives. In many cases, a combination is employed where the model is calibrated to a portion of the data (e.g., to determine hydrodynamics), then used to compare alternatives. Three subsurface-based multimedia examples are presented, increasing in complexity. The first presents the application of a predictive, deterministic assessment; the second presents a predictive and comparative, Monte Carlo analysis; and the third presents a comparative, multi-dimensional Monte Carlo analysis. Endpoints are typically presented in terms of concentration, hazard, risk, and dose, and because the vadose zone model typically represents a connection between a source and the aquifer, it does not generally represent the final medium in a multimedia risk assessment.

A 6.45 μW Self-Powered SoC With Integrated Energy-Harvesting Power Management and ULP Asymmetric Radios for Portable Biomedical Systems.

PubMed

Roy, Abhishek; Klinefelter, Alicia; Yahya, Farah B; Chen, Xing; Gonzalez-Guerrero, Luisa Patricia; Lukas, Christopher J; Kamakshi, Divya Akella; Boley, James; Craig, Kyle; Faisal, Muhammad; Oh, Seunghyun; Roberts, Nathan E; Shakhsheer, Yousef; Shrivastava, Aatmesh; Vasudevan, Dilip P; Wentzloff, David D; Calhoun, Benton H

2015-12-01

This paper presents a batteryless system-on-chip (SoC) that operates off energy harvested from indoor solar cells and/or thermoelectric generators (TEGs) on the body. Fabricated in a commercial 0.13 μW process, this SoC sensing platform consists of an integrated energy harvesting and power management unit (EH-PMU) with maximum power point tracking, multiple sensing modalities, programmable core and a low power microcontroller with several hardware accelerators to enable energy-efficient digital signal processing, ultra-low-power (ULP) asymmetric radios for wireless transmission, and a 100 nW wake-up radio. The EH-PMU achieves a peak end-to-end efficiency of 75% delivering power to a 100 μA load. In an example motion detection application, the SoC reads data from an accelerometer through SPI, processes it, and sends it over the radio. The SPI and digital processing consume only 2.27 μW, while the integrated radio consumes 4.18 μW when transmitting at 187.5 kbps for a total of 6.45 μW.

Low Cost SoC Design of H.264/AVC Decoder for Handheld Video Player

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wisayataksin, Sumek; Li, Dongju; Isshiki, Tsuyoshi; Kunieda, Hiroaki

We propose a low cost and stand-alone platform-based SoC for H.264/AVC decoder, whose target is practical mobile applications such as a handheld video player. Both low cost and stand-alone solutions are particularly emphasized. The SoC, consisting of RISC core and decoder core, has advantages in terms of flexibility, testability and various I/O interfaces. For decoder core design, the proposed H.264/AVC coprocessor in the SoC employs a new block pipelining scheme instead of a conventional macroblock or a hybrid one, which greatly contribute to reducing drastically the size of the core and its pipelining buffer. In addition, the decoder schedule is optimized to block level which is easy to be programmed. Actually, the core size is reduced to 138 KGate with 3.5 kbyte memory. In our practical development, a single external SDRAM is sufficient for both reference frame buffer and display buffer. Various peripheral interfaces such as a compact flash, a digital broadcast receiver and a LCD driver are also provided on a chip.

Strategy and Structure for Online News Production - Case Studies of CNN and NRK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumsvik, Arne H.

This cross-national comparative case study of online news production analyzes the strategies of Cable News Network (CNN) and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), aiming at understanding of the implications of organizational strategy on the role of journalists, explains why traditional media organizations have a tendency to develop a multi-platform approach (distributing content on several platforms, such as television, online, mobile) rather than developing the cross-media (with interplay between media types) or multimedia approach anticipated by both scholars and practitioners.

AMELIE: Authoring Multimedia-Enhanced Learning Interactive Environment for medical contents.

PubMed

Sánchez-González, P; Oropesa, I; García-Novoa, J; Gómez, E J

2013-01-01

This paper presents the AMELIE Authoring Tool for medical e-learning applications. The tool allows for the creation of enhanced-video based didactic contents, and can be adjusted to any number of platforms and applications. Validation provides preliminary good results on its acceptance and usefulness.

Design and implementation of distributed multimedia surveillance system based on object-oriented middleware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Xuesong; Jiang, Ling; Hu, Ruimin

2006-10-01

Currently, the applications of surveillance system have been increasingly widespread. But there are few surveillance platforms that can meet the requirement of large-scale, cross-regional, and flexible surveillance business. In the paper, we present a distributed surveillance system platform to improve safety and security of the society. The system is constructed by an object-oriented middleware called as Internet Communications Engine (ICE). This middleware helps our platform to integrate a lot of surveillance resource of the society and accommodate diverse range of surveillance industry requirements. In the follow sections, we will describe in detail the design concepts of system and introduce traits of ICE.

Collaborative Control of Media Playbacks in SCDNs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortino, Giancarlo; Russo, Wilma; Palau, Carlos E.

2006-01-01

In this paper we present a CDN-based system, namely the COMODIN system, which is a media on-demand platform for synchronous cooperative work which supports an explicitly-formed cooperative group of distributed users with the following integrated functionalities: request of an archived multimedia session, sharing of its playback, and collaboration…

Digital Storytelling as an Interactive Digital Media Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Kate T.; Chua, Puay Hoe

2010-01-01

Digital storytelling involves the creation of short, personal narratives combining images, sounds, and text in a multimedia computer-based platform. In education, digital storytelling has been used to foster learning in formal and informal spaces worldwide. The authors offer a critical discussion of claims about digital storytelling's usefulness…

Social and Collaborative Interactions for Educational Content Enrichment in ULEs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Araújo, Rafael D.; Brant-Ribeiro, Taffarel; Mendonça, Igor E. S.; Mendes, Miller M.; Dorça, Fabiano A.; Cattelan, Renan G.

2017-01-01

This article presents a social and collaborative model for content enrichment in Ubiquitous Learning Environments. Designed as a loosely coupled software architecture, the proposed model was implemented and integrated into the Classroom eXperience, a multimedia capture platform for educational environments. After automatically recording a lecture…

Maps & Multimedia | National Agricultural Library

Science.gov Websites

Skip to main content Home National Agricultural Library United States Department of Agriculture Ag , tables, graphs), Agricultural Products html A how-to-build guide for Deadpool, a proximal sensing cart platform suitable for proximal sensing and imaging in a wide range of agricultural and environmental

E-Portfolios Come of Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waters, John K.

2009-01-01

Industry analysts say the systems have reached a mature adolescence, having grown from mere electronic filing cabinets into multimedia platforms that can operate with a variety of e-learning tools. Their fullest potential still lies ahead. This article talks about electronic portfolios--better known as e-portfolios, and how e-portfolios are taking…

Multimedia consultation session recording and playback using Java-based browser in global PACS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Ralph; Shah, Pinkesh J.; Yu, Yuan-Pin

1998-07-01

The current version of the Global PACS software system uses a Java-based implementation of the Remote Consultation and Diagnosis (RCD) system. The Java RCD includes a multimedia consultation session between physicians that includes text, static image, image annotation, and audio data. The JAVA RCD allows 2-4 physicians to collaborate on a patient case. It allows physicians to join the session via WWW Java-enabled browsers or stand alone RCD application. The RCD system includes a distributed database archive system for archiving and retrieving patient and session data. The RCD system can be used for store and forward scenarios, case reviews, and interactive RCD multimedia sessions. The RCD system operates over the Internet, telephone lines, or in a private Intranet. A multimedia consultation session can be recorded, and then played back at a later time for review, comments, and education. A session can be played back using Java-enabled WWW browsers on any operating system platform. The JAVA RCD system shows that a case diagnosis can be captured digitally and played back with the original real-time temporal relationships between data streams. In this paper, we describe design and implementation of the RCD session playback.

Improvement of Resilience to Disasters in Local Community Using Information Sharing Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayama, Toru; Suzuki, Yuji; Park, Wonho; Hayashi, Akira

This paper presents a proposal for Disaster Information Sharing Platform, which enable local government and residents to share the disaster information, and to cope with the disaster under the proper balance of Self-help, Mutual-help and Public-help. Informagic, which has been developed as a concrete example of the information sharing platform, enable us to collect information from variety of sources, such as government, local government, research institutes, private contents providers and so forth, and to transmit these information to residents through multi-media, such as internet, mobile-phone network and wireless system. An experiment was conducted under the cooperation of City of Fujisawa, to investigate the effectiveness of such platform for the disaster mitigation. Further, the platform was utilized to provide information to refugees at refuges for the Iwate-Miyagi Inland Earthquake. Through these experiments, effectiveness and issues of the platform and information sharing were investigated.

BIRD: Bio-Image Referral Database. Design and implementation of a new web based and patient multimedia data focused system for effective medical diagnosis and therapy.

PubMed

Pinciroli, Francesco; Masseroli, Marco; Acerbo, Livio A; Bonacina, Stefano; Ferrari, Roberto; Marchente, Mario

2004-01-01

This paper presents a low cost software platform prototype supporting health care personnel in retrieving patient referral multimedia data. These information are centralized in a server machine and structured by using a flexible eXtensible Markup Language (XML) Bio-Image Referral Database (BIRD). Data are distributed on demand to requesting client in an Intranet network and transformed via eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) to be visualized in an uniform way on market browsers. The core server operation software has been developed in PHP Hypertext Preprocessor scripting language, which is very versatile and useful for crafting a dynamic Web environment.

SoCRocket: A Virtual Platform for SoC Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fossati, Luca; Schuster, Thomas; Meyer, Rolf; Berekovic, Mladen

2013-08-01

Both in the commercial and in the aerospace domain, the continuous increase of transistor density on a single die is leading towards the production of more and more complex systems on a single chip, with an increasing number of components. This brought to the introduction of the System-On-Chip (SoC) architecture, that integrates on a single circuit all the elements of a full system. This strive for efficient utilization of the available silicon has triggered several paradigm shifts in system design. Similarly to what happened in the early 1990s, when VHDL and Verilog took over from schematic design, today SystemC and Transaction Level Modeling [1] are about to further raise the design abstraction level. Such descriptions have to be accurate enough to describe the entire system throughout the phases of its development, and has to provide enough flexibility to be refined iteratively up to the point where the actual device can be produced using current process technology. Besides requiring new languages and methodologies, the complexity of current and future SoCs (SCOC3 [16] and NGMP [5] are example in the space domain) forces the SoC design process to rely on pre-designed or third party components. Components obtained from different providers, and even those designed by different teams of the same company, may be heterogeneous on several aspects: design domains, interfaces, abstraction levels, granularity, etc. Therefore, component integration is required at system level. Only by applying design re-use it is possible to successfully and timely design such complex SoCs. This transition to new languages and design methods is also motivated by the implementation with software of an increasing amount of system functionalities. Hence the need for methodologies to enable early software development and which allow the analysis of the performance of the combined Hw/Sw system, as their design and configuration cannot be performed separately. Virtual Prototyping is a key approach in this sense, enabling embedded software developers to start development earlier in the system design cycle, and cutting the dependency on the physical system hardware. In order to successfully implement the described methodologies, it is requested to have access to the a wide selection of IP-Cores (and related SystemC/TLM models) and access to the latest Electronic Design Automation (EDA, [17]) tools. On the one hand, for what concerns the European Space landscape, such IP-Cores are provided by the European Space Agency [4] and a few other suppliers (e.g Aeroflex Gaisler with GRLIB [2]). On the other hand, for what concerns the related high abstraction models and related design methodologies (partly depicted in Figure 1), the European Space Agency, through the Braunschweig Technische Universitat, has started the development of the SoCRocket Virtual Platform [8]. Together with the Virtual Platform infrastructure SoCRocket contains a library of IP-Core models. The SoCRocket library has been built around the TrapGen LEON instruction set simulator [15]. The library contains a variety of SystemC simulation models such as caches, memory management unit, AMBA interconnect, memory controller, memories, interrupt controller, timer and more. All models are TLM2.0 compliant and come in both loosely-timed and approximately timed coding styles. As later-on presented more in detail, the runtime reconfiguration, the completeness of tools and models, as well as the fact that all simulation IPs have a freely available RTL counterpart differentiates SoCRocket from other commercially available Virtual Platforms. Moreover, due to their TLM2.0 compliance the provided models are not bound to the SoCRocket environment but they can be used with alternative tools, such as Cadence Virtual Platform [3] or Synopsys Platform Architect [10]. The paper is organized as follows: Section 2 presents the architecture of SoCRocket and the related library of SystemC models. Finally Section 3 shows how SoCRocket was used to optimize the design of a LEON3-based SoC targeted to the execution of an implementation of the CCSDS standard n.123 for the lossless compression of hyperspectral images.

Evaluation of Story Maps to Enhance Public Engagement and Communication at Legacy Management Sites – 17334

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castillo, Darina; Carpenter, Cliff; Linard, Joshua

Story Maps are being used in both public and private sectors to convey information to stakeholders, create enterprise platforms, and assist in decision making. Story Maps are web applications that combine maps, narrative text, images, and multimedia content to provide information. These applications provide a user-friendly platform to share the remarkable history of our sites, the complexity of their contamination and remediation, successes we achieve in our LTS&M activities, and even the challenges we face as we aim to fulfill our mission.

AUDIO-CASI

PubMed Central

Cooley, Philip C.; Turner, Charles F.; O'Reilly, James M.; Allen, Danny R.; Hamill, David N.; Paddock, Richard E.

2011-01-01

This article reviews a multimedia application in the area of survey measurement research: adding audio capabilities to a computer-assisted interviewing system. Hardware and software issues are discussed, and potential hardware devices that operate from DOS platforms are reviewed. Three types of hardware devices are considered: PCMCIA devices, parallel port attachments, and laptops with built-in sound. PMID:22096271

An Integrated Modeling Platform for Human and Ecological Exposure and Risk in Multimedia Environmental Systems (HE2RMES)

EPA Science Inventory

When considering potentially hazardous materials in the context of initial use, reuse, recycling, or ultimate disposal in the landscape, a crux of most decision will be understanding the cumulative contaminant exposure and risk of a given material to human health and well-being. ...

Performing Play: Cultural Production on Twitch.tv

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellicone, Anthony James

2017-01-01

Streaming is an emerging practice of videogame culture, where a player broadcasts a live capture of their game-play to an audience. Every day Twitch.tv, the most popular streaming platform, features thousands of streams broadcast to millions of viewers. Streams are detailed multimedia artifacts, and their study allows us to understand how the…

Perception SoC Based on an Ultrasonic Array of Sensors: Efficient DSP Core Implementation and Subsequent Experimental Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kassem, A.; Sawan, M.; Boukadoum, M.; Haidar, A.

2005-12-01

We are concerned with the design, implementation, and validation of a perception SoC based on an ultrasonic array of sensors. The proposed SoC is dedicated to ultrasonic echography applications. A rapid prototyping platform is used to implement and validate the new architecture of the digital signal processing (DSP) core. The proposed DSP core efficiently integrates all of the necessary ultrasonic B-mode processing modules. It includes digital beamforming, quadrature demodulation of RF signals, digital filtering, and envelope detection of the received signals. This system handles 128 scan lines and 6400 samples per scan line with a[InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.] angle of view span. The design uses a minimum size lookup memory to store the initial scan information. Rapid prototyping using an ARM/FPGA combination is used to validate the operation of the described system. This system offers significant advantages of portability and a rapid time to market.

Design and management of public health outreach using interoperable mobile multimedia: an analysis of a national winter weather preparedness campaign.

PubMed

Bandera, Cesar

2016-05-25

The Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR) in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts outreach for public preparedness for natural and manmade incidents. In 2011, OPHPR conducted a nationwide mobile public health (m-Health) campaign that pushed brief videos on preparing for severe winter weather onto cell phones, with the objective of evaluating the interoperability of multimedia m-Health outreach with diverse cell phones (including handsets without Internet capability), carriers, and user preferences. Existing OPHPR outreach material on winter weather preparedness was converted into mobile-ready multimedia using mobile marketing best practices to improve audiovisual quality and relevance. Middleware complying with opt-in requirements was developed to push nine bi-weekly multimedia broadcasts onto subscribers' cell phones, and OPHPR promoted the campaign on its web site and to subscribers on its govdelivery.com notification platform. Multimedia, text, and voice messaging activity to/from the middleware was logged and analyzed. Adapting existing media into mobile video was straightforward using open source and commercial software, including web pages, PDF documents, and public service announcements. The middleware successfully delivered all outreach videos to all participants (a total of 504 videos) regardless of the participant's device. 54 % of videos were viewed on cell phones, 32 % on computers, and 14 % were retrieved by search engine web crawlers. 21 % of participating cell phones did not have Internet access, yet still received and displayed all videos. The time from media push to media viewing on cell phones was half that of push to viewing on computers. Video delivered through multimedia messaging can be as interoperable as text messages, while providing much richer information. This may be the only multimedia mechanism available to outreach campaigns targeting vulnerable populations impacted by the digital divide. Anti-spam laws preserve the integrity of mobile messaging, but complicate campaign promotion. Person-to-person messages may boost enrollment.

Integrating distributed multimedia systems and interactive television networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shvartsman, Alex A.

1996-01-01

Recent advances in networks, storage and video delivery systems are about to make commercial deployment of interactive multimedia services over digital television networks a reality. The emerging components individually have the potential to satisfy the technical requirements in the near future. However, no single vendor is offering a complete end-to-end commercially-deployable and scalable interactive multimedia applications systems over digital/analog television systems. Integrating a large set of maturing sub-assemblies and interactive multimedia applications is a major task in deploying such systems. Here we deal with integration issues, requirements and trade-offs in building delivery platforms and applications for interactive television services. Such integration efforts must overcome lack of standards, and deal with unpredictable development cycles and quality problems of leading- edge technology. There are also the conflicting goals of optimizing systems for video delivery while enabling highly interactive distributed applications. It is becoming possible to deliver continuous video streams from specific sources, but it is difficult and expensive to provide the ability to rapidly switch among multiple sources of video and data. Finally, there is the ever- present challenge of integrating and deploying expensive systems whose scalability and extensibility is limited, while ensuring some resiliency in the face of inevitable changes. This proceedings version of the paper is an extended abstract.

Energy efficiency analysis and optimization for mobile platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metri, Grace Camille

The introduction of mobile devices changed the landscape of computing. Gradually, these devices are replacing traditional personal computer (PCs) to become the devices of choice for entertainment, connectivity, and productivity. There are currently at least 45.5 million people in the United States who own a mobile device, and that number is expected to increase to 1.5 billion by 2015. Users of mobile devices expect and mandate that their mobile devices have maximized performance while consuming minimal possible power. However, due to the battery size constraints, the amount of energy stored in these devices is limited and is only growing by 5% annually. As a result, we focused in this dissertation on energy efficiency analysis and optimization for mobile platforms. We specifically developed SoftPowerMon, a tool that can power profile Android platforms in order to expose the power consumption behavior of the CPU. We also performed an extensive set of case studies in order to determine energy inefficiencies of mobile applications. Through our case studies, we were able to propose optimization techniques in order to increase the energy efficiency of mobile devices and proposed guidelines for energy-efficient application development. In addition, we developed BatteryExtender, an adaptive user-guided tool for power management of mobile devices. The tool enables users to extend battery life on demand for a specific duration until a particular task is completed. Moreover, we examined the power consumption of System-on-Chips (SoCs) and observed the impact on the energy efficiency in the event of offloading tasks from the CPU to the specialized custom engines. Based on our case studies, we were able to demonstrate that current software-based power profiling techniques for SoCs can have an error rate close to 12%, which needs to be addressed in order to be able to optimize the energy consumption of the SoC. Finally, we summarize our contributions and outline possible direction for future research in this field.

Creating an Interactive Virtual Community of Linguistically and Culturally Responsive Content Teacher-Learners to Serve English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sujin; Song, Kim; Coppersmith, Sarah

2018-01-01

This qualitative case study was framed by an experiential learning approach organized around video resources and linguistically and culturally responsive content teaching. The study explored an overarching research question: How did teacher-learners in a grant project interact with a multimedia learning platform that combined teaching video and…

From Print to Digital Platforms: A PBL Framework for Fostering Multimedia Competencies and Consciousness in Traditional Journalism Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Debbie; Kale, Ugur

2015-01-01

The project-based learning (PBL) approach closely reflects the tenets of journalism and provides a potential pedagogical guide for transforming traditional journalism education. This study operationalizes and applies a PBL framework in digitizing a print journalism course. The findings illustrate how the presence of seven key elements of PBL…

English in Class and on the Go: Multimodal U-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García-Sánchez, Soraya

2012-01-01

This article aims to analyse different ubiquitous learning (u-Learning) platforms used when learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) as part of the Modern Languages Degree at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). The combination of face-to-face lessons with multimedia content and digital mediated learning allows today's native…

Spin-orbit coupling manipulating composite topological spin textures in atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein condensates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chao-Fei; Juzeliūnas, Gediminas; Liu, W. M.

2017-02-01

Atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) offer brand new opportunities to revolutionize quantum gases and probe the variation of fundamental constants with unprecedented sensitivity. The recent realization of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in BECs provides a new platform for exploring completely new phenomena unrealizable elsewhere. In this study, we find a way of creating a Rashba-Dresselhaus SOC in atomic-molecular BECs by combining the spin-dependent photoassociation and Raman coupling, which can control the formation and distribution of a different type of topological excitation—carbon-dioxide-like skyrmion. This skyrmion is formed by two half-skyrmions of molecular BECs coupling with one skyrmion of atomic BECs, where the two half-skyrmions locate at both sides of one skyrmion. Carbon-dioxide-like skyrmion can be detected by measuring the vortices structures using the time-of-flight absorption imaging technique in real experiments. Furthermore, we find that SOC can effectively change the occurrence of the Chern number in k space, which causes the creation of topological spin textures from some separated carbon-dioxide-like monomers each with topological charge -2 to a polymer chain of the skyrmions. This work helps in creating dual SOC atomic-molecular BECs and opens avenues to manipulate topological excitations.

Real-time implementations of acoustic signal enhancement techniques for aerial based surveillance and rescue applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Antonio L. L.; Shao, Zhili; Holthe, Aleksander; Sandli, Mathias F.

2017-05-01

The introduction of the System-on-Chip (SoC) technology has brought exciting new opportunities for the development of smart low cost embedded systems spanning a wide range of applications. Currently available SoC devices are capable of performing high speed digital signal processing tasks in software while featuring relatively low development costs and reduced time-to-market. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are an application example that has shown tremendous potential in an increasing number of scenarios, ranging from leisure to surveillance as well as in search and rescue missions. Video capturing from UAV platforms is a relatively straightforward task that requires almost no preprocessing. However, that does not apply to audio signals, especially in cases where the data is to be used to support real-time decision making. In fact, the enormous amount of acoustic interference from the surroundings, including the noise from the UAVs propellers, becomes a huge problem. This paper discusses a real-time implementation of the NLMS adaptive filtering algorithm applied to enhancing acoustic signals captured from UAV platforms. The model relies on a combination of acoustic sensors and a computational inexpensive algorithm running on a digital signal processor. Given its simplicity, this solution can be incorporated into the main processing system of an UAV using the SoC technology, and run concurrently with other required tasks, such as flight control and communications. Simulations and real-time DSP-based implementations have shown significant signal enhancement results by efficiently mitigating the interference from the noise generated by the UAVs propellers as well as from other external noise sources.

[A radiological case collection with interactive character as a new element in the education of medical students].

PubMed

Heye, T; Kurz, P; Eiers, M; Kauffmann, G W; Schipp, A

2008-04-01

Evaluation of an interactive, multimedia case-based learning platform for the radiological education of medical students. An interactive electronic learning platform for the education of medical students was built in HTML format independent of the operating system in the context of the Heidelberg Curriculum Medicinale (HeiCuMed). A case collection of 30 common and authentic clinical cases is used as the central theme and clinical background. The user has to work on each case by making decisions regarding a selection of diagnostic modalities and by analyzing the chosen studies. After a reasonable selection and sequence of diagnostic radiological modalities and their interpretation, a diagnosis has to be made. An extensive collection of normal findings for any modality is available for the user as a reference in correlation with the pathology at anytime within each case. The case collection consists of 2053 files with 1109 Internet pages (HTML) and 869 image files (.jpeg) with approximately 10 000 crosslinks (links). The case collection was evaluated by a questionnaire (scale 1 - 5) at the end of the radiological student course. The development of the results of the radiological course exam was analyzed to investigate any effect on the learning performance after the case collection was introduced. 97.6 % of the course participants would use the case collection beyond the radiological student course to learn radiology in their medical studies. The handling of the case collection was rated excellent in 36.9 %, good in 54.6 %, satisfactory in 8 % and unsatisfactory in 0.4 %. 41 % felt that the case collection was overall excellent, 49.2 % good, 7.8 % satisfactory, 1.6 % unsatisfactory and 0.4 % poor. A positive trend in the development of the results in the radiological course exam with less variance after the introduction of the case collection was found but failed statistical significance. A platform-independent, interactive, multimedia learning platform with authentic clinical cases and multiple choice elements for the user is the ideal method for supporting and expanding medical education in radiology. The usefulness and the reasonable exertion of diagnostic modalities are conveyed in a practical context as teaching goals. The high acceptance among students is based on the interactivity and use of multimedia.

Using Frames and JavaScript To Automate Teacher-Side Web Page Navigation for Classroom Presentations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Robin M.

HTML provides a platform-independent way of creating and making multimedia presentations for classroom instruction and making that content available on the Internet. However, time in class is very valuable, so that any way to automate or otherwise assist the presenter in Web page navigation during class can save valuable seconds. This paper…

Multimedia platform for authoring and presentation of clinical rounds in cardiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratib, Osman M.; Allada, Vivekanand; Dahlbom, Magdalena; Lapstra, Lorelle

2003-05-01

We developed a multimedia presentation platform that allows retrieving data from any digital and analog modalities and to prepare a script of a clinical presentation in an XML format. This system was designed for cardiac multi-disciplinary conferences involving different cardiology specialists as well as cardiovascular surgeons. A typical presentation requires preparation of summary reports of data obtained from the different investigations and imaging techniques. An XML-based scripting methodology was developed to allow for preparation of clinical presentations. The image display program uses the generated script for the sequential presentation of different images that are displayed on pre-determined presentation settings. The ability to prepare and present clinical conferences electronically is more efficient and less time consuming than conventional settings using analog and digital documents, films and videotapes. The script of a given presentation can further be saved as part of the patient record for subsequent review of the documents and images that supported a given medical or therapeutic decision. This also constitutes a perfect documentation method for surgeons and physicians responsible of therapeutic procedures that were decided upon during the clinical conference. It allows them to review the relevant data that supported a given therapeutic decision.

Practical and generalizable architecture for an intelligent tutoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, Randy M.; Trenholm, Harriet

1993-03-01

In this paper we describe an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) called HYDRIVE (hydraulics interactive video experience). This system is built using several novel approaches to intelligent tutoring. The underlying rationale for HYDRIVE is based on the results of a cognitive task analysis. The reasoning component of the system makes extensive use of a hierarchical knowledge representation. Reasoning within the system is accomplished using a logic-based approach and is linked to a highly interactive interface using multimedia. The knowledge representation contains information that drives the multimedia elements of the system, and the reasoning components select the appropriate information to assess student knowledge or guide the student at any particular moment. As this system will be deployed throughout the Air Force maintenance function, the implementation platform is the IBM PC.

Web surveillance system using platform-based design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Shin-Yo; Tsai, Tsung-Han

2004-04-01

A revolutionary methodology of SOPC platform-based design environment for multimedia communications will be developed. We embed a softcore processor to perform the image compression in FPGA. Then, we plug-in an Ethernet daughter board in the SOPC development platform system. Afterward, a web surveillance platform system is presented. The web surveillance system consists of three parts: image capture, web server and JPEG compression. In this architecture, user can control the surveillance system by remote. By the IP address configures to Ethernet daughter board, the user can access the surveillance system via browser. When user access the surveillance system, the CMOS sensor presently capture the remote image. After that, it will feed the captured image with the embedded processor. The embedded processor immediately performs the JPEG compression. Afterward, the user receives the compressed data via Ethernet. To sum up of the above mentioned, the all system will be implemented on APEX20K200E484-2X device.

Two-dimensional ferroelectric topological insulators in functionalized atomically thin bismuth layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kou, Liangzhi; Fu, Huixia; Ma, Yandong; Yan, Binghai; Liao, Ting; Du, Aijun; Chen, Changfeng

2018-02-01

We introduce a class of two-dimensional (2D) materials that possess coexisting ferroelectric and topologically insulating orders. Such ferroelectric topological insulators (FETIs) occur in noncentrosymmetric atomic layer structures with strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC). We showcase a prototype 2D FETI in an atomically thin bismuth layer functionalized by C H2OH , which exhibits a large ferroelectric polarization that is switchable by a ligand molecule rotation mechanism and a strong SOC that drives a band inversion leading to the topologically insulating state. An external electric field that switches the ferroelectric polarization also tunes the spin texture in the underlying atomic lattice. Moreover, the functionalized bismuth layer exhibits an additional quantum order driven by the valley splitting at the K and K' points in the Brillouin zone stemming from the symmetry breaking and strong SOC in the system, resulting in a remarkable state of matter with the simultaneous presence of the quantum spin Hall and quantum valley Hall effect. These phenomena are predicted to exist in other similarly constructed 2D FETIs, thereby offering a unique quantum material platform for discovering novel physics and exploring innovative applications.

Soil Organic Carbon Estimation and Mapping Using "on-the-go" VisNIR Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, D. J.; Bricklemyer, R. S.; Christy, C.

2007-12-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and other soil properties related to carbon sequestration (eg. soil clay content and mineralogy) vary spatially across landscapes. To cost effectively capture this variability, new technologies, such as Visible and Near Infrared (VisNIR) spectroscopy, have been applied to soils for rapid, accurate, and inexpensive estimation of SOC and other soil properties. For this study, we evaluated an "on the go" VisNIR sensor developed by Veris Technologies, Inc. (Salinas, KS) for mapping SOC, soil clay content and mineralogy. The Veris spectrometer spanned 350 to 2224 nm with 8 nm spectral resolution, and 25 spectra were integrated every 2 seconds resulting in 3 -5 m scanning distances on the ground. The unit was mounted to a mobile sensor platform pulled by a tractor, and scanned soils at an average depth of 10 cm through a quartz-sapphire window. We scanned eight 16.2 ha (40 ac) wheat fields in north central Montana (USA), with 15 m transect intervals. Using random sampling with spatial inhibition, 100 soil samples from 0-10 cm depths were extracted along scanned transects from each field and were analyzed for SOC. Neat, sieved (<2 mm) soil sample materials were also scanned in the lab using an Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD, Boulder, CO, USA) Fieldspec Pro FR spectroradiometer with a spectral range of 350-2500 and spectral resolution of 2-10 nm. The analyzed samples were used to calibrate and validate a number of partial least squares regression (PLSR) VisNIR models to compare on-the-go scanning vs. higher spectral resolution laboratory spectroscopy vs. standard SOC measurement methods.

Body image discrepancy and subjective norm as mediators and moderators of the relationship between body mass index and quality of life

PubMed Central

Pétré, Benoit; Scheen, André J; Ziegler, Olivier; Donneau, Anne-Françoise; Dardenne, Nadia; Husson, Eddy; Albert, Adelin; Guillaume, Michèle

2016-01-01

Background and objective Despite the strength and consistency of the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and quality of life (QoL), a reduction in BMI does not necessarily lead to an improvement in QoL. Between-subject variability indicates the presence of mediators and moderators in the BMI–QoL association. This study aimed to examine the roles of body image discrepancy (BID) and subjective norm (SN) as potential mediators and moderators. Subjects and methods In 2012, 3,016 volunteers (aged ≥18 years) participated in a community-based survey conducted in the French-speaking region of Belgium. Participation was enhanced using a large multimedia campaign (which was supported by a large network of recruiters) that employed the nonstigmatizing slogan, “Whatever your weight, your opinion will count”. Participants were invited to complete a web-based questionnaire on their weight-related experiences. Self-reported measures were used to calculate each participant’s BMI, BID, SN, and QoL (a French obesity-specific QoL questionnaire was used to calculate the participants’ physical dimension of QoL scores [PHY-QoL], psychosocial dimension of QoL scores [PSY/SOC-QoL], and their total scores). The covariates included gender, age, subjective economic status, level of education, household size, and perceived health. The mediation/moderation tests were based on Hayes’ method. Results Tests showed that the relationships between BMI and PHY-QoL, PSY/SOC-QoL, and TOT-QoL were partially mediated by BID in both males and females and by SN in females. Moreover, BID was a moderator of the relationship between BMI and PSY/SOC-QoL in males and females. SN was a moderator of the relationship between BMI and PSY/SOC-QoL in males and between BMI and total scores in males (when used without BID in the models). Conclusion BID and SN should be considered as important factors in obesity management strategies. The study shows that targeting BMI only is not sufficient to improve the QoL of overweight and obese subjects, and that other variables, including perceptual factors, should be considered. PMID:27853356

System-on-chip-centric unattended embedded sensors in homeland security and defense applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jannson, Tomasz; Forrester, Thomas; Degrood, Kevin; Shih, Min-Yi; Walter, Kevin; Lee, Kang; Gans, Eric; Esterkin, Vladimir

2009-05-01

System-on-chip (SoC) single-die electronic integrated circuit (IC) integration has recently been attracting a great deal of attention, due to its high modularity, universality, and relatively low fabrication cost. The SoC also has low power consumption and it is naturally suited to being a base for integration of embedded sensors. Such sensors can run unattended, and can be either commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) electronic, COTS microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), or optical-COTS or produced in house (i.e., at Physical Optics Corporation, POC). In the version with the simplest electronic packaging, they can be integrated with low-power wireless RF that can communicate with a central processing unit (CPU) integrated in-house and installed on the specific platform of interest. Such a platform can be a human body (for e-clothing), unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), or many others. In this paper we discuss SoC-centric embedded unattended sensors in Homeland Security and military applications, including specific application scenarios (or CONOPS). In one specific example, we analyze an embedded polarization optical sensor produced in house, including generalized Lambertian light-emitting diode (LED) sources and secondary nonimaging optics (NIO).

Topological insulators double perovskites: A2TePoO6 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Po-Han; Zhou, Jian; Pi, Shu-Ting; Wang, Yin-Kuo

2017-12-01

Based on first-principle calculations and direct density functional theory calculations of surface bands, we predict a new class of three-dimensional (3D) Z2 topological insulators (TIs) with larger bulk bandgaps up to 0.4 eV in double perovskite materials A2TePoO6 (A = Ca, Sr, and Ba). The larger nontrivial gaps are induced by the symmetry-protected band contact along with band inversion occurring in the absence of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) making the SOC more effective than conventional TIs. The proposed materials are chemically inert and more robust to surface perturbations due to its intrinsic protection layer. This study provides the double perovskite material as a rich platform to design new TI-based electronic devices.

Reconfigurable Multiparameter Biosignal Acquisition SoC for Low Power Wearable Platform

PubMed Central

Kim, Jongpal; Ko, Hyoungho

2016-01-01

A low power and low noise reconfigurable analog front-end (AFE) system on a chip (SoC) for biosignal acquisition is presented. The presented AFE can be reconfigured for use in electropotential, bioimpedance, electrochemical, and photoelectrical modes. The advanced healthcare services based on multiparameter physiological biosignals can be easily implemented with these multimodal and highly reconfigurable features of the proposed system. The reconfigurable gain and input referred noise of the core instrumentation amplifier block are 25 dB to 52 dB, and 1 μVRMS, respectively. The power consumption of the analog blocks in one readout channel is less than 52 μW. The reconfigurable capability among various modes of applications including electrocardiogram, blood glucose concentration, respiration, and photoplethysmography are shown experimentally. PMID:27898004

Digital video applications in radiologic education: theory, technique, and applications.

PubMed

Hennessey, J G; Fishman, E K; Ney, D R

1994-05-01

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has great potential in medical education. The recent explosion of multimedia platforms provides an environment for the seemless integration of text, images, and sound into a single program. This article discusses the role of digital video in the current educational environment as well as its future potential. An indepth review of the technical decisions of this new technology is also presented.

Learning beyond the Classroom: Evaluating the Use of Pinterest in Learning and Teaching in an Introductory Anthropology Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearce, Nick; Learmonth, Sarah

2013-01-01

This paper details a case study of using Pinterest as an educational resource in an introductory anthropology course. Its use was evaluated through the data provided by the platform itself and focus groups. This evaluation found that Pinterest was a popular and useful tool for developing curated multimedia resources to support students' learning.…

Primary investigation the impacts of the external memory (DDR3) failures on the performance of Xilinx Zynq-7010 SoC based system (MicroZed) using laser irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shuhuan; Du, Xuecheng; Du, Xiaozhi; Zhang, Yao; Mubashiru, Lawal Olarewaju; Luo, Dongyang; yuan, Yuan; Deng, Tianxiang; Li, Zhuoqi; Zang, Hang; Li, Yonghong; He, Chaohui; Ma, Yingqi; Shangguan, Shipeng

2017-09-01

The impacts of the external dynamic memory (DDR3) failures on the performance of 28 nm Xilinx Zynq-7010 SoC based system (MicroZed) were investigated with two sets of 1064 nm laser platforms. The failure sensitive area distributionsons on the back surface of the test DDR3 were primarily localized with a CW laser irradiation platform. During the CW laser scanning on the back surface of the DDR3 of the test board system, various failure modes except SEU and SEL (MBU, SEFI, data storage address error, rebooting, etc) were found in the testing embedded modules (ALU, PL, Register, Cache and DMA, etc) of SoC. Moreover, the experimental results demonstrated that there were 16 failure sensitive blocks symmetrically distributed on the back surface of the DDR3 with every sensitive block area measured was about 1 mm × 0.5 mm. The influence factors on the failure modes of the embedded modules were primarily analyzed and the SEE characteristics of DDR3 induced by the picoseconds pulsed laser were tested. The failure modes of DDR3 found were SEU, SEFI, SEL, test board rebooting by itself, unknown data, etc. Furthermore, the time interval distributions of failure occurrence in DDR3 changes with the pulsed laser irradiation energy and the CPU operating frequency were measured and compared. Meanwhile, the failure characteristics of DDR3 induced by pulsed laser irradiation were primarily explored. The measured results and the testing techniques designed in this paper provide some reference information for evaluating the reliability of the test system or other similar electronic system in harsh environment.

"Heidelberg standard examination" and "Heidelberg standard procedures" - Development of faculty-wide standards for physical examination techniques and clinical procedures in undergraduate medical education.

PubMed

Nikendei, C; Ganschow, P; Groener, J B; Huwendiek, S; Köchel, A; Köhl-Hackert, N; Pjontek, R; Rodrian, J; Scheibe, F; Stadler, A-K; Steiner, T; Stiepak, J; Tabatabai, J; Utz, A; Kadmon, M

2016-01-01

The competent physical examination of patients and the safe and professional implementation of clinical procedures constitute essential components of medical practice in nearly all areas of medicine. The central objective of the projects "Heidelberg standard examination" and "Heidelberg standard procedures", which were initiated by students, was to establish uniform interdisciplinary standards for physical examination and clinical procedures, and to distribute them in coordination with all clinical disciplines at the Heidelberg University Hospital. The presented project report illuminates the background of the initiative and its methodological implementation. Moreover, it describes the multimedia documentation in the form of pocketbooks and a multimedia internet-based platform, as well as the integration into the curriculum. The project presentation aims to provide orientation and action guidelines to facilitate similar processes in other faculties.

A Study on Spectral Signature Analysis of Wetland Vegetation Based on Ground Imaging Spectrum Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Chengxing; Liu, Hua; Ju, Hongbo; Zhang, Huaiqing; You, Jia; Li, Weina

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to verify the application of imaging spectrometer in wetland vegetation remote sensing monitoring, based on analysis of wetland vegetation spectral features. Spectral information of Carex vegetation spectral data under different water environment was collected bySOC710VP and ASD FieldSpec 3; Meanwhile, the chlorophyll contents of wheat leaves were tested in the lab. A total 9 typical vegetation indices were calculated by using two instruments’ data which were spectral values from 400nm to 1000 nm. Then features between the same vegetation indices and soil water contents for two applications were analyzed and compared. The results showed that there were same spectrum curve trends of Carex vegetation (soil moisture content of 51%, 32%, 14% and three regional comparative analysis)reflectance between SOC710VP and ASD FieldSpec 3, including the two reflectance peak of 550nm and 730 nm, two reflectance valley of 690 nm and 970nm, and continuous near infrared reflectance platform. However, The two also have a very clear distinction: (1) The reflection spectra of SOC710VP leaves of Carex Carex leaf spectra in the three soil moisture environment values are greater than ASD FieldSpec 3 collected value; (2) The SOC710VP reflectivity curve does not have the smooth curve of the original spectrum measured by the ASD FieldSpec 3, the amplitude of fluctuation is bigger, and it is more obvious in the near infrared band. It is concluded that SOC710VP spectral data are reliable, with the image features, spectral curve features reliable. It has great potential in the research of hyperspectral remote sensing technology in the development of wetland near earth, remote sensing monitoring of wetland resources.

CAGE IIIA Distributed Simulation Design Methodology

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

2 VHF Very High Frequency VLC Video LAN Codec – an Open-source cross-platform multimedia player and framework VM Virtual Machine VOIP Voice Over...Implementing Defence Experimentation (GUIDEx). The key challenges for this methodology are with understanding how to: • design it o define the...operation and to be available in the other nation’s simulations. The challenge for the CAGE campaign of experiments is to continue to build upon this

Technology in Early Education: Building Platforms for Connections and Content That Strengthen Families and Promote Success in School. The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 13, Number 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guernsey, Lisa

2012-01-01

Touch-screen technologies, on-demand multimedia, and mobile devices are prompting a rethinking of education. In a world of increasing fiscal constraints, state leaders are under pressure to capitalize on these new technologies to improve productivity and help students excel. The task is daunting across the education spectrum, but for those in…

Dynamic Voltage-Frequency and Workload Joint Scaling Power Management for Energy Harvesting Multi-Core WSN Node SoC

PubMed Central

Li, Xiangyu; Xie, Nijie; Tian, Xinyue

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a scheduling and power management solution for energy harvesting heterogeneous multi-core WSN node SoC such that the system continues to operate perennially and uses the harvested energy efficiently. The solution consists of a heterogeneous multi-core system oriented task scheduling algorithm and a low-complexity dynamic workload scaling and configuration optimization algorithm suitable for light-weight platforms. Moreover, considering the power consumption of most WSN applications have the characteristic of data dependent behavior, we introduce branches handling mechanism into the solution as well. The experimental result shows that the proposed algorithm can operate in real-time on a lightweight embedded processor (MSP430), and that it can make a system do more valuable works and make more than 99.9% use of the power budget. PMID:28208730

Dynamic Voltage-Frequency and Workload Joint Scaling Power Management for Energy Harvesting Multi-Core WSN Node SoC.

PubMed

Li, Xiangyu; Xie, Nijie; Tian, Xinyue

2017-02-08

This paper proposes a scheduling and power management solution for energy harvesting heterogeneous multi-core WSN node SoC such that the system continues to operate perennially and uses the harvested energy efficiently. The solution consists of a heterogeneous multi-core system oriented task scheduling algorithm and a low-complexity dynamic workload scaling and configuration optimization algorithm suitable for light-weight platforms. Moreover, considering the power consumption of most WSN applications have the characteristic of data dependent behavior, we introduce branches handling mechanism into the solution as well. The experimental result shows that the proposed algorithm can operate in real-time on a lightweight embedded processor (MSP430), and that it can make a system do more valuable works and make more than 99.9% use of the power budget.

RTL validation methodology on high complexity wireless microcontroller using OVM technique for fast time to market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhafirah Muhammad, Nurul; Harun, A.; Hambali, N. A. M. A.; Murad, S. A. Z.; Mohyar, S. N.; Isa, M. N.; Jambek, AB

2017-11-01

Increased demand in internet of thing (IOT) application based has inadvertently forced the move towards higher complexity of integrated circuit supporting SoC. Such spontaneous increased in complexity poses unequivocal complicated validation strategies. Hence, the complexity allows researchers to come out with various exceptional methodologies in order to overcome this problem. This in essence brings about the discovery of dynamic verification, formal verification and hybrid techniques. In reserve, it is very important to discover bugs at infancy of verification process in (SoC) in order to reduce time consuming and fast time to market for the system. Ergo, in this paper we are focusing on the methodology of verification that can be done at Register Transfer Level of SoC based on the AMBA bus design. On top of that, the discovery of others verification method called Open Verification Methodology (OVM) brings out an easier way in RTL validation methodology neither as the replacement for the traditional method yet as an effort for fast time to market for the system. Thus, the method called OVM is proposed in this paper as the verification method for larger design to avert the disclosure of the bottleneck in validation platform.

The Stanford MediaServer Project: strategies for building a flexible digital media platform to support biomedical education and research.

PubMed Central

Durack, Jeremy C.; Chao, Chih-Chien; Stevenson, Derek; Andriole, Katherine P.; Dev, Parvati

2002-01-01

Medical media collections are growing at a pace that exceeds the value they currently provide as research and educational resources. To address this issue, the Stanford MediaServer was designed to promote innovative multimedia-based application development. The nucleus of the MediaServer platform is a digital media database strategically designed to meet the information needs of many biomedical disciplines. Key features include an intuitive web-based interface for collaboratively populating the media database, flexible creation of media collections for diverse and specialized purposes, and the ability to construct a variety of end-user applications from the same database to support biomedical education and research. PMID:12463820

The Stanford MediaServer Project: strategies for building a flexible digital media platform to support biomedical education and research.

PubMed

Durack, Jeremy C; Chao, Chih-Chien; Stevenson, Derek; Andriole, Katherine P; Dev, Parvati

2002-01-01

Medical media collections are growing at a pace that exceeds the value they currently provide as research and educational resources. To address this issue, the Stanford MediaServer was designed to promote innovative multimedia-based application development. The nucleus of the MediaServer platform is a digital media database strategically designed to meet the information needs of many biomedical disciplines. Key features include an intuitive web-based interface for collaboratively populating the media database, flexible creation of media collections for diverse and specialized purposes, and the ability to construct a variety of end-user applications from the same database to support biomedical education and research.

Towards a Generic and Adaptive System-On-Chip Controller for Space Exploration Instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iturbe, Xabier; Keymeulen, Didier; Yiu, Patrick; Berisford, Dan; Hand, Kevin; Carlson, Robert; Ozer, Emre

2015-01-01

This paper introduces one of the first efforts conducted at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to develop a generic System-on-Chip (SoC) platform to control science instruments that are proposed for future NASA missions. The SoC platform is named APEX-SoC, where APEX stands for Advanced Processor for space Exploration, and is based on a hybrid Xilinx Zynq that combines an FPGA and an ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core processor on a single chip. The Zynq implements a generic and customizable on-chip infrastructure that can be reused with a variety of instruments, and it has been coupled with a set of off-chip components that are necessary to deal with the different instruments. We have taken JPL’s Compositional InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (CIRIS), which is proposed for NASA icy moons missions, as a use-case scenario to demonstrate that the entire data processing, control and interface of an instrument can be implemented on a single device using the on-chip infrastructure described in this paper. We show that the performance results achieved in this preliminary version of the instrumentation controller are sufficient to fulfill the science requirements demanded to the CIRIS instrument in future NASA missions, such as Europa.

HALO: a reconfigurable image enhancement and multisensor fusion system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, F.; Hickman, D. L.; Parker, Steve J.

2014-06-01

Contemporary high definition (HD) cameras and affordable infrared (IR) imagers are set to dramatically improve the effectiveness of security, surveillance and military vision systems. However, the quality of imagery is often compromised by camera shake, or poor scene visibility due to inadequate illumination or bad atmospheric conditions. A versatile vision processing system called HALO™ is presented that can address these issues, by providing flexible image processing functionality on a low size, weight and power (SWaP) platform. Example processing functions include video distortion correction, stabilisation, multi-sensor fusion and image contrast enhancement (ICE). The system is based around an all-programmable system-on-a-chip (SoC), which combines the computational power of a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) with the flexibility of a CPU. The FPGA accelerates computationally intensive real-time processes, whereas the CPU provides management and decision making functions that can automatically reconfigure the platform based on user input and scene content. These capabilities enable a HALO™ equipped reconnaissance or surveillance system to operate in poor visibility, providing potentially critical operational advantages in visually complex and challenging usage scenarios. The choice of an FPGA based SoC is discussed, and the HALO™ architecture and its implementation are described. The capabilities of image distortion correction, stabilisation, fusion and ICE are illustrated using laboratory and trials data.

Effectively incorporating selected multimedia content into medical publications

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Until fairly recently, medical publications have been handicapped by being restricted to non-electronic formats, effectively preventing the dissemination of complex audiovisual and three-dimensional data. However, authors and readers could significantly profit from advances in electronic publishing that permit the inclusion of multimedia content directly into an article. For the first time, the de facto gold standard for scientific publishing, the portable document format (PDF), is used here as a platform to embed a video and an audio sequence of patient data into a publication. Fully interactive three-dimensional models of a face and a schematic representation of a human brain are also part of this publication. We discuss the potential of this approach and its impact on the communication of scientific medical data, particularly with regard to electronic and open access publications. Finally, we emphasise how medical teaching can benefit from this new tool and comment on the future of medical publishing. PMID:21329532

Sleep atlas and multimedia database.

PubMed

Penzel, T; Kesper, K; Mayer, G; Zulley, J; Peter, J H

2000-01-01

The ENN sleep atlas and database was set up on a dedicated server connected to the internet thus providing all services such as WWW, ftp and telnet access. The database serves as a platform to promote the goals of the European Neurological Network, to exchange patient cases for second opinion between experts and to create a case-oriented multimedia sleep atlas with descriptive text, images and video-clips of all known sleep disorders. The sleep atlas consists of a small public and a large private part for members of the consortium. 20 patient cases were collected and presented with educational information similar to published case reports. Case reports are complemented with images, video-clips and biosignal recordings. A Java based viewer for biosignals provided in EDF format was installed in order to move free within the sleep recordings without the need to download the full recording on the client.

“Heidelberg standard examination” and “Heidelberg standard procedures” – Development of faculty-wide standards for physical examination techniques and clinical procedures in undergraduate medical education

PubMed Central

Nikendei, C.; Ganschow, P.; Groener, J. B.; Huwendiek, S.; Köchel, A.; Köhl-Hackert, N.; Pjontek, R.; Rodrian, J.; Scheibe, F.; Stadler, A.-K.; Steiner, T.; Stiepak, J.; Tabatabai, J.; Utz, A.; Kadmon, M.

2016-01-01

The competent physical examination of patients and the safe and professional implementation of clinical procedures constitute essential components of medical practice in nearly all areas of medicine. The central objective of the projects “Heidelberg standard examination” and “Heidelberg standard procedures”, which were initiated by students, was to establish uniform interdisciplinary standards for physical examination and clinical procedures, and to distribute them in coordination with all clinical disciplines at the Heidelberg University Hospital. The presented project report illuminates the background of the initiative and its methodological implementation. Moreover, it describes the multimedia documentation in the form of pocketbooks and a multimedia internet-based platform, as well as the integration into the curriculum. The project presentation aims to provide orientation and action guidelines to facilitate similar processes in other faculties. PMID:27579354

Effectively incorporating selected multimedia content into medical publications.

PubMed

Ziegler, Alexander; Mietchen, Daniel; Faber, Cornelius; von Hausen, Wolfram; Schöbel, Christoph; Sellerer, Markus; Ziegler, Andreas

2011-02-17

Until fairly recently, medical publications have been handicapped by being restricted to non-electronic formats, effectively preventing the dissemination of complex audiovisual and three-dimensional data. However, authors and readers could significantly profit from advances in electronic publishing that permit the inclusion of multimedia content directly into an article. For the first time, the de facto gold standard for scientific publishing, the portable document format (PDF), is used here as a platform to embed a video and an audio sequence of patient data into a publication. Fully interactive three-dimensional models of a face and a schematic representation of a human brain are also part of this publication. We discuss the potential of this approach and its impact on the communication of scientific medical data, particularly with regard to electronic and open access publications. Finally, we emphasise how medical teaching can benefit from this new tool and comment on the future of medical publishing.

The architecture of a virtual grid GIS server

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Pengfei; Fang, Yu; Chen, Bin; Wu, Xi; Tian, Xiaoting

2008-10-01

The grid computing technology provides the service oriented architecture for distributed applications. The virtual Grid GIS server is the distributed and interoperable enterprise application GIS architecture running in the grid environment, which integrates heterogeneous GIS platforms. All sorts of legacy GIS platforms join the grid as members of GIS virtual organization. Based on Microkernel we design the ESB and portal GIS service layer, which compose Microkernel GIS. Through web portals, portal GIS services and mediation of service bus, following the principle of SoC, we separate business logic from implementing logic. Microkernel GIS greatly reduces the coupling degree between applications and GIS platforms. The enterprise applications are independent of certain GIS platforms, and making the application developers to pay attention to the business logic. Via configuration and orchestration of a set of fine-grained services, the system creates GIS Business, which acts as a whole WebGIS request when activated. In this way, the system satisfies a business workflow directly and simply, with little or no new code.

Future mobile access for open-data platforms and the BBC-DaaS system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edlich, Stefan; Singh, Sonam; Pfennigstorf, Ingo

2013-03-01

In this paper, we develop an open data platform on multimedia devices to act as marketplace of data for information seekers and data providers. We explore the important aspects of Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) service in the cloud with a mobile access point. The basis of the DaaS service is to act as a marketplace for information, utilizing new technologies and recent new scalable polyglot architectures based on NoSql databases. Whereas Open-Data platforms are beginning to be widely accepted, its mobile use is not. We compare similar products, their approach and a possible mobile usage. We discuss several approaches to address the mobile access as a native app, html5 and a mobile first approach together with the several frontend presentation techniques. Big data visualization itself is in the early days and we explore some possibilities to get big data / open data accessed by mobile users.

AMP: A platform for managing and mining data in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Linstead, Erik; Burns, Ryan; Duy Nguyen; Tyler, David

2016-08-01

We introduce AMP (Autism Management Platform), an integrated health care information system for capturing, analyzing, and managing data associated with the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children. AMP's mobile application simplifies the means by which parents, guardians, and clinicians can collect and share multimedia data with one another, facilitating communication and reducing data redundancy, while simplifying retrieval. Additionally, AMP provides an intelligent web interface and analytics platform which allow physicians and specialists to aggregate and mine patient data in real-time, as well as give relevant feedback to automatically learn data filtering preferences over time. Together AMP's mobile app, web client, and analytics engine implement a rich set of features that streamline the data collection and analysis process in the context of a secure and easy-to-use system so that data may be more effectively leveraged to guide treatment.

Perovskite ThTaN3: A large-thermopower topological crystalline insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Myung-Chul; Lee, Kwan-Woo; Pickett, Warren E.

2018-03-01

ThTaN3, a rare cubic perovskite nitride semiconductor, has been studied using ab initio methods. Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) results in band inversion and a band gap of 150 meV at the zone center. Despite trivial Z2 indices, two pairs of spin-polarized surface bands cross the gap near the zone center, indicating that this system is a topological crystalline insulator with the mirror Chern number of | Cm|=2 protected by the mirror and C4 rotational symmetries. Additionally, SOC doubles the Seebeck coefficient, leading to a maximum of ˜400 μ V /K at 150 K for carrier-doping levels of several 1017/cm3.ThTaN3 combines excellent bulk thermopower with parallel conduction through topological surface states that may point toward new possibilities for platforms for engineering devices with larger figures of merit.

Modeling the effect of snow and ice on the global environmental fate and long-range transport potential of semivolatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Stocker, Judith; Scheringer, Martin; Wegmann, Fabio; Hungerbuhler, Konrad

2007-09-01

Snow and ice have been implemented in a global multimedia box model to investigate the influence of these media on the environmental fate and long-range transport (LRT) of semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs). Investigated compounds include HCB, PCB28, PCB180, PBDE47, PBDE209, alpha-HCH, and dacthal. In low latitudes, snow acts as a transfer medium taking up chemicals from air and releasing them to water or soil during snowmelt. In high latitudes, snow and ice shield water, soil, and vegetation from chemical deposition. In the model version including snow and ice (scenario 2), the mass of chemicals in soil in high latitudes is between 27% (HCB) and 97% (alpha-HCH) of the mass calculated with the model version without snow and ice (scenario 1). Amounts in Arctic seawater in scenario 2 are 8% (alpha-HCH) to 21% (dacthal) of the amounts obtained in scenario 1. For all investigated chemicals except alpha-HCH, presence of snow and ice in the model increases the concentration in air by a factor of 2 (HCB)to 10 (PBDE209). Because of reduced net deposition to snow-covered surfaces in high latitudes, LRT to the Arctic is reduced for most chemicals whereas transport to the south is more pronounced than in scenario 1 ("southward shift"). The presence of snow and ice thus considerably changes the environmental fate of SOCs.

A novel software and conceptual design of the hardware platform for intensity modulated radiation therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen, Dan; Ruan, Dan; O’Connor, Daniel

Purpose: To deliver high quality intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using a novel generalized sparse orthogonal collimators (SOCs), the authors introduce a novel direct aperture optimization (DAO) approach based on discrete rectangular representation. Methods: A total of seven patients—two glioblastoma multiforme, three head & neck (including one with three prescription doses), and two lung—were included. 20 noncoplanar beams were selected using a column generation and pricing optimization method. The SOC is a generalized conventional orthogonal collimators with N leaves in each collimator bank, where N = 1, 2, or 4. SOC degenerates to conventional jaws when N = 1. For SOC-basedmore » IMRT, rectangular aperture optimization (RAO) was performed to optimize the fluence maps using rectangular representation, producing fluence maps that can be directly converted into a set of deliverable rectangular apertures. In order to optimize the dose distribution and minimize the number of apertures used, the overall objective was formulated to incorporate an L2 penalty reflecting the difference between the prescription and the projected doses, and an L1 sparsity regularization term to encourage a low number of nonzero rectangular basis coefficients. The optimization problem was solved using the Chambolle–Pock algorithm, a first-order primal–dual algorithm. Performance of RAO was compared to conventional two-step IMRT optimization including fluence map optimization and direct stratification for multileaf collimator (MLC) segmentation (DMS) using the same number of segments. For the RAO plans, segment travel time for SOC delivery was evaluated for the N = 1, N = 2, and N = 4 SOC designs to characterize the improvement in delivery efficiency as a function of N. Results: Comparable PTV dose homogeneity and coverage were observed between the RAO and the DMS plans. The RAO plans were slightly superior to the DMS plans in sparing critical structures. On average, the maximum and mean critical organ doses were reduced by 1.94% and 1.44% of the prescription dose. The average number of delivery segments was 12.68 segments per beam for both the RAO and DMS plans. The N = 2 and N = 4 SOC designs were, on average, 1.56 and 1.80 times more efficient than the N = 1 SOC design to deliver. The mean aperture size produced by the RAO plans was 3.9 times larger than that of the DMS plans. Conclusions: The DAO and dose domain optimization approach enabled high quality IMRT plans using a low-complexity collimator setup. The dosimetric quality is comparable or slightly superior to conventional MLC-based IMRT plans using the same number of delivery segments. The SOC IMRT delivery efficiency can be significantly improved by increasing the leaf numbers, but the number is still significantly lower than the number of leaves in a typical MLC.« less

A novel software and conceptual design of the hardware platform for intensity modulated radiation therapy.

