Solving Wakulla Springs underwater mysteries. Using GPS to map Florida's underground caverns

USGS Publications Warehouse

Am, Ende B.

2002-01-01

Located in the Woodville Karst Plain stretching south from Tallahassee to the Gulf of Mexico, Florida's Wakulla Springs is one of the largest and deepest freshwater Springs in the world. It is also a gateway into one of the longest underwater cave system in the United States, a system that remained largely unexplored until recently. Soon, however, thanks to one of the world's most extreme scientific and exploration-related diving projects ever undertaken, visitors to Wakulla Springs State Park will be able to take a virtual tour through the Spring's huge underwater labyrinth. Using such cutting-edge technology as a 3D Digital Wall Mapper (DWM) and the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Wakulla 2 Expedition - with 151 volunteer cave divers, scientists and engineers from all over the world - created the world's first three-dimensional digital map of an underwater cave. Underwater caves are priceless treasures, helping supply fresh water to the region as well as acting as 'time capsules' to the past. Home to creatures found in few other places, areas such as Wakulla face threats of pollution and over-development. Wakulla 2 hopes their 3D interactive 'swim through' will help increase the understanding and preservation of these important areas.

Forest edge disturbance increases rattan abundance in tropical rain forest fragments.

PubMed

Campbell, Mason J; Edwards, Will; Magrach, Ainhoa; Laurance, Susan G; Alamgir, Mohammed; Porolak, Gabriel; Laurance, William F

2017-07-20

Human-induced forest fragmentation poses one of the largest threats to global diversity yet its impact on rattans (climbing palms) has remained virtually unexplored. Rattan is arguably the world's most valuable non-timber forest product though current levels of harvesting and land-use change place wild populations at risk. To assess rattan response to fragmentation exclusive of harvesting impacts we examined rattan abundance, demography and ecology within the forests of northeastern, Australia. We assessed the community abundance of rattans, and component adult (>3 m) and juvenile (≤3 m) abundance in five intact forests and five fragments (23-58 ha) to determine their response to a range of environmental and ecological parameters. Fragmented forests supported higher abundances of rattans than intact forests. Fragment size and edge degradation significantly increased adult rattan abundance, with more in smaller fragments and near edges. Our findings suggest that rattan increase within fragments is due to canopy disturbance of forest edges resulting in preferential, high-light habitat. However, adult and juvenile rattans may respond inconsistently to fragmentation. In managed forest fragments, a rattan abundance increase may provide economic benefits through sustainable harvesting practices. However, rattan increases in protected area forest fragments could negatively impact conservation outcomes.

Antenna design and implementation for the future space Ultra-Long wavelength radio telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Linjie; Aminaei, Amin; Gurvits, Leonid I.; Wolt, Marc Klein; Pourshaghaghi, Hamid Reza; Yan, Yihua; Falcke, Heino

2018-04-01

In radio astronomy, the Ultra-Long Wavelengths (ULW) regime of longer than 10 m (frequencies below 30 MHz), remains the last virtually unexplored window of the celestial electromagnetic spectrum. The strength of the science case for extending radio astronomy into the ULW window is growing. However, the opaqueness of the Earth's ionosphere makes ULW observations by ground-based facilities practically impossible. Furthermore, the ULW spectrum is full of anthropogenic radio frequency interference (RFI). The only radical solution for both problems is in placing an ULW astronomy facility in space. We present a concept of a key element of a space-borne ULW array facility, an antenna that addresses radio astronomical specifications. A tripole-type antenna and amplifier are analysed as a solution for ULW implementation. A receiver system with a low power dissipation is discussed as well. The active antenna is optimized to operate at the noise level defined by the celestial emission in the frequency band 1 - 30 MHz. Field experiments with a prototype tripole antenna enabled estimates of the system noise temperature. They indicated that the proposed concept meets the requirements of a space-borne ULW array facility.

Real and virtual worlds alike: Adolescents' psychopathology is reflected in their videogame virtual behaviors.

PubMed

Segev, Aviv; Gabay-Weschler, Hila; Naar, Yossi; Maoz, Hagai; Bloch, Yuval

2017-01-01

Current research refers to videogames as a constant variable. However, games today are designed to be highly interactive and versatile: two players may be using the same videogame, but as a result of different using patterns, the game will not necessarily encompass the same content and gameplay. The current study examined the possible relationship between psychopathology and in-game playing patterns. We hypothesized that adolescents would play videogames differently, in a manner that would reflect their particular psychopathologies. We examined 47 male adolescents from three diagnostic groups: those suffering from externalizing psychopathologies, internalizing psychopathologies and controls. We performed a high-resolution examination of their gameplay, using in-game quantitative statistics mechanisms of two fundamentally different games, a structured racing game and an unstructured adventure game. While there was no difference in the groups' using patterns of the structured game, there was a high variability between the groups' using patterns when they were using a non-structured game. These findings suggest that virtual behavior in unstructured games is reflective of adolescent-players psychopathology, and might shed light on an unexplored facet of videogames research. Possible implications are discussed.

Real and virtual worlds alike: Adolescents' psychopathology is reflected in their videogame virtual behaviors

PubMed Central

Gabay-Weschler, Hila; Naar, Yossi; Maoz, Hagai; Bloch, Yuval

2017-01-01

Current research refers to videogames as a constant variable. However, games today are designed to be highly interactive and versatile: two players may be using the same videogame, but as a result of different using patterns, the game will not necessarily encompass the same content and gameplay. The current study examined the possible relationship between psychopathology and in-game playing patterns. We hypothesized that adolescents would play videogames differently, in a manner that would reflect their particular psychopathologies. We examined 47 male adolescents from three diagnostic groups: those suffering from externalizing psychopathologies, internalizing psychopathologies and controls. We performed a high-resolution examination of their gameplay, using in-game quantitative statistics mechanisms of two fundamentally different games, a structured racing game and an unstructured adventure game. While there was no difference in the groups' using patterns of the structured game, there was a high variability between the groups' using patterns when they were using a non-structured game. These findings suggest that virtual behavior in unstructured games is reflective of adolescent-players psychopathology, and might shed light on an unexplored facet of videogames research. Possible implications are discussed. PMID:28708879

Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of source-sink dynamics

EPA Science Inventory

1. Many factors affect the presence and exchange of individuals among subpopulations and influence not only the emergence, but the strength of ensuing source-sink dynamics within metapopulations, yet their relative contributions remain largely unexplored. 2. To help identify the...

IRON REGULATES XANTHINE OXIDASE ACTIVITY IN THE LUNG

EPA Science Inventory

The iron chelator deferoxamine has been reported to inhibit both xanthine oxidase (XO) and xanthine dehydrogenase activity, but the relationship of this effect to the availability of iron in the cellular and tissue environment remains unexplored. XO and total xanthine oxidoreduct...

Dose-dependent effects of nectar alkaloids in a montane plant-pollinator community

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although secondary metabolites are prevalent in floral nectar, the ecological consequences for pollinators and pollination remain relatively unexplored. While often deterrent to pollinators at high concentrations, secondary metabolite concentrations in nectar tend to be much lower than secondary met...

Client Engagement Characteristics Associated with Problem Gambling Treatment Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowling, Nicki A.; Cosic, Sanja

2011-01-01

Previous research examining the factors associated with problem gambling treatment outcomes has examined client factors and to date, treatment characteristics, therapist factors, and client-therapist interactions have essentially remained unexplored. This study aimed to investigate how client engagement variables (client-rated therapeutic…

Childhood Rituals and Executive Functions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tregay, Jenifer; Gilmour, Jane; Charman, Tony

2009-01-01

Repetitive and ritualistic behaviours (RRBs) are a feature of both typical and atypical development. While the cognitive correlates of these behaviours have been investigated in some neurodevelopmental conditions these links remain largely unexplored in typical development. The current study examined the relationship between RRBs and executive…

The Expanding Diversity of RNA Viruses in Vertebrates.

PubMed

Wang, Wenqiang; Han, Guan-Zhu

2018-06-01

The diversity of RNA viruses in vertebrates remains largely unexplored. The discovery of 214 novel vertebrate-associated RNA viruses will likely help us to understand the diversity and evolution of RNA viruses in vertebrates. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motion/imagery secure cloud enterprise architecture analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLay, John L.

2012-06-01

Cloud computing with storage virtualization and new service-oriented architectures brings a new perspective to the aspect of a distributed motion imagery and persistent surveillance enterprise. Our existing research is focused mainly on content management, distributed analytics, WAN distributed cloud networking performance issues of cloud based technologies. The potential of leveraging cloud based technologies for hosting motion imagery, imagery and analytics workflows for DOD and security applications is relatively unexplored. This paper will examine technologies for managing, storing, processing and disseminating motion imagery and imagery within a distributed network environment. Finally, we propose areas for future research in the area of distributed cloud content management enterprises.

Multinuclear metal-binding ability of a carotene

PubMed Central

Horiuchi, Shinnosuke; Tachibana, Yuki; Yamashita, Mitsuki; Yamamoto, Koji; Masai, Kohei; Takase, Kohei; Matsutani, Teruo; Kawamata, Shiori; Kurashige, Yuki; Yanai, Takeshi; Murahashi, Tetsuro

2015-01-01

Carotenes are naturally abundant unsaturated hydrocarbon pigments, and their fascinating physical and chemical properties have been studied intensively not only for better understanding of the roles in biological processes but also for the use in artificial chemical systems. However, their metal-binding ability has been virtually unexplored. Here we report that β-carotene has the ability to assemble and align ten metal atoms to afford decanuclear homo- and heterometal chain complexes. The metallo–carotenoid framework shows reversible metalation–demetalation reactivity with multiple metals, which allows us to control the size of metal chains as well as the heterobimetallic composition and arrangement of the carotene-supported metal chains. PMID:25857402

Cytogenetic effect of Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed) on Agasicles hygrophila (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in its native range

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant polyploidy potentially affects plant-insect interactions; however, its effect on insect fitness remains largely unexplored. Alternanthera philoxeroides is a South American amphibious Amaranthaceae, which invades aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Different morphotypes and cytotypes were identif...

Introverts, Extroverts, and Achievement in a Distance Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Offir, Baruch; Bezalel, Rachel; Barth, Ingrid

2007-01-01

Although difficulties that characterize distance learning (DL) clearly have differential effects on different learners, links between barrier research and individual differences remain relatively unexplored. This study examined the relationship between cognitive style, based on Jung's (1971) theory, and achievement levels among 77 university…

Salmonella biofilm formation on Aspergillus niger involves cellulose - chitin interactions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Salmonella cycles between host and nonhost environments, where it can become an active member of complex microbial communities. The role of fungi in the environmental adaptation of enteric pathogens remains relatively unexplored. We have discovered that S. enterica Typhimurium rapidly attaches to an...

From Principles to Practice: Collegial Observation for Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Susan M.

2012-01-01

Teachers constantly question their own practice. Often, their questions remain unexplored. Collegial observation provides one way to see teaching differently and understand the tensions involved in incorporating new theoretical understandings into practice. Gebhard (1999) argues that conversations preceding and following such observations are…

Euphyllia paradivisa, a successful mesophotic coral in the northern Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba, Red Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyal, Gal; Eyal-Shaham, Lee; Cohen, Itay; Tamir, Raz; Ben-Zvi, Or; Sinniger, Frederic; Loya, Yossi

2016-03-01

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) host a thriving community of biota that has remained virtually unexplored. Here we report for the first time on a large population of the endangered coral species Euphyllia paradivisa from the MCEs of the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba (GOE/A), Red Sea. The mesophotic zone in some parts of the study site harbors a specialized coral community predominantly comprising E. paradivisa (73 % of the total coral cover), distributed from 36 to 72 m depth. Here we sought to elucidate the strict distribution but high abundance of E. paradivisa in the MCEs at the GOE/A. We present 4 yr of observations and experiments that provide insight into the physiological plasticity of E. paradivisa: its low mortality rates at high light intensities, high competitive abilities, successful symbiont adaptation to the shallow-water environment, and tolerance to bleaching conditions or survival during prolonged bleaching. Despite its ability to survive under high irradiance in shallow water, E. paradivisa is not found in the shallow reef of the GOE/A. We suggest several factors that may explain the high abundance and exclusivity of E. paradivisa in the MCE: its heterotrophic capabilities; its high competition abilities; the possibility of it finding a deep-reef refuge there from fish predation; and its concomitant adaptation to this environment.

Iridescence: a functional perspective

PubMed Central

Doucet, Stéphanie M.; Meadows, Melissa G.

2009-01-01

In animals, iridescence is generated by the interaction of light with biological tissues that are nanostructured to produce thin films or diffraction gratings. Uniquely among animal visual signals, the study of iridescent coloration contributes to biological and physical sciences by enhancing our understanding of the evolution of communication strategies, and by providing insights into physical optics and inspiring biomimetic technologies useful to humans. Iridescent colours are found in a broad diversity of animal taxa ranging from diminutive marine copepods to terrestrial insects and birds. Iridescent coloration has received a surge of research interest of late, and studies have focused on both characterizing the nanostructures responsible for producing iridescence and identifying the behavioural functions of iridescent colours. In this paper, we begin with a brief description of colour production mechanisms in animals and provide a general overview of the taxonomic distribution of iridescent colours. We then highlight unique properties of iridescent signals and review the proposed functions of iridescent coloration, focusing, in particular, on the ways in which iridescent colours allow animals to communicate with conspecifics and avoid predators. We conclude with a brief overview of non-communicative functions of iridescence in animals. Despite the vast amount of recent work on animal iridescence, our review reveals that many proposed functions of iridescent coloration remain virtually unexplored, and this area is clearly ripe for future research. PMID:19336344

Disrupted global metastability and static and dynamic brain connectivity across individuals in the Alzheimer’s disease continuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Córdova-Palomera, Aldo; Kaufmann, Tobias; Persson, Karin; Alnæs, Dag; Doan, Nhat Trung; Moberget, Torgeir; Lund, Martina Jonette; Barca, Maria Lage; Engvig, Andreas; Brækhus, Anne; Engedal, Knut; Andreassen, Ole A.; Selbæk, Geir; Westlye, Lars T.

2017-01-01

As findings on the neuropathological and behavioral components of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) continue to accrue, converging evidence suggests that macroscale brain functional disruptions may mediate their association. Recent developments on theoretical neuroscience indicate that instantaneous patterns of brain connectivity and metastability may be a key mechanism in neural communication underlying cognitive performance. However, the potential significance of these patterns across the AD spectrum remains virtually unexplored. We assessed the clinical sensitivity of static and dynamic functional brain disruptions across the AD spectrum using resting-state fMRI in a sample consisting of AD patients (n = 80) and subjects with either mild (n = 44) or subjective (n = 26) cognitive impairment (MCI, SCI). Spatial maps constituting the nodes in the functional brain network and their associated time-series were estimated using spatial group independent component analysis and dual regression, and whole-brain oscillatory activity was analyzed both globally (metastability) and locally (static and dynamic connectivity). Instantaneous phase metrics showed functional coupling alterations in AD compared to MCI and SCI, both static (putamen, dorsal and default-mode) and dynamic (temporal, frontal-superior and default-mode), along with decreased global metastability. The results suggest that brains of AD patients display altered oscillatory patterns, in agreement with theoretical premises on cognitive dynamics.

Isolation and characterization of Y chromosome sequences from the African malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae.

PubMed Central

Krzywinski, Jaroslaw; Nusskern, Deborah R; Kern, Marcia K; Besansky, Nora J

2004-01-01

The karyotype of the African malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae contains two pairs of autosomes and a pair of sex chromosomes. The Y chromosome, constituting approximately 10% of the genome, remains virtually unexplored, despite the recent completion of the A. gambiae genome project. Here we report the identification and characterization of Y chromosome sequences of total length approaching 150 kb. We developed 11 Y-specific PCR markers that consistently yielded male-specific products in specimens from both laboratory colony and natural populations. The markers are characterized by low sequence polymorphism in samples collected across Africa and by presence in more than one copy on the Y. Screening of the A. gambiae BAC library using these markers allowed detection of 90 Y-linked BAC clones. Analysis of the BAC sequences and other Y-derived fragments showed massive accumulation of a few transposable elements. Nevertheless, more complex sequences are apparently present on the Y; these include portions of an approximately 48-kb-long unmapped AAAB01008227 scaffold from the whole genome shotgun assembly. Anopheles Y appears not to harbor any of the genes identified in Drosophila Y. However, experiments suggest that one of the ORFs from the AAAB01008227 scaffold represents a fragment of a gene with male-specific expression. PMID:15082548

Michel Foucault's Limit-Experience Limited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papastephanou, Marianna

2018-01-01

Educational philosophy has not discussed Foucault's publications on the Iranian Revolution and the related controversy. Foucauldian concepts are applied to education, though his only writings which "sidetracked" him from exploring power within the state, namely, his journalistic accounts of his visits to Iran, remain unexplored in our…

Mechanisms of Sibling Socialization in Normative Family Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiteman, Shawn D.; Becerra, Julia M.; Killoren, Sarah E.

2009-01-01

Siblings are important sources of social influence throughout childhood and adolescence. Nevertheless, the processes by which siblings influence one another remain relatively unexplored. We highlight two theories of sibling influence--sibling deidentification and social learning--that offer insights as to how and why siblings develop similar and…

Undoing Suggestive Influence on Memory: The Reversibility of the Eyewitness Misinformation Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oeberst, Aileen; Blank, Hartmut

2012-01-01

Presenting inconsistent postevent information about a witnessed incident typically decreases the accuracy of memory reports concerning that event (the "misinformation effect"). Surprisingly, the "reversibility" of the effect (after an initial occurrence) has remained largely unexplored. Based on a "memory conversion" theoretical framework and…

Opposite Effects of Working Memory on Subjective Visibility and Priming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Loof, Esther; Verguts, Tom; Fias, Wim; Van Opstal, Filip

2013-01-01

Cognitive theories on consciousness propose a strong link between consciousness and working memory (WM). This link is also present at the neural level: Both consciousness and WM have been implicated in a prefrontal parietal network. However, the link remains empirically unexplored. The present study investigates the relation between consciousness…

GESTALT: A Framework for Redesign of Educational Software

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puustinen, M.; Baker, M.; Lund, K.

2006-01-01

Design of educational multimedia rarely starts from scratch, but rather by attempting to reuse existing software. Although redesign has been an issue in research on evaluation and on learning objects, how it should be carried out in a principled way has remained relatively unexplored. Furthermore, understanding how empirical research on…

Intervention Fidelity for a Complex Behaviour Change Intervention in Community Pharmacy Addressing Cardiovascular Disease Risk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, K. P.; O'Reilly, S. L.; George, J.; Peterson, G. M.; Jackson, S. L.; Duncan, G.; Howarth, H.; Dunbar, J. A.

2015-01-01

Background: Delivery of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programs by community pharmacists appears effective and enhances health service access. However, their capacity to implement complex behavioural change processes during patient counselling remains largely unexplored. This study aims to determine intervention fidelity by pharmacists…

Retrieval-Induced Forgetting of Arithmetic Facts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Jamie I. D.; Thompson, Valerie A.

2012-01-01

Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) is a widely studied phenomenon of human memory, but RIF of arithmetic facts remains relatively unexplored. In 2 experiments, we investigated RIF of simple addition facts (2 + 3 = 5) from practice of their multiplication counterparts (2 x 3 = 6). In both experiments, robust RIF expressed in response times occurred…

International PhD Student's Motives, Scaffolding, and Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mochizuki, Naoko

2016-01-01

Writing groups have been gaining attention as a new approach to doctoral education to cater to students and supervisors' diversified needs emerging from the globalisation of higher education. However, the relationships between the main activity of these groups, oral interactions, and participants' learning remain unexplored. To fill this gap, this…

A Test of Self-Determination Theory in School Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Standage, Martyn; Duda, Joan L.; Ntoumanis, Nikos

2005-01-01

Background: Contemporary research conducted in the context of school physical education (PE) has increasingly embraced various tenets of self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 1991). Despite this increase in research attention, some postulates of the framework remain unexplored (e.g. impact of a need-supportive climate). As such, the…

Bridging Developmental Systems Theory and Evolutionary Psychology Using Dynamic Optimization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frankenhuis, Willem E.; Panchanathan, Karthik; Clark Barrett, H.

2013-01-01

Interactions between evolutionary psychologists and developmental systems theorists have been largely antagonistic. This is unfortunate because potential synergies between the two approaches remain unexplored. This article presents a method that may help to bridge the divide, and that has proven fruitful in biology: dynamic optimization. Dynamic…

An Inventory on Rotational Kinematics of a Particle: Unravelling Misconceptions and Pitfalls in Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mashood, K. K.; Singh, Vijay A.

2012-01-01

Student difficulties regarding the angular velocity ([image omitted]) and angular acceleration ([image omitted]) of a particle have remained relatively unexplored in contrast to their linear counterparts. We present an inventory comprising multiple choice questions aimed at probing misconceptions and eliciting ill-suited reasoning patterns. The…

Childhood Giftedness, Adolescent Agency: A Systemic Multiple-Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mudrak, Jiri; Zabrodska, Katerina

2015-01-01

Although considerable research has addressed development from childhood giftedness to adult excellence, subjective perceptions of this development by gifted individuals themselves have remained largely unexplored. This multiple case study examined the ways in which young adults, who in the past had been identified as gifted, made sense of their…

Exploring the Efficacy of Online American Sign Language Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radford, Curt L.

2012-01-01

Advances in technology have significantly influenced educational delivery options, particularly in the area of American Sign Language (ASL) instruction. As a result, ASL online courses are currently being explored in higher education. The review of literature remains relatively unexplored regarding the effectiveness of learning ASL online. In…

Mathematical Abilities in Elementary School Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Titeca, Daisy; Roeyers, Herbert; Loeys, Tom; Ceulemans, Annelies; Desoete, Annemie

2015-01-01

Although clinical practitioners often express concerns about the mathematical functioning of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the field of mathematics remains a relatively unexplored topic in individuals with ASD. Moreover, research findings are fragmentary and hold inconclusive results. The present study aimed to examine whether…

Studio Approaches to Art Therapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malchiodi, Cathy A.

A need exists within the profession of art therapy to address issues of managed care, licensure, and provider reimbursement. While the profession struggles on both the state and national level with issues of livelihood and recognition, there are still philosophical questions within the field which remain unexplored. This article addresses a theme…

Aluminum tolerance is associated with higher MATE1 gene copy-number in maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genome structure variation, including copy-number (CNV) and presence/absence variation (PAV), comprise a large extent of maize genetic diversity but their effect on phenotypes remains largely unexplored. Here we describe how copy-number variation in a major aluminum (Al) tolerance locus contributes ...

The Potential Role of Business Intelligence in Church Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felder, Charmaine

2012-01-01

Business intelligence (BI) involves transforming data into actionable information to make better business decisions that may help improve operations. Although businesses have experienced success with BI, how leaders of church organizations might be able to exploit the advantages of BI in church organizations remains largely unexplored. The purpose…

Goal Setting and Student Achievement: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeller, Aleidine J.; Theiler, Janine M.; Wu, Chaorong

2012-01-01

The connection between goals and student motivation has been widely investigated in the research literature, but the relationship of goal setting and student achievement at the classroom level has remained largely unexplored. This article reports the findings of a 5-year quasi-experimental study examining goal setting and student achievement in…

Examining the Determinants of Sexual Violence among Young, Married Women in Southern India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chibber, Karuna S.; Krupp, Karl; Padian, Nancy; Madhivanan, Purnima

2012-01-01

The prevalence of sexual violence is increasingly being studied in India. Yet the determinants of sexual violence, irrespective of physical violence, remain largely unexplored. Here the authors identify the determinants of sexual violence, and additionally, explore how the presence of physical violence modifies these determinants. A…

The Roles of Teacher Leadership in Shanghai Education Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pang, Nicholas Sun-keung; Miao, Zhuang

2017-01-01

Teacher leadership is generally accepted as having a critical role in supporting school improvement. However, most knowledge on teacher leadership comes from the West, the roles of teacher leadership in the East, particularly, the most populated country, China, remain largely unexplored. Shanghai students were ranked top in PISA 2009 and PISA 2012…

Developmental Changes in the Primacy of Facial Cues for Emotion Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leitzke, Brian T.; Pollak, Seth D.

2016-01-01

There have been long-standing differences of opinion regarding the influence of the face relative to that of contextual information on how individuals process and judge facial expressions of emotion. However, developmental changes in how individuals use such information have remained largely unexplored and could be informative in attempting to…

In College and in Recovery: Reasons for Joining a Collegiate Recovery Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laudet, Alexandre B.; Harris, Kitty; Kimball, Thomas; Winters, Ken C.; Moberg, D. Paul

2016-01-01

Objective: Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRPs), a campus-based peer support model for students recovering from substance abuse problems, grew exponentially in the past decade, yet remain unexplored. Methods: This mixed-methods study examines students' reasons for CRP enrollment to guide academic institutions and referral sources. Students (N =…

Native American Mobilization and the Power of Recognition: Theorizing the Effects of Political Acknowledgment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stokes, DaShanne

2012-01-01

How recognition may empower or restrain Native American mobilization has not received sufficient scholarly attention and remains largely unexplored and under-theorized. This paper contributes a partial remedy to this oversight by explicitly theorizing how political recognition can mediate Native American collective action and lead to differential…

Level of Processing Modulates the Neural Correlates of Emotional Memory Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritchey, Maureen; LaBar, Kevin S.; Cabeza, Roberto

2011-01-01

Emotion is known to influence multiple aspects of memory formation, including the initial encoding of the memory trace and its consolidation over time. However, the neural mechanisms whereby emotion impacts memory encoding remain largely unexplored. The present study used a levels-of-processing manipulation to characterize the impact of emotion on…

School Mobility during Childhood Predicts Psychotic Symptoms in Late Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winsper, Catherine; Wolke, Dieter; Bryson, Alex; Thompson, Andrew; Singh, Swaran P.

2016-01-01

Background: Recently, school mobility was identified as a risk factor for psychotic symptoms in early adolescence. The extent to which this risk continues into late adolescence and the trajectories via which this risk manifests remain unexplored. Methods: Psychotic symptoms in 4,720 adolescents aged 18 were ascertained by trained psychologists…

Change in abundance of three phytophagous mite species (Acari: Eriophyidae, Tetranychidae) on quackgrass in the presence of choke disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phytophagous mites and endophytic fungi may interact when sharing a host plant, potentially influencing one another’s growth or population dynamics; however, interactions between them are poorly known and remain largely unexplored. In this study, quantitative associations between three species of ph...

Playing with Plug-ins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Douglas E.

2013-01-01

In today's complex music software packages, many features can remain unexplored and unused. Software plug-ins--available in most every music software package, yet easily overlooked in the software's basic operations--are one such feature. In this article, I introduce readers to plug-ins and offer tips for purchasing plug-ins I have…

Principal Leadership and School Effectiveness: Perspectives from Principals and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera, Robert

2010-01-01

Principal leadership and its effect on student achievement have been well documented over the past two decades. However, the link between the principals' level of engagement in leadership practices and whether their schools met the accountability measure remains unexplored. The purpose of this study was to examine four research questions regarding…

Early Childhood Teachers' Perceptions of the Educational Needs of Military Dependent Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stites, Michele Lee

2012-01-01

Military dependent children remain a largely unexplored subject, particularly in early childhood education. In an effort to fill the gap in the current literature, this research study focuses on how early childhood teachers perceive the educational needs of military dependent children. Previous research in the areas of geographic mobility,…

A Review of Mindfulness Research Related to Alleviating Math and Science Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Khalique; Trager, Bradley; Rodwell, Megan; Foinding, Linda; Lopez, Cori

2017-01-01

Defined as nonjudgmentally paying attention to the present moment (Kabat-Zinn, 1994), modern-day mindfulness has gained considerable attention in various science fields. However, despite this growth, many uses of mindfulness remain unexplored. In this paper, we focus on the application of mindfulness programs in educational settings, specifically…

Development of L2 Interactional Resources for Online Collaborative Task Accomplishment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balaman, Ufuk; Sert, Olcay

2017-01-01

Technology-mediated task environments have long been considered integral parts of L2 learning and teaching processes. However, the interactional resources that the learners deploy to complete tasks in these environments have remained largely unexplored due to an overall focus on task design and outcomes rather than task engagement processes. With…

Competency Mapping of Teachers in Tertiary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugumar, V. Raji

2009-01-01

Competency of teachers assumes a lot of importance in the era of knowledge society who are expected to produce students of high calibre. In India however competency development and mapping still remains an unexplored process. Not much study has been done on competency mapping in higher education sector, thus the present study is ventured upon. The…

Access to Technology in Transnational Social Fields: Simultaneity and Digital Literacy Socialization of Adult Immigrants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nogueron-Liu, Silvia

2013-01-01

Some studies of technology use by immigrants have explored the role of digital media in their maintenance of affiliations with their nations of origin. However, the potential for transnational social networks to serve as "resources" that facilitate digital literacy socialization for adult immigrant learners remains unexplored. In this…

Exploring Student Perceptions, Learning Outcome and Gender Differences in a Flipped Mathematics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, So-Chen; Yang, Stephen J. H.; Hsiao, Chia-Chang

2016-01-01

The flipped classroom approach has recently gained prominence in education. However, a review of previous studies shows that the relationship associated with gender difference, student perceptions and learning outcomes has still remained unexplored, and there has been little discussion regarding flipped classroom environment. To fill this gap,…

Regional Queensland Parents' Views of Science Education: Some Unexpected Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boon, Helen J.

2012-01-01

Low post-compulsory science enrolments for secondary students have been a growing concern across the Western world. Research has examined factors relating to science curricula and students' attitudes about science, but parental views of science education remain largely unexplored in Australia. Because parents have a strong role in shaping their…

How Native Do They Sound? An Acoustic Analysis of the Spanish Vowels of Elementary Spanish Immersion Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menke, Mandy R.

2015-01-01

Language immersion students' lexical, syntactic, and pragmatic competencies are well documented, yet their phonological skill has remained relatively unexplored. This study investigates the Spanish vowel productions of a cross-sectional sample of 35 one-way Spanish immersion students. Learner productions were analyzed acoustically and compared to…

Survival and growth of Listeria monocytogenes on whole cantaloupes is dependent on site of contamination and storage temperature

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Whole cantaloupes (Cucumis melo L), marketed as ‘Rocky Ford’, were implicated in a large multi-state outbreak of listeriosis in the United States in 2011; however, survival and growth of Listeria monocytogenes on whole cantaloupes remains relatively unexplored. The research presented here evaluated ...

Different Approaches to Understanding Patients in General Practice in Denmark: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidsen, Annette Sofie; Reventlow, Susanne

2011-01-01

General practitioners (GPs) treat more than 90% of common mental disorders. Their approaches to psychological interventions have been little studied and their process of understanding patients remains unexplored. This qualitative interview and observation study aimed to explore Danish GPs' approaches to emotional problems and mental disorders in…

How Early Childhood Teachers Perceive the Educational Needs of Military Dependent Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stites, Michele L.

2016-01-01

Military dependent children remain a largely unexplored subject, particularly in early childhood education. In an effort to fill the gap in the current literature, this research study focuses on how early childhood teachers perceive the educational needs of military dependent children. Previous research in the areas of geographic mobility,…

Gender and Socioeconomic Status Differences in University Students' Perception of Social Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tinajero, Carolina; Martínez-López, Zeltia; Rodríguez, Mª Soledad; Guisande, Mª Adelina; Páramo, Mª Fernanda

2015-01-01

Perceived social support has been shown to be one of the most important protective factors for emerging adult students during their transition to university. However, the relationships between perceived social support and dimensions of gender and family background, which have been shown to affect adjustment to college life, remain unexplored. The…

The Moderation Role of Self-Perceived Maternal Empathy in Observed Mother-Child Collaborative Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Oliveira, Ebenézer A.; Jackson, Emily A.

2017-01-01

Based on L. S. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, previous scaffolding studies have examined some factors associated with adjustment of parental support during collaborative problem solving. However, a factor that remains unexplored in the literature is the potential relationship between parental empathy and parental support in collaborative problem…

Exploring the Contribution of Phonological Memory to Metasyntactic Abilities in Bilingual Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortier, Véronique; Simard, Daphnée

2017-01-01

The contribution of phonological memory to syntactic abilities has been demonstrated in various populations, but its relationship to metasyntactic abilities, defined as the ability to control syntactic aspects of language, remains largely unexplored. This study therefore aims to examine the contribution of phonological memory in the completion of…

Facework among L2 Speakers: A Close Look at Intercultural Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jwa, Soomin

2017-01-01

Although significant attention has been devoted to the notion of facework and its functions, facework among L2 speakers, whose cultural backgrounds and language proficiencies vary, has remained unexplored. The present study attempts to explore situations of intercultural communication in which facework is used as a way to remedy moments of…

Text Simplification and Comprehensible Input: A Case for an Intuitive Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossley, Scott A.; Allen, David; McNamara, Danielle S.

2012-01-01

Texts are routinely simplified to make them more comprehensible for second language learners. However, the effects of simplification upon the linguistic features of texts remain largely unexplored. Here we examine the effects of one type of text simplification: intuitive text simplification. We use the computational tool, Coh-Metrix, to examine…

Gravity, Tissue Engineering, and the Missing Link.

PubMed

Costa-Almeida, Raquel; Granja, Pedro L; Gomes, Manuela E

2018-04-01

The influence of microgravity and hypergravity on living systems has attracted significant attention, but the use of these tools in tissue engineering (TE) remains relatively unexplored. This Forum article highlights an emerging field of research to uncover new potential applications at the interface between altered gravity and TE. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

From Cognitive Capability to Social Reform? Shifting Perceptions of Learning in Immersive Virtual Worlds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savin-Baden, Maggi

2008-01-01

Learning in immersive virtual worlds (simulations and virtual worlds such as Second Life) could become a central learning approach in many curricula, but the socio-political impact of virtual world learning on higher education remains under-researched. Much of the recent research into learning in immersive virtual worlds centres around games and…

Synchronous Learning Best Practices: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warden, Clyde A.; Stanworth, James O.; Ren, Jian Biao; Warden, Antony R.

2013-01-01

Low cost and significant advances in technology now allow instructors to create their own virtual learning environments. Creating social interactions within a virtual space that emulates the physical classroom remains challenging. While students are familiar with virtual worlds and video meetings, they are inexperienced as virtual learners. Over a…

Seeing Things Unseen: Fantasy Beliefs and False Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Principe, Gabrielle F.; Smith, Eric

2008-01-01

Whereas past research has demonstrated that children's beliefs about the real world can influence their memory for events, the role of fantasy beliefs in children's recall remains largely unexplored. We examine this topic in 5- and 6-year-olds by focusing on how belief in a familiar fantasy figure, namely the Tooth Fairy, is related to children's…

250 ms to Code for Action Affordance during Observation of Manipulable Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Proverbio, Alice Mado; Adorni, Roberta; D'Aniello, Guido Edoardo

2011-01-01

It is well known that viewing graspable tools (but not other objects) activates motor-related brain regions, but the time course of affordance processing has remained relatively unexplored. In this study, EEG was continuously recorded from 128 scalp sites in 15 right-handed university students while they received stimuli in the form of 150…

In Search of Museum Professional Knowledge Base: Mapping the Professional Knowledge Debate onto Museum Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tlili, Anwar

2016-01-01

Museum professionalism remains an unexplored area in museum studies, particularly with regard to what is arguably the core generic question of a "sui generis" professional knowledge base, and its necessary and sufficient conditions. The need to examine this question becomes all the more important with the increasing expansion of the…

Investigating the Sets of Values That Community Members Hold toward Local Nature Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Matthew H. E. M.; Stern, Marc J.; Ardoin, Nicole M.; Heimlich, Joe E.; Petty, Robert; Charles, Cheryl

2017-01-01

While nature center's missions often point to connecting people to nature in various ways, their potential to provide a broader array of services to their communities remains largely unexplored. To better understand the values local community members hold for nature centers, we conducted survey research around 16 centers in the United States.…

Familiarising the Stranger: Immigrant Perceptions of Cross-Cultural Interaction and Bicultural Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Korne, Haley; Byram, Michael; Fleming, Michael

2007-01-01

As contact between cultures continues to increase, the impact that this has on cultural identity and belonging is unclear. Cross-cultural or bicultural identification remains a relatively unexplored phenomenon. Is it possible, natural or potentially good to have an identity rooted in more than one culture? If so, how is cross-cultural identity…

What Can You Do with that Degree? College Major and Occupational Status of College Graduates over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roksa, Josipa; Levey, Tania

2010-01-01

While income inequality among college graduates is well documented, inequality in occupational status remains largely unexplored. We examine whether and how occupational specificity of college majors is related to college graduates' transition into the labor market and their subsequent occupational trajectories. Analyses of NLSY79 indicate that…

Parasitism by Cuscuta pentagona sequentially induces JA and SA defence pathways in tomato

Treesearch

Justin B. Runyon; Mark C. Mescher; Gary W. Felton; Consuelo M. De Moraes

2010-01-01

While plant responses to herbivores and pathogens are well characterized, responses to attack by other plants remain largely unexplored. We measured phytohormones and C18 fatty acids in tomato attacked by the parasitic plant Cuscuta pentagona, and used transgenic and mutant plants to explore the roles of the defence-related phytohormones salicylic...

Immigrant DREAMS: English Learners, the Texas 10% Admissions Plan, and College Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasquez Heilig, Julian; Rodriguez, Cristobal; Somers, Patricia

2011-01-01

English learners (ELs) are facing unique issues in higher education that remain largely unexplored. This research focuses on college choice, enrollment, and graduation among high-achieving ELs who were eligible for automatic admission to any public higher education institution in Texas by having graduated in the top 10% of their high school class.…

First-Generation Undergraduate Library Users: Experiences and Perceptions of the Library as Place

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neurohr, Karen A.

2017-01-01

Research focused on first-generation college students has developed considerably in recent years, yet an area that remains relatively unexplored is students' perceptions of the academic library as place. Exploring such perceptions is important for deepening understanding of how the library, as a central academic resource on campus, can best serve…

Vertical distribution and seasonality of predatory wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in a temperate deciduous forest

Treesearch

Michael D. Ulyshen; Villu Soon; James L. Hanula

2011-01-01

Efforts to investigate the vertical dimension of forests continue to refine our thinking on issues of biodiversity and ecology. Arthropod communities exhibit a high degree of vertical stratification in forests worldwide but the vertical distribution patterns of most taxa remain largely unexplored or poorly understood. For example, only 2 studies provide information on...

Evidence of cue synergism in termite corpse response behavior

Treesearch

Michael D. Ulyshen; Thomas G. Shelton

2012-01-01

Subterranean termites of the genus Reticulitermes are known to build walls and tubes and move considerable amounts of soil into wood but the causes of this behavior remain largely unexplored. In laboratory assays, we tested the hypothesis that Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks) would carry more sand into wooden blocks containing corpses compared to corpse-free controls...

Density of Visual Input Enhancement and Grammar Learning: A Research Proposal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Thu Hoang

2009-01-01

Research in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) has been done to ascertain the effectiveness of visual input enhancement (VIE) on grammar learning. However, one issue remains unexplored: the effects of VIE density on grammar learning. This paper presents a research proposal to investigate the effects of the density of VIE on English…

Seabird Research and Monitoring Needs in Northwestern México

Treesearch

Lucia Alfaro Eduardo Palacios

2005-01-01

Seabird research in northwestern México has increased in the last 20 years, however many areas remain unexplored and seabird colony inventories are badly needed. Coastal wetlands and adjacent islands from southern Sonora through Nayarit host large colonies of pelecaniforme and other seabirds, but surveys of these areas have been limited and localized. Seabird colonies...

Making Music or Gaining Grades? Assessment Practices in Tertiary Music Ensembles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Scott D.; Lebler, Don; Carey, Gemma; Hitchcock, Matt; O'Bryan, Jessica

2013-01-01

Participation in an ensemble is a significant aspect of tertiary music experience. Learning and assessment practices within ensembles have rarely been investigated in Australia and the perceptions of staff and students as to how they learn and are assessed within ensembles remain largely unexplored. This paper reports on part of a larger project…

Facilitating Creative Idea Selection: The Combined Effects of Self-Affirmation, Promotion Focus and Positive Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Buisonjé, David R.; Ritter, Simone M.; de Bruin, Suze; ter Horst, J. Marie-Louise; Meeldijk, Arne

2017-01-01

Generating creative ideas in a brainstorm session `is a crucial part of innovation. However, for actual implementation, the most creative ideas must be selected from a pool of ideas. To date, idea selection has remained relatively unexplored and validated instruments to measure idea selection performance are not systematically employed. This study…

"Everybody Knows Your Business"/"Todo Mundo Se Da Cuenta": Immigrant Adults' Construction of Privacy, Risk, and Vulnerability in Online Platforms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noguerón-Liu, Silvia

2017-01-01

This article examines immigrant adults' understandings of privacy, risk, and vulnerability in digital literacy practices that involve visual media. Although the benefits of digital media production have been explored with immigrant youths, the perspectives of adults remain unexplored. Informed by critical and transnational perspectives to digital…

Practices of Other-Initiated Repair in the Classrooms of Children with Specific Speech and Language Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radford, Julie

2010-01-01

Repair practices used by teachers who work with children with specific speech and language difficulties (SSLDs) have hitherto remained largely unexplored. Such classrooms therefore offer a new context for researching repairs and considering how they compare with non-SSLD interactions. Repair trajectories are of interest because they are dialogic…

Researching the Pieces of a Puzzle: The Use of a Jigsaw Learning Approach in the Delivery of Undergraduate Gymnastics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Leary, Nicholas; Griggs, Gerald

2010-01-01

There have been strengthening recommendations that physical education (PE) should make a wider contribution to learning beyond that of psychomotor development. Cooperative learning models show considerable potential for study in PE but as yet these remain unexplored. This article reports upon an undergraduate gymnastics programme delivered using a…

Applying Neuroscientific Findings to Education: The Good, the Tough, and the Hopeful

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christoff, Kalina

2008-01-01

Advances in neuroscience during the past century have yielded important insights into mental functioning, but their implications for the field of education have remained largely unexplored. In a bold attempt to bridge this gap, Immordino-Yang presents findings from 2 boys, Nico and Brooke, each of whom lost half of his brain. The remarkable…

Locke's Children? Rousseau and the Beans (Beings?) of the Colonial Learner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papastephanou, Marianna; Gregoriou, Zelia

2014-01-01

Rousseau's story about Emile having his first moral lesson in property rights by planting beans in a garden plot has educationally been discussed from various perspectives. What remains unexplored in such readings, however, is the connection of the theory of the natural learner with the Lockean rationalization of appropriation of land through…

Unpacking Faculty Engagement: The Types of Activities Faculty Members Report as Publicly Engaged Scholarship during Promotion and Tenure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glass, Chris R.; Doberneck, Diane M.; Schweitzer, John H.

2011-01-01

While a growing body of scholarship has focused on the personal, professional, and organizational factors that influence faculty members' involvement in publicly engaged scholarship, the nature and scope of faculty publicly engaged scholarship itself has remained largely unexplored. What types of activities are faculty members involved in as…

Risk Factors for Severe Inter-Sibling Violence: A Preliminary Study of a Youth Forensic Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Roxanne; Cooke, David J.