PubMed

Nguyen, Dan; Ruan, Dan; O'Connor, Daniel; Woods, Kaley; Low, Daniel A; Boucher, Salime; Sheng, Ke

2016-02-01

To deliver high quality intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using a novel generalized sparse orthogonal collimators (SOCs), the authors introduce a novel direct aperture optimization (DAO) approach based on discrete rectangular representation. A total of seven patients-two glioblastoma multiforme, three head & neck (including one with three prescription doses), and two lung-were included. 20 noncoplanar beams were selected using a column generation and pricing optimization method. The SOC is a generalized conventional orthogonal collimators with N leaves in each collimator bank, where N = 1, 2, or 4. SOC degenerates to conventional jaws when N = 1. For SOC-based IMRT, rectangular aperture optimization (RAO) was performed to optimize the fluence maps using rectangular representation, producing fluence maps that can be directly converted into a set of deliverable rectangular apertures. In order to optimize the dose distribution and minimize the number of apertures used, the overall objective was formulated to incorporate an L2 penalty reflecting the difference between the prescription and the projected doses, and an L1 sparsity regularization term to encourage a low number of nonzero rectangular basis coefficients. The optimization problem was solved using the Chambolle-Pock algorithm, a first-order primal-dual algorithm. Performance of RAO was compared to conventional two-step IMRT optimization including fluence map optimization and direct stratification for multileaf collimator (MLC) segmentation (DMS) using the same number of segments. For the RAO plans, segment travel time for SOC delivery was evaluated for the N = 1, N = 2, and N = 4 SOC designs to characterize the improvement in delivery efficiency as a function of N. Comparable PTV dose homogeneity and coverage were observed between the RAO and the DMS plans. The RAO plans were slightly superior to the DMS plans in sparing critical structures. On average, the maximum and mean critical organ doses were reduced by 1.94% and 1.44% of the prescription dose. The average number of delivery segments was 12.68 segments per beam for both the RAO and DMS plans. The N = 2 and N = 4 SOC designs were, on average, 1.56 and 1.80 times more efficient than the N = 1 SOC design to deliver. The mean aperture size produced by the RAO plans was 3.9 times larger than that of the DMS plans. The DAO and dose domain optimization approach enabled high quality IMRT plans using a low-complexity collimator setup. The dosimetric quality is comparable or slightly superior to conventional MLC-based IMRT plans using the same number of delivery segments. The SOC IMRT delivery efficiency can be significantly improved by increasing the leaf numbers, but the number is still significantly lower than the number of leaves in a typical MLC.

AEGIS and Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS) Platforms: Using KVA Analysis, Risk Simulation and Strategic Real Options to Assess Operational Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-30

numerous reengineering projects and developed a new objective method for objectively measuring the value-added by reengineering. His last assignment...in the corporate world was as the Chief of Consumer Market Research for Telecom Italia in Venice, Italy, where he developed new methods for ...predicting the adoption rates for new interactive multimedia broadband applications. He is Managing Partner for Business Process Auditors, a firm that

Quantum incommensurate skyrmion crystals and commensurate to in-commensurate transitions in cold atoms and materials with spin-orbit couplings in a Zeeman field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Fadi; Ye, Jinwu; Liu, Wu-Ming

2017-08-01

In this work, we study strongly interacting spinor atoms in a lattice subject to a two dimensional (2d) anisotropic Rashba type of spin orbital coupling (SOC) and an Zeeman field. We find the interplay between the Zeeman field and the SOC provides a new platform to host rich and novel classes of quantum commensurate and in-commensurate phases, excitations and phase transitions. These commensurate phases include two collinear states at low and high Zeeman field, two co-planar canted states at mirror reflected SOC parameters respectively. Most importantly, there are non-coplanar incommensurate Skyrmion (IC-SkX) crystal phases surrounded by the four commensurate phases. New excitation spectra above all the five phases, especially on the IC-SKX phase are computed. Three different classes of quantum commensurate to in-commensurate transitions from the IC-SKX to its four neighboring commensurate phases are identified. Finite temperature behaviors and transitions are discussed. The critical temperatures of all the phases can be raised above that reachable by current cold atom cooling techniques simply by tuning the number of atoms N per site. In view of recent impressive experimental advances in generating 2d SOC for cold atoms in optical lattices, these new many-body phenomena can be explored in the current and near future cold atom experiments. Applications to various materials such as MnSi, {Fe}}0.5 {Co}}0.5Si, especially the complex incommensurate magnetic ordering in Li2IrO3 are given.

Development of Single-Molecule DNA Sequencing Platform Based on Single-Molecule Electrical Conductance

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-25

nanoparticles , Nature Nanotechnology 7, 197-203. 11. Dreaden, E. C., Alkilany, A. M., Huang, X. H., Murphy, C. J., and El-Sayed, M. A. (2012) The...13840-13851. 14. Llevot, A., and Astruc, D. (2012) Applications of vectorized gold nanoparticles to the diagnosis and therapy of cancer , Chem. Soc. Rev...caused by the injection of gold nanoparticles , Nanotechnology 21, 485102. 25. Dykman, L. A., Matora, L. Y., and Bogatyrev, V. A. (1996) Use of

A Platform for Real-time Acquisition and Analysis of Physiological Data in Hospital Emergency Departments

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

with the Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA (corresponding author; phone: 617 -726-2241; e-mail...programming interface ( API ). Algorithms are used to determine the reliability of waveform (e.g., electrocardiogram) and vital-sign data (e.g., heart rate...and comparing of real-time decision- support algorithms in mobile environments," Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc, vol. 2009 , pp. 3417-20, 2009 . [3

Rich internet application system for patient-centric healthcare data management using handheld devices.

PubMed

Constantinescu, L; Pradana, R; Kim, J; Gong, P; Fulham, Michael; Feng, D

2009-01-01

Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) are an emerging software platform that blurs the line between web service and native application, and is a powerful tool for handheld device deployment. By democratizing health data management and widening its availability, this software platform has the potential to revolutionize telemedicine, clinical practice, medical education and information distribution, particularly in rural areas, and to make patient-centric medical computing a reality. In this paper, we propose a telemedicine application that leverages the ability of a mobile RIA platform to transcode, organise and present textual and multimedia data, which are sourced from medical database software. We adopted a web-based approach to communicate, in real-time, with an established hospital information system via a custom RIA. The proposed solution allows communication between handheld devices and a hospital information system for media streaming with support for real-time encryption, on any RIA enabled platform. We demonstrate our prototype's ability to securely and rapidly access, without installation requirements, medical data ranging from simple textual records to multi-slice PET-CT images and maximum intensity (MIP) projections.

Media Selection for the Development of a Hypermedia/Multimedia Instructional Model for the Navy’s 76mm Gun

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

placed on the timeline when called. The timeline editor is also used when creating a hypertext/hypermedia document. a FrameMaker FrameMaker is a...Framemaker’s multi-platform capability permits document sharing and allows for easy importing of text and graphics from other application software. Framemaker ...Technology Corporation, FrameMaker Reference, September 1990. Glaser, R., "Education and Thinking: The Role of Knowledge", American Psychologist, Vol. 39, No

A cognitive approach for design of a multimedia informed consent video and website in pediatric research.

PubMed

Antal, Holly; Bunnell, H Timothy; McCahan, Suzanne M; Pennington, Chris; Wysocki, Tim; Blake, Kathryn V

2017-02-01

Poor participant comprehension of research procedures following the conventional face-to-face consent process for biomedical research is common. We describe the development of a multimedia informed consent video and website that incorporates cognitive strategies to enhance comprehension of study related material directed to parents and adolescents. A multidisciplinary team was assembled for development of the video and website that included human subjects professionals; psychologist researchers; institutional video and web developers; bioinformaticians and programmers; and parent and adolescent stakeholders. Five learning strategies that included Sensory-Modality view, Coherence, Signaling, Redundancy, and Personalization were integrated into a 15-min video and website material that describes a clinical research trial. A diverse team collaborated extensively over 15months to design and build a multimedia platform for obtaining parental permission and adolescent assent for participant in as asthma clinical trial. Examples of the learning principles included, having a narrator describe what was being viewed on the video (sensory-modality); eliminating unnecessary text and graphics (coherence); having the initial portion of the video explain the sections of the video to be viewed (signaling); avoiding simultaneous presentation of text and graphics (redundancy); and having a consistent narrator throughout the video (personalization). Existing conventional and multimedia processes for obtaining research informed consent have not actively incorporated basic principles of human cognition and learning in the design and implementation of these processes. The present paper illustrates how this can be achieved, setting the stage for rigorous evaluation of potential benefits such as improved comprehension, satisfaction with the consent process, and completion of research objectives. New consent strategies that have an integrated cognitive approach need to be developed and tested in controlled trials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

WebGL and web audio software lightweight components for multimedia education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Xin; Yuksel, Kivanc; Skarbek, Władysław

2017-08-01

The paper presents the results of our recent work on development of contemporary computing platform DC2 for multimedia education usingWebGL andWeb Audio { the W3C standards. Using literate programming paradigm the WEBSA educational tools were developed. It offers for a user (student), the access to expandable collection of WEBGL Shaders and web Audio scripts. The unique feature of DC2 is the option of literate programming, offered for both, the author and the reader in order to improve interactivity to lightweightWebGL andWeb Audio components. For instance users can define: source audio nodes including synthetic sources, destination audio nodes, and nodes for audio processing such as: sound wave shaping, spectral band filtering, convolution based modification, etc. In case of WebGL beside of classic graphics effects based on mesh and fractal definitions, the novel image processing analysis by shaders is offered like nonlinear filtering, histogram of gradients, and Bayesian classifiers.

Leveraging the power of Web 2.0 tools: a wiki platform as a multimedia teaching and learning environment in dental education.

PubMed

Salajan, Florin D; Mount, Greg J

2012-04-01

This article presents the development and implementation of a wiki-based application for the delivery of educational content in dentistry. The Dental Procedure Education System (DPES) is a new web application that uses SharePoint to combine online collaborative authoring characteristic of wiki spaces with instructional video documentaries. Harnessing the wiki's versatility, DPES offers faculty members an avenue to develop an authoritative source of information for both students, through DPES Pro, and the public at large, through DPES Public. Principles of cognitive theory of multimedia learning, constructivist theory, and collaborative writing were employed in the development of DPES. An authoring protocol, with a clearly defined sequence of steps, was established in order to keep the production of the DPES procedures consistent and predictable. Initial, anecdotal user reports indicate that DPES is well received among dental students and faculty members. Expected outcomes and benefits of DPES use are discussed, and directions for research are proposed.

Image processing for navigation on a mobile embedded platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preuss, Thomas; Gentsch, Lars; Rambow, Mark

2006-02-01

Mobile computing devices such as PDAs or cellular phones may act as "Personal Multimedia Exchanges", but they are limited in their processing power as well as in their connectivity. Sensors as well as cellular phones and PDAs are able to gather multimedia data, e. g. images, but leak computing power to process that data on their own. Therefore, it is necessary, that these devices connect to devices with more performance, which provide e.g. image processing services. In this paper, a generic approach is presented that connects different kinds of clients with each other and allows them to interact with more powerful devices. This architecture, called BOSPORUS, represents a communication framework for dynamic peer-to-peer computing. Each peer offers and uses services in this network and communicates loosely coupled and asynchronously with the others. These features make BOSPORUS a service oriented network architecture (SONA). A mobile embedded system, which uses external services for image processing based on the BOSPORUS Framework is shown as an application of the BOSPORUS framework.

Design of a QoS-controlled ATM-based communications system in chorus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coulson, Geoff; Campbell, Andrew; Robin, Philippe; Blair, Gordon; Papathomas, Michael; Shepherd, Doug

1995-05-01

We describe the design of an application platform able to run distributed real-time and multimedia applications alongside conventional UNIX programs. The platform is embedded in a microkernel/PC environment and supported by an ATM-based, QoS-driven communications stack. In particular, we focus on resource-management aspects of the design and deal with CPU scheduling, network resource-management and memory-management issues. An architecture is presented that guarantees QoS levels of both communications and processing with varying degrees of commitment as specified by user-level QoS parameters. The architecture uses admission tests to determine whether or not new activities can be accepted and includes modules to translate user-level QoS parameters into representations usable by the scheduling, network, and memory-management subsystems.

Development and Testing of an Ultra Low Power System-On-Chip (SOC) Platform for Marine Mammal Tags and Passive Acoustic Signal Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

current (3-5mA). The system can harvest 16 power from a DC input source like a thermoelectric generator (TEG) or photovoltaic cell (PV). The boost...results from components to report. Designed for thermoelectric energy harvesting in 130nm CMOS, the boost converter reduces the achievable input...harvesting. The boost converter further incorporates maximum power point tracking for harvesting from both thermoelectric generators (TEGs) and solar

A front-end automation tool supporting design, verification and reuse of SOC.

PubMed

Yan, Xiao-lang; Yu, Long-li; Wang, Jie-bing

2004-09-01

This paper describes an in-house developed language tool called VPerl used in developing a 250 MHz 32-bit high-performance low power embedded CPU core. The authors showed that use of this tool can compress the Verilog code by more than a factor of 5, increase the efficiency of the front-end design, reduce the bug rate significantly. This tool can be used to enhance the reusability of an intellectual property model, and facilitate porting design for different platforms.

Space station orbit maintenance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaplan, D. I.; Jones, R. M.

1983-01-01

The orbit maintenance problem is examined for two low-earth-orbiting space station concepts - the large, manned Space Operations Center (SOC) and the smaller, unmanned Science and Applications Space Platform (SASP). Atmospheric drag forces are calculated, and circular orbit altitudes are selected to assure a 90 day decay period in the event of catastrophic propulsion system failure. Several thrusting strategies for orbit maintenance are discussed. Various chemical and electric propulsion systems for orbit maintenance are compared on the basis of propellant resupply requirements, power requirements, Shuttle launch costs, and technology readiness.

Service oriented network architecture for control and management of home appliances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayakawa, Hiroshi; Koita, Takahiro; Sato, Kenya

2005-12-01

Recent advances in multimedia network systems and mechatronics have led to the development of a new generation of applications that associate the use of various multimedia objects with the behavior of multiple robotic actors. The connection of audio and video devices through high speed multimedia networks is expected to make the system more convenient to use. For example, many home appliances, such as a video camera, a display monitor, a video recorder, an audio system and so on, are being equipped with a communication interface in the near future. Recently some platforms (i.e. UPnP1, HAVi2 and so on) are proposed for constructing home networks; however, there are some issues to be solved to realize various services by connecting different equipment via the pervasive peer-to-peer network. UPnP offers network connectivity of PCs of intelligent home appliances, practically, which means to require a PC in the network to control other devices. Meanwhile, HAVi has been developed for intelligent AV equipments with sophisticated functions using high CPU power and large memory. Considering the targets of home alliances are embedded systems, this situation raises issues of software and hardware complexity, cost, power consumption and so on. In this study, we have proposed and developed the service oriented network architecture for control and management of home appliances, named SONICA (Service Oriented Network Interoperability for Component Adaptation), to address these issues described before.

Subtitle Synchronization across Multiple Screens and Devices

PubMed Central

Rodriguez-Alsina, Aitor; Talavera, Guillermo; Orero, Pilar; Carrabina, Jordi

2012-01-01

Ambient Intelligence is a new paradigm in which environments are sensitive and responsive to the presence of people. This is having an increasing importance in multimedia applications, which frequently rely on sensors to provide useful information to the user. In this context, multimedia applications must adapt and personalize both content and interfaces in order to reach acceptable levels of context-specific quality of service for the user, and enable the content to be available anywhere and at any time. The next step is to make content available to everybody in order to overcome the existing access barriers to content for users with specific needs, or else to adapt to different platforms, hence making content fully usable and accessible. Appropriate access to video content, for instance, is not always possible due to the technical limitations of traditional video packaging, transmission and presentation. This restricts the flexibility of subtitles and audio-descriptions to be adapted to different devices, contexts and users. New Web standards built around HTML5 enable more featured applications with better adaptation and personalization facilities, and thus would seem more suitable for accessible AmI environments. This work presents a video subtitling system that enables the customization, adaptation and synchronization of subtitles across different devices and multiple screens. The benefits of HTML5 applications for building the solution are analyzed along with their current platform support. Moreover, examples of the use of the application in three different cases are presented. Finally, the user experience of the solution is evaluated. PMID:23012513

Subtitle synchronization across multiple screens and devices.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Alsina, Aitor; Talavera, Guillermo; Orero, Pilar; Carrabina, Jordi

2012-01-01

Ambient Intelligence is a new paradigm in which environments are sensitive and responsive to the presence of people. This is having an increasing importance in multimedia applications, which frequently rely on sensors to provide useful information to the user. In this context, multimedia applications must adapt and personalize both content and interfaces in order to reach acceptable levels of context-specific quality of service for the user, and enable the content to be available anywhere and at any time. The next step is to make content available to everybody in order to overcome the existing access barriers to content for users with specific needs, or else to adapt to different platforms, hence making content fully usable and accessible. Appropriate access to video content, for instance, is not always possible due to the technical limitations of traditional video packaging, transmission and presentation. This restricts the flexibility of subtitles and audio-descriptions to be adapted to different devices, contexts and users. New Web standards built around HTML5 enable more featured applications with better adaptation and personalization facilities, and thus would seem more suitable for accessible AmI environments. This work presents a video subtitling system that enables the customization, adaptation and synchronization of subtitles across different devices and multiple screens. The benefits of HTML5 applications for building the solution are analyzed along with their current platform support. Moreover, examples of the use of the application in three different cases are presented. Finally, the user experience of the solution is evaluated.

Implementation of a wireless ECG acquisition SoC for IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) applications.

PubMed

Wang, Liang-Hung; Chen, Tsung-Yen; Lin, Kuang-Hao; Fang, Qiang; Lee, Shuenn-Yuh

2015-01-01

This paper presents a wireless biosignal acquisition system-on-a-chip (WBSA-SoC) specialized for electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. The proposed system consists of three subsystems, namely, 1) the ECG acquisition node, 2) the protocol for standard IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee system, and 3) the RF transmitter circuits. The ZigBee protocol is adopted for wireless communication to achieve high integration, applicability, and portability. A fully integrated CMOS RF front end containing a quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator and a 2.4-GHz low-IF (i.e., zero-IF) transmitter is employed to transmit ECG signals through wireless communication. The low-power WBSA-SoC is implemented by the TSMC 0.18-μm standard CMOS process. An ARM-based displayer with FPGA demodulation and an RF receiver with analog-to-digital mixed-mode circuits are constructed as verification platform to demonstrate the wireless ECG acquisition system. Measurement results on the human body show that the proposed SoC can effectively acquire ECG signals.

Coordinated Control Strategy of a Battery Energy Storage System to Support a Wind Power Plant Providing Multi-Timescale Frequency Ancillary Services

DOE PAGES

Tan, Jin; Zhang, Yingchen

2017-02-02

With increasing penetrations of wind generation on electric grids, wind power plants (WPPs) are encouraged to provide frequency ancillary services (FAS); however, it is a challenge to ensure that variable wind generation can reliably provide these ancillary services. This paper proposes using a battery energy storage system (BESS) to ensure the WPPs' commitment to FAS. This method also focuses on reducing the BESS's size and extending its lifetime. In this paper, a state-machine-based coordinated control strategy is developed to utilize a BESS to support the obliged FAS of a WPP (including both primary and secondary frequency control). This method takesmore » into account the operational constraints of the WPP (e.g., real-time reserve) and the BESS (e.g., state of charge [SOC], charge and discharge rate) to provide reliable FAS. Meanwhile, an adaptive SOC-feedback control is designed to maintain SOC at the optimal value as much as possible and thus reduce the size and extend the lifetime of the BESS. In conclusion, the effectiveness of the control strategy is validated with an innovative, multi-area, interconnected power system simulation platform that can mimic realistic power systems operation and control by simulating real-time economic dispatch, regulating reserve scheduling, multi-area automatic generation control, and generators' dynamic response.« less

Coordinated Control Strategy of a Battery Energy Storage System to Support a Wind Power Plant Providing Multi-Timescale Frequency Ancillary Services

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Jin; Zhang, Yingchen

With increasing penetrations of wind generation on electric grids, wind power plants (WPPs) are encouraged to provide frequency ancillary services (FAS); however, it is a challenge to ensure that variable wind generation can reliably provide these ancillary services. This paper proposes using a battery energy storage system (BESS) to ensure the WPPs' commitment to FAS. This method also focuses on reducing the BESS's size and extending its lifetime. In this paper, a state-machine-based coordinated control strategy is developed to utilize a BESS to support the obliged FAS of a WPP (including both primary and secondary frequency control). This method takesmore » into account the operational constraints of the WPP (e.g., real-time reserve) and the BESS (e.g., state of charge [SOC], charge and discharge rate) to provide reliable FAS. Meanwhile, an adaptive SOC-feedback control is designed to maintain SOC at the optimal value as much as possible and thus reduce the size and extend the lifetime of the BESS. In conclusion, the effectiveness of the control strategy is validated with an innovative, multi-area, interconnected power system simulation platform that can mimic realistic power systems operation and control by simulating real-time economic dispatch, regulating reserve scheduling, multi-area automatic generation control, and generators' dynamic response.« less

``Astrophysique sur Mesure'', E-learning in Astronomy and Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosser, Benoît; Delsanti, Audrey; Guillaume, Damien; Balança, Christian; Balkowski, Chantal

2011-06-01

``Astrophysique sur Mesure'' (astrophysics made-to-measure) is a set of e-learning programmes started 4 years ago at the Paris Observatory. In order to deliver attractive and efficient programmes, we have added many multimedia tools to usual lectures: animations, Java applets. The programmes are presented on two different platforms. The first one offers the content of all the lectures in free access. A second platform with restricted access is provided to registered students taking part in the e-learning program and benefiting from the help of tutors. The development of these programs helps to increase the sphere of influence of astronomy taught at the Paris Observatory, hence to increase the presence of astronomy in various degree courses. Instead of teaching classical astronomy lectures to a happy few, we can bring astronomy and astrophysics to a wider audience.

Antenna Beam Pattern Characteristics of HAPS User Terminal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ku, Bon-Jun; Oh, Dae Sub; Kim, Nam; Ahn, Do-Seob

High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) are recently considered as a green infrastructure to provide high speed multimedia services. The critical issue of HAPS is frequency sharing with satellite systems. Regulating antenna beam pattern using adaptive antenna schemes is one of means to facilitate the sharing with a space receiver for fixed satellite services on the uplink of a HAPS system operating in U bands. In this letter, we investigate antenna beam pattern characteristics of HAPS user terminals with various values of scan angles of main beam, null position angles, and null width.

The Impact of Mobile Multimedia Applications on Data Center Consolidation

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

Dell Netbook Device Used in Experiments Application Condition 1 Condition 2 Condition 3 SPEECH 0.057 s 1.04 s 4.08 s FACE 0.30 s 3.92 s N/A Figure 3...and disk capacity are secondary. Our experiments use a Dell Latitude 2102 as the mobile device. This small netbook machine is more powerful than a...device incurs the highest power dissipation. Note that the netbook platform has a high baseline idle power dissipation (around 10W), 9 Mobile 1WiFi East

HyperCard and Other Macintosh Applications in Astronomy Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meisel, D.

1992-12-01

For the past six years, Macintosh computers have been used in introductory astronomy classes and laboratories with HyperCard and other commercial Macintosh software. I will review some of the available software that has been found particularly useful in undergraduate situations. The review will start with HyperCard (a programmable "index card" system) since it is a mature multimedia platform for the Macintosh. Experiences with the Voyager, the TS-24, MathCad, NIH Image, and other programs as used by the author and George Mumford (Tufts University) in courses and workshops will be described.

Interactive publications: creation and usage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thoma, George R.; Ford, Glenn; Chung, Michael; Vasudevan, Kirankumar; Antani, Sameer

2006-02-01

As envisioned here, an "interactive publication" has similarities to multimedia documents that have been in existence for a decade or more, but possesses specific differentiating characteristics. In common usage, the latter refers to online entities that, in addition to text, consist of files of images and video clips residing separately in databases, rarely providing immediate context to the document text. While an interactive publication has many media objects as does the "traditional" multimedia document, it is a self-contained document, either as a single file with media files embedded within it, or as a "folder" containing tightly linked media files. The main characteristic that differentiates an interactive publication from a traditional multimedia document is that the reader would be able to reuse the media content for analysis and presentation, and to check the underlying data and possibly derive alternative conclusions leading, for example, to more in-depth peer reviews. We have created prototype publications containing paginated text and several media types encountered in the biomedical literature: 3D animations of anatomic structures; graphs, charts and tabular data; cell development images (video sequences); and clinical images such as CT, MRI and ultrasound in the DICOM format. This paper presents developments to date including: a tool to convert static tables or graphs into interactive entities, authoring procedures followed to create prototypes, and advantages and drawbacks of each of these platforms. It also outlines future work including meeting the challenge of network distribution for these large files.

OMARC: An online multimedia application for training health care providers in the assessment of respiratory conditions.

PubMed

Meruvia-Pastor, Oscar; Patra, Pranjal; Andres, Karen; Twomey, Creina; Peña-Castillo, Lourdes

2016-05-01

OMARC, a multimedia application designed to support the training of health care providers for the identification of common lung sounds heard in a patient's thorax as part of a health assessment, is described and its positive contribution to user learning is assessed. The main goal of OMARC is to effectively help health-care students become familiar with lung sounds as part of the assessment of respiratory conditions. In addition, the application must be easy to use and accessible to students and practitioners over the internet. OMARC was developed using an online platform to facilitate access to users in remote locations. OMARC's unique contribution as an educational software tool is that it presents a narrative about normal and abnormal lung sounds using interactive multimedia and sample case studies designed by professional health-care providers and educators. Its interface consists of two distinct components: a sounds glossary and a rich multimedia interface which presents clinical case studies and provides access to lung sounds placed on a model of a human torso. OMARC's contents can be extended through the addition of sounds and case studies designed by health-care educators and professionals. To validate OMARC and determine its efficacy in improving learning and capture user perceptions about it, we performed a pilot study with ten nursing students. Participants' performance was measured through an evaluation of their ability to identify several normal and adventitious/abnormal sounds prior and after exposure to OMARC. Results indicate that participants are able to better identify different lung sounds, going from an average of 63% (S.D. 18.3%) in the pre-test evaluation to an average of 90% (S.D. of 11.5%) after practising with OMARC. Furthermore, participants indicated in a user satisfaction questionnaire that they found the application helpful, easy to use and that they would recommend it to other persons in their field. OMARC is an online multimedia application for training health care students in the assessment of respiratory conditions. The software integrates multimedia technology and health-care education concepts to facilitate learning, while being useful and easy to use. Results from a pilot study indicate that OMARC significantly helps to improve the capacity of the users to correctly identify lung sounds for different respiratory conditions. In addition, participants' opinions about OMARC were quite positive: users were likely to recommend the application to other persons in their field and found the application easy to use and helpful to better identify lung sounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Framework for Risk Analysis in Multimedia Environmental Systems: Modeling Individual Steps of a Risk Assessment Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shah, Anuj; Castleton, Karl J.; Hoopes, Bonnie L.

2004-06-01

The study of the release and effects of chemicals in the environment and their associated risks to humans is central to public and private decision making. FRAMES 1.X, Framework for Risk Analysis in Multimedia Environmental Systems, is a systems modeling software platform, developed by PNNL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, that helps scientists study the release and effects of chemicals on a source to outcome basis, create environmental models for similar risk assessment and management problems. The unique aspect of FRAMES is to dynamically introduce software modules representing individual components of a risk assessment (e.g., source release of contaminants, fate andmore » transport in various environmental media, exposure, etc.) within a software framework, manipulate their attributes and run simulations to obtain results. This paper outlines the fundamental constituents of FRAMES 2.X, an enhanced version of FRAMES 1.X, that greatly improve the ability of the module developers to “plug” their self-developed software modules into the system. The basic design, the underlying principles and a discussion of the guidelines for module developers are presented.« less

Would you hire me? Selfie portrait images perception in a recruitment context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazza, F.; Da Silva, M. P.; Le Callet, P.

2014-02-01

Human content perception has been underlined to be important in multimedia quality evaluation. Recently aesthetic considerations have been subject of research in this field. First attempts in aesthetics took into account perceived low-level features, especially taken from photography theory. However they demonstrated to be insuf- ficient to characterize human content perception. More recently image psychology started to be considered as higher cognitive feature impacting user perception. In this paper we follow this idea introducing social cognitive elements. Our experiments focus on the influence of different versions of portrait pictures in context where they are showed aside some completely unrelated informations; this can happen for example in social networks interactions between users, where profile pictures are present aside almost every user action. In particular, we tested this impact on resumes between professional portrait and self shot pictures. Moreover, as we run tests in crowdsourcing, we will discuss the use of this methodology for these tests. Our final aim is to analyse social biases' impact on multimedia aesthetics evaluation and how this bias influences messages that go along with pictures, as in public online platforms and social networks.

A questionnaire for teachers to improve training activity and students on environmental science in the frame of ENVRIPLUS project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Addezio, Giuliana; Marsili, Antonella; Beranzoli, Laura

2017-04-01

ENVRIplus is a Horizon 2020 project bringing together Environmental and Earth System Research Infrastructures, projects and networks together with technical specialist partners to create a more coherent, interdisciplinary and interoperable cluster of Environmental Research. One of the aims of this project is to disseminate knowledge on environmental topics, focusing attention on European secondary schools. We elaborated actions to design an e-Training Platform for multimedia education of secondary school level teachers and students. The purpose is to favor teacher training and consequently students training on selected scientific themes faced within the ENVRIPLUS Research Infrastructures. In particular we address major thematic research areas and challenges on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Greenhouse effect and Earth Warming, Ocean acidifications and Environmental sustainability. To realize the training platform we start detailed study and analysis of teaching and multimedia information materials already available. We plan the realization of an appealing and usable portal/digital repository, to stimulate learning of STEM topics and which also includes opportunities to develop original content. To better project the actions and to catch teacher needs, we prepare a questionnaire that will be administered to a large sample of international school audience to collect input directly from the potential users. The first part focused on objective information about the formal, quantitative and qualitative position of science class in schools and the content and methods of teaching in different countries. The second part investigates subjective teacher experiences, views and proposals on what can improve training offer for environmental science lessons and courses.

Watch what happens: using a web-based multimedia platform to enhance intraoperative learning and development of clinical reasoning.

PubMed

Fingeret, Abbey L; Martinez, Rebecca H; Hsieh, Christine; Downey, Peter; Nowygrod, Roman

2016-02-01

We aim to determine whether observed operations or internet-based video review predict improved performance in the surgery clerkship. A retrospective review of students' usage of surgical videos, observed operations, evaluations, and examination scores were used to construct an exploratory principal component analysis. Multivariate regression was used to determine factors predictive of clerkship performance. Case log data for 231 students revealed a median of 25 observed cases. Students accessed the web-based video platform a median of 15 times. Principal component analysis yielded 4 factors contributing 74% of the variability with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient of .83. Multivariate regression predicted shelf score (P < .0001), internal clinical skills examination score (P < .0001), subjective evaluations (P < .001), and video website utilization (P < .001) but not observed cases to be significantly associated with overall performance. Utilization of a web-based operative video platform during a surgical clerkship is an independently associated with improved clinical reasoning, fund of knowledge, and overall evaluation. Thus, this modality can serve as a useful adjunct to live observation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Remote Sensing Platforms to Estimate Near-Surface Soil Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, D. G.; Shaw, J. N.; Rickman, D.; Mask, P. L.; Wersinger, J. M.; Luvall, J.

2003-01-01

Evaluation of near-surface soil properties via remote sensing (RS) could facilitate soil survey mapping, erosion prediction, fertilization regimes, and allocation of agrochemicals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between soil spectral signature and near surface soil properties in conventionally managed row crop systems. High resolution RS data were acquired over bare fields in the Coastal Plain, Appalachian Plateau, and Ridge and Valley provinces of Alabama using the Airborne Terrestrial Applications Sensor (ATLAS) multispectral scanner. Soils ranged from sandy Kandiudults to fine textured Rhodudults. Surface soil samples (0-1 cm) were collected from 163 sampling points for soil water content, soil organic carbon (SOC), particle size distribution (PSD), and citrate dithionite extractable iron (Fed) content. Surface roughness, soil water content, and crusting were also measured at sampling. Results showed RS data acquired from lands with less than 4 % surface soil water content best approximated near-surface soil properties at the Coastal Plain site where loamy sand textured surfaces were predominant. Utilizing a combination of band ratios in stepwise regression, Fed (r2 = 0.61), SOC (r2 = 0.36), sand (r2 = 0.52), and clay (r2 = 0.76) were related to RS data at the Coastal Plain site. In contrast, the more clayey Ridge and Valley soils had r-squares of 0.50, 0.36, 0.17, and 0.57. for Fed, SOC, sand and clay, respectively. Use of estimated eEmissivity did not generally improve estimates of near-surface soil attributes.

Rapid Inflammation in Mice Lacking Both SOCS1 and SOCS3 in Hematopoietic Cells

PubMed Central

Ushiki, Takashi; Huntington, Nicholas D.; Glaser, Stefan P.; Kiu, Hiu; Georgiou, Angela; Zhang, Jian-Guo; Nicola, Nicos A.; Roberts, Andrew W.; Alexander, Warren S.

2016-01-01

The Suppressors of Cytokine Signalling (SOCS) proteins are negative regulators of cytokine signalling required to prevent excess cellular responses. SOCS1 and SOCS3 are essential to prevent inflammatory disease, SOCS1 by attenuating responses to IFNγ and gamma-common (γc) cytokines, and SOCS3 via regulation of G-CSF and IL-6 signalling. SOCS1 and SOCS3 show significant sequence homology and are the only SOCS proteins to possess a KIR domain. The possibility of overlapping or redundant functions was investigated in inflammatory disease via generation of mice lacking both SOCS1 and SOCS3 in hematopoietic cells. Loss of SOCS3 significantly accelerated the pathology and inflammatory disease characteristic of SOCS1 deficiency. We propose a model in which SOCS1 and SOCS3 operate independently to control specific cytokine responses and together modulate the proliferation and activation of lymphoid and myeloid cells to prevent rapid inflammatory disease. PMID:27583437

Design for manufacturability production management activity report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyazaki, Norihiko; Sato, T.; Honma, M.; Yoshioka, N.; Hosono, K.; Onodera, T.; Itoh, H.; Suzuki, H.; Uga, T.; Kadota, K.; Iriki, N.

2006-05-01

Design For Manufacturability Production Management (DFM-PM) Subcommittee has been started in succession to Reticle Management Subcommittee (RMS) in Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology Committee for Japan (SMTCJ) from 2005. Our activity focuses on the SoC (System On Chip) Business, and it pursues the improvement of communication in manufacturing technique. The first theme of activity is the investigation and examination of the new trends about production (manufacturer) technology and related information, and proposals of business solution. The second theme is the standardization activity about manufacture technology and the cooperation with related semiconductors' organizations. And the third theme is holding workshop and support for promotion and spread of the standardization technology throughout semiconductor companies. We expand a range of scope from design technology to wafer pattern reliability and we will propose the competition domain, the collaboration area and the standardization technology on DFM. Furthermore, we will be able to make up a SoC business model as the 45nm node technology beyond manufacturing platform in cooperating with the design information and the production information by utilizing EDA technology.

Measure synchronization in a spin-orbit-coupled bosonic Josephson junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wen-Yuan; Liu, Jie; Fu, Li-Bin

2015-11-01

We present measure synchronization (MS) in a bosonic Josephson junction with spin-orbit coupling. The two atomic hyperfine states are coupled by a Raman dressing scheme, and they are regarded as two orientations of a pseudo-spin-1 /2 system. A feature specific to a spin-orbit-coupled (SOC) bosonic Josephson junction is that the transition from non-MS to MS dynamics can be modulated by Raman laser intensity, even in the absence of interspin atomic interaction. A phase diagram of non-MS and MS dynamics as functions of Raman laser intensity and Josephson tunneling amplitude is presented. Taking into account interspin atomic interactions, the system exhibits MS breaking dynamics resulting from the competition between intraspin and interspin atomic interactions. When interspin atomic interactions dominate in the competition, the system always exhibits MS dynamics. For interspin interaction weaker than intraspin interaction, a window for non-MS dynamics is present. Since SOC Bose-Einstein condensates provide a powerful platform for studies on physical problems in various fields, the study of MS dynamics is valuable in researching the collective coherent dynamical behavior in a spin-orbit-coupled bosonic Josephson junction.

Science Planning Implementation and Challenges for the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashman, Mike; Cardesin Moinelo, Alejandro; Frew, David; Garcia Beteta, Juan Jose; Geiger, Bernhard; Metcalfe, Leo; Muñoz, Michela; Nespoli, Federico

2018-05-01

The ExoMars Science Operations Centre (SOC) is located at ESA's European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) in Madrid, Spain and is responsible for coordinating the science planning activities for TGO in order to optimize the scientific return of the mission. The SOC constructs, in accordance with Science Working Team (SWT) science priorities, and in coordination with the PI science teams and ESA's Mission Operations Centre (MOC), a plan of scientific observations and delivers conflict free operational products for uplink and execution on-board. To achieve this, the SOC employs a planning concept based on Long, Medium and Short Term planning cycles. Long Term planning covers mission segments of several months and is conducted many months prior to execution. Its goal is to establish a feasible science observation strategy given the science priorities and the expected mission profile. Medium Term planning covers a 1 month mission segment and is conducted from 3 to 2 months prior to execution whilst Short Term planning covers a 1 week segment and is conducted from 2 weeks to 1 week prior to execution. The goals of Medium and Short Term planning are to operationally instantiate and validate the Long Term plan such that the SOC may deliver to MOC a conflict free spacecraft pointing profile request (a Medium Term planning deliverable), and the final instrument telecommanding products (a Short Term planning deliverable) such that the science plan is achieved and all operational constraints are met. With a 2 hour-400km science orbit, the vast number of solar occultation, nadir measurement, and surface imaging opportunities, combined with additional mission constraints such as the necessary provision of TGO communication slots to support the ExoMars 2020 Rover & Surface Platform mission and NASA surface assets, creates a science planning task of considerable magnitude and complexity. In this paper, we detail how the SOC is developing and implementing the necessary planning infrastructure, processes and automation in order to support science planning of this scale throughout the TGO mission. We also detail how the re-use and further development of ESA's multi-mission planning software tool is being implemented in order to provide the necessary additional functionality for the SOC's planning team to exploit, and to therefore ensure the optimum scientific return of the TGO mission. Finally, we provide an overview and status of the real science planning activities taking place in the first weeks of the nominal science phase in the first half of 2018.

Process-in-Network: A Comprehensive Network Processing Approach

PubMed Central

Urzaiz, Gabriel; Villa, David; Villanueva, Felix; Lopez, Juan Carlos

2012-01-01

A solid and versatile communications platform is very important in modern Ambient Intelligence (AmI) applications, which usually require the transmission of large amounts of multimedia information over a highly heterogeneous network. This article focuses on the concept of Process-in-Network (PIN), which is defined as the possibility that the network processes information as it is being transmitted, and introduces a more comprehensive approach than current network processing technologies. PIN can take advantage of waiting times in queues of routers, idle processing capacity in intermediate nodes, and the information that passes through the network. PMID:22969390

Towards a 21st century telephone exchange at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentín, F.; Hesnaux, A.; Sierra, R.; Chapron, F.

2015-12-01

The advent of mobile telephony and Voice over IP (VoIP) has significantly impacted the traditional telephone exchange industry—to such an extent that private branch exchanges are likely to disappear completely in the near future. For large organisations, such as CERN, it is important to be able to smooth this transition by implementing new multimedia platforms that can protect past investments and the flexibility needed to securely interconnect emerging VoIP solutions and forthcoming developments such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE). We present the results of ongoing studies and tests at CERN of the latest technologies in this area.

Demonstration and field trial of a resilient hybrid NG-PON test-bed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prat, Josep; Polo, Victor; Schrenk, Bernhard; Lazaro, Jose A.; Bonada, Francesc; Lopez, Eduardo T.; Omella, Mireia; Saliou, Fabienne; Le, Quang T.; Chanclou, Philippe; Leino, Dmitri; Soila, Risto; Spirou, Spiros; Costa, Liliana; Teixeira, Antonio; Tosi-Beleffi, Giorgio M.; Klonidis, Dimitrios; Tomkos, Ioannis

2014-10-01

A multi-layer next generation PON prototype has been built and tested, to show the feasibility of extended hybrid DWDM/TDM-XGPON FTTH networks with resilient optically-integrated ring-trees architecture, supporting broadband multimedia services. It constitutes a transparent common platform for the coexistence of multiple operators sharing the optical infrastructure of the central metro ring, passively combining the access and the metropolitan network sections. It features 32 wavelength connections at 10 Gbps, up to 1000 users distributed in 16 independent resilient sub-PONs over 100 km. This paper summarizes the network operation, demonstration and field trial results.

Molecular cloning and potential function prediction of homologous SOC1 genes in tree peony.

PubMed

Wang, Shunli; Beruto, Margherita; Xue, Jingqi; Zhu, Fuyong; Liu, Chuanjiao; Yan, Yueming; Zhang, Xiuxin

2015-08-01

The central flower integrator PsSOC1 was isolated and its expression profiles were analyzed; then the potential function of PsSOC1 in tree peony was postulated. The six flowering genes PrSOC1, PdSOC1, PsSOC1, PsSOC1-1, PsSOC1-2, and PsSOC1-3 were isolated from Paeonia rockii, Paeonia delavayi, and Paeonia suffruticosa, respectively. Sequence comparison analysis showed that the six genes were highly conserved and shared 99.41% nucleotide identity. Further investigation suggested PsSOC1 was highly homologous to the floral integrators, SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1), from Arabidopsis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the SOC1 protein clustering has family specificity and PsSOC1 has a close relationship with homologous SOC1 from Asteraceae species. The studies of PsSOC1's expression patterns in different buds and flower buds, and vegetative organs indicated that PsSOC1 could express in both vegetative and reproductive organs. While the expression of PsSOC1 in different developmental stages of buds was different; high expression levels of PsSOC1 occurred in the bud at the bud sprouting stage and the type I aborted the flower bud. PsSOC1 expression was also shown to be affected by gibberellins (GA), low temperature, and photoperiod. One of the pathways that regulates tree peony flowering may be the GA-inductive pathway. Ectopic expression of PsSOC1 in tobacco demonstrated that greater PsSOC1 expression in the transgenic tobacco plants not only promoted plant growth, but also advanced the flowering time. Finally, the potential function of PsSOC1 in tree peony was postulated.

Available, intuitive and free! Building e-learning modules using web 2.0 services.

PubMed

Tam, Chun Wah Michael; Eastwood, Anne

2012-01-01

E-learning is part of the mainstream in medical education and often provides the most efficient and effective means of engaging learners in a particular topic. However, translating design and content ideas into a useable product can be technically challenging, especially in the absence of information technology (IT) support. There is little published literature on the use of web 2.0 services to build e-learning activities. To describe the web 2.0 tools and solutions employed to build the GP Synergy evidence-based medicine and critical appraisal online course. We used and integrated a number of free web 2.0 services including: Prezi, a web-based presentation platform; YouTube, a video sharing service; Google Docs, a online document platform; Tiny.cc, a URL shortening service; and Wordpress, a blogging platform. The course consisting of five multimedia-rich, tutorial-like modules was built without IT specialist assistance or specialised software. The web 2.0 services used were free. The course can be accessed with a modern web browser. Modern web 2.0 services remove many of the technical barriers for creating and sharing content on the internet. When used synergistically, these services can be a flexible and low-cost platform for building e-learning activities. They were a pragmatic solution in our context.

Therapeutic Potential for Targeting the Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling-1 pathway for the treatment of SLE

PubMed Central

Sukka-Ganesh, Bhagyalaxmi; Larkin, Joseph

2016-01-01

Although the specific events dictating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathology remain unclear, abundant evidence indicates a critical role for dysregulated cytokine signaling in disease progression. Notably, the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family of intracellular proteins, in particular the kinase inhibitory region (KIR) bearing SOCS1 and SOCS3, play a critical role in regulating cytokine signaling. To assess a relationship between SOCS1/SOCS3 expression and SLE, the goals of this study were to: 1) evaluate the time kinetics of SOCS1/SOCS3 message and protein expression based on SLE associated stimulations, 2) compare levels of SOCS1 and SOCS3 present in SLE patients and healthy controls by message and protein, 3) relate SOCS1/SOCS3 expression to inflammatory markers in SLE patients, and 4) correlate SOCS1/SOCS3 levels to current treatments. We found that SOCS1 and SOCS3 were most abundant in murine splenic samples at 48 hours subsequent to stimulation by anti-CD3, LPS, or interferon gamma. In addition, significant reductions in SOCS1 and SOCS3 were present within PMBC’s of SLE patients compared to controls by both mRNA and protein expression. We also found that decreased levels of SOCS1 in SLE patients were correlated to enhanced levels of inflammatory markers and up-regulated expression of MHC class II. Finally, we show that patients receiving steroid treatment possessed higher levels SOCS1 compared to SLE patient counterparts, and that steroid administration to human PBMCs up-regulated SOCS1 message in a dose and time dependent manner. Together, these results suggest that therapeutic strategies focused on SOCS1 signaling may have efficacy in the treatment of SLE. PMID:27781323

IGF-1 induces SOCS-2 but not SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 transcription in juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

PubMed

Liu, Cai-Zhi; Luo, Yuan; Limbu, Samwel Mchele; Chen, Li-Qiao; Du, Zhen-Yu

2018-05-20

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays a crucial role in regulating growth in vertebrates whereas suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) act as feedback inhibitors of the GH/IGF-1 axis. Although SOCS-2 binds the IGF-1 receptor and inhibits IGF-1-induced STAT3 activation, presently there is no clear evidence as to whether IGF-1 could induce SOCS gene expression. The current study aimed to determine whether IGF-1 could induce the transcription of SOCS in juvenile Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ). We show that there is a common positive relationship between the mRNA expression of IGF-I and SOCS-2 under different nutritional statuses and stimulants, but not the mRNA expression of SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 Furthermore, rhIGF-1 treatment and transcriptional activity assay confirmed the hypothesis that IGF-1 could induce SOCS-2 expression, whereas it had no effect or even decreased the expression of SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 Overall, we obtained evidence that the transcription of SOCS-2, but not SOCS-1 or SOCS-3, could be induced by IGF signaling, suggesting that SOCS-2 serves as a feedback suppressor of the IGF-1 axis in juvenile Nile tilapia. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

75 FR 49528 - Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Networking and Multimedia Group (“NMG”) Excluding the Multimedia...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-13

..., Inc., Networking and Multimedia Group (``NMG'') Excluding the Multimedia Applications Division..., Inc., Networking and Multimedia Group (``NMG''), excluding the Multimedia Applications Division... certification for workers of the subject firm. The workers are engaged in internal design and engineering...

Suppressors of cytokine-signaling proteins induce insulin resistance in the retina and promote survival of retinal cells.

PubMed

Liu, Xuebin; Mameza, Marie G; Lee, Yun Sang; Eseonu, Chikezie I; Yu, Cheng-Rong; Kang Derwent, Jennifer J; Egwuagu, Charles E

2008-06-01

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) are implicated in the etiology of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Here, we show that some SOCS members are induced, while others are constitutively expressed, in retina and examine whether persistent elevation of SOCS levels in retina by chronic inflammation or cellular stress predisposes to developing insulin resistance in retina, a condition implicated in diabetic retinopathy. SOCS-mediated insulin resistance and neuroprotection in retina were investigated in 1) an experimental uveitis model, 2) SOCS1 transgenic rats, 3) insulin-deficient diabetic rats, 4) retinal cells depleted of SOCS6 or overexpressing SOCS1/SOCS3, and 5) oxidative stress and light-induced retinal degeneration models. We show that constitutive expression of SOCS6 protein in retinal neurons may improve glucose metabolism, while elevated SOCS1/SOCS3 expression during uveitis induces insulin resistance in neuroretina. SOCS-mediated insulin resistance, as indicated by its inhibition of basally active phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT signaling in retina, is validated in retina-specific SOCS1 transgenic rats and retinal cells overexpressing SOCS1/SOCS3. We further show that the SOCS3 level is elevated in retina by oxidative stress, metabolic stress of insulin-deficient diabetes, or light-induced retinal damage and protects ganglion cells from apoptosis, suggesting that upregulation of SOCS3 may be a common physiologic response of neuroretinal cells to cellular stress. Our data suggest two-sided roles of SOCS proteins in retina. Whereas SOCS proteins may improve glucose metabolism, mitigate deleterious effects of inflammation, and promote neuroprotection, persistent SOCS3 expression caused by chronic inflammation or cellular stress can induce insulin resistance and inhibit neurotrophic factors, such as ciliary neurotrophic factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, and insulin, that are essential for retinal cell survival.

Multimedia Information Networks in Social Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Liangliang; Qi, Guojun; Tsai, Shen-Fu; Tsai, Min-Hsuan; Pozo, Andrey Del; Huang, Thomas S.; Zhang, Xuemei; Lim, Suk Hwan

The popularity of personal digital cameras and online photo/video sharing community has lead to an explosion of multimedia information. Unlike traditional multimedia data, many new multimedia datasets are organized in a structural way, incorporating rich information such as semantic ontology, social interaction, community media, geographical maps, in addition to the multimedia contents by themselves. Studies of such structured multimedia data have resulted in a new research area, which is referred to as Multimedia Information Networks. Multimedia information networks are closely related to social networks, but especially focus on understanding the topics and semantics of the multimedia files in the context of network structure. This chapter reviews different categories of recent systems related to multimedia information networks, summarizes the popular inference methods used in recent works, and discusses the applications related to multimedia information networks. We also discuss a wide range of topics including public datasets, related industrial systems, and potential future research directions in this field.

Design training activity for teachers and students on environmental science topic in the frame of ENVRIPLUS project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Addezio, G.; Beranzoli, L.; Antonella, M.

2016-12-01

We elaborated actions to improve the content of the ENVRIPLUS e-Training Platform for multimedia education of secondary school level teachers and students. The purpose is to favor teacher training and consequently students training on selected scientific themes faced within the ENVRIPLUS Research Infrastructures. In particular we address major thematic research areas and challenges on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Greenhouse effect and Earth Warming, Ocean acidifications and Environmental sustainability. First we identified "Best practices" that could positively impacts on students by providing motivation on promoting scientific research and increase the awareness of the Earth System complexity and Environmental challenges for its preservation and sustainability,). Best practice teaching strategies represent an inherent part of a curriculum that exemplifies the connection and relevance identified in education research. To realize the training platform we start detailed study and analysis of teaching and multimedia information materials already available. We plan the realization of a digital repository for access to teachers and students with opportunities to develop original content, with standardization of the design methods of the scientific and technical content, classification / cataloging of information in digital form and definition of a logical model for the provision of thematic content in a single digital environment. To better design the actions and to catch teacher needs, we prepare a questionnaire that will be administered to a large sample of international secondary school level teachers. The first part focused on objective information about the formal, quantitative and qualitative position of science class in schools and the content and methods of teaching in different countries. The second part investigate subjective teacher experiences and their views on what can improve training offer for environmental science lessons and courses.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS TRAINING IN PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS - THE SERIOUSNESS OF SERIOUS GAMES.

PubMed

Stanojevic, Vojislav; Stanojevic, Cedomirka

2016-07-01

The rapid development of multimedia technologies in the last twenty years has lead to the emergence of new ways of learning academic and professional skills, which implies the application of multimedia technology in the form of a software -" serious computer games". Three-Dimensional Virtual Worlds. The basis of this game-platform is made of the platform of three-dimensional virtual worlds that can be described as communication systems in which participants share the same three-dimensional virtual space within which they can move, manipulate objects and communicate through their graphical representatives- avatars. Medical Education and Training. Arguments in favor of these computer tools in the learning process are accessibility, repeatability, low cost, the use of attractive graphics and a high degree of adaptation to the user. Specifically designed avatars allow students to get adapted to their roles in certain situations, especially to those which are considered rare, dangerous or unethical in real life. Drilling of major incidents, which includes the need to create environments for training, cannot be done in the real world due to high costs'and necessity to utilize the extensive resources. In addition, it is impossible to engage all the necessary health personnel at the same time. New technologies intended for conducting training, which are also called "virtual worlds", make the following possible: training at all times depending on user's commitments; simultaneous simulations on multiple levels, in several areas, in different circumstances, including dozens of unique victims; repeated scenarios and learning from mistakes; rapid feedback and the development of non-technical skills which are critical for reducing errors in dynamic, high-risk environments. Virtual worlds, which should be the subject of further research and improvements, in the field of hospital emergency response training for mass casualty incidents, certainly have a promising future.

The promise and challenge of including multimedia items in medical licensure examinations: some insights from an empirical trial.

PubMed

Shen, Linjun; Li, Feiming; Wattleworth, Roberta; Filipetto, Frank

2010-10-01

The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination conducted a trial of multimedia items in the 2008-2009 Level 3 testing cycle to determine (1) if multimedia items were able to test additional elements of medical knowledge and skills and (2) how to develop effective multimedia items. Forty-four content-matched multimedia and text multiple-choice items were randomly delivered to Level 3 candidates. Logistic regression and paired-samples t tests were used for pairwise and group-level comparisons, respectively. Nine pairs showed significant differences in either difficulty or/and discrimination. Content analysis found that, if text narrations were less direct, multimedia materials could make items easier. When textbook terminologies were replaced by multimedia presentations, multimedia items could become more difficult. Moreover, a multimedia item was found not uniformly difficult for candidates at different ability levels, possibly because multimedia and text items tested different elements of a same concept. Multimedia items may be capable of measuring some constructs different from what text items can measure. Effective multimedia items with reasonable psychometric properties can be intentionally developed.

SOCS-1 localizes to the microtubule organizing complex-associated 20S proteasome.

PubMed

Vuong, Bao Q; Arenzana, Teresita L; Showalter, Brian M; Losman, Julie; Chen, X Peter; Mostecki, Justin; Banks, Alexander S; Limnander, Andre; Fernandez, Neil; Rothman, Paul B

2004-10-01

The regulation of cytokine signaling is critical for controlling cellular proliferation and activation during an immune response. SOCS-1 is a potent inhibitor of Jak kinase activity and of signaling initiated by several cytokines. SOCS-1 protein levels are tightly regulated, and recent data suggest that SOCS-1 may regulate the protein levels of some signaling proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome pathway; however, the cellular mechanism by which SOCS-1 directs proteins for degradation is unknown. In this report, SOCS-1 is found to colocalize and biochemically copurify with the microtubule organizing complex (MTOC) and its associated 20S proteasome. The SOCS-1 SH2 domain is required for the localization of SOCS-1 to the MTOC. Overexpression of SOCS-1 targets Jak1 in an SH2-dependent manner to a perinuclear distribution resembling the MTOC-associated 20S proteasome. Analysis of MTOCs fractionated from SOCS-1-deficient cells demonstrates that SOCS-1 may function redundantly to regulate the localization of Jak1 to the MTOC. Nocodazole inhibits the protein turnover of SOCS-1, demonstrating that the minus-end transport of SOCS-1 to the MTOC-associated 20S proteasome is required to regulate SOCS-1 protein levels. These data link SOCS-1 directly with the proteasome pathway and suggest another function for the SH2 domain of SOCS-1 in the regulation of Jak/STAT signaling.

NASA scientific and technical information program multimedia initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cotter, Gladys A.; Kaye, Karen

1993-01-01

This paper relates the experiences of the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Program in introducing multimedia within the STI Program framework. A discussion of multimedia technology is included to provide context for the STI Program effort. The STI Program's Multimedia Initiative is discussed in detail. Parallels and differences between multimedia and traditional information systems project development are highlighted. Challenges faced by the program in initiating its multimedia project are summarized along with lessons learned. The paper concludes with a synopsis of the benefits the program hopes to provide its users through the introduction of multimedia illustrated by examples of successful multimedia projects.

STI Program Multimedia Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cotter, Gladys A.; Kaye, Karen

1993-01-01

This paper relates the experience of the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Program in introducing multimedia within the STI Program framework. A discussion of multimedia technology is included to provide context for the STI Program effort. The STI Program's Multimedia Initiative is discussed in detail. Parallels and differences between multimedia and traditional information systems project development are highlighted. Challenges faced by the program in initiating its multimedia project are summarized along with lessons learned. The paper concludes with a synopsis of the benefits the program hopes to provide its users through the introduction of multimedia illustrated by examples of successful multimedia projects.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) mitigates anterior uveitis and confers protection against ocular HSV-1 infection.

PubMed

Yu, Cheng-Rong; Hayashi, Kozaburo; Lee, Yun Sang; Mahdi, Rashid M; Shen, De Fen; Chan, Chi-Chao; Egwuagu, Charles E

2015-04-01

Immunological responses to pathogens are stringently regulated in the eye to prevent excessive inflammation that damage ocular tissues and compromise vision. Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) regulate intensity/duration of inflammatory responses. We have used SOCS1-deficient mice and retina-specific SOCS1 transgenic rats to investigate roles of SOCS1 in ocular herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infection and non-infectious uveitis. We also genetically engineered cell-penetrating SOCS proteins (membrane-translocating sequence (MTS)-SOCS1, MTS-SOCS3) and examined whether they can be used to inhibit inflammatory cytokines. Overexpression of SOCS1 in transgenic rat eyes attenuated ocular HSV-1 infection while SOCS1-deficient mice developed severe non-infectious anterior uveitis, suggesting that SOCS1 may contribute to mechanism of ocular immune privilege by regulating trafficking of inflammatory cells into ocular tissues. Furthermore, MTS-SOCS1 inhibited IFN-γ-induced signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT1) activation by macrophages while MTS-SOCS3 suppressed expansion of pathogenic Th17 cells that mediate uveitis, indicating that MTS-SOCS proteins maybe used to treat ocular inflammatory diseases of infectious or autoimmune etiology.

Extracting semantics from audio-visual content: the final frontier in multimedia retrieval.

PubMed

Naphade, M R; Huang, T S

2002-01-01

Multimedia understanding is a fast emerging interdisciplinary research area. There is tremendous potential for effective use of multimedia content through intelligent analysis. Diverse application areas are increasingly relying on multimedia understanding systems. Advances in multimedia understanding are related directly to advances in signal processing, computer vision, pattern recognition, multimedia databases, and smart sensors. We review the state-of-the-art techniques in multimedia retrieval. In particular, we discuss how multimedia retrieval can be viewed as a pattern recognition problem. We discuss how reliance on powerful pattern recognition and machine learning techniques is increasing in the field of multimedia retrieval. We review the state-of-the-art multimedia understanding systems with particular emphasis on a system for semantic video indexing centered around multijects and multinets. We discuss how semantic retrieval is centered around concepts and context and the various mechanisms for modeling concepts and context.

Design of a multimedia gateway for mobile devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hens, Raf; Goeminne, Nico; Van Hoecke, Sofie; Verdickt, Tom; Bouve, Thomas; Gielen, Frank; Demeester, Piet

2005-03-01

Although mobile users are currently offered a lot more capabilities on their mobile devices, they still experience some limitations. They can surf the Internet, read their e-mail and receive MMS messages, but they have limited processing power, storage capacity and bandwidth and are limited in their access to peripherals (e.g. printers). We have designed and implemented a multimedia gateway for mobile devices that reduces these limitations. It gives the mobile devices transparent access to high capacity devices connected to the gateway, which is built around a central, modularly extensible server that can run on any PC or home gateway. It manages two sets of modules: one set offering the actual services and another set handling the IP-based wireless interaction with the client applications on the mobile devices. These modules can be added and removed dynamically, offering new services on the fly. Currently services for storage, printing, domotics and playing music are provided. Others can easily be added later on. This paper discusses the architecture and development, the management of modules, the actual services and their benefits. Besides a proprietary implementation, it also looks into OSGi and how both platforms compare to each other, concerning design, architecture, ease of development, functionality, ...

Secure access control and large scale robust representation for online multimedia event detection.

PubMed

Liu, Changyu; Lu, Bin; Li, Huiling

2014-01-01

We developed an online multimedia event detection (MED) system. However, there are a secure access control issue and a large scale robust representation issue when we want to integrate traditional event detection algorithms into the online environment. For the first issue, we proposed a tree proxy-based and service-oriented access control (TPSAC) model based on the traditional role based access control model. Verification experiments were conducted on the CloudSim simulation platform, and the results showed that the TPSAC model is suitable for the access control of dynamic online environments. For the second issue, inspired by the object-bank scene descriptor, we proposed a 1000-object-bank (1000OBK) event descriptor. Feature vectors of the 1000OBK were extracted from response pyramids of 1000 generic object detectors which were trained on standard annotated image datasets, such as the ImageNet dataset. A spatial bag of words tiling approach was then adopted to encode these feature vectors for bridging the gap between the objects and events. Furthermore, we performed experiments in the context of event classification on the challenging TRECVID MED 2012 dataset, and the results showed that the robust 1000OBK event descriptor outperforms the state-of-the-art approaches.

SOMM: A New Service Oriented Middleware for Generic Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks Based on Code Mobility

PubMed Central

Faghih, Mohammad Mehdi; Moghaddam, Mohsen Ebrahimi

2011-01-01

Although much research in the area of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs) has been done in recent years, the programming of sensor nodes is still time-consuming and tedious. It requires expertise in low-level programming, mainly because of the use of resource constrained hardware and also the low level API provided by current operating systems. The code of the resulting systems has typically no clear separation between application and system logic. This minimizes the possibility of reusing code and often leads to the necessity of major changes when the underlying platform is changed. In this paper, we present a service oriented middleware named SOMM to support application development for WMSNs. The main goal of SOMM is to enable the development of modifiable and scalable WMSN applications. A network which uses the SOMM is capable of providing multiple services to multiple clients at the same time with the specified Quality of Service (QoS). SOMM uses a virtual machine with the ability to support mobile agents. Services in SOMM are provided by mobile agents and SOMM also provides a t space on each node which agents can use to communicate with each other. PMID:22346646

SOMM: A new service oriented middleware for generic wireless multimedia sensor networks based on code mobility.