2008-01-01

The perpetration of severe inter-sibling violence (SISV) remains a largely unexplored area of family violence. This article describes an investigation of risk factors for intentional SISV perpetration. A sample of 111 young people under the care of the Scottish criminal justice or welfare systems was studied. A SISV perpetration interview schedule…

Predicting Dispositions toward Inclusion of Students with Disabilities: The Role of Conservative Ideology and Discomfort with Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandes, Joyce A.; Crowson, H. Michael

2009-01-01

Within the published empirical record, a limited number of investigations exist that study the association between socio-political ideologies of preservice teachers and their attitudes toward disability-related matters within schools. To the extent that individual socio-political ideology and discomfort with disability remain mostly unexplored,…

Testing the Predictors of Boredom at School: Development and Validation of the Precursors to Boredom Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daschmann, Elena C.; Goetz, Thomas; Stupnisky, Robert H.

2011-01-01

Background: Boredom has been found to be an important emotion for students' learning processes and achievement outcomes; however, the precursors of this emotion remain largely unexplored. Aim: In the current study, scales assessing the precursors to boredom in academic achievement settings were developed and tested. Sample: Participants were 1,380…

A Review of the Empirical Generations at Work Research: Implications for School Leaders and Future Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edge, Karen

2014-01-01

Most schools currently employ three generations of teachers and leaders: Baby Boomers (1946-65), Generation X (1966-80) and Generation Y (1981-2003). However, the implications for school leaders of multi-generational schools remain relatively unexplored. This paper examines the empirical multi-disciplinary generations at work evidence to identify…

Core Self-Evaluations, Worry, Life Satisfaction, and Psychological Well-Being: An Investigation in the Asian Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rathi, Neerpal; Lee, Kidong

2018-01-01

The concept of core self-evaluations has been extensively investigated in Western and European countries, nonetheless its implications in Asian countries remains relatively unexplored. To void this gap, the current study investigated the association of core self-evaluations with worry, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being among South…

Executive Functions in Older Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Objective Performance and Subjective Complaints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davids, Roeliena C.; Groen, Yvonne; Berg, Ina J.; Tucha, Oliver M.; van Balkom, Ingrid D.

2016-01-01

Although deficits in Executive Functioning (EF) are reported frequently in young individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), they remain relatively unexplored later in life (>50 years). We studied objective performance on EF measures (Tower of London, Zoo map, phonetic/semantic fluency) as well as subjective complaints (self- and proxy…

Influencing the Self-Efficacy of Middle Eastern Women through the Use of a Bulletin Board

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkhalifa, Eshaa

2008-01-01

Gender studies across the world have produced a wealth of information generated by studies that seek to investigate the existence of a distinction between genders in mathematical-based courses, such as Computer Science courses. However, the Middle Eastern Region remained unexplored largely throughout this effort due to gender segregation during…

How Do We Model Learning at Scale? A Systematic Review of Research on MOOCs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joksimovic, Srecko; Poquet, Oleksandra; Kovanovic, Vitomir; Dowell, Nia; Mills, Caitlin; Gaševic, Dragan; Dawson, Shane; Graesser, Arthur C.; Brooks, Christopher

2018-01-01

Despite a surge of empirical work on student participation in online learning environments, the causal links between the learning-related factors and processes with the desired learning outcomes remain unexplored. This study presents a systematic literature review of approaches to model learning in Massive Open Online Courses offering an analysis…

Phenol-Soluble Modulin Toxins of Staphylococcus haemolyticus

PubMed Central

Da, Fei; Joo, Hwang-Soo; Cheung, Gordon Y. C.; Villaruz, Amer E.; Rohde, Holger; Luo, Xiaoxing; Otto, Michael

2017-01-01

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are important nosocomial pathogens and the leading cause of sepsis. The second most frequently implicated species, after Staphylococcus epidermidis, is Staphylococcus haemolyticus. However, we have a significant lack of knowledge about what causes virulence of S. haemolyticus, as virulence factors of this pathogen have remained virtually unexplored. In contrast to the aggressive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, toxin production has traditionally not been associated with CoNS. Recent findings have suggested that phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs), amphipathic peptide toxins with broad cytolytic activity, are widespread in staphylococci, but there has been no systematic assessment of PSM production in CoNS other than S. epidermidis. Here, we identified, purified, and characterized PSMs of S. haemolyticus. We found three PSMs of the β-type, which correspond to peptides that before were described to have anti-gonococcal activity. We also detected an α-type PSM that has not previously been described. Furthermore, we confirmed that S. haemolyticus does not produce a δ-toxin, as results from genome sequencing had indicated. All four S. haemolyticus PSMs had strong pro-inflammatory activity, promoting neutrophil chemotaxis. Notably, we identified in particular the novel α-type PSM, S. haemolyticus PSMα, as a potent hemolysin and leukocidin. For the first time, our study describes toxins of this important staphylococcal pathogen with the potential to have a significant impact on virulence during blood infection and sepsis. PMID:28596942

Phenol-Soluble Modulin Toxins of Staphylococcus haemolyticus.

PubMed

Da, Fei; Joo, Hwang-Soo; Cheung, Gordon Y C; Villaruz, Amer E; Rohde, Holger; Luo, Xiaoxing; Otto, Michael

2017-01-01

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are important nosocomial pathogens and the leading cause of sepsis. The second most frequently implicated species, after Staphylococcus epidermidis , is Staphylococcus haemolyticus . However, we have a significant lack of knowledge about what causes virulence of S. haemolyticus , as virulence factors of this pathogen have remained virtually unexplored. In contrast to the aggressive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus , toxin production has traditionally not been associated with CoNS. Recent findings have suggested that phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs), amphipathic peptide toxins with broad cytolytic activity, are widespread in staphylococci, but there has been no systematic assessment of PSM production in CoNS other than S. epidermidis . Here, we identified, purified, and characterized PSMs of S. haemolyticus . We found three PSMs of the β-type, which correspond to peptides that before were described to have anti-gonococcal activity. We also detected an α-type PSM that has not previously been described. Furthermore, we confirmed that S. haemolyticus does not produce a δ-toxin, as results from genome sequencing had indicated. All four S. haemolyticus PSMs had strong pro-inflammatory activity, promoting neutrophil chemotaxis. Notably, we identified in particular the novel α-type PSM, S. haemolyticus PSMα, as a potent hemolysin and leukocidin. For the first time, our study describes toxins of this important staphylococcal pathogen with the potential to have a significant impact on virulence during blood infection and sepsis.

Dissociation of frontal-midline delta-theta and posterior alpha oscillations: A mobile EEG study.

PubMed

Liang, Mingli; Starrett, Michael J; Ekstrom, Arne D

2018-04-22

Numerous reports have demonstrated low-frequency oscillations during navigation using invasive recordings in the hippocampus of both rats and human patients. Given evidence, in some cases, of low-frequency synchronization between midline cortex and hippocampus, it is also possible that low-frequency movement-related oscillations manifest in healthy human neocortex. However, this possibility remains largely unexplored, in part due to the difficulties of coupling free ambulation and effective scalp EEG recordings. In the current study, participants freely ambulated on an omnidirectional treadmill and explored an immersive virtual reality city rendered on a head-mounted display while undergoing simultaneous wireless scalp EEG recordings. We found that frontal-midline (FM) delta-theta (2-7.21 Hz) oscillations increased during movement compared to standing still periods, consistent with a role in navigation. In contrast, posterior alpha (8.32-12.76 Hz) oscillations were suppressed in the presence of visual input, independent of movement. Our findings suggest that FM delta-theta and posterior alpha oscillations arise at independent frequencies, under complementary behavioral conditions, and, at least for FM delta-theta oscillations, at independent recordings sites. Together, our findings support a double dissociation between movement-related FM delta-theta and resting-related posterior alpha oscillations. Our study thus provides novel evidence that FM delta-theta oscillations arise, in part, from real-world ambulation, and are functionally independent from posterior alpha oscillations. © 2018 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Comparative study of thylakoid membranes in terminal heterocysts and vegetative cells from two cyanobacteria, Rivularia M-261 and Anabaena variabilis, by fluorescence and absorption spectral microscopy.

PubMed

Nozue, Shuho; Katayama, Mitsunori; Terazima, Masahide; Kumazaki, Shigeichi

2017-09-01

Heterocyst is a nitrogen-fixing cell differentiated from a cell for oxygen-evolving photosynthesis (vegetative cell) in some filamentous cyanobacteria when fixed nitrogen (e.g., ammonia and nitrate) is limited. Heterocysts appear at multiple separated positions in a single filament with an interval of 10-20 cells in some genera (including Anabaena variabilis). In other genera, a single heterocyst appears only at the basal terminal in a filament (including Rivularia M-261). Such morphological diversity may necessitate different properties of heterocysts. However, possible differences in heterocysts have largely remained unexplored due to the minority of heterocysts among major vegetative cells. Here, we have applied spectroscopic microscopy to Rivularia and A. variabilis to analyze their thylakoid membranes in individual cells. Absorption and fluorescence spectral imaging enabled us to estimate concentrations and interconnections of key photosynthetic components like photosystem I (PSI), photosystem II (PSII) and subunits of light-harvesting phycobilisome including phycocyanin (PC). The concentration of PC in heterocysts of Rivularia is far higher than that of A. variabilis. Fluorescence quantum yield of PC in Rivularia heterocysts was found to be virtually the same as those in its vegetative cells, while fluorescence quantum yield of PC in A. variabilis heterocysts was enhanced in comparison with its vegetative cells. PSI concentration in the thylakoid membranes of heterocysts seems to remain nearly the same as those of the vegetative cells in both the species. The average stoichiometric ratio between PSI monomer and PC hexamer in Rivularia heterocysts is estimated to be about 1:1. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metabolic costs imposed by hydrostatic pressure constrain bathymetric range in the lithodid crab Lithodes maja.

PubMed

Brown, Alastair; Thatje, Sven; Morris, James P; Oliphant, Andrew; Morgan, Elizabeth A; Hauton, Chris; Jones, Daniel O B; Pond, David W

2017-11-01

The changing climate is shifting the distributions of marine species, yet the potential for shifts in depth distributions is virtually unexplored. Hydrostatic pressure is proposed to contribute to a physiological bottleneck constraining depth range extension in shallow-water taxa. However, bathymetric limitation by hydrostatic pressure remains undemonstrated, and the mechanism limiting hyperbaric tolerance remains hypothetical. Here, we assess the effects of hydrostatic pressure in the lithodid crab Lithodes maja (bathymetric range 4-790 m depth, approximately equivalent to 0.1 to 7.9 MPa hydrostatic pressure). Heart rate decreased with increasing hydrostatic pressure, and was significantly lower at ≥10.0 MPa than at 0.1 MPa. Oxygen consumption increased with increasing hydrostatic pressure to 12.5 MPa, before decreasing as hydrostatic pressure increased to 20.0 MPa; oxygen consumption was significantly higher at 7.5-17.5 MPa than at 0.1 MPa. Increases in expression of genes associated with neurotransmission, metabolism and stress were observed between 7.5 and 12.5 MPa. We suggest that hyperbaric tolerance in L maja may be oxygen-limited by hyperbaric effects on heart rate and metabolic rate, but that L maja 's bathymetric range is limited by metabolic costs imposed by the effects of high hydrostatic pressure. These results advocate including hydrostatic pressure in a complex model of environmental tolerance, where energy limitation constrains biogeographic range, and facilitate the incorporation of hydrostatic pressure into the broader metabolic framework for ecology and evolution. Such an approach is crucial for accurately projecting biogeographic responses to changing climate, and for understanding the ecology and evolution of life at depth. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Rewiring the gustatory system: specificity between nerve and taste bud field is critical for normal salt discrimination.

PubMed

Spector, Alan C; Blonde, Ginger; Garcea, Mircea; Jiang, Enshe

2010-01-15

Forty years have passed since it was demonstrated that a cross-regenerated gustatory nerve in the rat tongue adopts the stimulus-response properties of the taste receptor field it cross-reinnervates. Nevertheless, the functional consequences of channeling peripheral taste signals through inappropriate central circuits remain relatively unexplored. Here we tested whether histologically confirmed cross-regeneration of the chorda tympani nerve (CT) into the posterior tongue in the absence of the glossopharyngeal nerve (GL) (CT-PostTongue) or cross-regeneration of the GL into the anterior tongue in the absence of the CT (GL-AntTongue) would maintain presurgically trained performance in an operant NaCl vs. KCl taste discrimination task in rats. Before surgery all groups were averaging over 90% accuracy. Oral amiloride treatment dropped performance to virtually chance levels. During the first week after surgery, sham-operated rats, GL-transected rats, and rats with regenerated CTs displayed highly competent discrimination performance. In contrast, CT-transected rats were severely impaired (59% accuracy). Both the CT-PostTongue and the GL-AntTongue groups were impaired to a similar degree as CT-transected rats. These initially impaired groups improved their performance over the weeks of postsurgical testing, suggesting that the rats were capable of relearning the task with discriminable signals in the remaining taste nerves. This relearned performance was dependent on input from amiloride-sensitive receptors likely in the palate. Overall, these results suggest that normal competence in a salt discrimination task is dependent on the taste receptor field origin of the input as well as the specific nerve transmitting the signals to its associated circuits in the brain. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of high-flux haemodialysis on the probability of target attainment for oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid combination therapy.

PubMed

Hui, Katrina; Patel, Kashyap; Kong, David C M; Kirkpatrick, Carl M J

2017-07-01

Clearance of small molecules such as amoxicillin and clavulanic acid is expected to increase during high-flux haemodialysis, which may result in lower concentrations and thus reduced efficacy. To date, clearance of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC) during high-flux haemodialysis remains largely unexplored. Using published pharmacokinetic parameters, a two-compartment model with first-order input was simulated to investigate the impact of high-flux haemodialysis on the probability of target attainment (PTA) of orally administered AMC combination therapy. The following pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets were used to calculate the PTA. For amoxicillin, the time that the free concentration remains above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ≥50% of the dosing period (≥50%ƒT >MIC ) was used. For clavulanic acid, the time that the free concentration was >0.1 mg/L of ≥45% of the dosing period (≥45%ƒT >0.1 mg/L ) was used. Dialysis clearance reported in low-flux haemodialysis for both compounds was doubled to represent the likely clearance during high-flux haemodialysis. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to produce concentration-time profiles over 10 days in 1000 virtual patients. Seven different regimens commonly seen in clinical practice were explored. When AMC was dosed twice daily, the PTA was mostly ≥90% for both compounds regardless of when haemodialysis commenced. When administered once daily, the PTA was 20-30% for clavulanic acid and ≥90% for amoxicillin. The simulations suggest that once-daily orally administered AMC in patients receiving high-flux haemodialysis may result in insufficient concentrations of clavulanic acid to effectively treat infections, especially on days when haemodialysis occurs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Middle School Students' Learning of Mechanics Concepts through Engagement in Different Sequences of Physical and Virtual Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Sarah; Gnesdilow, Dana; Puntambekar, Sadhana; Kim, Jee-Seon

2017-01-01

Physical and virtual experimentation are thought to have different affordances for supporting students' learning. Research investigating the use of physical and virtual experiments to support students' learning has identified a variety of, sometimes conflicting, outcomes. Unanswered questions remain about how physical and virtual experiments may…

Role of Passive Diffusion, Transporters, and Membrane Trafficking-Mediated Processes in Cellular Drug Transport.

PubMed

Cocucci, E; Kim, J Y; Bai, Y; Pabla, N

2017-01-01

Intracellular drug accumulation is thought to be dictated by two major processes, passive diffusion through the lipid membrane or membrane transporters. The relative role played by these distinct processes remains actively debated. Moreover, the role of membrane-trafficking in drug transport remains underappreciated and unexplored. Here we discuss the distinct processes involved in cellular drug distribution and propose that better experimental models are required to elucidate the differential contributions of various processes in intracellular drug accumulation. © 2016 American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

78 FR 17431 - Antitrust Division

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-21

... Production Act of 1993--Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on..., 15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (``the Act''), Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. has filed... in this group research project remains open, and Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc...

JAMSTEC E-library of Deep-sea Images (J-EDI) Realizes a Virtual Journey to the Earth's Unexplored Deep Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, T.; Azuma, S.; Matsuda, S.; Nagayama, A.; Ogido, M.; Saito, H.; Hanafusa, Y.

2016-12-01

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) archives a large amount of deep-sea research videos and photos obtained by JAMSTEC's research submersibles and vehicles with cameras. The web site "JAMSTEC E-library of Deep-sea Images : J-EDI" (http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/jedi/e/) has made videos and photos available to the public via the Internet since 2011. Users can search for target videos and photos by keywords, easy-to-understand icons, and dive information at J-EDI because operating staffs classify videos and photos as to contents, e.g. living organism and geological environment, and add comments to them.Dive survey data including videos and photos are not only valiant academically but also helpful for education and outreach activities. With the aim of the improvement of visibility for broader communities, we added new functions of 3-dimensional display synchronized various dive survey data with videos in this year.New Functions Users can search for dive survey data by 3D maps with plotted dive points using the WebGL virtual map engine "Cesium". By selecting a dive point, users can watch deep-sea videos and photos and associated environmental data, e.g. water temperature, salinity, rock and biological sample photos, obtained by the dive survey. Users can browse a dive track visualized in 3D virtual spaces using the WebGL JavaScript library. By synchronizing this virtual dive track with videos, users can watch deep-sea videos recorded at a point on a dive track. Users can play an animation which a submersible-shaped polygon automatically traces a 3D virtual dive track and displays of dive survey data are synchronized with tracing a dive track. Users can directly refer to additional information of other JAMSTEC data sites such as marine biodiversity database, marine biological sample database, rock sample database, and cruise and dive information database, on each page which a 3D virtual dive track is displayed. A 3D visualization of a dive track makes users experience a virtual dive survey. In addition, by synchronizing a virtual dive track with videos, it is easy to understand living organisms and geological environments of a dive point. Therefore, these functions will visually support understanding of deep-sea environments in lectures and educational activities.

From Service to Action? Students, Volunteering and Community Action in Mid Twentieth-Century Britain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewis, Georgina

2010-01-01

Volunteering by higher education students in the UK has a long history which remains largely unexplored despite recent research and policy attention. This article offers a brief overview of the development of student volunteering before the 1960s and then discusses a shift from student social service to Student Community Action in the late 1960s…

Profit-driven drug testing.

PubMed

Collen, Mark

2012-01-01

Random drug testing of people being treated for chronic pain has become more common. Physicians may drug test patients on opioid therapy as a result of concerns over prosecution, drug misuse, addiction, and overdose. However, profit motive has remained unexplored. This article suggests profits also drive physician drug-testing behavior and evidence is offered, including an exploration of Medicare reimbursement incentives and kickbacks for drug testing.

"It's Sweeter Where the Bruise Is": Making Sense of the Experience of Family Homelessness in a Community-Campus Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandy, Marie

2014-01-01

Individual and family stories of homelessness that focus on the transition out of homelessness remain comparatively unexplored. Using hermeneutic inquiry and microstoria analysis to orient the inquiry and design the narrative, this case study involves the story of a woman overcoming homelessness with her family, and her participation in, and…

Practical implications of understanding the influence of motivations on commitment to voluntary urban conservation stewardship

Treesearch

Stanley T. Asah; Dale J. Blahna

2013-01-01

Although the word commitment is prevalent in conservation biology literature and despite the importance of people’s commitment to the success of conservation initiatives, commitment as a psychological phenomenon and its operation in specific conservation behaviors remains unexplored. Despite increasing calls for conservation psychology to play a greater role in meeting...

Brief Report: Is Cognitive Rehabilitation Needed in Verbal Adults with Autism? Insights from Initial Enrollment in a Trial of Cognitive Enhancement Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eack, Shaun M.; Bahorik, Amber L.; Hogarty, Susan S.; Greenwald, Deborah P.; Litschge, Maralee Y.; Mazefsky, Carla A.; Minshew, Nancy J.

2013-01-01

Cognitive rehabilitation is an emerging set of potentially effective interventions for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder, yet the applicability of these approaches for "high functioning" adults who have normative levels of intelligence remains unexplored. This study examined the initial cognitive performance characteristics of 40…

An empirical evaluation of two-stage species tree inference strategies using a multilocus dataset from North American pines

Treesearch

Michael DeGiorgio; John Syring; Andrew J. Eckert; Aaron Liston; Richard Cronn; David B. Neale; Noah A. Rosenberg

2014-01-01

Background: As it becomes increasingly possible to obtain DNA sequences of orthologous genes from diverse sets of taxa, species trees are frequently being inferred from multilocus data. However, the behavior of many methods for performing this inference has remained largely unexplored. Some methods have been proven to be consistent given certain evolutionary models,...

Investigating Problem-Based Learning Tutorship in Medical and Engineering Programs in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Servant, Virginie F. C.; Dewar, Eleanor F. A.

2015-01-01

Although Malaysia was the first country in Asia to adopt problem-based learning (PBL), the impact that this has had on its tutors remains largely unexplored. This paper details a qualitative study of the changing perceptions of teaching roles in two groups of problem-based learning tutors in two institutional contexts--one in medicine located in…

A Comparative Study of Paper-and-Pen versus Computer-Delivered Assessment Modes on Students' Writing Quality: A Singapore Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Yin Ling

2016-01-01

Much research has been conducted to investigate the quality of writing and high-level revisions in word processing-assisted and pen-and-paper writing modes. Studies that address cognitive aspects, such as experience and comfort with computers, by which students compose essays during writing assessments have remained relatively unexplored. To fill…

On the Linear Relation between the Mean and the Standard Deviation of a Response Time Distribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan; Brown, Scott

2007-01-01

Although it is generally accepted that the spread of a response time (RT) distribution increases with the mean, the precise nature of this relation remains relatively unexplored. The authors show that in several descriptive RT distributions, the standard deviation increases linearly with the mean. Results from a wide range of tasks from different…

Living with Children Diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Parental and Professional Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillenburger, Karola; Keenan, Mickey; Doherty, Alvin; Byrne, Tony; Gallagher, Stephen

2010-01-01

The number of children diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is rising and is now thought to be as high as 1:100. While the debate about best treatment continues, the effects of having a child diagnosed with ASD on family life remain relatively unexplored. This article, by Karola Dillenburger of Queens University Belfast, Mickey…

The Role of Private Universities in the Provision of Higher Education in Uganda: Growth and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mugabi, H.

2012-01-01

Although the first private university in Uganda was founded in 1988 and the private university sector has since grown rapidly to become one of the most prominent features of higher education (HE) in Uganda, the contribution of private universities (PUs) to the provision of HE has remained largely unexplored and as such, less understood. The…

"We Had a Blast!": An Empirical Affirmation of Blended Learning as the Preferred Learning Mode for Adult Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asunka, Stephen

2017-01-01

As many important issues pertaining to blended learning within the Sub-Saharan African context remain unexplored, this study implemented a blended learning approach in a graduate level course at a private university in Ghana, with the objective of exploring adult learners' attitudes, experiences and behaviors towards this learning approach, as…

Harm Reduction for the Prevention of Youth Gambling Problems: Lessons Learned From Adolescent High-Risk Behavior Prevention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickson, Laurie M.; Derevensky, Jeffrey L.; Gupta, Rina

2004-01-01

Despite the growing popularity of the harm reduction approach in the field of adolescent alcohol and substance abuse, a harm reduction approach to prevention and treatment of youth problem gambling remains largely unexplored. This article poses the question of whether the harm reduction paradigm is a promising approach to the prevention of…

The Use and Role of Pop Culture in Heritage Language Learning: A Study of Advanced Learners of Korean

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Jayoung; Yi, Youngjoo

2012-01-01

Despite the important use of pop culture in many instructional settings, its use in the heritage language (HL) classroom remains largely unexplored. Thus, this article reports findings from classroom-based qualitative research that examined the use and role of pop culture in advanced Korean HL learners' literacy engagement and identity…

Alexithymia in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Its Relationship to Internalising Difficulties, Sensory Modulation and Social Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milosavljevic, Bosiljka; Carter Leno, Virginia; Simonoff, Emily; Baird, Gillian; Pickles, Andrew; Jones, Catherine R.; Erskine, Catherine; Charman, Tony; Happé, Francesca

2016-01-01

Alexithymia is a personality trait frequently found in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and has been linked to impairments in emotion recognition and empathy. The presentation of alexithymia within ASD at younger ages remains unexplored, and was examined in the present study. Alexithymia rates were significantly elevated in ASD (55%;…

Protein kinase CK2 enables regulatory T cells to suppress excessive TH2 responses in vivo.

PubMed

Ulges, Alexander; Klein, Matthias; Reuter, Sebastian; Gerlitzki, Bastian; Hoffmann, Markus; Grebe, Nadine; Staudt, Valérie; Stergiou, Natascha; Bohn, Toszka; Brühl, Till-Julius; Muth, Sabine; Yurugi, Hajime; Rajalingam, Krishnaraj; Bellinghausen, Iris; Tuettenberg, Andrea; Hahn, Susanne; Reißig, Sonja; Haben, Irma; Zipp, Frauke; Waisman, Ari; Probst, Hans-Christian; Beilhack, Andreas; Buchou, Thierry; Filhol-Cochet, Odile; Boldyreff, Brigitte; Breloer, Minka; Jonuleit, Helmut; Schild, Hansjörg; Schmitt, Edgar; Bopp, Tobias

2015-03-01

The quality of the adaptive immune response depends on the differentiation of distinct CD4(+) helper T cell subsets, and the magnitude of an immune response is controlled by CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg cells). However, how a tissue- and cell type-specific suppressor program of Treg cells is mechanistically orchestrated has remained largely unexplored. Through the use of Treg cell-specific gene targeting, we found that the suppression of allergic immune responses in the lungs mediated by T helper type 2 (TH2) cells was dependent on the activity of the protein kinase CK2. Genetic ablation of the β-subunit of CK2 specifically in Treg cells resulted in the proliferation of a hitherto-unexplored ILT3(+) Treg cell subpopulation that was unable to control the maturation of IRF4(+)PD-L2(+) dendritic cells required for the development of TH2 responses in vivo.

Unexplored possibilities of all-polysaccharide composites.

PubMed

Simkovic, Ivan

2013-06-20

Composites made solely from polysaccharides are mostly ecological because they can degrade without leaving behind ecologically harmful residues, in contrast to composites which contain synthetic polymers. Herein, the following groups of all-polysaccharide composites (APCs) are discussed: an all-cellulose group that includes cotton composites, cellulose combined with other polysaccharides, as well as those based on chitin/chitosan, heparin, hyaluronan, xylan, glucomannan, pectin, xyloglucan, arabinan, starch, carrageenan, alginate, galactan as one of the components in combination with other polysaccharides. They can be used in medical, paper, food, packing, textile, electronic, mechanical engineering and other applications. The composites were tested for absorptivity, biodegradability, crystallinity, rheology, and mechanical, optical, separation, gelling, pasting, film-forming, adhesive, antimicrobial properties, as well as water vapor permeability, water repellency, dye uptake, and fire-retardancy. Except for food applications, composites based on more than two types of polysaccharides have rarely been used and many possible combinations remain unexplored. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cousins Virtual Jane and Virtual Joe, Extraordinary Virtual Helpers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blignaut, Seugnet; Nagel, Lynette

2009-01-01

Higher education institutions deliver web-based learning with varied success. The success rate of distributed online courses remains low. Factors such as ineffective course facilitation and insufficient communication contribute to the unfulfilled promises of web-based learning. Students consequently feel unmotivated. Instructor control and in the…

A Life Course Perspective on the Relationship between Socio-Economic Status and Health: Testing the Divergence Hypothesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prus, Steven G.

2004-01-01

While adults from all socio-economic status (SES) levels generally encounter a decline in health as they grow older, research shows that health status is tied to SES at all stages of life. The dynamics of the relationship between SES and health over the life course of adult Canadians, however, remain largely unexplored. This paper tests the…

The Role of Vision in the Development of Finger-Number Interactions: Finger-Counting and Finger-Montring in Blind Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crollen, Virginie; Mahe, Rachel; Collignon, Olivier; Seron, Xavier

2011-01-01

Previous research has suggested that the use of the fingers may play a functional role in the development of a mature counting system. However, the role of developmental vision in the elaboration of a finger numeral representation remains unexplored. In the current study, 14 congenitally blind children and 14 matched sighted controls undertook…

Applications of molecular physics 'biotechnology' to the rational design of an improved phenytoin analogue.

PubMed

Weaver, D F

1992-12-01

This study exploits molecular physics, in conjunction with a large scale computing environment, as a tool for understanding the clinical phenomenology of phenytoin (PHT) toxicology at a molecular level and for employing this understanding in an attempt to design improved drugs. The application of molecular physics techniques, such as quantum mechanics and molecular force field calculations, to the process of rational anticonvulsant drug design remains virtually unexplored. A 3-step strategy for applying these techniques to the design of an improved PHT molecule is presented. Step 1 employs quantitative structure-activity relationship calculations on 80 PHT analogues to ascertain the portion of the PHT molecule necessary for bioactivity (i.e. the 'bioactive face' of PHT); the N3-C4(O)-C5-R fragment of PHT was identified as the bioactive face. Step 2 employs molecular modelling studies to determine the portion of the PHT molecule necessary for the teratogenic, mutagenic and connective tissue toxicities of PHT (i.e. the 'biotoxic face'); the C2(O)-N3 fragment of PHT was identified as the biotoxic face. Step 3 experiments design an 'improved' PHT analogue, which maintains the bioactive face while eliminating the integrity of the biotoxic face; 2-deoxy-5,5-diphenylhydantoin was designed and synthesized as the improved PHT analogue. This compound had biological activity equivalent to PHT, but was unable to bind to nucleic acids or to chelate metals involved in connective tissue metabolism.

Associations between Prenatal traffic-related air pollution exposure and birth weight: Modification by sex and maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index

PubMed Central

Coull, Brent A.; Just, Allan C.; Maxwell, Sarah L.; Schwartz, Joel; Gryparis, Alexandros; Kloog, Itai; Wright, Rosalind J.; Wright, Robert O.

2015-01-01

Background Prenatal traffic-related air pollution exposure is linked to adverse birth outcomes. However, modifying effects of maternal body mass index (BMI) and infant sex remain virtually unexplored. Objectives We examined whether associations between prenatal air pollution and birth weight differed by sex and maternal BMI in 670 urban ethnically mixed mother-child pairs. Methods Black carbon (BC) levels were estimated using a validated spatio-temporal land-use regression (LUR) model; fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was estimated using a hybrid LUR model incorporating satellite-derived Aerosol Optical Depth measures. Using stratified multivariable-adjusted regression analyses, we examined whether associations between prenatal air pollution and calculated birth weight for gestational age (BWGA) z-scores varied by sex and maternal pre-pregnancy BMI. Results Median birth weight was 3.3±0.6 kg; 33% of mothers were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m3). In stratified analyses, the association between higher PM2.5 and lower birth weight was significant in males of obese mothers (−0.42 unit of BWGA z-score change per IQR increase in PM2.5, 95%CI: −0.79 to −0.06) ( PM2.5 × sex × obesity Pinteraction=0.02). Results were similar for BC models (Pinteraction=0.002). Conclusions Associations of prenatal exposure to traffic-related air pollution and reduced birth weight were most evident in males born to obese mothers. PMID:25601728

Mechanism of artemisinin resistance for malaria PfATP6 L263 mutations and discovering potential antimalarials: An integrated computational approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagasundaram, N.; George Priya Doss, C.; Chakraborty, Chiranjib; Karthick, V.; Thirumal Kumar, D.; Balaji, V.; Siva, R.; Lu, Aiping; Ge, Zhang; Zhu, Hailong

2016-07-01

Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum threatens global efforts in the elimination or eradication of malaria. Several studies have associated mutations in the PfATP6 gene in conjunction with artemisinin resistance, but the underlying molecular mechanism of the resistance remains unexplored. Associated mutations act as a biomarker to measure the artemisinin efficacy. In the proposed work, we have analyzed the binding affinity and efficacy between PfATP6 and artemisinin in the presence of L263D, L263E and L263K mutations. Furthermore, we performed virtual screening to identify potential compounds to inhibit the PfATP6 mutant proteins. In this study, we observed that artemisinin binding affinity with PfATP6 gets affected by L263D, L263E and L263K mutations. This in silico elucidation of artemisinin resistance enhanced the identification of novel compounds (CID: 10595058 and 10625452) which showed good binding affinity and efficacy with L263D, L263E and L263K mutant proteins in molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations studies. Owing to the high propensity of the parasite to drug resistance the need for new antimalarial drugs will persist until the malarial parasites are eventually eradicated. The two compounds identified in this study can be tested in in vitro and in vivo experiments as possible candidates for the designing of new potential antimalarial drugs.

76 FR 80405 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Interchangeable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-23

... Production Act of 1993--Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on..., 15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (``the Act''), Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. has filed... in this group research project remains open, and Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc...

78 FR 117 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Interchangeable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-02

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76 FR 29267 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Interchangeable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-20

... Production Act of 1993--Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on..., 15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (``the Act''), Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. has filed... in this group research project remains open, and Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc...

75 FR 28294 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Interchangeable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-20

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76 FR 16820 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Interchangeable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-25

... Production Act of 1993--Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on..., 15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (``the Act''), Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. has filed... research project. Membership in this group research project remains open, and Interchangeable Virtual...

75 FR 54652 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Interchangeable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-08

... Production Act of 1993--Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on..., 15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (``the Act''), Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. has filed... group research project remains open, and Interchangeable Virtual Instruments Foundation, Inc. intends to...

Factors Influencing Virtual Patron Satisfaction with Online Library Resources and Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Katherine; Hastings, Nancy B.

2011-01-01

College students are accessing virtual libraries whether they are on campus or learning from a distance. Academic institutions serving virtual patrons must remain focused on meeting the needs of those library users by continually examining their preferences, their searching behavior, and the information they seek. The purpose of this research was…

Factors Influencing Virtual Patron Satisfaction with Online Library Resources and Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Katherine Mary

2010-01-01

College students are accessing virtual libraries whether they are on campus or learning from a distance. Academic institutions serving virtual patrons must remain focused on meeting the needs of those library users by continually examining their preferences, their searching behavior, and the information they seek. The purpose of this research was…

Achievers, Confidence-Builders, Advocates, Relationship-Developers and System-Changers: What "Making a Difference" Means to Those Who Work with Children with Special Educational Needs -- A Typology of Rewards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackenzie, Suzanne

2013-01-01

Previous research on the rewards found that teachers gain satisfaction in a sense of vocation, "making a difference", and the emotional rewards of "care" and "love", especially in whole-class teaching. The meaning of "making a difference" often remains unexplored however, and this article is an attempt to…

Temperate pine barrens and tropical rain forests are both rich in undescribed fungi.

PubMed

Luo, Jing; Walsh, Emily; Naik, Abhishek; Zhuang, Wenying; Zhang, Keqin; Cai, Lei; Zhang, Ning

2014-01-01

Most of fungal biodiversity on Earth remains unknown especially in the unexplored habitats. In this study, we compared fungi associated with grass (Poaceae) roots from two ecosystems: the temperate pine barrens in New Jersey, USA and tropical rain forests in Yunnan, China, using the same sampling, isolation and species identification methods. A total of 426 fungal isolates were obtained from 1600 root segments from 80 grass samples. Based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and morphological characteristics, a total of 85 fungal species (OTUs) belonging in 45 genera, 23 families, 16 orders, and 6 classes were identified, among which the pine barrens had 38 and Yunnan had 56 species, with only 9 species in common. The finding that grass roots in the tropical forests harbor higher fungal species diversity supports that tropical forests are fungal biodiversity hotspots. Sordariomycetes was dominant in both places but more Leotiomycetes were found in the pine barrens than Yunnan, which may play a role in the acidic and oligotrophic pine barrens ecosystem. Equal number of undescribed fungal species were discovered from the two sampled ecosystems, although the tropical Yunnan had more known fungal species. Pine barrens is a unique, unexplored ecosystem. Our finding suggests that sampling plants in such unexplored habitats will uncover novel fungi and that grass roots in pine barrens are one of the major reservoirs of novel fungi with about 47% being undescribed species.

Recent history and geography of virtual water trade.

PubMed

Carr, Joel A; D'Odorico, Paolo; Laio, Francesco; Ridolfi, Luca

2013-01-01

The global trade of goods is associated with a virtual transfer of the water required for their production. The way changes in trade affect the virtual redistribution of freshwater resources has been recently documented through the analysis of the virtual water network. It is, however, unclear how these changes are contributed by different types of products and regions of the world. Here we show how the global patterns of virtual water transport are contributed by the trade of different commodity types, including plant, animal, luxury (e.g., coffee, tea, and alcohol), and other products. Major contributors to the virtual water network exhibit different trade patterns with regard to these commodity types. The net importers rely on the supply of virtual water from a small percentage of the global population. However, discrepancies exist among the different commodity networks. While the total virtual water flux through the network has increased between 1986 and 2010, the proportions associated with the four commodity groups have remained relatively stable. However, some of the major players have shown significant changes in the virtual water imports and exports associated with those commodity groups. For instance, China has switched from being a net exporter of virtual water associated with other products (non-edible plant and animal products typically used for manufacturing) to being the largest importer, accounting for 31% of the total water virtually transported with these products. Conversely, in the case of The United states of America, the commodity proportions have remained overall unchanged throughout the study period: the virtual water exports from The United States of America are dominated by plant products, whereas the imports are comprised mainly of animal and luxury products.

Recent History and Geography of Virtual Water Trade

PubMed Central

Carr, Joel A.; D’Odorico, Paolo; Laio, Francesco; Ridolfi, Luca

2013-01-01

The global trade of goods is associated with a virtual transfer of the water required for their production. The way changes in trade affect the virtual redistribution of freshwater resources has been recently documented through the analysis of the virtual water network. It is, however, unclear how these changes are contributed by different types of products and regions of the world. Here we show how the global patterns of virtual water transport are contributed by the trade of different commodity types, including plant, animal, luxury (e.g., coffee, tea, and alcohol), and other products. Major contributors to the virtual water network exhibit different trade patterns with regard to these commodity types. The net importers rely on the supply of virtual water from a small percentage of the global population. However, discrepancies exist among the different commodity networks. While the total virtual water flux through the network has increased between 1986 and 2010, the proportions associated with the four commodity groups have remained relatively stable. However, some of the major players have shown significant changes in the virtual water imports and exports associated with those commodity groups. For instance, China has switched from being a net exporter of virtual water associated with other products (non-edible plant and animal products typically used for manufacturing) to being the largest importer, accounting for 31% of the total water virtually transported with these products. Conversely, in the case of The United states of America, the commodity proportions have remained overall unchanged throughout the study period: the virtual water exports from The United States of America are dominated by plant products, whereas the imports are comprised mainly of animal and luxury products. PMID:23457481

Virtual healthcare delivery: defined, modeled, and predictive barriers to implementation identified.

PubMed

Harrop, V M

2001-01-01

Provider organizations lack: 1. a definition of "virtual" healthcare delivery relative to the products, services, and processes offered by dot.coms, web-compact disk healthcare content providers, telemedicine, and telecommunications companies, and 2. a model for integrating real and virtual healthcare delivery. This paper defines virtual healthcare delivery as asynchronous, outsourced, and anonymous, then proposes a 2x2 Real-Virtual Healthcare Delivery model focused on real and virtual patients and real and virtual provider organizations. Using this model, provider organizations can systematically deconstruct healthcare delivery in the real world and reconstruct appropriate pieces in the virtual world. Observed barriers to virtual healthcare delivery are: resistance to telecommunication integrated delivery networks and outsourcing; confusion over virtual infrastructure requirements for telemedicine and full-service web portals, and the impact of integrated delivery networks and outsourcing on extant cultural norms and revenue generating practices. To remain competitive provider organizations must integrate real and virtual healthcare delivery.

Virtual healthcare delivery: defined, modeled, and predictive barriers to implementation identified.

PubMed Central

Harrop, V. M.

2001-01-01

Provider organizations lack: 1. a definition of "virtual" healthcare delivery relative to the products, services, and processes offered by dot.coms, web-compact disk healthcare content providers, telemedicine, and telecommunications companies, and 2. a model for integrating real and virtual healthcare delivery. This paper defines virtual healthcare delivery as asynchronous, outsourced, and anonymous, then proposes a 2x2 Real-Virtual Healthcare Delivery model focused on real and virtual patients and real and virtual provider organizations. Using this model, provider organizations can systematically deconstruct healthcare delivery in the real world and reconstruct appropriate pieces in the virtual world. Observed barriers to virtual healthcare delivery are: resistance to telecommunication integrated delivery networks and outsourcing; confusion over virtual infrastructure requirements for telemedicine and full-service web portals, and the impact of integrated delivery networks and outsourcing on extant cultural norms and revenue generating practices. To remain competitive provider organizations must integrate real and virtual healthcare delivery. PMID:11825189

Information Technologies as a Tool for Agricultural Extension and Farmer-to-Farmer Exchange: Mobile-Phone Video Use in Mali and Burkina Faso

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sousa, Fernando; Nicolay, Gian; Home, Robert

2016-01-01

Mobile phones are widespread in the rural areas of Mali and Burkina Faso, but their potential as a tool for knowledge transfer by extension services in the region remains largely unexplored. The aim of this contribution is to evaluate the potential of video on mobile phones as a tool for farmer-to-farmer exchange and agricultural extension in…

Factors associated with female provider preference among African American women, and implications for breast cancer screening.

PubMed

Casciotti, Dana M; Klassen, Ann C

2011-07-01

Globally, breast cancer incidence is increasing. Early detection remains important for addressing disparities, including among U.S. minorities. Seeing a female physician increases screening, but the effects of unmet provider gender preference among underserved populations remain unexplored. Among 576 urban African American women age 45-93, we examined predictors of gender preference and how met and unmet preference influenced screening. We conclude that provider gender is a "double-edged sword." We saw a female provider screening benefit, but also that gender preference was associated with past disadvantage and attitudes inconsistent with health maintenance. Provider gender preference merits further consideration in women's health research.

Design Concerns in the Engineering of Virtual Worlds for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapanotti, Lucia; Hall, Jon G.

2011-01-01

The convergence of 3D simulation and social networking into current multi-user virtual environments has opened the door to new forms of interaction for learning in order to complement the face-to-face and Web 2.0-based systems. Yet, despite a growing user community, design knowledge for virtual worlds remains patchy, particularly when it comes to…

Immune response in a wild bird is predicted by oxidative status, but does not cause oxidative stress.

PubMed

Cram, Dominic L; Blount, Jonathan D; York, Jennifer E; Young, Andrew J

2015-01-01

The immune system provides vital protection against pathogens, but extensive evidence suggests that mounting immune responses can entail survival and fecundity costs. The physiological mechanisms that underpin these costs remain poorly understood, despite their potentially important role in shaping life-histories. Recent studies involving laboratory models highlight the possibility that oxidative stress could mediate these costs, as immune-activation can increase the production of reactive oxygen species leading to oxidative stress. However, this hypothesis has rarely been tested in free-ranging wild populations, where natural oxidative statuses and compensatory strategies may moderate immune responses and their impacts on oxidative status. Furthermore, the possibility that individuals scale their immune responses according to their oxidative status, conceivably to mitigate such costs, remains virtually unexplored. Here, we experimentally investigate the effects of a phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) immune-challenge on oxidative status in wild male and female white-browed sparrow weavers, Plocepasser mahali. We also establish whether baseline oxidative status prior to challenge predicts the scale of the immune responses. Contrary to previous work on captive animals, our findings suggest that PHA-induced immune-activation does not elicit oxidative stress. Compared with controls (n = 25 birds), PHA-injected birds (n = 27 birds) showed no evidence of a differential change in markers of oxidative damage or enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant protection 24 hours after challenge. We did, however, find that the activity of a key antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, SOD) prior to immune-activation predicted the scale of the resulting swelling: birds with stronger initial SOD activity subsequently produced smaller swellings. Our findings (i) suggest that wild birds can mount immune responses without suffering from systemic oxidative stress, and (ii) lend support to biomedical evidence that baseline oxidative status can impact the scale of immune responses; a possibility not yet recognised in ecological studies of immunity.

Immune Response in a Wild Bird Is Predicted by Oxidative Status, but Does Not Cause Oxidative Stress

PubMed Central

Cram, Dominic L.; Blount, Jonathan D.; York, Jennifer E.; Young, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

The immune system provides vital protection against pathogens, but extensive evidence suggests that mounting immune responses can entail survival and fecundity costs. The physiological mechanisms that underpin these costs remain poorly understood, despite their potentially important role in shaping life-histories. Recent studies involving laboratory models highlight the possibility that oxidative stress could mediate these costs, as immune-activation can increase the production of reactive oxygen species leading to oxidative stress. However, this hypothesis has rarely been tested in free-ranging wild populations, where natural oxidative statuses and compensatory strategies may moderate immune responses and their impacts on oxidative status. Furthermore, the possibility that individuals scale their immune responses according to their oxidative status, conceivably to mitigate such costs, remains virtually unexplored. Here, we experimentally investigate the effects of a phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) immune-challenge on oxidative status in wild male and female white-browed sparrow weavers, Plocepasser mahali. We also establish whether baseline oxidative status prior to challenge predicts the scale of the immune responses. Contrary to previous work on captive animals, our findings suggest that PHA-induced immune-activation does not elicit oxidative stress. Compared with controls (n = 25 birds), PHA-injected birds (n = 27 birds) showed no evidence of a differential change in markers of oxidative damage or enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant protection 24 hours after challenge. We did, however, find that the activity of a key antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, SOD) prior to immune-activation predicted the scale of the resulting swelling: birds with stronger initial SOD activity subsequently produced smaller swellings. Our findings (i) suggest that wild birds can mount immune responses without suffering from systemic oxidative stress, and (ii) lend support to biomedical evidence that baseline oxidative status can impact the scale of immune responses; a possibility not yet recognised in ecological studies of immunity. PMID:25815888

Temperate Pine Barrens and Tropical Rain Forests Are Both Rich in Undescribed Fungi

PubMed Central

Luo, Jing; Walsh, Emily; Naik, Abhishek; Zhuang, Wenying; Zhang, Keqin; Cai, Lei; Zhang, Ning

2014-01-01

Most of fungal biodiversity on Earth remains unknown especially in the unexplored habitats. In this study, we compared fungi associated with grass (Poaceae) roots from two ecosystems: the temperate pine barrens in New Jersey, USA and tropical rain forests in Yunnan, China, using the same sampling, isolation and species identification methods. A total of 426 fungal isolates were obtained from 1600 root segments from 80 grass samples. Based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and morphological characteristics, a total of 85 fungal species (OTUs) belonging in 45 genera, 23 families, 16 orders, and 6 classes were identified, among which the pine barrens had 38 and Yunnan had 56 species, with only 9 species in common. The finding that grass roots in the tropical forests harbor higher fungal species diversity supports that tropical forests are fungal biodiversity hotspots. Sordariomycetes was dominant in both places but more Leotiomycetes were found in the pine barrens than Yunnan, which may play a role in the acidic and oligotrophic pine barrens ecosystem. Equal number of undescribed fungal species were discovered from the two sampled ecosystems, although the tropical Yunnan had more known fungal species. Pine barrens is a unique, unexplored ecosystem. Our finding suggests that sampling plants in such unexplored habitats will uncover novel fungi and that grass roots in pine barrens are one of the major reservoirs of novel fungi with about 47% being undescribed species. PMID:25072783

Agency-Hired Hotel Housekeepers

PubMed Central

Sanon, Marie-Anne V.

2014-01-01

Hotel housekeepers experience unique workplace hazards and characteristics that increase their risks for poor health outcomes. Today’s agency-hiring practices may further marginalize hotel housekeepers and negatively impact their health. Yet the impact of such hiring practices on the health of this vulnerable worker group remains unexplored. This article presents the debate regarding agency-hiring practices and how these practices may influence the health and well-being of hotel housekeepers. Implications for occupational health nurses are also discussed. PMID:24512722

Gender, fear of crime, and attitudes toward prisoners among social work majors in a Hong Kong University.

PubMed

Chui, Wing Hong; Cheng, Kevin Kwok-Yin; Wong, Lok-Ping

2013-04-01

Fear of crime has been a dominant area of criminological inquiry, yet it is has been examined only recently in a Chinese context, and it is virtually unexplored in Hong Kong. Using a sample of 170 Hong Kong college students majoring in social work, the current study aimed to investigate the effects of gender on fear of crime and their relationships to attitudes toward prisoners. In general, women reported a significantly greater fear of crime than men for all offenses except for being cheated. Fear of rape/sexual assault was found to be a significant predictor of fear of serious crimes for women but a less significant predictor of their fear of minor crimes. The shadow of the sexual assault hypothesis was supported in this study. Fear of crime had little impact on attitudes toward prisoners.

Virtual Organizations: An Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nami, Mohammad Reza

The need to remain competitive in the open market forces companies to concentrate on their core competencies while searching for alliances when additional skills or resources are needed to fulfill business opportunities. The changing business situation of companies and customer needs have motivated researchers to introduce Virtual Organization (VO) idea. A Virtual Organization is always a form of partnership and managing partners and handling partnerships are crucial. Virtual organizations are defined as a temporary collection of enterprises that cooperate and share resources, knowledge, and competencies to better respond to business opportunities. This paper presents base concepts of virtual organizations including properties, management concepts, operational concepts, and main issues in collaboration such as security and authentication.

Virtual Laboratories and Virtual Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hut, Piet

2008-05-01

Since we cannot put stars in a laboratory, astrophysicists had to wait till the invention of computers before becoming laboratory scientists. For half a century now, we have been conducting experiments in our virtual laboratories. However, we ourselves have remained behind the keyboard, with the screen of the monitor separating us from the world we are simulating. Recently, 3D on-line technology, developed first for games but now deployed in virtual worlds like Second Life, is beginning to make it possible for astrophysicists to enter their virtual labs themselves, in virtual form as avatars. This has several advantages, from new possibilities to explore the results of the simulations to a shared presence in a virtual lab with remote collaborators on different continents. I will report my experiences with the use of Qwaq Forums, a virtual world developed by a new company (see http://www.qwaq.com).

Microstructure of frontoparietal connections predicts individual resistance to sleep deprivation.

PubMed

Cui, Jiaolong; Tkachenko, Olga; Gogel, Hannah; Kipman, Maia; Preer, Lily A; Weber, Mareen; Divatia, Shreya C; Demers, Lauren A; Olson, Elizabeth A; Buchholz, Jennifer L; Bark, John S; Rosso, Isabelle M; Rauch, Scott L; Killgore, William D S

2015-02-01

Sleep deprivation (SD) can degrade cognitive functioning, but growing evidence suggests that there are large individual differences in the vulnerability to this effect. Some evidence suggests that baseline differences in the responsiveness of a fronto-parietal attention system that is activated during working memory (WM) tasks may be associated with the ability to sustain vigilance during sleep deprivation. However, the neurocircuitry underlying this network remains virtually unexplored. In this study, we employed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate the association between the microstructure of the axonal pathway connecting the frontal and parietal regions--i.e., the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF)--and individual resistance to SD. Thirty healthy participants (15 males) aged 20-43 years underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at rested wakefulness prior to a 28-hour period of SD. Task-related fronto-parietal fMRI activation clusters during a Sternberg WM Task were localized and used as seed regions for probabilistic fiber tractography. DTI metrics, including fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial and radial diffusivity were measured in the SLF. The psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) was used to evaluate resistance to SD. We found that activation in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) positively correlated with resistance. Higher fractional anisotropy of the left SLF comprising the primary axons connecting IPL and DLPFC was also associated with better resistance. These findings suggest that individual differences in resistance to SD are associated with the functional responsiveness of a fronto-parietal attention system and the microstructural properties of the axonal interconnections. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

C/EBPβ Promotes STAT3 Expression and Affects Cell Apoptosis and Proliferation in Porcine Ovarian Granulosa Cells.

PubMed

Yuan, Xiaolong; Zhou, Xiaofeng; He, Yingting; Zhong, Yuyi; Zhang, Ailing; Zhang, Zhe; Zhang, Hao; Li, Jiaqi

2018-06-13

Previous studies suggest that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPβ) play an essential role in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) for mammalian follicular development. Several C/EBPβ putative binding sites were previously predicted on the STAT3 promoter in mammals. However, the molecular regulation of C/EBPβ on STAT3 and their effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis remain virtually unexplored in GCs. Using porcine GCs as a model, the 5′-deletion, luciferase report assay, mutation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, Annexin-V/PI staining and EdU assays were applied to investigate the molecular mechanism for C/EBPβ regulating the expression of STAT3 and their effects on the cell proliferation and apoptosis ability. We found that over and interfering with the expression of C/EBPβ significantly increased and decreased the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of STAT3 , respectively. The dual luciferase reporter assay showed that C/EBPβ directly bound at −1397/−1387 of STAT3 to positively regulate the mRNA and protein expressions of STAT3 . Both C/EBPβ and STAT3 were observed to inhibit cell apoptosis and promote cell proliferation. Furthermore, C/EBPβ might enhance the antiapoptotic and pro-proliferative effects of STAT3 . These results would be of great insight in further exploring the molecular mechanism of C/EBPβ and STAT3 on the function of GCs and the development of ovarian follicles in mammals.

Compendium of Arms Control Verification Proposals.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

proposals. This appears to be the case for virtually all kinds of prospective arms control topics from general and complete disarmament to control of specific... virtually anywhere. Unrestricted access would be particularly necessary in the case of states which previously had nuclear weapons. Practically speaking...been transferred out of the area, it would be harder to check on remaining stocks without some intrusive inspection and it would be virtually impossible

Catalog of 174 Binary Black Hole Simulations for Gravitational Wave Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mroué, Abdul H.; Scheel, Mark A.; Szilágyi, Béla; Pfeiffer, Harald P.; Boyle, Michael; Hemberger, Daniel A.; Kidder, Lawrence E.; Lovelace, Geoffrey; Ossokine, Serguei; Taylor, Nicholas W.; Zenginoğlu, Anıl; Buchman, Luisa T.; Chu, Tony; Foley, Evan; Giesler, Matthew; Owen, Robert; Teukolsky, Saul A.

2013-12-01

This Letter presents a publicly available catalog of 174 numerical binary black hole simulations following up to 35 orbits. The catalog includes 91 precessing binaries, mass ratios up to 8∶1, orbital eccentricities from a few percent to 10-5, black hole spins up to 98% of the theoretical maximum, and radiated energies up to 11.1% of the initial mass. We establish remarkably good agreement with post-Newtonian precession of orbital and spin directions for two new precessing simulations, and we discuss other applications of this catalog. Formidable challenges remain: e.g., precession complicates the connection of numerical and approximate analytical waveforms, and vast regions of the parameter space remain unexplored.

Catalog of 174 binary black hole simulations for gravitational wave astronomy.

PubMed

Mroué, Abdul H; Scheel, Mark A; Szilágyi, Béla; Pfeiffer, Harald P; Boyle, Michael; Hemberger, Daniel A; Kidder, Lawrence E; Lovelace, Geoffrey; Ossokine, Serguei; Taylor, Nicholas W; Zenginoğlu, Anıl; Buchman, Luisa T; Chu, Tony; Foley, Evan; Giesler, Matthew; Owen, Robert; Teukolsky, Saul A

2013-12-13

This Letter presents a publicly available catalog of 174 numerical binary black hole simulations following up to 35 orbits. The catalog includes 91 precessing binaries, mass ratios up to 8∶1, orbital eccentricities from a few percent to 10(-5), black hole spins up to 98% of the theoretical maximum, and radiated energies up to 11.1% of the initial mass. We establish remarkably good agreement with post-Newtonian precession of orbital and spin directions for two new precessing simulations, and we discuss other applications of this catalog. Formidable challenges remain: e.g., precession complicates the connection of numerical and approximate analytical waveforms, and vast regions of the parameter space remain unexplored.

Efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy for treatment of dental phobia: a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Raghav, Kumar; Van Wijk, A J; Abdullah, Fawzia; Islam, Md Nurul; Bernatchez, Marc; De Jongh, Ad

2016-02-27

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is found to be a promising and a viable alternative for in vivo exposure in the treatment of specific phobias. However, its usefulness for treating dental phobia is unexplored. The aims of the present study are to determine: (a) the efficacy of VRET versus informational pamphlet (IP) control group in terms of dental trait and state anxiety reductions at 1 week, 3 months and 6 months follow-up (b) the real-time physiological arousal [heart rate (HR)] of VRET group participants during and following therapy (c) the relation between subjective (presence) and objective (HR) measures during VRET. This study is a single blind, randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms in which participants will be allocated to VRET or IP with a ratio of 1:1. Thirty participants (18-50 years) meeting the Phobia Checklist criteria of dental phobia will undergo block randomization with allocation concealment. The primary outcome measures include participants' dental trait anxiety (Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and Dental Fear Survey) and state anxiety (Visual Analogue Scale) measured at baseline (T0), at intervention (T1), 1-week (T2), 3 months (T3) and 6 months (T4) follow-up. A behavior test will be conducted before and after the intervention. The secondary outcome measures are real-time evaluation of HR and VR (Virtual Reality) experience (presence, realism, nausea) during and following the VRET intervention respectively. The data will be analyzed using intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis. This study uses novel non-invasive VRET, which may provide a possible alternative treatment for dental anxiety and phobia. ISRCTN25824611 , Date of registration: 26 October 2015.

Geometric morphometric methods for three-dimensional virtual reconstruction of a fragmented cranium: the case of Angelo Poliziano.

PubMed

Benazzi, S; Stansfield, E; Milani, C; Gruppioni, G

2009-07-01

The process of forensic identification of missing individuals is frequently reliant on the superimposition of cranial remains onto an individual's picture and/or facial reconstruction. In the latter, the integrity of the skull or a cranium is an important factor in successful identification. Here, we recommend the usage of computerized virtual reconstruction and geometric morphometrics for the purposes of individual reconstruction and identification in forensics. We apply these methods to reconstruct a complete cranium from facial remains that allegedly belong to the famous Italian humanist of the fifteenth century, Angelo Poliziano (1454-1494). Raw data was obtained by computed tomography scans of the Poliziano face and a complete reference skull of a 37-year-old Italian male. Given that the amount of distortion of the facial remains is unknown, two reconstructions are proposed: The first calculates the average shape between the original and its reflection, and the second discards the less preserved left side of the cranium under the assumption that there is no deformation on the right. Both reconstructions perform well in the superimposition with the original preserved facial surface in a virtual environment. The reconstruction by means of averaging between the original and reflection yielded better results during the superimposition with portraits of Poliziano. We argue that the combination of computerized virtual reconstruction and geometric morphometric methods offers a number of advantages over traditional plastic reconstruction, among which are speed, reproducibility, easiness of manipulation when superimposing with pictures in virtual environment, and assumptions control.

Orientation of Hittite Monuments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-García, A. César; Belmonte, Juan Antonio

The possible astronomical or topographical orientations of the Hittite monuments of the Bronze Age has remained unexplored until recently. This would provide an important insight into how temporality was imprinted by this culture in sacred spaces and in the landscape. The authors' analysis of a statistically significant sample of Hittite temples - and a few monumental gates - has demonstrated that ancient Hittite monuments were not randomly orientated as previously thought. On the contrary, there were well-defined patterns of orientation that can be interpreted within the context of Hittite culture and religion.

Domestic Violence: Intersection of Culture, Gender and Context.

PubMed

Tonsing, Jenny C

2016-04-01

This study examines South Asian women's experience of domestic violence in Hong Kong. Despite the proliferation of literature on domestic violence, this issue remain unexplored in the discourse of domestic violence in Hong Kong. A qualitative research approach through face to face interview with 14 women was employed. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Findings from this study highlight the importance of considering the social and cultural influence on how women perceived and construct their experiences of abuse.Implications for practice and policies are highlighted.

The Relationship between Cultural Diversity and User Needs in Virtual Reference Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shachaf, Pnina; Snyder, Mary

2007-01-01

While the racial diversity of academic library users continues to grow, research on the effects of this diversity remains scarce. This study looks at similarities and differences between non-traditional Caucasian and African American library users through content analysis of ninety-four virtual reference transactions.

Formalizing and Promoting Collaboration in 3D Virtual Environments - A Blueprint for the Creation of Group Interaction Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmeil, Andreas; Eppler, Martin J.

Despite the fact that virtual worlds and other types of multi-user 3D collaboration spaces have long been subjects of research and of application experiences, it still remains unclear how to best benefit from meeting with colleagues and peers in a virtual environment with the aim of working together. Making use of the potential of virtual embodiment, i.e. being immersed in a space as a personal avatar, allows for innovative new forms of collaboration. In this paper, we present a framework that serves as a systematic formalization of collaboration elements in virtual environments. The framework is based on the semiotic distinctions among pragmatic, semantic and syntactic perspectives. It serves as a blueprint to guide users in designing, implementing, and executing virtual collaboration patterns tailored to their needs. We present two team and two community collaboration pattern examples as a result of the application of the framework: Virtual Meeting, Virtual Design Studio, Spatial Group Configuration, and Virtual Knowledge Fair. In conclusion, we also point out future research directions for this emerging domain.

Chemical and Biological Dynamics Using Droplet-Based Microfluidics.

PubMed

Dressler, Oliver J; Casadevall I Solvas, Xavier; deMello, Andrew J

2017-06-12

Recent years have witnessed an increased use of droplet-based microfluidic techniques in a wide variety of chemical and biological assays. Nevertheless, obtaining dynamic data from these platforms has remained challenging, as this often requires reading the same droplets (possibly thousands of them) multiple times over a wide range of intervals (from milliseconds to hours). In this review, we introduce the elemental techniques for the formation and manipulation of microfluidic droplets, together with the most recent developments in these areas. We then discuss a wide range of analytical methods that have been successfully adapted for analyte detection in droplets. Finally, we highlight a diversity of studies where droplet-based microfluidic strategies have enabled the characterization of dynamic systems that would otherwise have remained unexplorable.

Surgical virtual reality - highlights in developing a high performance surgical haptic device.

PubMed

Custură-Crăciun, D; Cochior, D; Constantinoiu, S; Neagu, C

2013-01-01

Just like simulators are a standard in aviation and aerospace sciences, we expect for surgical simulators to soon become a standard in medical applications. These will correctly instruct future doctors in surgical techniques without there being a need for hands on patient instruction. Using virtual reality by digitally transposing surgical procedures changes surgery in are volutionary manner by offering possibilities for implementing new, much more efficient, learning methods, by allowing the practice of new surgical techniques and by improving surgeon abilities and skills. Perfecting haptic devices has opened the door to a series of opportunities in the fields of research,industry, nuclear science and medicine. Concepts purely theoretical at first, such as telerobotics, telepresence or telerepresentation,have become a practical reality as calculus techniques, telecommunications and haptic devices evolved,virtual reality taking a new leap. In the field of surgery barrier sand controversies still remain, regarding implementation and generalization of surgical virtual simulators. These obstacles remain connected to the high costs of this yet fully sufficiently developed technology, especially in the domain of haptic devices. Celsius.

History and geography of virtual water trade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, J. A.; D'Odorico, P.; Laio, F.; Ridolfi, L.

2012-12-01

The global trade of goods is associated with a virtual transfer of the water required for their production. The way changes in trade affect the virtual redistribution of freshwater resources has been recently documented through the analysis of the virtual water network. It is, however, unclear how these changes are contributed by different types of products and regions of the world. Here we show how the global patterns of virtual water transport are contributed by the trade of different commodity types, including plant, animal, luxury (e.g., coffee, tea, and alcohol), and other products (non-edible plant and animal products typically used for manufacturing). Major contributors to the virtual water network exhibit different trade patterns with regard to these commodity types with the net importers of virtual water relying on the supply of virtual water from a small percentage of the global population. Discrepancies exist among the different commodity networks. Surprisingly, while the total virtual water flux through the network has increased between 1986 and 2008, the global proportions associated with the four commodity groups have remained relatively stable. Here we discuss some major changes in the global patterns of virtual water trade with a focus on the increase in regional dependencies on foreign virtual water. The increase in virtual water trade and the percentage of the total virtual water flux in the network corresponding to plant, animals, luxury, and other commodities.

Hard X-ray Optics Technology Development for Astronomy at the Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gubarev, Mikhail; Ramsey, Brian; Kilaru, Kiranmayee

2009-01-01

Grazing-incidence telescopes based on Wolter 1 geometry have delivered impressive advances in astrophysics at soft-x-ray wavelengths, while the hard xray region remains relatively unexplored at fine angular resolution and high sensitivities. The ability to perform ground-breaking science in the hard-x-ray energy range had been the motivation for technology developments aimed at fabricating low-cost, light-weight, high-quality x-ray mirrors. Grazing-incidence x-ray optics for high-energy astrophysical applications is being developed at MSFC using the electroform-nickel replication process.

Immunotherapy for osteosarcoma: Where do we go from here?

PubMed

Wedekind, Mary F; Wagner, Lars M; Cripe, Timothy P

2018-06-19

Osteosarcoma is the most common bone tumor in children and young adults, with few advances in survival and treatment, especially for metastatic disease, in the last 30 years. Recently, immunotherapy has begun to show promise in various adult cancers, but the utility of this approach for osteosarcoma remains relatively unexplored. In this review, we outline the mechanisms and status of immunotherapies currently in clinical trials as well as future therapies on the horizon, and discuss their potential application for osteosarcoma. © 2018 The Authors. Pediatric Blood & Cancer Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A synthetic computational environment: To control the spread of respiratory infections in a virtual university

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Yuanzheng; Chen, Bin; liu, Liang; Qiu, Xiaogang; Song, Hongbin; Wang, Yong

2018-02-01

Individual-based computational environment provides an effective solution to study complex social events by reconstructing scenarios. Challenges remain in reconstructing the virtual scenarios and reproducing the complex evolution. In this paper, we propose a framework to reconstruct a synthetic computational environment, reproduce the epidemic outbreak, and evaluate management interventions in a virtual university. The reconstructed computational environment includes 4 fundamental components: the synthetic population, behavior algorithms, multiple social networks, and geographic campus environment. In the virtual university, influenza H1N1 transmission experiments are conducted, and gradually enhanced interventions are evaluated and compared quantitatively. The experiment results indicate that the reconstructed virtual environment provides a solution to reproduce complex emergencies and evaluate policies to be executed in the real world.

Probing Cold Dark Matter Substructure with Wide Binaries in Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaname, Julio

2013-10-01

The mass function of dark matter {DM} halos is a central piece in the current framework of hierarchical structure formation. Although a wealth of information is available on the properties of DM halos with M>1e8 solar masses {Msun}, lower-mass halos remain virtually inaccessible. In particular, we do not know whether there is substructure on scales below dwarf spheroidal {dSph} galaxies, nor whether the DM power spectrum cuts off at some low-mass value. Here we propose an experiment that, using resolved binary systems as gravitational test particles, will probe these unexplored regimes for the first time. We will measure the stellar 2-point correlation function in 370 square arcmin of the Ursa Minor dSph down to separations of 40 mas, corresponding to 3000 AU. If there is no DM substructure on small scales, we will detect a 6-sigma excess due to "wide" binaries at the smallest separations. On the other hand, if DM substructure exists on scales of 1e4 Msun at even 10% of the level predicted by standard theory, then these binaries will have been destroyed and there will be no excess at small separations. Because the wide-binary separation function is identical in the Milky Way disk and halo {despite being radically different dynamical environments}, it is almost certain that dSphs were originally endowed with the same wide-binary distribution. Moreover, the interpretation of the resulting data is free from ambiguities, as there are no known mechanisms for destroying these binaries within dSph environments, other than DM subhalos. Thus this is, to the best of our knowledge, the only current experiment that could detect or rule out DM clustering on M=1e4 Msun scales.

Effect of Mineral and Microbe Interactions on Biomass Yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pena, S. A.; Block, K. A.; Katz, A.; Gottlieb, P.

2016-12-01

The ecological feedback of microbes (bacteria and viruses) in association with minerals is virtually unexplored in the context of characterizing how carbon cycles in the terrestrial ecosystem. These interactions include the ability for bacteriophage to control bacteria populations, the ability of minerals to provide a substrate for bacteria growth, and the effect of minerals on bacteriophage viability. We investigate bacteriophage aggregation with minerals in the clay size fraction (< 0.2 µm) as well as the interaction between bacteriophage and mineral biofilms. In our virus experiments, bacteriophage Φ6 was suspended with the minerals smectite, illite, kaolinite, and goethite at low divalent cation concentrations so aggregation was in the reaction limited colloidal aggregation (RLCA) regime, at neutral pH and room temperature conditions. Virus remained viable at a 1:1 virus-clay ratio for clays, and at an approximate 100:1 ratio for goethite. However, the number of plaque forming units was reduced by 99%. Electron micrographs show viable as well as partially disassembled virus, similar to the results found by Block et al. 2014. We found that inactivation of a 4 x 1011 cm-3 concentration of bacteriophage Φ6 by smectite, illite, kaolinite, and goethite, required a minimum sediment concentration of 1.5 x 1011 cm-3, 1.4 x 1011 cm-3, 2.5 x 1011 cm-3, and 1.1 x 109 cm-3, respectively. Mineral biofilms were generated by suspension of tropical soil clays with gram-positive and gram-negative microbes and characterized by x-ray diffraction and imaged by electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Mineral biomass produced by gram negative organisms were subjected to virus infection to determine influence of minerals on community resilience. Lastly, we report biomass yield in each instance to quantify the influence of mineral composition on total biomass production.

Structural insight to mutation effects uncover a common allosteric site in class C GPCRs.

PubMed

Harpsøe, Kasper; Boesgaard, Michael W; Munk, Christian; Bräuner-Osborne, Hans; Gloriam, David E

2017-04-15

Class C G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate important physiological functions and allosteric modulators binding to the transmembrane domain constitute an attractive and, due to a lack of structural insight, a virtually unexplored potential for therapeutics and the food industry. Combining pharmacological site-directed mutagenesis data with the recent class C GPCR experimental structures will provide a foundation for rational design of new therapeutics. We uncover one common site for both positive and negative modulators with different amino acid layouts that can be utilized to obtain selectivity. Additionally, we show a large potential for structure-based modulator design, especially for four orphan receptors with high similarity to the crystal structures. All collated mutagenesis data is available in the GPCRdb mutation browser at http://gpcrdb.org/mutations/ and can be analyzed online or downloaded in excel format. david.gloriam@sund.ku.dk. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Virtual Environment Interpersonal Trust Scale: Validity and Reliability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usta, Ertugrul

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is in the process of interpersonal communication in virtual environments is available from the trust problem is to develop a measurement tool. Trust in the process of distance education today, and has been a factor to be investigated. People, who take distance education course, they could may remain within the process…

Brief Report: A Pilot Study of the Use of a Virtual Reality Headset in Autism Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newbutt, Nigel; Sung, Connie; Kuo, Hung-Jen; Leahy, Michael J.; Lin, Chien-Chun; Tong, Boyang

2016-01-01

The application of virtual reality technologies (VRTs) for users with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been studied for decades. However, a gap remains in our understanding surrounding VRT head-mounted displays (HMDs). As newly designed HMDs have become commercially available (in this study the Oculus Rift[superscript TM]) the need to…

Middle school students' learning of mechanics concepts through engagement in different sequences of physical and virtual experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Sarah; Gnesdilow, Dana; Puntambekar, Sadhana; Kim, Jee-Seon

2017-08-01

Physical and virtual experimentation are thought to have different affordances for supporting students' learning. Research investigating the use of physical and virtual experiments to support students' learning has identified a variety of, sometimes conflicting, outcomes. Unanswered questions remain about how physical and virtual experiments may impact students' learning and for which contexts and content areas they may be most effective. Using a quasi-experimental design, we examined eighth grade students' (N = 100) learning of physics concepts related to pulleys depending on the sequence of physical and virtual labs they engaged in. Five classes of students were assigned to either the: physical first condition (PF) (n = 55), where students performed a physical pulley experiment and then performed the same experiment virtually, or virtual first condition (VF) (n = 45), with the opposite sequence. Repeated measures ANOVA's were conducted to examine how physical and virtual labs impacted students' learning of specific physics concepts. While we did not find clear-cut support that one sequence was better, we did find evidence that participating in virtual experiments may be more beneficial for learning certain physics concepts, such as work and mechanical advantage. Our findings support the idea that if time or physical materials are limited, using virtual experiments may help students understand work and mechanical advantage.

Improving Usage Statistics Processing for a Library Consortium: The Virtual Library of Virginia's Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Tansy E.

2009-01-01

This article describes the development of the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA). The VIVA statistics-processing system remains a work in progress. Member libraries will benefit from the ability to obtain the actual data from the VIVA site, rather than just the summaries, so a project to make these data available is currently being planned. The…

Locomotor activity and non-photic influences on circadian clocks.

PubMed

Mrosovsky, N

1996-08-01

Some of the main themes in this review are as follows. 1. The notion that non-photic zeitgebers are weak needs re-examining. Phase-shifts to some non-photic manipulations can be as large as those to light pulses. 2. As well as being able to phase-shift and entrain free-running rhythms, non-photic events have a number of other effects: these include after-effects of entrainment, period changes, and promotion of splitting. 3. The critical variable for non-photic shifting is unknown. Locomotor activity is more likely to be an index of some other necessary state rather than being causal itself. This index may be better when tendencies to move are channelled into easily measured behaviours like wheel-running. 4. Given ignorance about the critical variable, quantification of activity may be the best presently available measure of zeitgeber intensity. Therefore, the behaviour during non-photic manipulations must be examined as carefully as the shifts themselves. When no phase-shifting follows manipulations such as IGL lesions or serotonin depletion, if the animals are inactive, then little can be inferred. 5. Lack of information on the critical variable(s) for non-photic shifting makes it problematic to compare data from studies using different non-photic manipulations. However, the presence of locomotor activity (or its correlate) does appear to be necessary for triazolam to produce shifts. 6. Novelty-induced wheel-running in hamsters depends on the NPY projection from the IGL to SCN. It remains to be determined how important NPY is in other species or in clock-resetting by other manipulations, but methods are now available to study this. 7. Interactions between photic and non-photic zeitgebers remain virtually unexplored, but it is evident that photic and non-photic stimuli can attenuate the phase-shifting effects of each other. Interactions are not purely additive or predictable from PRCs. 8. The circadian system does more than synchronize free-running rhythms to the solar day. Its non-photic functions and their interactions with photic inputs probably account for some of the anatomical complexity of circadian circuitry.

Creation of a 3-dimensional virtual dental patient for computer-guided surgery and CAD-CAM interim complete removable and fixed dental prostheses: A clinical report.

PubMed

Harris, Bryan T; Montero, Daniel; Grant, Gerald T; Morton, Dean; Llop, Daniel R; Lin, Wei-Shao

2017-02-01

This clinical report proposes a digital workflow using 2-dimensional (2D) digital photographs, a 3D extraoral facial scan, and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) volumetric data to create a 3D virtual patient with craniofacial hard tissue, remaining dentition (including surrounding intraoral soft tissue), and the realistic appearance of facial soft tissue at an exaggerated smile under static conditions. The 3D virtual patient was used to assist the virtual diagnostic tooth arrangement process, providing patient with a pleasing preoperative virtual smile design that harmonized with facial features. The 3D virtual patient was also used to gain patient's pretreatment approval (as a communication tool), design a prosthetically driven surgical plan for computer-guided implant surgery, and fabricate the computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) interim prostheses. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual patients in a real clinical context using augmented reality: impact on antibiotics prescription behaviors.

PubMed

Nifakos, Sokratis; Zary, Nabil

2014-01-01

The research community has called for the development of effective educational interventions for addressing prescription behaviour since antimicrobial resistance remains a global health issue. Examining the potential to displace the educational process from Personal Computers to Mobile devices, in this paper we investigated a new method of integration of Virtual Patients into Mobile devices with augmented reality technology, enriching the practitioner's education in prescription behavior. Moreover, we also explored which information are critical during the prescription behavior education and we visualized these information on real context with augmented reality technology, simultaneously with a running Virtual Patient's scenario. Following this process, we set the educational frame of experiential knowledge to a mixed (virtual and real) environment.

Prospective comparison of virtual fluoroscopy to fluoroscopy and plain radiographs for placement of lumbar pedicle screws.

PubMed

Resnick, Daniel K

2003-06-01

Fluoroscopy-based frameless stereotactic systems provide feedback to the surgeon using virtual fluoroscopic images. The real-life accuracy of these virtual images has not been compared with traditional fluoroscopy in a clinical setting. We prospectively studied 23 consecutive cases. In two cases, registration errors precluded the use of virtual fluoroscopy. Pedicle probes placed with virtual fluoroscopic imaging were imaged with traditional fluoroscopy in the remaining 21 cases. Position of the probes was judged to be ideal, acceptable but not ideal, or not acceptable based on the traditional fluoroscopic images. Virtual fluoroscopy was used to place probes in for 97 pedicles from L1 to the sacrum. Eighty-eight probes were judged to be in ideal position, eight were judged to be acceptable but not ideal, and one probe was judged to be in an unacceptable position. This probe was angled toward an adjacent disc space. Therefore, 96 of 97 probes placed using virtual fluoroscopy were found to be in an acceptable position. The positive predictive value for acceptable screw placement with virtual fluoroscopy compared with traditional fluoroscopy was 99%. A probe placed with virtual fluoroscopic guidance will be judged to be in an acceptable position when imaged with traditional fluoroscopy 99% of the time.

Building a virtual ligand screening pipeline using free software: a survey.

PubMed

Glaab, Enrico

2016-03-01

Virtual screening, the search for bioactive compounds via computational methods, provides a wide range of opportunities to speed up drug development and reduce the associated risks and costs. While virtual screening is already a standard practice in pharmaceutical companies, its applications in preclinical academic research still remain under-exploited, in spite of an increasing availability of dedicated free databases and software tools. In this survey, an overview of recent developments in this field is presented, focusing on free software and data repositories for screening as alternatives to their commercial counterparts, and outlining how available resources can be interlinked into a comprehensive virtual screening pipeline using typical academic computing facilities. Finally, to facilitate the set-up of corresponding pipelines, a downloadable software system is provided, using platform virtualization to integrate pre-installed screening tools and scripts for reproducible application across different operating systems. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Building a virtual ligand screening pipeline using free software: a survey

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Virtual screening, the search for bioactive compounds via computational methods, provides a wide range of opportunities to speed up drug development and reduce the associated risks and costs. While virtual screening is already a standard practice in pharmaceutical companies, its applications in preclinical academic research still remain under-exploited, in spite of an increasing availability of dedicated free databases and software tools. In this survey, an overview of recent developments in this field is presented, focusing on free software and data repositories for screening as alternatives to their commercial counterparts, and outlining how available resources can be interlinked into a comprehensive virtual screening pipeline using typical academic computing facilities. Finally, to facilitate the set-up of corresponding pipelines, a downloadable software system is provided, using platform virtualization to integrate pre-installed screening tools and scripts for reproducible application across different operating systems. PMID:26094053

[Real patients in virtual reality: the link between phantom heads and clinical dentistry].

PubMed

Serrano, C M; Wesselink, P R; Vervoorn, J M

2018-05-01

Preclinical training in phantom heads has until now been considered the 'gold standard' for restorative dental education, but the transition from preclinic to the treatment of real patients has remained a challenge. With the introduction of the latest generation of virtual reality simulators, students and dental practitioners can make digital impressions of their patients in virtual reality models and practice procedures in virtual reality before clinically performing them. In this way, clinical decisions can be investigated and practiced prior to actual treatment, enhancing the safety of the treatment and the self-confidence to perform it. With the 3M™ True Definition Scanner and the Moog Simodont Dental Trainer, 3 masters students and a general dental practitioner practiced their procedures in virtual reality prior to performing them on real patients. They were very satisfied with this preparation and the result of the treatment.

Visualization and simulated surgery of the left ventricle in the virtual pathological heart of the Virtual Physiological Human

PubMed Central

McFarlane, N. J. B.; Lin, X.; Zhao, Y.; Clapworthy, G. J.; Dong, F.; Redaelli, A.; Parodi, O.; Testi, D.

2011-01-01

Ischaemic heart failure remains a significant health and economic problem worldwide. This paper presents a user-friendly software system that will form a part of the virtual pathological heart of the Virtual Physiological Human (VPH2) project, currently being developed under the European Commission Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) programme. VPH2 is an integrated medicine project, which will create a suite of modelling, simulation and visualization tools for patient-specific prediction and planning in cases of post-ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction. The work presented here describes a three-dimensional interactive visualization for simulating left ventricle restoration surgery, comprising the operations of cutting, stitching and patching, and for simulating the elastic deformation of the ventricle to its post-operative shape. This will supply the quantitative measurements required for the post-operative prediction tools being developed in parallel in the same project. PMID:22670207

Mechanisms of sibling socialization in normative family development.

PubMed

Whiteman, Shawn D; Becerra, Julia M; Killoren, Sarah E

2009-01-01

Siblings are important sources of social influence throughout childhood and adolescence. Nevertheless, the processes by which siblings influence one another remain relatively unexplored. We highlight two theories of sibling influence-sibling deidentification and social learning-that offer insights as to how and why siblings develop similar and different attributes, attitudes, and behaviors. Recognizing the need to move past post hoc explanations, we suggest several directions for how these two influence processes can be measured directly in future work. Research on sibling influence also can be improved by integrating these theories and attending to their domains of influence.

Sex-role identification and violent victimization: gender differences in the role of masculinity.

PubMed

Daigle, Leah E; Mummert, Sadie J

2014-01-01

Although sex-role identification has been found to be associated with crime and delinquency, the link between sex-role identification and violent victimization has remained largely unexplored. Using the Add Health data, this study examines sex-role identification and its relationship to violent victimization. The findings suggest that masculinity increases the risk of violent victimization for males, but does not for females. Other differences in risk factors across gender were also found. These findings indicate that masculinity is an important construct in understanding the complexity of why some persons are violently victimized and others are not.

Response of two-band systems to a single-mode quantized field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Z. C.; Shen, H. Z.; Wang, W.; Yi, X. X.

2016-03-01

The response of topological insulators (TIs) to an external weakly classical field can be expressed in terms of Kubo formula, which predicts quantized Hall conductivity of the quantum Hall family. The response of TIs to a single-mode quantized field, however, remains unexplored. In this work, we take the quantum nature of the external field into account and define a Hall conductance to characterize the linear response of a two-band system to the quantized field. The theory is then applied to topological insulators. Comparisons with the traditional Hall conductance are presented and discussed.

[Reparative and neoplastic spheroid cellular structures and their mathematical model].

PubMed

Kogan, E A; Namiot, V A; Demura, T A; Faĭzullina, N M; Sukhikh, G T

2014-01-01

Spheroid cell structures in the cell cultures have been described and are used for studying cell-cell and cell- matrix interactions. At the same time, spheroid cell structure participation in the repair and development of cancer in vivo remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the cellular composition of spherical structures and their functional significance in the repair of squamous epithelium in human papilloma virus-associated cervical pathology--chronic cervicitis and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1-3 degree, and also construct a mathematical model to explain the development and behavior of such spheroid cell structure.

Directed and Direct: Changing Conventions in the American Documentary; University Film Study Center Research Program: A Symposium on The American Documentary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Randall

This article discusses the history of American documentary films and examines several specific films. Any documentary has the primary job of reacting a virtual reality and maintaining an impression of immediate experience. While this has remained a constant requirement, the formal conventions which filmmakers use to create the virtual reality have…

A Brief Nap Is Beneficial for Human Route-Learning: The Role of Navigation Experience and EEG Spectral Power

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamsley, Erin J.; Tucker, Matthew A.; Payne, Jessica D.; Stickgold, Robert

2010-01-01

Here, we examined the effect of a daytime nap on changes in virtual maze performance across a single day. Participants either took a short nap or remained awake following training on a virtual maze task. Post-training sleep provided a clear performance benefit at later retest, but only for those participants with prior experience navigating in a…

Metastable Prepores in Tension-Free Lipid Bilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ting, Christina L.; Awasthi, Neha; Müller, Marcus; Hub, Jochen S.

2018-03-01

The formation and closure of aqueous pores in lipid bilayers is a key step in various biophysical processes. Large pores are well described by classical nucleation theory, but the free-energy landscape of small, biologically relevant pores has remained largely unexplored. The existence of small and metastable "prepores" was hypothesized decades ago from electroporation experiments, but resolving metastable prepores from theoretical models remained challenging. Using two complementary methods—atomistic simulations and self-consistent field theory of a minimal lipid model—we determine the parameters for which metastable prepores occur in lipid membranes. Both methods consistently suggest that pore metastability depends on the relative volume ratio between the lipid head group and lipid tails: lipids with a larger head-group volume fraction (or shorter saturated tails) form metastable prepores, whereas lipids with a smaller head-group volume fraction (or longer unsaturated tails) form unstable prepores.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Aerial Parts as a Source of Bioactive Phenolics.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Ma, Hang; Yuan, Tao; Seeram, Navindra P

2015-08-01

The bark and stems of red maple (Acer rubrum) are reported to contain bioactive phenolics but its aerial parts, namely, flowers and leaves, remain largely unexplored. This is unfortunate considering that various parts of the red maple were used for traditional medicinal purposes by the indigenous peoples of eastern North America, where this species is found. Herein, we report the identification of twenty-five (1-25) phenolics, including two new galloyl derivatives (1 and 2), from red maple flowers and leaves. Of these, ten compounds (1-10), including the new compounds, were isolated and identified by NMR and HRESIMS data while the remaining fifteen compounds (11-25) were identified by HPLC-DAD analyses (by comparison with chemical standards). The isolates (1-10), along with the clinical drug, acarbose, were evaluated for their alpha-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory activities.

Circulating plant miRNAs can regulate human gene expression in vitro

PubMed Central

Pastrello, Chiara; Tsay, Mike; McQuaid, Rosanne; Abovsky, Mark; Pasini, Elisa; Shirdel, Elize; Angeli, Marc; Tokar, Tomas; Jamnik, Joseph; Kotlyar, Max; Jurisicova, Andrea; Kotsopoulos, Joanne; El-Sohemy, Ahmed; Jurisica, Igor

2016-01-01

While Brassica oleracea vegetables have been linked to cancer prevention, the exact mechanism remains unknown. Regulation of gene expression by cross-species microRNAs has been previously reported; however, its link to cancer suppression remains unexplored. In this study we address both issues. We confirm plant microRNAs in human blood in a large nutrigenomics study cohort and in a randomized dose-controlled trial, finding a significant positive correlation between the daily amount of broccoli consumed and the amount of microRNA in the blood. We also demonstrate that Brassica microRNAs regulate expression of human genes and proteins in vitro, and that microRNAs cooperate with other Brassica-specific compounds in a possible cancer-preventive mechanism. Combined, we provide strong evidence and a possible multimodal mechanism for broccoli in cancer prevention. PMID:27604570

Trapping virtual pores by crystal retro-engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, Marc A.; Briggs, Michael E.; Jones, James T. A.; Schmidtmann, Marc; Hasell, Tom; Chong, Samantha Y.; Jelfs, Kim E.; Chen, Linjiang; Cooper, Andrew I.