PubMed

Faghih, Mohammad Mehdi; Moghaddam, Mohsen Ebrahimi

2011-01-01

Although much research in the area of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs) has been done in recent years, the programming of sensor nodes is still time-consuming and tedious. It requires expertise in low-level programming, mainly because of the use of resource constrained hardware and also the low level API provided by current operating systems. The code of the resulting systems has typically no clear separation between application and system logic. This minimizes the possibility of reusing code and often leads to the necessity of major changes when the underlying platform is changed. In this paper, we present a service oriented middleware named SOMM to support application development for WMSNs. The main goal of SOMM is to enable the development of modifiable and scalable WMSN applications. A network which uses the SOMM is capable of providing multiple services to multiple clients at the same time with the specified Quality of Service (QoS). SOMM uses a virtual machine with the ability to support mobile agents. Services in SOMM are provided by mobile agents and SOMM also provides a t space on each node which agents can use to communicate with each other.

M3D (Media 3D): a new programming language for web-based virtual reality in E-Learning and Edutainment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakaveh, Sepideh; Skaley, Detlef; Laine, Patricia; Haeger, Ralf; Maad, Soha

2003-01-01

Today, interactive multimedia educational systems are well established, as they prove useful instruments to enhance one's learning capabilities. Hitherto, the main difficulty with almost all E-Learning systems was latent in the rich media implementation techniques. This meant that each and every system should be created individually as reapplying the media, be it only a part, or the whole content was not directly possible, as everything must be applied mechanically i.e. by hand. Consequently making E-learning systems exceedingly expensive to generate, both in time and money terms. Media-3D or M3D is a new platform independent programming language, developed at the Fraunhofer Institute Media Communication to enable visualisation and simulation of E-Learning multimedia content. M3D is an XML-based language, which is capable of distinguishing between the3D models from that of the 3D scenes, as well as handling provisions for animations, within the programme. Here we give a technical account of M3D programming language and briefly describe two specific application scenarios where M3D is applied to create virtual reality E-Learning content for training of technical personnel.

Regional information guidance system based on hypermedia concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matoba, Hiroshi; Hara, Yoshinori; Kasahara, Yutako

1990-08-01

A regional information guidance system has been developed on an image workstation. Two main features of this system are hypermedia data structure and friendly visual interface realized by the full-color frame memory system. As the hypermedia data structure manages regional information such as maps, pictures and explanations of points of interest, users can retrieve those information one by one, next to next according to their interest change. For example, users can retrieve explanation of a picture through the link between pictures and text explanations. Users can also traverse from one document to another by using keywords as cross reference indices. The second feature is to utilize a full-color, high resolution and wide space frame memory for visual interface design. This frame memory system enables real-time operation of image data and natural scene representation. The system also provides half tone representing function which enables fade-in/out presentations. This fade-in/out functions used in displaying and erasing menu and image data, makes visual interface soft for human eyes. The system we have developed is a typical example of multimedia applications. We expect the image workstation will play an important role as a platform for multimedia applications.

Refocusing from a plenoptic camera within seconds on a mobile phone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez-Cárdenes, Ã.`scar; Marichal-Hernández, José G.; Rosa, Fernando L.; Lüke, Jonas P.; Fernández-Valdivia, Juan José; Rodríguez-Ramos, José M.

2014-05-01

Refocusing a plenoptic image by digital means and after the exposure has been thoroughly studied in the last years, but few efforts have been made in the direction of real time implementation in a constrained environment such as that provided by current mobile phones and tablets. In this work we address the aforementioned challenge demonstrating that a complete focal stack, comprising 31 refocused planes from a (256ff16)2 plenoptic image, can be achieved within seconds by a current SoC mobile phone platform. The election of an appropriate algorithm is the key to success. In a previous work we developed an algorithm, the fast approximate 4D:3D discrete Radon transform, that performs this task with linear time complexity where others obtain quadratic or linearithmic time complexity. Moreover, that algorithm does not requires complex number transforms, trigonometric calculus nor even multiplications nor oat numbers. Our algorithm has been ported to a multi core ARM chip on an off-the-shelf tablet running Android. A careful implementation exploiting parallelism at several levels has been necessary. The final implementation takes advantage of multi-threading in native code and NEON SIMD instructions. As a result our current implementation completes the refocusing task within seconds for a 16 megapixels image, much faster than previous attempts running on powerful PC platforms or dedicated hardware. The times consumed by the different stages of the digital refocusing are given and the strategies to achieve this result are discussed. Time results are given for a variety of environments within Android ecosystem, from the weaker/cheaper SoCs to the top of the line for 2013.

Perturbed thymopoiesis in vitro in the absence of Suppressor of Cytokine Signalling 1 and 3

PubMed Central

Croom, Hayley A.; Izon, David J.; Chong, Mark M.; Curtis, David J.; Roberts, Andrew W.; Kay, Thomas W.H.; Hilton, Douglas J.; Alexander, Warren S.; Starr, Robyn

2014-01-01

Cytokine signals are central to the differentiation of thymocytes and their stepwise progression through defined developmental stages. The intensity and duration of cytokine signals are regulated by the suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins. A clear role for SOCS1 during the later stages of thymopoiesis has been established, but little is known about its role during early thymopoiesis, nor the function of its closest relative, SOCS3. Here, we find that both SOCS1 and SOCS3 are expressed during early thymopoiesis, with expression coincident during the double negative (DN)2 and DN3 stages. We examined thymocyte differentiation in vitro by co-culture of SOCS-deficient bone marrow cells with OP9 cells expressing the Notch ligand Delta-like1 (OP9-DL1). Cells lacking SOCS1 were retarded at the DN3:DN4 transition and appeared unable to differentiate into double positive (DP) thymocytes. Cells lacking both SOCS1 and SOCS3 were more severely affected, and displayed an earlier block in T cell differentiation at DN2, the stage at which expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3 coincides. This indicates that, in addition to their specific roles, SOCS1 and SOCS3 share overlapping roles during thymopoiesis. This is the first demonstration of functional redundancy within the SOCS family, and has uncovered a vital role for SOCS1 and SOCS3 during two important checkpoints in early T cell development. PMID:18321577

Supervised multimedia categorization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldershoff, Frank; Salden, Alfons H.; Iacob, Sorin M.; Kempen, Masja

2003-01-01

Static multimedia on the Web can already be hardly structured manually. Although unavoidable and necessary, manual annotation of dynamic multimedia becomes even less feasible when multimedia quickly changes in complexity, i.e. in volume, modality, and usage context. The latter context could be set by learning or other purposes of the multimedia material. This multimedia dynamics calls for categorisation systems that index, query and retrieve multimedia objects on the fly in a similar way as a human expert would. We present and demonstrate such a supervised dynamic multimedia object categorisation system. Our categorisation system comes about by continuously gauging it to a group of human experts who annotate raw multimedia for a certain domain ontology given a usage context. Thus effectively our system learns the categorisation behaviour of human experts. By inducing supervised multi-modal content and context-dependent potentials our categorisation system associates field strengths of raw dynamic multimedia object categorisations with those human experts would assign. After a sufficient long period of supervised machine learning we arrive at automated robust and discriminative multimedia categorisation. We demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of our multimedia categorisation system in retrieving semantically meaningful soccer-video fragments, in particular by taking advantage of multimodal and domain specific information and knowledge supplied by human experts.

Sense of coherence and periodontal health outcomes.

PubMed

Cyrino, Renata Magalhães; Costa, Fernando Oliveira; Cortelli, José Roberto; Cortelli, Sheila Cavalca; Cota, Luís Otávio Miranda

2016-07-01

Sense of Coherence (SOC) has been associated with perceived oral health measures, but the contribution of SOC to clinical measures is still unclear. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate the potential association between periodontal health outcomes, such as periodontal clinical parameters and perceived periodontal health, and SOC. The study sample comprised 276 individuals, aged 18-60 years, from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Participants answered questionnaires covering sociodemographic variables, self-perceived periodontal health and SOC. Full-mouth periodontal examinations were performed. The sample was divided into three groups according to SOC score: (a) SOC1 = weak (24-46); (b) SOC2 = moderate (47-51); (c) SOC3 = strong (52-65). Multivariate analyses including appropriate logistic or linear regression models were performed to evaluate the association between periodontal health outcomes and biological, sociodemographic and behavioural variables. Perceived general oral health was associated with family income bracket (p = 0.010), smoking (p = 0.004), dental flossing (p = 0.017) and SOC (weak SOC: p = 0.005). Perceived gum disease and perceived periodontal disease were associated with SOC (weak SOC: p = 0.001 and p = 0.015, respectively). Overall, perceived periodontal health outcomes were associated with SOC. However, no association between clinical periodontal health outcomes and SOC were observed.

Predicting bi-decadal organic carbon mineralization in northwestern European soils with Rock-Eval pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soucemarianadin, Laure; Barré, Pierre; Baudin, François; Chenu, Claire; Houot, Sabine; Kätterer, Thomas; Macdonald, Andy; van Oort, Folkert; Plante, Alain F.; Cécillon, Lauric

2017-04-01

The organic carbon reservoir of soils is a key component of climate change, calling for an accurate knowledge of the residence time of soil organic carbon (SOC). Existing proxies of the size of SOC labile pool such as SOC fractionation or respiration tests are time consuming and unable to consistently predict SOC mineralization over years to decades. Similarly, models of SOC dynamics often yield unrealistic values of the size of SOC kinetic pools. Thermal analysis of bulk soil samples has recently been shown to provide useful and cost-effective information regarding the long-term in-situ decomposition of SOC. Barré et al. (2016) analyzed soil samples from long-term bare fallow sites in northwestern Europe using Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis (RE6), and demonstrated that persistent SOC is thermally more stable and has less hydrogen-rich compounds (low RE6 HI parameter) than labile SOC. The objective of this study was to predict SOC loss over a 20-year period (i.e. the size of the SOC pool with a residence time lower than 20 years) using RE6 indicators. Thirty-six archive soil samples coming from 4 long-term bare fallow chronosequences (Grignon, France; Rothamsted, Great Britain; Ultuna, Sweden; Versailles, France) were used in this study. For each sample, the value of bi-decadal SOC mineralization was obtained from the observed SOC dynamics of its long-term bare fallow plot (approximated by a spline function). Those values ranged from 0.8 to 14.3 gC·kg-1 (concentration data), representing 8.6 to 50.6% of total SOC (proportion data). All samples were analyzed using RE6 and simple linear regression models were used to predict bi-decadal SOC loss (concentration and proportion data) from 4 RE6 parameters: HI, OI, PC/SOC and T50 CO2 oxidation. HI (the amount of hydrogen-rich effluents formed during the pyrolysis phase of RE6; mgCH.g-1SOC) and OI (the CO2 yield during the pyrolysis phase of RE6; mgCO2.g-1SOC) parameters describe SOC bulk chemistry. PC/SOC (the amount of organic C evolved during the pyrolysis phase of RE6; % of total SOC) and T50 CO2 oxidation (the temperature at which 50% of the residual organic C was oxidized to CO2 during the RE6 oxidation phase; °C) parameters represent SOC thermal stability. The RE6 HI parameter yielded the best predictions of bi-decadal SOC mineralization, for both concentration (R2 = 0.75) and proportion (R2 = 0.66) data. PC/SOC and T50 CO2 oxidation parameters also yielded significant regression models with R2 = 0.68 and 0.42 for concentration data and R2 = 0.59 and 0.26 for proportion data, respectively. The OI parameter was not a good predictor of bi-decadal SOC loss, with non-significant regression models. The RE6 thermal analysis method can predict in-situ SOC biogeochemical stability. SOC chemical composition, and to a lesser SOC thermal stability, are related to its bi-decadal dynamics. RE6 appears to be a more accurate and convenient proxy of the size of the bi-decadal labile SOC pool than other existing methodologies. Future developments include the validation of these RE6 models of bi-decadal SOC loss on soils from contrasted pedoclimatic conditions. Reference: Barré et al., 2016. Biogeochemistry 130, 1-12

Real-time distributed multimedia systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rahurkar, S.S.; Bourbakis, N.G.

1996-12-31

This paper presents a survey on distributed multimedia systems and discusses real-time issues. In particular, different subsystems are reviewed that impact on multimedia networking, the networking for multimedia, the networked multimedia systems, and the leading edge research and developments efforts and issues in networking.

Improving the Aircraft Design Process Using Web-Based Modeling and Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, John A.; Follen, Gregory J.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.; Follen, Gregory J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Designing and developing new aircraft systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for reducing design cycle times, but requires a flexible software environment capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and multifidelity analysis methods, dynamically managing data across heterogeneous computing platforms, and distributing computationally complex tasks. Web-based simulation, with its emphasis on collaborative composition of simulation models, distributed heterogeneous execution, and dynamic multimedia documentation, has the potential to meet these requirements. This paper outlines the current aircraft design process, highlighting its problems and complexities, and presents our vision of an aircraft design process using Web-based modeling and simulation.

Improving the Aircraft Design Process Using Web-based Modeling and Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, John A.; Follen, Gregory J.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

2003-01-01

Designing and developing new aircraft systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for reducing design cycle times, but requires a flexible software environment capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and muitifidelity analysis methods, dynamically managing data across heterogeneous computing platforms, and distributing computationally complex tasks. Web-based simulation, with its emphasis on collaborative composition of simulation models, distributed heterogeneous execution, and dynamic multimedia documentation, has the potential to meet these requirements. This paper outlines the current aircraft design process, highlighting its problems and complexities, and presents our vision of an aircraft design process using Web-based modeling and simulation.

Warming Rather Than Increased Precipitation Increases Soil Recalcitrant Organic Carbon in a Semiarid Grassland after 6 Years of Treatments

PubMed Central

Zhou, Xiaoqi; Chen, Chengrong; Wang, Yanfen; Smaill, Simeon; Clinton, Peter

2013-01-01

Improved understanding of changes in soil recalcitrant organic carbon (C) in response to global warming is critical for predicting changes in soil organic C (SOC) storage. Here, we took advantage of a long-term field experiment with increased temperature and precipitation to investigate the effects of warming, increased precipitation and their interactions on SOC fraction in a semiarid Inner Mongolian grassland of northern China since April 2005. We quantified labile SOC, recalcitrant SOC and stable SOC at 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths. Results showed that neither warming nor increased precipitation affected total SOC and stable SOC at either depth. Increased precipitation significantly increased labile SOC at the 0–10 cm depth. Warming decreased labile SOC (P = 0.038) and marginally but significantly increased recalcitrant SOC at the 10–20 cm depth (P = 0.082). In addition, there were significant interactive effects of warming and increased precipitation on labile SOC and recalcitrant SOC at the 0–10 cm depth (both P<0.05), indicating that that results from single factor experiments should be treated with caution because of multi-factor interactions. Given that the absolute increase of SOC in the recalcitrant SOC pool was much greater than the decrease in labile SOC, and that the mean residence time of recalcitrant SOC is much greater, our results suggest that soil C storage at 10–20 cm depth may increase with increasing temperature in this semiarid grassland. PMID:23341995

Distributed Multimedia Computing: An Assessment of the State of the Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Neil; And Others

1991-01-01

Describes multimedia computing and the characteristics of multimedia information. Trends in information technology are reviewed; distributed multimedia computing is explained; media types are described, including digital media; and multimedia applications are examined, including office systems, documents, information storage and retrieval,…

Multimedia Matrix: A Cognitive Strategy for Designers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherry, Annette C.

This instructional development project evaluates the effect of a matrix-based strategy to assist multimedia authors in acquiring and applying principles for effective multimedia design. The Multimedia Matrix, based on the Park and Hannafin "Twenty Principles and Implications for Interactive Multimedia" design, displays a condensed…

SOCS2 Binds to and Regulates EphA2 through Multiple Mechanisms.

PubMed

Pilling, Carissa; Cooper, Jonathan A

2017-09-07

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins inhibit signaling by serving as substrate receptors for the Cullin5-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL5) and through a variety of CRL5-independent mechanisms. CRL5, SOCS2 and SOCS6 are implicated in suppressing transformation of epithelial cells. We identified cell proteins that interact with SOCS2 and SOCS6 using two parallel proteomics techniques: BioID and Flag affinity purification mass spectrometry. The receptor tyrosine kinase ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) was identified as a SOCS2-interacting protein. SOCS2-EphA2 binding requires the SOCS2 SH2 domain and EphA2 activation loop autophosphorylation, which is stimulated by Ephrin A1 (EfnA1) or by phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibition. Surprisingly, EfnA1-stimulated EphA2-SOCS2 binding is delayed until EphA2 has been internalized into endosomes. This suggests that SOCS2 binds to EphA2 in the context of endosomal membranes. We also found that SOCS2 overexpression decreases steady state levels of EphA2, consistent with increased EphA2 degradation. This effect is indirect: SOCS2 induces EfnA1 expression, and EfnA1 induces EphA2 down-regulation. Other RTKs have been reported to bind, and be regulated by, over-expressed SOCS proteins. Our data suggest that SOCS protein over-expression may regulate receptor tyrosine kinases through indirect and direct mechanisms.

Soil carbon distribution in Alaska in relation to soil-forming factors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, K.D.; Harden, J.; McGuire, A.D.; Bliss, N.B.; Bockheim, James G.; Clark, M.R.; Nettleton-Hollingsworth, T.; Jorgenson, M.T.; Kane, E.S.; Mack, M.; O'Donnell, J.; Ping, C.-L.; Schuur, E.A.G.; Turetsky, M.R.; Valentine, D.W.

2011-01-01

The direction and magnitude of soil organic carbon (SOC) changes in response to climate change remain unclear and depend on the spatial distribution of SOC across landscapes. Uncertainties regarding the fate of SOC are greater in high-latitude systems where data are sparse and the soils are affected by sub-zero temperatures. To address these issues in Alaska, a first-order assessment of data gaps and spatial distributions of SOC was conducted from a recently compiled soil carbon database. Temperature and landform type were the dominant controls on SOC distribution for selected ecoregions. Mean SOC pools (to a depth of 1-m) varied by three, seven and ten-fold across ecoregion, landform, and ecosystem types, respectively. Climate interactions with landform type and SOC were greatest in the uplands. For upland SOC there was a six-fold non-linear increase in SOC with latitude (i.e., temperature) where SOC was lowest in the Intermontane Boreal compared to the Arctic Tundra and Coastal Rainforest. Additionally, in upland systems mineral SOC pools decreased as climate became more continental, suggesting that the lower productivity, higher decomposition rates and fire activity, common in continental climates, interacted to reduce mineral SOC. For lowland systems, in contrast, these interactions and their impacts on SOC were muted or absent making SOC in these environments more comparable across latitudes. Thus, the magnitudes of SOC change across temperature gradients were non-uniform and depended on landform type. Additional factors that appeared to be related to SOC distribution within ecoregions included stand age, aspect, and permafrost presence or absence in black spruce stands. Overall, these results indicate the influence of major interactions between temperature-controlled decomposition and topography on SOC in high-latitude systems. However, there remains a need for more SOC data from wetlands and boreal-region permafrost soils, especially at depths > 1 m in order to fully understand the effects of climate on soil carbon in Alaska.

E-learning tools for education: regulatory aspects, current applications in radiology and future prospects.

PubMed

Pinto, A; Selvaggi, S; Sicignano, G; Vollono, E; Iervolino, L; Amato, F; Molinari, A; Grassi, R

2008-02-01

E-learning, an abbreviation of electronic learning, indicates the provision of education and training on the Internet or the World Wide Web. The impact of networks and the Internet on radiology is undoubtedly important, as it is for medicine as a whole. The Internet offers numerous advantages compared with other mass media: it provides access to a large amount of information previously known only to individual specialists; it is flexible, permitting the use of images or video; and it allows linking to Web sites on a specific subject, thus contributing to further expand knowledge. Our purpose is to illustrate the regulatory aspects (including Internet copyright laws), current radiological applications and future prospects of e-learning. Our experience with the installation of an e-learning platform is also presented. We performed a PubMed search on the published literature (without time limits) dealing with e-learning tools and applications in the health sector with specific reference to radiology. The search included all study types in the English language with the following key words: e-learning, education, teaching, online exam, radiology and radiologists. The Fiaso study was referred to for the regulatory aspects of e-learning. The application of e-learning to radiology requires the development of a model that involves selecting and creating e-learning platforms, creating and technologically adapting multimedia teaching modules, creating and managing a unified catalogue of teaching modules, planning training actions, defining training pathways and Continuing Education in Medicine (CME) credits, identifying levels of teaching and technological complexity of support tools, sharing an organisational and methodological model, training the trainers, operators' participation and relational devices, providing training, monitoring progress of the activities, and measuring the effectiveness of training. Since 2004, a platform--LiveLearning--has been used at our university: this is a Web-oriented application, that is, an Internet software solution that users can access through a Web browser. The pages displayed by the browser are dynamically generated through interaction with a database that collects both data required for the application to work and data related to the courses provided. There are different approaches to developing applications that use databases to store information. The selected approach is based on a modular three-level architecture divided into presentation level, intermediate level, and data level. The LiveLearning platform includes modules to manage multimedia contents and to interface with the streaming server so that the student can access the training contents directly from the platform interfaces. Furthermore, the platform offers its users different modules: Teaching Units, Documents, Forums, and Chats. By appropriately combining these modules, customised training can be devised based on specific requirements. The increasing diffusion of continuous education will reduce the costs of e-learning and make this training method, which helps keep pace with technological progress, more attractive, with significant professional gains for radiologists.

Issues and Obstacles with Multimedia Authoring.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makedon, Fillia; And Others

This paper discusses some of the common threads shared by three dissimilar cases of multimedia authoring: multimedia conference proceedings, multimedia courseware development, and multimedia information kiosks. The benefits and pitfalls of academic development are reviewed and points of wisdom are shared. The paper draws on the experiences from…

Cloning and characterization of three suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) genes from the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas.

PubMed

Li, Jun; Zhang, Yang; Zhang, Yuehuan; Liu, Ying; Xiang, Zhiming; Qu, Fufa; Yu, Ziniu

2015-06-01

Members of the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family are crucial for the control of a variety of signal transduction pathways that are involved in the immunity, growth and development of organisms. However, in mollusks, the identity and function of SOCS proteins remain largely unclear. In the present study, three SOCS genes, CgSOCS2, CgSOCS5 and CgSOCS7, have been identified by searching and analyzing the Pacific oyster genome. Structural analysis indicated that the CgSOCS share conserved functional domains with their vertebrate counterparts. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the three SOCS genes clustered into two distinct groups, the type I and II subfamilies, indicating that these subfamilies had common ancestors. Tissue-specific expression results showed that the three genes were constitutively expressed in all examined tissues and were highly expressed in immune-related tissues, such as the hemocytes, gills and digestive gland. The expression of CgSOCS can also be induced to varying degrees in hemocytes after challenge with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Moreover, dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that the over-expression of CgSOCS2 and CgSOCS7, but not CgSOC5, can activate an NF-κB reporter gene. Collectively, these results demonstrated that the CgSOCS might play an important role in the innate immune responses of the Pacific oyster. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effective 3-D surface modeling for geographic information systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yüksek, K.; Alparslan, M.; Mendi, E.

2013-11-01

In this work, we propose a dynamic, flexible and interactive urban digital terrain platform (DTP) with spatial data and query processing capabilities of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), multimedia database functionality and graphical modeling infrastructure. A new data element, called Geo-Node, which stores image, spatial data and 3-D CAD objects is developed using an efficient data structure. The system effectively handles data transfer of Geo-Nodes between main memory and secondary storage with an optimized Directional Replacement Policy (DRP) based buffer management scheme. Polyhedron structures are used in Digital Surface Modeling (DSM) and smoothing process is performed by interpolation. The experimental results show that our framework achieves high performance and works effectively with urban scenes independent from the amount of spatial data and image size. The proposed platform may contribute to the development of various applications such as Web GIS systems based on 3-D graphics standards (e.g. X3-D and VRML) and services which integrate multi-dimensional spatial information and satellite/aerial imagery.

[Efficacy of health education on patients with hip replacement based on the Internet].

PubMed

Zhou, Yang; Yang, Tubao; Li, Yinglan; Yu, Jie; Zeng, Biyun

2015-03-01

To evaluate the efficacy of health education on patients with hip replacement based on the Internet, and to establish a new health education model through modern technology. A total of 300 patients with hip replacement from March to August, 2015 were enrolled in this study. The participants were divided into a control group and an experimental group according to months surgeries performed. Traditional education was applied in the control group while the multimedia source material plus the Internet platform of Joint Registration System were applied in the experimental group. Levels of anxiety, degree of satisfaction, and postoperative complications were analyzed. The levels of knowledge, attitude and behavior compliance in the patients of the experimental group were significantly improved, while the levels of postoperative anxiety were decreased compared with those in the control group (P<0.05). Education based on the Internet platform of Joint Registration System and the computer video could improve patients' knowledge, attitude, and behavior, which is worthy of clinical spread.

Effective 3-D surface modeling for geographic information systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yüksek, K.; Alparslan, M.; Mendi, E.

2016-01-01

In this work, we propose a dynamic, flexible and interactive urban digital terrain platform with spatial data and query processing capabilities of geographic information systems, multimedia database functionality and graphical modeling infrastructure. A new data element, called Geo-Node, which stores image, spatial data and 3-D CAD objects is developed using an efficient data structure. The system effectively handles data transfer of Geo-Nodes between main memory and secondary storage with an optimized directional replacement policy (DRP) based buffer management scheme. Polyhedron structures are used in digital surface modeling and smoothing process is performed by interpolation. The experimental results show that our framework achieves high performance and works effectively with urban scenes independent from the amount of spatial data and image size. The proposed platform may contribute to the development of various applications such as Web GIS systems based on 3-D graphics standards (e.g., X3-D and VRML) and services which integrate multi-dimensional spatial information and satellite/aerial imagery.

Geomorphic and climate influences on soil organic carbon concentration at large catchment scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hancock, G. R.; Martinez, C.; Wells, T.; Dever, C.; Willgoose, G. R.; Bissett, A.

2013-12-01

Soils represent the largest terrestrial sink of carbon on Earth. Managing the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is becoming increasingly important in light of growing concerns over global food security and the climatic effects of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The development of accurate predictive SOC models are an important step for both land resource managers and policy makers alike. Presently, a number of SOC models are available which incorporate environmental data to produce SOC estimates. The accuracy of these models varies significantly over a range of landscapes due to the highly complex nature of SOC dynamics. Fundamental gaps exist in our understanding of SOC controls. To date, studies of SOC controls, and the subsequent models derived from their findings have focussed mainly on North American and European landscapes. Additionally, SOC studies often focus on the paddock to small catchment scale. Consequently, information about SOC in Australian landscapes and at the larger scale is limited. This study examines controls over SOC across a large catchment of approximately 600 km2 in the Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia. The aim was to develop a predictive model for use across a range of catchment sizes and climate. Here it was found that elevation (derived from DEMs) and vegetation (above ground biomass quantified by remote sensing were the primary controls of SOC. SOC was seen to increase with elevation and NDVI. This relationship is believed to be a reflection of rainfall patterns across the study area and plant growth potential. Further, a relationship was observed between SOC and the environmental tracer 137Cs which suggests that SOC and 137Cs move through catchment via similar sediment transport mechanisms. Therefore loss of SOC by erosion and gain by deposition may be necessary to be accounted for in any SOC budget. Model validation indicated that the use of simple linear relationships could predict SOC based on rainfall and vegetation (above ground biomass as quantified by remote sensing). The results suggest that simple landscape and climate models have the potential to predict the spatial distribution of SOC. The findings of this study emphasise the importance of tailoring SOC models to the appropriate scale.

Knocking off the suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS): their roles in mammalian pregnancy.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Justine S; Toth, Bettina; Jeschke, Udo; Schleussner, Ekkehard; Markert, Udo R

2009-12-01

This review discusses the possible role of the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins in mammalian reproduction. SOCS are regulatory proteins that are rapidly transcribed in response to intracellular Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling, a cascade governing biological functions including cytokine-induced immunological responses and reproductive processes. For instance STAT3 appears to mediate trophoblast invasion induced by LIF. The SOCS family includes 8 members (cytokine-inducible SH2 protein [CIS] and SOCS1-7) that orchestrate distinct reactions by antagonizing STAT activation. Emerging evidence points to a role of some family members in synchronizing Th1/Th2 cell profiles, the balance in which is considered vital to pregnancy maintenance. The reproductive phenotypes of mutant mice harboring targeted disruption of SOCS gene isoforms offer insights for reproductive immunology, trophoblast function and human pregnancy. CIS transgenic mice display impaired responses to IL-2 and resemble STAT5 deficient mice, except they are fertile. SOCS1 deficiency leads to an overabundance of IFNgamma signaling, yet SOCS1 null mutant mice are able to reproduce. Lack of SOCS3 is embryonically lethal due to placental insufficiency, while SOCS3 over-expression leads to elevated Th2 responses. SOCS3 seems to be vital for reproduction by regulating LIF-driven trophoblast differentiation. SOCS5 inhibits IL-4 signaling, yet the SOCS5 transgenic mouse has no conspicuous reproductive phenotype. SOCS-6 and SOCS-7 null mutant mice display growth retardation. In summary, SOCS proteins are avidly involved in fine regulation of immunological and other vital cellular responses. Many of the above phenotypes present contradictions to accepted reproductive immunological paradigms.

Using Multimedia for Distance Learning in Adult, Career, and Vocational Education. Information Series No. 362.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stammen, Ronald M.

This paper explores how educators are using multimedia for distance learning, beginning with definitions of the concepts of multimedia, hypermedia, hypertext, distance education and distance learning. Three types of telecommunications technologies are described: multimedia with broadcast television, multimedia with interactive video (television),…

Getting Started in Multimedia Training: Cutting or Bleeding Edge?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Vicki; Sleezer, Catherine M.

1995-01-01

Defines multimedia, explores uses of multimedia training, and discusses the effects and challenges of adding multimedia such as graphics, photographs, full motion video, sound effects, or CD-ROMs to existing training methods. Offers planning tips, and suggests software and hardware tools to help set up multimedia training programs. (JMV)

A semantic medical multimedia retrieval approach using ontology information hiding.

PubMed

Guo, Kehua; Zhang, Shigeng

2013-01-01

Searching useful information from unstructured medical multimedia data has been a difficult problem in information retrieval. This paper reports an effective semantic medical multimedia retrieval approach which can reflect the users' query intent. Firstly, semantic annotations will be given to the multimedia documents in the medical multimedia database. Secondly, the ontology that represented semantic information will be hidden in the head of the multimedia documents. The main innovations of this approach are cross-type retrieval support and semantic information preservation. Experimental results indicate a good precision and efficiency of our approach for medical multimedia retrieval in comparison with some traditional approaches.

IL-10 and socs3 Are Predictive Biomarkers of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.

PubMed

Flores-Mendoza, Lilian Karem; Estrada-Jiménez, Tania; Sedeño-Monge, Virginia; Moreno, Margarita; Manjarrez, María Del Consuelo; González-Ochoa, Guadalupe; Millán-Pérez Peña, Lourdes; Reyes-Leyva, Julio

2017-01-01

Cytokines play important roles in the physiopathology of dengue infection; therefore, the suppressors of cytokine signaling ( socs ) that control the type and timing of cytokine functions could be involved in the origin of immune alterations in dengue. To explore the association of cytokine and socs levels with disease severity in dengue patients. Blood samples of 48 patients with confirmed dengue infection were analyzed. Amounts of interleukins IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10, interferon- (IFN-) γ , and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α were quantified by flow cytometry, and the relative expression of socs1 and socs3 mRNA was quantified by real-time RT-PCR. Increased levels of IL-10 and socs3 and lower expression of socs1 were found in patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) with respect to those with dengue fever (DF) ( p < 0.05). Negative correlations were found between socs1 and both IL-10 and socs3 ( p < 0.01). The cutoff values of socs3 (>199.8-fold), socs1 (<1.94-fold), and IL-10 (>134 pg/ml) have the highest sensitivity and specificity to discriminate between DF and DHF. Simultaneous changes in IL-10 and socs1/socs3 could be used as prognostic biomarkers of dengue severity.

IL-10 and socs3 Are Predictive Biomarkers of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

PubMed Central

Estrada-Jiménez, Tania; Sedeño-Monge, Virginia; Moreno, Margarita; Manjarrez, María del Consuelo; González-Ochoa, Guadalupe; Millán-Pérez Peña, Lourdes

2017-01-01

Background Cytokines play important roles in the physiopathology of dengue infection; therefore, the suppressors of cytokine signaling (socs) that control the type and timing of cytokine functions could be involved in the origin of immune alterations in dengue. Objective To explore the association of cytokine and socs levels with disease severity in dengue patients. Methods Blood samples of 48 patients with confirmed dengue infection were analyzed. Amounts of interleukins IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10, interferon- (IFN-) γ, and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α were quantified by flow cytometry, and the relative expression of socs1 and socs3 mRNA was quantified by real-time RT-PCR. Results Increased levels of IL-10 and socs3 and lower expression of socs1 were found in patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) with respect to those with dengue fever (DF) (p < 0.05). Negative correlations were found between socs1 and both IL-10 and socs3 (p < 0.01). The cutoff values of socs3 (>199.8-fold), socs1 (<1.94-fold), and IL-10 (>134 pg/ml) have the highest sensitivity and specificity to discriminate between DF and DHF. Conclusion Simultaneous changes in IL-10 and socs1/socs3 could be used as prognostic biomarkers of dengue severity. PMID:28827898

Space Operations Center system analysis study extension. Volume 4, book 2: SOC system analysis report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Space Operations Center (SOC) orbital space station research missions integration, crew requirements, SOC operations, and configurations are analyzed. Potential research and applications missions and their requirements are described. The capabilities of SOC are compared with user requirements. The SOC/space shuttle and shuttle-derived vehicle flight support operations and SOC orbital operations are described. Module configurations and systems options, SOC/external tank configurations, and configurations for geostationary orbits are described. Crew and systems safety configurations are summarized.

Sense of coherence and the motivational process of the job-demands-resources model.

PubMed

Vogt, Katharina; Hakanen, Jari J; Jenny, Gregor J; Bauer, Georg F

2016-04-01

This longitudinal study systematically examines the various roles played by the personal resource "sense of coherence" (SoC) in the motivational process described by the job-demands-resources model. SoC captures the extent to which people perceive their life as comprehensible, manageable and meaningful, and there is evidence of its influence in many health-related outcomes. The first aim here was to establish whether a resourceful working environment builds up SoC and whether SoC leads to work engagement. A second aim was to test reverse relationships: how work engagement leads to SoC and how SoC in turn relates to job resources. A third aim was to assess whether SoC boosts the relationship between job resources and work engagement. The study utilized a 3-wave, 3-month panel design, involving 940 employees working in a broad range of occupations and economic sectors. The results of longitudinal structural equation modeling show that job resources predict SoC and SoC predicts work engagement, suggesting a mediating role of SoC. In addition, SoC predicts job resources, suggesting reciprocal relationships between job resources and SoC. No boosting effect of SoC was found. Overall, the present findings support the view that providing employees with a resourceful working environment will help to build their SoC. The effects of SoC on perceptual, appraisal, and behavioral processes may in turn lead to enhanced job resources and positive outcomes such as greater work engagement. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

SOCS3

PubMed Central

Yasukawa, Hideo; Nagata, Takanobu; Oba, Toyoharu; Imaizumi, Tsutomu

2012-01-01

The suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family of proteins are cytokine-inducible inhibitors of Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of the transcription (STAT) signaling pathways. Among the family, SOCS1 and SOCS3 potently suppress cytokine actions by inhibiting JAK kinase activities. The generation of mice lacking individual SOCS genes has been instrumental in defining the role of individual SOCS proteins in specific cytokine pathways in vivo; SOCS1 is an essential negative regulator of interferon-γ (IFNγ) and SOCS3 is an essential negative regulator of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). JAK-STAT3 activating cytokines have exhibited cardioprotective roles in the heart. The cardiac-specific deletion of SOCS3 enhances the activation of cardioprotective signaling pathways, inhibits myocardial apoptosis and fibrosis and results in the inhibition of left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). We propose that myocardial SOCS3 is a key determinant of left ventricular remodeling after MI, and SOCS3 may serve as a novel therapeutic target to prevent left ventricular remodeling after MI. In this review, we discuss the signaling pathways mediated by JAK-STAT and SOCS proteins and their roles in the development of myocardial injury under stress (e.g., pressure overload, viral infection and ischemia). PMID:24058778

Hot regions of labile and stable soil organic carbon in Germany - Spatial variability and driving factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vos, Cora; Jaconi, Angélica; Jacobs, Anna; Don, Axel

2018-06-01

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels can be mitigated by sequestering carbon in the soil. Sequestration can be facilitated by agricultural management, but its influence is not the same on all soil carbon pools, as labile pools with a high turnover may be accumulated much faster but are also more vulnerable to losses. The aims of this study were to (1) assess how soil organic carbon (SOC) is distributed among SOC fractions on a national scale in Germany, (2) identify factors influencing this distribution and (3) identify regions with high vulnerability to SOC losses. The SOC content and proportion of two different SOC fractions were estimated for more than 2500 mineral topsoils (< 87 g kg-1 SOC) covering Germany, using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Drivers of the spatial variability in SOC fractions were determined using the machine learning algorithm cforest. The SOC content and proportions of fractions were predicted with good accuracy (SOC content: R2 = 0.87-0.90; SOC proportions: R2 = 0.83; ratio of performance to deviation (RPD): 2.4-3.2). The main explanatory variables for the distribution of SOC among the fractions were soil texture, bulk soil C / N ratio, total SOC content and pH. For some regions, the drivers were linked to the land-use history of the sites. Arable topsoils in central and southern Germany were found to contain the highest proportions and contents of stable SOC fractions, and therefore have the lowest vulnerability to SOC losses. North-western Germany contains an area of sandy soils with unusually high SOC contents and high proportions of light SOC fractions, which are commonly regarded as representing a labile carbon pool. This is true for the former peat soils in this area, which have already lost and are at high risk of losing high proportions of their SOC stocks. Those black sands can, however, also contain high amounts of stable SOC due to former heathland vegetation and need to be treated and discussed separately from non-black sand agricultural soils. Overall, it was estimated that, in large areas all over Germany, over 30 % of SOC is stored in easily mineralisable forms. Thus, SOC-conserving management of arable soils in these regions is of great importance.

Tangible Multimedia: A Case Study for Bringing Tangibility into Multimedia Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsong, Chau Kien; Chong, Toh Seong; Samsudin, Zarina

2012-01-01

Multimedia augmented with tangible objects is an area that has not been explored. Current multimedia systems lack the natural elements that allow young children to learn tangibly and intuitively. In view of this, we propose a research to merge tangible objects with multimedia for preschoolers, and propose to term it as "tangible…

Multimedia in Education. Proceedings of an Invitational Conference on Multimedia in Education (Cupertino, California, June 19-20, 1986).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambron, Sueann, Ed.; Hooper, Kristina, Ed.

1987-01-01

This collection of articles exploring multimedia in education was compiled from presentations at an invitational conference on Multimedia in Education. Following an introduction by Sueann Ambron ("New Visions of Reality: Multimedia and Education"), articles are grouped under six headings: (1) Computer Science and Engineering: "The…

Contrasting effects of deep ploughing of croplands and forests on SOC stocks and SOC bioavailability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcántara, Viridiana; Don, Axel; Vesterdal, Lars; Well, Reinhard; Nieder, Rolf

2016-04-01

Subsoils are essential within the global C cycle since they have a high soil organic carbon (SOC) storage capacity due to a high SOC saturation deficit. However, measures for enhancing SOC stocks commonly focus on topsoils. We assessed the long-term stability of topsoil SOC buried in cropland and forest subsoils by deep ploughing. Deep ploughing was promoted until the 1970s for breaking up hardpan and improving soil structure to optimize crop growth conditions. In forests deep ploughing is performed as a site preparation measure for afforestation of sandy soil aiming at increasing water availability in deeper layers and decreasing weed competition by burial of seeds. An effect of deep ploughing was the translocation of topsoil SOC into subsoils, with a concomitant mixing of SOC-poor subsoil material into the "new" topsoil horizon. Deep ploughed croplands and forests represent unique long-term "in-situ incubations" of SOC-rich material in subsoils in order to assess the effect of soil depth on SOC turnover. In this study, we sampled soil from five loamy and five sandy cropland sites as well as from five sandy forest sites, which were ploughed to 55-127 cm depth 25 to 53 years ago. Adjacent, equally managed but conventionally ploughed or not ploughed (forests) subplots were sampled as reference. On average 45 years after the deep ploughing operation, at the cropland sites, the deep ploughed soils contained 42±13 Mg ha-1 more SOC than the reference subplots down to 100 cm depth. On the contrary, at the forest sites, the SOC stocks of the deep ploughed soils contained 18±9 Mg ha-1 less SOC compared to the reference soils on average 38 years deep ploughing. These contrasting results can be explained, on the one hand, by the slower SOC accumulation in the newly formed topsoils of the deep ploughed forest soil (on average 48% lower SOC stocks in topsoil) compared to the croplands (on average 15% lower SOC stocks in topsoil). On the other hand, the buried topsoils at the forest sites exhibited similar bioavailability of SOC (measured as net C mineralization rates from short-term in-vitro incubations) as compared to the reference topsoils. In contrast, at the sandy cropland sites, net C mineralization rates were significantly lower (67%) in the buried topsoil material compared to the reference topsoil. Buried SOC in the sandy soils is thus highly stable. Together with these results, we will present data on SOC fractions and discuss their implications for our view on stability of buried SOC in croplands and forests. Our results show that deep ploughing contributes to SOC sequestration by enlarging the storage space for SOC-rich material but only under the preconditions that i) burial is accompanied by decrease in SOC bioavailability and ii) SOC accumulates considerably in the newly formed topsoil.

A multimedia mobile phone-based youth smoking cessation intervention: findings from content development and piloting studies.

PubMed

Whittaker, Robyn; Maddison, Ralph; McRobbie, Hayden; Bullen, Chris; Denny, Simon; Dorey, Enid; Ellis-Pegler, Mary; van Rooyen, Jaco; Rodgers, Anthony

2008-11-25

While most young people who smoke want to quit, few access cessation support services. Mobile phone-based cessation programs are ideal for young people: mobile phones are the most common means of peer communication, and messages can be delivered in an anonymous manner, anywhere, anytime. Following the success of our text messaging smoking cessation program, we developed an innovative multimedia mobile phone smoking cessation intervention. The aim of the study was to develop and pilot test a youth-oriented multimedia smoking cessation intervention delivered solely by mobile phone. Development included creating content and building the technology platform. Content development was overseen by an expert group who advised on youth development principles, observational learning (from social cognitive theory), effective smoking cessation interventions, and social marketing. Young people participated in three content development phases (consultation via focus groups and an online survey, content pre-testing, and selection of role models). Video and text messages were then developed, incorporating the findings from this research. Information technology systems were established to support the delivery of the multimedia messages by mobile phone. A pilot study using an abbreviated 4-week program of video and text content tested the reliability of the systems and the acceptability of the intervention. Approximately 180 young people participated in the consultation phase. There was a high priority placed on music for relaxation (75%) and an interest in interacting with others in the program (40% would read messages, 36% would read a blog). Findings from the pre-testing phase (n = 41) included the importance of selecting "real" and "honest" role models with believable stories, and an interest in animations (37%). Of the 15 participants who took part in the pilot study, 13 (87%) were available for follow-up interviews at 4 weeks: 12 participants liked the program or liked it most of the time and found the role model to be believable; 7 liked the role model video messages (5 were unsure); 8 used the extra assistance for cravings; and 9 were happy with two messages per day. Nine participants (60%) stopped smoking during the program. Some technical challenges were encountered during the pilot study. A multimedia mobile phone smoking cessation program is technically feasible, and the content developed is appropriate for this medium and is acceptable to our target population. These results have informed the design of a 6-month intervention currently being evaluated for its effectiveness in increasing smoking cessation rates in young people.

A Multimedia Mobile Phone–Based Youth Smoking Cessation Intervention: Findings From Content Development and Piloting Studies

PubMed Central

Maddison, Ralph; McRobbie, Hayden; Bullen, Chris; Denny, Simon; Dorey, Enid; Ellis-Pegler, Mary; van Rooyen, Jaco; Rodgers, Anthony

2008-01-01

Background While most young people who smoke want to quit, few access cessation support services. Mobile phone–based cessation programs are ideal for young people: mobile phones are the most common means of peer communication, and messages can be delivered in an anonymous manner, anywhere, anytime. Following the success of our text messaging smoking cessation program, we developed an innovative multimedia mobile phone smoking cessation intervention. Objective The aim of the study was to develop and pilot test a youth-oriented multimedia smoking cessation intervention delivered solely by mobile phone. Methods Development included creating content and building the technology platform. Content development was overseen by an expert group who advised on youth development principles, observational learning (from social cognitive theory), effective smoking cessation interventions, and social marketing. Young people participated in three content development phases (consultation via focus groups and an online survey, content pre-testing, and selection of role models). Video and text messages were then developed, incorporating the findings from this research. Information technology systems were established to support the delivery of the multimedia messages by mobile phone. A pilot study using an abbreviated 4-week program of video and text content tested the reliability of the systems and the acceptability of the intervention. Results Approximately 180 young people participated in the consultation phase. There was a high priority placed on music for relaxation (75%) and an interest in interacting with others in the program (40% would read messages, 36% would read a blog). Findings from the pre-testing phase (n = 41) included the importance of selecting “real” and “honest” role models with believable stories, and an interest in animations (37%). Of the 15 participants who took part in the pilot study, 13 (87%) were available for follow-up interviews at 4 weeks: 12 participants liked the program or liked it most of the time and found the role model to be believable; 7 liked the role model video messages (5 were unsure); 8 used the extra assistance for cravings; and 9 were happy with two messages per day. Nine participants (60%) stopped smoking during the program. Some technical challenges were encountered during the pilot study. Conclusions A multimedia mobile phone smoking cessation program is technically feasible, and the content developed is appropriate for this medium and is acceptable to our target population. These results have informed the design of a 6-month intervention currently being evaluated for its effectiveness in increasing smoking cessation rates in young people. PMID:19033148

Soil organic carbon quality in forested mineral wetlands at different mean annual temperature.

Treesearch

Cinzia Fissore; Christian P. Giardina; Randall K. Kolka; Carl C. Trettin

2009-01-01

Forested mineral soil wetlands (FMSW) store large stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC), but little is known on: (i) whether the quality of SOC stored in these soils (proportion of active versus more resistant SOC compounds) differs from SOC in upland soils; (ii) how the quality of SOC in FMSW varies with mean annual temperature (MAT); and (iii) whether SOC decomposition...

A Semantic Medical Multimedia Retrieval Approach Using Ontology Information Hiding

PubMed Central

Guo, Kehua; Zhang, Shigeng

2013-01-01

Searching useful information from unstructured medical multimedia data has been a difficult problem in information retrieval. This paper reports an effective semantic medical multimedia retrieval approach which can reflect the users' query intent. Firstly, semantic annotations will be given to the multimedia documents in the medical multimedia database. Secondly, the ontology that represented semantic information will be hidden in the head of the multimedia documents. The main innovations of this approach are cross-type retrieval support and semantic information preservation. Experimental results indicate a good precision and efficiency of our approach for medical multimedia retrieval in comparison with some traditional approaches. PMID:24082915

Structure and reactivity of ferrihydrite-soil organic carbon-calcium ternary complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Y.; Adhikari, D.; Sowers, T.; Stuckey, J.; Poulson, S.; Sparks, D. L.

2017-12-01

Complete understanding about the interactions between soil organic carbon (SOC) and minerals is important for predicting the stability of SOC and its response to climate change. Recent studies have shown the importance of calcium (Ca)-bearing minerals and iron (Fe) oxide in associating with and stabilizing SOC. In this study, we have investigated the formation and reactivity of ferrihydrite-SOC-Ca ternary complexes. During the co-precipitation of ferrihydrite with SOC in the presence of Ca2+, 60% of SOC can be co-precipitated with ferrihydrite at a C/Fe (molar ratio) of up to 10, whereas the Ca/Fe ratio was saturated at 0.2. Increasing amount of Ca2+ did not affect the co-precipitation of SOC with ferrihydrite or the lability of ferrihydrite-bound SOC. In addition, microbial reduction of ferrihydrite and reductive release of ferrihydrite-bound SOC were not influenced by the presence of Ca, but the pathway for Fe mineral transformation during the reduction was affected by Ca. In the meantime, Fe reduction selectively released carboxylic-enriched SOC. As a comparison, the presence of SOC increased the incorporation of Ca into the structure of ferrihydrite. Our results indicate the formation of ferrihydrite-SOC-Ca complexes, with organic carbon bridging the ferrihydrite and Ca. Such ternary complexes potentially play an important role in regulating the interactions between SOC and mineral phases in soil.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) limits NFkappaB signaling by decreasing p65 stability within the cell nucleus.

PubMed

Strebovsky, Julia; Walker, Patrick; Lang, Roland; Dalpke, Alexander H

2011-03-01

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are inhibitors of cytoplasmic Janus kinases (Jak) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathways. Previously the authors surprisingly observed that SOCS1 translocated into the nucleus, which was because of the presence of a nuclear localization sequence. This report now hypothesizes that SOCS1 mediates specific functions within the nuclear compartment because it is instantly transported into the nucleus, as shown by photoactivation and live cell imaging in human HEK293 cells. The NFκB component p65 is identified as an interaction partner for SOCS1 but not for other members of the SOCS family. SOCS1 bound to p65 only within the nucleus. By means of its SOCS box domain, SOCS1 operated as a ubiquitin ligase, leading to polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of nuclear p65. Thus, SOCS1 limited prolonged p65 signaling and terminated expression of NFκB inducible genes. Using mutants that lack either nuclear translocation or a functional SOCS box, this report identifies genes that are regulated in a manner dependent on the nuclear availability of SOCS1. Data show that beyond its receptor-proximal function in Jak/STAT signaling, SOCS1 also regulates the duration of NFκB signaling within the cell nucleus, thus exerting a heretofore unrecognized function.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 interacts with oncogenic lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase.

PubMed

Venkitachalam, Srividya; Chueh, Fu-Yu; Leong, King-Fu; Pabich, Samantha; Yu, Chao-Lan

2011-03-01

Lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (Lck) plays a key role in T cell signal transduction and is tightly regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Lck can function as an oncoprotein when overexpressed or constantly activated by mutations. Our previous studies showed that Lck-induced cellular transformation could be suppressed by enforced expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), a SOCS family member involved in the negative feedback control of cytokine signaling. We observed attenuated Lck kinase activity in SOCS1-expressing cells, suggesting an important role of SOCS in regulating Lck functions. It remains largely unknown whether and how SOCS proteins interact with the oncogenic Lck kinase. Here, we report that among four SOCS family proteins, SOCS1, SOCS2, SOCS3 and CIS (cytokine-inducible SH2 domain containing protein), SOCS1 has the highest affinity in binding to the oncogenic Lck kinase. We identified the positive regulatory phosphotyrosine 394 residue in the kinase domain as the key interacting determinant in Lck. Additionally, the Lck kinase domain alone is sufficient to bind SOCS1. While the SH2 domain in SOCS1 is important in its association with the oncogenic Lck kinase, other functional domains may also contribute to overall binding affinity. These findings provide important mechanistic insights into the role of SOCS proteins as tumor suppressors in cells transformed by oncogenic protein tyrosine kinases.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 interacts with oncogenic lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase

PubMed Central

VENKITACHALAM, SRIVIDYA; CHUEH, FU-YU; LEONG, KING-FU; PABICH, SAMANTHA; YU, CHAO-LAN

2011-01-01

Lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (Lck) plays a key role in T cell signal transduction and is tightly regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Lck can function as an oncoprotein when overexpressed or constantly activated by mutations. Our previous studies showed that Lck-induced cellular transformation could be suppressed by enforced expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), a SOCS family member involved in the negative feedback control of cytokine signaling. We observed attenuated Lck kinase activity in SOCS1-expressing cells, suggesting an important role of SOCS in regulating Lck functions. It remains largely unknown whether and how SOCS proteins interact with the oncogenic Lck kinase. Here we report that, among four SOCS family proteins, SOCS1, SOCS2, SOCS3 and CIS (cytokine–inducible SH2 domain containing protein), SOCS1 has the highest affinity in binding to the oncogenic Lck kinase. We identify the positive regulatory phospho-tyrosine 394 residue in the kinase domain as the key interacting determinant in Lck. Additionally, the Lck kinase domain alone is sufficient to bind SOCS1. While the SH2 domain in SOCS1 is important in its association with the oncogenic Lck kinase, other functional domains may also contribute to overall binding affinity. These findings provide important mechanistic insights into the role of SOCS proteins as tumor suppressors in cells transformed by oncogenic protein tyrosine kinases. PMID:21234523

Conversion of lowland tropical forests to tree cash crop plantations loses up to one-half of stored soil organic carbon

PubMed Central

van Straaten, Oliver; Corre, Marife D.; Wolf, Katrin; Tchienkoua, Martin; Cuellar, Eloy; Matthews, Robin B.; Veldkamp, Edzo

2015-01-01

Tropical deforestation for the establishment of tree cash crop plantations causes significant alterations to soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. Despite this recognition, the current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tier 1 method has a SOC change factor of 1 (no SOC loss) for conversion of forests to perennial tree crops, because of scarcity of SOC data. In this pantropic study, conducted in active deforestation regions of Indonesia, Cameroon, and Peru, we quantified the impact of forest conversion to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), and cacao (Theobroma cacao) agroforestry plantations on SOC stocks within 3-m depth in deeply weathered mineral soils. We also investigated the underlying biophysical controls regulating SOC stock changes. Using a space-for-time substitution approach, we compared SOC stocks from paired forests (n = 32) and adjacent plantations (n = 54). Our study showed that deforestation for tree plantations decreased SOC stocks by up to 50%. The key variable that predicted SOC changes across plantations was the amount of SOC present in the forest before conversion—the higher the initial SOC, the higher the loss. Decreases in SOC stocks were most pronounced in the topsoil, although older plantations showed considerable SOC losses below 1-m depth. Our results suggest that (i) the IPCC tier 1 method should be revised from its current SOC change factor of 1 to 0.6 ± 0.1 for oil palm and cacao agroforestry plantations and 0.8 ± 0.3 for rubber plantations in the humid tropics; and (ii) land use management policies should protect natural forests on carbon-rich mineral soils to minimize SOC losses. PMID:26217000

Enhancement of antiproliferative activity of interferons by RNA interference-mediated silencing of SOCS gene expression in tumor cells.

PubMed

Takahashi, Yuki; Kaneda, Haruka; Takasuka, Nana; Hattori, Kayoko; Nishikawa, Makiya; Watanabe, Yoshihiko; Takakura, Yoshinobu

2008-08-01

The suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins, negative regulators of interferon (IFN)-induced signaling pathways, is involved in IFN resistance of tumor cells. To improve the growth inhibitory effect of IFN-beta and IFN-gamma on a murine melanoma cell line, B16-BL6, and a murine colon carcinoma cell line, Colon26 cells, SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 gene expression in tumor cells was downregulated by transfection of plasmid DNA expressing short hairpin RNA targeting one of these genes (pshSOCS-1 and pshSOCS-3, respectively). Transfection of pshSOCS-1 significantly increased the antiproliferative effect of IFN-gamma on B16-BL6 cells. However, any other combinations of plasmids and IFN had little effect on the growth of B16-BL6 cells. In addition, transfection of pshSOCS-1 and pshSOCS-3 produced little improvement in the effect of IFN on Colon26 cells. To understand the mechanism underlining these findings, the level of SOCS gene expression was measured by real time polymerase chain reaction. Addition of IFN-gamma greatly increased the SOCS-1 mRNA expression in B16-BL6 cells. Taking into account the synergistic effect of pshSOCS-1 and IFN-gamma on the growth of B16-BL6 cells, these findings suggest that IFN-gamma-induced high SOCS-1 gene expression in B16-BL6 cells significantly interferes with the antiproliferative effect of IFN-gamma. These results indicate that silencing SOCS gene expression can be an effective strategy to enhance the antitumor effect of IFN under conditions in which the SOCS gene expression is upregulated by IFN.

Conversion of lowland tropical forests to tree cash crop plantations loses up to one-half of stored soil organic carbon.

PubMed

van Straaten, Oliver; Corre, Marife D; Wolf, Katrin; Tchienkoua, Martin; Cuellar, Eloy; Matthews, Robin B; Veldkamp, Edzo

2015-08-11

Tropical deforestation for the establishment of tree cash crop plantations causes significant alterations to soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. Despite this recognition, the current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tier 1 method has a SOC change factor of 1 (no SOC loss) for conversion of forests to perennial tree crops, because of scarcity of SOC data. In this pantropic study, conducted in active deforestation regions of Indonesia, Cameroon, and Peru, we quantified the impact of forest conversion to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), and cacao (Theobroma cacao) agroforestry plantations on SOC stocks within 3-m depth in deeply weathered mineral soils. We also investigated the underlying biophysical controls regulating SOC stock changes. Using a space-for-time substitution approach, we compared SOC stocks from paired forests (n = 32) and adjacent plantations (n = 54). Our study showed that deforestation for tree plantations decreased SOC stocks by up to 50%. The key variable that predicted SOC changes across plantations was the amount of SOC present in the forest before conversion--the higher the initial SOC, the higher the loss. Decreases in SOC stocks were most pronounced in the topsoil, although older plantations showed considerable SOC losses below 1-m depth. Our results suggest that (i) the IPCC tier 1 method should be revised from its current SOC change factor of 1 to 0.6 ± 0.1 for oil palm and cacao agroforestry plantations and 0.8 ± 0.3 for rubber plantations in the humid tropics; and (ii) land use management policies should protect natural forests on carbon-rich mineral soils to minimize SOC losses.

Soil organic carbon across scales.

PubMed

O'Rourke, Sharon M; Angers, Denis A; Holden, Nicholas M; McBratney, Alex B

2015-10-01

Mechanistic understanding of scale effects is important for interpreting the processes that control the global carbon cycle. Greater attention should be given to scale in soil organic carbon (SOC) science so that we can devise better policy to protect/enhance existing SOC stocks and ensure sustainable use of soils. Global issues such as climate change require consideration of SOC stock changes at the global and biosphere scale, but human interaction occurs at the landscape scale, with consequences at the pedon, aggregate and particle scales. This review evaluates our understanding of SOC across all these scales in the context of the processes involved in SOC cycling at each scale and with emphasis on stabilizing SOC. Current synergy between science and policy is explored at each scale to determine how well each is represented in the management of SOC. An outline of how SOC might be integrated into a framework of soil security is examined. We conclude that SOC processes at the biosphere to biome scales are not well understood. Instead, SOC has come to be viewed as a large-scale pool subjects to carbon flux. Better understanding exists for SOC processes operating at the scales of the pedon, aggregate and particle. At the landscape scale, the influence of large- and small-scale processes has the greatest interaction and is exposed to the greatest modification through agricultural management. Policy implemented at regional or national scale tends to focus at the landscape scale without due consideration of the larger scale factors controlling SOC or the impacts of policy for SOC at the smaller SOC scales. What is required is a framework that can be integrated across a continuum of scales to optimize SOC management. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Critical and Independent Role for SOCS3 in Either Myeloid or T Cells in Resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Carow, Berit; Reuschl, Ann-Kathrin; Gavier-Widén, Dolores; Jenkins, Brendan J.; Ernst, Matthias; Yoshimura, Akihiko; Chambers, Benedict J.; Rottenberg, Martin E.