2015-02-01

Stable guest-free porous molecular crystals are uncommon. By contrast, organic molecular crystals with guest-occupied cavities are frequently observed, but these cavities tend to be unstable and collapse on removal of the guests—this feature has been referred to as ‘virtual porosity’. Here, we show how we have trapped the virtual porosity in an unstable low-density organic molecular crystal by introducing a second molecule that matches the size and shape of the unstable voids. We call this strategy ‘retro-engineering’ because it parallels organic retrosynthetic analysis, and it allows the metastable two-dimensional hexagonal pore structure in an organic solvate to be trapped in a binary cocrystal. Unlike the crystal with virtual porosity, the cocrystal material remains single crystalline and porous after removal of guests by heating.

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis associated with risperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare inflammatory breast disease. The etiology and treatment options of IGM remain controversial. Previous case reports have suggested that hyperprolactinemia may be associated with IGM. In the present report, we describe the first case of IGM associated with risperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia. Virtual slides The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/8120093785928228 PMID:22221904

Adaptive space warping to enhance passive haptics in an arthroscopy surgical simulator.

PubMed

Spillmann, Jonas; Tuchschmid, Stefan; Harders, Matthias

2013-04-01

Passive haptics, also known as tactile augmentation, denotes the use of a physical counterpart to a virtual environment to provide tactile feedback. Employing passive haptics can result in more realistic touch sensations than those from active force feedback, especially for rigid contacts. However, changes in the virtual environment would necessitate modifications of the physical counterparts. In recent work space warping has been proposed as one solution to overcome this limitation. In this technique virtual space is distorted such that a variety of virtual models can be mapped onto one single physical object. In this paper, we propose as an extension adaptive space warping; we show how this technique can be employed in a mixed-reality surgical training simulator in order to map different virtual patients onto one physical anatomical model. We developed methods to warp different organ geometries onto one physical mock-up, to handle different mechanical behaviors of the virtual patients, and to allow interactive modifications of the virtual structures, while the physical counterparts remain unchanged. Various practical examples underline the wide applicability of our approach. To the best of our knowledge this is the first practical usage of such a technique in the specific context of interactive medical training.

Development of a Telescope for Medium-Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Stanley D.

2010-01-01

Since the launch of AGILE and FERMI, the scientific progress in high-energy (E(sub gamma) greater than approximately 200 MeV) gamma-ray science has been, and will continue to be dramatic. Both of these telescopes cover a broad energy range from approximately 20 MeV to greater than 10 GeV. However, neither instrument is optimized for observations below approximately 200 MeV where many astrophysical objects exhibit unique, transitory behavior, such as spectral breaks, bursts, and flares. Hence, while significant progress from current observations is expected, there will nonetheless remain a significant sensitivity gap in the medium-energy (approximately 0.1-200 MeV) regime; the lower end of this range remains largely unexplored whereas the upper end will allow comparison with FERMI data. Tapping into this unexplored regime requires significant improvements in sensitivity. A major emphasis of modern detector development, with the goal of providing significant improvements in sensitivity in the medium-energy regime, focuses on high-resolution electron tracking. The Three-Dimensional Track Imager (3-DTI) technology being developed at GSFC provides high resolution tracking of the electron-positron pair from gamma-ray interactions from 5 to 200 MeV. The 3-DTI consists of a time projection chamber (TPC) and 2-D cross-strip microwell detector (MWD). The low-density and homogeneous design of the 3-DTI, offers unprecedented sensitivity by providing angular resolution near the kinematic limit. Electron tracking also enables measurement of gamma-ray polarization, a new tool to study astrophysical phenomenon. We describe the design, fabrication, and performance of a 30x30x30 cubic centimeters 3-DTI detector prototype of a medium-energy gamma-ray telescope.

Development of a Telescope for Medium-Energy Gamma-ray Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sunter, Stan

2012-01-01

Since the launch of AGILE and FERMI, the scientific progress in high-energy (Eg greater than approximately 200 MeV) gamma-ray science has been, and will continue to be dramatic. Both of these telescopes cover a broad energy range from approximately 20 MeV to greater than 10 GeV. However, neither instrument is optimized for observations below approximately 200 MeV where many astrophysical objects exhibit unique, transitory behavior, such as spectral breaks, bursts, and flares. Hence, while significant progress from current observations is expected, there will nonetheless remain a significant sensitivity gap in the medium-energy (approximately 0.1-200 MeV) regime; the lower end of this range remains largely unexplored whereas the upper end will allow comparison with FERMI data. Tapping into this unexplored regime requires significant improvements in sensitivity. A major emphasis of modern detector development, with the goal of providing significant improvements in sensitivity in the medium-energy regime, focuses on high-resolution electron tracking. The Three-Dimensional Track Imager (3-DTI) technology being developed at GSFC provides high resolution tracking of the electron-positron pair from gamma-ray interactions from 5 to 200 MeV. The 3-DTI consists of a time projection chamber (TPC) and 2-D cross-strip microwell detector (MWD). The low-density and homogeneous design of the 3-DTI, offers unprecedented sensitivity by providing angular resolution near the kinematic limit. Electron tracking also enables measurement of gamma-ray polarization, a new tool to study astrophysical phenomenon. We describe the design, fabrication, and performance of a 30x30x30 cm3 3-DTI detector prototype of a medium-energy gamma-ray telescope.

Influence of running velocity on vertical, leg and joint stiffness : modelling and recommendations for future research.

PubMed

Brughelli, Matt; Cronin, John

2008-01-01

Human running can be modelled as either a spring-mass model or multiple springs in series. A force is required to stretch or compress the spring, and thus stiffness, the variable of interest in this paper, can be calculated from the ratio of this force to the change in spring length. Given the link between force and length change, muscle stiffness and mechanical stiffness have been areas of interest to researchers, clinicians, and strength and conditioning practitioners for many years. This review focuses on mechanical stiffness, and in particular, vertical, leg and joint stiffness, since these are the only stiffness types that have been directly calculated during human running. It has been established that as running velocity increases from slow-to-moderate values, leg stiffness remains constant while both vertical stiffness and joint stiffness increase. However, no studies have calculated vertical, leg or joint stiffness over a range of slow-to-moderate values to maximum values in an athletic population. Therefore, the effects of faster running velocities on stiffness are relatively unexplored. Furthermore, no experimental research has examined the effects of training on vertical, leg or joint stiffness and the subsequent effects on running performance. Various methods of training (Olympic style weightlifting, heavy resistance training, plyometrics, eccentric strength training) have shown to be effective at improving running performance. However, the effects of these training methods on vertical, leg and joint stiffness are unknown. As a result, the true importance of stiffness to running performance remains unexplored, and the best practice for changing stiffness to optimize running performance is speculative at best. It is our hope that a better understanding of stiffness, and the influence of running speed on stiffness, will lead to greater interest and an increase in experimental research in this area.

Self and informant report ratings of psychopathology in genetic generalized epilepsy.

PubMed

Loughman, Amy; Bowden, Stephen C; D'Souza, Wendyl J

2017-02-01

The psychological sequelae of genetic generalized epilepsies (GGE) is of growing research interest, with up to a third of all adults with GGE experiencing significant psychiatric comorbidity according to a recent systematic review. A number of unexplored questions remain. Firstly, there is insufficient evidence to determine relative prevalence of psychopathology between GGE syndromes. Secondly, the degree to which self-report and informant-report questionnaires accord in adults with epilepsy is unknown. Finally, while epilepsy severity is one likely predictor of worse psychopathology in GGE, evidence regarding other possible contributing factors such as epilepsy duration and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) has been equivocal. The potential impact of subclinical epileptiform discharges remains unexplored. Self-report psychopathology symptoms across six DSM-Oriented Subscales were prospectively measured in 60 adults with GGE, with informant-report provided for a subset of 47. We assessed the burden of symptoms from both self- and informant-report, and the relationship between clinical epilepsy variables and self-reported symptoms. Results showed elevated symptoms in almost half of the sample overall. Depression and anxiety were the most commonly reported types of symptoms. There was a trend towards greater symptoms endorsement by self-report, and relatively modest interrater agreement. Symptoms of ADHD were significantly positively associated with number of AEDs currently prescribed. Other psychopathology symptoms were not significantly predicted by epilepsy duration, seizure-free duration or total duration of epileptiform discharges over a 24-hour period. The high prevalence of psychological needs suggests that routine screening of psychopathology and provision of psychoeducation may be essential to improving patient care and outcomes. Further investigation is required to better understand predictive and causal factors for psychopathology in GGE. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual reality and physical rehabilitation: a new toy or a new research and rehabilitation tool?

PubMed Central

Keshner, Emily A

2004-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) technology is rapidly becoming a popular application for physical rehabilitation and motor control research. But questions remain about whether this technology really extends our ability to influence the nervous system or whether moving within a virtual environment just motivates the individual to perform. I served as guest editor of this month's issue of the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation (JNER) for a group of papers on augmented and virtual reality in rehabilitation. These papers demonstrate a variety of approaches taken for applying VR technology to physical rehabilitation. The papers by Kenyon et al. and Sparto et al. address critical questions about how this technology can be applied to physical rehabilitation and research. The papers by Sveistrup and Viau et al. explore whether action within a virtual environment is equivalent to motor performance within the physical environment. Finally, papers by Riva et al. and Weiss et al. discuss the important characteristics of a virtual environment that will be most effective for obtaining changes in the motor system. PMID:15679943

Virtually Naked: Virtual Environment Reveals Sex-Dependent Nature of Skin Disclosure

PubMed Central

Lomanowska, Anna M.; Guitton, Matthieu J.

2012-01-01

The human tendency to reveal or cover naked skin reflects a competition between the individual propensity for social interactions related to sexual appeal and interpersonal touch versus climatic, environmental, physical, and cultural constraints. However, due to the ubiquitous nature of these constraints, isolating on a large scale the spontaneous human tendency to reveal naked skin has remained impossible. Using the online 3-dimensional virtual world of Second Life, we examined spontaneous human skin-covering behavior unhindered by real-world climatic, environmental, and physical variables. Analysis of hundreds of avatars revealed that virtual females disclose substantially more naked skin than virtual males. This phenomenon was not related to avatar hypersexualization as evaluated by measurement of sexually dimorphic body proportions. Furthermore, analysis of skin-covering behavior of a population of culturally homogeneous avatars indicated that the propensity of female avatars to reveal naked skin persisted despite explicit cultural norms promoting less revealing attire. These findings have implications for further understanding how sex-specific aspects of skin disclosure influence human social interactions in both virtual and real settings. PMID:23300580

Virtually naked: virtual environment reveals sex-dependent nature of skin disclosure.

PubMed

Lomanowska, Anna M; Guitton, Matthieu J

2012-01-01

The human tendency to reveal or cover naked skin reflects a competition between the individual propensity for social interactions related to sexual appeal and interpersonal touch versus climatic, environmental, physical, and cultural constraints. However, due to the ubiquitous nature of these constraints, isolating on a large scale the spontaneous human tendency to reveal naked skin has remained impossible. Using the online 3-dimensional virtual world of Second Life, we examined spontaneous human skin-covering behavior unhindered by real-world climatic, environmental, and physical variables. Analysis of hundreds of avatars revealed that virtual females disclose substantially more naked skin than virtual males. This phenomenon was not related to avatar hypersexualization as evaluated by measurement of sexually dimorphic body proportions. Furthermore, analysis of skin-covering behavior of a population of culturally homogeneous avatars indicated that the propensity of female avatars to reveal naked skin persisted despite explicit cultural norms promoting less revealing attire. These findings have implications for further understanding how sex-specific aspects of skin disclosure influence human social interactions in both virtual and real settings.

A Mobile Application for Discovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zylstra, Robert

2011-01-01

The last 5 years have heralded a number of important changes to virtual libraries in academic and public settings. Despite this continual effort to improve library catalogs and websites, the fundamentals of these online spaces remain relatively unchanged. Digital collections are within reach of many libraries, yet they remain difficult to…

Virtual Reality Exploration and Planning for Precision Colorectal Surgery.

PubMed

Guerriero, Ludovica; Quero, Giuseppe; Diana, Michele; Soler, Luc; Agnus, Vincent; Marescaux, Jacques; Corcione, Francesco

2018-06-01

Medical software can build a digital clone of the patient with 3-dimensional reconstruction of Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine images. The virtual clone can be manipulated (rotations, zooms, etc), and the various organs can be selectively displayed or hidden to facilitate a virtual reality preoperative surgical exploration and planning. We present preliminary cases showing the potential interest of virtual reality in colorectal surgery for both cases of diverticular disease and colonic neoplasms. This was a single-center feasibility study. The study was conducted at a tertiary care institution. Two patients underwent a laparoscopic left hemicolectomy for diverticular disease, and 1 patient underwent a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for cancer. The 3-dimensional virtual models were obtained from preoperative CT scans. The virtual model was used to perform preoperative exploration and planning. Intraoperatively, one of the surgeons was manipulating the virtual reality model, using the touch screen of a tablet, which was interactively displayed to the surgical team. The main outcome was evaluation of the precision of virtual reality in colorectal surgery planning and exploration. In 1 patient undergoing laparoscopic left hemicolectomy, an abnormal origin of the left colic artery beginning as an extremely short common trunk from the inferior mesenteric artery was clearly seen in the virtual reality model. This finding was missed by the radiologist on CT scan. The precise identification of this vascular variant granted a safe and adequate surgery. In the remaining cases, the virtual reality model helped to precisely estimate the vascular anatomy, providing key landmarks for a safer dissection. A larger sample size would be necessary to definitively assess the efficacy of virtual reality in colorectal surgery. Virtual reality can provide an enhanced understanding of crucial anatomical details, both preoperatively and intraoperatively, which could contribute to improve safety in colorectal surgery.

The combined use of virtual reality exposure in the treatment of agoraphobia.

PubMed

Pitti, Carmen T; Peñate, Wenceslao; de la Fuente, Juan; Bethencourt, Juan M; Roca-Sánchez, María J; Acosta, Leopoldo; Villaverde, María L; Gracia, Ramón

2015-01-01

This study compares the differential efficacy of three groups of treatments for agoraphobia: paroxetine combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy, paroxetine combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy and virtual reality exposure, and a group with only paroxetine. 99 patients with agoraphobia were finally selected. Both combined treatment groups received 11 sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy, and one of the groups was also exposed to 4 sessions of virtual reality treatment. Treatments were applied in individual sessions once a week for 3 months. The three treatment groups showed statistically significant improvements. In some measures, combined treatment groups showed greater improvements. The virtual reality exposure group showed greater improvement confronting phobic stimuli. Treatments combining psychopharmacological and psychological therapy showed greater efficacy. Although the use of new technologies led to greater improvement, treatment adherence problems still remain.

The performance of low-cost commercial cloud computing as an alternative in computational chemistry.

PubMed

Thackston, Russell; Fortenberry, Ryan C

2015-05-05

The growth of commercial cloud computing (CCC) as a viable means of computational infrastructure is largely unexplored for the purposes of quantum chemistry. In this work, the PSI4 suite of computational chemistry programs is installed on five different types of Amazon World Services CCC platforms. The performance for a set of electronically excited state single-point energies is compared between these CCC platforms and typical, "in-house" physical machines. Further considerations are made for the number of cores or virtual CPUs (vCPUs, for the CCC platforms), but no considerations are made for full parallelization of the program (even though parallelization of the BLAS library is implemented), complete high-performance computing cluster utilization, or steal time. Even with this most pessimistic view of the computations, CCC resources are shown to be more cost effective for significant numbers of typical quantum chemistry computations. Large numbers of large computations are still best utilized by more traditional means, but smaller-scale research may be more effectively undertaken through CCC services. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bivalve Omics: State of the Art and Potential Applications for the Biomonitoring of Harmful Marine Compounds

PubMed Central

Suárez-Ulloa, Victoria; Fernández-Tajes, Juan; Manfrin, Chiara; Gerdol, Marco; Venier, Paola; Eirín-López, José M.

2013-01-01

The extraordinary progress experienced by sequencing technologies and bioinformatics has made the development of omic studies virtually ubiquitous in all fields of life sciences nowadays. However, scientific attention has been quite unevenly distributed throughout the different branches of the tree of life, leaving molluscs, one of the most diverse animal groups, relatively unexplored and without representation within the narrow collection of well established model organisms. Within this Phylum, bivalve molluscs play a fundamental role in the functioning of the marine ecosystem, constitute very valuable commercial resources in aquaculture, and have been widely used as sentinel organisms in the biomonitoring of marine pollution. Yet, it has only been very recently that this complex group of organisms became a preferential subject for omic studies, posing new challenges for their integrative characterization. The present contribution aims to give a detailed insight into the state of the art of the omic studies and functional information analysis of bivalve molluscs, providing a timely perspective on the available data resources and on the current and prospective applications for the biomonitoring of harmful marine compounds. PMID:24189277

Electroproduction of pπ+π- off protons at 0.2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedotov, G. V.; Mokeev, V. I.; Burkert, V. D.; Elouadrhiri, L.; Golovatch, E. N.; Ishkhanov, B. S.; Isupov, E. L.; Shvedunov, N. V.; Adams, G.; Amaryan, M. J.; Ambrozewicz, P.; Anghinolfi, M.; Asavapibhop, B.; Asryan, G.; Avakian, H.; Baghdasaryan, H.; Baillie, N.; Ball, J. P.; Baltzell, N. A.; Batourine, V.; Battaglieri, M.; Bedlinskiy, I.; Bektasoglu, M.; Bellis, M.; Benmouna, N.; Biselli, A. S.; Bonner, B. E.; Bouchigny, S.; Boiarinov, S.; Bradford, R.; Branford, D.; Brooks, W. K.; Bültmann, S.; Butuceanu, C.; Calarco, J. R.; Careccia, S. L.; Carman, D. S.; Carnahan, B.; Chen, S.; Cole, P. L.; Coltharp, P.; Corvisiero, P.; Crabb, D.; Crannell, H.; Crede, V.; Cummings, J. P.; Dashyan, N. B.; Sanctis, E. De; Vita, R. De; Degtyarenko, P. V.; Denizli, H.; Dennis, L.; Dharmawardane, K. V.; Dickson, R.; Djalali, C.; Dodge, G. E.; Donnelly, J.; Doughty, D.; Dugger, M.; Dytman, S.; Dzyubak, O. P.; Egiyan, H.; Egiyan, K. S.; Eugenio, P.; Fatemi, R.; Feuerbach, R. J.; Forest, T. A.; Funsten, H.; Gavalian, G.; Gevorgyan, N. G.; Gilfoyle, G. P.; Giovanetti, K. L.; Girod, F. X.; Goetz, J. T.; Gothe, R. W.; Griffioen, K. A.; Guidal, M.; Guillo, M.; Guler, N.; Guo, L.; Gyurjyan, V.; Hadjidakis, C.; Hardie, J.; Hassall, N.; Hersman, F. W.; Hicks, K.; Hleiqawi, I.; Holtrop, M.; Hu, J.; Huertas, M.; Hyde, C. E.; Ilieva, Y.; Ireland, D. G.; Ito, M. M.; Jenkins, D.; Jo, H. S.; Joo, K.; Juengst, H. G.; Kellie, J. D.; Khandaker, M.; Kim, K. Y.; Kim, K.; Kim, W.; Klein, A.; Klein, F. J.; Klimenko, A.; Klusman, M.; Krahn, Z.; Kramer, L. H.; Kubarovsky, V.; Kuhn, J.; Kuhn, S. E.; Kuleshov, S.; Lachniet, J.; Laget, J. M.; Langheinrich, J.; Lawrence, D.; Lee, T.; Livingston, K.; Markov, N.; McCracken, M.; McKinnon, B.; McNabb, J. W. C.; Mecking, B. A.; Mestayer, M. D.; Meyer, C. A.; Mibe, T.; Mikhailov, K.; Mineeva, T.; Minehart, R.; Mirazita, M.; Miskimen, R.; Moriya, K.; Morrow, S. A.; Mueller, J.; Mutchler, G. S.; Nadel-Turonski, P.; Nasseripour, R.; Niccolai, S.; Niculescu, G.; Niculescu, I.; Niczyporuk, B. B.; Niyazov, R. A.; O'Rielly, G. V.; Osipenko, M.; Ostrovidov, A. I.; Park, K.; Pasyuk, E.; Paterson, C.; Pierce, J.; Pivnyuk, N.; Pocanic, D.; Pogorelko, O.; Pozdniakov, S.; Price, J. W.; Prok, Y.; Protopopescu, D.; Raue, B. A.; Ricco, G.; Ripani, M.; Ritchie, B. G.; Rosner, G.; Rossi, P.; Rowntree, D.; Rubin, P. D.; Sabatié, F.; Salgado, C.; Santoro, J. P.; Sapunenko, V.; Schumacher, R. A.; Serov, V. S.; Sharabian, Y. G.; Sharov, D.; Shaw, J.; Smith, E. S.; Smith, L. C.; Sober, D. I.; Stavinsky, A.; Stepanyan, S.; Stokes, B. E.; Stoler, P.; Stopani, K.; Strauch, S.; Taiuti, M.; Taylor, S.; Tedeschi, D. J.; Thompson, R.; Tkabladze, A.; Tkachenko, S.; Todor, L.; Tur, C.; Ungaro, M.; Vineyard, M. F.; Vlassov, A. V.; Weinstein, L. B.; Weygand, D. P.; Williams, M.; Wolin, E.; Wood, M. H.; Yegneswaran, A.; Zana, L.; Zhang, J.

2009-01-01

This paper reports on the most comprehensive data set obtained on differential and fully integrated cross sections for the process ep→e'pπ+π-. The data were collected with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory. Measurements were carried out in the as yet unexplored kinematic region of photon virtuality 0.2

The Methodology of Interactive Parametric Modelling of Construction Site Facilities in BIM Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlovská, Mária; Čabala, Jozef; Struková, Zuzana

2014-11-01

Information technology is becoming a strong tool in different industries, including construction. The recent trend of buildings designing is leading up to creation of the most comprehensive virtual building model (Building Information Model) in order to solve all the problems relating to the project as early as in the designing phase. Building information modelling is a new way of approaching to the design of building projects documentation. Currently, the building site layout as a part of the building design documents has a very little support in the BIM environment. Recently, the research of designing the construction process conditions has centred on improvement of general practice in planning and on new approaches to construction site layout planning. The state of art in field of designing the construction process conditions indicated an unexplored problem related to connection of knowledge system with construction site facilities (CSF) layout through interactive modelling. The goal of the paper is to present the methodology for execution of 3D construction site facility allocation model (3D CSF-IAM), based on principles of parametric and interactive modelling.

Recent advances in research on the aeolian geomorphology of China's Kumtagh Sand Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Z.; Lv, P.

2014-02-01

The Kumtagh Sand Sea in the hyper-arid region of northwestern China remained largely unexplored until the last decade. It deserves study due to its significance in understanding the evolution of the arid environments in northwestern China, and even central Asia. Aeolian geomorphology in the sand sea has received unprecedented study in the last decade. Encouraging advances have been made in types of aeolian landforms, geological outlines, wind systems, the formation of aeolian landforms, several unique aeolian landforms, aeolian geomorphic regionalization, aeolian geomorphological heritages and tourism development, and aeolian sand hazards and their control. These advances expand our knowledge of aeolian geomorphology.

Caloric restriction impedes age-related decline of mitochondrial function and neuronal activity

PubMed Central

Lin, Ai-Ling; Coman, Daniel; Jiang, Lihong; Rothman, Douglas L; Hyder, Fahmeed

2014-01-01

Caloric restriction (CR) prolongs lifespan and retards many detrimental effects of aging, but its effect on brain mitochondrial function and neuronal activity—especially in healthy aging—remains unexplored. Here we measured rates of neuronal glucose oxidation and glutamate–glutamine neurotransmitter cycling in young control, old control (i.e., healthy aging), and old CR rats using in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We found that, compared with the young control, neuronal energy production and neurotransmission rates were significantly reduced in healthy aging, but were preserved in old CR rats. The results suggest that CR mitigated the age-related deceleration of brain physiology. PMID:24984898

Laser speckle contrast imaging of collateral blood flow during acute ischemic stroke

PubMed Central

Armitage, Glenn A; Todd, Kathryn G; Shuaib, Ashfaq; Winship, Ian R

2010-01-01

Collateral vasculature may provide an alternative route for blood flow to reach the ischemic tissue and partially maintain oxygen and nutrient support during ischemic stroke. However, much about the dynamics of stroke-induced collateralization remains unknown. In this study, we used laser speckle contrast imaging to map dynamic changes in collateral blood flow after middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. We identified extensive anastomatic connections between the anterior and middle cerebral arteries that develop after vessel occlusion and persist for 24 hours. Augmenting blood flow through these persistent yet dynamic anastomatic connections may be an important but relatively unexplored avenue in stroke therapy. PMID:20517321

The Built Environment and Health: Introducing Individual Space-Time Behavior

PubMed Central

Saarloos, Dick; Kim, Jae-Eun; Timmermans, Harry

2009-01-01

Many studies have examined the relationship between the built environment and health. Yet, the question of how and why the environment influences health behavior remains largely unexplored. As health promotion interventions work through the individuals in a targeted population, an explicit understanding of individual behavior is required to formulate and evaluate intervention strategies. Bringing in concepts from various fields, this paper proposes the use of an activity-based modeling approach for understanding and predicting, from the bottom up, how individuals interact with their environment and each other in space and time, and how their behaviors aggregate to population-level health outcomes. PMID:19578457

Transformation of a Spatial Map across the Hippocampal-Lateral Septal Circuit.

PubMed

Tingley, David; Buzsáki, György

2018-05-15

The hippocampus constructs a map of the environment. How this "cognitive map" is utilized by other brain regions to guide behavior remains unexplored. To examine how neuronal firing patterns in the hippocampus are transmitted and transformed, we recorded neurons in its principal subcortical target, the lateral septum (LS). We observed that LS neurons carry reliable spatial information in the phase of action potentials, relative to hippocampal theta oscillations, while the firing rates of LS neurons remained uninformative. Furthermore, this spatial phase code had an anatomical microstructure within the LS and was bound to the hippocampal spatial code by synchronous gamma frequency cell assemblies. Using a data-driven model, we show that rate-independent spatial tuning arises through the dynamic weighting of CA1 and CA3 cell assemblies. Our findings demonstrate that transformation of the hippocampal spatial map depends on higher-order theta-dependent neuronal sequences. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Myelodysplastic syndromes are propagated by rare and distinct human cancer stem cells in vivo.

PubMed

Woll, Petter S; Kjällquist, Una; Chowdhury, Onima; Doolittle, Helen; Wedge, David C; Thongjuea, Supat; Erlandsson, Rikard; Ngara, Mtakai; Anderson, Kristina; Deng, Qiaolin; Mead, Adam J; Stenson, Laura; Giustacchini, Alice; Duarte, Sara; Giannoulatou, Eleni; Taylor, Stephen; Karimi, Mohsen; Scharenberg, Christian; Mortera-Blanco, Teresa; Macaulay, Iain C; Clark, Sally-Ann; Dybedal, Ingunn; Josefsen, Dag; Fenaux, Pierre; Hokland, Peter; Holm, Mette S; Cazzola, Mario; Malcovati, Luca; Tauro, Sudhir; Bowen, David; Boultwood, Jacqueline; Pellagatti, Andrea; Pimanda, John E; Unnikrishnan, Ashwin; Vyas, Paresh; Göhring, Gudrun; Schlegelberger, Brigitte; Tobiasson, Magnus; Kvalheim, Gunnar; Constantinescu, Stefan N; Nerlov, Claus; Nilsson, Lars; Campbell, Peter J; Sandberg, Rickard; Papaemmanuil, Elli; Hellström-Lindberg, Eva; Linnarsson, Sten; Jacobsen, Sten Eirik W

2014-06-16

Evidence for distinct human cancer stem cells (CSCs) remains contentious and the degree to which different cancer cells contribute to propagating malignancies in patients remains unexplored. In low- to intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), we establish the existence of rare multipotent MDS stem cells (MDS-SCs), and their hierarchical relationship to lineage-restricted MDS progenitors. All identified somatically acquired genetic lesions were backtracked to distinct MDS-SCs, establishing their distinct MDS-propagating function in vivo. In isolated del(5q)-MDS, acquisition of del(5q) preceded diverse recurrent driver mutations. Sequential analysis in del(5q)-MDS revealed genetic evolution in MDS-SCs and MDS-progenitors prior to leukemic transformation. These findings provide definitive evidence for rare human MDS-SCs in vivo, with extensive implications for the targeting of the cells required and sufficient for MDS-propagation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The colibactin warhead crosslinks DNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vizcaino, Maria I.; Crawford, Jason M.

2015-05-01

Members of the human microbiota are increasingly being correlated to human health and disease states, but the majority of the underlying microbial metabolites that regulate host-microbe interactions remain largely unexplored. Select strains of Escherichia coli present in the human colon have been linked to the initiation of inflammation-induced colorectal cancer through an unknown small-molecule-mediated process. The responsible non-ribosomal peptide-polyketide hybrid pathway encodes ‘colibactin’, which belongs to a largely uncharacterized family of small molecules. Genotoxic small molecules from this pathway that are capable of initiating cancer formation have remained elusive due to their high instability. Guided by metabolomic analyses, here we employ a combination of NMR spectroscopy and bioinformatics-guided isotopic labelling studies to characterize the colibactin warhead, an unprecedented substituted spirobicyclic structure. The warhead crosslinks duplex DNA in vitro, providing direct experimental evidence for colibactin's DNA-damaging activity. The data support unexpected models for both colibactin biosynthesis and its mode of action.

Metastable Prepores in Tension-Free Lipid Bilayers

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

Ting, Christina L.; Awasthi, Neha; Muller, Marcus

The formation and closure of aqueous pores in lipid bilayers is a key step in various biophysical processes. Large pores are well described by classical nucleation theory, but the free-energy landscape of small, biologically relevant pores has remained largely unexplored. The existence of small and metastable “prepores” was hypothesized decades ago from electroporation experiments, but resolving metastable prepores from theoretical models remained challenging. Using two complementary methods—atomistic simulations and self-consistent field theory of a minimal lipid model—we determine the parameters for which metastable prepores occur in lipid membranes. Here, both methods consistently suggest that pore metastability depends on the relativemore » volume ratio between the lipid head group and lipid tails: lipids with a larger head-group volume fraction (or shorter saturated tails) form metastable prepores, whereas lipids with a smaller head-group volume fraction (or longer unsaturated tails) form unstable prepores.« less

Current pathophysiological concepts and management of pulmonary hypertension.

PubMed

Lourenço, André P; Fontoura, Dulce; Henriques-Coelho, Tiago; Leite-Moreira, Adelino F

2012-03-22

Pulmonary hypertension (PH), increasingly recognized as a major health burden, remains underdiagnosed due mainly to the unspecific symptoms. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been extensively investigated. Pathophysiological knowledge derives mostly from experimental models. Paradoxically, common non-PAH PH forms remain largely unexplored. Drugs targeting lung vascular tonus became available during the last two decades, notwithstanding the disease progresses in many patients. The aim of this review is to summarize recent advances in epidemiology, pathophysiology and management with particular focus on associated myocardial and systemic compromise and experimental therapeutic possibilities. PAH, currently viewed as a panvasculopathy, is due to a crosstalk between endothelial and smooth muscle cells, inflammatory activation and altered subcellular pathways. Cardiac cachexia and right ventricular compromise are fundamental determinants of PH prognosis. Combined vasodilator therapy is already mainstay for refractory cases, but drugs directed at these new pathophysiological pathways may constitute a significant advance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advance directives in the UK: legal, ethical, and practical considerations for doctors.

PubMed

Kessel, A S; Meran, J

1998-05-01

In the United Kingdom (UK), advance directives have recently received considerable attention from professional and voluntary organizations as well as medical journals and the media. However, despite such exposure, many doctors remain uncertain of the importance or relevance of advance directives with regard to their own clinical practice. This paper addresses these uncertainties by first explaining what advance directives are and then describing the current legal status of such directives in the UK. Examination of the cases underpinning this status reveals several key elements: competence, information, anticipation, applicability, and freedom from duress. Each is discussed. Although this paper focuses on legal issues, it is important that medical law does not dominate medical ethics. Accordingly, the paper also discusses some important philosophical and sociological considerations that have remained largely unexplored in the medical press. Finally, the paper deals with practical matters, including how the general practitioner might be involved.

Plasma regimes in the deep geomagnetic tail - ISEE 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bame, S. J.; Anderson, R. C.; Asbridge, J. R.; Baker, D. N.; Feldman, W. C.; Gosling, J. T.; Hones, E. W., Jr.; McComas, D. J.; Zwickl, R. D.

1983-09-01

The spacecraft remained close to or within a previously unexplored part of the distant (60-220 earth radii) geomagnetic tail nearly continuously from January 1 to March 30, 1983. Analysis of the data reveals that all of the plasma regimes identified previously with near-earth measurements (plasma sheet, low-latitude boundary layer, plasma mantle, lobe, and magnetosheath) remain recognizable in the distant tail. These regimes, however, are found to be intermingled in a more chaotic fashion than near the earth. Within the plasma sheet at approximately 200 earth radii, typical flow velocities are about 500 km/s tailward, considerably higher than in the near-earth plasma sheet. Earthward flow within the plasma sheet is observed occasionally, indicating the temporary presence of a neutral line beyond 220 earth radii. Also found are strong bidirectional electron anisotropies throughout much of the distant plasma sheet, boundary layer, and magnetosheath.

Metastable Prepores in Tension-Free Lipid Bilayers

DOE PAGES

Ting, Christina L.; Awasthi, Neha; Muller, Marcus; ...

2018-03-23

The formation and closure of aqueous pores in lipid bilayers is a key step in various biophysical processes. Large pores are well described by classical nucleation theory, but the free-energy landscape of small, biologically relevant pores has remained largely unexplored. The existence of small and metastable “prepores” was hypothesized decades ago from electroporation experiments, but resolving metastable prepores from theoretical models remained challenging. Using two complementary methods—atomistic simulations and self-consistent field theory of a minimal lipid model—we determine the parameters for which metastable prepores occur in lipid membranes. Here, both methods consistently suggest that pore metastability depends on the relativemore » volume ratio between the lipid head group and lipid tails: lipids with a larger head-group volume fraction (or shorter saturated tails) form metastable prepores, whereas lipids with a smaller head-group volume fraction (or longer unsaturated tails) form unstable prepores.« less

Role of virtual bronchoscopy in children with a vegetable foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree.

PubMed

Behera, G; Tripathy, N; Maru, Y K; Mundra, R K; Gupta, Y; Lodha, M

2014-12-01

Multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy is a non-invasive diagnostic tool which provides a three-dimensional view of the tracheobronchial airway. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of virtual bronchoscopy in cases of vegetable foreign body aspiration in children. The medical records of patients with a history of foreign body aspiration from August 2006 to August 2010 were reviewed. Data were collected regarding their clinical presentation and chest X-ray, virtual bronchoscopy and rigid bronchoscopy findings. Cases of metallic and other non-vegetable foreign bodies were excluded from the analysis. Patients with multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy showing features of vegetable foreign body were included in the analysis. For each patient, virtual bronchoscopy findings were reviewed and compared with those of rigid bronchoscopy. A total of 60 patients; all children ranging from 1 month to 8 years of age, were included. The mean age at presentation was 2.01 years. Rigid bronchoscopy confirmed the results of multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy (i.e. presence of foreign body, site of lodgement, and size and shape) in 59 patients. In the remaining case, a vegetable foreign body identified by virtual bronchoscopy was revealed by rigid bronchoscopy to be a thick mucus plug. Thus, the positive predictive value of virtual bronchoscopy was 98.3 per cent. Multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy is a sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for identifying radiolucent vegetable foreign bodies in the tracheobronchial tree. It can also provide a useful pre-operative road map for rigid bronchoscopy. Patients suspected of having an airway foreign body or chronic unexplained respiratory symptoms should undergo multidetector computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy to rule out a vegetable foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree and avoid general anaesthesia and invasive rigid bronchoscopy.

Building intuitive 3D interfaces for virtual reality systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaidya, Vivek; Suryanarayanan, Srikanth; Seitel, Mathias; Mullick, Rakesh

2007-03-01

An exploration of techniques for developing intuitive, and efficient user interfaces for virtual reality systems. Work seeks to understand which paradigms from the better-understood world of 2D user interfaces remain viable within 3D environments. In order to establish this a new user interface was created that applied various understood principles of interface design. A user study was then performed where it was compared with an earlier interface for a series of medical visualization tasks.

The potential of virtual reality-based training to enhance the functional autonomy of Alzheimer's disease patients in cooking activities: A single case study.

PubMed

Foloppe, Déborah A; Richard, Paul; Yamaguchi, Takehiko; Etcharry-Bouyx, Frédérique; Allain, Philippe

2018-07-01

Impairments in performing activities of daily living occur early in the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is a great need to develop non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions likely to reduce dependency in everyday activities in AD patients. This study investigated whether it was possible to increase autonomy in these patients in cooking activities using interventions based on errorless learning, vanishing-cue, and virtual reality techniques. We recruited a 79-year-old woman who met NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for probable AD. She was trained in four cooking tasks for four days per task, one hour per day, in virtual and in real conditions. Outcome measures included subjective data concerning the therapeutic intervention and the experience of virtual reality, repeated assessments of training activities, neuropsychological scores, and self-esteem and quality of life measures. The results indicated that our patient could relearn some cooking activities using virtual reality techniques. Transfer to real life was also observed. Improvement of the task performance remained stable over time. This case report supports the value of a non-immersive virtual kitchen to help people with AD to relearn cooking activities.

The effect of viewing a virtual environment through a head-mounted display on balance.

PubMed

Robert, Maxime T; Ballaz, Laurent; Lemay, Martin

2016-07-01

In the next few years, several head-mounted displays (HMD) will be publicly released making virtual reality more accessible. HMD are expected to be widely popular at home for gaming but also in clinical settings, notably for training and rehabilitation. HMD can be used in both seated and standing positions; however, presently, the impact of HMD on balance remains largely unknown. It is therefore crucial to examine the impact of viewing a virtual environment through a HMD on standing balance. To compare static and dynamic balance in a virtual environment perceived through a HMD and the physical environment. The visual representation of the virtual environment was based on filmed image of the physical environment and was therefore highly similar. This is an observational study in healthy adults. No significant difference was observed between the two environments for static balance. However, dynamic balance was more perturbed in the virtual environment when compared to that of the physical environment. HMD should be used with caution because of its detrimental impact on dynamic balance. Sensorimotor conflict possibly explains the impact of HMD on balance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bainbridge, William Sims

This brief introductory chapter sets the stage for a broad discussion of many aspects of virtual worlds, by comparing episodes experienced by two avatar researchers, one in Second Life (SL), and the other in Star Wars Galaxies (SWG). Interviewer Wilber attends a medieval dance on an SL island created by Starfleet, an innovative and hard-working group of 500 Star Trek fans, who have created working virtual technology and soaring architecture to make real their fantasies about the human future. Algorithma Teq visits the Mos Eisley Cantina in SWG, where Luke Skywalker originally met Han Solo, and is scrutinized by two Imperial storm troopers, even as she attempts to remain aloof from the Star Wars mythos and simply practice her engineering skills in making droids. It can be useful to distinguish gamelike virtual worlds from non-game worlds, yet as these examples show, they are not distinct categories, and virtual worlds inevitably mix fantasy and reality in complex ways.

Designing for Virtual Windows in a Deep Space Habitat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howe, A. Scott; Howard, Robert L.; Moore, Nathan; Amoroso, Michael

2013-01-01

This paper discusses configurations and test analogs toward the design of a virtual window capability in a Deep Space Habitat. Long-duration space missions will require crews to remain in the confines of a spacecraft for extended periods of time, with possible harmful effects if a crewmember cannot cope with the small habitable volume. Virtual windows expand perceived volume using a minimal amount of image projection equipment and computing resources, and allow a limited immersion in remote environments. Uses for the virtual window include: live or augmented reality views of the external environment; flight deck, piloting, observation, or other participation in remote missions through live transmission of cameras mounted to remote vehicles; pre-recorded background views of nature areas, seasonal occurrences, or cultural events; and pre-recorded events such as birthdays, anniversaries, and other meaningful events prepared by ground support and families of the crewmembers.

The Development of an Optically Active Laser Schlieren System with Application to High Pressure Solid Propellant Combustion.

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-09-01

mass diffusion in the immediate region 13 wmmmm mm/mmn*****^^1 «•PIII^ BPP of the combustion zone remain major points of disagreement for many...setup (S2-2f2a S3 = 2f3 ) virtual image I • (9/2 f3 - i/2f2 ) — Fig.12 Virtual image setup(S2 =0.5 f2 aS3 = 3f3) 38 h v. / V image f + obje

[Are virtual worlds a threat to the mental health of children and adolescents?].

PubMed

Plusquellec, M

2000-02-01

Video games and the Internet cause enthusiasm but also worry. Among the possible risks, addiction (dependency), isolation, retiring within oneself, and loss of reality, are often put forward. Available data show that serious problems remain exceptional and non-specific, and that these new technological supports do not create new pathologies. Excessive use and isolation have to be solved on an educational basis. Nevertheless, virtual reality, whose applications for the general public are still considered part of the future, needs particular attention.

Using the tools of the trade to understand plasma interactions at Jupiter and Saturn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kivelson, Margaret G.

2017-10-01

For more than half a century, we have been learning how magnetospheres work. Fluid motions and electromagnetic interactions combine to produce the plasma and field environment of a planet. Kinetic responses often control the dynamics. Initial descriptions of the terrestrial magnetosphere were often theoretical (e.g., Chapman and Ferraro, Dungey) before an explosion of spacecraft data provided an atlas of the system and its temporal variations. The basic structure and dynamics of the terrestrial magnetosphere are now largely understood. A different situation exists for the magnetospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, and their moons. Data acquired from spacecraft flybys or from orbit have characterized many aspects of these systems, but measurements are far more limited than at Earth both in space and in time. Even after Cassini’s mission to Saturn and Juno’s prime mission at Jupiter have ended, large regions in the plasma environments of these planets will remain unexplored. No monitors are available to characterize the upstream solar wind. Theory is challenged by the complexity introduced by dynamical effects of the planets’ rapid rotation and the unfamiliar parameter regimes governing interactions with their large moons. Simulation has come to the rescue, providing computational models designed to incorporate the effects of rotation or to describe moon-magnetosphere interactions. Yet simulations must be viewed with appropriate skepticism as they invariably require some compromise with reality. This talk will describe a symbiotic approach to understanding the dynamics of giant planet magnetospheres and the plasma interactions between magnetospheric plasma and large moons. Data acquired along a spacecraft trajectory are compared with values extracted from a virtual spacecraft moving through the same path in the simulation. If results are similar, we use the simulation to identify the processes responsible for puzzling aspects of the signatures. If results differ, modifications of the simulation, such as changed boundary conditions, can improve agreement and provide more convincing insight into the properties of the systems.

Virtual and Augmented Reality Systems for Renal Interventions: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Detmer, Felicitas J; Hettig, Julian; Schindele, Daniel; Schostak, Martin; Hansen, Christian

2017-01-01

Many virtual and augmented reality systems have been proposed to support renal interventions. This paper reviews such systems employed in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and renal stones. A systematic literature search was performed. Inclusion criteria were virtual and augmented reality systems for radical or partial nephrectomy and renal stone treatment, excluding systems solely developed or evaluated for training purposes. In total, 52 research papers were identified and analyzed. Most of the identified literature (87%) deals with systems for renal cell carcinoma treatment. About 44% of the systems have already been employed in clinical practice, but only 20% in studies with ten or more patients. Main challenges remaining for future research include the consideration of organ movement and deformation, human factor issues, and the conduction of large clinical studies. Augmented and virtual reality systems have the potential to improve safety and outcomes of renal interventions. In the last ten years, many technical advances have led to more sophisticated systems, which are already applied in clinical practice. Further research is required to cope with current limitations of virtual and augmented reality assistance in clinical environments.