2013-01-01

Suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3) negatively regulates STAT3 activation in response to several cytokines such as those in the gp130-containing IL-6 receptor family. Thus, SOCS3 may play a major role in immune responses to pathogens. In the present study, the role of SOCS3 in M. tuberculosis infection was examined. All Socs3fl/fl LysM cre, Socs3fl/fl lck cre (with SOCS3-deficient myeloid and lymphoid cells, respectively) and gp130F/F mice, with a mutation in gp130 that impedes binding to SOCS3, showed increased susceptibility to infection with M. tuberculosis. SOCS3 binding to gp130 in myeloid cells conveyed resistance to M. tuberculosis infection via the regulation of IL-6/STAT3 signalling. SOCS3 was redundant for mycobacterial control by macrophages in vitro. Instead, SOCS3 expression in infected macrophages and DCs prevented the IL-6-mediated inhibition of TNF and IL-12 secretion and contributed to a timely CD4+ cell-dependent IFN-γ expression in vivo. In T cells, SOCS3 expression was essential for a gp130-independent control of infection with M. tuberculosis, but was neither required for the control of infection with attenuated M. bovis BCG nor for M. tuberculosis in BCG-vaccinated mice. Socs3fl/fl lck cre mice showed an increased frequency of γδ+ T cells in different organs and an enhanced secretion of IL-17 by γδ+ T cells in response to infection. Socs3fl/fl lck cre γδ+ T cells impaired the control of infection with M. tuberculosis. Thus, SOCS3 expression in either lymphoid or myeloid cells is essential for resistance against M. tuberculosis via discrete mechanisms. PMID:23853585

SOCS3: an essential regulator of LIF receptor signaling in trophoblast giant cell differentiation

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Yutaka; Carpino, Nick; Cross, James C.; Torres, Miguel; Parganas, Evan; Ihle, James N.

2003-01-01

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) binds cytokine receptors and thereby suppresses cytokine signaling. Deletion of SOCS3 causes an embryonic lethality that is rescued by a tetraploid rescue approach, demonstrating an essential role in placental development and a non-essential role in embryo development. Rescued SOCS3-deficient mice show a perinatal lethality with cardiac hypertrophy. SOCS3-deficient placentas have reduced spongiotrophoblasts and increased trophoblast secondary giant cells. Enforced expression of SOCS3 in a trophoblast stem cell line (Rcho-1) suppresses giant cell differentiation. Conversely, SOCS3-deficient trophoblast stem cells differentiate more readily to giant cells in culture, demonstrating that SOCS3 negatively regulates trophoblast giant cell differentiation. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) promotes giant cell differentiation in vitro, and LIF receptor (LIFR) deficiency results in loss of giant cell differentiation in vivo. Finally, LIFR deficiency rescues the SOCS3-deficient placental defect and embryonic lethality. The results establish SOCS3 as an essential regulator of LIFR signaling in trophoblast differentiation. PMID:12554639

Discover the pythagorean theorem using interactive multimedia learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhitama, I.; Sujadi, I.; Pramudya, I.

2018-04-01

In learning process students are required to play an active role in learning. They do not just accept the concept directly from teachers, but also build their own knowledge so that the learning process becomes more meaningful. Based on the observation, when learning Pythagorean theorem, students got difficulty on determining hypotenuse. One of the solution to solve this problem is using an interactive multimedia learning. This article aims to discuss the interactive multimedia as learning media for students. This was a Research and Development (R&D) by using ADDIE model of development. The results obtained was multimedia which was developed proper for students as learning media. Besides, on Phytagorian theorem learning activity we also compare Discovery Learning (DL) model with interactive multimedia and DL without interactive multimedia, and obtained that DL with interactive gave positive effect better than DL without interactive multimedia. It was also obtainde that interactive multimedia can attract and increase the interest ot the students on learning math. Therefore, the use of interactive multimedia on DL procees can improve student learning achievement.

SU-F-BRB-12: A Novel Haar Wavelet Based Approach to Deliver Non-Coplanar Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy Using Sparse Orthogonal Collimators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen, D; Ruan, D; Low, D

2015-06-15

Purpose: Existing efforts to replace complex multileaf collimator (MLC) by simple jaws for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) resulted in unacceptable compromise in plan quality and delivery efficiency. We introduce a novel fluence map segmentation method based on compressed sensing for plan delivery using a simplified sparse orthogonal collimator (SOC) on the 4π non-coplanar radiotherapy platform. Methods: 4π plans with varying prescription doses were first created by automatically selecting and optimizing 20 non-coplanar beams for 2 GBM, 2 head & neck, and 2 lung patients. To create deliverable 4π plans using SOC, which are two pairs of orthogonal collimators withmore » 1 to 4 leaves in each collimator bank, a Haar Fluence Optimization (HFO) method was used to regulate the number of Haar wavelet coefficients while maximizing the dose fidelity to the ideal prescription. The plans were directly stratified utilizing the optimized Haar wavelet rectangular basis. A matching number of deliverable segments were stratified for the MLC-based plans. Results: Compared to the MLC-based 4π plans, the SOC-based 4π plans increased the average PTV dose homogeneity from 0.811 to 0.913. PTV D98 and D99 were improved by 3.53% and 5.60% of the corresponding prescription doses. The average mean and maximal OAR doses slightly increased by 0.57% and 2.57% of the prescription doses. The average number of segments ranged between 5 and 30 per beam. The collimator travel time to create the segments decreased with increasing leaf numbers in the SOC. The two and four leaf designs were 1.71 and 1.93 times more efficient, on average, than the single leaf design. Conclusion: The innovative dose domain optimization based on compressed sensing enables uncompromised 4π non-coplanar IMRT dose delivery using simple rectangular segments that are deliverable using a sparse orthogonal collimator, which only requires 8 to 16 leaves yet is unlimited in modulation resolution. This work is supported in part by Varian Medical Systems, Inc. and NIH R43 CA18339.« less

Applying transport-distance specific SOC distribution to calibrate soil erosion model WaTEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yaxian; Heckrath, Goswin J.; Kuhn, Nikolaus J.

2016-04-01

Slope-scale soil erosion, transport and deposition fundamentally decide the spatial redistribution of eroded sediments in terrestrial and aquatic systems, which further affect the burial and decomposition of eroded SOC. However, comparisons of SOC contents between upper eroding slope and lower depositional site cannot fully reflect the movement of eroded SOC in-transit along hillslopes. The actual transport distance of eroded SOC is decided by its settling velocity. So far, the settling velocity distribution of eroded SOC is mostly calculated from mineral particle specific SOC distribution. Yet, soil is mostly eroded in form of aggregates, and the movement of aggregates differs significantly from individual mineral particles. This urges a SOC erodibility parameter based on actual transport distance distribution of eroded fractions to better calibrate soil erosion models. Previous field investigation on a freshly seeded cropland in Denmark has shown immediate deposition of fast settling soil fractions and the associated SOC at footslopes, followed by a fining trend at the slope tail. To further quantify the long-term effects of topography on erosional redistribution of eroded SOC, the actual transport-distance specific SOC distribution observed on the field was applied to a soil erosion model WaTEM (based on USLE). After integrating with local DEM, our calibrated model succeeded in locating the hotspots of enrichment/depletion of eroded SOC on different topographic positions, much better corresponding to the real-world field observation. By extrapolating into repeated erosion events, our projected results on the spatial distribution of eroded SOC are also adequately consistent with the SOC properties in the consecutive sample profiles along the slope.

Variation of Soil Organic Carbon and Its Major Constraints in East Central Asia

PubMed Central

Lee, Xinqing; Huang, Yimin; Huang, Daikuan; Hu, Lu; Feng, Zhaodong; Cheng, Jianzhong; Wang, Bing; Ni, Jian; Shurkhuu, Tserenpil

2016-01-01

Variation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its major constraints in large spatial scale are critical for estimating global SOC inventory and projecting its future at environmental changes. By analyzing SOC and its environment at 210 sites in uncultivated land along a 3020km latitudinal transect in East Central Asia, we examined the effect of environmental factors on the dynamics of SOC. We found that SOC changes dramatically with the difference as high as 5 times in north China and 17 times in Mongolia. Regardless, C:N remains consistent about 12. Path analysis indicated that temperature is the dominant factor in the variation of SOC with a direct effect much higher than the indirect one, the former breaks SOC down the year round while the latter results in its growth mainly via precipitation in the winter half year. Precipitation helps accumulate SOC, a large part of the effect, however, is taken via temperature. NH4+-N and topography also affect SOC, their roles are played primarily via climatic factors. pH correlates significantly with SOC, the effect, however, is taken only in the winter months, contributing to the decay of SOC primarily via temperature. These factors explained as much as 79% of SOC variations, especially in the summer months, representing the major constraints on the SOC stock. Soil texture gets increasingly fine southward, it does not, however, constitute an apparent factor. Our results suggested that recent global warming should have been adversely affecting SOC stock in the mid-latitude as temperature dominates other factors as the constraint. PMID:26934707

Self-Regulatory Strategies in Daily Life: Selection, Optimization, and Compensation and Everyday Memory Problems

PubMed Central

Stephanie, Robinson; Margie, Lachman; Elizabeth, Rickenbach

2015-01-01

The effective use of self-regulatory strategies, such as selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) requires resources. However, it is theorized that SOC use is most advantageous for those experiencing losses and diminishing resources. The present study explored this seeming paradox within the context of limitations or constraints due to aging, low cognitive resources, and daily stress in relation to everyday memory problems. We examined whether SOC usage varied by age and level of constraints, and if the relationship between resources and memory problems was mitigated by SOC usage. A daily diary paradigm was used to explore day-to-day fluctuations in these relationships. Participants (n=145, ages 22 to 94) completed a baseline interview and a daily diary for seven consecutive days. Multilevel models examined between- and within-person relationships between daily SOC use, daily stressors, cognitive resources, and everyday memory problems. Middle-aged adults had the highest SOC usage, although older adults also showed high SOC use if they had high cognitive resources. More SOC strategies were used on high stress compared to low stress days. Moreover, the relationship between daily stress and memory problems was buffered by daily SOC use, such that on high-stress days, those who used more SOC strategies reported fewer memory problems than participants who used fewer SOC strategies. The paradox of resources and SOC use can be qualified by the type of resource-limitation. Deficits in global resources were not tied to SOC usage or benefits. Conversely, under daily constraints tied to stress, the use of SOC increased and led to fewer memory problems. PMID:26997686

SOCS3 Deletion in T-Lymphocytes Suppresses Development of Chronic Ocular Inflammation Via Up-regulation of CTLA-4 and Expansion of Regulatory T cells

PubMed Central

Yu, Cheng-Rong; Kim, Sung-Hye; Mahdi, Rashid M.; Egwuagu, Charles E.

2013-01-01

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are negative-feedback regulators of JAK/STAT pathway and SOCS3 contributes to host immunity by regulating the intensity/duration of cytokine signals and inflammatory responses. Mice with Socs3 deletion in myeloid cells exhibit enhanced STAT3-signaling, expansion of Th1 and Th17 cells and developed severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Interestingly, development of the unique IL-17/IFN-γ-double producing (Th17/IFN-γ and Tc17/IFN-γ) subsets that exhibit strong cytotoxic activities and associated with pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases, has recently been shown to depend on epigenetic suppression of SOCS3 expression, further suggesting involvement of SOCS3 in autoimmunity and tumor immunity. In this study, we generated mice with Socs3 deletion in CD4 T cell compartment (CD4-SOCS3KO) to determine in vivo effects of the loss of Socs3 in the T cell-mediated autoimmune disease, experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). In contrast to the exacerbation of EAE in myeloid-specific SOCS3-deleted mice, CD4-SOCS3KO mice were protected from acute and chronic uveitis. Protection from EAU correlated with enhanced expression of CTLA4 and expansion of IL-10 producing Tregs with augmented suppressive activities. We further show that SOCS3 interacts with CTLA4 and negatively regulates CTLA4 levels in T cells, providing mechanistic explanation for the expansion of Tregs in CD4-SOCS3 during EAU. Contrary to in vitro epigenetic studies, Th17/IFN-γ and Tc17/IFN-γ populations were markedly reduced in CD4-SOCS3KO, suggesting that SOCS3 promotes expansion of Th17/IFN-γ subset associated with development of severe uveitis. Thus, SOCS3 is a potential therapeutic target in uveitis and other auto-inflammatory diseases. PMID:24101549

SOCS3 deletion in T lymphocytes suppresses development of chronic ocular inflammation via upregulation of CTLA-4 and expansion of regulatory T cells.

PubMed

Yu, Cheng-Rong; Kim, Sung-Hye; Mahdi, Rashid M; Egwuagu, Charles E

2013-11-15

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are negative-feedback regulators of the JAK/STAT pathway, and SOCS3 contributes to host immunity by regulating the intensity and duration of cytokine signals and inflammatory responses. Mice with Socs3 deletion in myeloid cells exhibit enhanced STAT3 signaling, expansion of Th1 and Th17 cells, and develop severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Interestingly, development of the unique IL-17/IFN-γ double-producing (Th17/IFN-γ and Tc17/IFN-γ) subsets that exhibit strong cytotoxic activities and are associated with pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases has recently been shown to depend on epigenetic suppression of SOCS3 expression, further suggesting involvement of SOCS3 in autoimmunity and tumor immunity. In this study, we generated mice with Socs3 deletion in the CD4 T cell compartment (CD4-SOCS3 knockout [KO]) to determine in vivo effects of the loss of Socs3 in the T cell-mediated autoimmune disease, experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). In contrast to the exacerbation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in myeloid-specific SOCS3-deleted mice, CD4-SOCS3KO mice were protected from acute and chronic uveitis. Protection from EAU correlated with enhanced expression of CTLA-4 and expansion of IL-10-producing regulatory T cells with augmented suppressive activities. We further show that SOCS3 interacts with CTLA-4 and negatively regulates CTLA-4 levels in T cells, providing a mechanistic explanation for the expansion of regulatory T cells in CD4-SOCS3 during EAU. Contrary to in vitro epigenetic studies, Th17/IFN-γ and Tc17/IFN-γ populations were markedly reduced in CD4-SOCS3KO, suggesting that SOCS3 promotes expansion of the Th17/IFN-γ subset associated with development of severe uveitis. Thus, SOCS3 is a potential therapeutic target in uveitis and other autoinflammatory diseases.

Quo vadimus? The 21st Century and multimedia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhn, Allan D.

1991-01-01

The concept is related of computer driven multimedia to the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Program (STIP). Multimedia is defined here as computer integration and output of text, animation, audio, video, and graphics. Multimedia is the stage of computer based information that allows access to experience. The concepts are also drawn in of hypermedia, intermedia, interactive multimedia, hypertext, imaging, cyberspace, and virtual reality. Examples of these technology developments are given for NASA, private industry, and academia. Examples of concurrent technology developments and implementations are given to show how these technologies, along with multimedia, have put us at the threshold of the 21st century. The STI Program sees multimedia as an opportunity for revolutionizing the way STI is managed.

Design of novel non-contact multimedia controller for disability by using visual stimulus.

PubMed

Pan, Jeng-Shyang; Lo, Chi-Chun; Tsai, Shang-Ho; Lin, Bor-Shyh

2015-12-01

The design of a novel non-contact multimedia controller is proposed in this study. Nowadays, multimedia controllers are generally used by patients and nursing assistants in the hospital. Conventional multimedia controllers usually involve in manual operation or other physical movements. However, it is more difficult for the disabled patients to operate the conventional multimedia controller by themselves; they might totally depend on others. Different from other multimedia controllers, the proposed system provides a novel concept of controlling multimedia via visual stimuli, without manual operation. The disabled patients can easily operate the proposed multimedia system by focusing on the control icons of a visual stimulus device, where a commercial tablet is used as the visual stimulus device. Moreover, a wearable and wireless electroencephalogram (EEG) acquisition device is also designed and implemented to easily monitor the user's EEG signals in daily life. Finally, the proposed system has been validated. The experimental result shows that the proposed system can effectively measure and extract the EEG feature related to visual stimuli, and its information transfer rate is also good. Therefore, the proposed non-contact multimedia controller exactly provides a good prototype of novel multimedia controlling scheme. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multimedia support in preoperative patient education for radical prostatectomy: the physicians' point of view.

PubMed

Ihrig, Andreas; Herzog, Wolfgang; Huber, Christian G; Hadaschik, Boris; Pahernik, Sascha; Hohenfellner, Markus; Huber, Johannes

2012-05-01

To systematically assess the physicians' point of view of multimedia support in preoperative patient education for radical prostatectomy. We evaluated the view of physicians performing multimedia supported preoperative educations within a randomized controlled trial. Therein 8 physicians educated 203 patients for radical prostatectomy. All physicians rated multimedia supported education better than the standard procedure. Main reasons were better comprehensibility, the visual presentation, and greater ease in explaining complex issues. Objective time measurement showed no difference between both educations. The major disadvantage was the impression, that multimedia supported education lasted longer. Moreover, they had the impression that some details could be further improved. Given the choice, every physician would decide for multimedia support. Physicians appreciate multimedia support in preoperative education and contrary to their impression, multimedia support does not prolong patient education. Therefore, patients and physicians likewise profit from multimedia support for education and counseling. The readiness of physicians is a possible obstacle to this improvement, as their view is a key factor for the transition to everyday routine. Therefore, our results could alleviate this possible barrier for establishing multimedia supported education in clinical routine. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbe-driven turnover offsets mineral-mediated storage of soil carbon under elevated CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulman, Benjamin N.; Phillips, Richard P.; Oishi, A. Christopher; Shevliakova, Elena; Pacala, Stephen W.

2014-12-01

The sensitivity of soil organic carbon (SOC) to changing environmental conditions represents a critical uncertainty in coupled carbon cycle-climate models. Much of this uncertainty arises from our limited understanding of the extent to which root-microbe interactions induce SOC losses (through accelerated decomposition or `priming') or indirectly promote SOC gains (via `protection' through interactions with mineral particles). We developed a new SOC model to examine priming and protection responses to rising atmospheric CO2. The model captured disparate SOC responses at two temperate free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments. We show that stabilization of `new' carbon in protected SOC pools may equal or exceed microbial priming of `old' SOC in ecosystems with readily decomposable litter and high clay content (for example, Oak Ridge). In contrast, carbon losses induced through priming dominate the net SOC response in ecosystems with more resistant litters and lower clay content (for example, Duke). The SOC model was fully integrated into a global terrestrial carbon cycle model to run global simulations of elevated CO2 effects. Although protected carbon provides an important constraint on priming effects, priming nonetheless reduced SOC storage in the majority of terrestrial areas, partially counterbalancing SOC gains from enhanced ecosystem productivity.

Three-Dimensional Mapping of Soil Organic Carbon by Combining Kriging Method with Profile Depth Function.

PubMed

Chen, Chong; Hu, Kelin; Li, Hong; Yun, Anping; Li, Baoguo

2015-01-01

Understanding spatial variation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in three-dimensional direction is helpful for land use management. Due to the effect of profile depths and soil texture on vertical distribution of SOC, the stationary assumption for SOC cannot be met in the vertical direction. Therefore the three-dimensional (3D) ordinary kriging technique cannot be directly used to map the distribution of SOC at a regional scale. The objectives of this study were to map the 3D distribution of SOC at a regional scale by combining kriging method with the profile depth function of SOC (KPDF), and to explore the effects of soil texture and land use type on vertical distribution of SOC in a fluvial plain. A total of 605 samples were collected from 121 soil profiles (0.0 to 1.0 m, 0.20 m increment) in Quzhou County, China and SOC contents were determined for each soil sample. The KPDF method was used to obtain the 3D map of SOC at the county scale. The results showed that the exponential equation well described the vertical distribution of mean values of the SOC contents. The coefficients of determination, root mean squared error and mean prediction error between the measured and the predicted SOC contents were 0.52, 1.82 and -0.24 g kg(-1) respectively, suggesting that the KPDF method could be used to produce a 3D map of SOC content. The surface SOC contents were high in the mid-west and south regions, and low values lay in the southeast corner. The SOC contents showed significant positive correlations between the five different depths and the correlations of SOC contents were larger in adjacent layers than in non-adjacent layers. Soil texture and land use type had significant effects on the spatial distribution of SOC. The influence of land use type was more important than that of soil texture in the surface soil, and soil texture played a more important role in influencing the SOC levels for 0.2-0.4 m layer.

Three-Dimensional Mapping of Soil Organic Carbon by Combining Kriging Method with Profile Depth Function

PubMed Central

Chen, Chong; Hu, Kelin; Li, Hong; Yun, Anping; Li, Baoguo

2015-01-01

Understanding spatial variation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in three-dimensional direction is helpful for land use management. Due to the effect of profile depths and soil texture on vertical distribution of SOC, the stationary assumption for SOC cannot be met in the vertical direction. Therefore the three-dimensional (3D) ordinary kriging technique cannot be directly used to map the distribution of SOC at a regional scale. The objectives of this study were to map the 3D distribution of SOC at a regional scale by combining kriging method with the profile depth function of SOC (KPDF), and to explore the effects of soil texture and land use type on vertical distribution of SOC in a fluvial plain. A total of 605 samples were collected from 121 soil profiles (0.0 to 1.0 m, 0.20 m increment) in Quzhou County, China and SOC contents were determined for each soil sample. The KPDF method was used to obtain the 3D map of SOC at the county scale. The results showed that the exponential equation well described the vertical distribution of mean values of the SOC contents. The coefficients of determination, root mean squared error and mean prediction error between the measured and the predicted SOC contents were 0.52, 1.82 and -0.24 g kg-1 respectively, suggesting that the KPDF method could be used to produce a 3D map of SOC content. The surface SOC contents were high in the mid-west and south regions, and low values lay in the southeast corner. The SOC contents showed significant positive correlations between the five different depths and the correlations of SOC contents were larger in adjacent layers than in non-adjacent layers. Soil texture and land use type had significant effects on the spatial distribution of SOC. The influence of land use type was more important than that of soil texture in the surface soil, and soil texture played a more important role in influencing the SOC levels for 0.2-0.4 m layer. PMID:26047012

A molecular investigation of soil organic carbon composition across a subalpine catchment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hsu, Hsiao-Tieh; Lawrence, Corey R.; Winnick, Matthew J.; Bargar, John R.; Maher, Katharine

2018-01-01

The dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and turnover are a critical component of the global carbon cycle. Mechanistic models seeking to represent these complex dynamics require detailed SOC compositions, which are currently difficult to characterize quantitatively. Here, we address this challenge by using a novel approach that combines Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and bulk carbon X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to determine the abundance of SOC functional groups, using elemental analysis (EA) to constrain the total amount of SOC. We used this SOC functional group abundance (SOC-fga) method to compare variability in SOC compositions as a function of depth across a subalpine watershed (East River, Colorado, USA) and found a large degree of variability in SOC functional group abundances between sites at different elevations. Soils at a lower elevation are predominantly composed of polysaccharides, while soils at a higher elevation have more substantial portions of carbonyl, phenolic, or aromatic carbon. We discuss the potential drivers of differences in SOC composition between these sites, including vegetation inputs, internal processing and losses, and elevation-driven environmental factors. Although numerical models would facilitate the understanding and evaluation of the observed SOC distributions, quantitative and meaningful measurements of SOC molecular compositions are required to guide such models. Comparison among commonly used characterization techniques on shared reference materials is a critical next step for advancing our understanding of the complex processes controlling SOC compositions.

Nuclear Localization of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling-1 Regulates Local Immunity in the Lung

PubMed Central

Zimmer, Jana; Weitnauer, Michael; Boutin, Sébastien; Küblbeck, Günter; Thiele, Sabrina; Walker, Patrick; Lasitschka, Felix; Lunding, Lars; Orinska, Zane; Vock, Christina; Arnold, Bernd; Wegmann, Michael; Dalpke, Alexander

2016-01-01

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) is a negative feedback inhibitor of cytoplasmic Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling. SOCS1 also contains a nuclear localization sequence (NLS), yet, the in vivo importance of nuclear translocation is unknown. We generated transgenic mice containing mutated Socs1ΔNLS that fails to translocate in the cell nucleus (MGLtg mice). Whereas mice fully deficient for SOCS1 die within the first 3 weeks due to excessive interferon signaling and multiorgan inflammation, mice expressing only non-nuclear Socs1ΔNLS (Socs1−/−MGLtg mice) were rescued from early lethality. Canonical interferon gamma signaling was still functional in Socs1−/−MGLtg mice as shown by unaltered tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1 and whole genome expression analysis. However, a subset of NFκB inducible genes was dysregulated. Socs1−/−MGLtg mice spontaneously developed low-grade inflammation in the lung and had elevated Th2-type cytokines. Upon ovalbumin sensitization and challenge, airway eosinophilia was increased in Socs1−/−MGLtg mice. Decreased transepithelial electrical resistance in trachea epithelial cells from Socs1−/−MGLtg mice suggests disrupted epithelial cell barrier. The results indicate that nuclear SOCS1 is a regulator of local immunity in the lung and unravel a so far unrecognized function for SOCS1 in the cell nucleus. PMID:27917175

Multimedia in 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desmarais, Norman

1991-01-01

Reviews current developments in multimedia computing for both the business and consumer markets, including interactive multimedia players; compact disc-interactive (CD-I), including levels of audio quality, various video specifications and visual effects, and software; digital video interactive (DVI); and multimedia personal computers. (LRW)

A preliminary study of current multimedia information technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, J.C.

1997-03-01

This paper surveys more than 70 articles published in the IEEE Multimedia journal and other journals. The survey summarizes aspects of multimedia information technology and categorizes application areas of multimedia information technology and interesting research areas related to it.

Multimedia: Why Invest?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirschbuhl, John J.

1992-01-01

Discusses the utilization of technology to assist the educational establishment deal with change. Topics addressed include multimedia metaphors such as graphical user interfaces; interactive videodisk systems; problems with current multimedia systems; a Multimedia Sampler developed at the University of North Carolina that includes applications…

Scheduling multimedia services in cloud computing environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yunchang; Li, Chunlin; Luo, Youlong; Shao, Yanling; Zhang, Jing

2018-02-01

Currently, security is a critical factor for multimedia services running in the cloud computing environment. As an effective mechanism, trust can improve security level and mitigate attacks within cloud computing environments. Unfortunately, existing scheduling strategy for multimedia service in the cloud computing environment do not integrate trust mechanism when making scheduling decisions. In this paper, we propose a scheduling scheme for multimedia services in multi clouds. At first, a novel scheduling architecture is presented. Then, We build a trust model including both subjective trust and objective trust to evaluate the trust degree of multimedia service providers. By employing Bayesian theory, the subjective trust degree between multimedia service providers and users is obtained. According to the attributes of QoS, the objective trust degree of multimedia service providers is calculated. Finally, a scheduling algorithm integrating trust of entities is proposed by considering the deadline, cost and trust requirements of multimedia services. The scheduling algorithm heuristically hunts for reasonable resource allocations and satisfies the requirement of trust and meets deadlines for the multimedia services. Detailed simulated experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed trust scheduling scheme.

Research on evaluation techniques for immersive multimedia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, Aslinda M.; Romli, Fakaruddin Fahmi; Zainal Osman, Zosipha

2013-03-01

Nowadays Immersive Multimedia covers most usage in tremendous ways, such as healthcare/surgery, military, architecture, art, entertainment, education, business, media, sport, rehabilitation/treatment and training areas. Moreover, the significant of Immersive Multimedia to directly meet the end-users, clients and customers needs for a diversity of feature and purpose is the assembly of multiple elements that drive effective Immersive Multimedia system design, so evaluation techniques is crucial for Immersive Multimedia environments. A brief general idea of virtual environment (VE) context and `realism' concept that formulate the Immersive Multimedia environments is then provided. This is followed by a concise summary of the elements of VE assessment technique that is applied in Immersive Multimedia system design, which outlines the classification space for Immersive Multimedia environments evaluation techniques and gives an overview of the types of results reported. A particular focus is placed on the implications of the Immersive Multimedia environments evaluation techniques in relation to the elements of VE assessment technique, which is the primary purpose of producing this research. The paper will then conclude with an extensive overview of the recommendations emanating from the research.

Controls on SOC across space and time: Models with different acclimation schemes make similar spatial predictions but divergent warming predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abramoff, R. Z.; Torn, M. S.; Georgiou, K.; Tang, J.; Riley, W. J.

2017-12-01

Researchers use spatial gradients to estimate long-term ecosystem responses to perturbations. This approach is commonly applied to soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks which change slowly but store the majority of terrestrial carbon. Climate warming may reduce SOC stocks if higher temperatures increase decomposition rates. Yet, it is uncertain how vulnerable SOC is to warming, and whether the same factors - such as organo-mineral associations, climate, or plant inputs - determine SOC stocks across space and time. In order to test the "space for time" concept, we developed two versions of the Substrate-Mineral-Microbe Soil (SuMMS) model - one with microbial temperature acclimation and one without - to analyze observed SOC stocks at 24 sites spanning a wide range of soil types and climate. Both model predictions of SOC were strongly correlated with observations (R2 > 0.9), because mineral sorption capacity was the dominant control over steady-state SOC stock as determined by a Random Forest model. However, the two model versions made fundamentally different predictions of the change in SOC following 5°C soil warming from 2016 to 2100 because the initial mean annual temperature (MAT) was the dominant control over the SOC response. The model with microbial acclimation predicted that SOC would decline 10% at all sites along the transect, while the model with no acclimation predicted large surface SOC losses at high latitude sites and SOC gains at low latitude sites where microbial exoenzymes were already at or near their temperature optimum. These simulations suggest that gradient studies cannot be used to infer site-level responses to warming, because the dominant controls on SOC at steady state (i.e., mineral sorption capacity) are different than the dominant controls on the SOC response to a warming perturbation (i.e., initial MAT, capacity for acclimation).

Associations between maternal sense of coherence and controlling feeding practices: The importance of resilience and support in families of preschoolers.

PubMed

Eli, Karin; Sorjonen, Kimmo; Mokoena, Lincoln; Pietrobelli, Angelo; Flodmark, Carl-Erik; Faith, Myles S; Nowicka, Paulina

2016-10-01

Sense of Coherence (SOC) measures an individual's positive, or salutogenic, orientation toward her/his capacities, environment, future, and life. SOC comprises three factors: comprehensibility (the sense of one's own life as ordered and understandable); manageability (the perception of available resources and skills to manage stressors); and meaningfulness (the overall sense that life is filled with meaning and purpose). In numerous studies, SOC has been associated with resilience to stress. However, associations between parental SOC and controlling feeding practices have yet to be studied. This study examines the validity of the SOC 13-item, 3-factor questionnaire, associations between SOC and maternal and child characteristics, and associations between SOC and use of pressuring or restrictive feeding, among mothers of 4-year-olds. 565 mothers (23.5% of foreign origin, 30.3% with overweight/obesity) recruited via the Swedish population registry (response rate: 65%), completed the SOC-13, the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ), and a background questionnaire. The validity of SOC-13 was examined using confirmatory factor analysis; associations with background characteristics and feeding practices were tested with structural equation modeling. SOC-13 validity testing showed acceptable fit (TLI = 0.93, CFI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.04) after allowing one pair of error terms to correlate. The Cronbach's alpha for meaningfulness was 0.73, comprehensibility 0.76, and manageability 0.75. SOC increased with mothers' Swedish background and education, and decreased with higher BMI. Child gender, age, and BMI, were not associated with SOC. Lower SOC was associated with controlling practices and with concern about child weight and eating. The associations between SOC and feeding suggest that SOC-related parameters could inform childhood obesity research, and that prevention should address the socioeconomic barriers that parents face in building resilience to stress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors promoting sense of coherence among university students in urban areas of Japan: individual-level social capital, self-efficacy, and mental health.

PubMed

Mato, Mie; Tsukasaki, Keiko

2017-04-01

Sense of coherence (SOC) is a concept that helps to explain the relation between personal intentionality as psychosocial factors and health-related behaviors. Thus, it is essential to enhance SOC when encouraging a healthy lifestyle. However, the factors that promote SOC have not been fully investigated among university students. The objective of this study was to clarify the general resistance resources (GRRs) that may promote the development of the SOC among university students. Therefore, we examined the relationship between SOC and social capital (SC), self-efficacy, and mental health. Participants included 443 students from nine academic departments at eight universities in the Kanto or Kinki metropolitan areas of Japan. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire. Individual-level cognitive and structural SC, generalized self-efficacy, mental health inventory (from SF-36v2), and SOC were measured. Confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling was conducted to verify the factor structure of the SOC-13 scale. Stepwise multiple regression analysis and two-way layout analysis of variance were performed with SOC as the dependent variable. The factor structure of SOC indicated the optimal model fit in the second-order three-factor model of the 12 items. SOC was predicted by five variables: age, cognitive SC, structural SC, mental health, and self-efficacy. For students from urban areas, SOC was predicted by the interaction between cognitive and structural SC. SOC was significantly related to cognitive SC, structural SC, and self-efficacy as well as mental health in university students from urban areas. Furthermore, the combination of higher-level cognitive SC and higher-level structural SC exerted an inhibitory influence on SOC among students who previously and currently live in urban areas. Therefore, the findings indicated that both cognitive and structural SC as well as self-efficacy may act as GRRs that promote the development of SOC, and similarly, good mental health may promote a strong SOC.

Absence of SOCS3 in the cardiomyocyte increases mortality in a gp130 dependent manner accompanied by contractile dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmias

PubMed Central

Yajima, Toshitaka; Murofushi, Yoshiteru; Zhou, Hanbing; Park, Stanley; Housman, Jonathan; Zhong, Zhao-Hua; Nakamura, Michinari; Machida, Mitsuyo; Hwang, Kyung-Kuk; Gu, Yusu; Dalton, Nancy D.; Yajima, Tomoko; Yasukawa, Hideo; Peterson, Kirk L; Knowlton, Kirk U.

2011-01-01

Background Suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) is a key negative-feedback regulator of gp130 receptor that provides crucial signaling for cardiac hypertrophy and survival; however, an in vivo role of SOCS3 regulation on cardiac gp130 signaling remains obscure. Methods and Results We generated cardiac-specific SOCS3 knockout (SOCS3 cKO) mice. These mice showed increased activation of gp130 downstream signaling targets (STAT3, ERK1/2, AKT and p38) from 15 weeks of age and developed cardiac dysfunction from around 25 weeks of age with signs of heart failure. Surprisingly, SOCS3 cKO failing hearts had minimal histological abnormalities with intact myofibril ultrastructure. In addition, Ca2+ transients were significantly increased in SOCS3 cKO failing hearts compared to wild-type (WT) hearts. We also found that Ser23/24 residues of troponin I were hypophosphorylated in SOCS3 cKO hearts before the manifestation of cardiac dysfunction. These data suggested the presence of abnormalities in myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity in SOCS3 cKO mice. In addition to the contractile dysfunction, we found various ventricular arrhythmias in SOCS3 cKO non-failing hearts accompanied by a sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ overload. To determine the contribution of gp130 signaling to the cardiac phenotype that occurs with SOCS3 deficiency, we generated cardiac-specific gp130 and SOCS3 double knockout mice. Double KO mice lived significantly longer and had different histological abnormalities when compared to SOCS3 cKO mice; thus, demonstrating the importance of gp130 signaling in the SOCS3 cKO cardiac phenotype. Conclusions Our results demonstrate an important role of SOCS3 regulation on cardiac gp130 signaling in the pathogenesis of contractile dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmias. PMID:22082679

The research and development of water resources management information system based on ArcGIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Weiqun; Gao, Xiaoli; Li, Yuzhi; Cui, Zhencai

According to that there are large amount of data, complexity of data type and format in the water resources management, we built the water resources calculation model and established the water resources management information system based on the advanced ArcGIS and Visual Studio.NET development platform. The system can integrate the spatial data and attribute data organically, and manage them uniformly. It can analyze spatial data, inquire by map and data bidirectionally, provide various charts and report forms automatically, link multimedia information, manage database etc. . So it can provide spatial and static synthetical information services for study, management and decision of water resources, regional geology and eco-environment etc..

Construction and application of Red5 cluster based on OpenStack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiaqing; Song, Jianxin

2017-08-01

With the application and development of cloud computing technology in various fields, the resource utilization rate of the data center has been improved obviously, and the system based on cloud computing platform has also improved the expansibility and stability. In the traditional way, Red5 cluster resource utilization is low and the system stability is poor. This paper uses cloud computing to efficiently calculate the resource allocation ability, and builds a Red5 server cluster based on OpenStack. Multimedia applications can be published to the Red5 cloud server cluster. The system achieves the flexible construction of computing resources, but also greatly improves the stability of the cluster and service efficiency.

IMS: a new technology to develop a telemedicine system.

PubMed

Uceda, J D; Elena, M; Blasco, S; Tarrida, C L; Quero, J M

2008-01-01

The emergent IMS (Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem) technology appears to improve the current communication technologies. Its characteristics, such as Quality of Service (QoS), make it an advantageous system for innovative applications. Providing integrated services to users is one of the main reasons for the existence of IMS. Operators provide the technology as an open source, to be able to use services developed by researchers. Combining and integrating them, users will receive completely new services. Our proposal of use for IMS is the development of a telemedicine platform, designed to support not only remote biological signal monitoring, but value-added services for diagnosis and medical care, both of these working in real time.

Dynamics of soil organic carbon in density fractions during post-agricultural succession over two lithology types, southwest China.

PubMed

Wen, Li; Li, Dejun; Chen, Hao; Wang, Kelin

2017-10-01

Agricultural abandonment has been proposed as an effective way to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Nevertheless, SOC sequestration in the long term is largely determined by whether the stable SOC fractions will increase. Here the dynamics of SOC fractions during post-agricultural succession were investigated in a karst region, southwest China using a space-for-time substitution approach. Cropland, grassland, shrubland and secondary forest were selected from areas underlain by dolomite and limestone, respectively. Density fractionation was used to separate bulk SOC into free light fraction (FLFC) and heavy fraction (HFC). FLFC contents were similar over dolomite and limestone, but bulk SOC and HFC contents were greater over limestone than over dolomite. FLFC content in the forest was greater than in the other vegetation types, but bulk SOC and HFC contents increased from the cropland through to the forest for areas underlain by dolomite. The contents of bulk SOC and its fractions were similar among the four vegetation types over limestone. The proportion of FLFC in bulk SOC was higher over dolomite than over limestone, but the case was inverse for the proportion of HFC, indicating SOC over limestone was more stable. However, the proportions of both FLFC and HFC were similar among the four vegetation types, implying that SOC stability was not changed by cropland conversion. Exchangeable calcium explained most of the variance of HFC content. Our study suggests that lithology not only affects SOC content and its stability, but modulates the dynamics of SOC fractions during post-agricultural succession. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Secure Access Control and Large Scale Robust Representation for Online Multimedia Event Detection

PubMed Central

Liu, Changyu; Li, Huiling

2014-01-01

We developed an online multimedia event detection (MED) system. However, there are a secure access control issue and a large scale robust representation issue when we want to integrate traditional event detection algorithms into the online environment. For the first issue, we proposed a tree proxy-based and service-oriented access control (TPSAC) model based on the traditional role based access control model. Verification experiments were conducted on the CloudSim simulation platform, and the results showed that the TPSAC model is suitable for the access control of dynamic online environments. For the second issue, inspired by the object-bank scene descriptor, we proposed a 1000-object-bank (1000OBK) event descriptor. Feature vectors of the 1000OBK were extracted from response pyramids of 1000 generic object detectors which were trained on standard annotated image datasets, such as the ImageNet dataset. A spatial bag of words tiling approach was then adopted to encode these feature vectors for bridging the gap between the objects and events. Furthermore, we performed experiments in the context of event classification on the challenging TRECVID MED 2012 dataset, and the results showed that the robust 1000OBK event descriptor outperforms the state-of-the-art approaches. PMID:25147840

Innovation in Pediatric Surgical Education for General Surgery Residents: A Mobile Web Resource.

PubMed

Rouch, Joshua D; Wagner, Justin P; Scott, Andrew; Sullins, Veronica F; Chen, David C; DeUgarte, Daniel A; Shew, Stephen B; Tillou, Areti; Dunn, James C Y; Lee, Steven L

2015-01-01

General surgery residents lack a standardized educational experience in pediatric surgery. We hypothesized that the development of a mobile educational interface would provide general surgery residents broader access to pediatric surgical education materials. We created an educational mobile website for general surgery residents rotating on pediatric surgery, which included a curriculum, multimedia resources, the Operative Performance Rating Scale (OPRS), and Twitter functionality. Residents were instructed to consult the curriculum. Residents and faculty posted media using the Twitter hashtag, #UCLAPedSurg, and following each surgical procedure reviewed performance via the OPRS. Site visits, Twitter posts, and OPRS submissions were quantified from September 2013 to July 2014. The pediatric surgery mobile website received 257 hits; 108 to the homepage, 107 to multimedia, 28 to the syllabus, and 19 to the OPRS. All eligible residents accessed the content. The Twitter hashtag, #UCLAPedSurg, was assigned to 20 posts; the overall audience reach was 85 individuals. Participants in the mobile OPRS included 11 general surgery residents and 4 pediatric surgery faculty. Pediatric surgical education resources and operative performance evaluations are effectively administered to general surgery residents via a structured mobile platform. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Probabilities and predictions: modeling the development of scientific problem-solving skills.

PubMed

Stevens, Ron; Johnson, David F; Soller, Amy

2005-01-01

The IMMEX (Interactive Multi-Media Exercises) Web-based problem set platform enables the online delivery of complex, multimedia simulations, the rapid collection of student performance data, and has already been used in several genetic simulations. The next step is the use of these data to understand and improve student learning in a formative manner. This article describes the development of probabilistic models of undergraduate student problem solving in molecular genetics that detailed the spectrum of strategies students used when problem solving, and how the strategic approaches evolved with experience. The actions of 776 university sophomore biology majors from three molecular biology lecture courses were recorded and analyzed. Each of six simulations were first grouped by artificial neural network clustering to provide individual performance measures, and then sequences of these performances were probabilistically modeled by hidden Markov modeling to provide measures of progress. The models showed that students with different initial problem-solving abilities choose different strategies. Initial and final strategies varied across different sections of the same course and were not strongly correlated with other achievement measures. In contrast to previous studies, we observed no significant gender differences. We suggest that instructor interventions based on early student performances with these simulations may assist students to recognize effective and efficient problem-solving strategies and enhance learning.

Learning medical and dental sciences through interactive multi-media.

PubMed

Demirjian, A; David, B

1995-01-01

Health professionals in various fields of Medicine and Dentistry must acquire comprehensive technological knowledge in order to practice their professions. A large portion of that knowledge cannot be found in a textbook. Examples of this type of information are data gleaned from viewing microscopic slides and dissecting cadavers. In order to fully comprehend an area of study in medicine, the student relies on various resources (often physically unrelated, like the x-ray department and the dissection room). This situation makes the teaching and learning processes much more difficult to accomplish, since the instructor and students have to manipulate multiple media and take the courses in various sites. Today's technology allows us to design and create teaching and learning tools that can alleviate these difficulties. Personal computers are now used to capture and display a vast array of information through many different media: text, sound, images, photographs, illustrations, animation and video. This information can be presented to the user with audio-visual interfaces designed to facilitate efficient communication of ideas. It is controlled primarily by the use of the mouse, at one's own pace. This interactive, multi-media approach to teaching and learning is called "Edutainment" (Education and Entertainment). This demonstration will show how these new tools are used to teach and learn about various subjects related to Medicine, particularly in Dermatology and Dentistry. Several courseware applications were developed, addressing various aspects of the field: Cancers of the Skin, Dental Development, the Temporomandibular joint, the Masticatory Muscles etc. These programs provide anthropological data on growth collected through longitudinal research, diagnosis and treatments of pigmented lesions of the skin, thousands of digitized x-rays accessible through a relational database, the latest imaging technology used to diagnose the temporomandibular disorders, high-quality photographs of dissecting room material of the head and neck region, 3-dimensional animation of physiological principles of the temporomandibular joint movements, digital video of examination techniques, and other valuable resources to the user. The software were developed for both platforms, Macintosh and PC/Compatible, and all of them are in English and French, with some titles available in Spanish. To facilitate their distribution and usage, they were written to hybrid CD-ROMs, i.e., one CD-ROM was produced for each application, containing versions for both platforms in all languages. The CD-ROMs were recorded in our premises. During the presentation, the technical aspects of the development and production of a Multi-media document will be discussed along with the scientific content of the CD-ROM.

Effect of nutrient enrichment on the source and composition of sediment organic carbon in tropical seagrass beds in the South China Sea.

PubMed

Liu, Songlin; Jiang, Zhijian; Zhang, Jingping; Wu, Yunchao; Lian, Zhonglian; Huang, Xiaoping

2016-09-15

To assess the effect of nutrient enrichment on the source and composition of sediment organic carbon (SOC) beneath Thalassia hemprichii and Enhalus acoroides in tropical seagrass beds, Xincun Bay, South China Sea, intertidal sediment, primary producers, and seawater samples were collected. No significant differences on sediment δ(13)C, SOC, and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) were observed between T. hemprichii and E. acoroides. SOC was mainly of autochthonous origin, while the contribution of seagrass to SOC was less than that of suspended particulate organic matter, macroalgae and epiphytes. High nutrient concentrations contributed substantially to SOC of seagrass, macroalgae, and epiphytes. The SOC, MBC, and MBC/SOC ratio in the nearest transect to fish farming were the highest. This suggested a more labile composition of SOC and shorter turnover times in higher nutrient regions. Therefore, the research indicates that nutrient enrichment could enhance plant-derived contributions to SOC and microbial use efficiency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 13436 - NIJ Request for Comments on Draft Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence Recording System...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-11

... Comments on Draft Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence Recording System Certification Program Requirements for Law Enforcement and Draft Law Enforcement Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence Recording System... two draft documents: ``Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence Recording System Certification Program...

A WWW-Based Archive and Retrieval System for Multimedia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyon, J.; Sorensen, S.; Martin, M.; Kawasaki, K.; Takacs, M.

1996-01-01

This paper describes the Data Distribution Laboratory (DDL) and discusses issues involved in building multimedia CD-ROMs. It describes the modeling philosophy for cataloging multimedia products and the worldwide-web (WWW)-based multimedia archive and retrieval system (Webcat) built on that model.

Sources of errors and uncertainties in the assessment of forest soil carbon stocks at different scales-review and recommendations.

PubMed

Vanguelova, E I; Bonifacio, E; De Vos, B; Hoosbeek, M R; Berger, T W; Vesterdal, L; Armolaitis, K; Celi, L; Dinca, L; Kjønaas, O J; Pavlenda, P; Pumpanen, J; Püttsepp, Ü; Reidy, B; Simončič, P; Tobin, B; Zhiyanski, M

2016-11-01

Spatially explicit knowledge of recent and past soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in forests will improve our understanding of the effect of human- and non-human-induced changes on forest C fluxes. For SOC accounting, a minimum detectable difference must be defined in order to adequately determine temporal changes and spatial differences in SOC. This requires sufficiently detailed data to predict SOC stocks at appropriate scales within the required accuracy so that only significant changes are accounted for. When designing sampling campaigns, taking into account factors influencing SOC spatial and temporal distribution (such as soil type, topography, climate and vegetation) are needed to optimise sampling depths and numbers of samples, thereby ensuring that samples accurately reflect the distribution of SOC at a site. Furthermore, the appropriate scales related to the research question need to be defined: profile, plot, forests, catchment, national or wider. Scaling up SOC stocks from point sample to landscape unit is challenging, and thus requires reliable baseline data. Knowledge of the associated uncertainties related to SOC measures at each particular scale and how to reduce them is crucial for assessing SOC stocks with the highest possible accuracy at each scale. This review identifies where potential sources of errors and uncertainties related to forest SOC stock estimation occur at five different scales-sample, profile, plot, landscape/regional and European. Recommendations are also provided on how to reduce forest SOC uncertainties and increase efficiency of SOC assessment at each scale.

Game Multimedia in Numeracy Learning for Elementary School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohendi, D.; Sumarna, N.; Sutarno, H.

2017-03-01

Numeracy is one of the basic skills for elementary students to understand further concepts of mathematics. However teaching numeracy is still using recitation that can overload student’s memory and make them reluctant to learn mathematics, so an innovative way by using multimedia to attract student interest in numeracy is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study are: 1) to develop numeracy learning multimedia for elementary school students; and 2) to find out whether the implementation of numeracy learning multimedia can improve the students numeracy skills, and how is the response of elementary school students by using multimedia in learning numeracy? The results showed that multimedia can improve students’ numeracy skill which is quit medium and the student response by using multimedia in numeracy learning are good.

Soil organic carbon distribution in an agricultural catchment in Southern Brazil: from hillslope to catchment scale.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trigalet, Sylvain; Chartin, Caroline; Van Oost, Kristof; van Wesemael, Bas

2017-04-01

Understanding the soil organic carbon (SOC) distribution a few decades after conversion to cropland and plantations in a hilly catchment in southern Brazil is challenging due to scale-dependent controlling factors. Firstly, SOC, bulk density (BD) and texture were measured by depth intervals along 18 soil profiles located in three topographical positions (sloping plateau, central back slope and concave foot slope) in cropland and forest with contrasting slopes. SOC stocks in concave footslope position were not significantly different between fields on steep (11.1 kg C m-2) and gentle slopes (12.8 kg C m-2). However, in eroding profiles, SOC stocks are twice as high in fields on gentle slopes (17.6/12.6 kg C m-2) compared to steep slopes (8.3/7.1 kg C m-2). SOC stocks on steep slope on cropland (8.8 kg C m-2) are three times lower than SOC stocks on steep slope under undisturbed forest (23.7 kg C m-2). On gentle slopes, the effect of deforestation on SOC stocks was not so drastic (14.3 and 14.4 kg C m-2). Therefore, contrasting topography generates different patterns of SOC redistribution in the catchment. The effect of conversion to cropland is probably due to soil redistribution by water and tillage erosion aggravated by the steep terrain. Secondly, in order to assess the heterogeneity of SOC distribution at catchment scale, samples were collected at 10-20; 40-50 and 75-85 cm in 167 soil profiles sampled with an auger. SOC concentrations (gC kg-1 ) in numerous bulk soil samples (n = 378) were predicted by VIS-NIR spectroscopy and partial least-square regression models. SOC stocks were assessed by a mass preserving spline tool by interpolating SOC mass at the three non-contiguous depth intervals. Samples of calibration-validation dataset (n = 95) were used for physical SOC fractionation allowing the measurement of carbon associated with < 20 μm fraction. Multivariate linear regression models and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the influence of several covariates on SOC stocks, SOC in bulk soil and fractions. This integrated approach highlights how SOC distribution is influenced by different proximal or distal controlling factors that are scale-dependent. Spectroscopy increases the density of samples available at catchment scale while SOC fractionation provides information on SOC quality on a representative subset of samples.

miR-122-SOCS1-JAK2 axis regulates allergic inflammation and allergic inflammation-promoted cellular interactions

PubMed Central

Kim, Hanearl; Kim, Hyuna; Byun, Jaehwan; Park, Yeongseo; Lee, Hansoo; Lee, Yun Sil; Choe, Jongseon; Kim, Young Myeong; Jeoung, Dooil

2017-01-01

The regulatory role of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) in inflammation has been reported. However, its role in allergic inflammation has not been previously reported. SOCS1 mediated in vitro and in vivo allergic inflammation. Histone deacetylase-3 (HDAC3), a mediator of allergic inflammation, interacted with SOCS1, and miR-384 inhibitor, a positive regulator of HDAC3, induced features of allergic inflammation in an SOCS1-dependent manner. miRNA array analysis showed that the expression of miR-122 was decreased by antigen-stimulation. TargetScan analysis predicted the binding of miR-122 to the 3′-UTR of SOCS1. miR-122 inhibitor induced in vitro and in vivo allergic features in SOCS1-dependent manner. SOCS1 was necessary for allergic inflammation-promoted enhanced tumorigenic and metastatic potential of cancer cells. SOCS1 and miR-122 regulated cellular interactions involving cancer cells, mast cells and macrophages during allergic inflammation. SOCS1 mimetic peptide, D-T-H-F-R-T-F-R-S-H-S-D-Y-R-R-I, inhibited in vitro and in vivo allergic inflammation, allergic inflammation-promoted enhanced tumorigenic and metastatic potential of cancer cells, and cellular interactions during allergic inflammation. Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) exhibited binding to SOCS1 mimetic peptide and mediated allergic inflammation. Transforming growth factor- Δ1 (TGF-Δ1) was decreased during allergic inflammation and showed an anti-allergic effect. SOCS1 and JAK2 regulated the production of anti-allergic TGF-Δ1. Taken together, our results show that miR-122-SOCS1 feedback loop can be employed as a target for the development of anti-allergic and anti-cancer drugs. PMID:28968979

Multimedia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR.

The second session of IT@EDU98 consisted of four papers on multimedia and was chaired by Luu Tien Hiep (Lotus College, Vietnam). "Multimedia Education" (Tran Van Hao, Ngo Huy Hoang) describes "Multimedia Education v. 1.0," an educational software program for elementary school children that uses games to teach counting,…

The promise of multimedia technology for STI/HIV prevention: frameworks for understanding improved facilitator delivery and participant learning.

PubMed

Khan, Maria R; Epperson, Matthew W; Gilbert, Louisa; Goddard, Dawn; Hunt, Timothy; Sarfo, Bright; El-Bassel, Nabila

2012-10-01

There is increasing excitement about multimedia sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV prevention interventions, yet there has been limited discussion of how use of multimedia technology may improve STI/HIV prevention efforts. The purpose of this paper is to describe the mechanisms through which multimedia technology may work to improve the delivery and uptake of intervention material. We present conceptual frameworks describing how multimedia technology may improve intervention delivery by increasing standardization and fidelity to the intervention material and the participant's ability to learn by improving attention, cognition, emotional engagement, skills-building, and uptake of sensitive material about sexual and drug risks. In addition, we describe how the non-multimedia behavioral STI/HIV prevention intervention, Project WORTH, was adapted into a multimedia format for women involved in the criminal justice system and provide examples of how multimedia activities can more effectively target key mediators of behavioral change in this intervention.

The Promise of Multimedia Technology for STI/HIV Prevention: Frameworks for Understanding Improved Facilitator Delivery and Participant Learning

PubMed Central

Epperson, Matthew W.; Gilbert, Louisa; Goddard, Dawn; Hunt, Timothy; Sarfo, Bright; El-Bassel, Nabila

2018-01-01

There is increasing excitement about multi-media sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV prevention interventions, yet there has been limited discussion of how use of multimedia technology may improve STI/HIV prevention efforts. The purpose of this paper is to describe the mechanisms through which multimedia technology may work to improve the delivery and uptake of intervention material. We present conceptual frameworks describing how multimedia technology may improve intervention delivery by increasing standardization and fidelity to the intervention material and the participant’s ability to learn by improving attention, cognition, emotional engagement, skills-building, and uptake of sensitive material about sexual and drug risks. In addition, we describe how the non-multimedia behavioral STI/HIV prevention intervention, Project WORTH, was adapted into a multimedia format for women involved in the criminal justice system and provide examples of how multimedia activities can more effectively target key mediators of behavioral change in this intervention. PMID:22223296

Significance of expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins: Suppressor of cytokine signaling-1, suppressor of cytokine signaling-2, and suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 in papillary thyroid cancer.

PubMed

Kobawala, Toral Pundrik; Trivedi, Trupti I; Gajjar, Kinjal Kevin; Patel, Girish H; Ghosh, Nandita R

2017-01-01

Uncontrolled cytokine signal transduction largely associated with oncogene activation, can have disastrous biological consequences. The suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins represent one of the mechanisms by which this rampant signaling can be dissipated. Thus, we aimed to study the expression of SOCS-1, SOCS-2, and SOCS-3 in patients having benign thyroid disease and papillary thyroid cancer. SOCS protein expression was studied in 45 patients with benign thyroid disease and in 83 papillary thyroid cancer patients by immunohistochemistry and their association with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival in cancer patients were analyzed using SPSS software. Expressions of SOCS proteins were significantly higher in papillary thyroid cancer than in patients having benign disease. SOCS-1 expression was predominantly higher in males (P = 0.004), unilateral tumors (P = 0.030), and noninflammatory conditions (P = 0.028). SOCS-1 expression was also able to predict poor overall survival in subgroup of papillary thyroid cancer patients having larger tumor size (P = 0.013) and advanced stage disease (P = 0.033). Expression of SOCS-2 significantly correlated with tumor size (P = 0.017), extrathyroidal extension (P = 0.000), residual disease (P = 0.043), and treatment (P = 0.007), while preponderance of SOCS-3 expression was observed in males (P = 0.030) and in patients having extrathyroidal extension (P = 0.011) and absence of metastasis (P = 0.032). Expression of the studied SOCS proteins may be a consequence of activation of Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription and other pathways supporting growth and survival of cancer cells that are sustained by several cytokines. Thus, SOCS-1, SOCS-2, and SOCS-3 proteins may directly or indirectly, have important roles in development and pathogenesis of papillary thyroid cancer.

Soil carbon sequestration and land use change associated with biofuel production: Empirical evidence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qin, Zhangcai; Dunn, Jennifer B.; Kwon, Hoyoung

Soil organic carbon (SOC) change can be a major impact of land use change (LUC) associated with biofuel feedstock production. By collecting and analyzing data from worldwide field observations with major LUCs from cropland, grassland and forest to lands producing biofuel crops (i.e., corn, switchgrass, Miscanthus, poplar and willow), we were able to estimate SOC response ratios and sequestration rates and evaluate the effects of soil depth and time scale on SOC change. Both the amount and rate of SOC change were highly dependent on the specific land transition. Irrespective of soil depth or time horizon, cropland conversions resulted inmore » an overall SOC gain of 6-14% relative to initial SOC level, while conversion from grassland or forest to corn (without residue removal) or poplar caused significant carbon loss (9-35%). No significant SOC changes were observed in land converted from grasslands or forests to switchgrass, Miscanthus or willow. The SOC response ratios were similar in both 0-30 and 0-100 cm soil depths in most cases, suggesting SOC changes in deep soil and that use of top soil only for SOC accounting in biofuel life cycle analysis (LCA) might underestimate total SOC changes. Soil carbon sequestration rates varied greatly among studies and land transition types. Generally, the rates of SOC change tended to be the greatest during the 10 years following land conversion, and had declined to approach 0 within about 20 years for most LUCs. Observed trends in SOC change were generally consistent with previous reports. Soil depth and duration of study significantly influence SOC change rates and so should be considered in carbon emission accounting in biofuel LCA. High uncertainty remains for many perennial systems, field trials and modeling efforts are needed to determine the site- and system-specific rates and direction of change associated with their production.« less

Spatial variability of soil carbon stock in the Urucu river basin, Central Amazon-Brazil.

PubMed

Ceddia, Marcos Bacis; Villela, André Luis Oliveira; Pinheiro, Érika Flávia Machado; Wendroth, Ole

2015-09-01

The Amazon Forest plays a major role in C sequestration and release. However, few regional estimates of soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in this ecoregion exist. One of the barriers to improve SOC estimates is the lack of recent soil data at high spatial resolution, which hampers the application of new methods for mapping SOC stock. The aims of this work were: (i) to quantify SOC stock under undisturbed vegetation for the 0-30 and the 0-100 cm under Amazon Forest; (ii) to correlate the SOC stock with soil mapping units and relief attributes and (iii) to evaluate three geostatistical techniques to generate maps of SOC stock (ordinary, isotopic and heterotopic cokriging). The study site is located in the Central region of Amazon State, Brazil. The soil survey covered the study site that has an area of 80 km(2) and resulted in a 1:10,000 soil map. It consisted of 315 field observations (96 complete soil profiles and 219 boreholes). SOC stock was calculated by summing C stocks by horizon, determined as a product of BD, SOC and the horizon thickness. For each one of the 315 soil observations, relief attributes were derived from a topographic map to understand SOC dynamics. The SOC stocks across 30 and 100 cm soil depth were 3.28 and 7.32 kg C m(-2), respectively, which is, 34 and 16%, lower than other studies. The SOC stock is higher in soils developed in relief forms exhibiting well-drained soils, which are covered by Upland Dense Tropical Rainforest. Only SOC stock in the upper 100 cm exhibited spatial dependence allowing the generation of spatial variability maps based on spatial (co)-regionalization. The CTI was inversely correlated with SOC stock and was the only auxiliary variable feasible to be used in cokriging interpolation. The heterotopic cokriging presented the best performance for mapping SOC stock. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Lichen, Conifer Needles, Passive Air Sampling Devices, and Snowpack as Passive Sampling Media to Measure Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds in Remote Atmospheres

PubMed Central

SCHRLAU, JILL E.; GEISER, LINDA; HAGEMAN, KIMBERLY J.; LANDERS, DIXON H.

2011-01-01

A wide range of semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs), including pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were measured in lichen, conifer needles, snowpack and XAD-based passive air sampling devices (PASDs) collected from 19 different U.S. national parks in order to compare the magnitude and mechanism of SOC accumulation in the different passive sampling media. Lichen accumulated the highest SOC concentrations, in part because of its long (and unknown) exposure period, while PASDs accumulated the lowest concentrations. However, only the PASD SOC concentrations can be used to calculate an average atmospheric gas-phase SOC concentration because the sampling rates are known and the media is uniform. Only the lichen and snowpack SOC accumulation profiles were statistically significantly correlated (r = 0.552, p-value <0.0001) because they both accumulate SOCs present in the atmospheric particle-phase. This suggests that needles and PASDs represent a different composition of the atmosphere than lichen and snowpack and that the interpretation of atmospheric SOC composition is dependent on the type of passive sampling media used. All four passive sampling media preferentially accumulated SOCs with relatively low air-water partition coefficients, while snowpack accumulated SOCs with higher log KOA values compared to the other media. Lichen accumulated more SOCs with log KOA > 10 relative to needles and showed a greater accumulation of particle-phase PAHs. PMID:22087860

Impact of STAT/SOCS mRNA Expression Levels after Major Injury

PubMed Central

Brumann, M.; Matz, M.; Kusmenkov, T.; Stegmaier, J.; Biberthaler, P.; Kanz, K.-G.; Mutschler, W.; Bogner, V.

2014-01-01

Background. Fulminant changes in cytokine receptor signalling might provoke severe pathological alterations after multiple trauma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the posttraumatic imbalance of the innate immune system with a special focus on the STAT/SOCS family. Methods. 20 polytraumatized patients were included. Blood samples were drawn 0 h–72 h after trauma; mRNA expression profiles of IL-10, STAT 3, SOCS 1, and SOCS 3 were quantified by qPCR. Results. IL-10 mRNA expression increased significantly in the early posttraumatic period. STAT 3 mRNA expressions showed a significant maximum at 6 h after trauma. SOCS 1 levels significantly decreased 6 h–72 h after trauma. SOCS 3 levels were significantly higher in nonsurvivors 6 h after trauma. Conclusion. We present a serial, sequential investigation in human neutrophil granulocytes of major trauma patients evaluating mRNA expression profiles of IL-10, STAT 3, SOCS 1, and SOCS 3. Posttraumatically, immune disorder was accompanied by a significant increase of IL-10 and STAT 3 mRNA expression, whereas SOCS 1 mRNA levels decreased after injury. We could demonstrate that death after trauma was associated with higher SOCS 3 mRNA levels already at 6 h after trauma. To support our results, further investigations have to evaluate protein levels of STAT/SOCS family in terms of posttraumatic immune imbalance. PMID:24648661

Sense of Coherence (SOC) Among Psychotherapists in Austria, Differentiated According to Number of Individually Completed Training Therapy Sessions

PubMed Central

Binder, Heinz P.; Mesenholl-Strehler, Elke; Paß, Paul; Endler, P. Christian

2006-01-01

The sense of coherence (according Aaron Antonovsky, 1923—1994, when a persons sense that his/her own life and the world are sufficiently comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful) of Austrian psychotherapists was assessed and compared with a standard sample, as well as with the sense of coherence (SOC) of members of other professions. In addition, the question as to whether psychotherapists who had completed more extensive individual training therapy/self-awareness sessions had a higher SOC than do those with fewer, was addressed. Forty psychotherapists who worked in private practices and various psychosocial health care institutions in Styria, Austria took part in the study. The investigation was conducted in the form of a questionnaire assessment. The evaluation showed that the overall SOC value of the professional group in question was significantly higher than that of the standard sample (162.3 vs. 145.7), as well as other samples (physicians: SOC = 153.8; teachers: SOC = 156.1; physiotherapists SOC = 158.1). Concerning whether psychotherapists who had completed more individual training therapy/self-awareness sessions had higher SOC values than did those with fewer, we found no difference in regard to the overall SOC score or SOC scores for individual components. The SOC of psychotherapists did not seem to depend on the number of additional training therapy/self-awareness sessions. PMID:17370015

Participatory Multimedia Learning: Engaging Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiili, Kristian

2005-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a participatory multimedia learning model for use in designing multimedia learning environments that support an active learning process, creative participation, and learner engagement. Participatory multimedia learning can be defined as learning with systems that enable learners to produce part of the…

The Benefits of Multimedia Computer Software for Students with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Douglas W.

This paper assesses the current state of research and informed opinion on the benefits of multimedia computer software for students with disabilities. Topics include: a definition of multimedia; advantages of multimedia; Multiple Intelligence Theory which states intellectual abilities consist of seven components; motivation and behavior…

14 CFR § 1213.108 - Multimedia materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... NEWS AND INFORMATION MEDIA § 1213.108 Multimedia materials. (a) NASA's multimedia material, from all... original or duplicate files of news-oriented imagery and other digital multimedia material generated within... the opinion of the installations, would be appropriate for use as news feed material or features in...

Designing an eMap to Teach Multimedia Applications Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruffini, Michael F.

2004-01-01

Teachers and students use multimedia software to create interactive presentations and content projects. Popular multimedia programs include: Microsoft's PowerPoint[R], Knowledge Adventure's HyperStudio[R], and Macromedia's Director MX 2004[R]. Creating multimedia projects engage students in active learning and thinking as they complete projects…

36 CFR 1194.24 - Video and multimedia products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Video and multimedia products... Video and multimedia products. (a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer... training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless...

36 CFR 1194.24 - Video and multimedia products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Video and multimedia products... Video and multimedia products. (a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer... training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless...

36 CFR 1194.24 - Video and multimedia products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Video and multimedia products... Video and multimedia products. (a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer... training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless...

36 CFR 1194.24 - Video and multimedia products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Video and multimedia products... Video and multimedia products. (a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer... training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless...

Optimization of Multimedia English Teaching in Context Creation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Weiyan; Fang, Fan

2008-01-01

Using multimedia to create a context to teach English has its unique advantages. This paper explores the characteristics of multimedia and integrates how to use multimedia to optimize the context of English teaching as its purpose. In this paper, eight principles, specifically Systematization, Authenticity, Appropriateness, Interactivity,…

State of charge monitoring of vanadium redox flow batteries using half cell potentials and electrolyte density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ressel, Simon; Bill, Florian; Holtz, Lucas; Janshen, Niklas; Chica, Antonio; Flower, Thomas; Weidlich, Claudia; Struckmann, Thorsten

2018-02-01

The operation of vanadium redox flow batteries requires reliable in situ state of charge (SOC) monitoring. In this study, two SOC estimation approaches for the negative half cell are investigated. First, in situ open circuit potential measurements are combined with Coulomb counting in a one-step calibration of SOC and Nernst potential which doesn't need additional reference SOCs. In-sample and out-of-sample SOCs are estimated and analyzed, estimation errors ≤ 0.04 are obtained. In the second approach, temperature corrected in situ electrolyte density measurements are used for the first time in vanadium redox flow batteries for SOC estimation. In-sample and out-of-sample SOC estimation errors ≤ 0.04 demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. Both methods allow recalibration during battery operation. The actual capacity obtained from SOC calibration can be used in a state of health model.

Generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder in youth: are they distinguishable?

PubMed

Whitmore, Maria J; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen; Ollendick, Thomas H

2014-08-01

The current study was designed to examine diagnostic validity of social anxiety disorder (SOC) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in youth, and implications of comorbidity of the disorders for nosology. Children (n = 130) with SOC, GAD, or both disorders (COMORBID) and their parents were administered diagnostic interviews and self-report measures. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and ANOVAs were performed for the three groups (SOC, GAD, COMORBID). Second-order CFAs for both parent and child informants suggested that SOC and GAD are two specific facets of a general anxiety factor. ANOVA analyses revealed the two pure groups differed only on parent-reported SOC symptoms and GAD worry symptoms, as hypothesized. COMORBID children had higher scores than SOC group on parent-reported GAD symptoms, worry, and behavioral inhibition, and COMORBID children had higher scores than GAD group on parent-reported SOC symptoms and social anxiety. Results may have implications for assessment of GAD and SOC.

Variation tolerant SoC design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhikkottu, Vivek J.

The scaling of integrated circuits into the nanometer regime has led to variations emerging as a primary concern for designers of integrated circuits. Variations are an inevitable consequence of the semiconductor manufacturing process, and also arise due to the side-effects of operation of integrated circuits (voltage, temperature, and aging). Conventional design approaches, which are based on design corners or worst-case scenarios, leave designers with an undesirable choice between the considerable overheads associated with over-design and significantly reduced manufacturing yield. Techniques for variation-tolerant design at the logic, circuit and layout levels of the design process have been developed and are in commercial use. However, with the incessant increase in variations due to technology scaling and design trends such as near-threshold computing, these techniques are no longer sufficient to contain the effects of variations, and there is a need to address variations at all stages of design. This thesis addresses the problem of variation-tolerant design at the earliest stages of the design process, where the system-level design decisions that are made can have a very significant impact. There are two key aspects to making system-level design variation-aware. First, analysis techniques must be developed to project the impact of variations on system-level metrics such as application performance and energy. Second, variation-tolerant design techniques need to be developed to absorb the residual impact of variations (that cannot be contained through lower-level techniques). In this thesis, we address both these facets by developing robust and scalable variation-aware analysis and variation mitigation techniques at the system level. The first contribution of this thesis is a variation-aware system-level performance analysis framework. We address the key challenge of translating the per-component clock frequency distributions into a system-level application performance distribution. This task is particularly complex and challenging due to the inter-dependencies between components' execution, indirect effects of shared resources, and interactions between multiple system-level "execution paths". We argue that accurate variation-aware performance analysis requires Monte-Carlo based repeated system execution. Our proposed analysis framework leverages emulation to significantly speedup performance analysis without sacrificing the generality and accuracy achieved by Monte-Carlo based simulations. Our experiments show performance improvements of around 60x compared to state-of-the-art hardware-software co-simulation tools and also underscore the framework's potential to enable variation-aware design and exploration at the system level. Our second contribution addresses the problem of designing variation-tolerant SoCs using recovery based design, a popular circuit design paradigm that addresses variations by eliminating guard-bands and operating circuits at close to "zero margins" while detecting and recovering from timing errors. While previous efforts have demonstrated the potential benefits of recovery based design, we identify several challenges that need to be addressed in order to apply this technique to SoCs. We present a systematic design framework to apply recovery based design at the system level. We propose to partition SoCs into "recovery islands", wherein each recovery island consists of one or more SoC components that can recover independent of the rest of the SoC. We present a variation-aware design methodology that partitions a given SoC into recovery islands and computes the optimal operating points for each island, taking into account the various trade-offs involved. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed design framework achieves an average of 32% energy savings over conventional worst-case designs, with negligible losses in performance. The third contribution of this thesis introduces disproportionate allocation of shared system resources as a means to combat the adverse impact of within-die variations on multi-core platforms. For multi-threaded programs executing on variation-impacted multi-cores platforms, we make the key observation that thread performance is not only a function of the frequency of the core on which it is executing on, but also depends upon the amount of shared system resources allocated to it. We utilize this insight to design a variation-aware runtime scheme which allocates the ways of a last-level shared L2 cache amongst the different cores/threads of a multi-core platform taking into account both application characteristics as well as chip specific variation profiles. Our experiments on 100 quad-core chips, each with a distinct variation profile, shows on an average 15% performance improvements for a suite of multi-threaded benchmarks. Our final contribution investigates the variation-tolerant design of domain-specific accelerators and demonstrates how the unique architectural properties of these accelerators can be leveraged to create highly effective variation tolerance mechanisms. We explore this concept through the variation-tolerant design of a vector processor that efficiently executes applications from the domains of recognition, mining and synthesis (RMS). We develop a novel design approach for variation tolerance, which leverages the unique nature of the vector reduction operations performed by this processor to effectively predict and preempt the occurrence of timing errors under variations and subsequently restore the correct output at the end of each vector reduction operation. We implement the above predict, preempt and restore operations by suitably enhancing the processor hardware and the application software and demonstrate considerable energy benefits (on an average 32%) across six applications from the domains of RMS. In conclusion, our work provides system designers with powerful tools and mechanisms in their efforts to combat variations, resulting in improved designer productivity and variation-tolerant systems.

Clay:organic-carbon and organic carbon as determinants of the soil physical properties: reassessment of the Complexed Organic Carbon concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matter, Adrien; Johannes, Alice; Boivin, Pascal

2016-04-01

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is well known to largely determine the soil physical properties and fertility. Total porosity, structural porosity, aeration, structural stability among others are reported to increase linearly with increasing SOC in most studies. Is there an optimal SOC content as target in soil management, or is there no limit in physical fertility improvement with SOC? Dexter et al. (2008) investigated the relation between clay:SOC ratio and the physical properties of soils from different databases. They observed that the R2 of the relation between SOC and the physical properties were maximized when considering the SOC fraction limited to a clay:SOC ratio of 10. They concluded that this fraction of the SOC was complexed, and that the additional SOC was not influencing the physical properties as strongly as the complexed one. In this study, we reassessed this approach, on a database of 180 undisturbed soil samples collected from cambiluvisols of the Swiss Plateau, on an area of 2400 km2, and from different soil uses. The physical properties were obtained with Shrinkage Analysis, which involved the parameters used in Dexter et al., 2008. We used the same method, but detected biases in the statistical approach, which was, therefore, adapted. We showed that the relation between the bulk density and SOC was changing with the score of visual evaluation of the structure (VESS) (Ball et al., 2007). Therefore, we also worked only on the "good" structures according to VESS. All shrinkage parameters were linearly correlated to SOC regardless of the clay:SOC ratio, with R2 ranging from 0.45 to 0.8. Contrarily to Dexter et al. (2008), we did not observed an optimum in the R2 of the relation when considering a SOC fraction based on the clay:SOC ratio. R2 was increasing until a Clay:SOC of about 7, where it reached, and kept, its maximum value. The land use factor was not significant. The major difference with the former study is that we worked on the same soil group, on a large range of texture, with less sandy soils and accounting for structural state. Our results show that, on this soil group, any SOC increase almost linearly increases the physical properties and, therefore, the physical fertility and the ecological functions of the soil, regardless of the clay:SOC ratio. When considering the whole SOC instead of a fraction, we show that the 10 clay:SOC ratio, however corresponds to a good structure according to VESS and optimal physical values. Therefore, we think reaching a clay:SOC ratio of 10 must be considered as an objective for farmers and advisers. Ball, B.C., T. Batey, and L.J. Munkholm. 2007. Field assessment of soil structural quality - a development of the Peerlkamp test. Soil Use Manag. 23(4): 329-337. Dexter, A.R., G. Richard, D. Arrouays, E.A. Czyz, C. Jolivet, and O. Duval. 2008. Complexed organic matter controls soil physical properties. Geoderma 144(3-4): 620-627.

Optimizing the efficacy of multimedia consumer health information.

PubMed

Monkman, Helen; Kushniruk, Andre W

2015-01-01

Using two or more communication methods (e.g., text, narration, pictures, animation, video) is known as multimedia. Multimedia has been used in a broad range of domains. Not surprisingly, multimedia is gaining popularity in the field of consumer health information as its benefits are being recognized. However, there is a large body of evidence in the cognitive literature that could be used to inform and optimize multimedia presentation of consumer health information. This paper outlines the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) and presents the application of this model for consumer health informatics. The CTML is a valuable resource for the development and revision of consumer health information to optimize its efficacy. Current research on multimedia and consumer health information is described. Finally, the outstanding opportunities to leverage the CTML for consumer health information are discussed.

High-resolution digital mapping of soil organic carbon in permafrost terrain using machine learning: a case study in a sub-Arctic peatland environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siewert, Matthias B.

2018-03-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) stored in northern peatlands and permafrost-affected soils are key components in the global carbon cycle. This article quantifies SOC stocks in a sub-Arctic mountainous peatland environment in the discontinuous permafrost zone in Abisko, northern Sweden. Four machine-learning techniques are evaluated for SOC quantification: multiple linear regression, artificial neural networks, support vector machine and random forest. The random forest model performed best and was used to predict SOC for several depth increments at a spatial resolution of 1 m (1×1 m). A high-resolution (1 m) land cover classification generated for this study is the most relevant predictive variable. The landscape mean SOC storage (0-150 cm) is estimated to be 8.3 ± 8.0 kg C m-2 and the SOC stored in the top meter (0-100 cm) to be 7.7 ± 6.2 kg C m-2. The predictive modeling highlights the relative importance of wetland areas and in particular peat plateaus for the landscape's SOC storage. The total SOC was also predicted at reduced spatial resolutions of 2, 10, 30, 100, 250 and 1000 m and shows a significant drop in land cover class detail and a tendency to underestimate the SOC at resolutions > 30 m. This is associated with the occurrence of many small-scale wetlands forming local hot-spots of SOC storage that are omitted at coarse resolutions. Sharp transitions in SOC storage associated with land cover and permafrost distribution are the most challenging methodological aspect. However, in this study, at local, regional and circum-Arctic scales, the main factor limiting robust SOC mapping efforts is the scarcity of soil pedon data from across the entire environmental space. For the Abisko region, past SOC and permafrost dynamics indicate that most of the SOC is barely 2000 years old and very dynamic. Future research needs to investigate the geomorphic response of permafrost degradation and the fate of SOC across all landscape compartments in post-permafrost landscapes.

Agricultural management explains historic changes in regional soil carbon stocks

PubMed Central

van Wesemael, Bas; Paustian, Keith; Meersmans, Jeroen; Goidts, Esther; Barancikova, Gabriela; Easter, Mark

2010-01-01

Agriculture is considered to be among the economic sectors having the greatest greenhouse gas mitigation potential, largely via soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. However, it remains a challenge to accurately quantify SOC stock changes at regional to national scales. SOC stock changes resulting from SOC inventory systems are only available for a few countries and the trends vary widely between studies. Process-based models can provide insight in the drivers of SOC changes, but accurate input data are currently not available at these spatial scales. Here we use measurements from a soil inventory dating from the 1960s and resampled in 2006 covering the major soil types and agricultural regions in Belgium together with region-specific land use and management data and a process-based model. The largest decreases in SOC stocks occurred in poorly drained grassland soils (clays and floodplain soils), consistent with drainage improvements since 1960. Large increases in SOC in well drained grassland soils appear to be a legacy effect of widespread conversion of cropland to grassland before 1960. SOC in cropland increased only in sandy lowland soils, driven by increasing manure additions. Modeled land use and management impacts accounted for more than 70% of the variation in observed SOC changes, and no bias could be demonstrated. There was no significant effect of climate trends since 1960 on observed SOC changes. SOC monitoring networks are being established in many countries. Our results demonstrate that detailed and long-term land management data are crucial to explain the observed SOC changes for such networks. PMID:20679194

Salutogenesis: A New Approach toward Oral Health Promotion

PubMed Central

Kaur, Manpreet; Jindal, Ritu; Dua, Rohini; Gautam, Aanchal; Kaur, Ramandeep

2017-01-01

Introduction: Sense of coherence (SOC) is hypothesized to be an important psychological factor that enables people to cope with stressors and successfully maintain and improve health. Very few publications report on the relationship between “salutogenesis,” as measured by the concept of SOC and oral health status. However, little is known about the relationship between the mother's SOC and dental caries of their children. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to explore the impact of mother's SOC level on dental caries status of their children. Materials and Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted with the children aged 4–8 years attending public school (n = 200). Questionnaires were applied to mothers to obtain level of SOC. Dental caries status in children was assessed using decayed, missing, filled tooth surfaces (DMFS) and/or dmfs index. One-way analysis of variance F-test and post hoc Tukey test were used to assess the effect of mother's SOC level on their children's caries dmfs index. Results: Mean of dmfs and/or DMFS in children showed statistically significant relation with their mother's SOC level (P < 0.01). On intergroup comparison, significant (P < 0.01) difference was found when mean of dmfs and/or DMFS with mothers having low SOC and high SOC was compared. However, there was no significant relation when mean was compared to mothers with medium and low SOC. Conclusion: Dental caries of children gets influenced by mother's SOC level. There was an inverse relationship between mother's SOC level and their children dental caries status. PMID:29042722

Self-Organized Criticality Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschwanden, M. J.

2013-07-01

Contents: (1) Introduction - Norma B. Crosby --- (2) Theoretical Models of SOC Systems - Markus J. Aschwanden --- (3) SOC and Fractal Geometry - R. T. James McAteer --- (4) Percolation Models of Self-Organized Critical Phenomena - Alexander V. Milovanov --- (5) Criticality and Self-Organization in Branching Processes: Application to Natural Hazards - Álvaro Corral, Francesc Font-Clos --- (6) Power Laws of Recurrence Networks - Yong Zou, Jobst Heitzig, Jürgen Kurths --- (7) SOC computer simolations - Gunnar Pruessner --- (8) SOC Laboratory Experiments - Gunnar Pruessner --- (9) Self-Organizing Complex Earthquakes: Scaling in Data, Models, and Forecasting - Michael K. Sachs et al. --- (10) Wildfires and the Forest-Fire Model - Stefan Hergarten --- (11) SOC in Landslides - Stefan Hergarten --- (12) SOC and Solar Flares - Paul Charbonneau --- (13) SOC Systems in Astrophysics - Markus J. Aschwanden ---

Multimedia in German Libraries--Aspects of Cooperation and Integration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cremer, Monika

This paper on multimedia in German libraries begins with an introduction to multimedia. Initiatives of the federal government and in the Laender (federal states) are then described, including: a 1997 symposium organized by the university library of Goettingen that presented several multimedia models developed in universities; the multimedia…

Bye, Bye Verbal-Only Method of Learning: Welcome Interactive Multimedia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faryadi, Qais

2006-01-01

Today, our verbal-only paradigm of teaching is on its way out. Interactive multimedia instructions have enabled learners to go forward smiling. Learners are motivated and encouraged by the evolving interactive multimedia to learn cooperatively and above all to learn meaningfully. Integration of interactive multimedia and technology in our…

State-of-the-Art Multimedia in 1996: The "Big Four" General Encyclopedias on CD-ROM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacso, Peter

1996-01-01

Reviews four CD-ROM encyclopedias: Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1996 Edition; Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia; the 1996 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia; and World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia 1996. Focuses on multimedia features, their quantity, quality, accessibility, and playability. Discusses each product's novel features and important…

Supporting Listening Comprehension and Vocabulary Acquisition with Multimedia Annotations: The Students' Voice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Linda C.

2003-01-01

Extends Mayer's (1997, 2001) generative theory of multimedia learning and investigates under what conditions multimedia annotations can support listening comprehension in a second language. Highlights students' views on the effectiveness of multimedia annotations (visual and verbal) in assisting them in their comprehension and acquisition of…

Increasing Student Learning through Multimedia Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simkins, Michael; Cole, Karen; Tavalin, Fern; Means, Barbara

This book discusses enhancing student achievement through project-based learning with multimedia. Chapter 1 describes project-based multimedia learning. Chapter 2 presents a multimedia primer, including the five basic types of media objects (i.e., images, text, sound, motion, and interactivity). Chapter 3 addresses making a real-world connection,…

Classroom Innovation: Engaging Students in Interactive Multimedia Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neo, Tse-Kian; Neo, Mai

2004-01-01

With the infusion of the multimedia technology into the education arena, traditional educational materials can be translated into interactive electronic form through the use of multimedia authoring tools. This has allowed teachers to design and incorporate multimedia elements into the content to convey the message in a multi-sensory learning…

The Effects of Instructional Implementation on Learning with Interactive Multimedia Case-Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchem, Katherine; Koury, Kevin; Fitzgerald, Gail; Hollingsead, Candice; Miller, Kevin; Tsai, Hui-Hsien; Zha, Shenghua

2009-01-01

Interactive, multimedia cases with technology supports present new ways of teaching and learning in teacher education. In this mixed-methods, naturalistic study, the authors investigate how and what participants learn from multimedia cases and, in particular, how instructional implementation affects learning outcomes from multimedia cases.…

Interactive Multimedia in Education and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mishra, Sanjaya, Ed.; Sharma, Ramesh C., Ed.

2005-01-01

"Interactive Multimedia in Education and Training" emerges out of the need to share information and knowledge on the research and practices of using multimedia in various educational settings. The book discusses issues related to planning, designing and development of interactive multimedia in a persuasive tone and style, offering rich research…

A Multimedia Publishing Center from Scratch (and Scavenge).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Ignazio, Fred

1995-01-01

Provides guidance for turning the library media center into a place where students can use multimedia tools for research, authoring, and publishing. Sidebars include: a multimedia club sample student contract, a component list for a multimedia workstation starter kit, a checklist for planning and assembling mini-centers, and a sample multimedia…

Efficacy of Multimedia Package in Communicative Skill in English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singaravelu, G.

2014-01-01

The study enlightens the effectiveness of Multimedia Package in learning communicative skill in English. Objectives of the study: To prepare a Multimedia Package for developing communicative skill in English. To find out the impact of Multimedia Package in improving communicative skill in English. Quasi Experimental method was adopted in the…

Signaling Text-Picture Relations in Multimedia Learning: The Influence of Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richter, Juliane; Scheiter, Katharina; Eitel, Alexander

2018-01-01

Multimedia integration signals highlight correspondences between text and pictures with the aim of supporting learning from multimedia. A recent meta-analysis revealed that only learners with low domain-specific prior knowledge benefit from multimedia integration signals. To more thoroughly investigate the influence of prior knowledge on the…

Visual Enhancements: Improving Deaf Students' Transition Skills Using Multimedia Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Cheryl D.

1999-01-01

Discusses developments in technology that provide high-quality visual access to transition information and multimedia instruction for learners with deafness. Identifies a variety of considerations in using multimedia products and describes the pros and cons of different media in the context of several multimedia projects. (Author/CR)

Quo Vadimus? The 21st Century and Multimedia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhn, Allan D.

This paper relates the concept of computer-driven multimedia to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Scientific and Technical Information Program (STIP). Multimedia is defined here as computer integration and output of text, animation, audio, video, and graphics. Multimedia is the stage of computer-based information that allows…

Multimedia Security System for Security and Medical Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Yicong

2010-01-01

This dissertation introduces a new multimedia security system for the performance of object recognition and multimedia encryption in security and medical applications. The system embeds an enhancement and multimedia encryption process into the traditional recognition system in order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of object detection and…

The Effect of Multimedia Replacing Text in Resident Clinical Decision-Making Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Todd P.; Schrager, Sheree M.; Rake, Alyssa J.; Chan, Michael W.; Pham, Phung K.; Christman, Grant

2017-01-01

Multimedia in assessing clinical decision-making skills (CDMS) has been poorly studied, particularly in comparison to traditional text-based assessments. The literature suggests multimedia is more difficult for trainees. We hypothesize that pediatric residents score lower in diagnostic skill when clinical vignettes use multimedia rather than text…

36 CFR § 1194.24 - Video and multimedia products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Video and multimedia products... § 1194.24 Video and multimedia products. (a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and... circuitry. (c) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's...

Sensitivity of soil carbon fractions and their specific stabilization mechanisms to extreme soil warming in a subarctic grassland.

PubMed

Poeplau, Christopher; Kätterer, Thomas; Leblans, Niki I W; Sigurdsson, Bjarni D

2017-03-01

Terrestrial carbon cycle feedbacks to global warming are major uncertainties in climate models. For in-depth understanding of changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) after soil warming, long-term responses of SOC stabilization mechanisms such as aggregation, organo-mineral interactions and chemical recalcitrance need to be addressed. This study investigated the effect of 6 years of geothermal soil warming on different SOC fractions in an unmanaged grassland in Iceland. Along an extreme warming gradient of +0 to ~+40 °C, we isolated five fractions of SOC that varied conceptually in turnover rate from active to passive in the following order: particulate organic matter (POM), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), SOC in sand and stable aggregates (SA), SOC in silt and clay (SC-rSOC) and resistant SOC (rSOC). Soil warming of 0.6 °C increased bulk SOC by 22 ± 43% (0-10 cm soil layer) and 27 ± 54% (20-30 cm), while further warming led to exponential SOC depletion of up to 79 ± 14% (0-10 cm) and 74 ± 8% (20-30) in the most warmed plots (~+40 °C). Only the SA fraction was more sensitive than the bulk soil, with 93 ± 6% (0-10 cm) and 86 ± 13% (20-30 cm) SOC losses and the highest relative enrichment in 13 C as an indicator for the degree of decomposition (+1.6 ± 1.5‰ in 0-10 cm and +1.3 ± 0.8‰ in 20-30 cm). The SA fraction mass also declined along the warming gradient, while the SC fraction mass increased. This was explained by deactivation of aggregate-binding mechanisms. There was no difference between the responses of SC-rSOC (slow-cycling) and rSOC (passive) to warming, and 13 C enrichment in rSOC was equal to that in bulk soil. We concluded that the sensitivity of SOC to warming was not a function of age or chemical recalcitrance, but triggered by changes in biophysical stabilization mechanisms, such as aggregation. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Potential fate of eroded SOC after erosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Liangang; Fister, Wolfgang; Greenwood, Philip; Hu, Yaxian; Kuhn, Nikolaus J.

2015-04-01

Globally, soils contain more than three times as much carbon as either atmosphere or terrestrial vegetation. Soil erosion moves soil organic carbon (SOC) from the site of soil and SOC formation and to depositional environments. There some SOC might be sequestered. Combined with dynamic replacement at the site of erosion, the effect can significantly influence the carbon cycle. However, the fate of SOC moved by erosion has been subject to an intense controversy. Two opposing views prevail: erosion may contribute to SOC mineralization during transport and thus act as a source for atmospheric CO2; the burial of SOC, on the other hand, can be seen as a sink while dynamic replacement maintains SOC at the eroding site and thus increase the C-stocks in soils and sediments. The debate suffers from a lack of information on the distribution, movement and fate of SOC in terrestrial ecosystems. This study aims to improve our understanding of the transport and subsequent fate of the eroded soil and the associated SOC. The research presented here focused on the SOC content and potential transport distance of erode soil. During a series of simulated rainfall soil eroded on crusted loess soils near Basel, Switzerland, was collected. The sediment was fractionated according to its settling velocity, with classes set to correspond to either a transfer into rivers or a deposition on slopes. The soil mass, SOC concentration and cumulative CO2 emission of each fraction were measured. Our results show that about 50% of the eroded sediment and 60% of the eroded SOC are likely to be deposited on the slopes, even during a high rainfall intensity event. This is 3 times greater than the association of SOC with mineral particles suggests. The CO2 emission of the eroded soil is increased by 40% compared to disturbed bulk soil. This confirms that aggregate breakdown reduces the protection of SOC in aggregates. Both results of this study show that taking (i) the effect of aggregation on SOC redistribution and (ii) the subsequent CO2 emission during the transport have to be considered to achieve a reliable assessment of the effect of soil erosion on the global C-cycle. They also indicate that our current balances may underestimate the CO2 emission caused by soil erosion.

Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 2 Negatively Regulates NK Cell Differentiation by Inhibiting JAK2 Activity

PubMed Central

Kim, Won Sam; Kim, Mi Jeong; Kim, Dong Oh; Byun, Jae-Eun; Huy, Hangsak; Song, Hae Young; Park, Young-Jun; Kim, Tae-Don; Yoon, Suk Ran; Choi, Eun-Ji; Jung, Haiyoung; Choi, Inpyo

2017-01-01

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are negative regulators of cytokine responses. Although recent reports have shown regulatory roles for SOCS proteins in innate and adaptive immunity, their roles in natural killer (NK) cell development are largely unknown. Here, we show that SOCS2 is involved in NK cell development. SOCS2−/− mice showed a high frequency of NK cells in the bone marrow and spleen. Knockdown of SOCS2 was associated with enhanced differentiation of NK cells in vitro, and the transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) into congenic mice resulted in enhanced differentiation in SOCS2−/− HSCs. We found that SOCS2 could inhibit Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) activity and JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathways via direct interaction with JAK2. Furthermore, SOCS2−/− mice showed a reduction in lung metastases and an increase in survival following melanoma challenge. Overall, our findings suggest that SOCS2 negatively regulates the development of NK cells by inhibiting JAK2 activity via direct interaction. PMID:28383049

Investigating the error sources of the online state of charge estimation methods for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yuejiu; Ouyang, Minggao; Han, Xuebing; Lu, Languang; Li, Jianqiu

2018-02-01

Sate of charge (SOC) estimation is generally acknowledged as one of the most important functions in battery management system for lithium-ion batteries in new energy vehicles. Though every effort is made for various online SOC estimation methods to reliably increase the estimation accuracy as much as possible within the limited on-chip resources, little literature discusses the error sources for those SOC estimation methods. This paper firstly reviews the commonly studied SOC estimation methods from a conventional classification. A novel perspective focusing on the error analysis of the SOC estimation methods is proposed. SOC estimation methods are analyzed from the views of the measured values, models, algorithms and state parameters. Subsequently, the error flow charts are proposed to analyze the error sources from the signal measurement to the models and algorithms for the widely used online SOC estimation methods in new energy vehicles. Finally, with the consideration of the working conditions, choosing more reliable and applicable SOC estimation methods is discussed, and the future development of the promising online SOC estimation methods is suggested.

Web-based multimedia information retrieval for clinical application research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Xinhua; Hoo, Kent S., Jr.; Zhang, Hong; Ching, Wan; Zhang, Ming; Wong, Stephen T. C.

2001-08-01

We described a web-based data warehousing method for retrieving and analyzing neurological multimedia information. The web-based method supports convenient access, effective search and retrieval of clinical textual and image data, and on-line analysis. To improve the flexibility and efficiency of multimedia information query and analysis, a three-tier, multimedia data warehouse for epilepsy research has been built. The data warehouse integrates clinical multimedia data related to epilepsy from disparate sources and archives them into a well-defined data model.

Space Operations Center, shuttle interaction study, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The implication of using the Shuttle with the SOC, including constraints that the Shuttle places upon the SOC design is studied. The considerations involved in the use of the Shuttle as a part of the SOC concept, and the constraints to the SOC imposed by the Shuttle in its interactions with the SOC, and on the design or technical solutions which allow satisfactory accomplishment of the interactions are identified.

Expression of the SOCS family in human chronic wound tissues: Potential implications for SOCS in chronic wound healing

PubMed Central

Feng, Yi; Sanders, Andrew J.; Ruge, Fiona; Morris, Ceri-Ann; Harding, Keith G.; Jiang, Wen G.

2016-01-01

Cytokines play important roles in the wound healing process through various signalling pathways. The JAK-STAT pathway is utilised by most cytokines for signal transduction and is regulated by a variety of molecules, including suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins. SOCS are associated with inflammatory diseases and have an impact on cytokines, growth factors and key cell types involved in the wound-healing process. SOCS, a negative regulator of cytokine signalling, may hold the potential to regulate cytokine-induced signalling in the chronic wound-healing process. Wound edge tissues were collected from chronic venous leg ulcer patients and classified as non-healing and healing wounds. The expression pattern of seven SOCSs members, at the transcript and protein level, were examined in these tissues using qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Significantly higher levels of SOCS3 (P=0.0284) and SOCS4 (P=0.0376) in non-healing chronic wounds compared to the healing/healed chronic wounds were observed at the transcript level. Relocalisation of SOCS3 protein in the non-healing wound environment was evident in the investigated chronic biopsies. Thus, the results show that the expression of SOCS transcript indicated that SOCS members may act as a prognostic biomarker of chronic wounds. PMID:27635428

Expression of the SOCS family in human chronic wound tissues: Potential implications for SOCS in chronic wound healing.

PubMed

Feng, Yi; Sanders, Andrew J; Ruge, Fiona; Morris, Ceri-Ann; Harding, Keith G; Jiang, Wen G

2016-11-01

Cytokines play important roles in the wound healing process through various signalling pathways. The JAK-STAT pathway is utilised by most cytokines for signal transduction and is regulated by a variety of molecules, including suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins. SOCS are associated with inflammatory diseases and have an impact on cytokines, growth factors and key cell types involved in the wound‑healing process. SOCS, a negative regulator of cytokine signalling, may hold the potential to regulate cytokine‑induced signalling in the chronic wound‑healing process. Wound edge tissues were collected from chronic venous leg ulcer patients and classified as non-healing and healing wounds. The expression pattern of seven SOCSs members, at the transcript and protein level, were examined in these tissues using qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Significantly higher levels of SOCS3 (P=0.0284) and SOCS4 (P=0.0376) in non-healing chronic wounds compared to the healing/healed chronic wounds were observed at the transcript level. Relocalisation of SOCS3 protein in the non-healing wound environment was evident in the investigated chronic biopsies. Thus, the results show that the expression of SOCS transcript indicated that SOCS members may act as a prognostic biomarker of chronic wounds.

{open_quotes}Media-On-Demand{close_quotes} multimedia electronic mail: A tool for collaboration on the web

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsoi, Kei Nam; Rahman, S.M.

1996-12-31

Undoubtedly, multimedia electronic mail has many advantages in exchanging information electronically in a collaborative work. The existing design of e-mail systems architecture is inefficient in exchanging multimedia message which has much larger volume, and requires more bandwidth and storage space than the text-only messages. This paper presents an innovative method for exchanging multimedia mail messages in a heterogeneous environment to support collaborative work over YAW on the Internet. We propose a {open_quotes}Parcel Collection{close_quotes} approach for exchanging multimedia electronic mail messages. This approach for exchanging multimedia electronic mail messages integrates the current WWW technologies with the existing electronic mail systems.

Soils as sediment: does aggregation skew slope scale SOC balances?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yaxian; Fister, Wolfgang; Kuhn, Nikolaus

2014-05-01

The net effect of soil erosion as a source or sink of CO2 in global carbon cycling has been the subject of a heated debate. On one hand, erosion exposes the previously encapsulated soil organic carbon (SOC), which may accelerate the mineralization of eroded SOC. On the other hand, deposition limits the decomposition of SOC upon burial, while incorporation of biomass at eroding sites replaces the lost SOC. So far, effects of erosion on CO2 emissions have largely been assessed by comparing SOC stocks at eroding and depositional sites. The underlying assumption for this approach is a non-selective transport of eroded SOC across a landscape. However, several recent publications showed both an at least temporary on-site enrichment of SOC in sediment as well as a preferential deposition of sediment particles with SOC concentrations that differed from the soil SOC. As a consequence, balances between eroding and depositional sites may over- or underestimate mineralization of eroded SOC during transport. Two Luvisols, from the villages of Möhlin and Movelier in northwest Switzerland, were used in this study. They have different mineral grain size distribution, organic carbon concentration and aggregate stability. Based on the concept of Equivalent Quartz Size (EQS), the eroded sediments were fractionated by a settling tube apparatus into six different size classes, according to their settling velocities and likely transport distances. According to the model developed by Starr et al., 2000, the likely transport distances of six EQS classes were grouped into three likely fates: deposited across landscapes, possibly transferred into rivers, and likely transferred into rivers. Respiration rates of the fractionated sediments were measured by gas chromatograph for 50 days. Our results show that 1) due to aggregation, 60% of the Möhlin eroded fractions and 82% of the Movelier fractions would be re-deposited in the terrestrial system, which strongly contrasts with their grain size distribution; 2) 63% of eroded SOC for the Möhlin soil and 83% for the Movelier soil would be re-deposited in the terrestrial system rather than transferred into the aquatic system. This is much greater than the high concentration of SOC in grain size fraction <32 µm would suggest; 3) the SOC re-deposited in the terrestrial system is more likely to be mineralized than the SOC in fine particles which would be transferred into the aquatic system. Our observations indicate that 1) aggregation reduces the likely transport distances of eroded SOC, and thus decreases the likelihood of eroded SOC to be transferred from eroding hill-slopes to the aquatic system; 2) the re-deposited SOC in the terrestrial system is more likely to be mineralized than the SOC in fine particles that could be transferred into the aquatic system. These findings highlight a potentially higher contribution of erosion to atmospheric CO2 than anticipated by estimating source for sink transfer without considering the effects of aggregation.

Using multimedia to enhance the consent process for bunion correction surgery.

PubMed

Batuyong, Eldridge D; Jowett, Andrew J L; Wickramasinghe, Nilmini; Beischer, Andrew D

2014-04-01

Obtaining informed consent from patients considering bunion surgery can be challenging. This study assessed the efficacy of a multimedia technology as an adjunct to the informed consent process. A prospective, cohort study was conducted involving 55 patients (7 males, 48 females) who underwent a standardized verbal discussion regarding bunion correction surgery followed by completion of a knowledge questionnaire. A multimedia educational program was then administered and the knowledge questionnaire repeated. Additional supplementary questions were then given regarding satisfaction with the multimedia program. Patients answered 74% questions correctly before the multimedia module compared with 94% after it (P < 0.0001). Patients rated the ease of understanding and the amount of information provided by the module highly. Eighty-four percent of patients considered that the multimedia tool performed as well as the treating surgeon. Multimedia technology is useful in enhancing patient knowledge regarding bunion surgery for the purposes of obtaining informed consent.

Web-Based Learning for Cultural Heritage: First Experienced with Students of the Private University of Technology in Northern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yen, Y.-N.; Wu, Y.-W.; Weng, K.-H.

2013-07-01

E-learning assisted teaching and learning is the trend of the 21st century and has many advantages - freedom from the constraints of time and space, hypertext and multimedia rich resources - enhancing the interaction between students and the teaching materials. The purpose of this study is to explore how rich Internet resources assisted students with the Western Architectural History course. First, we explored the Internet resources which could assist teaching and learning activities. Second, according to course objectives, we built a web-based platform which integrated the Google spreadsheets form, SIMILE widget, Wikipedia and the Google Maps and applied it to the course of Western Architectural History. Finally, action research was applied to understanding the effectiveness of this teaching/learning mode. Participants were the students of the Department of Architecture in the Private University of Technology in northern Taiwan. Results showed that students were willing to use the web-based platform to assist their learning. They found this platform to be useful in understanding the relationship between different periods of buildings. Through the view of the map mode, this platform also helped students expand their international perspective. However, we found that the information shared by students via the Internet were not completely correct. One possible reason was that students could easily acquire information on Internet but they could not determine the correctness of the information. To conclude, this study found some useful and rich resources that could be well-integrated, from which we built a web-based platform to collect information and present this information in diverse modes to stimulate students' learning motivation. We recommend that future studies should consider hiring teaching assistants in order to ease the burden on teachers, and to assist in the maintenance of information quality.

Promises & Challenges. Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Multimedia in Education & Industry (2nd, Savannah, Georgia, July 29-31, 1993).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association for Applied Interactive Multimedia, Columbia, SC.

This proceedings of the Association for Applied Interactive Multimedia 1993 conference includes the following papers: "Multimedia in Education and Training: 'Promises and Challenges'" (H. D. Ellis); "Critical Thinking in the Multimedia, Self-Paced English Classroom" (L. Mortensen); "Computer Assisted Instruction" (C.…

Effectiveness of Multimedia Elements in Computer Supported Instruction: Analysis of Personalization Effects, Students' Performances and Costs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaidel, Mark; Luo, XiaoHui

2010-01-01

This study investigates the efficiency of multimedia instruction at the college level by comparing the effectiveness of multimedia elements used in the computer supported learning with the cost of their preparation. Among the various technologies that advance learning, instructors and students generally identify interactive multimedia elements as…

Using Multimedia Vocabulary Annotations in L2 Reading and Listening Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jing Xu

2010-01-01

This paper reviews the role of multimedia vocabulary annotation (MVA) in facilitating second language (L2) reading and listening activities. It examines the multimedia learning and multimedia language learning theories that underlie the MVA research, synthesizes the findings on MVA in the last decade, and identifies three underresearched areas on…

Multimedia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaye, Karen

1993-01-01

Multimedia initiative objectives for the NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI) program are described. A multimedia classification scheme was developed and the types of non-print media currently in use are inventoried. The NASA STI Program multimedia initiative is driven by a changing user population and technical requirements in the areas of publications, dissemination, and user and management support.

Solicited versus Unsolicited Metacognitive Prompts for Fostering Mathematical Problem Solving Using Multimedia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramarski, Bracha; Friedman, Sheli

2014-01-01

The study examined how student control over metacognitive prompts in a multimedia environment affects students' ability to solve mathematical problems in immediate comprehension tasks using a multimedia program and a delayed-transfer test. It also examined the effect on metacognitive discourse, mental effort, and engagement with multimedia-based…

Standards of Multimedia Graphic Design in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aldalalah, Osamah Ahmad; Ababneh, Ziad Waleed Mohamed

2015-01-01

This study aims to determine Standards of Multimedia Graphic Design in Education through the analysis of the theoretical basis and previous studies related to this subject. This study has identified the list of standards of Multimedia, Graphic Design, each of which has a set indicator through which the quality of Multimedia can be evaluated in…

Integrating Multimedia into the Malaysian Classroom: Engaging Students in Interactive Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neo, Tse-Kian; Neo, Mai

2004-01-01

In recent years, with the infusion of the multimedia technology into the education arena, traditional educational materials can be translated into interactive electronic form through the use of multimedia authoring tools. This has allowed teachers to design and incorporate multimedia elements and choreograph them in an orderly sequence to convey…

Edification of Multimedia Resources: Aligning Technology for Student Empowerment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thamarasseri, Ismail

2014-01-01

Multimedia offers exciting possibilities for meeting the needs of 21st century learners. Multimedia learning can be defined in a number of ways. Multimedia learning is the delivery of instructional content using multiple modes that include visual and auditory information and students' use of this information to construct knowledge. Today's…

Student Access of Supplemental Multimedia and Success in an Online Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Nathan B.

2013-01-01

Institutions are developing online courses that contain rich multimedia, but research shows there is little difference in student achievement when these types of materials are included. However, many studies report the results of the presence, not the access, of multimedia learning objects. In addition, they do not categorize the multimedia as…

Does a Strategy Training Foster Students' Ability to Learn from Multimedia?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheiter, Katharina; Schubert, Carina; Gerjets, Peter; Stalbovs, Kim

2015-01-01

Despite the general effectiveness of multimedia instruction, students do not always benefit from it. This study examined whether students' learning from multimedia can be improved by teaching them relevant learning strategies. On the basis of current theories and research on multimedia learning, the authors developed a strategy training for…

Human-Machine Cooperation in Large-Scale Multimedia Retrieval: A Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shirahama, Kimiaki; Grzegorzek, Marcin; Indurkhya, Bipin

2015-01-01

"Large-Scale Multimedia Retrieval" (LSMR) is the task to fast analyze a large amount of multimedia data like images or videos and accurately find the ones relevant to a certain semantic meaning. Although LSMR has been investigated for more than two decades in the fields of multimedia processing and computer vision, a more…

Assessing the Effects of Different Multimedia Materials on Emotions and Learning Performance for Visual and Verbal Style Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chih-Ming; Sun, Ying-Chun

2012-01-01

Multimedia materials are now increasingly used in curricula. However, individual preferences for multimedia materials based on visual and verbal cognitive styles may affect learners' emotions and performance. Therefore, in-depth studies that investigate how different multimedia materials affect learning performance and the emotions of learners…

Online and Blended Learning Approach on Instructional Multimedia Development Courses in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bicen, Hüseyin; Ozdamli, Fezile; Uzunboylu, Hüseyin

2014-01-01

In this study, an e-learning environment was designed for teacher candidates. Teacher candidates developed multimedia-based projects by means of multimedia tools. This research aims to determine the effects of online and blended learning approaches on the success level of multimedia projects and the teacher candidates' attitudes, opinions and…

SOCS3 promotes apoptosis of mammary differentiated cells.

PubMed

Le Provost, Fabienne; Miyoshi, Keiko; Vilotte, Jean-Luc; Bierie, Brian; Robinson, Gertraud W; Hennighausen, Lothar

2005-12-30

Growth and function of the mammary gland is regulated by cytokines and modulated by suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins. In vitro experiments demonstrated that SOCS3 can inhibit PRL induction of milk protein gene expression and STAT5 activation. We explored the SOCS3 expression pattern during mouse mammary development and its regulation by PRL and GH in wild-type and STAT5a-null mammary tissue. Our results suggest that, in vivo, PRL stimulates SOCS3 expression in stromal adipocytes, independently of STAT5a stimulation. In mammary epithelial cells, SOCS3 expression appears to be related to STAT3 activation. Together, our results are consistent with a role of SOCS3 in the mammary gland by promoting apoptosis of differentiated cells (adipocytes during gestation and epithelial cells during involution).

An Optimized Hidden Node Detection Paradigm for Improving the Coverage and Network Efficiency in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Alanazi, Adwan; Elleithy, Khaled

2016-01-01

Successful transmission of online multimedia streams in wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs) is a big challenge due to their limited bandwidth and power resources. The existing WSN protocols are not completely appropriate for multimedia communication. The effectiveness of WMSNs varies, and it depends on the correct location of its sensor nodes in the field. Thus, maximizing the multimedia coverage is the most important issue in the delivery of multimedia contents. The nodes in WMSNs are either static or mobile. Thus, the node connections change continuously due to the mobility in wireless multimedia communication that causes an additional energy consumption, and synchronization loss between neighboring nodes. In this paper, we introduce an Optimized Hidden Node Detection (OHND) paradigm. The OHND consists of three phases: hidden node detection, message exchange, and location detection. These three phases aim to maximize the multimedia node coverage, and improve energy efficiency, hidden node detection capacity, and packet delivery ratio. OHND helps multimedia sensor nodes to compute the directional coverage. Furthermore, an OHND is used to maintain a continuous node– continuous neighbor discovery process in order to handle the mobility of the nodes. We implement our proposed algorithms by using a network simulator (NS2). The simulation results demonstrate that nodes are capable of maintaining direct coverage and detecting hidden nodes in order to maximize coverage and multimedia node mobility. To evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithms, we compared our results with other known approaches. PMID:27618048

An Optimized Hidden Node Detection Paradigm for Improving the Coverage and Network Efficiency in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Alanazi, Adwan; Elleithy, Khaled

2016-09-07

Successful transmission of online multimedia streams in wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs) is a big challenge due to their limited bandwidth and power resources. The existing WSN protocols are not completely appropriate for multimedia communication. The effectiveness of WMSNs varies, and it depends on the correct location of its sensor nodes in the field. Thus, maximizing the multimedia coverage is the most important issue in the delivery of multimedia contents. The nodes in WMSNs are either static or mobile. Thus, the node connections change continuously due to the mobility in wireless multimedia communication that causes an additional energy consumption, and synchronization loss between neighboring nodes. In this paper, we introduce an Optimized Hidden Node Detection (OHND) paradigm. The OHND consists of three phases: hidden node detection, message exchange, and location detection. These three phases aim to maximize the multimedia node coverage, and improve energy efficiency, hidden node detection capacity, and packet delivery ratio. OHND helps multimedia sensor nodes to compute the directional coverage. Furthermore, an OHND is used to maintain a continuous node- continuous neighbor discovery process in order to handle the mobility of the nodes. We implement our proposed algorithms by using a network simulator (NS2). The simulation results demonstrate that nodes are capable of maintaining direct coverage and detecting hidden nodes in order to maximize coverage and multimedia node mobility. To evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithms, we compared our results with other known approaches.

Land use effects on soil organic carbon sequestration in calcareous leptosols in former pastureland - a case study from the Tatra Mountains (Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasak, K.; Drewnik, M.

2015-05-01

The purpose of the paper is to show SOC sequestration rates in calcareous shallow soils in reforested areas in Tatra Mts. with a particular focus on the different forms of organic matter (OM) storage. Three plant communities creating a mosaic on the slopes of the valley were taken into account. After 50 years since the conversion of pastureland to grassland, dwarf pine shrub, and larch forest on soils, the development of genetic soil horizons as well as SOC sequestration in soil occur despite the steepness of slopes. SOC stock is the highest in soils under larch forest (63.5 mg ha-1, SD 16.3), while in soil under grassland and under dwarf pine shrub, this value is smaller (47.5 mg ha-1, SD 13.3 and 42.9 mg ha-1, SD 22.0 respectively). The highest amount of mineral-associated OM inside stable microaggregates (MOM FF3) is found in grassland soil (21.9-27.1% of SOC), less under dwarf pine shrub (16.3-19.3% of SOC) and larch forest (15.3-17.7% of SOC). The pool of mineral-associated OM inside transitional macroaggregates (MOM FF2) is found in soil under dwarf pine shrub (39.2-59.2% of SOC), with less under larch forest (43.8-44.7% of SOC) and the least in grassland soil (37.9-41.6% of SOC). The highest amount of the free light particulate fraction (POM LF1) is found in soil under dwarf pine shrub (6.6-10.3% of SOC), with less under larch forest (2.6-6.2% of SOC) and the least in grassland soil (1.7-4.8% of SOC).

Land use effects on soil organic carbon sequestration in calcareous Leptosols in former pastureland - a case study from the Tatra Mountains (Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasak, K.; Drewnik, M.

2015-10-01

The purpose of the paper is to describe soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rates in calcareous shallow soils in reforested areas in the Tatra Mountains with a particular focus on different forms of organic matter (OM) storage. Three plant communities creating a mosaic on the slopes of the studied valley were taken into account. Fifty years since the conversion of pastureland to unused grassland, dwarf pine shrub and larch forest have emerged in the study area, along with the development of genetic soil horizons as well as SOC sequestration in the soil despite the steepness of slopes. SOC stock was measured to be the highest in soils under larch forest (63.5 Mg ha-1), while in soil under grassland and under dwarf pine shrub, this value was found to be smaller (47.5 and 42.9 Mg ha-1, respectively). The highest amount of mineral-associated OM inside stable microaggregates (MOM FF3) was found in grassland soil (21.9-27.1 % of SOC) and less under dwarf pine shrub (16.3-19.3 % of SOC) and larch forest (15.3-17.7 % of SOC). A pool of mineral-associated OM inside transitional macroaggregates (MOM FF2) was found in soil under dwarf pine shrub (39.2-59.2 % of SOC), with less under larch forest (43.8-44.7 % of SOC) and the least in grassland soil (37.9-41.6 % of SOC). The highest amount of the free light particulate fraction (POM LF1) was found in soil under dwarf pine shrub (6.6-10.3 % of SOC), with less under larch forest (2.6-6.2 % of SOC) and the least in grassland soil (1.7-4.8 % of SOC).

The Immunohistochemical Analysis of SOCS3 Protein Identifies a Subgroup of Prostatic Cancer Biopsies With Aggressive Behavior.

PubMed

Pierconti, Francesco; Martini, Maurizio; Cenci, Tonia; Larocca, Luigi M

Recently, we demonstrated that hypermethylation of SOCS3 determines a significant reduction of its mRNA and protein expression and identifies a subgroup of prostate cancer with aggressive behavior. In this paper, our objective was to investigate whether the immunohistochemical expression of the SOCS3 protein could represent an alternative method to molecular analysis for the individualization of aggressive prostate carcinoma. We analyzed the SOCS3 immunohistochemical expression in 65 patients undergoing biopsies at the Institute of Urology of our hospital between September 2011 and October 2011 (median age, 66.4 y; range, 50 to 73 y), and in 35 cases, a subset of 65 cases originally used for the immunohistochemical study, we studied the methylation status of the SOCS3 promoter. We found that the percentage of cases with SOCS3 negativity (-) or with SOCS3 weak staining in <50% of the neoplastic glands (+/-) correlated to the worst prognosis in terms of the Gleason score (P=0.0001; Fisher's exact test), the pT stage (P=0.012; Fisher's exact test), and progression-free survival (P=0.0334; hazard ratio, 0.34; and 95% confidence interval, from 0.1261 to 0.9188). Moreover, some cases with an SOCS3 unmethylated pattern showed SOCS3-negative immunostaining (-) or SOCS3-negative glands with weak cytoplasmatic staining in <50% of the neoplastic glands (+/-). Our data suggest that in prostatic cancer biopsies, the immunohistochemical analysis of SOCS3 protein expression may provide a method that is less expensive and easier to apply than SOCS3 methylation analysis for the distinction of a subgroup of prostate cancer with a more aggressive behavior.

Trichostatin A, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, suppresses JAK2/STAT3 signaling via inducing the promoter-associated histone acetylation of SOCS1 and SOCS3 in human colorectal cancer cells.

PubMed

Xiong, Hua; Du, Wan; Zhang, Yan-Jie; Hong, Jie; Su, Wen-Yu; Tang, Jie-Ting; Wang, Ying-Chao; Lu, Rong; Fang, Jing-Yuan

2012-02-01

Aberrant janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling is involved in the oncogenesis of several cancers. Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) genes and SH2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP1) proteins, which are negative regulators of JAK/STAT signaling, have been reported to have tumor suppressor functions. However, in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, the mechanisms that regulate SOCS and SHP1 genes, and the cause of abnormalities in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, remain largely unknown. The present study shows that trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, leads to the hyperacetylation of histones associated with the SOCS1 and SOCS3 promoters, but not the SHP1 promoter in CRC cells. This indicates that histone modifications are involved in the regulation of SOCS1 and SOCS3. Moreover, upregulation of SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression was achieved using TSA, which also significantly downregulated JAK2/STAT3 signaling in CRC cells. We also demonstrate that TSA suppresses the growth of CRC cells, and induces G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through the regulation of downstream targets of JAK2/STAT3 signaling, including Bcl-2, survivin and p16(ink4a) . Therefore, our data demonstrate that TSA may induce SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression by inducing histone modifications and consequently inhibits JAK2/STAT3 signaling in CRC cells. These results also establish a mechanistic link between the inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 signaling and the anticancer action of TSA in CRC cells. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A conceptual model of the controlling factors of soil organic carbon and nitrogen densities in a permafrost-affected region on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiaodong; Fang, Hongbing; Zhao, Yonghua; Smoak, Joseph M.; Li, Wangping; Shi, Wei; Sheng, Yu; Zhao, Lin; Ding, Yongjian

2017-07-01

Many investigations of the preservation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in permafrost regions have examined roles of geomorphology, pedogenesis, vegetation cover, and permafrost within particular regions. However, it is difficult to disentangle the effects of multiple factors on the SOC in permafrost regions due to the heterogeneity in environmental conditions. Based on data from 73 soil study sites in permafrost regions of the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we developed a simple conceptual model, which relates SOC to topography, vegetation, and pedogenesis. We summarized the dominant factors and their controls on SOC using 31 measured soil physiochemical variables. Soil texture explains approximately 60% of the variations in the SOC stocks for the upper 0-2 m soil. Soil particle size closely correlates to soil moisture, which is an important determinant of SOC. Soil salinity and cations are important factors as well and can explain about 10% of the variations in SOC. The SOC and total nitrogen (TN) stocks for the 1-2 m depths have larger uncertainties than those of upper 1 m soil layer. The vegetation, pH, and bulk density mainly affects SOC and TN stocks for the upper 1 m soil layers, while the active layer thickness and soil particle size have greater influence on SOC and TN stocks for the 1-2 m soils. Our results suggest that the soil particle size is the most important controller of SOC pools, and the stocks of SOC and TN are strongly effected by soil development processes in the permafrost regions of the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Effect of SOCS1 overexpression on RPE cell activation by proinflammatory cytokines.

PubMed

Bazewicz, Magdalena; Draganova, Dafina; Makhoul, Maya; Chtarto, Abdel; Elmaleh, Valerie; Tenenbaum, Liliane; Caspers, Laure; Bruyns, Catherine; Willermain, François

2016-09-06

The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro effect of Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling 1 (SOCS1) overexpression in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells on their activation by pro-inflammatory cytokines IFNγ, TNFα and IL-17. Retinal pigment epithelium cells (ARPE-19) were stably transfected with the control plasmid pIRES2-AcGFP1 or the plasmid pSOCS1-IRES2-AcGFP1. They were stimulated by IFNγ (150ng/ml), TNFα (30ng/ml) or IL-17 (100ng/ml). The levels of SOCS1 mRNA were measured by real-time PCR. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT1) phosphorylation and IκBα expression were analysed by western Blot (WB). IL-8 secretion was analysed by ELISA and expression of MHCII molecules and ICAM-1/CD54 by flow cytometry. Our data show that SOCS1 mRNA overexpression in RPE cells prevents IFNγ-induced SOCS1 mRNA increase and IFNγ-mediated STAT1 phosphorylation. Moreover, SOCS1 overexpression in RPE cells inhibits IFNγ-induced decrease of IL-8 secretion and prevents IFNγ-induced MHC II and ICAM1/CD54 upregulation. However, SOCS1 overexpression does not affect TNFα-induced IκBα degradation nor block TNFα-induced or IL-17-induced IL-8 secretion. On the contrary, IL-17-induced secretion is increased by SOCS1 overexpression. In conclusion, SOCS1 overexpression in RPE cells inhibits some IFNγ-mediated responses that lead to uveitis development. This notion raises the possibility that SOCS1 overexpression could be a novel target for treating non-infectious uveitis. However, some proinflammatory effects of TNFα and IL-17 stimulation on RPE are not blocked by SOCS1 overexpression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil organic carbon dust emission: an omitted global source of atmospheric CO2.