A discrete mechanics framework for real time virtual surgical simulations with application to virtual laparoscopic nephrectomy.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiangmin; Zhang, Nan; Sha, Desong; Shen, Yunhe; Tamma, Kumar K; Sweet, Robert

2009-01-01

The inability to render realistic soft-tissue behavior in real time has remained a barrier to face and content aspects of validity for many virtual reality surgical training systems. Biophysically based models are not only suitable for training purposes but also for patient-specific clinical applications, physiological modeling and surgical planning. When considering the existing approaches for modeling soft tissue for virtual reality surgical simulation, the computer graphics-based approach lacks predictive capability; the mass-spring model (MSM) based approach lacks biophysically realistic soft-tissue dynamic behavior; and the finite element method (FEM) approaches fail to meet the real-time requirement. The present development stems from physics fundamental thermodynamic first law; for a space discrete dynamic system directly formulates the space discrete but time continuous governing equation with embedded material constitutive relation and results in a discrete mechanics framework which possesses a unique balance between the computational efforts and the physically realistic soft-tissue dynamic behavior. We describe the development of the discrete mechanics framework with focused attention towards a virtual laparoscopic nephrectomy application.

Design of focused and restrained subsets from extremely large virtual libraries.

PubMed

Jamois, Eric A; Lin, Chien T; Waldman, Marvin

2003-11-01

With the current and ever-growing offering of reagents along with the vast palette of organic reactions, virtual libraries accessible to combinatorial chemists can reach sizes of billions of compounds or more. Extracting practical size subsets for experimentation has remained an essential step in the design of combinatorial libraries. A typical approach to computational library design involves enumeration of structures and properties for the entire virtual library, which may be unpractical for such large libraries. This study describes a new approach termed as on the fly optimization (OTFO) where descriptors are computed as needed within the subset optimization cycle and without intermediate enumeration of structures. Results reported herein highlight the advantages of coupling an ultra-fast descriptor calculation engine to subset optimization capabilities. We also show that enumeration of properties for the entire virtual library may not only be unpractical but also wasteful. Successful design of focused and restrained subsets can be achieved while sampling only a small fraction of the virtual library. We also investigate the stability of the method and compare results obtained from simulated annealing (SA) and genetic algorithms (GA).

Identification of new benzamide inhibitor against α-subunit of tryptophan synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis through structure-based virtual screening, anti-tuberculosis activity and molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Naz, Sadia; Farooq, Umar; Ali, Sajid; Sarwar, Rizwana; Khan, Sara; Abagyan, Ruben

2018-03-13

Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis has emerged as global health threat, causing millions of deaths worldwide. Identification of new drug candidates for tuberculosis (TB) by targeting novel and less explored protein targets will be invaluable for antituberculosis drug discovery. We performed structure-based virtual screening of eMolecules database against a homology model of relatively unexplored protein target: the α-subunit of tryptophan synthase (α-TRPS) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis essential for bacterial survival. Based on physiochemical properties analysis and molecular docking, the seven candidate compounds were selected and evaluated through whole cell-based activity against the H37Rv strain of M. tuberculosis. A new Benzamide inhibitor against α-subunit of tryptophan synthase (α-TRPS) from M. tuberculosis has been identified causing 100% growth inhibition at 25 μg/ml and visible bactericidal activity at 6 μg/ml. This benzamide inhibitor displayed a good predicted binding score (-48.24 kcal/mol) with the α-TRPS binding pocket and has logP value (2.95) comparable to Rifampicin. Further refinement of docking results and evaluation of inhibitor-protein complex stability were investigated through Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations studies. Following MD simulations, Root mean square deviation, Root mean square fluctuation and secondary structure analysis confirmed that protein did not unfold and ligand stayed inside the active pocket of protein during the explored time scale. This identified benzamide inhibitor against the α-subunit of TRPS from M. tuberculosis could be considered as candidate for drug discovery against TB and will be further evaluated for enzyme-based inhibition in future studies.

Applying Virtual Reality to commercial Edutainment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grissom, F.; Goza, Sharon P.; Goza, S. Michael

1994-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) when defined as a computer generated, immersive, three dimensional graphics environment which provides varying degrees of interactivity, remains an expensive, highly specialized application, yet to find its way into the school, home, or business. As a novel approach to a theme park-type attraction, though, its use can be justified. This paper describes how a virtual reality 'tour of the human digestive system' was created for the Omniplex Science Museum of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The customers main objectives were: (1) to educate; (2) to entertain; (3) to draw visitors; and (4) to generate revenue. The 'Edutainment' system ultimately delivered met these goals. As more such systems come into existence the resulting library of licensable programs will greatly reduce development costs to individual institutions.

Evolutionary, ecological and biotechnological perspectives on plasmids resident in the human gut mobile metagenome

PubMed Central

Ogilvie, Lesley A.; Firouzmand, Sepinoud; Jones, Brian V.

2012-01-01

Numerous mobile genetic elements (MGE) are associated with the human gut microbiota and collectively referred to as the gut mobile metagenome. The role of this flexible gene pool in development and functioning of the gut microbial community remains largely unexplored, yet recent evidence suggests that at least some MGE comprising this fraction of the gut microbiome reflect the co-evolution of host and microbe in the gastro-intestinal tract. In conjunction, the high level of novel gene content typical of MGE coupled with their predicted high diversity, suggests that the mobile metagenome constitutes an immense and largely unexplored gene-space likely to encode many novel activities with potential biotechnological or pharmaceutical value, as well as being important to the development and functioning of the gut microbiota. Of the various types of MGE that comprise the gut mobile metagenome, plasmids are of particular importance since these elements are often capable of autonomous transfer between disparate bacterial species, and are known to encode accessory functions that increase bacterial fitness in a given environment facilitating bacterial adaptation. In this article current knowledge regarding plasmids resident in the human gut mobile metagenome is reviewed, and available strategies to access and characterize this portion of the gut microbiome are described. The relative merits of these methods and their present as well as prospective impact on our understanding of the human gut microbiota is discussed. PMID:22126801

First Insights into the Viral Communities of the Deep-sea Anoxic Brines of the Red Sea.

PubMed

Antunes, André; Alam, Intikhab; Simões, Marta Filipa; Daniels, Camille; Ferreira, Ari J S; Siam, Rania; El-Dorry, Hamza; Bajic, Vladimir B

2015-10-01

The deep-sea brines of the Red Sea include some of the most extreme and unique environments on Earth. They combine high salinities with increases in temperature, heavy metals, hydrostatic pressure, and anoxic conditions, creating unique settings for thriving populations of novel extremophiles. Despite a recent increase of studies focusing on these unusual biotopes, their viral communities remain unexplored. The current survey explores four metagenomic datasets obtained from different brine-seawater interface samples, focusing specifically on the diversity of their viral communities. Data analysis confirmed that the particle-attached viral communities present in the brine-seawater interfaces were diverse and generally dominated by Caudovirales, yet appearing distinct from sample to sample. With a level of caution, we report the unexpected finding of Phycodnaviridae, which infects algae and plants, and trace amounts of insect-infecting Iridoviridae. Results from Kebrit Deep revealed stratification in the viral communities present in the interface: the upper-interface was enriched with viruses associated with typical marine bacteria, while the lower-interface was enriched with haloviruses and halophages. These results provide first insights into the unexplored viral communities present in deep-sea brines of the Red Sea, representing one of the first steps for ongoing and future sampling efforts and studies. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Application of virtual distances methodology to laser tracker verification with an indexed metrology platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acero, R.; Santolaria, J.; Pueo, M.; Aguilar, J. J.; Brau, A.

2015-11-01

High-range measuring equipment like laser trackers need large dimension calibrated reference artifacts in their calibration and verification procedures. In this paper, a new verification procedure for portable coordinate measuring instruments based on the generation and evaluation of virtual distances with an indexed metrology platform is developed. This methodology enables the definition of an unlimited number of reference distances without materializing them in a physical gauge to be used as a reference. The generation of the virtual points and reference lengths derived is linked to the concept of the indexed metrology platform and the knowledge of the relative position and orientation of its upper and lower platforms with high accuracy. It is the measuring instrument together with the indexed metrology platform one that remains still, rotating the virtual mesh around them. As a first step, the virtual distances technique is applied to a laser tracker in this work. The experimental verification procedure of the laser tracker with virtual distances is simulated and further compared with the conventional verification procedure of the laser tracker with the indexed metrology platform. The results obtained in terms of volumetric performance of the laser tracker proved the suitability of the virtual distances methodology in calibration and verification procedures for portable coordinate measuring instruments, broadening and expanding the possibilities for the definition of reference distances in these procedures.

Public health policies to encourage healthy eating habits: recent perspectives

PubMed Central

Gorski, Mary T; Roberto, Christina A

2015-01-01

There is an urgent need to address unhealthy dietary patterns at the population level. Poor diet and physical inactivity are key drivers of the obesity pandemic, and they are among the leading causes of preventable death and disability in nearly every country in the world. As countries grapple with the growing obesity prevalence, many innovative policy options to reduce overeating and improve diet quality remain largely unexplored. We describe recent trends in eating habits and consequences for public health, vulnerabilities to unhealthy eating, and the role for public health policies. We reviewed recent public health policies to promote healthier diet patterns, including mandates, restrictions, economic incentives, marketing limits, information provision, and environmental defaults. PMID:29355201

Paved With Good Intentions: Do Public Health and Human Service Providers Contribute to Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health?

PubMed Central

van Ryn, Michelle; Fu, Steven S.

2003-01-01

There is extensive evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in receipt of health care. The potential contribution of provider behavior to such disparities has remained largely unexplored. Do health and human service providers behave in ways that contribute to systematic inequities in care and outcomes? If so, why does this occur? The authors build on existing evidence to provide an integrated, coherent, and sound approach to research on providers’ contributions to racial/ethnic disparities. They review the evidence regarding provider contributions to disparities in outcomes and describe a causal model representing an integrated set of hypothesized mechanisms through which health care providers’ behaviors may contribute to these disparities. PMID:12554578

Direct quantitative measurement of the C═O⋅⋅⋅H–C bond by atomic force microscopy

PubMed Central

Kawai, Shigeki; Nishiuchi, Tomohiko; Kodama, Takuya; Spijker, Peter; Pawlak, Rémy; Meier, Tobias; Tracey, John; Kubo, Takashi; Meyer, Ernst; Foster, Adam S.

2017-01-01

The hydrogen atom—the smallest and most abundant atom—is of utmost importance in physics and chemistry. Although many analysis methods have been applied to its study, direct observation of hydrogen atoms in a single molecule remains largely unexplored. We use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to resolve the outermost hydrogen atoms of propellane molecules via very weak C═O⋅⋅⋅H–C hydrogen bonding just before the onset of Pauli repulsion. The direct measurement of the interaction with a hydrogen atom paves the way for the identification of three-dimensional molecules such as DNAs and polymers, building the capabilities of AFM toward quantitative probing of local chemical reactivity. PMID:28508080

On the influence of reflection over a rhythmic swash zone on surf zone dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almar, Rafael; Nicolae Lerma, Alexandre; Castelle, Bruno; Scott, Timothy

2018-05-01

The reflection of incident gravity waves over an irregular swash zone morphology and the resulting influence on surf zone dynamics remains mostly unexplored. The wave-phase resolving SWASH model is applied to investigate this feedback using realistic low-tide terraced beach morphology with well-developed beach cusps. The rhythmic reflection generates a standing wave that mimics a subharmonic edge wave, from the superimposition of incident and two-dimensional reflected waves. This mechanism is enhanced by shore-normal, narrow-banded waves in both direction and frequency. Our study suggests that wave reflection over steep beaches could be a mechanism for the development of rhythmic morphological features such as beach cusps and rip currents.

Surface elastic properties in silicon nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melis, Claudio; Giordano, Stefano; Colombo, Luciano

2017-09-01

The elastic behavior of the external surface of a solid body plays a key role in nanomechanical phenomena. While bulk elasticity enjoys the benefits of a robust theoretical understanding, many surface elasticity features remain unexplored: some of them are here addressed by blending together continuum elasticity and atomistic simulations. A suitable readdressing of the surface elasticity theory allows to write the balance equations in arbitrary curvilinear coordinates and to investigate the dependence of the surface elastic parameters on the mean and Gaussian curvatures of the surface. In particular, we predict the radial strain induced by surface effects in spherical and cylindrical silicon nanoparticles and provide evidence that the surface parameters are nearly independent of curvatures and, therefore, of the surface conformation.

Polymer models of interphase chromosomes

PubMed Central

Vasquez, Paula A; Bloom, Kerry

2014-01-01

Clear organizational patterns on the genome have emerged from the statistics of population studies of fixed cells. However, how these results translate into the dynamics of individual living cells remains unexplored. We use statistical mechanics models derived from polymer physics to inquire into the effects that chromosome properties and dynamics have in the temporal and spatial behavior of the genome. Overall, changes in the properties of individual chains affect the behavior of all other chains in the domain. We explore two modifications of chain behavior: single chain motion and chain-chain interactions. We show that there is not a direct relation between these effects, as increase in motion, doesn’t necessarily translate into an increase on chain interaction. PMID:25482191

Public health policies to encourage healthy eating habits: recent perspectives.

PubMed

Gorski, Mary T; Roberto, Christina A

2015-01-01

There is an urgent need to address unhealthy dietary patterns at the population level. Poor diet and physical inactivity are key drivers of the obesity pandemic, and they are among the leading causes of preventable death and disability in nearly every country in the world. As countries grapple with the growing obesity prevalence, many innovative policy options to reduce overeating and improve diet quality remain largely unexplored. We describe recent trends in eating habits and consequences for public health, vulnerabilities to unhealthy eating, and the role for public health policies. We reviewed recent public health policies to promote healthier diet patterns, including mandates, restrictions, economic incentives, marketing limits, information provision, and environmental defaults.

How Personal Is the Political? Democratic Revolution and Fertility Decline

PubMed Central

Bailey, Amy Kate

2010-01-01

Existing theory has identified the capacity of political revolutions to effect change in a variety of social institutions, although relationships between revolution and many institutions remain unexplored. Using historical data from 22 European and four diaspora countries, I examine the temporal relationship between timing of revolution and onset of fertility decline. I hypothesize that specific kinds of revolutionary events affect fertility by engendering ideological changes in popular understandings of the individual’s relationship to society, and ultimately the legitimacy of couples’ authority over their reproductive capacities. Results demonstrate that popular democratic revolution – but not institutionalized democratic structures – predict the timing of the onset of fertility decline. PMID:19999826

Recent Advances and Future Challenges in Modified Mycotoxin Analysis: Why HRMS Has Become a Key Instrument in Food Contaminant Research

PubMed Central

Righetti, Laura; Paglia, Giuseppe; Galaverna, Gianni; Dall’Asta, Chiara

2016-01-01

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by pathogenic fungi in crops worldwide. These compounds can undergo modification in plants, leading to the formation of a large number of possible modified forms, whose toxicological relevance and occurrence in food and feed is still largely unexplored. The analysis of modified mycotoxins by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry remains a challenge because of their chemical diversity, the large number of isomeric forms, and the lack of analytical standards. Here, the potential benefits of high-resolution and ion mobility mass spectrometry as a tool for separation and structure confirmation of modified mycotoxins have been investigated/reviewed. PMID:27918432

Paved with good intentions: do public health and human service providers contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in health?

PubMed

van Ryn, Michelle; Fu, Steven S

2003-02-01

There is extensive evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in receipt of health care. The potential contribution of provider behavior to such disparities has remained largely unexplored. Do health and human service providers behave in ways that contribute to systematic inequities in care and outcomes? If so, why does this occur? The authors build on existing evidence to provide an integrated, coherent, and sound approach to research on providers' contributions to racial/ethnic disparities. They review the evidence regarding provider contributions to disparities in outcomes and describe a causal model representing an integrated set of hypothesized mechanisms through which health care providers' behaviors may contribute to these disparities.

Simulation of Non-Abelian Braiding in Majorana Time Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bomantara, Raditya Weda; Gong, Jiangbin

2018-06-01

Discrete time crystals have attracted considerable theoretical and experimental studies but their potential applications have remained unexplored. A particular type of discrete time crystals, termed "Majorana time crystals," is found to emerge in a periodically driven superconducting wire accommodating two different species of topological edge modes. It is further shown that one can manipulate different Majorana edge modes separated in the time lattice, giving rise to an unforeseen scenario for topologically protected gate operations mimicking braiding. The proposed protocol can also generate a magic state that is important for universal quantum computation. This study thus advances the quantum control in discrete time crystals and reveals their great potential arising from their time-domain properties.

Simple method for experimentally testing any form of quantum contextuality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabello, Adán

2016-03-01

Contextuality provides a unifying paradigm for nonclassical aspects of quantum probabilities and resources of quantum information. Unfortunately, most forms of quantum contextuality remain experimentally unexplored due to the difficulty of performing sequences of projective measurements on individual quantum systems. Here we show that two-point correlations between binary compatible observables are sufficient to reveal any form of contextuality. This allows us to design simple experiments that are more robust against imperfections and easier to analyze, thus opening the door for observing interesting forms of contextuality, including those requiring quantum systems of high dimensions. In addition, it allows us to connect contextuality to communication complexity scenarios and reformulate a recent result relating contextuality and quantum computation.

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

Khurgin, Jacob B., E-mail: jakek@jhu.edu; Bajaj, Sanyam; Rajan, Siddharth

Longitudinal optical (LO) phonons in GaN generated in the channel of high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) are shown to undergo nearly elastic scattering via collisions with hot electrons. The net result of these collisions is the diffusion of LO phonons in the Brillouin zone causing reduction of phonon and electron temperatures. This previously unexplored diffusion mechanism explicates how an increase in electron density causes reduction of the apparent lifetime of LO phonons, obtained from the time resolved Raman studies and microwave noise measurements, while the actual decay rate of the LO phonons remains unaffected by the carrier density. Therefore, themore » saturation velocity in GaN HEMT steadily declines with increased carrier density, in a qualitative agreement with experimental results.« less

Visualizing the molecular sociology at the HeLa cell nuclear periphery.

PubMed

Mahamid, Julia; Pfeffer, Stefan; Schaffer, Miroslava; Villa, Elizabeth; Danev, Radostin; Cuellar, Luis Kuhn; Förster, Friedrich; Hyman, Anthony A; Plitzko, Jürgen M; Baumeister, Wolfgang

2016-02-26

The molecular organization of eukaryotic nuclear volumes remains largely unexplored. Here we combined recent developments in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to produce three-dimensional snapshots of the HeLa cell nuclear periphery. Subtomogram averaging and classification of ribosomes revealed the native structure and organization of the cytoplasmic translation machinery. Analysis of a large dynamic structure-the nuclear pore complex-revealed variations detectable at the level of individual complexes. Cryo-ET was used to visualize previously elusive structures, such as nucleosome chains and the filaments of the nuclear lamina, in situ. Elucidation of the lamina structure provides insight into its contribution to metazoan nuclear stiffness. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Developmental origin and lineage plasticity of endogenous cardiac stem cells

PubMed Central

Santini, Maria Paola; Forte, Elvira; Harvey, Richard P.; Kovacic, Jason C.

2016-01-01

Over the past two decades, several populations of cardiac stem cells have been described in the adult mammalian heart. For the most part, however, their lineage origins and in vivo functions remain largely unexplored. This Review summarizes what is known about different populations of embryonic and adult cardiac stem cells, including KIT+, PDGFRα+, ISL1+ and SCA1+ cells, side population cells, cardiospheres and epicardial cells. We discuss their developmental origins and defining characteristics, and consider their possible contribution to heart organogenesis and regeneration. We also summarize the origin and plasticity of cardiac fibroblasts and circulating endothelial progenitor cells, and consider what role these cells have in contributing to cardiac repair. PMID:27095490

A topological quantum optics interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barik, Sabyasachi; Karasahin, Aziz; Flower, Christopher; Cai, Tao; Miyake, Hirokazu; DeGottardi, Wade; Hafezi, Mohammad; Waks, Edo

2018-02-01

The application of topology in optics has led to a new paradigm in developing photonic devices with robust properties against disorder. Although considerable progress on topological phenomena has been achieved in the classical domain, the realization of strong light-matter coupling in the quantum domain remains unexplored. We demonstrate a strong interface between single quantum emitters and topological photonic states. Our approach creates robust counterpropagating edge states at the boundary of two distinct topological photonic crystals. We demonstrate the chiral emission of a quantum emitter into these modes and establish their robustness against sharp bends. This approach may enable the development of quantum optics devices with built-in protection, with potential applications in quantum simulation and sensing.

Non-Hermitian photonics based on parity-time symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Liang; El-Ganainy, Ramy; Ge, Li

2017-12-01

Nearly one century after the birth of quantum mechanics, parity-time symmetry is revolutionizing and extending quantum theories to include a unique family of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. While conceptually striking, experimental demonstration of parity-time symmetry remains unexplored in quantum electronic systems. The flexibility of photonics allows for creating and superposing non-Hermitian eigenstates with ease using optical gain and loss, which makes it an ideal platform to explore various non-Hermitian quantum symmetry paradigms for novel device functionalities. Such explorations that employ classical photonic platforms not only deepen our understanding of fundamental quantum physics but also facilitate technological breakthroughs for photonic applications. Research into non-Hermitian photonics therefore advances and benefits both fields simultaneously.

Internalized Homophobia Influences Perceptions of Men's Sexual Orientation from Photos of Their Faces.

PubMed

Tskhay, Konstantin O; Rule, Nicholas O

2017-04-01

Although researchers have explored the perceiver characteristics that make people accurate at identifying others' sexual orientations, characteristics of the targets remain largely unexplored. In the current study, we examined how individual differences in internalized homophobia among gay men can affect perceptions of their sexual orientation by asking 49 individuals to judge the sexual orientations of 78 gay men from photos of their faces. We found that gay men reporting higher levels of internalized homophobia were less likely to have come out of the closet and were, in turn, less likely to be perceived as gay. Thus, internalized homophobia and the concealment of one's sexual minority status can impact perceptions of sexual orientation.

Avalanche for shape and feature-based virtual screening with 3D alignment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diller, David J.; Connell, Nancy D.; Welsh, William J.

2015-11-01

This report introduces a new ligand-based virtual screening tool called Avalanche that incorporates both shape- and feature-based comparison with three-dimensional (3D) alignment between the query molecule and test compounds residing in a chemical database. Avalanche proceeds in two steps. The first step is an extremely rapid shape/feature based comparison which is used to narrow the focus from potentially millions or billions of candidate molecules and conformations to a more manageable number that are then passed to the second step. The second step is a detailed yet still rapid 3D alignment of the remaining candidate conformations to the query conformation. Using the 3D alignment, these remaining candidate conformations are scored, re-ranked and presented to the user as the top hits for further visualization and evaluation. To provide further insight into the method, the results from two prospective virtual screens are presented which show the ability of Avalanche to identify hits from chemical databases that would likely be missed by common substructure-based or fingerprint-based search methods. The Avalanche method is extended to enable patent landscaping, i.e., structural refinements to improve the patentability of hits for deployment in drug discovery campaigns.

Educational games for brain health: revealing their unexplored potential through a neurocognitive approach.

PubMed

Fissler, Patrick; Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana; Schrader, Claudia

2015-01-01

Educational games link the motivational nature of games with learning of knowledge and skills. Here, we go beyond effects on these learning outcomes. We review two lines of evidence which indicate the currently unexplored potential of educational games to promote brain health: First, gaming with specific neurocognitive demands (e.g., executive control), and second, educational learning experiences (e.g., studying foreign languages) improve brain health markers. These markers include cognitive ability, brain function, and brain structure. As educational games allow the combination of specific neurocognitive demands with educational learning experiences, they seem to be optimally suited for promoting brain health. We propose a neurocognitive approach to reveal this unexplored potential of educational games in future research.

Educational games for brain health: revealing their unexplored potential through a neurocognitive approach

PubMed Central

Fissler, Patrick; Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana; Schrader, Claudia

2015-01-01

Educational games link the motivational nature of games with learning of knowledge and skills. Here, we go beyond effects on these learning outcomes. We review two lines of evidence which indicate the currently unexplored potential of educational games to promote brain health: First, gaming with specific neurocognitive demands (e.g., executive control), and second, educational learning experiences (e.g., studying foreign languages) improve brain health markers. These markers include cognitive ability, brain function, and brain structure. As educational games allow the combination of specific neurocognitive demands with educational learning experiences, they seem to be optimally suited for promoting brain health. We propose a neurocognitive approach to reveal this unexplored potential of educational games in future research. PMID:26257697

To investigate or not to investigate? Researchers' views on unexplored atmospheric light phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caron, Etienne; Faridi, Pouya

2016-02-01

For hundreds of years, scientists have been studying light, which is used nowadays to explore the universe and cure diseases. Here, we present the results of a survey indicating a significant support from a subset of the academic community to investigate rare, unusual and unexplained atmospheric light phenomena that have historically been unexplored by scientists — the transient luminous phenomena in the valley of Hessdalen in Norway in particular. We propose that stable, long-term funding, and thorough investigation of poorly understood and/or unexplored luminous phenomena occurring in the low atmosphere could lead to the creation of new inter-disciplinary research programs in multiple universities, and ultimately, to important fundamental discoveries in the field of atmospheric science, photonics and beyond.

Long-Term Preservation of the Physical Remains of the Destroyed Buddha Figures in Bamiyan (afghanistan) Using Virtual Reality Technologies for Preparation and Evaluation of Restoration Measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toubekis, G.; Jansen, M.; Jarke, M.

2017-08-01

In March 2001, the world's largest depictions of standing Buddha figures located in Bamiyan (Afghanistan) were destroyed during a campaign of the Taliban leadership against all non-Muslim heritage in the country. Bamiyan and its archaeological remains have been nominated a World Heritage also to commemorate the events of destruction the site has experienced over the centuries. More than fifteen years after the Giant Buddha figures turned into dust, the UNESCO Safeguarding campaign for the preservation of the Bamiyan World Heritage property has made considerable progress. Upon continued request by the local population and the national government, the international community is asked to contribute proposals for the future presentation of the physical remains including the options of reassembling the original fragments. The achievements and backlashes of the UNESCO campaign are discussed and a proposal is given, how virtual technology can contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding the future of the site. At a time when deliberate raids during military conflicts against heritage places have become commonplace, the Bamiyan case has become emblematic and is considered now a key turning point in the heritage community on the question, which roles reconstruction can have especially in the aftermath of conflict situations. It is argued that immersive virtual reality technologies offer the chance to investigate how values attributed to cultural heritage are produced and experienced among different stakeholder groups.

Virtual Acoustics: Evaluation of Psychoacoustic Parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Current virtual acoustic displays for teleconferencing and virtual reality are usually limited to very simple or non-existent renderings of reverberation, a fundamental part of the acoustic environmental context that is encountered in day-to-day hearing. Several research efforts have produced results that suggest that environmental cues dramatically improve perceptual performance within virtual acoustic displays, and that is possible to manipulate signal processing parameters to effectively reproduce important aspects of virtual acoustic perception in real-time. However, the computational resources for rendering reverberation remain formidable. Our efforts at NASA Ames have been focused using a several perceptual threshold metrics, to determine how various "trade-offs" might be made in real-time acoustic rendering. This includes both original work and confirmation of existing data that was obtained in real rather than virtual environments. The talk will consider the importance of using individualized versus generalized pinnae cues (the "Head-Related Transfer Function"); the use of head movement cues; threshold data for early reflections and late reverberation; and consideration of the necessary accuracy for measuring and rendering octave-band absorption characteristics of various wall surfaces. In addition, a consideration of the analysis-synthesis of the reverberation within "everyday spaces" (offices, conference rooms) will be contrasted to the commonly used paradigm of concert hall spaces.

The body fades away: investigating the effects of transparency of an embodied virtual body on pain threshold and body ownership.

PubMed

Martini, Matteo; Kilteni, Konstantina; Maselli, Antonella; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V

2015-09-29

The feeling of "ownership" over an external dummy/virtual body (or body part) has been proven to have both physiological and behavioural consequences. For instance, the vision of an "embodied" dummy or virtual body can modulate pain perception. However, the impact of partial or total invisibility of the body on physiology and behaviour has been hardly explored since it presents obvious difficulties in the real world. In this study we explored how body transparency affects both body ownership and pain threshold. By means of virtual reality, we presented healthy participants with a virtual co-located body with four different levels of transparency, while participants were tested for pain threshold by increasing ramps of heat stimulation. We found that the strength of the body ownership illusion decreases when the body gets more transparent. Nevertheless, in the conditions where the body was semi-transparent, higher levels of ownership over a see-through body resulted in an increased pain sensitivity. Virtual body ownership can be used for the development of pain management interventions. However, we demonstrate that providing invisibility of the body does not increase pain threshold. Therefore, body transparency is not a good strategy to decrease pain in clinical contexts, yet this remains to be tested.

The body fades away: investigating the effects of transparency of an embodied virtual body on pain threshold and body ownership

PubMed Central

Martini, Matteo; Kilteni, Konstantina; Maselli, Antonella; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V.

2015-01-01

The feeling of “ownership” over an external dummy/virtual body (or body part) has been proven to have both physiological and behavioural consequences. For instance, the vision of an “embodied” dummy or virtual body can modulate pain perception. However, the impact of partial or total invisibility of the body on physiology and behaviour has been hardly explored since it presents obvious difficulties in the real world. In this study we explored how body transparency affects both body ownership and pain threshold. By means of virtual reality, we presented healthy participants with a virtual co-located body with four different levels of transparency, while participants were tested for pain threshold by increasing ramps of heat stimulation. We found that the strength of the body ownership illusion decreases when the body gets more transparent. Nevertheless, in the conditions where the body was semi-transparent, higher levels of ownership over a see-through body resulted in an increased pain sensitivity. Virtual body ownership can be used for the development of pain management interventions. However, we demonstrate that providing invisibility of the body does not increase pain threshold. Therefore, body transparency is not a good strategy to decrease pain in clinical contexts, yet this remains to be tested. PMID:26415748

Benchmark of four popular virtual screening programs: construction of the active/decoy dataset remains a major determinant of measured performance.

PubMed

Chaput, Ludovic; Martinez-Sanz, Juan; Saettel, Nicolas; Mouawad, Liliane

2016-01-01

In a structure-based virtual screening, the choice of the docking program is essential for the success of a hit identification. Benchmarks are meant to help in guiding this choice, especially when undertaken on a large variety of protein targets. Here, the performance of four popular virtual screening programs, Gold, Glide, Surflex and FlexX, is compared using the Directory of Useful Decoys-Enhanced database (DUD-E), which includes 102 targets with an average of 224 ligands per target and 50 decoys per ligand, generated to avoid biases in the benchmarking. Then, a relationship between these program performances and the properties of the targets or the small molecules was investigated. The comparison was based on two metrics, with three different parameters each. The BEDROC scores with α = 80.5, indicated that, on the overall database, Glide succeeded (score > 0.5) for 30 targets, Gold for 27, FlexX for 14 and Surflex for 11. The performance did not depend on the hydrophobicity nor the openness of the protein cavities, neither on the families to which the proteins belong. However, despite the care in the construction of the DUD-E database, the small differences that remain between the actives and the decoys likely explain the successes of Gold, Surflex and FlexX. Moreover, the similarity between the actives of a target and its crystal structure ligand seems to be at the basis of the good performance of Glide. When all targets with significant biases are removed from the benchmarking, a subset of 47 targets remains, for which Glide succeeded for only 5 targets, Gold for 4 and FlexX and Surflex for 2. The performance dramatic drop of all four programs when the biases are removed shows that we should beware of virtual screening benchmarks, because good performances may be due to wrong reasons. Therefore, benchmarking would hardly provide guidelines for virtual screening experiments, despite the tendency that is maintained, i.e., Glide and Gold display better performance than FlexX and Surflex. We recommend to always use several programs and combine their results. Graphical AbstractSummary of the results obtained by virtual screening with the four programs, Glide, Gold, Surflex and FlexX, on the 102 targets of the DUD-E database. The percentage of targets with successful results, i.e., with BDEROC(α = 80.5) > 0.5, when the entire database is considered are in Blue, and when targets with biased chemical libraries are removed are in Red.

Estimation of detection thresholds for redirected walking techniques.

PubMed

Steinicke, Frank; Bruder, Gerd; Jerald, Jason; Frenz, Harald; Lappe, Markus

2010-01-01

In immersive virtual environments (IVEs), users can control their virtual viewpoint by moving their tracked head and walking through the real world. Usually, movements in the real world are mapped one-to-one to virtual camera motions. With redirection techniques, the virtual camera is manipulated by applying gains to user motion so that the virtual world moves differently than the real world. Thus, users can walk through large-scale IVEs while physically remaining in a reasonably small workspace. In psychophysical experiments with a two-alternative forced-choice task, we have quantified how much humans can unknowingly be redirected on physical paths that are different from the visually perceived paths. We tested 12 subjects in three different experiments: (E1) discrimination between virtual and physical rotations, (E2) discrimination between virtual and physical straightforward movements, and (E3) discrimination of path curvature. In experiment E1, subjects performed rotations with different gains, and then had to choose whether the visually perceived rotation was smaller or greater than the physical rotation. In experiment E2, subjects chose whether the physical walk was shorter or longer than the visually perceived scaled travel distance. In experiment E3, subjects estimate the path curvature when walking a curved path in the real world while the visual display shows a straight path in the virtual world. Our results show that users can be turned physically about 49 percent more or 20 percent less than the perceived virtual rotation, distances can be downscaled by 14 percent and upscaled by 26 percent, and users can be redirected on a circular arc with a radius greater than 22 m while they believe that they are walking straight.

Human agency beliefs influence behaviour during virtual social interactions.

PubMed

Caruana, Nathan; Spirou, Dean; Brock, Jon

2017-01-01

In recent years, with the emergence of relatively inexpensive and accessible virtual reality technologies, it is now possible to deliver compelling and realistic simulations of human-to-human interaction. Neuroimaging studies have shown that, when participants believe they are interacting via a virtual interface with another human agent, they show different patterns of brain activity compared to when they know that their virtual partner is computer-controlled. The suggestion is that users adopt an "intentional stance" by attributing mental states to their virtual partner. However, it remains unclear how beliefs in the agency of a virtual partner influence participants' behaviour and subjective experience of the interaction. We investigated this issue in the context of a cooperative "joint attention" game in which participants interacted via an eye tracker with a virtual onscreen partner, directing each other's eye gaze to different screen locations. Half of the participants were correctly informed that their partner was controlled by a computer algorithm ("Computer" condition). The other half were misled into believing that the virtual character was controlled by a second participant in another room ("Human" condition). Those in the "Human" condition were slower to make eye contact with their partner and more likely to try and guide their partner before they had established mutual eye contact than participants in the "Computer" condition. They also responded more rapidly when their partner was guiding them, although the same effect was also found for a control condition in which they responded to an arrow cue. Results confirm the influence of human agency beliefs on behaviour in this virtual social interaction context. They further suggest that researchers and developers attempting to simulate social interactions should consider the impact of agency beliefs on user experience in other social contexts, and their effect on the achievement of the application's goals.

Sensing and Virtual Worlds - A Survey of Research Opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Dana

2012-01-01

Virtual Worlds (VWs) have been used effectively in live and constructive military training. An area that remains fertile ground for exploration and a new vision involves integrating various traditional and now non-traditional sensors into virtual worlds. In this paper, we will assert that the benefits of this integration are several. First, we maintain that virtual worlds offer improved sensor deployment planning through improved visualization and stimulation of the model, using geo-specific terrain and structure. Secondly, we assert that VWs enhance the mission rehearsal process, and that using a mix of live avatars, non-player characters, and live sensor feeds (e.g. real time meteorology) can help visualization of the area of operations. Finally, tactical operations are improved via better collaboration and integration of real world sensing capabilities, and in most situations, 30 VWs improve the state of the art over current "dots on a map" 20 geospatial visualization. However, several capability gaps preclude a fuller realization of this vision. In this paper, we identify many of these gaps and suggest research directions

Southern pulpwood production, 1961

Treesearch

Vernon L. Robinson; Agnes C. Nichols

1962-01-01

Southern pulpwood production reached 24,230,728 cords in 1961--60 percent of the Nations total. Significant increases were noted in the consumption of hardwood and residues. But pine roundwood remained virtually unchanged for the third consecutive year.

Unwritten rules: virtual bargaining underpins social interaction, culture, and society.

PubMed

Misyak, Jennifer B; Melkonyan, Tigran; Zeitoun, Hossam; Chater, Nick

2014-10-01

Many social interactions require humans to coordinate their behavior across a range of scales. However, aspects of intentional coordination remain puzzling from within several approaches in cognitive science. Sketching a new perspective, we propose that the complex behavioral patterns - or 'unwritten rules' - governing such coordination emerge from an ongoing process of 'virtual bargaining'. Social participants behave on the basis of what they would agree to do if they were explicitly to bargain, provided the agreement that would arise from such discussion is commonly known. Although intuitively simple, this interpretation has implications for understanding a broad spectrum of social, economic, and cultural phenomena (including joint action, team reasoning, communication, and language) that, we argue, depend fundamentally on the virtual bargains themselves. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Modeling and Deorphanization of Orphan GPCRs.

PubMed

Diaz, Constantino; Angelloz-Nicoud, Patricia; Pihan, Emilie

2018-01-01

Despite tremendous efforts, approximately 120 GPCRs remain orphan. Their physiological functions and their potential roles in diseases are poorly understood. Orphan GPCRs are extremely important because they may provide novel therapeutic targets for unmet medical needs. As a complement to experimental approaches, molecular modeling and virtual screening are efficient techniques to discover synthetic surrogate ligands which can help to elucidate the role of oGPCRs. Constitutively activated mutants and recently published active structures of GPCRs provide stimulating opportunities for building active molecular models for oGPCRs and identifying activators using virtual screening of compound libraries. We describe the molecular modeling and virtual screening process we have applied in the discovery of surrogate ligands, and provide examples for CCKA, a simulated oGPCR, and for two oGPCRs, GPR52 and GPR34.

3D Audio System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Ames Research Center research into virtual reality led to the development of the Convolvotron, a high speed digital audio processing system that delivers three-dimensional sound over headphones. It consists of a two-card set designed for use with a personal computer. The Convolvotron's primary application is presentation of 3D audio signals over headphones. Four independent sound sources are filtered with large time-varying filters that compensate for motion. The perceived location of the sound remains constant. Possible applications are in air traffic control towers or airplane cockpits, hearing and perception research and virtual reality development.

Ethanol production from chitosan by the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia and the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana.

PubMed

Aranda-Martinez, Almudena; Naranjo Ortiz, Miguel Ángel; Abihssira García, Isabel Sofía; Zavala-Gonzalez, Ernesto A; Lopez-Llorca, Luis Vicente

2017-11-01

Chitin is the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose and virtually unexplored as raw material for bioethanol production. In this paper, we investigate chitosan, the deacetylated form of chitin which is the main component of shellfish waste, as substrate for bioethanol production by fungi. Fungal parasites of invertebrates such as the nematophagous Pochonia chlamydosporia (Pc) or the entomopathogens Beauveria bassiana (Bb) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma) are biocontrol agents of plant parasitic nematodes (eg. Meloidogyne spp.) or insect pests such as the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus). These fungi degrade chitin-rich barriers for host penetration. We have therefore tested the chitin/chitosanolytic capabilities of Pc, Bb and Ma for generating reducing sugars using chitosan as only nutrient. Among the microorganisms used in this study, Pc is the best chitosan degrader, even under anaerobic conditions. These fungi have alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) encoding genes in their genomes. We have therefore analyzed their ethanol production under anaerobic conditions using chitosan as raw material. P. chlamydosporia is the largest ethanol producer from chitosan. Our studies are a starting point to develop chitin-chitosan based biofuels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Energy penetration into arrays of aligned nanowires irradiated with relativistic intensities: Scaling to terabar pressures

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

Bargsten, Clayton; Hollinger, Reed; Capeluto, Maria Gabriela

Ultrahigh-energy density (UHED) matter, characterized by energy densities >1 × 10 8 J cm –3 and pressures greater than a gigabar, is encountered in the center of stars and inertial confinement fusion capsules driven by the world’s largest lasers. Similar conditions can be obtained with compact, ultrahigh contrast, femtosecond lasers focused to relativistic intensities onto targets composed of aligned nanowire arrays. We report the measurement of the key physical process in determining the energy density deposited in high-aspect-ratio nanowire array plasmas: the energy penetration. By monitoring the x-ray emission from buried Co tracer segments in Ni nanowire arrays irradiated atmore » an intensity of 4 × 10 19 W cm –2, we demonstrate energy penetration depths of several micrometers, leading to UHED plasmas of that size. As a result, relativistic three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, validated by these measurements, predict that irradiation of nanostructures at intensities of >1 × 10 22 W cm –2 will lead to a virtually unexplored extreme UHED plasma regime characterized by energy densities in excess of 8 × 10 10 J cm –3, equivalent to a pressure of 0.35 Tbar.« less

Energy Penetration into Arrays of Aligned Nanowires Irradiated with Relativistic Intensities: Scaling to Terabar Pressures

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

Bargsten, Clayton; Hollinger, Reed; Capeluto, Maria Gabriela

Ultra-high-energy-density (UHED) matter, characterized by energy densities > 1 x 10 8 J cm -3 and pressures greater than a gigabar, is encountered in the center of stars and in inertial confinement fusion capsules driven by the world’s largest lasers. Similar conditions can be obtained with compact, ultra-high contrast, femtosecond lasers focused to relativistic intensities onto targets composed of aligned nanowire arrays. Here we report the measurement of the key physical process in determining the energy density deposited in high aspect ratio nanowire array plasmas: the energy penetration. By monitoring the x-ray emission from buried Co tracer segments in Nimore » nanowire arrays irradiated at an intensity of 4 x 10 19 W cm -2, we demonstrate energy penetration depths of several μm, leading to UHED plasmas of that size. Relativistic 3D particle-in-cell-simulations, validated by these measurements, predict that irradiation of nanostructures at intensities of > 1 x 10 22 W cm -2 will lead to a virtually unexplored extreme UHED plasma regime characterized by energy densities in excess of 8 x 10 10 J cm -3, equivalent to a pressure of 0.35 Tbar.« less

Energy penetration into arrays of aligned nanowires irradiated with relativistic intensities: Scaling to terabar pressures

DOE PAGES

Bargsten, Clayton; Hollinger, Reed; Capeluto, Maria Gabriela; ...

2017-01-11

Ultrahigh-energy density (UHED) matter, characterized by energy densities >1 × 10 8 J cm –3 and pressures greater than a gigabar, is encountered in the center of stars and inertial confinement fusion capsules driven by the world’s largest lasers. Similar conditions can be obtained with compact, ultrahigh contrast, femtosecond lasers focused to relativistic intensities onto targets composed of aligned nanowire arrays. We report the measurement of the key physical process in determining the energy density deposited in high-aspect-ratio nanowire array plasmas: the energy penetration. By monitoring the x-ray emission from buried Co tracer segments in Ni nanowire arrays irradiated atmore » an intensity of 4 × 10 19 W cm –2, we demonstrate energy penetration depths of several micrometers, leading to UHED plasmas of that size. As a result, relativistic three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, validated by these measurements, predict that irradiation of nanostructures at intensities of >1 × 10 22 W cm –2 will lead to a virtually unexplored extreme UHED plasma regime characterized by energy densities in excess of 8 × 10 10 J cm –3, equivalent to a pressure of 0.35 Tbar.« less

Energy penetration into arrays of aligned nanowires irradiated with relativistic intensities: Scaling to terabar pressures.