PubMed

Chappell, Adrian; Webb, Nicholas P; Butler, Harry J; Strong, Craig L; McTainsh, Grant H; Leys, John F; Viscarra Rossel, Raphael A

2013-10-01

Soil erosion redistributes soil organic carbon (SOC) within terrestrial ecosystems, to the atmosphere and oceans. Dust export is an essential component of the carbon (C) and carbon dioxide (CO(2)) budget because wind erosion contributes to the C cycle by removing selectively SOC from vast areas and transporting C dust quickly offshore; augmenting the net loss of C from terrestrial systems. However, the contribution of wind erosion to rates of C release and sequestration is poorly understood. Here, we describe how SOC dust emission is omitted from national C accounting, is an underestimated source of CO(2) and may accelerate SOC decomposition. Similarly, long dust residence times in the unshielded atmospheric environment may considerably increase CO(2) emission. We developed a first approximation to SOC enrichment for a well-established dust emission model and quantified SOC dust emission for Australia (5.83 Tg CO(2)-e yr(-1)) and Australian agricultural soils (0.4 Tg CO(2)-e yr(-1)). These amount to underestimates for CO(2) emissions of ≈10% from combined C pools in Australia (year = 2000), ≈5% from Australian Rangelands and ≈3% of Australian Agricultural Soils by Kyoto Accounting. Northern hemisphere countries with greater dust emission than Australia are also likely to have much larger SOC dust emission. Therefore, omission of SOC dust emission likely represents a considerable underestimate from those nations' C accounts. We suggest that the omission of SOC dust emission from C cycling and C accounting is a significant global source of uncertainty. Tracing the fate of wind-eroded SOC in the dust cycle is therefore essential to quantify the release of CO(2) from SOC dust to the atmosphere and the contribution of SOC deposition to downwind C sinks. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validity of Antonovsky's sense of coherence scale: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Eriksson, M.; Lindstrom, B.

2005-01-01

Study objective: The aim of this paper is to systematically review and analyse the validity and reliability of Antonovsky's life orientation questionnaire/sense of coherence scale (SOC). Design: The study is descriptive and analytical with a systematic integration of the contemporary knowledge base on the salutogenic research published 1992–2003. The review includes 458 scientific publications and 13 doctoral theses. Setting: Worldwide, based on postgraduate scientific publications in eight authorised databases, doctoral theses, and available books. Main results: The SOC questionnaire has been used in at least 33 languages in 32 countries with at least 15 different versions of the questionnaire. In 124 studies using SOC-29 the Cronbach's α ranges from 0.70 to 0.95. The α values in 127 studies using SOC-13 range from 0.70 to 0.92, and in 60 studies using a modified SOC scale range from 0.35 to 0.91. Test-retest correlation show stability and range from 0.69 to 0.78 (1 year), 0.64 (3 years), 0.42 to 0.45 (4 years), 0.59 to 0.67 (5 years) to 0.54 (10 years). The means of SOC-29 range 100.50 (SD 28.50) to 164.50 (SD 17.10) points and SOC-13 from 35.39 (SD 0.10) to 77.60 (SD 13.80) points. After 10 years SOC seems to be comparatively stable, but not as stable as Antonovsky initially assumed. SOC tends to increase with age. The factorial structure of SOC seems rather to be multidimensional than unidimensional. SOC predicts a positive outcome in a long term perspective, although there are divergent findings reported. The SOC scale seems to be a reliable, valid, and cross culturally applicable instrument measuring how people manage stressful situations and stay well. PMID:15911640

The mechanics of erosion on soil organic redistribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papanicolaou, T.

2014-12-01

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is an important constituent of the earth's fabric derived from the breakdown of above ground plant litter, plant rhizomes and root exudates in the form of organic by-products. Stocks of SOC can be affected by a variety of natural and human-induced drivers, including climate and land management practices which collectively could affect intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to SOC, for example, soil texture, soil microclimate, and biomass accumulation rates . In intensely managed agricultural landscapes (IMLs), i.e., regions of significant land use change where significant degradation of SOC has been reported due to soil erosion, enhancing the sequestration or storage potential of SOC is of paramount importance to the ecosystem well-being of these landscapes. A literature review reveals that aspects of the SOC research have received considerable attention in the bioegeochemical, ecological, and agricultural disciplines because available SOC stocks within a soil column affect the evolution of key soil biogeochemical constituents. However, at the landscape scale the quantitative assessment of the SOC storage potential suffers in parts from lack of understanding of the collective effects that tillage and water-driven erosion have on the transport and burial of the eroded SOC. In this study an integrative process-based modeling framework that couples an established biogeochemical soil column model with a physically-based, landscape oriented watershed model capable of replicating the collective erosion effects on the mobilization and redistribution of SOC is developed. All simulations are conducted in an agricultural watershed in the U.S. Midwest Clear Creek, IA which has experienced intense agriculture since the beginning of the century to also assess the legacy effects that land use change and SOC initialization periods have on current SOC stock estimations.

Effectiveness of multimedia-supported education in practical sports courses.

PubMed

Leser, Roland; Baca, Arnold; Uhlig, Johannes

2011-01-01

Multimedia-assisted teaching and learning have become standard forms of education. In sports, multimedia material has been used to teach practical aspects of courses, such as motor skills. The main goal of this study is to examine if multimedia technology impacts learning in the field of sport motor skill acquisition. This question was investigated during a practical sports education course involving 35 students who participated in a university soccer class. The whole course was split into two groups: Group A was taught traditionally with no assistance of multimedia and Group B was prepared with multimedia-assisted instructional units. To quantify selected skills of soccer technique and tactic, the test subjects performed a specific passing test and a tactical assessment. Furthermore, a ques-tionnaire was used to assess the subjective impressions of the test subjects. All testing instruments were applied before and after a six-week-long teaching period. A comparison of the gathered data between the two groups resulted in no significant differences, neither concerning the results of the technique test nor concerning the tactic test. However, the results of the ques-tionnaire showed a positive agreement among the participants in the usability and assistance of multimedia for the sports practical course. Considering the reviewed conditions, it can be concluded that the use of multimedia content doesn't affect the learning effects. Key pointsMultimedia-assisted learning showed no positive learning effects on technical skills in soccer.Multimedia-assisted learning showed no positive learning effects on tactical skills in soccer.Students participating in practical sports courses have very good attitudes towards the use of multi-media learning material. This may be considered for motivational effects.

Effectiveness of Multimedia-Supported Education in Practical Sports Courses

PubMed Central

Leser, Roland; Baca, Arnold; Uhlig, Johannes

2011-01-01

Multimedia-assisted teaching and learning have become standard forms of education. In sports, multimedia material has been used to teach practical aspects of courses, such as motor skills. The main goal of this study is to examine if multimedia technology impacts learning in the field of sport motor skill acquisition. This question was investigated during a practical sports education course involving 35 students who participated in a university soccer class. The whole course was split into two groups: Group A was taught traditionally with no assistance of multimedia and Group B was prepared with multimedia-assisted instructional units. To quantify selected skills of soccer technique and tactic, the test subjects performed a specific passing test and a tactical assessment. Furthermore, a ques-tionnaire was used to assess the subjective impressions of the test subjects. All testing instruments were applied before and after a six-week-long teaching period. A comparison of the gathered data between the two groups resulted in no significant differences, neither concerning the results of the technique test nor concerning the tactic test. However, the results of the ques-tionnaire showed a positive agreement among the participants in the usability and assistance of multimedia for the sports practical course. Considering the reviewed conditions, it can be concluded that the use of multimedia content doesn’t affect the learning effects. Key points Multimedia-assisted learning showed no positive learning effects on technical skills in soccer. Multimedia-assisted learning showed no positive learning effects on tactical skills in soccer. Students participating in practical sports courses have very good attitudes towards the use of multi-media learning material. This may be considered for motivational effects. PMID:24149313

Enhanced decomposition of stable soil organic carbon and microbial catabolic potentials by long-term field warming

DOE PAGES

Feng, Wenting; Liang, Junyi; Hale, Lauren E.; ...

2017-06-09

Quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition under warming is critical to predict carbon–climate feedbacks. According to the substrate regulating principle, SOC decomposition would decrease as labile SOC declines under field warming, but observations of SOC decomposition under warming do not always support this prediction. This discrepancy could result from varying changes in SOC components and soil microbial communities under warming. This study aimed to determine the decomposition of SOC components with different turnover times after subjected to long-term field warming and/or root exclusion to limit C input, and to test whether SOC decomposition is driven by substrate lability under warming.more » Taking advantage of a 12-year field warming experiment in a prairie, we assessed the decomposition of SOC components by incubating soils from control and warmed plots, with and without root exclusion for 3 years. We assayed SOC decomposition from these incubations by combining inverse modeling and microbial functional genes during decomposition with a metagenomic technique (GeoChip). The decomposition of SOC components with turnover times of years and decades, which contributed to 95% of total cumulative CO 2 respiration, was greater in soils from warmed plots. But the decomposition of labile SOC was similar in warmed plots compared to the control. The diversity of C-degradation microbial genes generally declined with time during the incubation in all treatments, suggesting shifts of microbial functional groups as substrate composition was changing. Compared to the control, soils from warmed plots showed significant increase in the signal intensities of microbial genes involved in degrading complex organic compounds, implying enhanced potential abilities of microbial catabolism. These are likely responsible for accelerated decomposition of SOC components with slow turnover rates. Overall, the shifted microbial community induced by long-term warming accelerates the decomposition of SOC components with slow turnover rates and thus amplify the positive feedback to climate change.« less

Understanding the Impacts of Soil, Climate, and Farming Practices on Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration: A Simulation Study in Australia.

PubMed

Godde, Cécile M; Thorburn, Peter J; Biggs, Jody S; Meier, Elizabeth A

2016-01-01

Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils has the capacity to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to improve soil biological, physical, and chemical properties. The review of literature pertaining to soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics within Australian grain farming systems does not enable us to conclude on the best farming practices to increase or maintain SOC for a specific combination of soil and climate. This study aimed to further explore the complex interactions of soil, climate, and farming practices on SOC. We undertook a modeling study with the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator modeling framework, by combining contrasting Australian soils, climates, and farming practices (crop rotations, and management within rotations, such as fertilization, tillage, and residue management) in a factorial design. This design resulted in the transposition of contrasting soils and climates in our simulations, giving soil-climate combinations that do not occur in the study area to help provide insights into the importance of the climate constraints on SOC. We statistically analyzed the model's outputs to determinate the relative contributions of soil parameters, climate, and farming practices on SOC. The initial SOC content had the largest impact on the value of SOC, followed by the climate and the fertilization practices. These factors explained 66, 18, and 15% of SOC variations, respectively, after 80 years of constant farming practices in the simulation. Tillage and stubble management had the lowest impacts on SOC. This study highlighted the possible negative impact on SOC of a chickpea phase in a wheat-chickpea rotation and the potential positive impact of a cover crop in a sub-tropical climate (QLD, Australia) on SOC. It also showed the complexities in managing to achieve increased SOC, while simultaneously aiming to minimize nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and nitrate leaching in farming systems. The transposition of contrasting soils and climates in our simulations revealed the importance of the climate constraints on SOC.

The trade-offs between milk production and soil organic carbon storage in dairy systems under different management and environmental factors.

PubMed

Kirschbaum, Miko U F; Schipper, Louis A; Mudge, Paul L; Rutledge, Susanna; Puche, Nicolas J B; Campbell, David I

2017-01-15

A possible agricultural climate change mitigation option is to increase the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC). Conversely, some factors might lead to inadvertent losses of SOC. Here, we explore the effect of various management options and environmental changes on SOC storage and milk production of dairy pastures in New Zealand. We used CenW 4.1, a process-based ecophysiological model, to run a range of scenarios to assess the effects of changes in management options, plant properties and environmental factors on SOC and milk production. We tested the model by using 2years of observations of the exchanges of water and CO 2 measured with an eddy covariance system on a dairy farm in New Zealand's Waikato region. We obtained excellent agreement between the model and observations, especially for evapotranspiration and net photosynthesis. For the scenario analysis, we found that SOC could be increased through supplying supplemental feed, increasing fertiliser application, or increasing water availability through irrigation on very dry sites, but SOC decreased again for larger increases in water availability. Soil warming strongly reduced SOC. For other changes in key properties, such as changes in soil water-holding capacity and plant root:shoot ratios, SOC changes were often negatively correlated with changes in milk production. The work showed that changes in SOC were determined by the complex interplay between (1) changes in net primary production; (2) the carbon fraction taken off-site through grazing; (3) carbon allocation within the system between labile and stabilised SOC; and (4) changes in SOC decomposition rates. There is a particularly important trade-off between carbon either being removed by grazing or remaining on site and available for SOC formation. Changes in SOC cannot be fully understood unless all four factors are considered together in an overall assessment. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of land use changes on the storage of soil organic carbon in active and recalcitrant pools in a humid tropical region of India.

PubMed

Nath, Arun Jyoti; Brahma, Biplab; Sileshi, Gudeta W; Das, Ashesh Kumar

2018-05-15

Quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics is important in understanding changes in soil properties and carbon (C) fluxes. However, SOC measures all C fractions and it is not adequate to distinguish between the active C (AC) and recalcitrant or passive C (PC) fractions. It has been suggested that PC pools are the main drivers of long term soil C sink management. Therefore, the present study was undertaken with the objective of determining whether or not SOC fractions vary with land use changes under a humid tropical climate in the North East India. A chronosequence study was established consisting of natural forest, Imperata cylindrica grassland and 6, 15, 27 and 34yr old rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations to determine changes in the different fractions of SOC and total SOC stock. SOC stocks significantly varied with soil depth in each land use practice. SOC stocks increased from 106Mgha -1 under 6yr to 130Mgha -1 under 34yr old rubber plantations. The SOC stocks under 34yr old plantations were 20% higher than that under I. cylindrica grassland, but 34% lower than SOC stocks recorded under natural forest soil. The proportion of AC pools decreased with increase in plantation age, AC pools being 59% of SOC stock in 6yr old stands and 33% of SOC stocks in 34yr old plantations. In contrast, the proportion of PC pools increased from 41% of SOC stock in 6yr old plantation to 67% of SOC in 34yr old plantation. In the 50-100cm soil depth, the PC pool under 27-34yr old plantations was comparable with that under natural forest but much higher than in I. cylindrica grassland. Therefore, it is concluded that old rubber plantations can play a significant role in long term soil C sink management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced decomposition of stable soil organic carbon and microbial catabolic potentials by long-term field warming

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Wenting; Liang, Junyi; Hale, Lauren E.

Quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition under warming is critical to predict carbon–climate feedbacks. According to the substrate regulating principle, SOC decomposition would decrease as labile SOC declines under field warming, but observations of SOC decomposition under warming do not always support this prediction. This discrepancy could result from varying changes in SOC components and soil microbial communities under warming. This study aimed to determine the decomposition of SOC components with different turnover times after subjected to long-term field warming and/or root exclusion to limit C input, and to test whether SOC decomposition is driven by substrate lability under warming.more » Taking advantage of a 12-year field warming experiment in a prairie, we assessed the decomposition of SOC components by incubating soils from control and warmed plots, with and without root exclusion for 3 years. We assayed SOC decomposition from these incubations by combining inverse modeling and microbial functional genes during decomposition with a metagenomic technique (GeoChip). The decomposition of SOC components with turnover times of years and decades, which contributed to 95% of total cumulative CO 2 respiration, was greater in soils from warmed plots. But the decomposition of labile SOC was similar in warmed plots compared to the control. The diversity of C-degradation microbial genes generally declined with time during the incubation in all treatments, suggesting shifts of microbial functional groups as substrate composition was changing. Compared to the control, soils from warmed plots showed significant increase in the signal intensities of microbial genes involved in degrading complex organic compounds, implying enhanced potential abilities of microbial catabolism. These are likely responsible for accelerated decomposition of SOC components with slow turnover rates. Overall, the shifted microbial community induced by long-term warming accelerates the decomposition of SOC components with slow turnover rates and thus amplify the positive feedback to climate change.« less

Spatial Patterns of Soil Organic Carbon Relative to Tree Size and Canopy Distribution in a Semi-Desert Grassland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Throop, H. L.; Archer, S.

2004-12-01

The abundance of woody species in grasslands and savannas has increased globally over the past century. Recent estimates suggest that this proliferation of woody plants may account for a significant fraction of the Northern Hemisphere C sink, although a large degree of uncertainty exists in the magnitude and spatial distribution of these plant and soil pools. While field-based inventories have made progress in assessing the role of aboveground woody growth in ecosystem C inventories, the effect of woody proliferation on soil organic carbon (SOC) remains controversial, despite the fact that the majority of ecosystem C in these systems is typically belowground. Elevated levels of SOC underneath woody plant canopies have been widely reported, but little is known about the spatial distribution of SOC relative to tree canopies. Understanding the spatial distribution of SOC is critical, however, to developing accurate landscape-scale assessments of woody proliferation impacts on ecosystem C pools. We quantified the influence of encroaching mesquite trees (Fabaceae: Prosopis velutina) on the concentration of SOC and total nitrogen (TN) in a semi-desert grassland in southern Arizona. SOC concentrations near the boles of large trees (basal diameter 85-102 cm) were approximately double that of SOC in intercanopy zones (0.9% vs. 0.4% SOC by weight). SOC declined moving out from the bole to the canopy edge, at which point it was equivalent to inter-canopy spaces. Small to medium-sized trees (basal diameters less than 85 cm) had minimal influence on SOC concentrations. Patterns of TN values mirrored those of SOC in all cases, although TN values were roughly an order of magnitude lower than SOC values. These data suggest that accurate accounting of landscape-level SOC stocks will require developing area-weighting algorithms that account for tree size and bole-to-canopy gradients.

Understanding the Impacts of Soil, Climate, and Farming Practices on Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration: A Simulation Study in Australia

PubMed Central

Godde, Cécile M.; Thorburn, Peter J.; Biggs, Jody S.; Meier, Elizabeth A.

2016-01-01

Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils has the capacity to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to improve soil biological, physical, and chemical properties. The review of literature pertaining to soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics within Australian grain farming systems does not enable us to conclude on the best farming practices to increase or maintain SOC for a specific combination of soil and climate. This study aimed to further explore the complex interactions of soil, climate, and farming practices on SOC. We undertook a modeling study with the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator modeling framework, by combining contrasting Australian soils, climates, and farming practices (crop rotations, and management within rotations, such as fertilization, tillage, and residue management) in a factorial design. This design resulted in the transposition of contrasting soils and climates in our simulations, giving soil–climate combinations that do not occur in the study area to help provide insights into the importance of the climate constraints on SOC. We statistically analyzed the model’s outputs to determinate the relative contributions of soil parameters, climate, and farming practices on SOC. The initial SOC content had the largest impact on the value of SOC, followed by the climate and the fertilization practices. These factors explained 66, 18, and 15% of SOC variations, respectively, after 80 years of constant farming practices in the simulation. Tillage and stubble management had the lowest impacts on SOC. This study highlighted the possible negative impact on SOC of a chickpea phase in a wheat–chickpea rotation and the potential positive impact of a cover crop in a sub-tropical climate (QLD, Australia) on SOC. It also showed the complexities in managing to achieve increased SOC, while simultaneously aiming to minimize nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and nitrate leaching in farming systems. The transposition of contrasting soils and climates in our simulations revealed the importance of the climate constraints on SOC. PMID:27242862

[Distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon under different forest restoration modes on opencast coal mine dump].

PubMed

Wen, Yue-rong; Dang, Ting-hui; Tang, Jun; Li, Jun-chao

2016-01-01

The content and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC) were compared in six wood restoration modes and adjacent abandoned land on opencast coal mine dump, and the mechanisms behind the differences and their influencing factors were analyzed. Results showed that the contents of SOC in six wood lands were significantly higher (23.8%-53.2%) than that of abandoned land (1.92 g · kg⁻¹) at 0-10 cm soil depth, the index were significantly higher (5.8%-70.4%) at 10-20 cm soil depth than the abandoned land (1.39 g · kg⁻¹), and then the difference of the contents of SOC in the deep soil (20-100 cm) were not significant. The contents of SOC decreased with increase of soil depth, but the decreasing magnitude of the topsoil (0-20 cm) was higher than that of the deep soil (20-100 cm). Compared with the deep soil, the topsoil significant higer storage of SOC in different woods, the SOC storage decreased with the soil depth. Along the 0-100 cm soil layer, the storage of SOC in six wood lands higher (18.1%-42.4%) than that of the abandoned land (17.52 t · hm⁻²). The SOC storage of Amorpha fruticosa land (24.95 t · hm⁻²) was obviously higher than that in the other wood lands. The SOC storage in the shrub lands was 12.4% higher than that of the arbor woods. There were significantly positive correlations among forest litter, fine root biomass, soil water content and SOC on the dump. Consequently, different plantation restorations significantly improved the SOC level on the dump in 0-100 cm soil, especially the topsoil. But there was still a big gap about SOC level between the wood restoration lands and the original landform. To improve the SOC on opencast coal mine dump, A. fruticosa could be selected as the main wood vegetation.

Enhanced decomposition of stable soil organic carbon and microbial catabolic potentials by long-term field warming.

PubMed

Feng, Wenting; Liang, Junyi; Hale, Lauren E; Jung, Chang Gyo; Chen, Ji; Zhou, Jizhong; Xu, Minggang; Yuan, Mengting; Wu, Liyou; Bracho, Rosvel; Pegoraro, Elaine; Schuur, Edward A G; Luo, Yiqi

2017-11-01

Quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition under warming is critical to predict carbon-climate feedbacks. According to the substrate regulating principle, SOC decomposition would decrease as labile SOC declines under field warming, but observations of SOC decomposition under warming do not always support this prediction. This discrepancy could result from varying changes in SOC components and soil microbial communities under warming. This study aimed to determine the decomposition of SOC components with different turnover times after subjected to long-term field warming and/or root exclusion to limit C input, and to test whether SOC decomposition is driven by substrate lability under warming. Taking advantage of a 12-year field warming experiment in a prairie, we assessed the decomposition of SOC components by incubating soils from control and warmed plots, with and without root exclusion for 3 years. We assayed SOC decomposition from these incubations by combining inverse modeling and microbial functional genes during decomposition with a metagenomic technique (GeoChip). The decomposition of SOC components with turnover times of years and decades, which contributed to 95% of total cumulative CO 2 respiration, was greater in soils from warmed plots. But the decomposition of labile SOC was similar in warmed plots compared to the control. The diversity of C-degradation microbial genes generally declined with time during the incubation in all treatments, suggesting shifts of microbial functional groups as substrate composition was changing. Compared to the control, soils from warmed plots showed significant increase in the signal intensities of microbial genes involved in degrading complex organic compounds, implying enhanced potential abilities of microbial catabolism. These are likely responsible for accelerated decomposition of SOC components with slow turnover rates. Overall, the shifted microbial community induced by long-term warming accelerates the decomposition of SOC components with slow turnover rates and thus amplify the positive feedback to climate change. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

On-board computational efficiency in real time UAV embedded terrain reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partsinevelos, Panagiotis; Agadakos, Ioannis; Athanasiou, Vasilis; Papaefstathiou, Ioannis; Mertikas, Stylianos; Kyritsis, Sarantis; Tripolitsiotis, Achilles; Zervos, Panagiotis

2014-05-01

In the last few years, there is a surge of applications for object recognition, interpretation and mapping using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Specifications in constructing those UAVs are highly diverse with contradictory characteristics including cost-efficiency, carrying weight, flight time, mapping precision, real time processing capabilities, etc. In this work, a hexacopter UAV is employed for near real time terrain mapping. The main challenge addressed is to retain a low cost flying platform with real time processing capabilities. The UAV weight limitation affecting the overall flight time, makes the selection of the on-board processing components particularly critical. On the other hand, surface reconstruction, as a computational demanding task, calls for a highly demanding processing unit on board. To merge these two contradicting aspects along with customized development, a System on a Chip (SoC) integrated circuit is proposed as a low-power, low-cost processor, which natively supports camera sensors and positioning and navigation systems. Modern SoCs, such as Omap3530 or Zynq, are classified as heterogeneous devices and provide a versatile platform, allowing access to both general purpose processors, such as the ARM11, as well as specialized processors, such as a digital signal processor and floating field-programmable gate array. A UAV equipped with the proposed embedded processors, allows on-board terrain reconstruction using stereo vision in near real time. Furthermore, according to the frame rate required, additional image processing may concurrently take place, such as image rectification andobject detection. Lastly, the onboard positioning and navigation (e.g., GNSS) chip may further improve the quality of the generated map. The resulting terrain maps are compared to ground truth geodetic measurements in order to access the accuracy limitations of the overall process. It is shown that with our proposed novel system,there is much potential in computational efficiency on board and in optimized time constraints.

Nitrogen Cycling from Increased Soil Organic Carbon Contributes Both Positively and Negatively to Ecosystem Services in Wheat Agro-Ecosystems

PubMed Central

Palmer, Jeda; Thorburn, Peter J.; Biggs, Jody S.; Dominati, Estelle J.; Probert, Merv E.; Meier, Elizabeth A.; Huth, Neil I.; Dodd, Mike; Snow, Val; Larsen, Joshua R.; Parton, William J.

2017-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important and manageable property of soils that impacts on multiple ecosystem services through its effect on soil processes such as nitrogen (N) cycling and soil physical properties. There is considerable interest in increasing SOC concentration in agro-ecosystems worldwide. In some agro-ecosystems, increased SOC has been found to enhance the provision of ecosystem services such as the provision of food. However, increased SOC may increase the environmental footprint of some agro-ecosystems, for example by increasing nitrous oxide emissions. Given this uncertainty, progress is needed in quantifying the impact of increased SOC concentration on agro-ecosystems. Increased SOC concentration affects both N cycling and soil physical properties (i.e., water holding capacity). Thus, the aim of this study was to quantify the contribution, both positive and negative, of increased SOC concentration on ecosystem services provided by wheat agro-ecosystems. We used the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) to represent the effect of increased SOC concentration on N cycling and soil physical properties, and used model outputs as proxies for multiple ecosystem services from wheat production agro-ecosystems at seven locations around the world. Under increased SOC, we found that N cycling had a larger effect on a range of ecosystem services (food provision, filtering of N, and nitrous oxide regulation) than soil physical properties. We predicted that food provision in these agro-ecosystems could be significantly increased by increased SOC concentration when N supply is limiting. Conversely, we predicted no significant benefit to food production from increasing SOC when soil N supply (from fertiliser and soil N stocks) is not limiting. The effect of increasing SOC on N cycling also led to significantly higher nitrous oxide emissions, although the relative increase was small. We also found that N losses via deep drainage were minimally affected by increased SOC in the dryland agro-ecosystems studied, but increased in the irrigated agro-ecosystem. Therefore, we show that under increased SOC concentration, N cycling contributes both positively and negatively to ecosystem services depending on supply, while the effects on soil physical properties are negligible. PMID:28539929

Nitrogen Cycling from Increased Soil Organic Carbon Contributes Both Positively and Negatively to Ecosystem Services in Wheat Agro-Ecosystems.

PubMed

Palmer, Jeda; Thorburn, Peter J; Biggs, Jody S; Dominati, Estelle J; Probert, Merv E; Meier, Elizabeth A; Huth, Neil I; Dodd, Mike; Snow, Val; Larsen, Joshua R; Parton, William J

2017-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important and manageable property of soils that impacts on multiple ecosystem services through its effect on soil processes such as nitrogen (N) cycling and soil physical properties. There is considerable interest in increasing SOC concentration in agro-ecosystems worldwide. In some agro-ecosystems, increased SOC has been found to enhance the provision of ecosystem services such as the provision of food. However, increased SOC may increase the environmental footprint of some agro-ecosystems, for example by increasing nitrous oxide emissions. Given this uncertainty, progress is needed in quantifying the impact of increased SOC concentration on agro-ecosystems. Increased SOC concentration affects both N cycling and soil physical properties (i.e., water holding capacity). Thus, the aim of this study was to quantify the contribution, both positive and negative, of increased SOC concentration on ecosystem services provided by wheat agro-ecosystems. We used the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) to represent the effect of increased SOC concentration on N cycling and soil physical properties, and used model outputs as proxies for multiple ecosystem services from wheat production agro-ecosystems at seven locations around the world. Under increased SOC, we found that N cycling had a larger effect on a range of ecosystem services (food provision, filtering of N, and nitrous oxide regulation) than soil physical properties. We predicted that food provision in these agro-ecosystems could be significantly increased by increased SOC concentration when N supply is limiting. Conversely, we predicted no significant benefit to food production from increasing SOC when soil N supply (from fertiliser and soil N stocks) is not limiting. The effect of increasing SOC on N cycling also led to significantly higher nitrous oxide emissions, although the relative increase was small. We also found that N losses via deep drainage were minimally affected by increased SOC in the dryland agro-ecosystems studied, but increased in the irrigated agro-ecosystem. Therefore, we show that under increased SOC concentration, N cycling contributes both positively and negatively to ecosystem services depending on supply, while the effects on soil physical properties are negligible.

Questioning the stability of sense of coherence--the impact of socio-economic status and working conditions in the Canadian population.

PubMed

Smith, Peter M; Breslin, F Curtis; Beaton, Dorcas E

2003-09-01

Much debate exists about the stability of the sense of coherence measure. This study examined changes in sense of coherence (SOC), and the variables associated with these changes, over a 4-year period, in a representative sample of the Canadian labour force (n=6,790). Two methods were used to assess change in SOC: (1) Change outside of that which could be considered as indistinguishable from measurement error, and (2) Change of more than 10%, which was originally proposed by Antonovksy, the scales designer. Over the study period, 35.4% of the population reported changes in SOC outside the range we consider possible due to measurement error, with 58% reporting change greater than 10%. Unskilled occupations were associated with declines in SOC, with household income demonstrating a curvilinear relationship with decline in SOC in the female population only. None of the variables used predicted increases in SOC. Given the degree of change in SOC, and the representativeness of the study sample, we suggest that SOC has a large state component. Given this lack of stability, we recommend caution if using the SOC to represent a stable global orientation within a causal context.

Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Tax Inhibits Innate Antiviral Signaling via NF-κB-Dependent Induction of SOCS1▿

PubMed Central

Charoenthongtrakul, Soratree; Zhou, Qinjie; Shembade, Noula; Harhaj, Nicole S.; Harhaj, Edward W.

2011-01-01

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) inhibits host antiviral signaling pathways although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here we found that the HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein induced the expression of SOCS1, an inhibitor of interferon signaling. Tax required NF-κB, but not CREB, to induce the expression of SOCS1 in T cells. Furthermore, Tax interacted with SOCS1 in both transfected cells and in HTLV-1-transformed cell lines. Although SOCS1 is normally a short-lived protein, in the presence of Tax, the stability of SOCS1 was greatly increased. Accordingly, Tax enhanced the replication of a heterologous virus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), in a SOCS1-dependent manner. Surprisingly, Tax required SOCS1 to inhibit RIG-I-dependent antiviral signaling, but not the interferon-induced JAK/STAT pathway. Inhibition of SOCS1 by RNA-mediated interference in the HTLV-1-transformed cell line MT-2 resulted in increased IFN-β expression accompanied by reduced HTLV-1 replication and p19Gag levels. Taken together, our results reveal that Tax inhibits antiviral signaling, in part, by hijacking an interferon regulatory protein. PMID:21593151

Estimating Soil Organic Carbon stocks and uncertainties at the regional scale following a legacy sampling strategy - a case study from southern Belgium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chartin, Caroline; Krüger, Inken; Goidts, Esther; Carnol, Monique; van Wesemael, Bas

2017-04-01

The quantification and the spatialisation of reliable SOC stocks (Mg C ha-1) and total stock (Tg C) baselines and associated uncertainties are fundamental to detect the gains or losses in SOC, and to locate sensitive areas with low SOC levels. Here, we aim to both quantify and spatialize SOC stocks at regional scale (southern Belgium) based on data from one non-design-based nor model-based sampling scheme. To this end, we developed a computation procedure based on Digital Soil Mapping techniques and stochastic simulations (Monte-Carlo) allowing the estimation of multiple (here, 10,000) independent spatialized datasets. The computation of the prediction uncertainty accounts for the errors associated to the both estimations of i) SOC stock at the pixel-related area scale and ii) parameters of the spatial model. Based on these 10,000 individuals, median SOC stocks and 90% prediction intervals were computed for each pixel, as well as total SOC stocks and their 90% prediction intervals for selected sub-areas and for the entire study area. Hence, a Generalised Additive Model (GAM) explaining 69.3 % of the SOC stock variance was calibrated and then validated (R2 = 0.64). The model overestimated low SOC stock (below 50 Mg C ha-1) and underestimated high SOC stock (especially those above 100 Mg C kg-1). A positive gradient of SOC stock occurred from the northwest to the center of Wallonia with a slight decrease on the southernmost part, correlating to the evolution of precipitation and temperature (along with elevation) and dominant land use. At the catchment scale higher SOC stocks were predicted on valley bottoms, especially for poorly drained soils under grassland. Mean predicted SOC stocks for cropland and grassland in Wallonia were of 26.58 Tg C (SD 1.52) and 43.30 Tg C (2.93), respectively. The procedure developed here allowed to predict realistic spatial patterns of SOC stocks all over agricultural lands of southern Belgium and to produce reliable statistics of total SOC stocks for each of the 20 combinations of land use / agricultural regions of Wallonia. This procedure appears useful to produce soil maps as policy tools in conducting sustainable management at regional and national scales, and to compute statistics which comply with specific requirements of reporting activities.

Simulation of salinity effects on past, present, and future soil organic carbon stocks.

PubMed

Setia, Raj; Smith, Pete; Marschner, Petra; Gottschalk, Pia; Baldock, Jeff; Verma, Vipan; Setia, Deepika; Smith, Jo

2012-02-07

Soil organic carbon (SOC) models are used to predict changes in SOC stocks and carbon dioxide (CO(2)) emissions from soils, and have been successfully validated for non-saline soils. However, SOC models have not been developed to simulate SOC turnover in saline soils. Due to the large extent of salt-affected areas in the world, it is important to correctly predict SOC dynamics in salt-affected soils. To close this knowledge gap, we modified the Rothamsted Carbon Model (RothC) to simulate SOC turnover in salt-affected soils, using data from non-salt-affected and salt-affected soils in two agricultural regions in India (120 soils) and in Australia (160 soils). Recently we developed a decomposition rate modifier based on an incubation study of a subset of these soils. In the present study, we introduce a new method to estimate the past losses of SOC due to salinity and show how salinity affects future SOC stocks on a regional scale. Because salinity decreases decomposition rates, simulations using the decomposition rate modifier for salinity suggest an accumulation of SOC. However, if the plant inputs are also adjusted to reflect reduced plant growth under saline conditions, the simulations show a significant loss of soil carbon in the past due to salinization, with a higher average loss of SOC in Australian soils (55 t C ha(-1)) than in Indian soils (31 t C ha(-1)). There was a significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) between SOC loss and osmotic potential. Simulations of future SOC stocks with the decomposition rate modifier and the plant input modifier indicate a greater decrease in SOC in saline than in non-saline soils under future climate. The simulations of past losses of SOC due to salinity were repeated using either measured charcoal-C or the inert organic matter predicted by the Falloon et al. equation to determine how much deviation from the Falloon et al. equation affects the amount of plant inputs generated by the model for the soils used in this study. Both sets of results suggest that saline soils have lost carbon and will continue to lose carbon under future climate. This demonstrates the importance of both reduced decomposition and reduced plant input in simulations of future changes in SOC stocks in saline soils.

Quantitative and qualitative responses of soil organic carbon to six years of extreme soil warming in a subarctic grassland in Iceland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poeplau, Christopher; Leblans, Niki I. W.; Sigurdsson, Bjarni D.; Kätterer, Thomas

2016-04-01

Terrestrial carbon cycle feedbacks to global warming are expected, but constitute a major uncertainty in climate models. Soils in northern latitudes store a large proportion of the total global biosphere carbon stock and might thus become a strong source of CO2 when warmed. Long-term in situ observations of warming effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics are indispensable for an in depth understanding of the involved processes. We investigated the effect of six years of soil warming on SOC quantity and quality in a geothermally heated grassland soil in Iceland. We isolated five fractions of SOC along an extreme soil warming gradient of +0 to +40°C. Those fractions vary conceptually in turnover time from active to passive in the following order: particulate organic matter (POM), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), SOC in sand and stable aggregates (SA), SOC in silt and clay (SC-rSOC) and resistant SOC (rSOC). Soil warming of 1°C increased bulk SOC by 22% (0-10 cm) and 27% (20-30 cm), while further warming led to exponential SOC depletion of up to 79% (0-10 cm) and 74% (20-30) in the most heated plots (~ +40°C). Only the SA fraction was more sensitive than the bulk soil, with 93% (0-10 cm) and 86% (20-30 cm) losses and with the highest relative enrichment in 13C (+1.6‰ in 0-10 cm and +1.3‰ in 20-30 cm). In addition, the mass of the SA fraction did significantly decline along the warming gradient, which we explained by devitalization of aggregate binding mechanisms. As a consequence, the fine SC fraction mass increased with warming which explained the relative enrichment of presumably more slow-cycling SOC (R2=0.61 in 0-10 cm and R2=0.92 in 20-30 cm). Unexpectedly, no difference was observed between the responses of SC-rSOC (slow-cycling) and rSOC (passive) to warming. Furthermore, the 13C enrichment by trophic fractionation in the passive rSOC fraction was equal to this in the bulk soil. We therefore conclude that the sensitivity of SOC to warming was not a function of age or chemical recalcitrance, but rather triggered by changes in bio-physical stabilization mechanisms, such as aggregation.

A Cognitive Multimedia Environment and Its Importance: A Conceptual Model for Effective E-Learning and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phan, Huy P.

2011-01-01

Multimedia learning is innovative and has revolutionised the way we learn online. It is important to create a multimedia learning environment that stimulates active participation and effective learning. The significance of multimedia learning extends to include the cultivation of professional and personal experiences that reflect the reality of a…

Security Management in a Multimedia System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rednic, Emanuil; Toma, Andrei

2009-01-01

In database security, the issue of providing a level of security for multimedia information is getting more and more known. For the moment the security of multimedia information is done through the security of the database itself, in the same way, for all classic and multimedia records. So what is the reason for the creation of a security…

Getting a Jump on the Future: Everything You'll Ever Need to Know about Multimedia Authoring Tools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Ignazio, Fred

1992-01-01

Discusses issues involved with buying and using multimedia authoring programs. Six programs are compared: (1) MediaText, (2) HyperCard, (3) LinkWay Live!, (4) AmigaVision, (5) Director, and (6) Multimedia Desktop. Highlights include the use of multimedia in education, sequential versus hierarchical organization, price, system requirements, digital…

For Effective Use of Multimedia in Education, Teachers Must Develop Their Own Educational Multimedia Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babiker, Mohd. Elmagzoub A.

2015-01-01

This paper makes the strong claim that for multimedia to have any significant effect on education, the educational multimedia applications must be designed by the teachers of those classes. The arguments supporting this claim are presented in the headlines: curriculum, software, hardware and evaluation. The paper begins with an introduction which…

Approaches of Inquiry Learning With Multimedia Resources in Primary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

So, Wing-Mui Winnie; Kong, Siu-Cheung

2007-01-01

This study aims to examine the design of approaches for inquiry learning with multimedia resources in primary classrooms. The study describes the development of a multimedia learning unit that helps learners understand the natural phenomenon of the movement of the Earth. An analysis of the use of the multimedia learning unit by a teacher in two…

Evaluating ELT Multimedia Courseware from the Perspective of Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Dayu; Renandya, Willy A.; Zhang, Lawrence Jun

2017-01-01

Using the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, this study aimed to evaluate the design of one multimedia courseware used for teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in China and to compare the attitudinal differences in the teachers' and students' evaluation of the courseware. A questionnaire was developed and validated. Results indicated…

Multimedia Analysis plus Visual Analytics = Multimedia Analytics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chinchor, Nancy; Thomas, James J.; Wong, Pak C.

2010-10-01

Multimedia analysis has focused on images, video, and to some extent audio and has made progress in single channels excluding text. Visual analytics has focused on the user interaction with data during the analytic process plus the fundamental mathematics and has continued to treat text as did its precursor, information visualization. The general problem we address in this tutorial is the combining of multimedia analysis and visual analytics to deal with multimedia information gathered from different sources, with different goals or objectives, and containing all media types and combinations in common usage.

Discussion about the Pros and Cons and Recommendations for Multimedia Teaching in Local Vocational Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Wenhui; Fan, Ling

Globalization is an inevitable developing trend of multimedia network teaching. In our contemporary society, the world has connected by internet; it is incredible that people can not use the boundless information through campus network, multimedia classroom or single multimedia computer with out connecting the WAN. The new internet based teaching method breaking the constrains of the limited resources, distance and size of the LAN, bringing multimedia network teaching method to the world. "Open University", "Virtual Schools", "Global Classroom" and a number of new teaching systems merged rapidly.

Multimedia Content Development as a Facial Expression Datasets for Recognition of Human Emotions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamonto, N. E.; Maulana, H.; Liliana, D. Y.; Basaruddin, T.

2018-02-01

Datasets that have been developed before contain facial expression from foreign people. The development of multimedia content aims to answer the problems experienced by the research team and other researchers who will conduct similar research. The method used in the development of multimedia content as facial expression datasets for human emotion recognition is the Villamil-Molina version of the multimedia development method. Multimedia content developed with 10 subjects or talents with each talent performing 3 shots with each capturing talent having to demonstrate 19 facial expressions. After the process of editing and rendering, tests are carried out with the conclusion that the multimedia content can be used as a facial expression dataset for recognition of human emotions.

Reduced frequency of murine cytomegalovirus retinitis in C57BL/6 mice correlates with low levels of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 and SOCS3 expression within the eye during corticosteroid-induced immunosuppression.

PubMed

Alston, Christine I; Dix, Richard D

2017-09-01

AIDS-related human cytomegalovirus retinitis remains a leading cause of blindness worldwide. We compared two C57BL/6 mouse models of experimental murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) retinitis for intraocular expression of suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 and SOCS3, host proteins that are inducible negative feedback regulators of cytokine signaling. These mouse models differed in method of immune suppression, one by retrovirus-induced immune suppression (MAIDS) and the other by corticosteroid-induced immune suppression. Following subretinal injection of MCMV to induce retinitis, intraocular SOCS1 and SOCS3 were only mildly stimulated, and often without significance, within MCMV-infected eyes during the progression of MCMV retinitis in corticosteroid-immunosuppressed mice, contrary to MCMV-infected eyes of mice with MAIDS that showed significant high stimulation of SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression in agreement with previous findings. Frequency and severity of retinitis as well as amounts of intraocular infectious MCMV in corticosteroid-immunosuppressed mice were also unexpectedly lower than values previously reported for MAIDS animals during MCMV retinitis. These data reveal a major difference between two mouse models of experimental MCMV retinitis and suggest a possible link between the amplitude of SOCS1 and SOCS3 stimulation and severity of disease in these models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aberrant IL-4 production by SOCS3-over-expressing T cells during infection with Leishmania major exacerbates disease manifestations.

PubMed

Nakaya, Mako; Hamano, Shinjiro; Kawasumi, Miyuri; Yoshida, Hiroki; Yoshimura, Akihiko; Kobayashi, Takashi

2011-03-01

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 3 is a major negative feedback regulator of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3-activating cytokines. Studies using T-cell-specific SOCS3-deficient mice indicate that the absence of SOCS3 in T cells results in exacerbation of disease progression after infection by Leishmania major due to skewing of the T(h)3 cell phenotype accompanied by hyper-production of IL-10 and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). Here we show that transgenic mice over-expressing the SOCS3 gene in T cells (Lck-SOCS3 Tg mice) are also susceptible to infection by L. major. Forced expression of SOCS3 in T cells did not affect the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β or that of the protective T(h)1 type cytokine IFN-γ, which is required for parasite clearance. CD4(+) T cells isolated from infected-Lck-SOCS3 Tg mice produced much higher levels of IL-4 when they were re-stimulated with L. major antigen in vitro. Exacerbation of disease progression in Lck-SOCS3 Tg mice was completely reversed by administration of a neutralizing antibody against IL-4. These data suggest that tight regulation of SOCS3 expression in T(h) cells is crucial for disease control during infection by L. major.

Functional characterization of GhSOC1 and GhMADS42 homologs from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaohong; Wei, Jianghui; Fan, Shuli; Song, Meizhen; Pang, Chaoyou; Wei, Hengling; Wang, Chengshe; Yu, Shuxun

2016-01-01

In Arabidopsis flowering pathway, MADS-box genes encode transcription factors, with their structures and functions highly conserved in many species. In our study, two MADS-box genes GhSOC1 and GhMADS42 (Gossypium hirsutum L.) were cloned from upland cotton CCRI36 and transformed into Arabidopsis. GhSOC1 was additionally transformed into upland cotton. Comparative analysis demonstrated sequence conservation between GhSOC1 and GhMADS42 and genes of other plant species. Tissue-specific expression analysis of GhSOC1 and GhMADS42 revealed spatiotemporal expression patterns involving high transcript levels in leaves, shoot apical buds, and flowers. In addition, overexpression of both GhSOC1 and GhMADS42 in Arabidopsis accelerated flowering, with GhMADS42 transgenic plants showing abnormal floral organ phenotypes. Overexpression of GhSOC1 in upland cotton also produced variations in floral organs. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated that GhSOC1 could regulate GhMADS41 and GhMADS42, but not FLOWERING LOCUS T, by directly binding to the genes promoter. Finally, yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation approaches were undertaken to better understand the interaction of GhSOC1 and other MADS-box factors. These experiments showed that GhSOC1 can interact with APETALA1/FRUITFULL-like proteins in cotton. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sense of coherence in mothers and children, family relationships and participation in decision-making at home: an analysis based on Japanese parent-child pair data.

PubMed

Togari, Taisuke; Sato, Miho; Otemori, Reika; Yonekura, Yuki; Yokoyama, Yukari; Kimura, Miyako; Tanaka, Wako; Yamazaki, Yoshihiko

2012-06-01

Children in early adolescence and their mothers were studied to clarify the association between a child's sense of coherence (SOC) and its mother's SOC, the quality of family relationships as gauged by the mother, and the child's positive life experiences at home. An anonymous self-administered group questionnaire was given to all 1540 students of a high school in Tokyo, and a similar questionnaire was sent by mail to their legal guardians. Responses were received from 1505 students (response rate: 97.7%) and 989 legal guardians (response rate: 64.2%); questionnaires completed by legal guardians who were the mothers of the students were paired with the corresponding child's questionnaire. The SOC scores of mothers and students were calculated, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed with the student's SOC as a dependent variable. Results for boys revealed that a mother's SOC was directly related to the child's SOC, regardless of family relationships and participation in decision-making at home. For girls, a mother's SOC was related to family relationships and was indirectly related to the child's SOC through the child's participation in decision-making at home. Results revealed that for both boys and girls, a mother's SOC had an effect on the child's SOC, and this corroborates the hypothesis of Antonovsky.

Deletion of Skeletal Muscle SOCS3 Prevents Insulin Resistance in Obesity

PubMed Central

Jorgensen, Sebastian Beck; O’Neill, Hayley M.; Sylow, Lykke; Honeyman, Jane; Hewitt, Kimberly A.; Palanivel, Rengasamy; Fullerton, Morgan D.; Öberg, Lisa; Balendran, Anudharan; Galic, Sandra; van der Poel, Chris; Trounce, Ian A.; Lynch, Gordon S.; Schertzer, Jonathan D.; Steinberg, Gregory R.

2013-01-01

Obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation that contributes to defects in energy metabolism and insulin resistance. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3 expression is increased in skeletal muscle of obese humans. SOCS3 inhibits leptin signaling in the hypothalamus and insulin signal transduction in adipose tissue and the liver. Skeletal muscle is an important tissue for controlling energy expenditure and whole-body insulin sensitivity; however, the physiological importance of SOCS3 in this tissue has not been examined. Therefore, we generated mice that had SOCS3 specifically deleted in skeletal muscle (SOCS MKO). The SOCS3 MKO mice had normal muscle development, body mass, adiposity, appetite, and energy expenditure compared with wild-type (WT) littermates. Despite similar degrees of obesity when fed a high-fat diet, SOCS3 MKO mice were protected against the development of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance because of enhanced skeletal muscle insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and Akt phosphorylation that resulted in increased skeletal muscle glucose uptake. These data indicate that skeletal muscle SOCS3 does not play a critical role in regulating muscle development or energy expenditure, but it is an important contributing factor for inhibiting insulin sensitivity in obesity. Therapies aimed at inhibiting SOCS3 in skeletal muscle may be effective in reversing obesity-related glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. PMID:22961088

Soil carbon inventories under a bioenergy crop (switchgrass): Measurement limitations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garten, C.T. Jr.; Wullschleger, S.D.

Approximately 5 yr after planting, coarse root carbon (C) and soil organic C (SOC) inventories were compared under different types of plant cover at four switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) production field trials in the southeastern USA. There was significantly more coarse root C under switchgrass (Alamo variety) and forest cover than tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), corn (Zea mays L.), or native pastures of mixed grasses. Inventories of SOC under switchgrass were not significantly greater than SOC inventories under other plant covers. At some locations the statistical power associated with ANOVA of SOC inventories was low, which raised questions aboutmore » whether differences in SOC could be detected statistically. A minimum detectable difference (MDD) for SOC inventories was calculated. The MDD is the smallest detectable difference between treatment means once the variation, significance level, statistical power, and sample size are specified. The analysis indicated that a difference of {approx}50 mg SOC/cm{sup 2} or 5 Mg SOC/ha, which is {approx}10 to 15% of existing SOC, could be detected with reasonable sample sizes and good statistical power. The smallest difference in SOC inventories that can be detected, and only with exceedingly large sample sizes, is {approx}2 to 3%. These measurement limitations have implications for monitoring and verification of proposals to ameliorate increasing global atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations by sequestering C in soils.« less

Does Aggregation Affect the Redistribution and Quality of Eroded SOC?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yaxian; Kuhn, Nikolaus

2015-04-01

A substantial amount of literature has discussed the impacts of soil erosion on global carbon cycling. However, numerous gaps in our knowledge remain unaddressed, for instance, the biogeochemical fate of displaced SOC during transport being one of them. The transport distance and the quality of eroded SOC are the two major factors that determine its fate. Previous laboratory-based research had demonstrated that the effects of aggregation can potentially shorten the transport distance of eroded SOC. The mineralization potential of SOC also differs in sediment fractions of different likely transport distances. It is therefore essential to examine the transport distance and quality of eroded SOC under field conditions with natural rainfall as the agent of erosion. Soil samples from a silty clay soil from Switzerland and a sandy soil from Denmark, were collected in the field this summer after natural rainfall events. The soil from Switzerland was sampled from a field of maize in St. Ursanne (47°20' N 7°09' E) on August 6th, 2014 after a natural rainfall event. A depositional fan consisting of aggregated sediment was formed outside the lower edge of the field. The sandy soil from Denmark was sampled from a farm in Foulum (56°30' N, 9°35' W) on September 4, 2014, after a series of natural rainfall events. Soil samples were collected at different topographic positions along the two slopes. All the soil samples from the two farms were fractionated by a settling tube. Bulk soil from Switzerland and Denmark was also dispersed by ultrasound. The SOC contents of all bulk soils and associated fractions were determined using a carbon analyzer Leco 612 at 1000°C. The quality of SOC in different settling fractions collected from various topographic positions were also determined by stable isotopes of C and N (13C and 15N). Our results show that 1) the aggregate specific SOC distribution evidently differs from the mineral particle specific SOC distribution, indicating that re-distribution of eroded SOC is determined by actual aggregate size distribution rather than mineral particle size distribution. 2) The aggregate specific distributions of SOC content from different positions along hillslopes demonstrate that preferential deposition of SOC-enrich sediment along hillslopes is much more pronounced than the mineral particle specific SOC would suggest. 3) The quality of SOC differs significantly in various settling fractions. The fast settling fractions consist of more of labile SOC, and thus is very likely to be mineralized during transport across landscapes, thereby likely contributing as a source of atmospheric CO2. Overall, effects of aggregation can potentially change the transport distance of eroded SOC and thus skew its redistribution towards the terrestrial deposition.

SOCS3

PubMed Central

White, Christine A; Nicola, Nicos A

2013-01-01

SOCS3 is an inducible negative feedback inhibitor of cytokine signaling. Conditional deletion of SOCS3 in mice using the Cre-lox system has now been applied to a range of cell types in the steady-state and under inflammatory, pathogenic, or tumorigenic stress, with the resulting phenotypes demonstrating the effects of SOCS3 in physiological and disease contexts. Together with recent structural and biochemical studies on the mechanisms of SOCS3 binding to cytokine receptors and associated kinases, we now have a better understanding of the non-redundant roles of SOCS3 in the inhibition of cytokine signaling via the receptors gp130, G-CSFR, leptinR, and IL-12Rβ. This review discusses the known functional activities of SOCS3 in fertility and development, inflammation, innate and adaptive immunity, and malignancy as determined by genetic studies in mice. PMID:24416642

Paediatric occupational therapy: addressing parental stress with the sense of coherence.

PubMed

Stokes, Rochelle H; Holsti, Liisa

2010-02-01

Families of children who have disabilities experience multiple stressors. "Sense of coherence" (SOC) reflects a person's view of life and his or her capacity to respond to stressful situations. The purposes of this paper are to (I) introduce the concept of SOC; (2) review the literature on the stresses experienced by parents of children with disabilities; and (3) discuss how SOC can be used to evaluate systematically and to address effectively parents' resiliency against stressors. The literature shows a strong correlation between parental stress, avoidantcoping, depression, and low SOC. Preliminary evidence suggests that an early intervention program can help increase parents' SOC. Occupational therapists can use the SOC as a framework from which to identify the strength of a parents' SOC, and, when deemed to be low, help create a process for enhancing resilience.

Effects of land use, climate, topography and soil properties on regional soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in the upstream watershed of Miyun Reservoir, North China.

PubMed

Wang, Shufang; Wang, Xiaoke; Ouyang, Zhiyun

2012-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents as well as their relationships with site characteristics are of profound importance in assessing current regional, continental and global soil C and N stocks and potentials for C sequestration and N conservation to offset anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. This study investigated contents and distribution of SOC and TN under different land uses, and the quantitative relationships between SOC or TN and site characteristics in the Upstream Watershed of Miyun Reservoir, North China. Overall, both SOC and TN contents in natural secondary forests and grasslands were much higher than in plantations and croplands. Land use alone explained 37.2% and 38.4% of variations in SOC and TN contents, respectively. The optimal models for SOC and TN, achieved by multiple regression analysis combined with principal component analysis (PCA) to remove the multicollinearity among site variables, showed that elevation, slope, soil clay and water contents were the most significant factors controlling SOC and TN contents, jointly explaining 70.3% of SOC and 67.1% of TN contents variability. Only does additional 1.9% and 3% increase in the interpretations of SOC and TN contents variability respectively when land use was added to regressions, probably due to environment factors determine land use. Therefore, environmental variables were more important for SOC and TN variability than land use in the study area, and should be taken into consideration in properly evaluating effects of future land use changes on SOC and TN on a regional scale.

Single-operator cholangioscopy in patients requiring evaluation of bile duct disease or therapy of biliary stones (with videos).

PubMed

Chen, Yang K; Parsi, Mansour A; Binmoeller, Kenneth F; Hawes, Robert H; Pleskow, Douglas K; Slivka, Adam; Haluszka, Oleh; Petersen, Bret T; Sherman, Stuart; Devière, Jacques; Meisner, Søren; Stevens, Peter D; Costamagna, Guido; Ponchon, Thierry; Peetermans, Joyce A; Neuhaus, Horst

2011-10-01

The feasibility of single-operator cholangioscopy (SOC) for biliary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was previously reported. To confirm the utility of SOC in more widespread clinical use. Prospective clinical cohort study. Fifteen endoscopy referral centers in the United States and Europe. Two hundred ninety-seven patients requiring evaluation of bile duct disease or biliary stone therapy. SOC examination and, as indicated, SOC-directed stone therapy or forceps biopsy. Procedural success defined as ability to (1) visualize target lesions and, if indicated, collect biopsy specimens adequate for histological evaluation or (2) visualize biliary stones and initiate fragmentation and removal. The overall procedure success rate was 89% (95% CI, 84%-92%). Adequate tissue for histological examination was secured in 88% of 140 patients who underwent biopsy. Overall sensitivity in diagnosing malignancy was 78% for SOC visual impression and 49% for SOC-directed biopsy. Sensitivity was higher (84% and 66%, respectively) for intrinsic bile duct malignancies. Diagnostic SOC procedures altered clinical management in 64% of patients. Procedure success was achieved in 92% of 66 patients with stones and complete stone clearance during the study SOC session in 71%. The incidence of serious procedure-related adverse events was 7.5% for diagnostic SOC and 6.1% for SOC-directed stone therapy. The study was observational in design with no control group. Evaluation of bile duct disease and biliary stone therapy can be safely performed with a high success rate by using the SOC system. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional congruence with children and sexual offending against children: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

McPhail, Ian V; Hermann, Chantal A; Nunes, Kevin L

2013-08-01

Emotional congruence with children is an exaggerated affective and cognitive affiliation with children that is posited to be involved in the initiation and maintenance of sexual offending against children. The current meta-analysis examined the relationship between emotional congruence with children and sexual offending against children, sexual recidivism, and change following sexual offender treatment. A systematic literature review of online academic databases, conference proceedings, governmental agency websites, and article, book chapter, and book reference lists was performed. Thirty studies on emotional congruence with children in sexual offenders against children (SOC) were included in a random-effects meta-analysis. Extrafamilial SOC-especially those with male victims--evidenced higher emotional congruence with children than most non--SOC comparison groups and intrafamilial SOC. In contrast, intrafamilial SOC evidenced less emotional congruence with children than many of the non-SOC comparison groups. Higher levels of emotional congruence with children were associated with moderately higher rates of sexual recidivism. The association between emotional congruence with children and sexual recidivism was significantly stronger in extrafamilial SOC samples (d = 0.58, 95% CI [0.31, 0.85]) compared with intrafamilial SOC samples (d = -0.15, 95% CI [-0.58, 0.27]). Similarly, emotional congruence with children showed a significant reduction from pre- to posttreatment for extrafamilial SOC (d = 0.41, 95% CI [0.33, 0.85]), but not for intrafamilial SOC (d = 0.06, 95% CI [-0.10, 0.22]). Emotional congruence with children is a characteristic of extrafamilial SOC, is moderately predictive of sexual recidivism, and is potentially amenable through treatment efforts. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Topographic Controls on Soil Carbon Distribution in Iowa Croplands, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarty, Greg; Li, Xia

2017-04-01

Topography is a key factor affecting soil organic carbon (SOC) redistribution (erosion or deposition) because it influences several hydrological indices including soil moisture dynamics, runoff velocity and acceleration, and flow divergence and convergence. In this study, we examined the relationship between 15 topographic metrics derived from Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) data and SOC redistribution in agricultural fields. We adopted the fallout 137Cesium (137Cs) technique to estimate SOC redistribution rates across 560 sampling plots in Iowa. Then, using stepwise ordinarily least square regression (SOLSR) and stepwise principle component analysis (SPCA), topography-based SOC models were developed to simulate spatial patterns of SOC content and redistribution. Results suggested that erosion and deposition of topsoil SOC were regulated by topography with SOC gain in lowland areas and SOC loss in sloping areas. Topographic wetness index (TWI) and slope were the most influential variables controlling SOC content and redistribution. The topography-based models exhibited good performances in simulating SOC content and redistribution across two crop sites with intensive samplings. SPCA models had slightly lower coefficients of determination and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency values compared to SOLSR models at the field scale. However, significantly SPCA outperformed SOLAR in predicting SOC redistribution patterns at the watershed scale. Results of this study suggest that the topography-based SPCA model was more robust for scaling up models to the watershed scale because SPCA models may better represent the landscapes and are less subject to over fitting. This work suggests an improved method to sample and characterize landscapes for better prediction of soil property distribution.

Frontier Scientists use Modern Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'connell, E. A.

2013-12-01

Engaging Americans and the international community in the excitement and value of Alaskan Arctic discovery is the goal of Frontier Scientists. With a changing climate, resources of polar regions are being eyed by many nations. Frontier Scientists brings the stories of field scientists in the Far North to the public. With a website, an app, short videos, and social media channels; FS is a model for making connections between the public and field scientists. FS will demonstrate how academia, web content, online communities, evaluation and marketing are brought together in a 21st century multi-media platform, how scientists can maintain their integrity while engaging in outreach, and how new forms of media such as short videos can entertain as well as inspire.

Understanding the Spatial Distribution and Quantity of Soil Organic Carbon in Depressional Landscapes of Minnesota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, A.; Bell, J. C.; Nater, E. A.

2012-12-01

Human disturbance has dramatically affected organic carbon cycling in soils. The Des Moines Lobe region of Minnesota is a young glaciated region with closed depressions and a deranged drainage network. Native prairie and forests in this region were nearly all converted to cropland following European settlement circa 1840s. It has generally been assumed that intensive tillage intensifies soil erosion and increases the rate of oxidation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and the subsequent release of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. However, more recent studies suggest that tillage simply redistributes sediments and SOC to concave and low-lying areas, and that dynamic replacement of SOC at erosional sites and burial of SOC in poorly-aerated depressional wetlands may serve as a soil carbon sink in this region. The spatial distribution of SOC in these depressional landscapes following tillage and subsequent erosion/deposition is not well understood. We aim to understand the distribution of SOC in relation to topographic controls at the landscape scale and to quantify SOC contents at the regional extent. While spatial distribution of SOC can be modeled by terrain analysis, topographic characteristics used to predict soil properties including SOC have been mostly limited to local neighborhoods (i.e. attributes calculated using three by three cell-sized windows in gridded datasets). Relevant topographic characteristics in the upslope contributing area (UCA) were rarely applied in soil-landscape models, possibly due to technical complexity. Our objectives in this study were: 1. To develop variables that represent UCA terrain attributes for soil-landscape modeling, 2. to predict SOC distribution and mass contents from the best-fit spatial SOC models with model validation for use in this depressional landscape region, and 3. to interpret SOC processes under the impact of agriculture-induced erosion and deposition since the settlement in this region. We took soil samples by soil horizon to a depth of 1m in transects following hillslope positions at our study site at Lake Rebecca Park Reserve. A mass-preserving spline function was applied to provide the mean SOC values (%) in 25cm increments to 1m deep from horizon-based field data in order to model SOC in fixed depths. Local neighborhood terrain attributes, including elevation, slope steepness, slope length, specific catchment area, profile curvature, plan curvature, topographic wetness index and stream power index, were developed from a LiDAR-based 1-m digital elevation model. Gridded UCA datasets for each sampling site were carefully queried and investigated. Mean and standard deviation of the terrain attributes within the UCA were extracted as representative variables for the UCA terrain attributes. We applied both local and upslope terrain attributes as predictor variables for spatial SOC modeling using regression and principle component regression analyses. Performance and validation of the SOC models were investigated. Intending to apply the best-fit SOC model at the regional scale, we validated the models using SOC data from soil samples taken in thirteen counties with similar Des Moines Lobe till landscapes in south-central Minnesota. The spatial distribution of SOC was mapped and the overall SOC mass (kg/m3) was estimated for this region of Minnesota.

The Multimedia Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale 2: Its Psychometric Properties, Equivalence with the Paper-and-Pencil Version, and Respondent Preferences.

PubMed

Flahive, Mon-hsin Wang; Chuang, Ying-Chih; Li, Chien-Mo

2015-01-01

A multimedia version of Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale 2 (Piers-Harris 2) was created with audio and cartoon animation to facilitate the measurement of self-concept among younger children. This study aimed to assess the psychometric qualities of the computer version of Piers-Harris 2 scores, examine its score equivalence with the paper-and-pencil version, and survey the respondent preference of the two versions. Two hundred and forty eight Taiwanese students from the first to fourth grade were recruited. In regard to the psychometric properties, high internal consistency (α = .91) was found for the total score of multimedia Piers-Harris 2. High interscale correlations (.77 to .83) of the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 scores and the results of confirmatory factor analysis suggested the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 contained good structural characteristics. The scores of the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 also had significant correlations with the scores of the Elementary School Children's Self Concept Scale. The equality of convergence and criterion-related validities of Piers-Harris 2 scores for the multimedia and paper-and-pencil versions and the results of ICCs between the scores of the multimedia and paper-and-pencil Piers-Harris 2 suggested their high level of equivalence. Participants showed more positive attitudes towards the multimedia version.

Testing the impact of a multimedia video CD of patient-controlled analgesia on pain knowledge and pain relief in patients receiving surgery.

PubMed

Chen, Hsing-Hsia; Yeh, Mei-Ling; Yang, Hui-Ju

2005-07-01

This study aimed to develop a multimedia video CD (VCD) of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and test its effects on pain knowledge and pain relief in patients receiving surgery. This multimedia VCD of PCA was created to convey fundamental knowledge to both patients and their family members and help patients properly utilize PCA devices to relieve pain and improve recovery. The content of multimedia VCD of PCA included pre-admission pain education, introduction of PCA, nursing care procedures, and questions and answers. This study used a quasi-experimental research design to test effects of the multimedia education program in the experimental group of 30 subjects compared to the control subjects of equal number (without the multimedia VCD of PCA). (1) The intervention of multimedia VCD of PCA resulted in a statistically significant difference in pain knowledge between the experimental and control groups. (2) Subjects in the experimental group obtained a better outcome of pain relief compared to control subjects. (3) Subjects in the experimental group indicated that the multimedia VCD of PCA indeed helped them effectively operate their PCA devices to relieve surgery pain. The clinical application of the multimedia VCD of PCA could help patients improve knowledge on pain, learn how to use PCA devices, achieve proper pain relief, and increase effectiveness of recovery activities.

The Multimedia Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale 2: Its Psychometric Properties, Equivalence with the Paper-and-Pencil Version, and Respondent Preferences

PubMed Central

Flahive, Mon-hsin Wang; Chuang, Ying-Chih; Li, Chien-Mo

2015-01-01

A multimedia version of Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale 2 (Piers-Harris 2) was created with audio and cartoon animation to facilitate the measurement of self-concept among younger children. This study aimed to assess the psychometric qualities of the computer version of Piers-Harris 2 scores, examine its score equivalence with the paper-and-pencil version, and survey the respondent preference of the two versions. Two hundred and forty eight Taiwanese students from the first to fourth grade were recruited. In regard to the psychometric properties, high internal consistency (α = .91) was found for the total score of multimedia Piers-Harris 2. High interscale correlations (.77 to .83) of the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 scores and the results of confirmatory factor analysis suggested the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 contained good structural characteristics. The scores of the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 also had significant correlations with the scores of the Elementary School Children’s Self Concept Scale. The equality of convergence and criterion-related validities of Piers-Harris 2 scores for the multimedia and paper-and-pencil versions and the results of ICCs between the scores of the multimedia and paper-and-pencil Piers-Harris 2 suggested their high level of equivalence. Participants showed more positive attitudes towards the multimedia version. PMID:26252499

Effect of the Use of Multimedia on Students' Performance: A Case Study of Social Studies Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilhan, Genç Osman; Oruç, Sahin

2016-01-01

The rapidly changing technological developments have affected education as it does every other fields of human endeavor. The number of technology applications used in education increases every day. One of these tools is multimedia. In the studies about the use of multimedia in education, it has been reached that multimedia increases students'…

Graspable Multimedia: A Study of the Effect of A Multimedia System Embodied with Physical Artefacts on Working Memory Capacity of Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chau, Kien Tsong; Samsudin, Zarina; Yahaya, Wan Ahmad Jaafar Wan

2018-01-01

Insignificant consideration in multimedia research has been given to the features that are associated with cognitive functioning in general, and working memory (WM) in particular for preschoolers. As correlational research works discovered a close association between WM and learning achievement, multimedia research works that are tapping into…

New Visions of Reality: Multimedia and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambron, Sueann

1986-01-01

Multimedia is a powerful tool that will change both the way we look at knowledge and our vision of reality, as well as our educational system and the business world. Multimedia as used here refers to the innovation of mixing text, audio, and video through the use of a computer. Not only will there be new products emerging from multimedia uses, but…

Benchmarking multimedia performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zandi, Ahmad; Sudharsanan, Subramania I.

1998-03-01

With the introduction of faster processors and special instruction sets tailored to multimedia, a number of exciting applications are now feasible on the desktops. Among these is the DVD playback consisting, among other things, of MPEG-2 video and Dolby digital audio or MPEG-2 audio. Other multimedia applications such as video conferencing and speech recognition are also becoming popular on computer systems. In view of this tremendous interest in multimedia, a group of major computer companies have formed, Multimedia Benchmarks Committee as part of Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. to address the performance issues of multimedia applications. The approach is multi-tiered with three tiers of fidelity from minimal to full compliant. In each case the fidelity of the bitstream reconstruction as well as quality of the video or audio output are measured and the system is classified accordingly. At the next step the performance of the system is measured. In many multimedia applications such as the DVD playback the application needs to be run at a specific rate. In this case the measurement of the excess processing power, makes all the difference. All these make a system level, application based, multimedia benchmark very challenging. Several ideas and methodologies for each aspect of the problems will be presented and analyzed.

SPAD array based TOF SoC design for unmanned vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, An; Xu, Yuan; Xie, Gang; Huang, Zhiyu; Zheng, Yanghao; Shi, Weiwei

2018-03-01

As for the requirement of unmanned-vehicle mobile Lidar system, this paper presents a SoC design based on pulsed TOF depth image sensor. This SoC has a detection range of 300m and detecting resolution of 1.5cm. Pixels are made of SPAD. Meanwhile, SoC adopts a structure of multi-pixel sharing TDC, which significantly reduces chip area and improve the fill factor of light-sensing surface area. SoC integrates a TCSPC module to achieve the functionality of receiving each photon, measuring photon flight time and processing depth information in one chip. The SOC is designed in the SMIC 0.13μm CIS CMOS technology

Research on SOC Calibration of Large Capacity Lead Acid Battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, W. Q.; Guo, Y. X.

2018-05-01

Large capacity lead-acid battery is used in track electric locomotive, and State of Charge (SOC) is an important quantitative parameter of locomotive power output and operating mileage of power emergency recovery vehicle. But State of Charge estimation has been a difficult part in the battery management system. In order to reduce the SOC estimation error better, this paper uses the linear relationship of Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) and State of Charge to fit the SOC-OCV curve equation by MATLAB. The method proposed in this paper is small, easy to implement and can be used in the battery non-working state SOC estimation correction, improve the estimation accuracy of SOC.

Improving student understanding in web programming material through multimedia adventure games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitriasari, N. S.; Ashiddiqi, M. F.; Nurdin, E. A.

2018-05-01

This study aims to make multimedia adventure games and find out the improvement of learners’ understanding after being given treatment of using multimedia adventure game in learning Web Programming. Participants of this study are students of class X (ten) in one of the Vocational Schools (SMK) in Indonesia. The material of web programming is a material that difficult enough to be understood by the participant therefore needed tools to facilitate the participants to understand the material. Solutions offered in this study is by using multimedia adventures game. Multimedia has been created using Construct2 and measured understood with method Non-equivalent Control Group Design. Pre-test and post-test has given to learners who received treatment using the multimedia adventure showed increase in understanding web programming material.

Tuning the thermoelectric properties of YNiBi half-Heusler alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Sonu; Kumar, Pradeep

2018-04-01

A detail comparison between the results obtained for the electronic and transport properties of YNiBi half-Heusler alloy by local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functionals with and without spin–orbit coupling (SOC) is presented. In the presence of SOC both functionals provide ∼30% smaller band gap. The transport coefficients computed without SOC confirm that YNiBi is a promising p-type thermoelectric material. However, with SOC at higher temperature, Seebeck coefficient was found to be negative because of the bipolar effects. Without SOC the computed power factor (PF) is found to be closer to the experimental value, while in the presence of SOC we have obtained comparatively smaller PF. No importance of SOC has been observed in the calculations of transport properties of the compound. The appropriate Ti doping in place of Y is predicted to significantly enhance the thermoelectric properties of YNiBi compound.

The biology and mechanism of action of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 (SOCS3)

PubMed Central

Babon, Jeffrey; Nicola, Nicos A

2013-01-01

SOCS3 has been shown to be an important and non-redundant feedback inhibitor of several cytokines including LIF, IL-6, IL-11, CNTF, leptin and G-CSF. Loss of SOCS3 in vivo has profound effects on placental development, inflammation, fat-induced weight gain and insulin sensitivity. SOCS3 expression is induced by JAK/STAT signaling and it then binds to specific cytokine receptors (including gp130, G-CSF and leptin receptors). SOCS3 then inhibits JAK/STAT signaling in two distinct ways. First, SOCS3 is able to directly inhibit the catalytic activity of JAK1, JAK2 or TYK2 whilst remaining bound to the cytokine receptor. Second, SOCS3 recruits elongins B/C and cullin 5 to generate an E3 ligase that ubiquitinates both JAK and cytokine receptor targeting them for proteasomal degradation. Detailed in vivo studies have revealed that SOCS3 action not only limits the duration of cytokine signaling to prevent over-activity but it is also important in maintaining the specificity of cytokine signaling. PMID:22574771

c-myc as a mediator of accelerated apoptosis and involution in mammary glands lacking Socs3

PubMed Central

Sutherland, Kate D; Vaillant, François; Alexander, Warren S; Wintermantel, Tim M; Forrest, Natasha C; Holroyd, Sheridan L; McManus, Edward J; Schutz, Gunther; Watson, Christine J; Chodosh, Lewis A; Lindeman, Geoffrey J; Visvader, Jane E

2006-01-01

Suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins are critical attenuators of cytokine-mediated signalling in diverse tissues. To determine the importance of Socs3 in mammary development, we generated mice in which Socs3 was deleted in mammary epithelial cells. No overt phenotype was evident during pregnancy and lactation, indicating that Socs3 is not a key physiological regulator of prolactin signalling. However, Socs3-deficient mammary glands exhibited a profound increase in epithelial apoptosis and tissue remodelling, resulting in precocious involution. This phenotype was accompanied by augmented Stat3 activation and a marked increase in the level of c-myc. Moreover, induction of c-myc before weaning using an inducible transgenic model recapitulated the Socs3 phenotype, and elevated expression of likely c-myc target genes, E2F-1, Bax and p53, was observed. Our data establish Socs3 as a critical attenuator of pro-apoptotic pathways that act in the developing mammary gland and provide evidence that c-myc regulates apoptosis during involution. PMID:17139252

SOCS3, a Major Regulator of Infection and Inflammation

PubMed Central

Carow, Berit; Rottenberg, Martin E.

2014-01-01

In this review, we describe the role of suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) in modulating the outcome of infections and autoimmune diseases as well as the underlying mechanisms. SOCS3 regulates cytokine or hormone signaling usually preventing, but in some cases aggravating, a variety of diseases. A main role of SOCS3 results from its binding to both the JAK kinase and the cytokine receptor, which results in the inhibition of STAT3 activation. Available data also indicate that SOCS3 can regulate signaling via other STATs than STAT3 and also controls cellular pathways unrelated to STAT activation. SOCS3 might either act directly by hampering JAK activation or by mediating the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome degradation of the cytokine/growth factor/hormone receptor. Inflammation and infection stimulate SOCS3 expression in different myeloid and lymphoid cell populations as well as in diverse non-hematopoietic cells. The accumulated data suggest a relevant program coordinated by SOCS3 in different cell populations, devoted to the control of immune homeostasis in physiological and pathological conditions such as infection and autoimmunity. PMID:24600449

Soil Carbon Cycling - More than Changes in Soil Organic Carbon Stocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, K.

2015-12-01

Discussions about soil carbon (C) sequestration generally focus on changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Global SOC mass in the top 1 m was estimated at about 1325 Pg C, and at about 3000 Pg C when deeper soil layers were included. However, both inorganically and organically bound carbon forms are found in soil but estimates on global soil inorganic carbon (SIC) mass are even more uncertain than those for SOC. Globally, about 947 Pg SIC may be stored in the top 1 m, and especially in arid and semi-arid regions SIC stocks can be many times great than SOC stocks. Both SIC and SOC stocks are vulnerable to management practices, and stocks may be enhanced, for example, by optimizing net primary production (NPP) by fertilization and irrigation (especially optimizing belowground NPP for enhancing SOC stocks), adding organic matter (including black C for enhancing SOC stocks), and reducing soil disturbance. Thus, studies on soil C stocks, fluxes, and vulnerability must look at both SIC and SOC stocks in soil profiles to address large scale soil C cycling.

Multimedia content description framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergman, Lawrence David (Inventor); Mohan, Rakesh (Inventor); Li, Chung-Sheng (Inventor); Smith, John Richard (Inventor); Kim, Michelle Yoonk Yung (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A framework is provided for describing multimedia content and a system in which a plurality of multimedia storage devices employing the content description methods of the present invention can interoperate. In accordance with one form of the present invention, the content description framework is a description scheme (DS) for describing streams or aggregations of multimedia objects, which may comprise audio, images, video, text, time series, and various other modalities. This description scheme can accommodate an essentially limitless number of descriptors in terms of features, semantics or metadata, and facilitate content-based search, index, and retrieval, among other capabilities, for both streamed or aggregated multimedia objects.

Examining the relationships between span of control and manager job and unit performance outcomes.

PubMed

Wong, Carol A; Elliott-Miller, Pat; Laschinger, Heather; Cuddihy, Michael; Meyer, Raquel M; Keatings, Margaret; Burnett, Camille; Szudy, Natalie

2015-03-01

Our aim was to examine the combination of frontline manager (FLM) personal characteristics and span of control (SOC) on their job and unit performance outcomes. Healthcare downsizing and reform have contributed to larger spans for FLMs in Canadian hospitals and increased concerns about manager workload. Despite a heightened awareness of SOC issues among decision makers, there is limited empirical evidence related to the effects of SOC on outcomes. A non-experimental predictive survey design was used to examine FLM SOC in 14 Canadian academic hospitals. Managers (n = 121) completed an online survey of work characteristics and The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) SOC tool. Unit turnover data were collected from organisational databases. The combination of SOC and core self-evaluation significantly predicted role overload, work control and job satisfaction, but only SOC predicted unit adverse outcomes and neither significantly predicted unit turnover. The findings contribute to an understanding of connections between the combination of SOC and core self-evaluation and manager job and unit performance outcomes. Organisational strategies to create manageable FLM SOC are essential to ensure exemplary job and unit outcomes. Core self-evaluation is a personality characteristic that may enhance manager performance in the face of high spans of control. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

SOCS3 promotes TLR4 response in macrophages by feedback inhibiting TGF-beta1/Smad3 signaling.

PubMed

Liu, Xia; Zhang, Yongliang; Yu, Yizhi; Yang, Xiao; Cao, Xuetao

2008-03-01

Endogenous transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) plays an important role in the negative regulation of toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling in a feedback manner. Suppressors of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) has been shown to be induced by TGF-beta1 in osteoclast/macrophage, while the reports on the role of SOCS3 in regulating TLR4 signaling were controversial. The functional relationship between SOCS3 and TGF-beta1/Smad3 pathway in TLR4 response also remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that LPS-induced endogenous TGF-beta1 contributes to the inducible SOCS3 expression in macrophages. SOCS3 silencing could markedly decrease the LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in macrophages. Interestingly, less decrease of LPS-induced TNF-alpha, IL-6 by SOCS3 silencing was observed in Smad3 null macrophages. Furthermore, we found SOCS3 could interact with Smad3, and inhibit Smad3 nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity. Therefore, our data demonstrate that SOCS3 is a positive regulator of TLR4 response by feedback inhibiting endogenous TGF-beta1/Smad3 signaling, thus outlining a new feedback regulatory manner for TLR4 response in macrophages.

Reduced Socs3 expression in adipose tissue protects female mice against obesity-induced insulin resistance.

PubMed

Palanivel, R; Fullerton, M D; Galic, S; Honeyman, J; Hewitt, K A; Jorgensen, S B; Steinberg, G R

2012-11-01

Inflammation in obesity increases the levels of the suppressor of cytokine signalling-3 (SOCS3) protein in adipose tissue, but the physiological importance of this protein in regulating whole-body insulin sensitivity in obesity is not known. We generated Socs3 floxed (wild-type, WT) and Socs3 aP2 (also known as Fabp4)-Cre null (Socs3 AKO) mice. Mice were maintained on either a regular chow or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks during which time body mass, adiposity, glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity were assessed. The HFD increased SOCS3 levels in adipose tissue of WT but not Socs3 AKO mice. WT and Socs3 AKO mice had similar body mass and adiposity, assessed using computed tomography (CT) imaging, irrespective of diet or sex. On a control chow diet there were no differences in insulin sensitivity or glucose tolerance. When fed a HFD, female but not male Socs3 AKO mice had improved glucose tolerance as well as lower fasting glucose and insulin levels compared with WT littermates. Hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamps and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging demonstrated that improved insulin sensitivity was due to elevated adipose tissue glucose uptake. Increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in adipose tissue was associated with enhanced levels and activating phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1). These data demonstrate that inhibiting SOCS3 production in adipose tissue of female mice is effective for improving whole-body insulin sensitivity in obesity.

soc-2 encodes a leucine-rich repeat protein implicated in fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling

PubMed Central

Selfors, Laura M.; Schutzman, Jennifer L.; Borland, Christina Z.; Stern, Michael J.

1998-01-01

Activation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors elicits diverse cellular responses including growth, mitogenesis, migration, and differentiation. The intracellular signaling pathways that mediate these important processes are not well understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, suppressors of clr-1 identify genes, termed soc genes, that potentially mediate or activate signaling through the EGL-15 FGF receptor. We demonstrate that three soc genes, soc-1, soc-2, and sem-5, suppress the activity of an activated form of the EGL-15 FGF receptor, consistent with the soc genes functioning downstream of EGL-15. We show that soc-2 encodes a protein composed almost entirely of leucine-rich repeats, a domain implicated in protein–protein interactions. We identified a putative human homolog, SHOC-2, which is 54% identical to SOC-2. We find that shoc-2 maps to 10q25, shoc-2 mRNA is expressed in all tissues assayed, and SHOC-2 protein is cytoplasmically localized. Within the leucine-rich repeats of both SOC-2 and SHOC-2 are two YXNX motifs that are potential tyrosine-phosphorylated docking sites for the SEM-5/GRB2 Src homology 2 domain. However, phosphorylation of these residues is not required for SOC-2 function in vivo, and SHOC-2 is not observed to be tyrosine phosphorylated in response to FGF stimulation. We conclude that this genetic system has allowed for the identification of a conserved gene implicated in mediating FGF receptor signaling in C. elegans. PMID:9618511

Susceptibility of Permafrost Soil Organic Carbon under Warming Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Z.; Wullschleger, S. D.; Liang, L.; Graham, D. E.; Gu, B.

2015-12-01

Degradation of soil organic carbon (SOC) that has been stored in permafrost is a key concern under warming climate because it could provide a positive feedback. Studies and conceptual models suggest that SOC degradation is largely controlled by the decomposability of SOC, but it is unclear exactly what portions of SOC are susceptible to rapid breakdown and what mechanisms may be involved in SOC degradation. Using a suite of analytical techniques, we examined the dynamic consumption and production of labile SOC compounds, including sugars, alcohols, and small molecular weight organic acids in incubation experiments (up to 240 days at either -2 or 8 °C) with a tundra soil under anoxic conditions, where SOC respiration and iron(III) reduction were monitored. We observe that sugars and alcohols are main components in SOC accounting for initial rapid release of CO2 and CH4 through anaerobic fermentation, whereas the fermentation products such as acetate and formate are subsequently utilized as primary substrates for methanogenesis. Iron(III) reduction is correlated to acetate production and methanogenesis, suggesting its important roles as an electron acceptor in tundra SOC respiration. These observations corroborate strongly with the glucose addition during incubation, in which rapid CO2 and CH4 production is observed concurrently with rapid production and consumption of organics such as acetate. Thus, the biogeochemical processes we document here are pertinent to understanding the accelerated SOC decomposition with temperature and could provide basis for model predicting feedbacks to climate warming in the Arctic.

High-resolution mapping of ecosystem carbon storage and potential effects of permafrost thaw in periglacial terrain, European Russian Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hugelius, Gustaf; Virtanen, Tarmo; Kaverin, Dmitry; Pastukhov, Alexander; Rivkin, Felix; Marchenko, Sergey; Romanovsky, Vladimir; Kuhry, Peter

2011-09-01

This study describes detailed partitioning of phytomass carbon (C) and soil organic carbon (SOC) for four study areas in discontinuous permafrost terrain, Northeast European Russia. The mean aboveground phytomass C storage is 0.7 kg C m-2. Estimated landscape SOC storage in the four areas varies between 34.5 and 47.0 kg C m-2 with LCC (land cover classification) upscaling and 32.5-49.0 kg C m-2 with soil map upscaling. A nested upscaling approach using a Landsat thematic mapper land cover classification for the surrounding region provides estimates within 5 ± 5% of the local high-resolution estimates. Permafrost peat plateaus hold the majority of total and frozen SOC, especially in the more southern study areas. Burying of SOC through cryoturbation of O- or A-horizons contributes between 1% and 16% (mean 5%) of total landscape SOC. The effect of active layer deepening and thermokarst expansion on SOC remobilization is modeled for one of the four areas. The active layer thickness dynamics from 1980 to 2099 is modeled using a transient spatially distributed permafrost model and lateral expansion of peat plateau thermokarst lakes is simulated using geographic information system analyses. Active layer deepening is expected to increase the proportion of SOC affected by seasonal thawing from 29% to 58%. A lateral expansion of 30 m would increase the amount of SOC stored in thermokarst lakes/fens from 2% to 22% of all SOC. By the end of this century, active layer deepening will likely affect more SOC than thermokarst expansion, but the SOC stores vulnerable to thermokarst are less decomposed.

Effects of climate and soil properties on U.S. home lawn soil organic carbon concentration and pool.

PubMed

Selhorst, Adam; Lal, Rattan

2012-12-01

Following turfgrass establishment, soils sequester carbon (C) over time. However, the magnitude of this sequestration may be influenced by a range of climatic and soil factors. Analysis of home lawn turfgrass soils throughout the United States indicated that both climatic and soil properties significantly affected the soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration and pool to 15-cm depth. Soil sampling showed that the mean annual temperature (MAT) was negatively correlated with SOC concentration. Additionally, a nonlinear interaction was observed between mean annual precipitation (MAP) and SOC concentration with optimal sequestration occurring in soils receiving 60-70 cm of precipitation per year. Furthermore, soil properties also influenced SOC concentration. Soil nitrogen (N) had a high positive correlation with SOC concentration, as a 0.1 % increase in N concentration led to a 0.99 % increase in SOC concentration. Additionally, soil bulk density (ρ(b)) had a curvilinear interaction with SOC concentration, with an increase in ρ(b) indicating a positive effect on SOC concentration until a ρ(b) of ~1.4-1.5 Mg m(-3) was attained, after which, inhibition of SOC sequestration occurred. Finally, no correlation between SOC concentration or pool was observed with texture. Based upon these results, highest SOC pools within this study are observed in regions of low MAT, moderate MAP (60-70 cm year(-1)), high soil N concentration, and moderate ρ(b) (1.4-1.5 Mg m(-3)). In order to maximize the C storage capacity of home lawns, non C-intensive management practices should be used to maintain soils within these conditions.

Mapping SOC (Soil Organic Carbon) using LiDAR-derived vegetation indices in a random forest regression model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Will, R. M.; Glenn, N. F.; Benner, S. G.; Pierce, J. L.; Spaete, L.; Li, A.

2015-12-01

Quantifying SOC (Soil Organic Carbon) storage in complex terrain is challenging due to high spatial variability. Generally, the challenge is met by transforming point data to the entire landscape using surrogate, spatially-distributed, variables like elevation or precipitation. In many ecosystems, remotely sensed information on above-ground vegetation (e.g. NDVI) is a good predictor of below-ground carbon stocks. In this project, we are attempting to improve this predictive method by incorporating LiDAR-derived vegetation indices. LiDAR provides a mechanism for improved characterization of aboveground vegetation by providing structural parameters such as vegetation height and biomass. In this study, a random forest model is used to predict SOC using a suite of LiDAR-derived vegetation indices as predictor variables. The Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (RCEW) is an ideal location for a study of this type since it encompasses a strong elevation/precipitation gradient that supports lower biomass sagebrush ecosystems at low elevations and forests with more biomass at higher elevations. Sagebrush ecosystems composed of Wyoming, Low and Mountain Sagebrush have SOC values ranging from .4 to 1% (top 30 cm), while higher biomass ecosystems composed of aspen, juniper and fir have SOC values approaching 4% (top 30 cm). Large differences in SOC have been observed between canopy and interspace locations and high resolution vegetation information is likely to explain plot scale variability in SOC. Mapping of the SOC reservoir will help identify underlying controls on SOC distribution and provide insight into which processes are most important in determining SOC in semi-arid mountainous regions. In addition, airborne LiDAR has the potential to characterize vegetation communities at a high resolution and could be a tool for improving estimates of SOC at larger scales.

Upregulation of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 in microglia by cinnamic acid.

PubMed

Chakrabarti, Sudipta; Jana, Malabendu; Roy, Avik; Pahan, Kalipada

2018-05-06

Neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) is an anti-inflammatory molecule that suppresses cytokine signaling and inflammatory gene expression in different cells including microglia. However, pathways through which SOCS3 could be upregulated are poorly described. Cinnamic acid is a metabolite of cinnamon, a natural compound that is being widely used all over the world as a spice or flavoring agent. This study delineates the importance of cinnamic acid for the upregulation of SOCS3 in microglia. Cinnamic acid upregulated the expression of SOCS3 mRNA and protein in mouse BV-2 microglial cells in dose- and time-dependent manner. Accordingly, cinnamic acid also increased the level of SOCS3 and suppressed the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and proinflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6) in LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. Similar to BV-2 microglial cells, cinnamic acid also increased the expression of SOCS3 in primary mouse microglia and astrocytes. Presence of cAMP response element in the promoter of socs3 gene, activation of cAMP response element binding (CREB) by cinnamic acid, abrogation of cinnamic acid-mediated upregulation of SOCS3 by siRNA knockdown of CREB, and the recruitment of CREB to the socs3 gene promoter by cinnamic acid suggest that cinnamic acid increases the expression of SOCS3 by CREB. These studies suggest that cinnamic acid upregulates SOCS3 via CREB pathway, which may be of importance in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Defective interleukin-4/Stat6 activity correlates with increased constitutive expression of negative regulators SOCS-3, SOCS-7, and CISH in colon cancer cells.

PubMed

Liu, Xiao Hong; Xu, Shuang Bing; Yuan, Jia; Li, Ben Hui; Zhang, Yan; Yuan, Qin; Li, Pin Dong; Li, Feng; Zhang, Wen Jie

2009-12-01

Interleukin-4 (IL-4)-induced Stat6 activities (phenotypes) vary among human cancer cells, of which the HT-29 cell line carries an active Stat6(high) phenotype, while Caco-2 carries a defective Stat6(null) phenotype, respectively. Cancer cells with Stat6(high) show resistance to apoptosis and exaggerated metastasis, suggesting the clinical significance of Stat6 phenotypes. We previously showed that Stat6(high) HT-29 cells exhibited low constitutive expression of Stat6-negative regulators SOCS-1 and SHP-1 because of gene hypermethylation. This study further examined the constitutive expression of other closely related SOCS family numbers including SOCS-3, SOCS-5, SOCS-7, and CISH using RT-PCR. Similar to SOCS-1 and SHP-1, Stat6(high) HT-29 cells expressed low constitutive mRNA of SOCS-3, SOCS-7, and CISH than Stat6(null) Caco-2 cells. Interestingly, DNA demethylation using 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in HT-29 cells up-regulated mRNA expression of the above genes, indicating a hypermethylation status, which was confirmed by methylation-specific sequencing in selected SOCS-3 gene. Furthermore, defective Stat6(null) Caco-2 exhibited impaired phosphorylation of Stat6 after IL-4 stimulation by flow cytometry, in keeping with the notion of an over-performed negative regulation. The findings that IL-4/Stat6 phenotypes show differential expression of multiple negative regulators suggest a model that a collective force of powerful negative regulators, directly and indirectly, acts on Stat6 activation, which may result in differential Stat6 phenotypes.

Global distribution of soil organic carbon, based on the Harmonized World Soil Database - Part 1: Masses and frequency distribution of SOC stocks for the tropics, permafrost regions, wetlands, and the world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köchy, M.; Hiederer, R.; Freibauer, A.

2014-09-01

The global soil organic carbon (SOC) mass is relevant for the carbon cycle budget. We review current estimates of soil organic carbon stocks (mass/area) and mass (stock × area) in wetlands, permafrost and tropical regions and the world in the upper 1 m of soil. The Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD) v.1.2 provides one of the most recent and coherent global data sets of SOC, giving a total mass of 2476 Pg. Correcting the HWSD's bulk density of organic soils, especially Histosols, results in a mass of 1062 Pg. The uncertainty of bulk density of Histosols alone introduces a range of -56 to +180 Pg for the estimate of global SOC in the top 1 m, larger than estimates of global soil respiration. We report the spatial distribution of SOC stocks per 0.5 arc minutes, the areal masses of SOC and the quantiles of SOC stocks by continents, wetland types, and permafrost types. Depending on the definition of "wetland", wetland soils contain between 82 and 158 Pg SOC. Incorporating more detailed estimates for permafrost from the Northern Circumpolar Soil Carbon Data Base (496 Pg SOC) and tropical peatland carbon, global soils contain 1324 Pg SOC in the upper 1 m including 421 Pg in tropical soils, whereof 40 Pg occur in tropical wetlands. Global SOC amounts to just under 3000 Pg when estimates for deeper soil layers are included. Variability in estimates is due to variation in definitions of soil units, differences in soil property databases, scarcity of information about soil carbon at depths > 1 m in peatlands, and variation in definitions of "peatland".

Modeling Root Exudation, Priming and Protection in Soil Carbon Responses to Elevated CO2 from Ecosystem to Global Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulman, B. N.; Phillips, R.; Shevliakova, E.; Oishi, A. C.; Pacala, S. W.

2014-12-01

The sensitivity of soil organic carbon (SOC) to changing environmental conditions represents a critical uncertainty in coupled carbon cycle-climate models. Much of this uncertainty arises from our limited understanding of the extent to which plants induce SOC losses (through accelerated decomposition or "priming") or promote SOC gains (via stabilization through physico-chemical protection). We developed a new SOC model, "Carbon, Organisms, Rhizosphere and Protection in the Soil Environment" (CORPSE), to examine the net effect of priming and protection in response to rising atmospheric CO2, and conducted simulations of rhizosphere priming effects at both ecosystem and global scales. At the ecosystem scale, the model successfully captured and explained disparate SOC responses at the Duke and Oak Ridge free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments. We show that stabilization of "new" carbon in protected SOC pools may equal or exceed microbial priming of "old" SOC in ecosystems with readily decomposable litter (e.g. Oak Ridge). In contrast, carbon losses owing to priming dominate the net SOC response in ecosystems with more resistant litters (e.g. Duke). For global simulations, the model was fully integrated into the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) land model LM3. Globally, priming effects driven by enhanced root exudation and expansion of the rhizosphere reduced SOC storage in the majority of terrestrial areas, partially counterbalancing SOC gains from the enhanced ecosystem productivity driven by CO2 fertilization. Collectively, our results suggest that SOC stocks globally depend not only on temperature and moisture, but also on vegetation responses to environmental changes, and that protected C may provide an important constraint on priming effects.

Computer-based coding of free-text job descriptions to efficiently identify occupations in epidemiological studies

PubMed Central

Russ, Daniel E.; Ho, Kwan-Yuet; Colt, Joanne S.; Armenti, Karla R.; Baris, Dalsu; Chow, Wong-Ho; Davis, Faith; Johnson, Alison; Purdue, Mark P.; Karagas, Margaret R.; Schwartz, Kendra; Schwenn, Molly; Silverman, Debra T.; Johnson, Calvin A.; Friesen, Melissa C.

2016-01-01

Background Mapping job titles to standardized occupation classification (SOC) codes is an important step in identifying occupational risk factors in epidemiologic studies. Because manual coding is time-consuming and has moderate reliability, we developed an algorithm called SOCcer (Standardized Occupation Coding for Computer-assisted Epidemiologic Research) to assign SOC-2010 codes based on free-text job description components. Methods Job title and task-based classifiers were developed by comparing job descriptions to multiple sources linking job and task descriptions to SOC codes. An industry-based classifier was developed based on the SOC prevalence within an industry. These classifiers were used in a logistic model trained using 14,983 jobs with expert-assigned SOC codes to obtain empirical weights for an algorithm that scored each SOC/job description. We assigned the highest scoring SOC code to each job. SOCcer was validated in two occupational data sources by comparing SOC codes obtained from SOCcer to expert assigned SOC codes and lead exposure estimates obtained by linking SOC codes to a job-exposure matrix. Results For 11,991 case-control study jobs, SOCcer-assigned codes agreed with 44.5% and 76.3% of manually assigned codes at the 6- and 2-digit level, respectively. Agreement increased with the score, providing a mechanism to identify assignments needing review. Good agreement was observed between lead estimates based on SOCcer and manual SOC assignments (kappa: 0.6–0.8). Poorer performance was observed for inspection job descriptions, which included abbreviations and worksite-specific terminology. Conclusions Although some manual coding will remain necessary, using SOCcer may improve the efficiency of incorporating occupation into large-scale epidemiologic studies. PMID:27102331

Changes in Leptin Signaling by SOCS3 Modulate Fasting-Induced Hyperphagia and Weight Regain in Mice.

PubMed

Pedroso, João A B; Silveira, Marina A; Lima, Leandro B; Furigo, Isadora C; Zampieri, Thais T; Ramos-Lobo, Angela M; Buonfiglio, Daniella C; Teixeira, Pryscila D S; Frazão, Renata; Donato, Jose

2016-10-01

Weight regain frequently follows interventions that reduce body weight, leading to a failure in long-term obesity treatment. Inhibitory proteins of the leptin signaling pathway, such as the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), have been studied in conditions that predispose animals to obesity. However, whether SOCS3 modulates postrestriction hyperphagia and weight regain remains unknown. Mice lacking SOCS3 protein specifically in leptin receptor (LepR)-expressing cells (LepR SOCS3 knockout [KO]) were generated and studied in fasting and refeeding conditions. LepR SOCS3 KO mice exhibited increased leptin sensitivity in the hypothalamus. Notably, LepR SOCS3 KO males and females showed attenuated food intake and weight regain after 48 hours of fasting. Postrestriction hyperleptinemia was also prevented in LepR SOCS3 KO mice. Next, we studied possible mechanisms and neural circuits involved in the SOCS3 effects. SOCS3 deletion did not prevent fasting- or refeeding-induced c-Fos expression in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) nor fasting-induced increased excitability of ARH LepR-expressing cells. On the other hand, SOCS3 ablation reduced the mRNA levels of hypothalamic orexigenic neuropeptides during fasting (neuropeptide Y, agouti-related protein, orexin, and melanin-concentrating hormone). In summary, our findings suggest that increased leptin sensitivity contributes to the maintenance of a reduced body weight after food deprivation. In addition, the attenuated postrestriction food intake observed in mutant mice was not explained by fasting-induced changes in the activity of ARH neurons but exclusively by a lower transcription of orexigenic neuropeptides during fasting. These results indicate a partial dissociation between the regulation of neuronal activity and gene expression in ARH LepR-expressing cells.

Multi-decadal time series of remotely sensed vegetation improves prediction of soil carbon in a subtropical grassland.

PubMed

Wilson, Chris H; Caughlin, T Trevor; Rifai, Sami W; Boughton, Elizabeth H; Mack, Michelle C; Flory, S Luke

2017-07-01

Soil carbon sequestration in agroecosystems could play a key role in climate change mitigation but will require accurate predictions of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks over spatial scales relevant to land management. Spatial variation in underlying drivers of SOC, such as plant productivity and soil mineralogy, complicates these predictions. Recent advances in the availability of remotely sensed data make it practical to generate multidecadal time series of vegetation indices with high spatial resolution and coverage. However, the utility of such data largely is unknown, only having been tested with shorter (e.g., 1-2 yr) data summaries. Across a 2,000 ha subtropical grassland, we found that a long time series (28 yr) of a vegetation index (Enhanced Vegetation Index; EVI) derived from the Landsat 5 satellite significantly enhanced prediction of spatially varying SOC pools, while a short summary (2 yr) was an ineffective predictor. EVI was the best predictor for surface SOC (0-5 cm depth) and total measured SOC stocks (0-15 cm). The optimum models for SOC in the upper soil layer combined EVI records with elevation and calcium concentration, while deeper SOC was more strongly associated with calcium availability. We demonstrate how data from the open access Landsat archive can predict SOC stocks, a key ecosystem metric, and illustrate the rich variety of analytical approaches that can be applied to long time series of remotely sensed greenness. Overall, our results showed that SOC pools were closely coupled to EVI in this ecosystem, demonstrating that maintenance of higher average green leaf area is correlated with higher SOC. The strong associations of vegetation greenness and calcium concentration with SOC suggest that the ability to sequester additional SOC likely will rely on strategic management of pasture vegetation and soil fertility. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Effects of agricultural intensification in the tropics on soil carbon losses and soil fertility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillaume, Thomas; Buttler, Alexandre; Kuzyakov, Yakov

2016-04-01

Tropical forest conversion to agricultural land leads to strong decrease of soil organic carbon (SOC). Nonetheless, the impacts of SOC losses on soil fertility remain unclear. We quantified SOC losses in forest, oil palm plantations, extensive rubber plantations and rubber monocultures on Sumatra Island (Indonesia). Furthermore, we assessed the response of biological (basal respiration, microbial biomass, acid phosphatase) and chemical fertility indicators (light fraction of OM, DOC, total N, available P) to SOC losses. We used a new approach based on (non-)linear regressions between SOC losses and the indicators, normalized to natural ecosystem values, to assess the sensitivity or resistance of fertility indicators to SOC losses. Carbon contents in the Ah horizon under oil palm and intensive rubber plantations were strongly reduced: up to 70% and 62%, respectively. The decrease was lower under extensive rubber (41%). The negative impact of land-use changes on all measured indicators increased in the following sequence: extensive rubber < rubber < oil palm. Basal respiration, microbial biomass and nutrients were comparatively resistant to SOC losses, whereas the light fraction of OM was lost faster than the SOC. The resistance of the microbial activity to SOC losses is an indication that microbial-mediated soil functions sustain SOC losses. However, responses of basal respiration and microbial biomass to SOC losses were non-linear. Below 2.7% C content, the relationship was reversed. The basal respiration decreased faster than the SOC, resulting in a stronger drop of microbial activity under oil palm compared to rubber, despite small difference in C content. We conclude that the new approach allows a quantitative assessment of the sensitivity and threshold of various soil functions to land-use changes and consequently, can be used to assess their resistance to agricultural intensification. Therefore, this method is appropriate to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with various scenarios of agricultural intensification in tropical regions, but needs also to be tested in different tropical climate and soil (mineral vs organic) conditions.

Relationship between children's oral health-related behaviors and their caregiver's sense of coherence.

PubMed

Qiu, Rong Min; Wong, May C M; Lo, Edward C M; Lin, Huan Cai

2013-03-19

Sense of coherence (SOC) is hypothesized to be an important psychological factor that enables people to cope with stressors and successfully maintain and improve health. Mother's SOC has been shown to be an important psychological factor associated with oral health and oral health-related behaviors of adolescents and 11- to 12-year-old children. However, little is known about the relationship between the caregiver's SOC and oral health-related behaviors of the preschool children. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between oral health-related behaviors of 5-year-old children in Southern China and SOC of their caregiver. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a randomized sample of 1332 children aged 5 years and their caregivers in Guangzhou, Southern China. Data were collected through questionnaires completed by the caregivers. The Chinese short version of Antonovsky's SOC scale (13 items) was employed to assess the caregiver's SOC. The outcome variables were the child's oral health-related behaviors, including frequency of sugary snack intake, toothbrushing frequency, utilization of dental service, and pattern of dental visits. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between the variables. No association was found between the children's sugary snack intake and the mother's or the father's SOC. After adjustment for other significant factors related to the child's oral health-related behaviors, 8.9% of the children whose grandparents (as caregivers) had higher SOC scores had a lower frequency of sugary snack intake, compared with the children whose grandparents had lower SOC scores (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.50-0.73, p = 0.008). The other measures of oral health-related behaviors of the child were not significantly associated with the caregiver's SOC. Sugary snack intake behavior of the 5-year-old children was not associated with the mother's or the father's SOC. It was associated with the SOC of their grandparents, who are a small group of the caregivers in China.

Global distribution of soil organic carbon - Part 1: Masses and frequency distributions of SOC stocks for the tropics, permafrost regions, wetlands, and the world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köchy, M.; Hiederer, R.; Freibauer, A.

2015-04-01

The global soil organic carbon (SOC) mass is relevant for the carbon cycle budget and thus atmospheric carbon concentrations. We review current estimates of SOC stocks and mass (stock × area) in wetlands, permafrost and tropical regions and the world in the upper 1 m of soil. The Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD) v.1.2 provides one of the most recent and coherent global data sets of SOC, giving a total mass of 2476 Pg when using the original values for bulk density. Adjusting the HWSD's bulk density (BD) of soil high in organic carbon results in a mass of 1230 Pg, and additionally setting the BD of Histosols to 0.1 g cm-3 (typical of peat soils), results in a mass of 1062 Pg. The uncertainty in BD of Histosols alone introduces a range of -56 to +180 Pg C into the estimate of global SOC mass in the top 1 m, larger than estimates of global soil respiration. We report the spatial distribution of SOC stocks per 0.5 arcminutes; the areal masses of SOC; and the quantiles of SOC stocks by continents, wetland types, and permafrost types. Depending on the definition of "wetland", wetland soils contain between 82 and 158 Pg SOC. With more detailed estimates for permafrost from the Northern Circumpolar Soil Carbon Database (496 Pg SOC) and tropical peatland carbon incorporated, global soils contain 1325 Pg SOC in the upper 1 m, including 421 Pg in tropical soils, whereof 40 Pg occurs in tropical wetlands. Global SOC amounts to just under 3000 Pg when estimates for deeper soil layers are included. Variability in estimates is due to variation in definitions of soil units, differences in soil property databases, scarcity of information about soil carbon at depths > 1 m in peatlands, and variation in definitions of "peatland".

Spatial Variability and Stocks of Soil Organic Carbon in the Gobi Desert of Northwestern China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Pingping; Shao, Ming'an

2014-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an important role in improving soil properties and the C global cycle. Limited attention, though, has been given to assessing the spatial patterns and stocks of SOC in desert ecosystems. In this study, we quantitatively evaluated the spatial variability of SOC and its influencing factors and estimated SOC storage in a region (40 km2) of the Gobi desert. SOC exhibited a log-normal depth distribution with means of 1.6, 1.5, 1.4, and 1.4 g kg−1 for the 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, and 30–40 cm layers, respectively, and was moderately variable according to the coefficients of variation (37–42%). Variability of SOC increased as the sampling area expanded and could be well parameterized as a power function of the sampling area. Significant correlations were detected between SOC and soil physical properties, i.e. stone, sand, silt, and clay contents and soil bulk density. The relatively coarse fractions, i.e. sand, silt, and stone contents, had the largest effects on SOC variability. Experimental semivariograms of SOC were best fitted by exponential models. Nugget-to-sill ratios indicated a strong spatial dependence for SOC concentrations at all depths in the study area. The surface layer (0–10 cm) had the largest spatial dependency compared with the other layers. The mapping revealed a decreasing trend of SOC concentrations from south to north across this region of the Gobi desert, with higher levels close to an oasis and lower levels surrounded by mountains and near the desert. SOC density to depths of 20 and 40 cm for this 40 km2 area was estimated at 0.42 and 0.68 kg C m−2, respectively. This study provides an important contribution to understanding the role of the Gobi desert in the global carbon cycle. PMID:24733073

Convergent evolution of Amadori opine catabolic systems in plasmids of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

PubMed

Baek, Chang-Ho; Farrand, Stephen K; Lee, Ko-Eun; Park, Dae-Kyun; Lee, Jeong Kug; Kim, Kun-Soo

2003-01-01

Deoxyfructosyl glutamine (DFG, referred to elsewhere as dfg) is a naturally occurring Amadori compound found in rotting fruits and vegetables. DFG also is an opine and is found in tumors induced by chrysopine-type strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Such strains catabolize this opine via a pathway coded for by their plasmids. NT1, a derivative of the nopaline-type A. tumefaciens strain C58 lacking pTiC58, can utilize DFG as the sole carbon source. Genes for utilization of DFG were mapped to the 543-kb accessory plasmid pAtC58. Two cosmid clones of pAtC58 allowed UIA5, a plasmid-free derivative of C58, harboring pSa-C that expresses MocC (mannopine [MOP] oxidoreductase that oxidizes MOP to DFG), to grow by using MOP as the sole carbon source. Genetic analysis of subclones indicated that the genes for utilization of DFG are located in a 6.2-kb BglII (Bg2) region adjacent to repABC-type genes probably responsible for the replication of pAtC58. This region contains five open reading frames organized into at least two transcriptional soc (santhopine catabolism) groups: socR and socABCD. Nucleotide sequence analysis and analyses of transposon-insertion mutations in the region showed that SocR negatively regulates the expression of socR itself and socABCD. SocA and SocB are responsible for transport of DFG and MOP. SocA is a homolog of known periplasmic amino acid binding proteins. The N-terminal half of SocB is a homolog of the transmembrane transporter proteins for several amino acids, and the C-terminal half is a homolog of the transporter-associated ATP-binding proteins. SocC and SocD could be responsible for the enzymatic degradation of DFG, being homologs of sugar oxidoreductases and an amadoriase from Corynebacterium sp., respectively. The protein products of socABCD are not related at the amino acid sequence level to those of the moc and mot genes of Ti plasmids responsible for utilization of DFG and MOP, indicating that these two sets of genes and their catabolic pathways have evolved convergently from independent origins.

Linking the climatic and geochemical controls on global soil carbon cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doetterl, Sebastian; Stevens, Antoine; Six, Johan; Merckx, Roel; Van Oost, Kristof; Casanova Pinto, Manuel; Casanova-Katny, Angélica; Muñoz, Cristina; Boudin, Mathieu; Zagal Venegas, Erick; Boeckx, Pascal

2015-04-01

Climatic and geochemical parameters are regarded as the primary controls for soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and turnover. However, due to the difference in scale between climate and geochemical-related soil research, the interaction of these key factors for SOC dynamics have rarely been assessed. Across a large geochemical and climatic transect in similar biomes in Chile and the Antarctic Peninsula we show how abiotic geochemical soil features describing soil mineralogy and weathering pose a direct control on SOC stocks, concentration and turnover and are central to explaining soil C dynamics at larger scales. Precipitation and temperature had an only indirect control by regulating geochemistry. Soils with high SOC content have low specific potential CO2 respiration rates, but a large fraction of SOC that is stabilized via organo-mineral interactions. The opposite was observed for soils with low SOC content. The observed differences for topsoil SOC stocks along this transect of similar biomes but differing geo-climatic site conditions are of the same magnitude as differences observed for topsoil SOC stocks across all major global biomes. Using precipitation and a set of abiotic geochemical parameters describing soil mineralogy and weathering status led to predictions of high accuracy (R2 0.53-0.94) for different C response variables. Partial correlation analyses revealed that the strength of the correlation between climatic predictors and SOC response variables decreased by 51 - 83% when controlling for geochemical predictors. In contrast, controlling for climatic variables did not result in a strong decrease in the strength of the correlations of between most geochemical variables and SOC response variables. In summary, geochemical parameters describing soil mineralogy and weathering were found to be essential for accurate predictions of SOC stocks and potential CO2 respiration, while climatic factors were of minor importance as a direct control, but are important through governing soil weathering and geochemistry. In conclusion, we pledge for a stronger implementation of geochemical soil properties to predict SOC stocks on a global scale. Understanding the effects of climate (temperature and precipitation) change on SOC dynamics also requires good understanding of the relationship between climate and soil geochemistry.

Topographic Metric Predictions of Soil redistribution and Organic Carbon Distribution in Croplands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mccarty, G.; Li, X.

2017-12-01

Landscape topography is a key factor controlling soil redistribution and soil organic carbon (SOC) distribution in Iowa croplands (USA). In this study, we adopted a combined approach based on carbon () and cesium (137Cs) isotope tracers, and digital terrain analysis to understand patterns of SOC redistribution and carbon sequestration dynamics as influenced by landscape topography in tilled cropland under long term corn/soybean management. The fallout radionuclide 137Cs was used to estimate soil redistribution rates and a Lidar-derived DEM was used to obtain a set of topographic metrics for digital terrain analysis. Soil redistribution rates and patterns of SOC distribution were examined across 560 sampling locations at two field sites as well as at larger scale within the watershed. We used δ13C content in SOC to partition C3 and C4 plant derived C density at 127 locations in one of the two field sites with corn being the primary source of C4 C. Topography-based models were developed to simulate SOC distribution and soil redistribution using stepwise ordinary least square regression (SOLSR) and stepwise principal component regression (SPCR). All topography-based models developed through SPCR and SOLSR demonstrated good simulation performance, explaining more than 62% variability in SOC density and soil redistribution rates across two field sites with intensive samplings. However, the SOLSR models showed lower reliability than the SPCR models in predicting SOC density at the watershed scale. Spatial patterns of C3-derived SOC density were highly related to those of SOC density. Topographic metrics exerted substantial influence on C3-derived SOC density with the SPCR model accounting for 76.5% of the spatial variance. In contrast C4 derived SOC density had poor spatial structure likely reflecting the substantial contribution of corn vegetation to recently sequestered SOC density. Results of this study highlighted the utility of topographic SPCR models for scaling field measurements of SOC density and soil redistribution rates to watershed scale which will allow watershed model to better predict fate of ecosystem C on agricultural landscapes.

Spatial assessment of soil organic carbon and physicochemical properties in a horticultural orchard at arid zone of India using geostatistical approaches.

PubMed

Singh, Akath; Santra, Priyabrata; Kumar, Mahesh; Panwar, Navraten; Meghwal, P R

2016-09-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a major indicator of long-term sustenance of agricultural production system. Apart from sustaining productivity, SOC plays a crucial role in context of climate change. Keeping in mind these potentials, spatial variation of SOC contents of a fruit orchard comprising several arid fruit plantations located at arid region of India is assessed in this study through geostatistical approaches. For this purpose, surface and subsurface soil samples from 175 locations from a fruit orchard spreading over 14.33 ha area were collected along with geographical coordinates. SOC content and soil physicochemical properties of collected soil samples were determined followed by geostatistical analysis for mapping purposes. Average SOC stock density of the orchard was 14.48 Mg ha(-1) for 0- to 30-cm soil layer ranging from 9.01 Mg ha(-1) in Carissa carandas to 19.52 Mg ha(-1) in Prosopis cineraria block. Range of spatial variation of SOC content was found about 100 m, while two other soil physicochemical properties, e.g., pH and electrical conductivity (EC) also showed similar spatial trend. This indicated that minimum sampling distance for future SOC mapping programme may be kept lower than 100 m for better accuracy. Ordinary kriging technique satisfactorily predicted SOC contents (in percent) at unsampled locations with root-mean-squared residual (RMSR) of 0.35-0.37. Co-kriging approach was found slightly superior (RMSR = 0.26-0.28) than ordinary kriging for spatial prediction of SOC contents because of significant correlations of SOC contents with pH and EC. Uncertainty of SOC estimation was also presented in terms of 90 % confidence interval. Spatial estimates of SOC stock through ordinary kriging or co-kriging approach were also found with low uncertainty of estimation than non-spatial estimates, e.g., arithmetic averaging approach. Among different fruit block plantations of the orchard, the block with Prosopis cineraria ('khejri') has higher SOC stock density than others.

The Effects of Segmented Multimedia Worked Examples and Self-Explanations on Acquisition of Conceptual Knowledge and Problem-Solving Performance in an Undergraduate Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapli, Natalia V.

2010-01-01

The study investigated the effects of non-segmented multimedia worked examples (NS-MWE), segmented multimedia worked examples (S-MWE), and segmented multimedia worked examples enhanced with self-explanation prompts (S-MWE-SE) on acquisition of conceptual knowledge and problem solving performance in an undergraduate engineering course. In addition,…

MR efficiency using automated MRI-desktop eProtocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Fei; Xu, Yanzhe; Panda, Anshuman; Zhang, Min; Hanson, James; Su, Congzhe; Wu, Teresa; Pavlicek, William; James, Judy R.

2017-03-01

MRI protocols are instruction sheets that radiology technologists use in routine clinical practice for guidance (e.g., slice position, acquisition parameters etc.). In Mayo Clinic Arizona (MCA), there are over 900 MR protocols (ranging across neuro, body, cardiac, breast etc.) which makes maintaining and updating the protocol instructions a labor intensive effort. The task is even more challenging given different vendors (Siemens, GE etc.). This is a universal problem faced by all the hospitals and/or medical research institutions. To increase the efficiency of the MR practice, we designed and implemented a web-based platform (eProtocol) to automate the management of MRI protocols. It is built upon a database that automatically extracts protocol information from DICOM compliant images and provides a user-friendly interface to the technologists to create, edit and update the protocols. Advanced operations such as protocol migrations from scanner to scanner and capability to upload Multimedia content were also implemented. To the best of our knowledge, eProtocol is the first MR protocol automated management tool used clinically. It is expected that this platform will significantly improve the radiology operations efficiency including better image quality and exam consistency, fewer repeat examinations and less acquisition errors. These protocols instructions will be readily available to the technologists during scans. In addition, this web-based platform can be extended to other imaging modalities such as CT, Mammography, and Interventional Radiology and different vendors for imaging protocol management.

Mackay campus of environmental education and digital cultural construction: the application of 3D virtual reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chien, Shao-Chi; Chung, Yu-Wei; Lin, Yi-Hsuan; Huang, Jun-Yi; Chang, Jhih-Ting; He, Cai-Ying; Cheng, Yi-Wen

2012-04-01

This study uses 3D virtual reality technology to create the "Mackay campus of the environmental education and digital cultural 3D navigation system" for local historical sites in the Tamsui (Hoba) area, in hopes of providing tourism information and navigation through historical sites using a 3D navigation system. We used Auto CAD, Sketch Up, and SpaceEyes 3D software to construct the virtual reality scenes and create the school's historical sites, such as the House of Reverends, the House of Maidens, the Residence of Mackay, and the Education Hall. We used this technology to complete the environmental education and digital cultural Mackay campus . The platform we established can indeed achieve the desired function of providing tourism information and historical site navigation. The interactive multimedia style and the presentation of the information will allow users to obtain a direct information response. In addition to showing the external appearances of buildings, the navigation platform can also allow users to enter the buildings to view lifelike scenes and textual information related to the historical sites. The historical sites are designed according to their actual size, which gives users a more realistic feel. In terms of the navigation route, the navigation system does not force users along a fixed route, but instead allows users to freely control the route they would like to take to view the historical sites on the platform.

[Sense of coherence (SOC), occupational stress reactions, and the relationship of SOC with occupational stress reactions among male nurses working in a hospital].

PubMed

Yoshida, Eri; Yamada, Kazuko; Morioka, Ikuharu

2014-01-01

There is limited information about the sense of coherence (SOC), stress reactions and the relationship between SOC and stress reactions in male nurses. The aim of this survey was to clarify SOC, stress reactions, and the relationship of SOC with stress reactions in male nurses working in a hospital. Fifty-one male and 51 female nurses took part in a questionnaire survey. Each female subject was matched with a male of the same age (within 1 year), qualifications (nurse only or both nurse and public health nurse), and work place (internal medicine ward, surgery ward or others). The question items were basic attributes, SOC, Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and Brief Scales for Coping Profile (BSCP). To examine the relationship between the SOC and stress reactions, a multiple regression analysis was performed with psychological or somatic symptoms, as the dependent variable. The median age of male nurses was 27 (interquartile range: 24-30) years. The median length of their working career was 4 (2-7) years. There were no gender differences in the total scores of SOC. Among the stressors, the conditions of mental demand were better in male nurses, but the conditions of stress by workplace environment were worse than in female nurses. Depressive mood, one of the stress reactions, was worse in male nurses. Support from supervisors and coworkers that had an effect on stress reactions were weaker in male nurses than in female nurses. In the subscales of BSCP, "emotional expression to others" and "avoidance and suppression" were more often used by male nurses, but "seeking help for a solution to problems" was less frequently used by them than by female nurses. There were significant relationships between the total score of SOC and psychological and somatic symptoms in both sexes, even when adjusted for 9 stressor factors, 4 factors that had an effect on stress reactions, and 6 subscales of the BSCP and age. The sense of manageability, one of the subscales of SOC, showed significant relationships with psychological and somatic symptoms only in male nurses. The SOC showed no sex difference. The depressive reaction was stronger in male nurses. The relationship of the subscale of SOC to psychological and somatic symptoms showed a gender difference, although the total scores of SOC showed similar tendencies in both sexes.