PubMed

Bargsten, Clayton; Hollinger, Reed; Capeluto, Maria Gabriela; Kaymak, Vural; Pukhov, Alexander; Wang, Shoujun; Rockwood, Alex; Wang, Yong; Keiss, David; Tommasini, Riccardo; London, Richard; Park, Jaebum; Busquet, Michel; Klapisch, Marcel; Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N; Rocca, Jorge J

2017-01-01

Ultrahigh-energy density (UHED) matter, characterized by energy densities >1 × 10 8 J cm -3 and pressures greater than a gigabar, is encountered in the center of stars and inertial confinement fusion capsules driven by the world's largest lasers. Similar conditions can be obtained with compact, ultrahigh contrast, femtosecond lasers focused to relativistic intensities onto targets composed of aligned nanowire arrays. We report the measurement of the key physical process in determining the energy density deposited in high-aspect-ratio nanowire array plasmas: the energy penetration. By monitoring the x-ray emission from buried Co tracer segments in Ni nanowire arrays irradiated at an intensity of 4 × 10 19 W cm -2 , we demonstrate energy penetration depths of several micrometers, leading to UHED plasmas of that size. Relativistic three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, validated by these measurements, predict that irradiation of nanostructures at intensities of >1 × 10 22 W cm -2 will lead to a virtually unexplored extreme UHED plasma regime characterized by energy densities in excess of 8 × 10 10 J cm -3 , equivalent to a pressure of 0.35 Tbar.

Forest-to-pasture conversion increases the diversity of the phylum Verrucomicrobia in Amazon rainforest soils.

PubMed

Ranjan, Kshitij; Paula, Fabiana S; Mueller, Rebecca C; Jesus, Ederson da C; Cenciani, Karina; Bohannan, Brendan J M; Nüsslein, Klaus; Rodrigues, Jorge L M

2015-01-01

The Amazon rainforest is well known for its rich plant and animal diversity, but its bacterial diversity is virtually unexplored. Due to ongoing and widespread deforestation followed by conversion to agriculture, there is an urgent need to quantify the soil biological diversity within this tropical ecosystem. Given the abundance of the phylum Verrucomicrobia in soils, we targeted this group to examine its response to forest-to-pasture conversion. Both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversities were higher for pasture in comparison to primary and secondary forests. The community composition of Verrucomicrobia in pasture soils was significantly different from those of forests, with a 11.6% increase in the number of sequences belonging to subphylum 3 and a proportional decrease in sequences belonging to the class Spartobacteria. Based on 99% operational taxonomic unit identity, 40% of the sequences have not been detected in previous studies, underscoring the limited knowledge regarding the diversity of microorganisms in tropical ecosystems. The abundance of Verrucomicrobia, measured with quantitative PCR, was strongly correlated with soil C content (r = 0.80, P = 0.0016), indicating their importance in metabolizing plant-derived carbon compounds in soils.

Forest-to-pasture conversion increases the diversity of the phylum Verrucomicrobia in Amazon rainforest soils

PubMed Central

Ranjan, Kshitij; Paula, Fabiana S.; Mueller, Rebecca C.; Jesus, Ederson da C.; Cenciani, Karina; Bohannan, Brendan J. M.; Nüsslein, Klaus; Rodrigues, Jorge L. M.

2015-01-01

The Amazon rainforest is well known for its rich plant and animal diversity, but its bacterial diversity is virtually unexplored. Due to ongoing and widespread deforestation followed by conversion to agriculture, there is an urgent need to quantify the soil biological diversity within this tropical ecosystem. Given the abundance of the phylum Verrucomicrobia in soils, we targeted this group to examine its response to forest-to-pasture conversion. Both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversities were higher for pasture in comparison to primary and secondary forests. The community composition of Verrucomicrobia in pasture soils was significantly different from those of forests, with a 11.6% increase in the number of sequences belonging to subphylum 3 and a proportional decrease in sequences belonging to the class Spartobacteria. Based on 99% operational taxonomic unit identity, 40% of the sequences have not been detected in previous studies, underscoring the limited knowledge regarding the diversity of microorganisms in tropical ecosystems. The abundance of Verrucomicrobia, measured with quantitative PCR, was strongly correlated with soil C content (r = 0.80, P = 0.0016), indicating their importance in metabolizing plant-derived carbon compounds in soils. PMID:26284056

Coupled cryoconite ecosystem structure-function relationships are revealed by comparing bacterial communities in alpine and Arctic glaciers.

PubMed

Edwards, Arwyn; Mur, Luis A J; Girdwood, Susan E; Anesio, Alexandre M; Stibal, Marek; Rassner, Sara M E; Hell, Katherina; Pachebat, Justin A; Post, Barbara; Bussell, Jennifer S; Cameron, Simon J S; Griffith, Gareth Wyn; Hodson, Andrew J; Sattler, Birgit

2014-08-01

Cryoconite holes are known as foci of microbial diversity and activity on polar glacier surfaces, but are virtually unexplored microbial habitats in alpine regions. In addition, whether cryoconite community structure reflects ecosystem functionality is poorly understood. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and Fourier transform infrared metabolite fingerprinting of cryoconite from glaciers in Austria, Greenland and Svalbard demonstrated cryoconite bacterial communities are closely correlated with cognate metabolite fingerprints. The influence of bacterial-associated fatty acids and polysaccharides was inferred, underlining the importance of bacterial community structure in the properties of cryoconite. Thus, combined application of T-RFLP and FT-IR metabolite fingerprinting promises high throughput, and hence, rapid assessment of community structure-function relationships. Pyrosequencing revealed Proteobacteria were particularly abundant, with Cyanobacteria likely acting as ecosystem engineers in both alpine and Arctic cryoconite communities. However, despite these generalities, significant differences in bacterial community structures, compositions and metabolomes are found between alpine and Arctic cryoconite habitats, reflecting the impact of local and regional conditions on the challenges of thriving in glacial ecosystems. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flatland plasmonics and nanophotonics based on graphene and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Pai-Yen; Argyropoulos, Christos; Farhat, Mohamed; Gomez-Diaz, J. Sebastian

2017-04-01

In this paper, we review and discuss how the recently discovered two-dimensional (2D) Dirac materials, particularly graphene, may be utilized as new efficient platforms for excitations of propagating and localized surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in the terahertz (THz) and mid-infrared (MIR) regions. The surface plasmon modes supported by the metallic 2D materials exhibit tunable plasmon resonances that are essential, yet missing, ingredients needed for THz and MIR photonic and optoelectronic devices. We describe how the atomically thin graphene monolayer and metamaterial structures based on it may tailor and control the spectral, spatial, and temporal properties of electromagnetic radiation. In the same frequency range, the newly unveiled nonlocal, nonlinear, and nonequilibrium electrodynamics in graphene show a variety of nonlinear and amplifying electromagnetic responses, whose potential applications are yet unexplored. With these 2D material platforms, virtually all plasmonic, optoelectronic, and nonlinear functions found in near-infrared (NIR) and visible devices can be analogously transferred to the long-wavelength regime, even with enhanced tunability and new functionalities. The spectral range from THz to MIR is particularly compelling because of the many spectral fingerprints of key chemical, gas, and biological agents, as well as a myriad of remote sensing, imaging, communication, and security applications.

Diabetes's 'health shock' to schooling and earnings: increased dropout rates and lower wages and employment in young adults.

PubMed

Fletcher, Jason M; Richards, Michael R

2012-01-01

Despite a growing diabetes crisis, the nonmedical implications for young adults have gone virtually unexplored. We investigated the effects of diabetes on two key outcomes for this age group-schooling and earnings-and found that it delivers an increasingly common "health shock" to both. We identified effects in several measures of educational attainment, including a high school dropout rate that was six percentage points higher than among young adults without the disease. We also found lower employment and wages: A person with diabetes can conservatively expect to lose more than $160,000 over his or her working life, compared to a peer without the disease. For young adults with diabetes, having a parent with diabetes also leads to poorer outcomes than if one more parents do not have the disease-for example, reducing the likelihood of attending college by four to six percentage points, even after the child's health status is controlled for. These results highlight the urgency of attacking this growing health problem, as well as the need for measures such as in-school screening for whether diabetes's impact on individual learning and performance begins before the classic manifestations of clinical diabetes appear.

Energy penetration into arrays of aligned nanowires irradiated with relativistic intensities: Scaling to terabar pressures

PubMed Central

Bargsten, Clayton; Hollinger, Reed; Capeluto, Maria Gabriela; Kaymak, Vural; Pukhov, Alexander; Wang, Shoujun; Rockwood, Alex; Wang, Yong; Keiss, David; Tommasini, Riccardo; London, Richard; Park, Jaebum; Busquet, Michel; Klapisch, Marcel; Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N.; Rocca, Jorge J.

2017-01-01

Ultrahigh-energy density (UHED) matter, characterized by energy densities >1 × 108 J cm−3 and pressures greater than a gigabar, is encountered in the center of stars and inertial confinement fusion capsules driven by the world’s largest lasers. Similar conditions can be obtained with compact, ultrahigh contrast, femtosecond lasers focused to relativistic intensities onto targets composed of aligned nanowire arrays. We report the measurement of the key physical process in determining the energy density deposited in high-aspect-ratio nanowire array plasmas: the energy penetration. By monitoring the x-ray emission from buried Co tracer segments in Ni nanowire arrays irradiated at an intensity of 4 × 1019 W cm−2, we demonstrate energy penetration depths of several micrometers, leading to UHED plasmas of that size. Relativistic three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, validated by these measurements, predict that irradiation of nanostructures at intensities of >1 × 1022 W cm−2 will lead to a virtually unexplored extreme UHED plasma regime characterized by energy densities in excess of 8 × 1010 J cm−3, equivalent to a pressure of 0.35 Tbar. PMID:28097218

Simultaneous effects of food limitation and inducible resistance on herbivore population dynamics.

PubMed

Abbott, Karen C; Morris, William F; Gross, Kevin

2008-02-01

Many herbivore populations fluctuate temporally, but the causes of those fluctuations remain unclear. Plant inducible resistance can theoretically cause herbivore population fluctuations, because herbivory may induce plant changes that reduce the survival or reproduction of later-feeding herbivores. Herbivory can also simply reduce the quantity of food available for later feeders and this, too, can cause population fluctuations. Inducible resistance and food limitation often occur simultaneously, yet whether they jointly facilitate or suppress herbivore fluctuations remains largely unexplored. We present models that suggest that food limitation and inducible resistance may have synergistic effects on herbivore population dynamics. The population-level response of the food plant to herbivory and the details of how inducible resistance affects herbivore performance both influence the resulting herbivore dynamics. Our results identify some biological properties of plant-herbivore systems that might determine whether or not cycles occur, and suggest that future empirical and theoretical population dynamics studies should account for the effects of both food limitation and inducible resistance.

Induction of Multidrug Tolerance in Plasmodium falciparum by Extended Artemisinin Pressure

PubMed Central

Ménard, Sandie; Ben Haddou, Tanila; Ramadani, Arba Pramundita; Ariey, Frédéric; Iriart, Xavier; Beghain, Johann; Bouchier, Christiane; Witkowski, Benoit; Berry, Antoine; Mercereau-Puijalon, Odile

2015-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin derivatives in Southeast Asia threatens global malaria control strategies. Whether delayed parasite clearance, which exposes larger parasite numbers to artemisinins for longer times, selects higher-grade resistance remains unexplored. We investigated whether long-lasting artemisinin pressure selects a novel multidrug-tolerance profile. Although 50% inhibitory concentrations for 10 antimalarial drugs tested were unchanged, drug-tolerant parasites showed higher recrudescence rates for endoperoxides, quinolones, and an antifolate, including partner drugs of recommended combination therapies, but remained susceptible to atovaquone. Moreover, the age range of intraerythrocytic stages able to resist artemisinin was extended to older ring forms and trophozoites. Multidrug tolerance results from drug-induced quiescence, which enables parasites to survive exposure to unrelated antimalarial drugs that inhibit a variety of metabolic pathways. This novel resistance pattern should be urgently monitored in the field because this pattern is not detected by current assays and represents a major threat to antimalarial drug policy. PMID:26401601

Deep Learning for Flow Sculpting: Insights into Efficient Learning using Scientific Simulation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoecklein, Daniel; Lore, Kin Gwn; Davies, Michael; Sarkar, Soumik; Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar

2017-04-01

A new technique for shaping microfluid flow, known as flow sculpting, offers an unprecedented level of passive fluid flow control, with potential breakthrough applications in advancing manufacturing, biology, and chemistry research at the microscale. However, efficiently solving the inverse problem of designing a flow sculpting device for a desired fluid flow shape remains a challenge. Current approaches struggle with the many-to-one design space, requiring substantial user interaction and the necessity of building intuition, all of which are time and resource intensive. Deep learning has emerged as an efficient function approximation technique for high-dimensional spaces, and presents a fast solution to the inverse problem, yet the science of its implementation in similarly defined problems remains largely unexplored. We propose that deep learning methods can completely outpace current approaches for scientific inverse problems while delivering comparable designs. To this end, we show how intelligent sampling of the design space inputs can make deep learning methods more competitive in accuracy, while illustrating their generalization capability to out-of-sample predictions.

Plant diversity predicts beta but not alpha diversity of soil microbes across grasslands worldwide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prober, Suzanne M.; Leff, Jonathan W.; Bates, Scott T.; Borer, Elizabeth T.; Firn, Jennifer; Harpole, W. Stanley; Lind, Eric M.; Seabloom, Eric W.; Adler, Peter B.; Bakker, Jonathan D.; Cleland, Elsa E.; DeCrappeo, Nicole; DeLorenze, Elizabeth; Hagenah, Nicole; Hautier, Yann; Hofmockel, Kirsten S.; Kirkman, Kevin P.; Knops, Johannes M. H.; La Pierre, Kimberly J.; MacDougall, Andrew S.; McCulley, Rebecca L.; Mitchell, Charles E.; Risch, Anita C.; Schuetz, Martin; Stevens, Carly J.; Williams, Ryan J.; Fierer, Noah

2015-01-01

Aboveground–belowground interactions exert critical controls on the composition and function of terrestrial ecosystems, yet the fundamental relationships between plant diversity and soil microbial diversity remain elusive. Theory predicts predominantly positive associations but tests within single sites have shown variable relationships, and associations between plant and microbial diversity across broad spatial scales remain largely unexplored. We compared the diversity of plant, bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities in one hundred and forty-five 1 m2 plots across 25 temperate grassland sites from four continents. Across sites, the plant alpha diversity patterns were poorly related to those observed for any soil microbial group. However, plant beta diversity (compositional dissimilarity between sites) was significantly correlated with the beta diversity of bacterial and fungal communities, even after controlling for environmental factors. Thus, across a global range of temperate grasslands, plant diversity can predict patterns in the composition of soil microbial communities, but not patterns in alpha diversity.

Hippocampus-Dependent Goal Localization by Head-Fixed Mice in Virtual Reality.

PubMed

Sato, Masaaki; Kawano, Masako; Mizuta, Kotaro; Islam, Tanvir; Lee, Min Goo; Hayashi, Yasunori

2017-01-01

The demonstration of the ability of rodents to navigate in virtual reality (VR) has made it an important behavioral paradigm for studying spatially modulated neuronal activity in these animals. However, their behavior in such simulated environments remains poorly understood. Here, we show that encoding and retrieval of goal location memory in mice head-fixed in VR depends on the postsynaptic scaffolding protein Shank2 and the dorsal hippocampus. In our newly developed virtual cued goal location task, a head-fixed mouse moves from one end of a virtual linear track to seek rewards given at a target location along the track. The mouse needs to visually recognize the target location and stay there for a short period of time to receive the reward. Transient pharmacological blockade of fast glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the dorsal hippocampus dramatically and reversibly impaired performance of this task. Encoding and updating of virtual cued goal location memory was impaired in mice deficient in the postsynaptic scaffolding protein Shank2, a mouse model of autism that exhibits impaired spatial learning in a real environment. These results highlight the crucial roles of the dorsal hippocampus and postsynaptic protein complexes in spatial learning and navigation in VR.

Hippocampus-Dependent Goal Localization by Head-Fixed Mice in Virtual Reality

PubMed Central

Kawano, Masako; Mizuta, Kotaro; Islam, Tanvir; Lee, Min Goo; Hayashi, Yasunori

2017-01-01

Abstract The demonstration of the ability of rodents to navigate in virtual reality (VR) has made it an important behavioral paradigm for studying spatially modulated neuronal activity in these animals. However, their behavior in such simulated environments remains poorly understood. Here, we show that encoding and retrieval of goal location memory in mice head-fixed in VR depends on the postsynaptic scaffolding protein Shank2 and the dorsal hippocampus. In our newly developed virtual cued goal location task, a head-fixed mouse moves from one end of a virtual linear track to seek rewards given at a target location along the track. The mouse needs to visually recognize the target location and stay there for a short period of time to receive the reward. Transient pharmacological blockade of fast glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the dorsal hippocampus dramatically and reversibly impaired performance of this task. Encoding and updating of virtual cued goal location memory was impaired in mice deficient in the postsynaptic scaffolding protein Shank2, a mouse model of autism that exhibits impaired spatial learning in a real environment. These results highlight the crucial roles of the dorsal hippocampus and postsynaptic protein complexes in spatial learning and navigation in VR. PMID:28484738

Can hazard risk be communicated through a virtual experience?

PubMed

Mitchell, J T

1997-09-01

Cyberspace, defined by William Gibson as a consensual hallucination, now refers to all computer-generated interactive environments. Virtual reality, one of a class of interactive cyberspaces, allows us to create and interact directly with objects not available in the everyday world. Despite successes in the entertainment and aviation industries, this technology has been called a 'solution in search of a problem'. The purpose of this commentary is to suggest such a problem: the inability to acquire experience with a hazard to motivate mitigation. Direct experience with a hazard has been demonstrated as a powerful incentive to adopt mitigation measures. While we lack the ability to summon hazard events at will in order to gain access to that experience, a virtual environment can provide an arena where potential victims are exposed to a hazard's effects. Immersion as an active participant within the hazard event through virtual reality may stimulate users to undertake mitigation steps that might otherwise remain undone. This paper details the possible direction in which virtual reality may be applied to hazards mitigation through a discussion of the technology, the role of hazard experience, the creation of a hazard stimulation and the issues constraining implementation.

Work-related factors influencing home care nurse intent to remain employed.

PubMed

Tourangeau, Ann E; Patterson, Erin; Saari, Margaret; Thomson, Heather; Cranley, Lisa

Health care is shifting out of hospitals into community settings. In Ontario, Canada, home care organizations continue to experience challenges recruiting and retaining nurses. However, factors influencing home care nurse retention that can be modified remain largely unexplored. Several groups of factors have been identified as influencing home care nurse intent to remain employed including job characteristics, work structures, relationships and communication, work environment, responses to work, and conditions of employment. The aim of this study was to test and refine a model that identifies which factors are related to home care nurse intentions to remain employed for the next 5 years with their current home care employer organization. A cross-sectional survey design was implemented to test and refine a hypothesized model of home care nurse intent to remain employed. Logistic regression was used to determine which factors influence home care nurse intent to remain employed. Home care nurse intent to remain employed for the next 5 years was associated with increasing age, higher nurse-evaluated quality of care, having greater variety of patients, experiencing greater meaningfulness of work, having greater income stability, having greater continuity of client care, experiencing more positive relationships with supervisors, experiencing higher work-life balance, and being more satisfied with salary and benefits. Home care organizations can promote home care nurse intent to remain employed by (a) ensuring nurses have adequate training and resources to provide quality client care, (b) improving employment conditions to increase income stability and satisfaction with pay and benefits, (c) ensuring manageable workloads to facilitate improved work-life balance, and (d) ensuring leaders are accessible and competent.

Temporal and spectral characteristics of dynamic functional connectivity between resting-state networks reveal information beyond static connectivity

PubMed Central

Yeh, Hsiang J.; Guindani, Michele; Vannucci, Marina; Haneef, Zulfi; Stern, John M.

2018-01-01

Estimation of functional connectivity (FC) has become an increasingly powerful tool for investigating healthy and abnormal brain function. Static connectivity, in particular, has played a large part in guiding conclusions from the majority of resting-state functional MRI studies. However, accumulating evidence points to the presence of temporal fluctuations in FC, leading to increasing interest in estimating FC as a dynamic quantity. One central issue that has arisen in this new view of connectivity is the dramatic increase in complexity caused by dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) estimation. To computationally handle this increased complexity, a limited set of dFC properties, primarily the mean and variance, have generally been considered. Additionally, it remains unclear how to integrate the increased information from dFC into pattern recognition techniques for subject-level prediction. In this study, we propose an approach to address these two issues based on a large number of previously unexplored temporal and spectral features of dynamic functional connectivity. A Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model is used to estimate time-varying patterns of functional connectivity between resting-state networks. Time-frequency analysis is then performed on dFC estimates, and a large number of previously unexplored temporal and spectral features drawn from signal processing literature are extracted for dFC estimates. We apply the investigated features to two neurologic populations of interest, healthy controls and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, and show that the proposed approach leads to substantial increases in predictive performance compared to both traditional estimates of static connectivity as well as current approaches to dFC. Variable importance is assessed and shows that there are several quantities that can be extracted from dFC signal which are more informative than the traditional mean or variance of dFC. This work illuminates many previously unexplored facets of the dynamic properties of functional connectivity between resting-state networks, and provides a platform for dynamic functional connectivity analysis that facilitates its usage as an investigative measure for healthy as well as abnormal brain function. PMID:29320526

News of Rhodesia: The Impact of a Public Relations Campaign.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albritton, Robert B.; Manheim, Jarol B.

1983-01-01

Concludes that after Rhodesia hired a public relations firm to advise it, negative comment about that country declined sharply in the "New York Times," although news of violence there remained virtually the same. (FL)

Extending the Body to Virtual Tools Using a Robotic Surgical Interface: Evidence from the Crossmodal Congruency Task

PubMed Central

Sengül, Ali; van Elk, Michiel; Rognini, Giulio; Aspell, Jane Elizabeth; Bleuler, Hannes; Blanke, Olaf

2012-01-01

The effects of real-world tool use on body or space representations are relatively well established in cognitive neuroscience. Several studies have shown, for example, that active tool use results in a facilitated integration of multisensory information in peripersonal space, i.e. the space directly surrounding the body. However, it remains unknown to what extent similar mechanisms apply to the use of virtual-robotic tools, such as those used in the field of surgical robotics, in which a surgeon may use bimanual haptic interfaces to control a surgery robot at a remote location. This paper presents two experiments in which participants used a haptic handle, originally designed for a commercial surgery robot, to control a virtual tool. The integration of multisensory information related to the virtual-robotic tool was assessed by means of the crossmodal congruency task, in which subjects responded to tactile vibrations applied to their fingers while ignoring visual distractors superimposed on the tip of the virtual-robotic tool. Our results show that active virtual-robotic tool use changes the spatial modulation of the crossmodal congruency effects, comparable to changes in the representation of peripersonal space observed during real-world tool use. Moreover, when the virtual-robotic tools were held in a crossed position, the visual distractors interfered strongly with tactile stimuli that was connected with the hand via the tool, reflecting a remapping of peripersonal space. Such remapping was not only observed when the virtual-robotic tools were actively used (Experiment 1), but also when passively held the tools (Experiment 2). The present study extends earlier findings on the extension of peripersonal space from physical and pointing tools to virtual-robotic tools using techniques from haptics and virtual reality. We discuss our data with respect to learning and human factors in the field of surgical robotics and discuss the use of new technologies in the field of cognitive neuroscience. PMID:23227142

Extending the body to virtual tools using a robotic surgical interface: evidence from the crossmodal congruency task.

PubMed

Sengül, Ali; van Elk, Michiel; Rognini, Giulio; Aspell, Jane Elizabeth; Bleuler, Hannes; Blanke, Olaf

2012-01-01

The effects of real-world tool use on body or space representations are relatively well established in cognitive neuroscience. Several studies have shown, for example, that active tool use results in a facilitated integration of multisensory information in peripersonal space, i.e. the space directly surrounding the body. However, it remains unknown to what extent similar mechanisms apply to the use of virtual-robotic tools, such as those used in the field of surgical robotics, in which a surgeon may use bimanual haptic interfaces to control a surgery robot at a remote location. This paper presents two experiments in which participants used a haptic handle, originally designed for a commercial surgery robot, to control a virtual tool. The integration of multisensory information related to the virtual-robotic tool was assessed by means of the crossmodal congruency task, in which subjects responded to tactile vibrations applied to their fingers while ignoring visual distractors superimposed on the tip of the virtual-robotic tool. Our results show that active virtual-robotic tool use changes the spatial modulation of the crossmodal congruency effects, comparable to changes in the representation of peripersonal space observed during real-world tool use. Moreover, when the virtual-robotic tools were held in a crossed position, the visual distractors interfered strongly with tactile stimuli that was connected with the hand via the tool, reflecting a remapping of peripersonal space. Such remapping was not only observed when the virtual-robotic tools were actively used (Experiment 1), but also when passively held the tools (Experiment 2). The present study extends earlier findings on the extension of peripersonal space from physical and pointing tools to virtual-robotic tools using techniques from haptics and virtual reality. We discuss our data with respect to learning and human factors in the field of surgical robotics and discuss the use of new technologies in the field of cognitive neuroscience.

Synthesis of Dibenzo[hi,st]ovalene and Its Amplified Spontaneous Emission in a Polystyrene Matrix.

PubMed

Paternò, Giuseppe M; Chen, Qiang; Wang, Xiao-Ye; Liu, Junzhi; Motti, Silvia G; Petrozza, Annamaria; Feng, Xinliang; Lanzani, Guglielmo; Müllen, Klaus; Narita, Akimitsu; Scotognella, Francesco

2017-06-06

A large number of graphene molecules, or large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been synthesized and display various optoelectronic properties. Nevertheless, their potential for application in photonics has remained largely unexplored. Herein, we describe the synthesis of a highly luminescent and stable graphene molecule, namely a substituted dibenzo[hi,st]ovalene (DBO 1), with zigzag edges and elucidate its promising optical-gain properties by means of ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. Upon incorporation of DBO into an inert polystyrene matrix, amplified stimulated emission can be observed with a relatively low power threshold (ca. 60 μJ cm -2 ), thus highlighting its high potential for lasing applications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Substantially Enhancing Quantum Coherence of Electrons in Graphene via Electron-Plasmon Coupling.

PubMed

Cheng, Guanghui; Qin, Wei; Lin, Meng-Hsien; Wei, Laiming; Fan, Xiaodong; Zhang, Huayang; Gwo, Shangjr; Zeng, Changgan; Hou, J G; Zhang, Zhenyu

2017-10-13

The interplays between different quasiparticles in solids lay the foundation for a wide spectrum of intriguing quantum effects, yet how the collective plasmon excitations affect the quantum transport of electrons remains largely unexplored. Here we provide the first demonstration that when the electron-plasmon coupling is introduced, the quantum coherence of electrons in graphene is substantially enhanced with the quantum coherence length almost tripled. We further develop a microscopic model to interpret the striking observations, emphasizing the vital role of the graphene plasmons in suppressing electron-electron dephasing. The novel and transformative concept of plasmon-enhanced quantum coherence sheds new insight into interquasiparticle interactions, and further extends a new dimension to exploit nontrivial quantum phenomena and devices in solid systems.

Some partial-unit-memory convolutional codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdel-Ghaffar, K.; Mceliece, R. J.; Solomon, G.

1991-01-01

The results of a study on a class of error correcting codes called partial unit memory (PUM) codes are presented. This class of codes, though not entirely new, has until now remained relatively unexplored. The possibility of using the well developed theory of block codes to construct a large family of promising PUM codes is shown. The performance of several specific PUM codes are compared with that of the Voyager standard (2, 1, 6) convolutional code. It was found that these codes can outperform the Voyager code with little or no increase in decoder complexity. This suggests that there may very well be PUM codes that can be used for deep space telemetry that offer both increased performance and decreased implementational complexity over current coding systems.

The Relation Between Supervisors' Big Five Personality Traits and Employees' Experiences of Abusive Supervision.

PubMed

Camps, Jeroen; Stouten, Jeroen; Euwema, Martin

2016-01-01

The present study investigates the relation between supervisors' personality traits and employees' experiences of supervisory abuse, an area that - to date - remained largely unexplored in previous research. Field data collected from 103 supervisor-subordinate dyads showed that contrary to our expectations supervisors' agreeableness and neuroticism were not significantly related to abusive supervision, nor were supervisors' extraversion or openness to experience. Interestingly, however, our findings revealed a positive relation between supervisors' conscientiousness and abusive supervision. That is, supervisors high in conscientiousness were more likely to be perceived as an abusive supervisor by their employees. Overall, our findings do suggest that supervisors' Big Five personality traits explain only a limited amount of the variability in employees' experiences of abusive supervision.

Imaging nanobubble nucleation and hydrogen spillover during electrocatalytic water splitting.

PubMed

Hao, Rui; Fan, Yunshan; Howard, Marco D; Vaughan, Joshua C; Zhang, Bo

2018-06-05

Nucleation and growth of hydrogen nanobubbles are key initial steps in electrochemical water splitting. These processes remain largely unexplored due to a lack of proper tools to probe the nanobubble's interfacial structure with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution. We report the use of superresolution microscopy to image transient formation and growth of single hydrogen nanobubbles at the electrode/solution interface during electrocatalytic water splitting. We found hydrogen nanobubbles can be generated even at very early stages in water electrolysis, i.e., ∼500 mV before reaching its thermodynamic reduction potential. The ability to image single nanobubbles on an electrode enabled us to observe in real time the process of hydrogen spillover from ultrathin gold nanocatalysts supported on indium-tin oxide.

An inventory on rotational kinematics of a particle: unravelling misconceptions and pitfalls in reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mashood, K. K.; Singh, Vijay A.

2012-09-01

Student difficulties regarding the angular velocity (\\vec{\\omega }) and angular acceleration (\\vec{\\alpha }) of a particle have remained relatively unexplored in contrast to their linear counterparts. We present an inventory comprising multiple choice questions aimed at probing misconceptions and eliciting ill-suited reasoning patterns. The development of the inventory was based on interactions with students, teachers and experts. We report misconceptions, some of which are parallel to those found earlier in linear kinematics. Fixations with inappropriate prototypes were uncovered. Many students and even teachers mistakenly assume that all rotational motion is necessarily circular. A persistent notion that the direction of \\vec{\\omega } and \\vec{\\alpha } should be ‘along’ the motion exists. Instances of indiscriminate usage of equations were identified.

Talk that talk: storytelling and analysis rooted in African American oral tradition.

PubMed

Banks-Wallace, JoAnne

2002-03-01

Stories are the foundation of qualitative research. However, the development of qualitative methods rooted in oral traditions remains largely unexplored by researchers. The contextual and historical influences on storytelling and storytaking are critical features of the African American oral tradition that are often ignored or minimized in qualitative research. Despite the complex and often contentious history of African Americans, their oral traditions have not been explored to reveal the depth of their lived experiences and the way those experiences inform their health concerns. The purpose of this article is twofold. First, dialogues about storytelling and storytaking are revisited and critiqued. Second, a comprehensive analytic process for gathering and interpreting stories rooted in African American oral tradition is outlined.

Cultural Evolutionary Perspectives on Creativity and Human Innovation.

PubMed

Fogarty, Laurel; Creanza, Nicole; Feldman, Marcus W

2015-12-01

Cultural traits originate through creative or innovative processes, which might be crucial to understanding how culture evolves and accumulates. However, because of its complexity and apparent subjectivity, creativity has remained largely unexplored as the dynamic underpinning of cultural evolution. Here, we explore the approach to innovation commonly taken in theoretical studies of cultural evolution and discuss its limitations. Drawing insights from cognitive science, psychology, archeology, and even animal behavior, it is possible to generate a formal description of creativity and to incorporate a dynamic theory of creativity into models of cultural evolution. We discuss the implications of such models for our understanding of the archaeological record and the history of hominid culture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implications of Upwells as Hydrodynamic Jets in a Pulse Jet Mixed System

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

Pease, Leonard F.; Bamberger, Judith A.; Minette, Michael J.

This report evaluates the physics of the upwell flow in pulse jet mixed systems in the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Although the initial downward flow and radial flow from jets characteristic of pulse jet mixers (PJMs) has been analyzed, the upwells have received considerably less attention despite having significant implications for vessel mixing. Do the upwells behave like jets? How do the upwells scale? When will the central upwell break through? What proportion of the vessel is blended by the upwells themselves? Indeed, how the physics of the central upwell is affected by multiple PJMs (e.g.,more » six in the proposed mixing vessels), non-Newtonian rheology, and significant multicomponent solids loadings remain unexplored.« less

A polarized Drell-Yan experiment to probe the dynamics of the nucleon sea

DOE PAGES

Kleinjan, David W.

2015-01-01

In QCD, nucleon spin comes from the sum of the quark spin, gluon spin, and the quark and gluon orbital angular momentum, but how these different components contribute and the interplay among them is not yet understood. For instance, sea quark orbital contribution remains largely unexplored. Measurements of the Sivers function for the sea quarks will provide a probe of the sea quark orbital contribution. The upcoming E1039 experiment at Fermilab will measure the Sivers asymmetry of the sea quarks via the Drell-Yan process using a 120 GeV unpolarized proton beam directed a transversely polarized ammonia target. Lastly, we reportmore » on the status and plans of the E1039 polarized Drell-Yan experiment.« less

A polarized Drell-Yan experiment to probe the dynamics of the nucleon sea

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

Kleinjan, David

In QCD, nucleon spin comes from the sum of the quark spin, gluon spin, and the quark and gluon orbital angular momentum, but how these different components contribute and the interplay among them is not yet understood. For instance, sea quark orbital contribution remains largely unexplored. Measurements of the Sivers function for the sea quarks will provide a probe of the sea quark orbital contribution. The upcoming E1039 experiment at Fermilab will measure the Sivers asymmetry of the sea quarks via the Drell-Yan process using a 120 GeV unpolarized proton beam directed a transversely polarized ammonia target. We report onmore » the status and plans of the E1039 polarized Drell-Yan experiment.« less

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Strategies for Therapeutic Gut Microbiota Modulation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and their Next-Generation Approaches.

PubMed

Basson, Abigail R; Lam, Minh; Cominelli, Fabio

2017-12-01

The human gut microbiome exerts a major impact on human health and disease, and therapeutic gut microbiota modulation is now a well-advocated strategy in the management of many diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Scientific and clinical evidence in support of complementary and alternative medicine, in targeting intestinal dysbiosis among patients with IBD, or other disorders, has increased dramatically over the past years. Delivery of "artificial" stool replacements for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could provide an effective, safer alternative to that of human donor stool. Nevertheless, optimum timing of FMT administration in IBD remains unexplored, and future investigations are essential. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reversible Heating in Electric Double Layer Capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janssen, Mathijs; van Roij, René

2017-03-01

A detailed comparison is made between different viewpoints on reversible heating in electric double layer capacitors. We show in the limit of slow charging that a combined Poisson-Nernst-Planck and heat equation, first studied by d'Entremont and Pilon [J. Power Sources 246, 887 (2014), 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.08.024], recovers the temperature changes as predicted by the thermodynamic identity of Janssen et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 268501 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.268501], and disagrees with the approximative model of Schiffer et al. [J. Power Sources 160, 765 (2006), 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2005.12.070] that predominates the literature. The thermal response to the adiabatic charging of supercapacitors contains information on electric double layer formation that has remained largely unexplored.

Morphological changes in polycrystalline Fe after compression and release

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunkelmann, Nina; Tramontina, Diego R.; Bringa, Eduardo M.; Urbassek, Herbert M.

2015-02-01

Despite a number of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of shock compressed iron, the morphological properties of simulated recovered samples are still unexplored. Key questions remain open in this area, including the role of dislocation motion and deformation twinning in shear stress release. In this study, we present simulations of homogeneous uniaxial compression and recovery of large polycrystalline iron samples. Our results reveal significant recovery of the body-centered cubic grains with some deformation twinning driven by shear stress, in agreement with experimental results by Wang et al. [Sci. Rep. 3, 1086 (2013)]. The twin fraction agrees reasonably well with a semi-analytical model which assumes a critical shear stress for twinning. On reloading, twins disappear and the material reaches a very low strength value.

Streptophyte Terrestrialization in Light of Plastid Evolution.

PubMed

de Vries, Jan; Stanton, Amanda; Archibald, John M; Gould, Sven B

2016-06-01

Key steps in evolution are often singularities. The emergence of land plants is one such case and it is not immediately apparent why. A recent analysis found that the zygnematophycean algae represent the closest relative to embryophytes. Intriguingly, many exaptations thought essential to conquer land are common among various streptophytes, but zygnematophycean algae share with land plants the transfer of a few plastid genes to the nucleus. Considering the contribution of the chloroplast to terrestrialization highlights potentially novel exaptations that currently remain unexplored. We discuss how the streptophyte chloroplast evolved into what we refer to as the embryoplast, and argue this was as important for terrestrialization by freshwater algae as the host cell-associated exaptations that are usually focused upon. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Limits to Open Class Performance?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowers, Albion H.

2008-01-01

This presentation discusses open or unlimited class aircraft performance limitations and design solutions. Limitations in this class of aircraft include slow climbing flight which requires low wing loading, high cruise speed which requires high wing loading, gains in induced or viscous drag alone which result in only half the gain overall and other structural problems (yaw inertia and spins, flutter and static loads integrity). Design solutions include introducing minimum induced drag for a given span (elliptical span load or winglets) and introducing minimum induced drag for a bell shaped span load. It is concluded that open class performance limits (under current rules and technologies) is very close to absolute limits, though some gains remain to be made from unexplored areas and new technologies.

Human Gut Microbiome: Function Matters.

PubMed

Heintz-Buschart, Anna; Wilmes, Paul

2017-11-22

The human gut microbiome represents a complex ecosystem contributing essential functions to its host. Recent large-scale metagenomic studies have provided insights into its structure and functional potential. However, the functional repertoire which is actually contributed to human physiology remains largely unexplored. Here, by leveraging recent omics datasets, we challenge current assumptions regarding key attributes of the functional gut microbiome, in particular with respect to its variability. We further argue that the closing of existing gaps in functional knowledge should be addressed by a most-wanted gene list, the development and application of molecular and cellular high-throughput measurements, the development and sensible use of experimental models, as well as the direct study of observable molecular effects in the human host. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interactions Between HIV/AIDS and the Environment: Toward a Syndemic Framework

PubMed Central

Bolton, Susan; Walson, Judd L.

2013-01-01

Although the social, economic, and political dimensions of the HIV/AIDS epidemic have been studied in considerable depth, the relationship between HIV/AIDS and its environmental causes and consequences remains largely unexplored. We reviewed the evidence of interactions between ecosystem health and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We hypothesized a syndemic between environmental degradation and HIV/AIDS; they exhibit bidirectional, self-reinforcing interactions. We have presented a syndemic framework detailing multiple synergistic relationships. This framework hinges on the vulnerability of populations as the linchpin between the pandemic and environmental health. A coherent research and practice agenda for addressing the syndemic that focuses on the 2 issues as not only concurrent but also intertwined phenomena is urgently needed. PMID:23237167

Engineering cyanobacteria to generate high-value products.

PubMed

Ducat, Daniel C; Way, Jeffrey C; Silver, Pamela A

2011-02-01

Although many microorganisms have been used for the bioindustrial generation of valuable metabolites, the productive potential of cyanobacterial species has remained largely unexplored. Cyanobacteria possess several advantages as organisms for bioindustrial processes, including simple input requirements, tolerance of marginal agricultural environments, rapid genetics, and carbon-neutral applications that could be leveraged to address global climate change concerns. Here, we review recent research involving the engineering of cyanobacterial species for the production of valuable bioindustrial compounds, including natural cyanobacterial products (e.g. sugars and isoprene), biofuels (e.g. alcohols, alkanes and hydrogen), and other commodity chemicals. Biological and economic obstacles to scaled cyanobacterial production are highlighted, and methods for increasing cyanobacterial production efficiencies are discussed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Altruistic behavior: mapping responses in the brain

PubMed Central

Filkowski, Megan M; Cochran, R Nick; Haas, Brian W

2016-01-01

Altruism is an important social construct related to human relationships and the way many interpersonal and economic decisions are made. Recent progress in social neuroscience research shows that altruism is associated with a specific pattern of brain activity. The tendency to engage in altruistic behaviors is associated with greater activity within limbic regions such as the nucleus accumbens and anterior cingulate cortex in addition to cortical regions such as the medial prefrontal cortex and temporoparietal junction. Here, we review existing theoretical models of altruism as well as recent empirical neuroimaging research demonstrating how altruism is processed within the brain. This review not only highlights the progress in neuroscience research on altruism but also shows that there exist several open questions that remain unexplored. PMID:28580317

Experimental Investigation of the Unsteady Flow Structures of Two Interacting Pitching Wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurt, Melike; Moored, Keith

2015-11-01

Birds, insects and fish propel themselves with unsteady motions of their wings and fins. Many of these animals are also found to fly or swim in three-dimensional flocks and schools. Numerous studies have explored the three-dimensional steady flow interactions and the two-dimensional unsteady flow interactions in collectives. Yet, the characterization of the three-dimensional unsteady interactions remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to characterize the flow structures and interactions between two sinusoidally pitching finite-span wings. The arrangement of the wings varies from a tandem to a bi-plane configuration. The vortex structures for these various arrangements are quantified by using particle image velocimetry. The vortex-wing interactions are also characterized as the synchrony between the wings is modified.

Morphological dynamics of mitochondria--a special emphasis on cardiac muscle cells.

PubMed

Hom, Jennifer; Sheu, Shey-Shing

2009-06-01

Mitochondria play a critical role in cellular energy metabolism, Ca(2+) homeostasis, reactive oxygen species generation, apoptosis, aging, and development. Many recent publications have shown that a continuous balance of fusion and fission of these organelles is important in maintaining their proper function. Therefore, there is a steep correlation between the form and function of mitochondria. Many major proteins involved in mitochondrial fusion and fission have been identified in different cell types, including heart. However, the functional role of mitochondrial dynamics in the heart remains, for the most part, unexplored. In this review we will cover the recent field of mitochondrial dynamics and its physiological and pathological implications, with a particular emphasis on the experimental and theoretical basis of mitochondrial dynamics in the heart.

Experimental design to generate strong shear layers in a high-energy-density plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harding, E. C.; Drake, R. P.; Aglitskiy, Y.; Gillespie, R. S.; Grosskopf, M. J.; Weaver, J. L.; Velikovich, A. L.; Visco, A.; Ditmar, J. R.

2010-06-01

The development of a new experimental system for generating a strong shear flow in a high-energy-density plasma is described in detail. The targets were designed with the goal of producing a diagnosable Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability, which plays an important role in the transition turbulence but remains relatively unexplored in the high-energy-density regime. To generate the shear flow the Nike laser was used to drive a flow of Al plasma over a low-density foam surface with an initial perturbation. The interaction of the Al and foam was captured with a spherical crystal imager using 1.86 keV X-rays. The selection of the individual targets components is discussed and results are presented.