Dynamics of organic carbon stock of Estonian arable and grassland peat soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kauer, Karin; Tammik, Kerttu; Penu, Priit

2016-04-01

Peat soils represent globally a major reserve of soil organic carbon (SOC). Estimation of changes in SOC stocks is important for understanding soil carbon sequestration and dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this study was to estimate the SOC stock of Estonian agricultural peat soils and SOC stock change depending on land use type (arable land and long-term grasslands (over 5 years)). The soils were classified as Histosols according to WRB classification. Generally the arable land was used for growing cereals, oilseed rape, legumes and used as ley in crop rotation. The main technique of soil cultivation was ploughing. During 2002-2015 the soil samples of 0-20 cm soil layer (one average soil sample per 1-5 ha) were collected. The SOC content was measured by NIRS method. The SOC stock was calculated by assuming that soil mean bulk density is 0.3 g cm-3. The SOC stock change in arable land was estimated during 3-13 years (N=91) and in grassland 4-13 year (N=163). The average SOC content of peat soils varied from 150.6 to 549.0 mg g-1. The initial SOC stock of arable land was 271.3 t ha-1 and of grassland 269.3 t ha-1. The SOC stock declined in arable peat soils faster (-2.57 t ha-1 y-1) compared to the changes in grassland peat soils (-0.67 t ha-1 y-1). According to the length of the study period the SOC stock change per year varied from -5.14 to 6.64 t ha-1 y-1 in grasslands and from -14.78 to 0.83 t ha-1 y-1 in arable land, although there was no clear relationship between the SOC stock change and the length of the study period. More detailed information about the properties of agricultural land and land use history is needed to analyse the causes of the SOC stock changes in agricultural peat soils. However, from the current research we can conclude that the SOC stock of arable and grassland peat soils is declining during the cultivation. These decreases are important to specify when considering the role of peat soils in atmospheric greenhouse gas balances considering peat soils spatial variability related to regional and local differences in ecology, hydrology and climate.

Learning strategy preferences, verbal-visual cognitive styles, and multimedia preferences for continuing engineering education instructional design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baukal, Charles Edward, Jr.

A literature search revealed very little information on how to teach working engineers, which became the motivation for this research. Effective training is important for many reasons such as preventing accidents, maximizing fuel efficiency, minimizing pollution emissions, and reducing equipment downtime. The conceptual framework for this study included the development of a new instructional design framework called the Multimedia Cone of Abstraction (MCoA). This was developed by combining Dale's Cone of Experience and Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. An anonymous survey of 118 engineers from a single Midwestern manufacturer was conducted to determine their demographics, learning strategy preferences, verbal-visual cognitive styles, and multimedia preferences. The learning strategy preference profile and verbal-visual cognitive styles of the sample were statistically significantly different than the general population. The working engineers included more Problem Solvers and were much more visually-oriented than the general population. To study multimedia preferences, five of the seven levels in the MCoA were used. Eight types of multimedia were compared in four categories (types in parantheses): text (text and narration), static graphics (drawing and photograph), non-interactive dynamic graphics (animation and video), and interactive dynamic graphics (simulated virtual reality and real virtual reality). The first phase of the study examined multimedia preferences within a category. Participants compared multimedia types in pairs on dual screens using relative preference, rating, and ranking. Surprisingly, the more abstract multimedia (text, drawing, animation, and simulated virtual reality) were preferred in every category to the more concrete multimedia (narration, photograph, video, and real virtual reality), despite the fact that most participants had relatively little prior subject knowledge. However, the more abstract graphics were only slightly preferred to the more concrete graphics. In the second phase, the more preferred multimedia types in each category from the first phase were compared against each other using relative preference, rating, and ranking and overall rating and ranking. Drawing was the most preferred multimedia type overall, although only slightly more than animation and simulated virtual reality. Text was a distant fourth. These results suggest that instructional content for continuing engineering education should include problem solving and should be highly visual.

Muscle-specific deletion of SOCS3 increases the early inflammatory response but does not affect regeneration after myotoxic injury.

PubMed

Swiderski, Kristy; Thakur, Savant S; Naim, Timur; Trieu, Jennifer; Chee, Annabel; Stapleton, David I; Koopman, René; Lynch, Gordon S

2016-01-01

Muscles of old animals are injured more easily and regenerate poorly, attributed in part to increased levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines. The Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling cascade is a key mediator of inflammatory cytokine action, and signaling via this pathway is increased in muscles with aging. As a negative regulator of JAK/STAT signaling, a key mediator of myogenic proliferation and differentiation, altered expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS3) is likely to have important consequences for muscle regeneration. To model this scenario, we investigated the effect of SOCS3 deletion within mature muscle fibers on injury and repair. We tested the hypothesis that reduced SOCS3 function would alter the inflammatory response and impair muscle regeneration after myotoxic injury. Mice with a specific deletion of SOCS3 within mature skeletal muscle fibers were used to assess the effect of SOCS3 deletion on muscle injury and repair. Twelve-week-old or 24-month-old SOCS3 muscle-specific knockout (SOCS3 MKO) mice and littermate controls were either left uninjured or injured with a single injection of notexin (10 μg/ml) into the right tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. At 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, or 14 days post-injury, the right TA muscle was excised and subjected to histological, western immunoblotting, and gene expression analyses. Force production and fatigue were assessed in uninjured muscles and at 7 days post-notexin injury. In uninjured muscles, SOCS3 deletion decreased force production during fatigue but had no effect on the gross or histological appearance of the TA muscles. After notexin injury, deletion of SOCS3 increased STAT3 phosphorylation at day 1 and increased the mRNA expression of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α , and the inflammatory cell markers F4/80 and CD68 at day 2. Gene expression analysis of the regeneration markers Pax7 , MyoD , and Myogenin indicated SOCS3 deletion had no effect on the progression of muscle repair after notexin injury. Inflammation and regeneration were also unchanged in the muscles of 24-month-old SOCS3 MKO mice compared with control. Loss of SOCS3 expression in mature muscle fibers increased the inflammatory response to myotoxic injury but did not impair muscle regeneration in either adult or old mice. Therefore, reduced SOCS3 expression in muscle fibers is unlikely to underlie impaired muscle regeneration. Further investigation into the role of SOCS3 in other cell types involved in muscle repair is warranted.

Framework for risk analysis in Multimedia Environmental Systems (FRAMES)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whelan, G.; Buck, J.W.; Castleton, K.J.

The objectives of this workshop are to (1) provide the NRC staff and the public with an overview of currently available Federally-Sponsored dose models appropriate for decommissioning assessments and (2) discuss NRC staff-developed questions related to model selection criteria with the final rule on ``Radiological Criteria for License Termination`` (62 FR 39058). For over 40 years, medium specific models have been and will continue to be developed in an effort to understand and predict environmental phenomena, including fluid-flow patterns, contaminant migration and fate, human or wildlife exposures, impacts from specific toxicants to specific species and their organs, cost-benefit analyses, impactsmore » from remediation alternatives, etc. For nearly 40 years, medium-specific models have been combined for either sequential or concurrent assessments. The evolution of multiple-media assessment tools has followed a logic progression. To allow a suite of users the flexibility and versatility to construct, combine, and couple attributes that meet their specific needs without unnecessarily burdening the user with extraneous capabilities, the development of a computer-based methodology to implement a Risk Analysis in Multimedia Environmental Systems (FRAMES) was begun in 1994. FRAMES represents a platform which links elements together and yet does not represent the models that are linked to or within it; therefore, changes to elements that are linked to or within FRAMES do not change the framework.« less

Using fourier-transform mid-infrared spectroscopy to distinguish soil organic matter composition dynamics in aggregate fractions of two agroecosystems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The relationship between soil organic carbon (SOC) content and quality of SOC as impacted by land management is not well understood and may influence long-term storage of SOC. To better understand the potential for SOC storage in specific aggregate pools (i.e. physically protected intra-aggregate C)...

Sorption of chlorobenzenes to cape cod aquifer sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, L.B.

1994-01-01

Sorption of tetra- and pentachlorobenzene by sediment from a glacial outwash aquifer on Cape Cod, MA, was evaluated. Particle size and mineralogical fractions (separated based on paramagnetic susceptibility) were characterized with respect to sediment organic carbon (SOC), mineralogy, surface area, metal oxide coatings, and spatial variability. SOC increases by a factor of 10 as particle size decreases from 500-1000 to ?? 25 % in the <63-??m fraction, and SOC is preferentially associated with the magnetic minerals. Sorption increases with decreasing particle size (increasing SOC, magnetic minerals, surface area, and metal oxyhydroxides), and the magnetic mineral fraction has greater sorption than the bulk or nonmagnetic fractions. Removal of SOC decreases sorption proportional to the decrease in SOC and results in a nonlinear isotherm.

Harnessing the power of multimedia in offender-based law enforcement information systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmerman, Alan P.

1997-02-01

Criminal offenders are increasingly administratively processed by automated multimedia information systems. During this processing, case and offender biographical data, mugshot photos, fingerprints and other valuable information and media are collected by law enforcement officers. As part of their criminal investigations, law enforcement officers are routinely called to solve criminal cases based upon limited evidence . . . evidence increasingly comprised of human DNA, ballistic casings and projectiles, chemical residues, latent fingerprints, surveillance camera facial images and voices. As multimedia systems receive greater use in law enforcement, traditional approaches used to index text data are not appropriate for images and signal data which comprise a multimedia database. Multimedia systems with integrated advanced pattern matching tools will provide law enforcement the ability to effectively locate multimedia information based upon content, without reliance upon the accuracy or completeness of text-based indexing.

The Effects of Modality and Multimedia Comprehension on the Performance of Students with Varied Multimedia Comprehension Abilities when Exposed to High Complexity, Self-Paced Multimedia Instructional Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Abbasi, Daniah

2012-01-01

Poor multimedia comprehenders suffer from a decreased ability in comprehending complex textual and pictorial materials (Maki & Maki, 2002). This deficit will lead to an overloaded working memory and consequently decreased performance (Carretti, Borella, Cornoldi, & De Beni, 2009). The purpose of this research study was to examine the effects of…

Multimedia Image Technology and Computer Aided Manufacturing Engineering Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nan, Song

2018-03-01

Since the reform and opening up, with the continuous development of science and technology in China, more and more advanced science and technology have emerged under the trend of diversification. Multimedia imaging technology, for example, has a significant and positive impact on computer aided manufacturing engineering in China. From the perspective of scientific and technological advancement and development, the multimedia image technology has a very positive influence on the application and development of computer-aided manufacturing engineering, whether in function or function play. Therefore, this paper mainly starts from the concept of multimedia image technology to analyze the application of multimedia image technology in computer aided manufacturing engineering.

Multimeric complexes among ankyrin-repeat and SOCS-box protein 9 (ASB9), ElonginBC, and Cullin 5: insights into the structure and assembly of ECS-type Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases.

PubMed

Thomas, Jemima C; Matak-Vinkovic, Dijana; Van Molle, Inge; Ciulli, Alessio

2013-08-06

Proteins of the ankyrin-repeat and SOCS-box (ASB) family act as the substrate-recognition subunits of ECS-type (ElonginBC-Cullin-SOCS-box) Cullin RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) complexes that catalyze the specific polyubiquitination of cellular proteins to target them for degradation by the proteasome. Therefore, ASB multimeric complexes are involved in numerous cell processes and pathways; however, their interactions, assembly, and biological roles remain poorly understood. To enhance our understanding of ASB CRL systems, we investigated the structure, affinity, and assembly of the quaternary multisubunit complex formed by ASB9, Elongin B, Elongin C (EloBC), and Cullin 5. Here, we describe the application of several biophysical techniques including differential scanning fluorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), nanoelectrospray ionization, and ion-mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) to provide structural and thermodynamic information for a quaternary ASB CRL complex. We find that ASB9 is unstable alone but forms a stable ternary complex with EloBC that binds with high affinity to the Cullin 5 N-terminal domain (Cul5NTD) but not to Cul2NTD. The structure of the monomeric ASB9-EloBC-Cul5NTD quaternary complex is revealed by molecular modeling and is consistent with IM-MS and temperature-dependent ITC data. This is the first experimental study to validate structural information for the assembly of the quaternary N-terminal region of an ASB CRL complex. The results suggest that ASB E3 ligase complexes function and assemble in an analogous manner to that of other CRL systems and provide a platform for further molecular investigation of this important protein family. The data reported here will also be of use for the future development of chemical probes to examine the biological function and modulation of other ECS-type CRL systems.

Multimeric Complexes among Ankyrin-Repeat and SOCS-box Protein 9 (ASB9), ElonginBC, and Cullin 5: Insights into the Structure and Assembly of ECS-type Cullin-RING E3 Ubiquitin Ligases

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Proteins of the ankyrin-repeat and SOCS-box (ASB) family act as the substrate-recognition subunits of ECS-type (ElonginBC–Cullin–SOCS-box) Cullin RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) complexes that catalyze the specific polyubiquitination of cellular proteins to target them for degradation by the proteasome. Therefore, ASB multimeric complexes are involved in numerous cell processes and pathways; however, their interactions, assembly, and biological roles remain poorly understood. To enhance our understanding of ASB CRL systems, we investigated the structure, affinity, and assembly of the quaternary multisubunit complex formed by ASB9, Elongin B, Elongin C (EloBC), and Cullin 5. Here, we describe the application of several biophysical techniques including differential scanning fluorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), nanoelectrospray ionization, and ion-mobility mass spectrometry (IM–MS) to provide structural and thermodynamic information for a quaternary ASB CRL complex. We find that ASB9 is unstable alone but forms a stable ternary complex with EloBC that binds with high affinity to the Cullin 5 N-terminal domain (Cul5NTD) but not to Cul2NTD. The structure of the monomeric ASB9–EloBC–Cul5NTD quaternary complex is revealed by molecular modeling and is consistent with IM–MS and temperature-dependent ITC data. This is the first experimental study to validate structural information for the assembly of the quaternary N-terminal region of an ASB CRL complex. The results suggest that ASB E3 ligase complexes function and assemble in an analogous manner to that of other CRL systems and provide a platform for further molecular investigation of this important protein family. The data reported here will also be of use for the future development of chemical probes to examine the biological function and modulation of other ECS-type CRL systems. PMID:23837592

Map-Based Querying for Multimedia Database

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

existing assets in a custom multimedia database based on an area of interest. It also describes the augmentation of an Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK......for Multimedia Database Somiya Metu Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, ARL

76 FR 69769 - Annual Public Meeting of the Interagency Steering Committee on Multimedia Environmental Modeling

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-09

... assessments of site specific, generic, and process-oriented multimedia environmental models as they pertain to human and environmental health risk assessment. Multimedia model development and simulation supports...

Soil carbon sequestration by three perennial legume pastures is greater in deeper soil layers than in the surface soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, X.-K.; Turner, N. C.; Song, L.; Gu, Y.-J.; Wang, T.-C.; Li, F.-M.

2015-07-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a vital role as both a sink for and source of atmospheric carbon. Revegetation of degraded arable land in China is expected to increase soil carbon sequestration, but the role of perennial legumes on soil carbon stocks in semiarid areas has not been quantified. In this study, we assessed the effect of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and two locally adapted forage legumes, bush clover (Lespedeza davurica S.) and milk vetch (Astragalus adsurgens Pall.) on the SOC concentration and SOC stock accumulated annually over a 2 m soil profile, and to estimate the long-term potential for SOC sequestration in the soil under the three forage legumes. The results showed that the concentration of SOC of the bare soil decreased slightly over the 7 years, while 7 years of legume growth substantially increased the concentration of SOC over the 0-2.0 m soil depth measured. Over the 7 year growth period the SOC stocks increased by 24.1, 19.9 and 14.6 Mg C ha-1 under the alfalfa, bush clover and milk vetch stands, respectively, and decreased by 4.2 Mg C ha-1 under bare soil. The sequestration of SOC in the 1-2 m depth of soil accounted for 79, 68 and 74 % of SOC sequestered through the upper 2 m of soil under alfalfa, bush clover and milk vetch, respectively. Conversion of arable land to perennial legume pasture resulted in a significant increase in SOC, particularly at soil depths below 1 m.

Addition of docetaxel and/or zoledronic acid to standard of care for hormone-naive prostate cancer: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Pengfei; Wen, Feng; Fu, Ping; Yang, Yu; Li, Qiu

2017-07-31

The effectiveness of the addition of docetaxel and/or zoledronic acid to the standard of care (SOC) for hormone-naive prostate cancer has been evaluated in the STAMPEDE trial. The object of the present analysis was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these treatment options in the treatment of advanced hormone-naive prostate cancer in China. A cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model was carried out from the Chinese societal perspective. The efficacy data were obtained from the STAMPEDE trial and health utilities were derived from previous studies. Transition probabilities were calculated based on the survival in each group. The primary endpoint in the analysis was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), and model uncertainties were explored by 1-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. SOC alone generated an effectiveness of 2.65 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) at a lifetime cost of $20,969.23. At a cost of $25,001.34, SOC plus zoledronic acid was associated with 2.69 QALYs, resulting in an ICER of $100,802.75/QALY compared with SOC alone. SOC plus docetaxel gained an effectiveness of 2.85 QALYs at a cost of $28,764.66, while the effectiveness and cost data in the SOC plus zoledronic acid/docetaxel group were 2.78 QALYs and $32,640.95. Based on the results of the analysis, SOC plus zoledronic acid, SOC plus docetaxel, and SOC plus zoledronic acid/docetaxel are unlikely to be cost-effective options in patients with advanced hormone-naive prostate cancer compared with SOC alone.

Comparison of SOC estimates and uncertainties from aerosol chemical composition and gas phase data in Atlanta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pachon, Jorge E.; Balachandran, Sivaraman; Hu, Yongtao; Weber, Rodney J.; Mulholland, James A.; Russell, Armistead G.

2010-10-01

In the Southeastern US, organic carbon (OC) comprises about 30% of the PM 2.5 mass. A large fraction of OC is estimated to be of secondary origin. Long-term estimates of SOC and uncertainties are necessary in the evaluation of air quality policy effectiveness and epidemiologic studies. Four methods to estimate secondary organic carbon (SOC) and respective uncertainties are compared utilizing PM 2.5 chemical composition and gas phase data available in Atlanta from 1999 to 2007. The elemental carbon (EC) tracer and the regression methods, which rely on the use of tracer species of primary and secondary OC formation, provided intermediate estimates of SOC as 30% of OC. The other two methods, chemical mass balance (CMB) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) solve mass balance equations to estimate primary and secondary fractions based on source profiles and statistically-derived common factors, respectively. CMB had the highest estimate of SOC (46% of OC) while PMF led to the lowest (26% of OC). The comparison of SOC uncertainties, estimated based on propagation of errors, led to the regression method having the lowest uncertainty among the four methods. We compared the estimates with the water soluble fraction of the OC, which has been suggested as a surrogate of SOC when biomass burning is negligible, and found a similar trend with SOC estimates from the regression method. The regression method also showed the strongest correlation with daily SOC estimates from CMB using molecular markers. The regression method shows advantages over the other methods in the calculation of a long-term series of SOC estimates.

SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation is a favorable prognosticator and a novel indicator for G-CIMP-positive GBM patients.

PubMed

Feng, Ying; Wang, Zheng; Bao, Zhaoshi; Yan, Wei; You, Gan; Wang, Yinyan; Hu, Huimin; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Quangeng; Jiang, Tao

2014-01-01

Hypermethylation of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3(SOCS3) promoter has been reported to predict a poor prognosis in several cancers including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We explored the function of SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation in GBM cohorts, including analysis of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), when a large number of gene loci are simultaneously hypermethylated. A whole genome promoter methylation profile was performed in a cohort of 33 GBM samples, with 13 long-term survivors (LTS; overall survival ≥ 18 months) and 20 short-term survivors (STS; overall survival ≤ 9 months). The SOCS3 promoter methylation status was compared between the two groups. In addition, we investigated the relationship of SOCS3 promoter methylation and G-CIMP status. Interestingly, in our present study, we found that SOCS3 promoter methylation was statistically significantly higher in the 13 LTS than that in the 20 STS. Furthermore, high SOCS3 promoter methylation detected via pyro-sequencing predicted a better prognosis in an independent cohort containing 62 GBM patients. This correlation was validated by the dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) and the Chinese Cancer Genome Atlas(CGGA). In addition, we found that hypermethylation of the SOCS3 promoter was tightly associated with the G-CIMP-positive GBM patients. Using a total of 359 clinical samples, we demonstrate that SOCS3 promoter hypermethylation status has a favorable prognostic value in GBM patients because of whole genome methylation status. Particularly, the hypermethylation of the SOCS3 promoter indicates positive G-CIMP status.

Stability of soil organic carbon changes in successive rotations of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian; Wang, Silong; Feng, Zongwei; Wang, Qingkui

2009-01-01

The importance of soil organic carbon (SOC) under forests in the global carbon cycle depends on the stability of the soil carbon and its availability to soil microbial biomass. We investigated the effects of successive rotations of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations on the stability of SOC and its availability to microbes by adopting the two-step hydrolysis with H2SO4 and density fractionation. The results showed that successive rotations of Chinese fir decreased the quantity of total SOC, recalcitrant fraction, and carbohydrates in Labile Pool I (LP I), and microbial properties evidently, especially at 0-10 cm horizon. However, cellulose included in Labile Pool II (LP II) and the cellulose/total carbohydrates ratio increased in successive rotations of Chinese fir. The non-cellulose of carbohydrates included in LP I maybe highly available to soil microbial biomass. Hence the availability of SOC to microbial biomass declined over the successive rotations. Although there was no significant change in recalcitrance of SOC over the successive rotations of Chinese fir, the percentage of heavy fraction to total SOC increased, suggesting that the degree of physical protection for SOC increased and SOC became more stable over the successive rotations. The degradation of SOC quality in successive rotation soils may be attributed to worse environmental conditions resulted from disturbance that related to "slash and burn" site preparation. Being highly correlated with soil microbial properties, the cellulose/total carbohydrates ratio as an effective indicator of changes in availability of SOC to microbial biomass brought by management practices in forest soils.

Environmental controls on soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in the high-altitude arid western Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiaodong; Zhao, Lin; Fang, Hongbing; Zhao, Yuguo; Smoak, Joseph M.; Pang, Qiangqiang; Ding, Yongjian

2016-01-01

While permafrost in the circum-Artic has great influence on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) stocks, this might not be the case in low-latitude arid permafrost regions. We test this hypothesis in the western Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) permafrost region. Fifty-nine soil profiles were analyzed to examine the SOC and TN distribution and the controlling factors in western QTP, which is a desert steppe ecoregion. Mean stocks of SOC (5.29 kg m-2) and TN (0.56 kg m-2) for the top 200 cm in this area were lower than those of the east QTP and circum-Arctic regions. The SOC and TN stocks under vegetative cover with permafrost conditions were significantly higher than those of desert conditions. The SOC and TN stocks for the layers of different depths were related to the content of clay, silt, and moisture. Although the active layer thickness (ALT) had a significant negative correlation to soil moisture, the ALT explained little or no variance in the SOC and TN stocks. The results showed that in the vast permafrost regions of the western QTP, the SOC and TN stocks are very low, and the main controlling factors for the SOC and TN are soil texture, moisture, and vegetation type. The SOC pool in this area may not be as vulnerable to degradation associated with climate warming and thus not emit greenhouse gases at the same rate as other permafrost regions. The different response of the SOC in this region should be considered in carbon cycling models.

Reduced Socs3 expression in adipose tissue protects female mice against obesity-induced insulin resistance

PubMed Central

Palanivel, R.; Fullerton, M. D.; Galic, S.; Honeyman, J.; Hewitt, K. A.; Jorgensen, S. B.; Steinberg, G. R.

2017-01-01

Aims/hypothesis Inflammation in obesity increases the levels of the suppressor of cytokine signalling-3 (SOCS3) protein in adipose tissue, but the physiological importance of this protein in regulating whole-body insulin sensitivity in obesity is not known. Methods We generated Socs3 floxed (wild-type, WT) and Socs3 aP2 (also known as Fabp4)-Cre null (Socs3 AKO) mice. Mice were maintained on either a regular chow or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks during which time body mass, adiposity, glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity were assessed. Results The HFD increased SOCS3 levels in adipose tissue of WT but not Socs3 AKO mice. WT and Socs3 AKO mice had similar body mass and adiposity, assessed using computed tomography (CT) imaging, irrespective of diet or sex. On a control chow diet there were no differences in insulin sensitivity or glucose tolerance. When fed a HFD, female but not male Socs3 AKO mice had improved glucose tolerance as well as lower fasting glucose and insulin levels compared with WT littermates. Hyperinsulinaemic–euglycaemic clamps and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging demonstrated that improved insulin sensitivity was due to elevated adipose tissue glucose uptake. Increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in adipose tissue was associated with enhanced levels and activating phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1). Conclusions/interpretation These data demonstrate that inhibiting SOCS3 production in adipose tissue of female mice is effective for improving whole-body insulin sensitivity in obesity. PMID:22872213

Constitutive expression of the K-domain of a Vaccinium corymbosum SOC1-like (VcSOC1-K) MADS-box gene is sufficient to promote flowering in tobacco.

PubMed

Song, Guo-qing; Walworth, Aaron; Zhao, Dongyan; Hildebrandt, Britton; Leasia, Michael

2013-11-01

The K-domain of a blueberry-derived SOC1 -like gene promotes flowering in tobacco without negatively impacting yield, demonstrating potential for manipulation of flowering time in horticultural crops. The SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) and SOC1-likes, belonging to the MIKC(c) (type II) MADS-box gene subfamily, are major floral activators and integrators of plant flowering. Both MADS-domains and K (Keratin)-domains are highly conserved in MIKC(c)-type MADS proteins. While there are many reports on overexpression of intact MIKC(c)-type MADS-box genes, few studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of the K-domains. In this report, a 474-bp K-domain of Vaccinium SOC1-like (VcSOC1-K) was cloned from the cDNA library of the northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Functional analysis of the VcSOC1-K was conducted by ectopically expressing of 35S:VcSOC1-K in tobacco. Reverse transcription PCR confirmed expression of the VcSOC1-K in T0 plants. Phenotypically, T1 transgenic plants (10 T1 plants/event) flowered sooner after seeding, and were shorter with fewer leaves at the time of flowering, than nontransgenic plants; but seed pod production of transgenic plants was not significantly affected. These results demonstrate that overexpression of the K-domain of a MIKC(c)-type MADS-box gene alone is sufficient to promote early flowering and more importantly without affecting seed production.

Disentangling Sense of Coherence and Resilience in case of multiple traumas.

PubMed

Fossion, Pierre; Leys, Christophe; Kempenaers, Chantal; Braun, Stéphanie; Verbanck, Paul; Linkowski, Paul

2014-05-01

Depressive and anxiety disorders (DAD) are a major public health problem. Trauma endured during childhood is known to increase the risk of DAD in adulthood. We investigate the hypothesis that Sense of Coherence (SOC) is a mediator between childhood trauma and depressive and anxious symptoms (DAD) in adulthood. We also explore the nature (personality trait or aptitude) of SOC and attempt to disentangle the concepts of resilience and SOC. Former hidden children (FHC), the Jewish youths who spent World War II in various hideaway shelters across Nazi-occupied Europe, were compared with a control group. In each group we measured the presence of multiple traumas, the resilience with the Resilience Scale for Adults, the DAD with the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist and the SOC with the SOC-13 self-report questionnaire. We tested a mediated moderation model with childhood Trauma as the predictor; Adulthood trauma as the moderator; SOC as the mediator; and DAD as the outcome variable. Results were consistent with a sensitization model of DAD partially mediated by SOC. A first component of SOC was similar to an aptitude and another part of SOC was more similar to a personality trait. We are unable to differentiate if the sensitization process is a consequence of the nature of the trauma endured by FHC (long-standing exposure to extreme external events) or a consequence of the fact that this first trauma occurred during childhood. Our results could account for the controversial debate regarding the life time stability of SOC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Multimedia for Transplant Preparation for Kidney Transplant Waiting List Patients.

PubMed

Charoenthanakit, C; Junchotikul, P; Sittiudomsuk, R; Saiyud, A; Pratumphai, P

2016-04-01

A multimedia program could effectively advise patients about preparing for transplantation while on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. This study aimed to compare knowledge about transplant preparation for patients on a kidney transplant waiting list before and after participating in a multimedia program, and to evaluate patient satisfaction with the multimedia program. Research design was quasiexperimental with the use of 1 group. Subjects were 186 patients on the kidney transplant waiting list after HLA matching in Ramathibodi Hospital. The questionnaires were developed by the researchers. The statistical tools used were basic statistics, percentage, average, standard deviation, and the difference of score between before and after participation in the multimedia program (t test). The evaluation knowledge for transplant preparation for kidney transplant waiting list patients after participating in the multimedia program averaged 85.40%, and there was an increased improvement of score by an average 3.27 out of a possible full score of 20 (P < .05). The result of patient satisfaction for the multimedia program had good average, 4.58. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utilization of Multimedia Laboratory: An Acceptance Analysis using TAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modeong, M.; Palilingan, V. R.

2018-02-01

Multimedia is often utilized by teachers to present a learning materials. Learning that delivered by multimedia enables people to understand the information of up to 60% of the learning in general. To applying the creative learning to the classroom, multimedia presentation needs a laboratory as a space that provides multimedia needs. This study aims to reveal the level of student acceptance on the multimedia laboratories, by explaining the direct and indirect effect of internal support and technology infrastructure. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is used as the basis of measurement on this research, through the perception of usefulness, ease of use, and the intention, it’s recognized capable of predicting user acceptance about technology. This study used the quantitative method. The data analysis using path analysis that focuses on trimming models, it’s performed to improve the model of path analysis structure by removing exogenous variables that have insignificant path coefficients. The result stated that Internal Support and Technology Infrastructure are well mediated by TAM variables to measure the level of technology acceptance. The implications suggest that TAM can measure the success of multimedia laboratory utilization in Faculty of Engineering UNIMA.

Evaluation of the revised Sense of Coherence scale in a sample of older adults: A means to assess resilience aspects.

PubMed

Mc Gee, Shauna L; Höltge, Jan; Maercker, Andreas; Thoma, Myriam V

2017-08-11

The present study evaluated the revised Sense of Coherence (SOC-R) scale in a sample of older adults, using an extended range of psychological concepts. It further examined the psychometric properties of the revised scale and tested the theoretical assumptions underpinning the SOC-R concept. The SOC-R scale was evaluated in 268 Swiss older adults (mean age = 66.9 years), including n = 15 heavily traumatized former indentured child labourers. Standardised questionnaires collected information on positive and negative life experiences, resources, current health, and well-being.  Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated good model fit for a second-order three-factor model of SOC-R with the factors manageability, balance, and reflection. Satisfactory convergent and discriminant correlations were shown with related psychological concepts, including neuroticism (r = -.32, p < .01), optimism (r = .31, p < .01), and general self-efficacy (r = .49, p < .01). SOC-R was not observed to differ by age group. Moderation analyses indicated that SOC-R moderated the relationship between certain early-life adversities and mental health. The study provides support for the psychometric properties and theoretical assumptions of SOC-R and suggests that SOC-R is a valid and reliable measure suitable for use with older adults. Future studies should employ longitudinal designs to examine the stability of SOC-R.

Anatomy of a Security Operations Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, John

2010-01-01

Many agencies and corporations are either contemplating or in the process of building a cyber Security Operations Center (SOC). Those Agencies that have established SOCs are most likely working on major revisions or enhancements to existing capabilities. As principle developers of the NASA SOC; this Presenters' goals are to provide the GFIRST community with examples of some of the key building blocks of an Agency scale cyber Security Operations Center. This presentation viII include the inputs and outputs, the facilities or shell, as well as the internal components and the processes necessary to maintain the SOC's subsistence - in other words, the anatomy of a SOC. Details to be presented include the SOC architecture and its key components: Tier 1 Call Center, data entry, and incident triage; Tier 2 monitoring, incident handling and tracking; Tier 3 computer forensics, malware analysis, and reverse engineering; Incident Management System; Threat Management System; SOC Portal; Log Aggregation and Security Incident Management (SIM) systems; flow monitoring; IDS; etc. Specific processes and methodologies discussed include Incident States and associated Work Elements; the Incident Management Workflow Process; Cyber Threat Risk Assessment methodology; and Incident Taxonomy. The Evolution of the Cyber Security Operations Center viII be discussed; starting from reactive, to proactive, and finally to proactive. Finally, the resources necessary to establish an Agency scale SOC as well as the lessons learned in the process of standing up a SOC viII be presented.

Projected loss of soil organic carbon in temperate agricultural soils in the 21st century: effects of climate change and carbon input trends

PubMed Central

Wiesmeier, Martin; Poeplau, Christopher; Sierra, Carlos A.; Maier, Harald; Frühauf, Cathleen; Hübner, Rico; Kühnel, Anna; Spörlein, Peter; Geuß, Uwe; Hangen, Edzard; Schilling, Bernd; von Lützow, Margit; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid

2016-01-01

Climate change and stagnating crop yields may cause a decline of SOC stocks in agricultural soils leading to considerable CO2 emissions and reduced agricultural productivity. Regional model-based SOC projections are needed to evaluate these potential risks. In this study, we simulated the future SOC development in cropland and grassland soils of Bavaria in the 21st century. Soils from 51 study sites representing the most important soil classes of Central Europe were fractionated and derived SOC pools were used to initialize the RothC soil carbon model. For each site, long-term C inputs were determined using the C allocation method. Model runs were performed for three different C input scenarios as a realistic range of projected yield development. Our modelling approach revealed substantial SOC decreases of 11–16% under an expected mean temperature increase of 3.3 °C assuming unchanged C inputs. For the scenario of 20% reduced C inputs, agricultural SOC stocks are projected to decline by 19–24%. Remarkably, even the optimistic scenario of 20% increased C inputs led to SOC decreases of 3–8%. Projected SOC changes largely differed among investigated soil classes. Our results indicated that C inputs have to increase by 29% to maintain present SOC stocks in agricultural soils. PMID:27585648

A Self-Critique of Self-Organized Criticality in Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.

2015-08-01

The concept of ``self-organized criticality'' (SOC) was originally proposed as an explanation of 1/f-noise by Bak, Tang, and Wiesenfeld (1987), but turned out to have a far broader significance for scale-free nonlinear energy dissipation processes occurring in the entire universe. Over the last 30 years, an inspiring cross-fertilization from complexity theory to solar and astrophysics took place, where the SOC concept was initially applied to solar flares, stellar flares, and magnetospheric substorms, and later extended to the radiation belt, the heliosphere, lunar craters, the asteroid belt, the Saturn ring, pulsar glitches, soft X-ray repeaters, blazars, black-hole objects, cosmic rays, and boson clouds. The application of SOC concepts has been performed by numerical cellular automaton simulations, by analytical calculations of statistical (powerlaw-like) distributions based on physical scaling laws, and by observational tests of theoretically predicted size distributions and waiting time distributions. Attempts have been undertaken to import physical models into numerical SOC toy models. The novel applications stimulated also vigorous debates about the discrimination between SOC-related and non-SOC processes, such as phase transitions, turbulence, random-walk diffusion, percolation, branching processes, network theory, chaos theory, fractality, multi-scale, and other complexity phenomena. We review SOC models applied to astrophysical observations, attempt to describe what physics can be captured by SOC models, and offer a critique of weaknesses and strengths in existing SOC models.

A Self-Critique of Self-Organized Criticality in Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.

The concept of ``self-organized criticality'' (SOC) was originally proposed as an explanation of 1/f-noise by Bak, Tang, and Wiesenfeld (1987), but turned out to have a far broader significance for scale-free nonlinear energy dissipation processes occurring in the entire universe. Over the last 30 years, an inspiring cross-fertilization from complexity theory to solar and astrophysics took place, where the SOC concept was initially applied to solar flares, stellar flares, and magnetospheric substorms, and later extended to the radiation belt, the heliosphere, lunar craters, the asteroid belt, the Saturn ring, pulsar glitches, soft X-ray repeaters, blazars, black-hole objects, cosmic rays, and boson clouds. The application of SOC concepts has been performed by numerical cellular automaton simulations, by analytical calculations of statistical (powerlaw-like) distributions based on physical scaling laws, and by observational tests of theoretically predicted size distributions and waiting time distributions. Attempts have been undertaken to import physical models into numerical SOC toy models. The novel applications stimulated also vigorous debates about the discrimination between SOC-related and non-SOC processes, such as phase transitions, turbulence, random-walk diffusion, percolation, branching processes, network theory, chaos theory, fractality, multi-scale, and other complexity phenomena. We review SOC models applied to astrophysical observations, attempt to describe what physics can be captured by SOC models, and offer a critique of weaknesses and strengths in existing SOC models.

Genetic reduction of embryonic leukemia-inhibitory factor production rescues placentation in SOCS3-null embryos but does not prevent inflammatory disease.

PubMed

Robb, Lorraine; Boyle, Kristy; Rakar, Steven; Hartley, Lynne; Lochland, Janelle; Roberts, Andrew W; Alexander, Warren S; Metcalf, Donald

2005-11-08

The suppressor of cytokine-signaling (SOCS) proteins act as negative-feedback inhibitors of cytokine and growth-factor-induced signal transduction. In vivo studies have implicated SOCS3 as a negative regulator of signaling downstream of gp130, the receptor subunit shared by IL-6-like cytokines. Mice lacking SOCS3 die at midgestation because of placental failure, and SOCS3 ablation in a cell-type-specific manner results in changes in the functional outcome of gp130 signaling in response to IL-6. In this study, we show that genetic reduction of leukemia-inhibitory factor (LIF) production by embryo-derived tissues is sufficient to prevent the placental defect. This establishes LIF signaling as a major physiological regulator of trophoblast differentiation in vivo. Mice deficient in both SOCS3 and LIF are born in predicted numbers and appear normal at birth but exhibit failure to thrive and high neonatal mortality. Adult SOCS3-null mice on a LIF-null background succumb to a spontaneous fatal inflammatory disease characterized by neutrophilia and inflammatory-cell tissue infiltrates. The disease spectrum mimics that seen in mice with a conditional deletion of SOCS3 in hematopoietic and endothelial cells, extending the evidence for a major role for SOCS3 in the homeostatic regulation of the inflammatory response and indicates that LIF is not required for this process.

Genetic reduction of embryonic leukemia-inhibitory factor production rescues placentation in SOCS3-null embryos but does not prevent inflammatory disease

PubMed Central

Robb, Lorraine; Boyle, Kristy; Rakar, Steven; Hartley, Lynne; Lochland, Janelle; Roberts, Andrew W.; Alexander, Warren S.; Metcalf, Donald

2005-01-01

The suppressor of cytokine-signaling (SOCS) proteins act as negative-feedback inhibitors of cytokine and growth-factor-induced signal transduction. In vivo studies have implicated SOCS3 as a negative regulator of signaling downstream of gp130, the receptor subunit shared by IL-6-like cytokines. Mice lacking SOCS3 die at midgestation because of placental failure, and SOCS3 ablation in a cell-type-specific manner results in changes in the functional outcome of gp130 signaling in response to IL-6. In this study, we show that genetic reduction of leukemia-inhibitory factor (LIF) production by embryo-derived tissues is sufficient to prevent the placental defect. This establishes LIF signaling as a major physiological regulator of trophoblast differentiation in vivo. Mice deficient in both SOCS3 and LIF are born in predicted numbers and appear normal at birth but exhibit failure to thrive and high neonatal mortality. Adult SOCS3-null mice on a LIF-null background succumb to a spontaneous fatal inflammatory disease characterized by neutrophilia and inflammatory-cell tissue infiltrates. The disease spectrum mimics that seen in mice with a conditional deletion of SOCS3 in hematopoietic and endothelial cells, extending the evidence for a major role for SOCS3 in the homeostatic regulation of the inflammatory response and indicates that LIF is not required for this process. PMID:16258063

Sources and distribution of organic compounds using passive samplers in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona, and their implications for potential effects on aquatic biota.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosen, Michael R.; Alvarez, David A.; Goodbred, Steven L.; Leiker, Thomas J.; Patino, Reynaldo

2009-01-01

compounds (SOCs) at pg L-1 concentrations. Semi-permeable membrane devices and POCIS were deployed in Lake Mead, at two sites in Las Vegas Wash, at four sites across Lake Mead, and in the Colorado River downstream from Hoover Dam. Concentrations of hydrophobic SOCs were highest in Las Vegas Wash downstream from waste water and urban inputs and at 8 m depth in Las Vegas Bay (LVB) where Las Vegas Wash enters Lake Mead. Th e distribution of hydrophobic SOCs showed a lateral distribution across 10 km of Lake Mead from LVB to Boulder Basin. To assess possible vertical gradients of SOCs, SPMDs were deployed at 4-m intervals in 18 m of water in LVB. Fragrances and legacy SOCs were found at the greatest concentrations at the deepest depth. Th e vertical gradient of SOCs indicated that contaminants were generally confi ned to within 6 m of the lake bottom during the deployment interval. The high SOC concentrations, warmer water temperatures, and higher total dissolved solids concentrations at depth are indicative of a plume of Las Vegas Wash water moving along the lake bottom. Th e lateral and vertical distribution of SOCs is discussed in the context of other studies that have shown impaired health of fi sh exposed to SOCs.

Motivational stage of change in young patients undergoing day treatment for eating disorders.

PubMed

Bustin, Lisa A; Lane-Loney, Susan E; Hollenbeak, Christopher S; Ornstein, Rollyn M

2013-01-01

The objective was to determine whether motivation to change is significantly altered over the course of partial hospitalization in children and adolescents with eating disorders (EDs). This study was a retrospective chart review of 30 sets of adolescents and their parents who completed the Motivational Stage of Change for Adolescents Recovering from an Eating Disorder (MSCARED) at both intake and discharge from partial hospitalization. The main outcome variables included change in stage of change (SOC) for patients and their parents. Secondary outcomes included correlations between SOC and other baseline variables, as well as changes in SOC and psychological test scores. The SOC was significantly higher at discharge than at intake in both the patients and parents, but the two groups were not in agreement at discharge. The change in the SOC was correlated with change in Children's Eating Attitudes Test scores. Assessment of decisional balance showed correlations with SOC. Age, change in weight, and psychiatric diagnoses did not correlate with initial SOC. The MSCARED may be a useful tool for monitoring young ED patients' psychological improvements with day treatment. Initial SOC is not predictive of treatment outcomes.

Decadally cycling soil carbon is more sensitive to warming than faster-cycling soil carbon.

PubMed

Lin, Junjie; Zhu, Biao; Cheng, Weixin

2015-12-01

The response of soil organic carbon (SOC) pools to globally rising surface temperature crucially determines the feedback between climate change and the global carbon cycle. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the temperature sensitivity of decomposition for decadally cycling SOC which is the main component of total soil carbon stock and the most relevant to global change. We tackled this issue using two decadally (13) C-labeled soils and a much improved measuring system in a long-term incubation experiment. Results indicated that the temperature sensitivity of decomposition for decadally cycling SOC (>23 years in one soil and >55 years in the other soil) was significantly greater than that for faster-cycling SOC (<23 or 55 years) or for the entire SOC stock. Moreover, decadally cycling SOC contributed substantially (35-59%) to the total CO2 loss during the 360-day incubation. Overall, these results indicate that the decomposition of decadally cycling SOC is highly sensitive to temperature change, which will likely make this large SOC stock vulnerable to loss by global warming in the 21st century and beyond. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploring managers' views on span of control: more than a headcount.

PubMed

Wong, Carol A; Elliott-Miller, Pat; Laschinger, Heather; Cuddihy, Michael; Meyer, Raquel M; Keatings, Margaret; Burnett, Camille; Szudy, Natalie

2014-03-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore front-line managers' (FLMs') perceptions of their span of control (SOC) and how they manage it. As part of a larger quantitative study examining relationships between FLMs' SOC and performance outcomes, 10 manager focus groups were conducted by teleconference, involving 48 managers from 14 academic healthcare organizations. Themes and subthemes were identified according to (a) perceptions of the size and scope of SOC; (b) factors influencing the complexity of SOC; (c) supports needed to manage SOC; (d) changing leadership style; and (e) ways of coping with role overload. Participants described system demands as a significant contributor to their work responsibilities and a sense of role overload. About half of managers stated their SOC was unreasonable and that they lacked the necessary supports to manage it. Many managers who described their SOC as reasonable still expressed concerns about internal and external workload pressures that contributed to changing leadership style and role overload. Findings reinforce the importance of organizational strategies to create regular dialogue with FLMs regarding the size, complexity and appropriateness of current spans and to provide the resource supports necessary to ensure they can manage their SOC effectively.

Sense of community responsibility in community collaboratives: advancing a theory of community as resource and responsibility.

PubMed

Nowell, Branda; Boyd, Neil M

2014-12-01

This paper contributes to the growing body of scholarship aimed at advancing our understanding of the experience of community by empirically investigating sense of community responsibility (SOC-R) in relation to traditional measures of sense of community (SOC) and indices of satisfaction, engagement, and leadership in interorganizational collaborative settings. Findings support the proposition that, although both are related to the experience of community, SOC and SOC-R emphasize different aspects of that experience and operate under different theoretical mechanisms of influence. SOC emphasizes community as a resource which was found to be a more salient aspect in differentiating those who will be more or less satisfied with their experience. In addition, SOC was found to predict general participation in a community collaborative. SOC-R emphasizes the experience of community as a responsibility which appears to be a stronger predictor in explaining higher order engagement requiring greater investment of time and resources. Even more importantly, this study indicates that SOC-R is uniquely equipped to help us advance models of community leadership. As such, it represents an important contribution to expanding our understanding of the factors that drive members' willingness to give of themselves toward collective aims.

Influence of Agricultural Management on Soil Organic Carbon: A Compendium and Assessment of Canadian Studies

DOE Data Explorer

VandenBygaart, A. J. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottowa, Canada; Gregorich, E. G. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottowa, Canada; Angers, D. A. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottowa, Canada

2004-01-01

To fulfill commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, Canada is required to provide verifiable estimates and uncertainties for soil oganic carbon (SOC) stocks, and for changes in those stocks over time. Estimates and uncertainties for agricultural soils can be derived from long-term studies that have measured differences in SOC between different management practices. We compiled published data from long-term studies in Canada to assess the effect of agricultural management on SOC. A total of 62 studies were compiled, in which the difference in SOC was determined for conversion from native land to cropland, and for different tillage, crop rotation and fertilizer management practices. There was a loss of 24 ± 6% of the SOC after native land was converted to agricultural land. No-till (NT) increased the storage of SOC in western Canada by 2.9 ± 1.3 Mg ha–1; however, in eastern Canada conversion to NT did not increase SOC.

Climate and soil properties limit the positive effects of land use reversion on carbon storage in Eastern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabbi, S. M. F.; Tighe, Matthew; Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Cowie, Annette; Robertson, Fiona; Dalal, Ram; Page, Kathryn; Crawford, Doug; Wilson, Brian R.; Schwenke, Graeme; McLeod, Malem; Badgery, Warwick; Dang, Yash P.; Bell, Mike; O'Leary, Garry; Liu, De Li; Baldock, Jeff

2015-12-01

Australia’s “Direct Action” climate change policy relies on purchasing greenhouse gas abatement from projects undertaking approved abatement activities. Management of soil organic carbon (SOC) in agricultural soils is an approved activity, based on the expectation that land use change can deliver significant changes in SOC. However, there are concerns that climate, topography and soil texture will limit changes in SOC stocks. This work analyses data from 1482 sites surveyed across the major agricultural regions of Eastern Australia to determine the relative importance of land use vs. other drivers of SOC. Variation in land use explained only 1.4% of the total variation in SOC, with aridity and soil texture the main regulators of SOC stock under different land uses. Results suggest the greatest potential for increasing SOC stocks in Eastern Australian agricultural regions lies in converting from cropping to pasture on heavy textured soils in the humid regions.

Knock your SOCS off!

PubMed Central

LeRoith, Derek; Nissley, Peter

2005-01-01

The growth hormone/IGF-1–signaling (GH/IGF-1–signaling) system is involved in numerous physiological processes during normal growth and development and also in the aging process. Understanding the regulation of this system is therefore of importance to the biologist. Studies conducted over the past decade have shown that the JAK/STAT pathways are involved in GH signaling to the nucleus. More recently, evidence has been presented that a member of the SOCS family, SOCS2, is a negative regulator of GH signaling. This story began several years ago with the dramatic demonstration of gigantism in the SOCS2-knockout mouse. A more specific definition of the role of SOCS2 in GH signaling is provided in this issue of the JCI by the demonstration that the overgrowth phenotype of the SOCS2–/– mouse is dependent upon the presence of endogenous GH and that administration of GH to mice lacking both endogenous GH and SOCS2 produced excessive growth. PMID:15690080

Climate and soil properties limit the positive effects of land use reversion on carbon storage in Eastern Australia

PubMed Central

Rabbi, S.M.F.; Tighe, Matthew; Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Cowie, Annette; Robertson, Fiona; Dalal, Ram; Page, Kathryn; Crawford, Doug; Wilson, Brian R.; Schwenke, Graeme; Mcleod, Malem; Badgery, Warwick; Dang, Yash P.; Bell, Mike; O’Leary, Garry; Liu, De Li; Baldock, Jeff

2015-01-01

Australia’s “Direct Action” climate change policy relies on purchasing greenhouse gas abatement from projects undertaking approved abatement activities. Management of soil organic carbon (SOC) in agricultural soils is an approved activity, based on the expectation that land use change can deliver significant changes in SOC. However, there are concerns that climate, topography and soil texture will limit changes in SOC stocks. This work analyses data from 1482 sites surveyed across the major agricultural regions of Eastern Australia to determine the relative importance of land use vs. other drivers of SOC. Variation in land use explained only 1.4% of the total variation in SOC, with aridity and soil texture the main regulators of SOC stock under different land uses. Results suggest the greatest potential for increasing SOC stocks in Eastern Australian agricultural regions lies in converting from cropping to pasture on heavy textured soils in the humid regions. PMID:26639009

Evaluation of SOC for the presumptive identification of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans.

PubMed

Fleming, W H; Knezek, K L; Dorn, G L

1987-01-01

SOC, a fungal growth medium composed of Solryth, oxgall, and caffeic acid, was evaluated as a medium to provide rapid, differential identification of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Using a variety of common isolation media to produce the yeast inocula, the germ tube methods tested ranked in the following order of decreasing sensitivity: SOC (97% +/- 1), serum (92% +/- 5), rabbit coagulase plasma with EDTA in combination with tryptic soy broth (89% +/- 5), TOC (89% +/- 6), and rabbit coagulase plasma with EDTA (83% +/- 4). In chlamydospore production, SOC also proved to be the most sensitive after 24 h incubation: SOC (96% +/- 2), TOC (80% +/- 2), and cornmeal-Tween 80 agar (14% +/- 3). Other medically important yeasts showed normal patterns of growth within 24 h on SOC, thus assisting in their identification. Eighty strains of Cryptococcus neoformans showed characteristic brown pigmentation on SOC and TOC within 18 h, while all other species of the genus Cryptococcus and 229 Candida isolates did not show a change in pigmentation.

Effect of overcharge on Li(Ni0.5Mn0.3Co0.2)O2/Graphite lithium ion cells with poly(vinylidene fluoride) binder. I - Microstructural changes in the anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dietz Rago, Nancy; Bareño, Javier; Li, Jianlin; Du, Zhijia; Wood, David L.; Steele, Leigh Anna; Lamb, Joshua; Spangler, Scott; Grosso, Christopher; Fenton, Kyle; Bloom, Ira

2018-05-01

Cells based on NMC/graphite, containing poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) binders in the positive and negative electrodes, were systematically overcharged to 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, and 250% state-of-charge (SOC). At 250% SOC the cell vented. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) of the anodes showed several state-of-overcharge-dependent trends. Starting at 120% SOC, dendrites appeared and increased in concentration as the SOC increased. Dendrite morphology appeared to be dependent on whether the active material was on the "dull" or "shiny" side of the copper collector. Significantly more delamination of the active material from the collector was seen on the "shiny" side of the collector particularly at 180 and 250% SOC. Transition metals were detected at 120% SOC and increased in concentration as the SOC increased. There was considerable spatial heterogeneity in the microstructures across each laminate with several regions displaying complex layered structures.

Interactions between soil and tree roots accelerate long-term soil carbon decomposition.

PubMed

Dijkstra, Feike A; Cheng, Weixin

2007-11-01

Decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC) is the main process governing the release of CO(2) into the atmosphere from terrestrial systems. Although the importance of soil-root interactions for SOC decomposition has increasingly been recognized, their long-term effect on SOC decomposition remains poorly understood. Here we provide experimental evidence for a rhizosphere priming effect, in which interactions between soil and tree roots substantially accelerate SOC decomposition. In a 395-day greenhouse study with Ponderosa pine and Fremont cottonwood trees grown in three different soils, SOC decomposition in the planted treatments was significantly greater (up to 225%) than in soil incubations alone. This rhizosphere priming effect persisted throughout the experiment, until well after initial soil disturbance, and increased with a greater amount of root-derived SOC formed during the experiment. Loss of old SOC was greater than the formation of new C, suggesting that increased C inputs from roots could result in net soil C loss.

Spin valley and giant quantum spin Hall gap of hydrofluorinated bismuth nanosheet.

PubMed

Gao, Heng; Wu, Wei; Hu, Tao; Stroppa, Alessandro; Wang, Xinran; Wang, Baigeng; Miao, Feng; Ren, Wei

2018-05-09

Spin-valley and electronic band topological properties have been extensively explored in quantum material science, yet their coexistence has rarely been realized in stoichiometric two-dimensional (2D) materials. We theoretically predict the quantum spin Hall effect (QSHE) in the hydrofluorinated bismuth (Bi 2 HF) nanosheet where the hydrogen (H) and fluorine (F) atoms are functionalized on opposite sides of bismuth (Bi) atomic monolayer. Such Bi 2 HF nanosheet is found to be a 2D topological insulator with a giant band gap of 0.97 eV which might host room temperature QSHE. The atomistic structure of Bi 2 HF nanosheet is noncentrosymmetric and the spontaneous polarization arises from the hydrofluorinated morphology. The phonon spectrum and ab initio molecular dynamic (AIMD) calculations reveal that the proposed Bi 2 HF nanosheet is dynamically and thermally stable. The inversion symmetry breaking together with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) leads to the coupling between spin and valley in Bi 2 HF nanosheet. The emerging valley-dependent properties and the interplay between intrinsic dipole and SOC are investigated using first-principles calculations combined with an effective Hamiltonian model. The topological invariant of the Bi 2 HF nanosheet is confirmed by using Wilson loop method and the calculated helical metallic edge states are shown to host QSHE. The Bi 2 HF nanosheet is therefore a promising platform to realize room temperature QSHE and valley spintronics.

From node-line semimetals to large-gap quantum spin Hall states in a family of pentagonal group-IVA chalcogenide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Run-Wu; Liu, Cheng-Cheng; Ma, Da-Shuai; Yao, Yugui

2018-03-01

Two-dimensional (2D) topological insulators (TIs) have attracted tremendous research interest from both the theoretical and the experimental fields in recent years. However, it is much less investigated in realizing node line (NL) semimetals in 2D materials. Combining first-principles calculations and symmetry analysis, we find that NL phases emerge in p -CS2 and p -SiS2 , as well as other pentagonal IVX2 films, i.e., p -IVX2 (IV= C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb; X=S, Se, Te) in the absence of spin-orbit coupling (SOC). The NLs in p -IVX2 consist of symbolic Fermi loops centered around the Γ point and are protected by mirror reflection symmetry. As the atomic number is downward shifted, the NL semimetals are driven into 2D TIs with the large bulk gap up to 0.715 eV induced by the remarkable SOC effect. The nontrivial bulk gap can be tunable under external biaxial strain and uniaxial strain. Moreover, we also propose a quantum well by sandwiching a p -PbTe2 crystal between two NaI sheets in which p -PbTe2 still keeps its nontrivial topology with a sizable band gap (˜0.5 eV). These findings provide a new 2D material platform for exploring fascinating physics in both NL semimetals and TIs.

The Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation Model for Multimedia, Multipathway Chemicals: Dietary Module Version 1: Technical Manual

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

SHEDS - Multimedia is EPA's premier physically-based, probabilistic model, that can simulate cumulative or aggregate exposures for a population across a variety of multimedia, multipathway environmental chemicals.

Development of multimedia resource and short courses for LRFR rating.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-09-01

Multimedia technology is an important instrument in the training of graduate engineers. This multimedia package : provides an exclusive background and an in-depth understanding of recent technological advances in the evaluation : and rating of highwa...

Intuitive color-based visualization of multimedia content as large graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delest, Maylis; Don, Anthony; Benois-Pineau, Jenny

2004-06-01

Data visualization techniques are penetrating in various technological areas. In the field of multimedia such as information search and retrieval in multimedia archives, or digital media production and post-production, data visualization methodologies based on large graphs give an exciting alternative to conventional storyboard visualization. In this paper we develop a new approach to visualization of multimedia (video) documents based both on large graph clustering and preliminary video segmenting and indexing.

Educational Multimedia/Hypermedia and Telecommunications, 1997. Proceedings of ED-MEDIA/ED-TELECOM 97--World Conference on Educational Multimedia/Hypermedia and Educational Telecommunications (Calgary, Canada, June 14-19, 1997). Volumes I and II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muldner, Tomasz, Ed.; Reeves, Thomas C., Ed.

This collection presents papers pertaining to the wide area of educational multimedia/hypermedia and telecommunications. The conference serves as a forum for the dissemination of information on the research, development, and applications in all areas of multimedia/hypermedia and telecommunications in education across all disciplines and levels.…

Differences between multimedia and text-based assessments of emotion management: An exploration with the multimedia emotion management assessment (MEMA).

PubMed

MacCann, Carolyn; Lievens, Filip; Libbrecht, Nele; Roberts, Richard D

2016-11-01

People process emotional information using visual, vocal, and verbal cues. However, emotion management is typically assessed with text based rather than multimedia stimuli. This study (N = 427) presents the new multimedia emotion management assessment (MEMA) and compares it to the text-based assessment of emotion management used in the MSCEIT. The text-based and multimedia assessment showed similar levels of cognitive saturation and similar prediction of relevant criteria. Results demonstrate that the MEMA scores have equivalent evidence of validity to the text-based MSCEIT test scores, demonstrating that multimedia assessment of emotion management is viable. Furthermore, our results inform the debate as to whether cognitive saturation in emotional intelligence (EI) measures represents "noise" or "substance". We find that cognitive ability associations with EI represent substantive variance rather than construct-irrelevant shared variance due to reading comprehension ability required for text-based items.

On-demand hypermedia/multimedia service over broadband networks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bouras, C.; Kapoulas, V.; Spirakis, P.

1996-12-31

In this paper we present a unified approach for delivering hypermedia/multimedia objects over broadband networks. Documents are stored in various multimedia servers, while the inline data may reside in their own media servers, attached to the multimedia servers. The described service consists of several multimedia servers and a set of functions that intend to present to the end user interactive information in real-time. Users interact with the service requesting multimedia documents on demand. Various media streams are transmitted over different parallel connections according lo their transmission requirements. The hypermedia documents are structured using a hypermedia markup language that keeps informationmore » of the spatiotemporal relationships among document`s media components. In order to deal with the variant network behavior, buffering manipulation mechanisms and grading of the transmitted media quality techniques are proposed to smooth presentation and synchronization anomalies.« less

Transactional interactive multimedia banner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shae, Zon-Yin; Wang, Xiping; von Kaenel, Juerg

2000-05-01

Advertising in TV broadcasting has shown that multimedia is a very effective means to present merchandise and attract shoppers. This has been applied to the Web by including animated multimedia banner ads on web pages. However, the issues of coupling interactive browsing, shopping, and secure transactions e.g. from inside a multimedia banner, have only recently started to being explored. Currently there is an explosively growing amount of back-end services available (e.g., business to business commerce (B2B), business to consumer (B2C) commerce, and infomercial services) in the Internet. These services are mostly accessible through static HTML web pages at a few specific web portals. In this paper, we will investigate the feasibility of using interactive multimedia banners as pervasive access point for the B2C, B2B, and infomercial services. We present a system architecture that involves a layer of middleware agents functioning as the bridge between the interactive multimedia banners and back-end services.

Financial assessment of the Space Operations Center as a Private Business Venture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, M.

1982-01-01

The possibility of private financing and operation of the Space Operations Center (SOC) is considered as an alternative to SOC development by the government. A hypothetical revenue model for SOC services is constructed and is compared with NASA estimates of SOC development and operating costs. A present value analysis based on a 1985 to 2000 investment horizon shows a potential for substantial profit in a private SOC venture, although the possibility of large losses is not discounted. Present value estimates range from $8.6 billion down to a low minus $3.3 billion.