Genomic Encyclopedia of Type Strains of the Genus Bifidobacterium

PubMed Central

Milani, Christian; Lugli, Gabriele Andrea; Duranti, Sabrina; Turroni, Francesca; Bottacini, Francesca; Mangifesta, Marta; Sanchez, Borja; Viappiani, Alice; Mancabelli, Leonardo; Taminiau, Bernard; Delcenserie, Véronique; Barrangou, Rodolphe; Margolles, Abelardo; van Sinderen, Douwe

2014-01-01

Bifidobacteria represent one of the dominant microbial groups that are present in the gut of various animals, being particularly prevalent during the suckling stage of life of humans and other mammals. However, the overall genome structure of this group of microorganisms remains largely unexplored. Here, we sequenced the genomes of 42 representative (sub)species across the Bifidobacterium genus and used this information to explore the overall genetic picture of this bacterial group. Furthermore, the genomic data described here were used to reconstruct the evolutionary development of the Bifidobacterium genus. This reconstruction suggests that its evolution was substantially influenced by genetic adaptations to obtain access to glycans, thereby representing a common and potent evolutionary force in shaping bifidobacterial genomes. PMID:25085493

Grating-assisted coupling to nanophotonic circuits in microcrystalline diamond thin films.

PubMed

Rath, Patrik; Khasminskaya, Svetlana; Nebel, Christoph; Wild, Christoph; Pernice, Wolfram Hp

2013-01-01

Synthetic diamond films can be prepared on a waferscale by using chemical vapour deposition (CVD) on suitable substrates such as silicon or silicon dioxide. While such films find a wealth of applications in thermal management, in X-ray and terahertz window design, and in gyrotron tubes and microwave transmission lines, their use for nanoscale optical components remains largely unexplored. Here we demonstrate that CVD diamond provides a high-quality template for realizing nanophotonic integrated optical circuits. Using efficient grating coupling devices prepared from partially etched diamond thin films, we investigate millimetre-sized optical circuits and achieve single-mode waveguiding at telecoms wavelengths. Our results pave the way towards broadband optical applications for sensing in harsh environments and visible photonic devices.

Modelling impacts of climate change on arable crop diseases: progress, challenges and applications.

PubMed

Newbery, Fay; Qi, Aiming; Fitt, Bruce Dl

2016-08-01

Combining climate change, crop growth and crop disease models to predict impacts of climate change on crop diseases can guide planning of climate change adaptation strategies to ensure future food security. This review summarises recent developments in modelling climate change impacts on crop diseases, emphasises some major challenges and highlights recent trends. The use of multi-model ensembles in climate change modelling and crop modelling is contributing towards measures of uncertainty in climate change impact projections but other aspects of uncertainty remain largely unexplored. Impact assessments are still concentrated on few crops and few diseases but are beginning to investigate arable crop disease dynamics at the landscape level. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Get immersed in the Soil Sciences: the first community of avatars in the EGU Assembly 2015!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo, Sebastian; Alarcón, Purificación; Beato, Mamen; Emilio Guerrero, José; José Martínez, Juan; Pérez, Cristina; Ortiz, Leovigilda; Taguas, Encarnación V.

2015-04-01

Virtual reality and immersive worlds refer to artificial computer-generated environments, with which users act and interact as in a known environment by the use of figurative virtual individuals (avatars). Virtual environments will be the technology of the early twenty-first century that will most dramatically change the way we live, particularly in the areas of training and education, product development and entertainment (Schmorrow, 2009). The usefulness of immersive worlds has been proved in different fields. They reduce geographic and social barriers between different stakeholders and create virtual social spaces which can positively impact learning and discussion outcomes (Lorenzo et al. 2012). In this work we present a series of interactive meetings in a virtual building to celebrate the International Year of Soil to promote the importance of soil functions and its conservation. In a virtual room, the avatars of different senior researchers will meet young scientist avatars to talk about: 1) what remains to be done in Soil Sciences; 2) which are their main current limitations and difficulties and 3) which are the future hot research lines. The interactive participation does not require physically attend to the EGU Assembly 2015. In addition, this virtual building inspired in Soil Sciences can be completed with different teaching resources from different locations around the world and it will be used to improve the learning of Soil Sciences in a multicultural context. REFERENCES: Lorenzo C.M., Sicilia, M.A., Sánchez S. 2012. Studying the effectiveness of multi-user immersive environments for collaborative evaluation tasks. Computers & Education 59 (2012) 1361-1376 Schmorrow D.D. 2009. "Why virtual?" Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science 10(3): 279-282.

Virtual anthropology.

PubMed

Weber, Gerhard W

2015-02-01

Comparative morphology, dealing with the diversity of form and shape, and functional morphology, the study of the relationship between the structure and the function of an organism's parts, are both important subdisciplines in biological research. Virtual anthropology (VA) contributes to comparative morphology by taking advantage of technological innovations, and it also offers new opportunities for functional analyses. It exploits digital technologies and pools experts from different domains such as anthropology, primatology, medicine, paleontology, mathematics, statistics, computer science, and engineering. VA as a technical term was coined in the late 1990s from the perspective of anthropologists with the intent of being mostly applied to biological questions concerning recent and fossil hominoids. More generally, however, there are advanced methods to study shape and size or to manipulate data digitally suitable for application to all kinds of primates, mammals, other vertebrates, and invertebrates or to issues regarding plants, tools, or other objects. In this sense, we could also call the field "virtual morphology." The approach yields permanently available virtual copies of specimens and data that comprehensively quantify geometry, including previously neglected anatomical regions. It applies advanced statistical methods, supports the reconstruction of specimens based on reproducible manipulations, and promotes the acquisition of larger samples by data sharing via electronic archives. Finally, it can help identify new, hidden traits, which is particularly important in paleoanthropology, where the scarcity of material demands extracting information from fragmentary remains. This contribution presents a current view of the six main work steps of VA: digitize, expose, compare, reconstruct, materialize, and share. The VA machinery has also been successfully used in biomechanical studies which simulate the stress and strains appearing in structures. Although methodological issues remain to be solved before results from the two domains can be fully integrated, the various overlaps and cross-fertilizations suggest the widespread appearance of a "virtual functional morphology" in the near future. © 2014 American Association of Physical Anthropologists.

Active Dentate Granule Cells Encode Experience to Promote the Addition of Adult-Born Hippocampal Neurons

PubMed Central

Kirschen, Gregory W.; Shen, Jia; Wang, Jia; Man, Guoming; Wu, Song

2017-01-01

The continuous addition of new dentate granule cells (DGCs), which is regulated exquisitely by brain activity, renders the hippocampus plastic. However, how neural circuits encode experiences to affect the addition of adult-born neurons remains unknown. Here, we used endoscopic Ca2+ imaging to track the real-time activity of individual DGCs in freely behaving mice. For the first time, we found that active DGCs responded to a novel experience by increasing their Ca2+ event frequency preferentially. This elevated activity, which we found to be associated with object exploration, returned to baseline by 1 h in the same environment, but could be dishabituated via introduction to a novel environment. To transition seamlessly between environments, we next established a freely controllable virtual reality system for unrestrained mice. We again observed increased firing of active neurons in a virtual enriched environment. Interestingly, multiple novel virtual experiences increased the number of newborn neurons accumulatively compared with a single experience. Finally, optogenetic silencing of existing DGCs during novel environmental exploration perturbed experience-induced neuronal addition. Our study shows that the adult brain conveys novel, enriched experiences to increase the addition of adult-born hippocampal neurons by increasing the firing of active DGCs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Adult brains are constantly reshaping themselves from synapses to circuits as we encounter novel experiences from moment to moment. Importantly, this reshaping includes the addition of newborn hippocampal neurons. However, it remains largely unknown how our circuits encode experience-induced brain activity to govern the addition of new hippocampal neurons. By coupling in vivo Ca2+ imaging of dentate granule neurons with a novel, unrestrained virtual reality system for rodents, we discovered that a new experience increased firing of active dentate granule neurons rapidly and robustly. Exploration in multiple novel virtual environments, compared with a single environment, promoted dentate activation and enhanced the addition of new hippocampal neurons accumulatively. Finally, silencing this activation optogenetically during novel experiences perturbed experience-induced neuronal addition. PMID:28373391

The nursing shortage: breach of ideology as an unexplored cause.

PubMed

Censullo, Joan L

2008-01-01

The worldwide nursing shortage is unprecedented. Studies show increasing demand for nursing services coupled with a finite nursing supply. Many theories have been developed to explain the nursing shortage, to no avail. One unexplored theory is the psychological contract, which explores the impact of unwritten yet real expectations on work relationships. Understanding breach of the psychological contract is essential to resolution of the ongoing nursing shortage.

Neurosurgical Virtual Reality Simulation for Brain Tumor Using High-definition Computer Graphics: A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Kin, Taichi; Nakatomi, Hirofumi; Shono, Naoyuki; Nomura, Seiji; Saito, Toki; Oyama, Hiroshi; Saito, Nobuhito

2017-10-15

Simulation and planning of surgery using a virtual reality model is becoming common with advances in computer technology. In this study, we conducted a literature search to find trends in virtual simulation of surgery for brain tumors. A MEDLINE search for "neurosurgery AND (simulation OR virtual reality)" retrieved a total of 1,298 articles published in the past 10 years. After eliminating studies designed solely for education and training purposes, 28 articles about the clinical application remained. The finding that the vast majority of the articles were about education and training rather than clinical applications suggests that several issues need be addressed for clinical application of surgical simulation. In addition, 10 of the 28 articles were from Japanese groups. In general, the 28 articles demonstrated clinical benefits of virtual surgical simulation. Simulation was particularly useful in better understanding complicated spatial relations of anatomical landmarks and in examining surgical approaches. In some studies, Virtual reality models were used on either surgical navigation system or augmented reality technology, which projects virtual reality images onto the operating field. Reported problems were difficulties in standardized, objective evaluation of surgical simulation systems; inability to respond to tissue deformation caused by surgical maneuvers; absence of the system functionality to reflect features of tissue (e.g., hardness and adhesion); and many problems with image processing. The amount of description about image processing tended to be insufficient, indicating that the level of evidence, risk of bias, precision, and reproducibility need to be addressed for further advances and ultimately for full clinical application.

Labor and pollution prevention in Canada.

PubMed

Bennett, Dave

2012-01-01

This article gives an account of Canadian Chemicals Policy over the past three decades, including the project for the "virtual elimination" of toxic chemicals and the federal government's Chemical Management Plan. The latter is what remained when the virtual elimination program achieved few results. The article then embarks on its central theme: explaining how the labor movement introduced the concept and the practice of Pollution Prevention (P2) to Canada, as well as its impact on legislation and policies over the use reduction of chemical pesticides. The Appendix is a glossary of terms and concepts used in the article.

Homeland security and virtual reality: building a Strategic Adaptive Response System (STARS).

PubMed

Swift, Christopher; Rosen, Joseph M; Boezer, Gordon; Lanier, Jaron; Henderson, Joseph V; Liu, Alan; Merrell, Ronald C; Nguyen, Sinh; Demas, Alex; Grigg, Elliot B; McKnight, Matthew F; Chang, Janelle; Koop, C Everett

2005-01-01

The advent of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) underscored the need to improve the U.S. disaster response paradigm. Existing systems involve numerous agencies spread across disparate functional and geographic jurisdictions. The current architecture remains vulnerable to sophisticated terrorist strikes. To address these vulnerabilities, we must continuously adapt and improve our Homeland Security architecture. Virtual Reality (VR) technologies will help model those changes and integrate technologies. This paper provides a broad overview of the strategic threats, together with a detailed examination of how specific VR technologies could be used to ensure successful disaster responses.

77 FR 72673 - Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience Month, 2012

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-05

.... Cyber incidents can have devastating consequences on both physical and virtual infrastructure, which is... work within existing authorities to fortify our country against cyber risks, comprehensive legislation remains essential to improving infrastructure security, enhancing cyber information sharing between...

Rats in Virtual Space: The development and implementation of a multimodal virtual reality system for small animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aharoni, Daniel Benjamin

The integration of multimodal sensory information into a common neural code is a critical function of all complex nervous systems. This process is required for adaptive responding to incoming stimuli as well as the formation of a cognitive map of the external sensory environment. The underlying neural mechanisms of multimodal integration are poorly understood due, in part, to the technical difficulties of manipulating multimodal sensory information in combination with simultaneous in-vivo electrophysiological recording in awake behaving animals. We therefore developed a non-invasive multimodal virtual reality system that is conducive to wired electrophysiological recording techniques. This system allows for the dynamic presentation of highly immersive audiovisual virtual environments to rats maintained in a body fixed position on top of a quiet spherical treadmill. Notably, this allows the rats to remain at the same spatial location in the real world without the need for head fixation. This method opens the door for a wide array of future studies aimed at elucidating the underlying neural mechanisms of multimodal integration.

The Virtual Solar Observatory: Still a Small Box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurman, J. B.; Bogart, R. S.; Davey, A. R.; Dimitoglou, G.; Hill, F.; Hourcle, J. A.; Martens, P. C.; Surez-Sola, I.; Tian, K. Q.; Wampler, S.

2005-01-01

Two and a half years after a design study began, and a year and a half after development commenced, version 1.0 of the Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) was released at the 2004 Fall AGU meeting. Although internal elements of the VSO have changed, the basic design has remained the same, reflecting the team's belief in the importance of a simple, robust mechanism for registering data provider holdings, initiating queries at the appropriate provider sites, aggregating the responses, allowing the user to iterate before making a final selection, and enabling the delivery of data directly from the providers. In order to make the VSO transparent, lightweight, and portable, the developers employed XML for the registry, SOAP for communication between a VSO instance and data services, and HTML for the graphic user interface (GUI's). We discuss the internal data model, the API, and user responses to various trial GUI's as typical design issues for any virtual observatory. We also discuss the role of the "small box" of data search, identification, and delivery services provided by the VSO in the larger, Sun-Solar System Connection virtual observatory (VxO) scheme.

Extending body space in immersive virtual reality: a very long arm illusion.

PubMed

Kilteni, Konstantina; Normand, Jean-Marie; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V; Slater, Mel

2012-01-01

Recent studies have shown that a fake body part can be incorporated into human body representation through synchronous multisensory stimulation on the fake and corresponding real body part - the most famous example being the Rubber Hand Illusion. However, the extent to which gross asymmetries in the fake body can be assimilated remains unknown. Participants experienced, through a head-tracked stereo head-mounted display a virtual body coincident with their real body. There were 5 conditions in a between-groups experiment, with 10 participants per condition. In all conditions there was visuo-motor congruence between the real and virtual dominant arm. In an Incongruent condition (I), where the virtual arm length was equal to the real length, there was visuo-tactile incongruence. In four Congruent conditions there was visuo-tactile congruence, but the virtual arm lengths were either equal to (C1), double (C2), triple (C3) or quadruple (C4) the real ones. Questionnaire scores and defensive withdrawal movements in response to a threat showed that the overall level of ownership was high in both C1 and I, and there was no significant difference between these conditions. Additionally, participants experienced ownership over the virtual arm up to three times the length of the real one, and less strongly at four times the length. The illusion did decline, however, with the length of the virtual arm. In the C2-C4 conditions although a measure of proprioceptive drift positively correlated with virtual arm length, there was no correlation between the drift and ownership of the virtual arm, suggesting different underlying mechanisms between ownership and drift. Overall, these findings extend and enrich previous results that multisensory and sensorimotor information can reconstruct our perception of the body shape, size and symmetry even when this is not consistent with normal body proportions.

Extending Body Space in Immersive Virtual Reality: A Very Long Arm Illusion

PubMed Central

Kilteni, Konstantina; Normand, Jean-Marie; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V.; Slater, Mel

2012-01-01

Recent studies have shown that a fake body part can be incorporated into human body representation through synchronous multisensory stimulation on the fake and corresponding real body part – the most famous example being the Rubber Hand Illusion. However, the extent to which gross asymmetries in the fake body can be assimilated remains unknown. Participants experienced, through a head-tracked stereo head-mounted display a virtual body coincident with their real body. There were 5 conditions in a between-groups experiment, with 10 participants per condition. In all conditions there was visuo-motor congruence between the real and virtual dominant arm. In an Incongruent condition (I), where the virtual arm length was equal to the real length, there was visuo-tactile incongruence. In four Congruent conditions there was visuo-tactile congruence, but the virtual arm lengths were either equal to (C1), double (C2), triple (C3) or quadruple (C4) the real ones. Questionnaire scores and defensive withdrawal movements in response to a threat showed that the overall level of ownership was high in both C1 and I, and there was no significant difference between these conditions. Additionally, participants experienced ownership over the virtual arm up to three times the length of the real one, and less strongly at four times the length. The illusion did decline, however, with the length of the virtual arm. In the C2–C4 conditions although a measure of proprioceptive drift positively correlated with virtual arm length, there was no correlation between the drift and ownership of the virtual arm, suggesting different underlying mechanisms between ownership and drift. Overall, these findings extend and enrich previous results that multisensory and sensorimotor information can reconstruct our perception of the body shape, size and symmetry even when this is not consistent with normal body proportions. PMID:22829891

Human agency beliefs influence behaviour during virtual social interactions

PubMed Central

Brock, Jon

2017-01-01

In recent years, with the emergence of relatively inexpensive and accessible virtual reality technologies, it is now possible to deliver compelling and realistic simulations of human-to-human interaction. Neuroimaging studies have shown that, when participants believe they are interacting via a virtual interface with another human agent, they show different patterns of brain activity compared to when they know that their virtual partner is computer-controlled. The suggestion is that users adopt an “intentional stance” by attributing mental states to their virtual partner. However, it remains unclear how beliefs in the agency of a virtual partner influence participants’ behaviour and subjective experience of the interaction. We investigated this issue in the context of a cooperative “joint attention” game in which participants interacted via an eye tracker with a virtual onscreen partner, directing each other’s eye gaze to different screen locations. Half of the participants were correctly informed that their partner was controlled by a computer algorithm (“Computer” condition). The other half were misled into believing that the virtual character was controlled by a second participant in another room (“Human” condition). Those in the “Human” condition were slower to make eye contact with their partner and more likely to try and guide their partner before they had established mutual eye contact than participants in the “Computer” condition. They also responded more rapidly when their partner was guiding them, although the same effect was also found for a control condition in which they responded to an arrow cue. Results confirm the influence of human agency beliefs on behaviour in this virtual social interaction context. They further suggest that researchers and developers attempting to simulate social interactions should consider the impact of agency beliefs on user experience in other social contexts, and their effect on the achievement of the application’s goals. PMID:28948104

Mechanism of Kinect-based virtual reality training for motor functional recovery of upper limbs after subacute stroke.

PubMed

Bao, Xiao; Mao, Yurong; Lin, Qiang; Qiu, Yunhai; Chen, Shaozhen; Li, Le; Cates, Ryan S; Zhou, Shufeng; Huang, Dongfeng

2013-11-05

The Kinect-based virtual reality system for the Xbox 360 enables users to control and interact with the game console without the need to touch a game controller, and provides rehabilitation training for stroke patients with lower limb dysfunctions. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, 18 healthy subjects and five patients after subacute stroke were included. The five patients were scanned using functional MRI prior to training, 3 weeks after training and at a 12-week follow-up, and then compared with healthy subjects. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Wolf Motor Function Test scores of the hemiplegic upper limbs of stroke patients were significantly increased 3 weeks after training and at the 12-week follow-up. Functional MRI results showed that contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex was activated after Kinect-based virtual reality training in the stroke patients compared with the healthy subjects. Contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex, the bilateral supplementary motor area and the ipsilateral cerebellum were also activated during hand-clenching in all 18 healthy subjects. Our findings indicate that Kinect-based virtual reality training could promote the recovery of upper limb motor function in subacute stroke patients, and brain reorganization by Kinect-based virtual reality training may be linked to the contralateral sensorimotor cortex.

Crowd behaviour during high-stress evacuations in an immersive virtual environment

PubMed Central

Kapadia, Mubbasir; Thrash, Tyler; Sumner, Robert W.; Gross, Markus; Helbing, Dirk; Hölscher, Christoph

2016-01-01

Understanding the collective dynamics of crowd movements during stressful emergency situations is central to reducing the risk of deadly crowd disasters. Yet, their systematic experimental study remains a challenging open problem due to ethical and methodological constraints. In this paper, we demonstrate the viability of shared three-dimensional virtual environments as an experimental platform for conducting crowd experiments with real people. In particular, we show that crowds of real human subjects moving and interacting in an immersive three-dimensional virtual environment exhibit typical patterns of real crowds as observed in real-life crowded situations. These include the manifestation of social conventions and the emergence of self-organized patterns during egress scenarios. High-stress evacuation experiments conducted in this virtual environment reveal movements characterized by mass herding and dangerous overcrowding as they occur in crowd disasters. We describe the behavioural mechanisms at play under such extreme conditions and identify critical zones where overcrowding may occur. Furthermore, we show that herding spontaneously emerges from a density effect without the need to assume an increase of the individual tendency to imitate peers. Our experiments reveal the promise of immersive virtual environments as an ethical, cost-efficient, yet accurate platform for exploring crowd behaviour in high-risk situations with real human subjects. PMID:27605166

Crowd behaviour during high-stress evacuations in an immersive virtual environment.

PubMed

Moussaïd, Mehdi; Kapadia, Mubbasir; Thrash, Tyler; Sumner, Robert W; Gross, Markus; Helbing, Dirk; Hölscher, Christoph

2016-09-01

Understanding the collective dynamics of crowd movements during stressful emergency situations is central to reducing the risk of deadly crowd disasters. Yet, their systematic experimental study remains a challenging open problem due to ethical and methodological constraints. In this paper, we demonstrate the viability of shared three-dimensional virtual environments as an experimental platform for conducting crowd experiments with real people. In particular, we show that crowds of real human subjects moving and interacting in an immersive three-dimensional virtual environment exhibit typical patterns of real crowds as observed in real-life crowded situations. These include the manifestation of social conventions and the emergence of self-organized patterns during egress scenarios. High-stress evacuation experiments conducted in this virtual environment reveal movements characterized by mass herding and dangerous overcrowding as they occur in crowd disasters. We describe the behavioural mechanisms at play under such extreme conditions and identify critical zones where overcrowding may occur. Furthermore, we show that herding spontaneously emerges from a density effect without the need to assume an increase of the individual tendency to imitate peers. Our experiments reveal the promise of immersive virtual environments as an ethical, cost-efficient, yet accurate platform for exploring crowd behaviour in high-risk situations with real human subjects. © 2016 The Authors.

Mechanism of Kinect-based virtual reality training for motor functional recovery of upper limbs after subacute stroke

PubMed Central

Bao, Xiao; Mao, Yurong; Lin, Qiang; Qiu, Yunhai; Chen, Shaozhen; Li, Le; Cates, Ryan S.; Zhou, Shufeng; Huang, Dongfeng

2013-01-01

The Kinect-based virtual reality system for the Xbox 360 enables users to control and interact with the game console without the need to touch a game controller, and provides rehabilitation training for stroke patients with lower limb dysfunctions. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, 18 healthy subjects and five patients after subacute stroke were included. The five patients were scanned using functional MRI prior to training, 3 weeks after training and at a 12-week follow-up, and then compared with healthy subjects. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Wolf Motor Function Test scores of the hemiplegic upper limbs of stroke patients were significantly increased 3 weeks after training and at the 12-week follow-up. Functional MRI results showed that contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex was activated after Kinect-based virtual reality training in the stroke patients compared with the healthy subjects. Contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex, the bilateral supplementary motor area and the ipsilateral cerebellum were also activated during hand-clenching in all 18 healthy subjects. Our findings indicate that Kinect-based virtual reality training could promote the recovery of upper limb motor function in subacute stroke patients, and brain reorganization by Kinect-based virtual reality training may be linked to the contralateral sensorimotor cortex. PMID:25206611

Hands on what? The relative effectiveness of physical versus virtual materials in an engineering design project by middle school children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klahr, David; Triona, Lara M.; Williams, Cameron

2007-01-01

Hands-on activities play an important, but controversial, role in early science education. In this study we attempt to clarify some of the issues surrounding the controversy by calling attention to distinctions between: (a) type of instruction (direct or discovery); (b) type of knowledge to be acquired (domain-general or domain-specific); and (c) type of materials that are used (physical or virtual). We then describe an empirical study that investigates the relative effectiveness of the physical-virtual dimension. In the present study, seventh and eighth grade students assembled and tested mousetrap cars with the goal of designing a car that would go the farthest. Children were assigned to four different conditions, depending on whether they manipulated physical or virtual materials, and whether they had a fixed number of cars they could construct or a fixed amount of time in which to construct them. All four conditions were equally effective in producing significant gains in learners' knowledge about causal factors, in their ability to design optimal cars, and in their confidence in their knowledge. Girls' performance, knowledge, and effort were equal to boys' in all conditions, but girls' confidence remained below boys' throughout. Given the fact that, on several different measures, children were able to learn as well with virtual as with physical materials, the inherent pragmatic advantages of virtual materials in science may make them the preferred instructional medium in many hands-on contexts.

Virtual scarce water in China.

PubMed

Feng, Kuishuang; Hubacek, Klaus; Pfister, Stephan; Yu, Yang; Sun, Laixiang

2014-07-15

Water footprints and virtual water flows have been promoted as important indicators to characterize human-induced water consumption. However, environmental impacts associated with water consumption are largely neglected in these analyses. Incorporating water scarcity into water consumption allows better understanding of what is causing water scarcity and which regions are suffering from it. In this study, we incorporate water scarcity and ecosystem impacts into multiregional input-output analysis to assess virtual water flows and associated impacts among 30 provinces in China. China, in particular its water-scarce regions, are facing a serious water crisis driven by rapid economic growth. Our findings show that inter-regional flows of virtual water reveal additional insights when water scarcity is taken into account. Consumption in highly developed coastal provinces is largely relying on water resources in the water-scarce northern provinces, such as Xinjiang, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia, thus significantly contributing to the water scarcity in these regions. In addition, many highly developed but water scarce regions, such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Tianjin, are already large importers of net virtual water at the expense of water resource depletion in other water scarce provinces. Thus, increasingly importing water-intensive goods from other water-scarce regions may just shift the pressure to other regions, but the overall water problems may still remain. Using the water footprint as a policy tool to alleviate water shortage may only work when water scarcity is taken into account and virtual water flows from water-poor regions are identified.

Using Virtual Reality For Outreach Purposes in Planetology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Civet, François; Le Mouélic, Stéphane; Le Menn, Erwan; Beaunay, Stéphanie

2016-10-01

2016 has been a year marked by a technological breakthrough : the availability for the first time to the general public of technologically mature virtual reality devices. Virtual Reality consists in visually immerging a user in a 3D environment reproduced either from real and/or imaginary data, with the possibility to move and eventually interact with the different elements. In planetology, most of the places will remain inaccessible to the public for a while, but a fleet of dedicated spacecraft's such as orbiters, landers and rovers allow the possibility to virtually reconstruct the environments, using image processing, cartography and photogrammetry. Virtual reality can then bridge the gap to virtually "send" any user into the place and enjoy the exploration.We are investigating several type of devices to render orbital or ground based data of planetological interest, mostly from Mars. The most simple system consists of a "cardboard" headset, on which the user can simply use his cellphone as the screen. A more comfortable experience is obtained with more complex systems such as the HTC vive or Oculus Rift headsets, which include a tracking system important to minimize motion sickness. The third environment that we have developed is based on the CAVE concept, were four 3D video projectors are used to project on three 2x3m walls plus the ground. These systems can be used for scientific data analysis, but also prove to be perfectly suited for outreach and education purposes.

The Virtual Observatory: Retrospective and Prospectus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanisch, R. J.

2010-12-01

At the ADASS XV in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain, in October 2005, I gave an overview of the accomplishments of the Virtual Observatory initiatives and discussed the imminent transition from development to operations. That transition remains on the horizon for the US Virtual Observatory, and VO projects worldwide have encountered various programmatic challenges. The successes of the Virtual Observatory are many, but thus far are primarily of a technical nature. We have developed a data discovery and data access infrastructure that has been taken up by data centers and observatories around the world. We have web-based interfaces, downloadable toolkits and applications, a security and restricted access capability, standard vocabularies, a sophisticated messaging and alert system for transient events, and the ability for applications to exchange messages and work together seamlessly. This has been accomplished through a strong collaboration between astronomers and information technology specialists. We have been less successful engaging the astronomical researcher. Relatively few papers have been published based on VO-enabled research, and many astronomers remain unfamiliar with the capabilities of the VO despite active training and tutorial programs hosted by several of the major VO projects. As we (finally!) enter the operational phase of the VO, we need to focus on areas that have contributed to the limited take-up of the VO amongst active scientists, such as ease of use, reliability, and consistency. We need to routinely test VO services for aliveness and adherence to standards, working with data providers to fix errors and otherwise removing non-compliant services from those seen by end-users. Technical developments will need to be motivated and prioritized based on scientific utility. We need to continue to embrace new technology and employ it in a context that focuses on research productivity.

Method-centered digital communities on protocols.io for fast-paced scientific innovation.

PubMed

Kindler, Lori; Stoliartchouk, Alexei; Teytelman, Leonid; Hurwitz, Bonnie L

2016-01-01

The Internet has enabled online social interaction for scientists beyond physical meetings and conferences. Yet despite these innovations in communication, dissemination of methods is often relegated to just academic publishing. Further, these methods remain static, with subsequent advances published elsewhere and unlinked. For communities undergoing fast-paced innovation, researchers need new capabilities to share, obtain feedback, and publish methods at the forefront of scientific development. For example, a renaissance in virology is now underway given the new metagenomic methods to sequence viral DNA directly from an environment. Metagenomics makes it possible to "see" natural viral communities that could not be previously studied through culturing methods. Yet, the knowledge of specialized techniques for the production and analysis of viral metagenomes remains in a subset of labs.  This problem is common to any community using and developing emerging technologies and techniques. We developed new capabilities to create virtual communities in protocols.io, an open access platform, for disseminating protocols and knowledge at the forefront of scientific development. To demonstrate these capabilities, we present a virology community forum called VERVENet. These new features allow virology researchers to share protocols and their annotations and optimizations, connect with the broader virtual community to share knowledge, job postings, conference announcements through a common online forum, and discover the current literature through personalized recommendations to promote discussion of cutting edge research. Virtual communities in protocols.io enhance a researcher's ability to: discuss and share protocols, connect with fellow community members, and learn about new and innovative research in the field.  The web-based software for developing virtual communities is free to use on protocols.io. Data are available through public APIs at protocols.io.

The route of the Three Notch'd Road : a preliminary report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-01-01

Of the many colonial roads constructed during the eighteenth century as settlement moved across Piedmont and Southside Virginia, a few have remained virtually intact and in service as state roads over most of their length. One of the most significant...

A glimpse of gluons through deeply virtual compton scattering on the proton.

PubMed

Defurne, M; Jiménez-Argüello, A Martí; Ahmed, Z; Albataineh, H; Allada, K; Aniol, K A; Bellini, V; Benali, M; Boeglin, W; Bertin, P; Brossard, M; Camsonne, A; Canan, M; Chandavar, S; Chen, C; Chen, J-P; de Jager, C W; de Leo, R; Desnault, C; Deur, A; El Fassi, L; Ent, R; Flay, D; Friend, M; Fuchey, E; Frullani, S; Garibaldi, F; Gaskell, D; Giusa, A; Glamazdin, O; Golge, S; Gomez, J; Hansen, O; Higinbotham, D; Holmstrom, T; Horn, T; Huang, J; Huang, M; Hyde, C E; Iqbal, S; Itard, F; Kang, H; Kelleher, A; Keppel, C; Koirala, S; Korover, I; LeRose, J J; Lindgren, R; Long, E; Magne, M; Mammei, J; Margaziotis, D J; Markowitz, P; Mazouz, M; Meddi, F; Meekins, D; Michaels, R; Mihovilovic, M; Camacho, C Muñoz; Nadel-Turonski, P; Nuruzzaman, N; Paremuzyan, R; Puckett, A; Punjabi, V; Qiang, Y; Rakhman, A; Rashad, M N H; Riordan, S; Roche, J; Russo, G; Sabatié, F; Saenboonruang, K; Saha, A; Sawatzky, B; Selvy, L; Shahinyan, A; Sirca, S; Solvignon, P; Sperduto, M L; Subedi, R; Sulkosky, V; Sutera, C; Tobias, W A; Urciuoli, G M; Wang, D; Wojtsekhowski, B; Yao, H; Ye, Z; Zhan, X; Zhang, J; Zhao, B; Zhao, Z; Zheng, X; Zhu, P

2017-11-10

The internal structure of nucleons (protons and neutrons) remains one of the greatest outstanding problems in modern nuclear physics. By scattering high-energy electrons off a proton we are able to resolve its fundamental constituents and probe their momenta and positions. Here we investigate the dynamics of quarks and gluons inside nucleons using deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS)-a highly virtual photon scatters off the proton, which subsequently radiates a photon. DVCS interferes with the Bethe-Heitler (BH) process, where the photon is emitted by the electron rather than the proton. We report herein the full determination of the BH-DVCS interference by exploiting the distinct energy dependences of the DVCS and BH amplitudes. In the regime where the scattering is expected to occur off a single quark, measurements show an intriguing sensitivity to gluons, the carriers of the strong interaction.

Lifelong personal health data and application software via virtual machines in the cloud.

PubMed

Van Gorp, Pieter; Comuzzi, Marco

2014-01-01

Personal Health Records (PHRs) should remain the lifelong property of patients, who should be able to show them conveniently and securely to selected caregivers and institutions. In this paper, we present MyPHRMachines, a cloud-based PHR system taking a radically new architectural solution to health record portability. In MyPHRMachines, health-related data and the application software to view and/or analyze it are separately deployed in the PHR system. After uploading their medical data to MyPHRMachines, patients can access them again from remote virtual machines that contain the right software to visualize and analyze them without any need for conversion. Patients can share their remote virtual machine session with selected caregivers, who will need only a Web browser to access the pre-loaded fragments of their lifelong PHR. We discuss a prototype of MyPHRMachines applied to two use cases, i.e., radiology image sharing and personalized medicine.

Best practices for virtual participation in meetings: Experiences from synthesis centers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hampton, Stephanie E.; Halpern, Benjamin S.; Winter, Marten; Balch, Jennifer K.; Parker, John N.; Baron, Jill S.; Palmer, Margaret; Schildhauer, Mark P.; Bishop, Pamela; Meagher, Thomas R.; Specht, Alison

2017-01-01

The earth environment is a complex system, in which collaborative scientific approaches can provide major benefits by bringing together diverse perspectives, methods, and data, to achieve robust, synthetic understanding (Fig. 1). Face-to-face scientific meetings remain extremely valuable because of the opportunity to build deep mutual trust and understanding, and develop new collaborations and sometimes even lifelong friendships (Alberts 2013, Cooke and Hilton 2015). However, it has been argued that ecologists should be particularly sensitive to the environmental footprint of travel (Fox et al. 2009); such concerns, along with the time demands for travel, particularly for multi-national working groups, provide strong motivation for exploring virtual attendance. While not replacing the richness of face-to-face interactions entirely, it is now feasible to virtually participate in meetings through services that allow video, audio, and file sharing, as well as other Web-enabled communication.

MILITARY PAY: Processes for Retaining Injured Army National Guard and Reserve Soldiers on Active Duty Have Been Improved, but Some Challenges Remain

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

Active Duty Have Been Improved, but Some Challenges Remain The Army’s MRP program has largely resolved the widespread delays in order processing that...interviewed confirmed that they did not experience gaps in pay and associated benefits because of order processing delays. However, some of the...and injured reserve component soldiers we interviewed, these improvements have virtually eliminated the widespread delays in order processing that

The MAGIC telescope for gamma-ray astronomy above 30 GeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moralejo, A.; MAGIC Collaboration

The MAGIC telescope is presently at its commissioning phase at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM) on the island of La Palma. MAGIC will become the largest ground-based gamma ray telescope in the world, being sensitive to photons of energies as low as 30 GeV. The spectral range between 10 and 300 GeV remains to date mostly unexplored. Observations in this region of the spectrum are expected to provide key data for the understanding of a wide variety of astrophysical phenomena belonging to the so-called ``non thermal Universe'', like the processes in the nuclei of active galaxies, the radiation mechanisms of pulsars and supernova remnants, and the enigmatic gamma-ray bursts. And overview of the telescope and its Physics goals is presented.

The myosin ID pathway and left-right asymmetry in Drosophila.

PubMed

Géminard, Charles; González-Morales, Nicanor; Coutelis, Jean-Baptiste; Noselli, Stéphane

2014-06-01

Drosophila is a classical model to study body patterning, however left-right (L/R) asymmetry had remained unexplored, until recently. The discovery of the conserved myosin ID gene as a major determinant of L/R asymmetry has revealed a novel L/R pathway involving the actin cytoskeleton and the adherens junction. In this process, the HOX gene Abdominal-B plays a major role through the control of myosin ID expression and therefore symmetry breaking. In this review, we present organs and markers showing L/R asymmetry in Drosophila and discuss our current understanding of the underlying molecular genetic mechanisms. Drosophila represents a valuable model system revealing novel strategies to establish L/R asymmetry in invertebrates and providing an evolutionary perspective to the problem of laterality in bilateria. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using electronic patient records to discover disease correlations and stratify patient cohorts.

PubMed

Roque, Francisco S; Jensen, Peter B; Schmock, Henriette; Dalgaard, Marlene; Andreatta, Massimo; Hansen, Thomas; Søeby, Karen; Bredkjær, Søren; Juul, Anders; Werge, Thomas; Jensen, Lars J; Brunak, Søren

2011-08-01

Electronic patient records remain a rather unexplored, but potentially rich data source for discovering correlations between diseases. We describe a general approach for gathering phenotypic descriptions of patients from medical records in a systematic and non-cohort dependent manner. By extracting phenotype information from the free-text in such records we demonstrate that we can extend the information contained in the structured record data, and use it for producing fine-grained patient stratification and disease co-occurrence statistics. The approach uses a dictionary based on the International Classification of Disease ontology and is therefore in principle language independent. As a use case we show how records from a Danish psychiatric hospital lead to the identification of disease correlations, which subsequently can be mapped to systems biology frameworks.

Cycles of shame: menstrual shame, body shame, and sexual decision-making.

PubMed

Schooler, Deborah; Ward, L Monique; Merriwether, Ann; Caruthers, Allison S

2005-11-01

Although numerous factors have been implicated in women's sexual decision-making, less attention has been focused on how their feelings about their bodies and reproductive functions affect these processes. Recent findings link menstrual shame to lower levels of sexual activity and higher levels of sexual risk; however the mechanisms behind these relations remain unexplored. Accordingly, this study investigates the contributions of menstrual shame and global body shame to sexual decision-making among 199 undergraduate women. Using structural equation modeling, we evaluated a mediated model, whereby menstrual shame is indirectly associated with sexual decision-making via body shame. As expected, women who reported feeling more comfort about menstruation also reported more body comfort and, in turn, more sexual assertiveness, more sexual experience, and less sexual risk.

Reversible Heating in Electric Double Layer Capacitors.

PubMed

Janssen, Mathijs; van Roij, René

2017-03-03

A detailed comparison is made between different viewpoints on reversible heating in electric double layer capacitors. We show in the limit of slow charging that a combined Poisson-Nernst-Planck and heat equation, first studied by d'Entremont and Pilon [J. Power Sources 246, 887 (2014)JPSODZ0378-775310.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.08.024], recovers the temperature changes as predicted by the thermodynamic identity of Janssen et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 268501 (2014)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.113.268501], and disagrees with the approximative model of Schiffer et al. [J. Power Sources 160, 765 (2006)JPSODZ0378-775310.1016/j.jpowsour.2005.12.070] that predominates the literature. The thermal response to the adiabatic charging of supercapacitors contains information on electric double layer formation that has remained largely unexplored.

Is Cognitive Rehabilitation Needed in Verbal Adults with Autism? Insights From Initial Enrollment in a Trial of Cognitive Enhancement Therapy

PubMed Central

Eack, Shaun M.; Bahorik, Amber L.; Hogarty, Susan S.; Greenwald, Deborah P.; Litschge, Maralee Y.; Mazefsky, Carla A.; Minshew, Nancy J.

2013-01-01

Cognitive rehabilitation is an emerging set of potentially effective interventions for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder, yet the applicability of these approaches for “high functioning” adults who have normative levels of intelligence remains unexplored. This study examined the initial cognitive performance characteristics of 40 verbal adults with autism enrolled in a pilot trial of Cognitive Enhancement Therapy to investigate the need for cognitive rehabilitation in this population. Results revealed marked and broad deficits across neurocognitive and social-cognitive domains, despite above-average IQ. Areas of greatest impairment included processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and emotion perception and management. These findings indicate the need for comprehensive interventions designed to enhance cognition among verbal adults with autism who have intact intellectual functioning. PMID:23381484

Tumor-associated mesenchymal stem-like cells provide extracellular signaling cue for invasiveness of glioblastoma cells

PubMed Central

Yoo, Ki-Chun; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Kim, In-Gyu; Kim, Min-Jung; Chang, Jong Hee; Kang, Seok-Gu; Lee, Su-Jae

2017-01-01

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is abundant in tumor microenvironment and closely associated with invasiveness of glioblastoma (GBM) cells. However, the cellular mechanism underlying HA-rich microenvironment in GBM remains unexplored. Here, we show that tumor-associated mesenchymal stem-like cells (tMSLCs) contribute to abundance of hyaluronic acid (HA) in tumor microenvironment through HA synthase-2 (HAS2) induction, and thereby enhances invasiveness of GBM cells. In an autocrine manner, C5a secreted by tMSLCs activated ERK MAPK for HAS2 induction in tMSLCs. Importantly, HA acted as a signaling ligand of its cognate receptor RHAMM for intracellular signaling activation underlying invasiveness of GBM cells. Taken together, our study suggests that tMSLCs contribute to HA-rich proinvasive ECM microenvironment in GBM. PMID:27903965

New insight on the response of bacteria to fluoride.

PubMed

Breaker, R R

2012-01-01

Fluoride has been used for decades to prevent caries and it is well established that this anion can inhibit the growth of bacteria. However, the precise effects that fluoride has on bacteria and the mechanisms that bacteria use to overcome fluoride toxicity have largely remained unexplored. Recently, my laboratory reported the discovery of biological systems that bacteria use to sense fluoride and reduce fluoride toxicity. These sensors and their associated genes are very widespread in biology, which has implications for a number of issues that are central to the use of fluoride for dental care. Below I provide a summary of our findings, comment on some of the key prospects for expanding our understanding of fluoride's effects on biology, and propose some future uses of this knowledge. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

New Insight on the Response of Bacteria to Fluoride

PubMed Central

Breaker, R.R.

2012-01-01

Fluoride has been used for decades to prevent caries and it is well established that this anion can inhibit the growth of bacteria. However, the precise effects that fluoride has on bacteria and the mechanisms that bacteria use to overcome fluoride toxicity have largely remained unexplored. Recently, my laboratory reported the discovery of biological systems that bacteria use to sense fluoride and reduce fluoride toxicity. These sensors and their associated genes are very widespread in biology, which has implications for a number of issues that are central to the use of fluoride for dental care. Below I provide a summary of our findings, comment on some of the key prospects for expanding our understanding of fluoride's effects on biology, and propose some future uses of this knowledge. PMID:22327376

Breather soliton dynamics in microresonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Mengjie; Jang, Jae K.; Okawachi, Yoshitomo; Griffith, Austin G.; Luke, Kevin; Miller, Steven A.; Ji, Xingchen; Lipson, Michal; Gaeta, Alexander L.

2017-02-01

The generation of temporal cavity solitons in microresonators results in coherent low-noise optical frequency combs that are critical for applications in spectroscopy, astronomy, navigation or telecommunications. Breather solitons also form an important part of many different classes of nonlinear wave systems, manifesting themselves as a localized temporal structure that exhibits oscillatory behaviour. To date, the dynamics of breather solitons in microresonators remains largely unexplored, and its experimental characterization is challenging. Here we demonstrate the excitation of breather solitons in two different microresonator platforms based on silicon nitride and on silicon. We investigate the dependence of the breathing frequency on pump detuning and observe the transition from period-1 to period-2 oscillation. Our study constitutes a significant contribution to understanding the soliton dynamics within the larger context of nonlinear science.

Practitioner Views on the Impacts, Challenges, and Barriers in Supporting Older Survivors of Sexual Violence.

PubMed

Bows, Hannah

2018-07-01

Despite half a century of research on both sexual violence and elder abuse, the intersection between the two remains largely unexplored. Using theoretical lenses of feminist criminology and critical feminist gerontology, this article explores the intersection between age and sexual violence drawing on interviews with 23 practitioners supporting older survivors (aged 60 and over). They reported physical and emotional effects of sexual violence leading to limited lifestyles, disengagement from social networks, and reliance on pathogenic coping strategies. Provision of effective support was complicated by challenges associated with aging bodies and the social stigma associated with both sexual victimhood and older age. Additional challenges lay in supporting older male survivors and those living with dementia. The article ends by discussing implications for practice and an agenda for future research.

“Beyond saving lives”: Current perspectives of interventional radiology in trauma

PubMed Central

Singh, Anuradha; Kumar, Atin; Kumar, Pawan; Kumar, Subodh; Gamanagatti, Shivanand

2017-01-01

Interventional radiology (IR) has become an integral part in the management of traumatic injuries. There is an ever-increasing role of IR in traumatic injuries of solid abdominal organs, pelvic and peripheral arteries to control active bleeding by therapeutic embolization or vascular reconstruction using stent grafts. Traditionally, these endovascular treatments have been offered to hemodynamically stable patients. However, in recent times endovascular approach has become preferable to surgery even in hemodynamically unstable patients with injury of surgically difficult-to-access sites. With shifting trends towards non operative management coupled with availability of the current state-of-the-art equipments, hardware and technical expertise, IR has gained an impeccable role in trauma management. However, due to lack of awareness and widespread acceptance, IR continues to remain an ocean of unexplored potentialities. PMID:28529680

The Relation Between Supervisors’ Big Five Personality Traits and Employees’ Experiences of Abusive Supervision

PubMed Central

Camps, Jeroen; Stouten, Jeroen; Euwema, Martin

2016-01-01

The present study investigates the relation between supervisors’ personality traits and employees’ experiences of supervisory abuse, an area that – to date – remained largely unexplored in previous research. Field data collected from 103 supervisor-subordinate dyads showed that contrary to our expectations supervisors’ agreeableness and neuroticism were not significantly related to abusive supervision, nor were supervisors’ extraversion or openness to experience. Interestingly, however, our findings revealed a positive relation between supervisors’ conscientiousness and abusive supervision. That is, supervisors high in conscientiousness were more likely to be perceived as an abusive supervisor by their employees. Overall, our findings do suggest that supervisors’ Big Five personality traits explain only a limited amount of the variability in employees’ experiences of abusive supervision. PMID:26903919

Is Trust for Sale? The Effectiveness of Financial Compensation for Repairing Competence- versus Integrity-Based Trust Violations.

PubMed

Haesevoets, Tessa; Reinders Folmer, Chris; Van Hiel, Alain

2015-01-01

Despite the popularity of financial compensation as a means for addressing trust violations, the question whether (more) money can indeed buy trust back remains largely unexplored. In the present research, we focus on the role of violation type and compensation size. The results of a scenario study and a laboratory experiment show that financial compensation can effectively promote the restoration of trust for transgressions that indicate a lack of competence. Conversely, for transgressions which signal a lack of integrity, financial compensation is not an effective tool to repair trust. Moreover, our findings indicate that for both violation types, overcompensation has no positive effects on top of the impact of equal compensation. These findings therefore show that when it comes to trust, money cannot buy everything.

Four bills of health issued from Malta by the Order of St John.

PubMed Central

Cassar, P.

1979-01-01

The specimens here described enlarge our knowledge of the bills of health of the Order of St John issued from Malta, an aspect of public health that had hitherto remained unexplored. These lone survivors from a vanished by-way of Maltese medical history formed, in their age, an integral part of the daily social, commercial and sanitary pattern of life in Malta. The earliest met so far, and described in the present series, dates from 1713; two belong to 1766 and another dates from 1794. A further bill, issued in 1782, has been published elsewhere. The chance preservation of these documents in unlikely places, as here indicated, makes it probable that additional ones may eventually come to light. Images Plate 2 Plate 1 PMID:376696

Morphological Dynamics of Mitochondria – A Special Emphasis on Cardiac Muscle Cells

PubMed Central

Hom, Jennifer; Sheu, Shey-Shing

2010-01-01

Mitochondria play a critical role in cellular energy metabolism, Ca2+ homeostasis, reactive oxygen species generation, apoptosis, aging, and development. Many recent publications have shown that a continuous balance of fusion and fission of these organelles is important in maintaining their proper function. Therefore, there is a steep correlation between the form and function of mitochondria. Many major proteins involved in mitochondrial fusion and fission have been identified in different cell types, including heart. However, the functional role of mitochondrial dynamics in the heart remains, for the most part, unexplored. In this review we will cover the recent field of mitochondrial dynamics and its physiological and pathological implications, with a particular emphasis on the experimental and theoretical basis of mitochondrial dynamics in the heart. PMID:19281816

Integrality and separability of multitouch interaction techniques in 3D manipulation tasks.

PubMed

Martinet, Anthony; Casiez, Géry; Grisoni, Laurent

2012-03-01

Multitouch displays represent a promising technology for the display and manipulation of data. While the manipulation of 2D data has been widely explored, 3D manipulation with multitouch displays remains largely unexplored. Based on an analysis of the integration and separation of degrees of freedom, we propose a taxonomy for 3D manipulation techniques with multitouch displays. Using that taxonomy, we introduce Depth-Separated Screen-Space (DS3), a new 3D manipulation technique based on the separation of translation and rotation. In a controlled experiment, we compared DS3 with Sticky Tools and Screen-Space. Results show that separating the control of translation and rotation significantly affects performance for 3D manipulation, with DS3 performing faster than the two other techniques.

Experimental evidence for frequency dependent self-fertilization in the gynodioecious plant, Silene vulgaris.

PubMed

Miyake, Keiko; Olson, Matthew S

2009-06-01

After over a half century of empirical and theoretical research regarding the evolution and maintenance of gynodioecy in plants, unexplored factors influencing the relative fitnesses of females and hermaphrodites remain. Theoretical studies suggest that hermaphrodite self-fertilization (selfing) rate influences the maintenance of gynodioecy and we hypothesized that population sex ratio may influence hermaphrodite selfing rate. An experimental test for frequency-dependent self-fertilization was conducted using replicated populations constructed with different sex ratios of the gynodioecious plant Silene vulgaris. We found that hermaphrodite selfing increased with decreased hermaphrodite frequency, whereas evidence for increased inbreeding depression was equivocal. We argue that incorporation of context dependent inbreeding into future models of the evolution of gynodioecy is likely to yield novel insights into sex ratio evolution.

Commentary: charting a course for success: excellence in clinical care and discovery in academic departments.

PubMed

Cooper, William O; Gitlin, Jonathan D

2011-05-01

The current shifts in academics not only invite new challenges but create previously unexplored opportunities for unique discoveries in health. Leaders in academic departments must consider changes in academic medicine as new courses to be charted rather than an inevitable shifting of the ground beneath them. Under this model, clinical excellence is coupled with discovery, where trainees, faculty, and patients and families are continually exposed to asking questions and identifying ways to move science forward to improve health. Academic pediatrics remains today a vibrant and exciting discipline with extraordinary leaders and committed trainees. We must continue to inspire on the voyage to excellence, keeping our eyes on the horizon and not the gathering storms. Copyright © by the Association of American medical Colleges.

Integrating Evolutionary Game Theory into Mechanistic Genotype-Phenotype Mapping.

PubMed

Zhu, Xuli; Jiang, Libo; Ye, Meixia; Sun, Lidan; Gragnoli, Claudia; Wu, Rongling

2016-05-01

Natural selection has shaped the evolution of organisms toward optimizing their structural and functional design. However, how this universal principle can enhance genotype-phenotype mapping of quantitative traits has remained unexplored. Here we show that the integration of this principle and functional mapping through evolutionary game theory gains new insight into the genetic architecture of complex traits. By viewing phenotype formation as an evolutionary system, we formulate mathematical equations to model the ecological mechanisms that drive the interaction and coordination of its constituent components toward population dynamics and stability. Functional mapping provides a procedure for estimating the genetic parameters that specify the dynamic relationship of competition and cooperation and predicting how genes mediate the evolution of this relationship during trait formation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetic enhancement of photoluminescence from blue-luminescent graphene quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qi; Shi, Chentian; Zhang, Chunfeng; Pu, Songyang; Wang, Rui; Wu, Xuewei; Wang, Xiaoyong; Xue, Fei; Pan, Dengyu; Xiao, Min

2016-02-01

Graphene quantum-dots (GQDs) have been predicted and demonstrated with fascinating optical and magnetic properties. However, the magnetic effect on the optical properties remains experimentally unexplored. Here, we conduct a magneto-photoluminescence study on the blue-luminescence GQDs at cryogenic temperatures with magnetic field up to 10 T. When the magnetic field is applied, a remarkable enhancement of photoluminescence emission has been observed together with an insignificant change in circular polarization. The results have been well explained by the scenario of magnetic-field-controlled singlet-triplet mixing in GQDs owing to the Zeeman splitting of triplet states, which is further verified by temperature-dependent experiments. This work uncovers the pivotal role of intersystem crossing in GQDs, which is instrumental for their potential applications such as light-emitting diodes, photodynamic therapy, and spintronic devices.

Freezing behavior as a response to sexual visual stimuli as demonstrated by posturography.

PubMed

Mouras, Harold; Lelard, Thierry; Ahmaidi, Said; Godefroy, Olivier; Krystkowiak, Pierre

2015-01-01

Posturographic changes in motivational conditions remain largely unexplored in the context of embodied cognition. Over the last decade, sexual motivation has been used as a good canonical working model to study motivated social interactions. The objective of this study was to explore posturographic variations in response to visual sexual videos as compared to neutral videos. Our results support demonstration of a freezing-type response in response to sexually explicit stimuli compared to other conditions, as demonstrated by significantly decreased standard deviations for (i) the center of pressure displacement along the mediolateral and anteroposterior axes and (ii) center of pressure's displacement surface. These results support the complexity of the motor correlates of sexual motivation considered to be a canonical functional context to study the motor correlates of motivated social interactions.

Tomography reveals buoyant asthenosphere accumulating beneath the Juan de Fuca plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawley, William B.; Allen, Richard M.; Richards, Mark A.

2016-09-01

The boundary between Earth’s strong lithospheric plates and the underlying mantle asthenosphere corresponds to an abrupt seismic velocity decrease and electrical conductivity increase with depth, perhaps indicating a thin, weak layer that may strongly influence plate motion dynamics. The behavior of such a layer at subduction zones remains unexplored. We present a tomographic model, derived from on- and offshore seismic experiments, that reveals a strong low-velocity feature beneath the subducting Juan de Fuca slab along the entire Cascadia subduction zone. Through simple geodynamic arguments, we propose that this low-velocity feature is the accumulation of material from a thin, weak, buoyant layer present beneath the entire oceanic lithosphere. The presence of this feature could have major implications for our understanding of the asthenosphere and subduction zone dynamics.

Brain Neoplasm and the Potential Impact on Self-Identity

PubMed Central

Anderson-Shaw, Lisa; Baslet, Gaston; Villano, J. Lee

2011-01-01

Cancers of the brain can cause alterations in a person’s neurocognitive abilities, and in some patients can even challenge their concept of self and self-identity. Cancer treatment may offer some hope for longer survival, but residual neurocognitive alterations generally remain. Individualized care for these patients should include information related to anticipated effects of their disease or treatments affecting their perception or expression of self. At present, the concepts of self and self-identity are largely unexplored in neuro-oncology, but we will discuss this clinical population in order to highlight the need for further clinical evaluation of these phenomena among patients with brain neoplasm. Finally, we will briefly note the need for a clinical tool to assess self and self-identity changes in brain tumor patients. PMID:22247810

Leap Motion-based virtual reality training for improving motor functional recovery of upper limbs and neural reorganization in subacute stroke patients.

PubMed

Wang, Zun-Rong; Wang, Ping; Xing, Liang; Mei, Li-Ping; Zhao, Jun; Zhang, Tong

2017-11-01

Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patients. Most virtual reality systems are only applicable to the proximal upper limbs (arms) because of the limitations of their capture systems. Nevertheless, the functional recovery of an affected hand is most difficult in the case of hemiparesis rehabilitation after a stroke. The recently developed Leap Motion controller can track the fine movements of both hands and fingers. Therefore, the present study explored the effects of a Leap Motion-based virtual reality system on subacute stroke. Twenty-six subacute stroke patients were assigned to an experimental group that received virtual reality training along with conventional occupational rehabilitation, and a control group that only received conventional rehabilitation. The Wolf motor function test (WMFT) was used to assess the motor function of the affected upper limb; functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the cortical activation. After four weeks of treatment, the motor functions of the affected upper limbs were significantly improved in all the patients, with the improvement in the experimental group being significantly better than in the control group. The action performance time in the WMFT significantly decreased in the experimental group. Furthermore, the activation intensity and the laterality index of the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex increased in both the experimental and control groups. These results confirmed that Leap Motion-based virtual reality training was a promising and feasible supplementary rehabilitation intervention, could facilitate the recovery of motor functions in subacute stroke patients. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR-OCH-12002238).

Porcine cadaver organ or virtual-reality simulation training for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Van Bruwaene, Siska; Schijven, Marlies P; Napolitano, Daniel; De Win, Gunter; Miserez, Marc

2015-01-01

As conventional laparoscopic procedural training requires live animals or cadaver organs, virtual simulation seems an attractive alternative. Therefore, we compared the transfer of training for the laparoscopic cholecystectomy from porcine cadaver organs vs virtual simulation to surgery in a live animal model in a prospective randomized trial. After completing an intensive training in basic laparoscopic skills, 3 groups of 10 participants proceeded with no additional training (control group), 5 hours of cholecystectomy training on cadaver organs (= organ training) or proficiency-based cholecystectomy training on the LapMentor (= virtual-reality training). Participants were evaluated on time and quality during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a live anaesthetized pig at baseline, 1 week (= post) and 4 months (= retention) after training. All research was performed in the Center for Surgical Technologies, Leuven, Belgium. In total, 30 volunteering medical students without prior experience in laparoscopy or minimally invasive surgery from the University of Leuven (Belgium). The organ training group performed the procedure significantly faster than the virtual trainer and borderline significantly faster than control group at posttesting. Only 1 of 3 expert raters suggested significantly better quality of performance of the organ training group compared with both the other groups at posttesting (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between groups at retention testing. The virtual trainer group did not outperform the control group at any time. For trainees who are proficient in basic laparoscopic skills, the long-term advantage of additional procedural training, especially on a virtual but also on the conventional organ training model, remains to be proven. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leap Motion-based virtual reality training for improving motor functional recovery of upper limbs and neural reorganization in subacute stroke patients

PubMed Central

Wang, Zun-rong; Wang, Ping; Xing, Liang; Mei, Li-ping; Zhao, Jun; Zhang, Tong

2017-01-01

Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patients. Most virtual reality systems are only applicable to the proximal upper limbs (arms) because of the limitations of their capture systems. Nevertheless, the functional recovery of an affected hand is most difficult in the case of hemiparesis rehabilitation after a stroke. The recently developed Leap Motion controller can track the fine movements of both hands and fingers. Therefore, the present study explored the effects of a Leap Motion-based virtual reality system on subacute stroke. Twenty-six subacute stroke patients were assigned to an experimental group that received virtual reality training along with conventional occupational rehabilitation, and a control group that only received conventional rehabilitation. The Wolf motor function test (WMFT) was used to assess the motor function of the affected upper limb; functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the cortical activation. After four weeks of treatment, the motor functions of the affected upper limbs were significantly improved in all the patients, with the improvement in the experimental group being significantly better than in the control group. The action performance time in the WMFT significantly decreased in the experimental group. Furthermore, the activation intensity and the laterality index of the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex increased in both the experimental and control groups. These results confirmed that Leap Motion-based virtual reality training was a promising and feasible supplementary rehabilitation intervention, could facilitate the recovery of motor functions in subacute stroke patients. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR-OCH-12002238). PMID:29239328

Surgical simulation: a urological perspective.

PubMed

Wignall, Geoffrey R; Denstedt, John D; Preminger, Glenn M; Cadeddu, Jeffrey A; Pearle, Margaret S; Sweet, Robert M; McDougall, Elspeth M

2008-05-01

Surgical education is changing rapidly as several factors including budget constraints and medicolegal concerns limit opportunities for urological trainees. New methods of skills training such as low fidelity bench trainers and virtual reality simulators offer new avenues for surgical education. In addition, surgical simulation has the potential to allow practicing surgeons to develop new skills and maintain those they already possess. We provide a review of the background, current status and future directions of surgical simulators as they pertain to urology. We performed a literature review and an overview of surgical simulation in urology. Surgical simulators are in various stages of development and validation. Several simulators have undergone extensive validation studies and are in use in surgical curricula. While virtual reality simulators offer the potential to more closely mimic reality and present entire operations, low fidelity simulators remain useful in skills training, particularly for novices and junior trainees. Surgical simulation remains in its infancy. However, the potential to shorten learning curves for difficult techniques and practice surgery without risk to patients continues to drive the development of increasingly more advanced and realistic models. Surgical simulation is an exciting area of surgical education. The future is bright as advancements in computing and graphical capabilities offer new innovations in simulator technology. Simulators must continue to undergo rigorous validation studies to ensure that time spent by trainees on bench trainers and virtual reality simulators will translate into improved surgical skills in the operating room.

Computer News

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Activities: Classroom Projects and Curriculum Ideas, 2007

2007-01-01

This article presents several news stories about computers and technology. (1) Applied Science Associates of Narragansett, Rhode Island is providing computer modeling technology to help locate the remains to the USS Bonhomme Richard, which sank in 1779 after claiming a Revolutionary War victory. (2) Whyville, the leading edu-tainment virtual world…

A Redesigned DFA Moisture Meter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The DFA moisture meter has been internationally recognized as the standard for determining moisture content of dried fruit in general and is AOAC Official Method 972.2 for measuring moisture in prunes and raisins since 1972. The device has remained virtually unchanged since its inception, with its o...

Expanding Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giangreco, Michael F.

2017-01-01

Research and experience tell us a great deal about how to successfully educate students with intellectual disability, but unfortunately this knowledge remains underutilized and inconsistently applied, writes researcher Michael F. Giangreco. Students with intellectual disability who have virtually identical profiles but live in different locales…

A Model for Micro-Dosimetry in Virtual Liver Tissues

EPA Science Inventory

Motivation: Humans are potentially exposed to over 6,000 environmental chemicals. The liver is the primary organ for metabolism and often the first site of chemical-induced toxicity in animal testing, but it remains difficult to translate these outcomes to humans. To address thi...

Whither Headship?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Male, Trevor

2006-01-01

Headship in England was radically altered in nature in 1988 by the Education Reform Act which introduced the principle of local management of schools. Despite this legislative intervention, however, the model of headship in England remained virtually unchanged, rather it was headteacher behaviour that changed. The maintained school system is still…

When the virtual influences reality. The conservation project of the Toledo Gate in Ciudad Real (Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almagro Vidal, A.; Ramírez González, I.; Clemente San Román, C.

2015-08-01

The Toledo Gate of Ciudad Real, Spain, constructed between the late 13th and early 14th centuries, is the last remaining portion of a once complete medieval city wall. It represents the long history of the city and constitutes its main heritage symbol, dividing the historic city centre from the later 19th and 20th century expansions. In October 2012, the Town Hall and the Montemadrid Foundation started the conservation works to preserve this important monument. The preliminary phase of this project included an in-depth series of scientific studies which were carried out by a multidisciplinary team focusing on archival research, historic investigations, archaeological excavations as well as material composition analysis and main treatment application tests. As a result of these studies a series of virtual 3D models were created to inform, discuss and study the monument. A first digital model permitted visualization of the gate in the 19th century and how the main entrance to the city was integrated as a fundamental part of the city walls. This virtual reconstruction also became an important part of the campaign to raise awareness among the citizens towards a monument that had remained in the shadows for the last century, isolated in a roundabout after the systematic demolition of the city walls in the late 19th century. Over the last three years and as a result of these archaeological and historic investigations and subsequent virtual models, surprisingly new and interesting data were brought to light thus permitting the establishment and corroboration of a new and updated hypothesis of the Toledo Gate that goes beyond the previous ideas. As a result of these studies a new architectural typology with construction techniques of has been suggested. This paper describes how the results of this continuous and interdisciplinary documentation process have benefitted from a computer graphic reconstruction of the gate. It highlights how virtual reconstruction can be a powerful tool for conservation decision making and awareness raising. Furthermore, the interesting results of the final reconstruction hypothesis convinced the technical team responsible for the conservation to alter some aspects of the final project physical interventions in order to focus on some of the features and conclusions discovered through the virtual model study.

A virtual tissue bank for primary central nervous system lymphomas in immunocompetent individuals.

PubMed

Ponzoni, Maurilio; Kwee, Ivo; Mazzucchelli, Luca; Ferreri, Andrés J M; Zucca, Emanuele; Doglioni, Claudio; Cavalli, Franco; Bertoni, Francesco

2007-01-01

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare form of extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with continuously increasing incidence in both immunosuppressed and immunocompetent individuals. PCNSL is a very aggressive tumor with a poor outcome, and its clinical outcome is much worse than for nodal lymphomas. Differently from lymphomas arising in lymph nodes or in other extranodal sites, the treatment of PCNSL remains very unsatisfactory. Current biologic knowledge of PCNSL is still limited and several fundamental questions remain to be answered. This is mainly due to the paucity of PCNSL material for adequate translational research. With the aim of providing biologic material to investigators interested in PCNSL, we have implemented a virtual tissue bank (VTB) for PCNSL in immunocompetent patients. After registration, the VTB is accessible via any web browser at www.ielsg.org. Only anonymous data are centralized at the website of the International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group, whilst the pathologic material is maintained at the local pathology institutes. (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Graph-based similarity concepts in virtual screening.

PubMed

Hutter, Michael C

2011-03-01

Applying similarity for finding new promising compounds is a key issue in drug design. Conversely, quantifying similarity between molecules has remained a difficult task despite the numerous approaches. Here, some general aspects along with recent developments regarding similarity criteria are collected. For the purpose of virtual screening, the compounds have to be encoded into a computer-readable format that permits a comparison, according to given similarity criteria, comprising the use of the 3D structure, fingerprints, graph-based and alignment-based approaches. Whereas finding the most common substructures is the most obvious method, more recent approaches take into account chemical modifications that appear throughout existing drugs, from various therapeutic categories and targets.

Cultivating Uncultured Bacteria from Northern Wetlands: Knowledge Gained and Remaining Gaps

PubMed Central

Dedysh, Svetlana N.

2011-01-01

Northern wetlands play a key role in the global carbon budget, particularly in the budgets of the greenhouse gas methane. These ecosystems also determine the hydrology of northern rivers and represent one of the largest reservoirs of fresh water in the Northern Hemisphere. Sphagnum-dominated peat bogs and fens are the most extensive types of northern wetlands. In comparison to many other terrestrial ecosystems, the bacterial diversity in Sphagnum-dominated wetlands remains largely unexplored. As demonstrated by cultivation-independent studies, a large proportion of the indigenous microbial communities in these acidic, cold, nutrient-poor, and water-saturated environments is composed of as-yet-uncultivated bacteria with unknown physiologies. Most of them are slow-growing, oligotrophic microorganisms that are difficult to isolate and to manipulate in the laboratory. Yet, significant breakthroughs in cultivation of these elusive organisms have been made during the last decade. This article describes the major prerequisites for successful cultivation of peat-inhabiting microbes, gives an overview of the currently captured bacterial diversity from northern wetlands and discusses the unique characteristics of the newly discovered organisms. PMID:21954394

Smart nanoparticles as targeting platforms for HIV infections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikary, Rishi Rajat; More, Prachi; Banerjee, Rinti

2015-04-01

While Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections are reducing in incidence with the advent of Highly Active Anti-retroviral Therapy (HAART), there remain a number of challenges including the existence of reservoirs, drug resistance and anatomical barriers to antiretroviral therapy. To overcome these, smart nanoparticles with stimuli responsive release are proposed for delivery of anti-retroviral agents. The paper highlights the strategic similarities between the design of smart antiretroviral nanocarriers and those optimized for cancer chemotherapy. This includes the development of nanoparticles capable of passive and active targeting as well as those that are responsive to various internal and external triggers. For antiretroviral therapy, the relevant triggers for stimuli responsive release of drugs include semen, enzymes, endosomal escape, temperature and magnetic field. Deriving from the experience of cancer chemotherapy, additional potential triggers are light and ultrasound which remain hitherto unexplored in HIV therapy. In addition, the roles of nanomicrobicides (nanogels) and virus mimetic nanoparticles are discussed from the point of view of prevention of HIV transmission. The challenges associated with translation of smart nanoparticles for HIV infections to realize the Millennium Development Goal of combating HIV infections are discussed.

Smart nanoparticles as targeting platforms for HIV infections.

PubMed

Adhikary, Rishi Rajat; More, Prachi; Banerjee, Rinti

2015-05-07

While Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections are reducing in incidence with the advent of Highly Active Anti-retroviral Therapy (HAART), there remain a number of challenges including the existence of reservoirs, drug resistance and anatomical barriers to antiretroviral therapy. To overcome these, smart nanoparticles with stimuli responsive release are proposed for delivery of anti-retroviral agents. The paper highlights the strategic similarities between the design of smart antiretroviral nanocarriers and those optimized for cancer chemotherapy. This includes the development of nanoparticles capable of passive and active targeting as well as those that are responsive to various internal and external triggers. For antiretroviral therapy, the relevant triggers for stimuli responsive release of drugs include semen, enzymes, endosomal escape, temperature and magnetic field. Deriving from the experience of cancer chemotherapy, additional potential triggers are light and ultrasound which remain hitherto unexplored in HIV therapy. In addition, the roles of nanomicrobicides (nanogels) and virus mimetic nanoparticles are discussed from the point of view of prevention of HIV transmission. The challenges associated with translation of smart nanoparticles for HIV infections to realize the Millennium Development Goal of combating HIV infections are discussed.

Inferring rules of lineage commitment in haematopoiesis.

PubMed

Pina, Cristina; Fugazza, Cristina; Tipping, Alex J; Brown, John; Soneji, Shamit; Teles, Jose; Peterson, Carsten; Enver, Tariq

2012-02-19

How the molecular programs of differentiated cells develop as cells transit from multipotency through lineage commitment remains unexplored. This reflects the inability to access cells undergoing commitment or located in the immediate vicinity of commitment boundaries. It remains unclear whether commitment constitutes a gradual process, or else represents a discrete transition. Analyses of in vitro self-renewing multipotent systems have revealed cellular heterogeneity with individual cells transiently exhibiting distinct biases for lineage commitment. Such systems can be used to molecularly interrogate early stages of lineage affiliation and infer rules of lineage commitment. In haematopoiesis, population-based studies have indicated that lineage choice is governed by global transcriptional noise, with self-renewing multipotent cells reversibly activating transcriptome-wide lineage-affiliated programs. We examine this hypothesis through functional and molecular analysis of individual blood cells captured from self-renewal cultures, during cytokine-driven differentiation and from primary stem and progenitor bone marrow compartments. We show dissociation between self-renewal potential and transcriptome-wide activation of lineage programs, and instead suggest that multipotent cells experience independent activation of individual regulators resulting in a low probability of transition to the committed state.

On the Relationship Between the Marriage Squeeze and the Quality of Life of Rural Men in China.

PubMed

Yang, Xueyan; Li, Shuzhuo; Attané, Isabelle; Feldman, Marcus W

2017-05-01

China is facing a male marriage squeeze, as there are more men in the marriage market than potential female partners. As a consequence, some men may fail to ever marry. However, while some studies have suggested that most unmarried men affected by the marriage squeeze in rural China feel a sense of failure, the quality of life of the men who remain unmarried against their will remains largely unexplored. Using data collected in rural Hanbin district of Ankang City (Shaanxi, China), this study analyzes the relationship between the marriage squeeze and the quality of life among rural men. Descriptive analyses indicate that the quality of life of unmarried men aged 28 years and older tends to be worse than for both younger unmarried men and married men. Also, the quality of life of men who perceive the marriage squeeze appears to be worse than that of those who do not. Regression analyses reveal that the perceived marriage squeeze and age independently have a significant negative relationship with the quality of life of rural men.

On the Relationship Between the Marriage Squeeze and the Quality of Life of Rural Men in China

PubMed Central

Yang, Xueyan; Li, Shuzhuo; Attané, Isabelle; Feldman, Marcus W.

2016-01-01

China is facing a male marriage squeeze, as there are more men in the marriage market than potential female partners. As a consequence, some men may fail to ever marry. However, while some studies have suggested that most unmarried men affected by the marriage squeeze in rural China feel a sense of failure, the quality of life of the men who remain unmarried against their will remains largely unexplored. Using data collected in rural Hanbin district of Ankang City (Shaanxi, China), this study analyzes the relationship between the marriage squeeze and the quality of life among rural men. Descriptive analyses indicate that the quality of life of unmarried men aged 28 years and older tends to be worse than for both younger unmarried men and married men. Also, the quality of life of men who perceive the marriage squeeze appears to be worse than that of those who do not. Regression analyses reveal that the perceived marriage squeeze and age independently have a significant negative relationship with the quality of life of rural men. PMID:27923964

Tight junctions negatively regulate mechanical forces applied to adherens junctions in vertebrate epithelial tissue.

PubMed

Hatte, Guillaume; Prigent, Claude; Tassan, Jean-Pierre

2018-02-05

Epithelia are layers of polarised cells tightly bound to each other by adhesive contacts. Epithelia act as barriers between an organism and its external environment. Understanding how epithelia maintain their essential integrity while remaining sufficiently plastic to allow events such as cytokinesis to take place is a key biological problem. In vertebrates, the remodelling and reinforcement of adherens junctions maintains epithelial integrity during cytokinesis. The involvement of tight junctions in cell division, however, has remained unexplored. Here, we examine the role of tight junctions during cytokinesis in the epithelium of the Xenopus laevis embryo. Depletion of the tight junction-associated proteins ZO-1 and GEF-H1 leads to altered cytokinesis duration and contractile ring geometry. Using a tension biosensor, we show that cytokinesis defects originate from misregulation of tensile forces applied to adherens junctions. Our results reveal that tight junctions regulate mechanical tension applied to adherens junctions, which in turn impacts cytokinesis.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Fertilization Is Not a New Beginning: The Relationship between Sperm Longevity and Offspring Performance

PubMed Central

Crean, Angela J.; Dwyer, John M.; Marshall, Dustin J.

2012-01-01

Sperm are the most diverse cell type known: varying not only among- and within- species, but also among- and within-ejaculates of a single male. Recently, the causes and consequences of variability in sperm phenotypes have received much attention, but the importance of within-ejaculate variability remains largely unknown. Correlative evidence suggests that reduced within-ejaculate variation in sperm phenotype increases a male’s fertilization success in competitive conditions; but the transgenerational consequences of within-ejaculate variation in sperm phenotype remain relatively unexplored. Here we examine the relationship between sperm longevity and offspring performance in a marine invertebrate with external fertilization, Styela plicata. Offspring sired by longer-lived sperm had higher performance compared to offspring sired by freshly-extracted sperm of the same ejaculate, both in the laboratory and the field. This indicates that within-ejaculate differences in sperm longevity can influence offspring fitness – a source of variability in offspring phenotypes that has not previously been considered. Links between sperm phenotype and offspring performance may constrain responses to selection on either sperm or offspring traits, with broad ecological and evolutionary implications. PMID:23155458

Deep Learning for Flow Sculpting: Insights into Efficient Learning using Scientific Simulation Data

PubMed Central

Stoecklein, Daniel; Lore, Kin Gwn; Davies, Michael; Sarkar, Soumik; Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar

2017-01-01

A new technique for shaping microfluid flow, known as flow sculpting, offers an unprecedented level of passive fluid flow control, with potential breakthrough applications in advancing manufacturing, biology, and chemistry research at the microscale. However, efficiently solving the inverse problem of designing a flow sculpting device for a desired fluid flow shape remains a challenge. Current approaches struggle with the many-to-one design space, requiring substantial user interaction and the necessity of building intuition, all of which are time and resource intensive. Deep learning has emerged as an efficient function approximation technique for high-dimensional spaces, and presents a fast solution to the inverse problem, yet the science of its implementation in similarly defined problems remains largely unexplored. We propose that deep learning methods can completely outpace current approaches for scientific inverse problems while delivering comparable designs. To this end, we show how intelligent sampling of the design space inputs can make deep learning methods more competitive in accuracy, while illustrating their generalization capability to out-of-sample predictions. PMID:28402332

Clinical implications of basic science discoveries: nociceptive neurons as targets to control immunity--potential relevance for transplantation.

PubMed

Larregina, A T; Divito, S J; Morelli, A E

2015-06-01

Increasing evidence indicates the existence of a complex cross-regulation between the most important biosensors of the human body: The immune and nervous systems. Cytokines control body temperature and trigger autoimmune disorders in the central nervous system, whereas neuropeptides released in peripheral tissues and lymphoid organs modulate inflammatory (innate) and adaptive immune responses. Surprisingly, the effects of nerve fibers and the antidromic release of its pro-inflammatory neuropeptides on the leukocytes of the immune system that mediate graft rejection are practically unknown. In the transplantation field, such area of research remains practically unexplored. A recent study by Riol-Blanco et al has revealed new details on how nociceptive nerves regulate the pro-inflammatory function of leukocytes in peripheral tissues. Although the mechanism(s) by which neuroinflammation affects the immune response against the allograft remains unknown, recent data suggest that this new area of research is worth exploring for potential development of novel complementary therapies for prevention/treatment of graft rejection. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

A predictive framework for the design and fabrication of icephobic polymers

PubMed Central

Golovin, Kevin; Tuteja, Anish

2017-01-01

Ice accretion remains a costly, hazardous concern worldwide. Icephobic coatings reduce the adhesion between ice and a surface. However, only a handful of the icephobic systems reported to date reduce the ice adhesion sufficiently for the facile and passive removal of ice, such as under its own weight or by mild winds. Most of these icephobic surfaces have relied on sacrificial lubricants, which may be depleted over time, drastically raising the ice adhesion. In contrast, surfaces that use interfacial slippage to lower their adhesion to ice can remain icephobic indefinitely. However, the mechanism of interfacial slippage, as it relates to ice adhesion, is largely unexplored. We investigate how interfacial slippage reduces the ice adhesion of polymeric materials. We propose a new, universally applicable framework that may be used to predict the reduction in the adhesion of ice to surfaces exhibiting interfacial slippage. This framework allows one to rationally engender icephobicity in essentially any polymeric system, including common thermoplastics. Hence, we present several new, extremely icephobic systems fabricated from a wide range of materials, including everyday engineering plastics and sustainable, natural oils. PMID:28948227

Transition-state theory predicts clogging at the microscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laar, T. Van De; Klooster, S. Ten; Schroën, K.; Sprakel, J.

2016-06-01

Clogging is one of the main failure mechanisms encountered in industrial processes such as membrane filtration. Our understanding of the factors that govern the build-up of fouling layers and the emergence of clogs is largely incomplete, so that prevention of clogging remains an immense and costly challenge. In this paper we use a microfluidic model combined with quantitative real-time imaging to explore the influence of pore geometry and particle interactions on suspension clogging in constrictions, two crucial factors which remain relatively unexplored. We find a distinct dependence of the clogging rate on the entrance angle to a membrane pore which we explain quantitatively by deriving a model, based on transition-state theory, which describes the effect of viscous forces on the rate with which particles accumulate at the channel walls. With the same model we can also predict the effect of the particle interaction potential on the clogging rate. In both cases we find excellent agreement between our experimental data and theory. A better understanding of these clogging mechanisms and the influence of design parameters could form a stepping stone to delay or prevent clogging by rational membrane design.

Mechanism of West Nile Virus Neuroinvasion: A Critical Appraisal

PubMed Central

Suen, Willy W.; Prow, Natalie A.; Hall, Roy A.; Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle

2014-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is an important emerging neurotropic virus, responsible for increasingly severe encephalitis outbreaks in humans and horses worldwide. However, the mechanism by which the virus gains entry to the brain (neuroinvasion) remains poorly understood. Hypotheses of hematogenous and transneural entry have been proposed for WNV neuroinvasion, which revolve mainly around the concepts of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and retrograde axonal transport, respectively. However, an over‑representation of in vitro studies without adequate in vivo validation continues to obscure our understanding of the mechanism(s). Furthermore, WNV infection in the current rodent models does not generate a similar viremia and character of CNS infection, as seen in the common target hosts, humans and horses. These differences ultimately question the applicability of rodent models for pathogenesis investigations. Finally, the role of several barriers against CNS insults, such as the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the CSF-brain and the blood-spinal cord barriers, remain largely unexplored, highlighting the infancy of this field. In this review, a systematic and critical appraisal of the current evidence relevant to the possible mechanism(s) of WNV neuroinvasion is conducted. PMID:25046180

Challenges and Emerging Technologies within the Field of Pediatric Actigraphy

PubMed Central

Galland, Barbara; Meredith-Jones, Kim; Terrill, Philip; Taylor, Rachael

2014-01-01

Actigraphy as an objective measure of sleep and wakefulness in infants and children has gained popularity over the last 20 years. However, the field lacks published guidelines for sleep–wake identification within pediatric age groups. The scoring rules vary greatly and although sensitivity (sleep agreement with polysomnography) is usually high, a significant limitation remains in relation to specificity (wake agreement). Furthermore, accurate algorithm output and sleep–wake summaries usually require prior entry from daily logs of sleep–wake periods and artifact-related information (e.g., non-wear time), involving significant parent co-operation. Scoring criteria for daytime naps remains an unexplored area. Many of the problems facing accuracy of measurement are inherent within the field of actigraphy itself, particularly where sleep periods containing significant movements are erroneously classified as wake, and within quiet wakefulness when no movements are detected, erroneously classified as sleep. We discuss the challenges of actigraphy for pediatric sleep, briefly describe the technical basis and consider a number of technological approaches that may facilitate improved classification of errors in sleep–wake discrimination. PMID:25191278

Adaptive collective foraging in groups with conflicting nutritional needs

PubMed Central

Senior, Alistair M.; Lihoreau, Mathieu; Charleston, Michael A.; Buhl, Jerome; Raubenheimer, David; Simpson, Stephen J.

2016-01-01

Collective foraging, based on positive feedback and quorum responses, is believed to improve the foraging efficiency of animals. Nutritional models suggest that social information transfer increases the ability of foragers with closely aligned nutritional needs to find nutrients and maintain a balanced diet. However, whether or not collective foraging is adaptive in a heterogeneous group composed of individuals with differing nutritional needs is virtually unexplored. Here we develop an evolutionary agent-based model using concepts of nutritional ecology to address this knowledge gap. Our aim was to evaluate how collective foraging, mediated by social retention on foods, can improve nutrient balancing in individuals with different requirements. The model suggests that in groups where inter-individual nutritional needs are unimodally distributed, high levels of collective foraging yield optimal individual fitness by reducing search times that result from moving between nutritionally imbalanced foods. However, where nutritional needs are highly bimodal (e.g. where the requirements of males and females differ) collective foraging is selected against, leading to group fission. In this case, additional mechanisms such as assortative interactions can coevolve to allow collective foraging by subgroups of individuals with aligned requirements. Our findings indicate that collective foraging is an efficient strategy for nutrient regulation in animals inhabiting complex nutritional environments and exhibiting a range of social forms. PMID:27152206

Design-Based Peptidomimetic Ligand Discovery to Target HIV TAR RNA Using Comparative Analysis of Different Docking Methods.

PubMed

Fu, Junjie; Xia, Amy; Dai, Yao; Qi, Xin

2016-01-01

Discovering molecules capable of binding to HIV trans-activation responsive region (TAR) RNA thereby disrupting its interaction with Tat protein is an attractive strategy for developing novel antiviral drugs. Computational docking is considered as a useful tool for predicting binding affinity and conducting virtual screening. Although great progress in predicting protein-ligand interactions has been achieved in the past few decades, modeling RNA-ligand interactions is still largely unexplored due to the highly flexible nature of RNA. In this work, we performed molecular docking study with HIV TAR RNA using previously identified cyclic peptide L22 and its analogues with varying affinities toward HIV-1 TAR RNA. Furthermore, sarcosine scan was conducted to generate derivatives of CGP64222, a peptide-peptoid hybrid with inhibitory activity on Tat/TAR RNA interaction. Each compound was docked using CDOCKER, Surflex-Dock and FlexiDock to compare the effectiveness of each method. It was found that FlexiDock energy values correlated well with the experimental Kd values and could be used to predict the affinity of the ligands toward HIV-1 TAR RNA with a superior accuracy. Our results based on comparative analysis of different docking methods in RNA-ligand modeling will facilitate the structure-based discovery of HIV TAR RNA ligands for antiviral therapy.

Energy Density in Aligned Nanowire Arrays Irradiated with Relativistic Intensities: Path to Terabar Pressure Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocca, J.; Bargsten, C.; Hollinger, R.; Shylaptsev, V.; Wang, S.; Rockwood, A.; Wang, Y.; Keiss, D.; Capeluto, M.; Kaymak, V.; Pukhov, A.; Tommasini, R.; London, R.; Park, J.

2016-10-01

Ultra-high-energy-density (UHED) plasmas, characterized by energy densities >1 x 108 J cm-3 and pressures greater than a gigabar are encountered in the center of stars and in inertial confinement fusion capsules driven by the world's largest lasers. Similar conditions can be obtained with compact, ultra-high contrast, femtosecond lasers focused to relativistic intensities onto aligned nanowire array targets. Here we report the measurement of the key physical process in determining the energy density deposited in high aspect ratio nanowire array plasmas: the energy penetration. By monitoring the x-ray emission from buried Co tracer segments in Ni nanowire arrays irradiated at an intensity of 4 x 1019 W cm-2, we demonstrate energy penetration depths of several μm, leading to UHED plasmas of that size. Relativistic 3D particle-in-cell-simulations validated by these measurements predict that irradiation of nanostructures at increased intensity will lead to a virtually unexplored extreme UHED plasma regime characterized by energy densities in excess of 8 x 1010 J cm-3, equivalent to a pressure of 0.35 Tbar. This work was supported by the Fusion Energy Program, Office of Science of the U.S Department of Energy, and by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Sexual health and relationships after age 60.

PubMed

Minkin, Mary Jane

2016-01-01

A commonly used phrase describing aging is "60 is the new 40". Although in many aspects of life this may be correct, in discussing sexual health, challenges to maintaining excellent sexual health become more common around age 60. Biological aging challenges physical sexual activity and responsiveness. We commence by briefly surveying the extensive coverage of 'normal' physiological aging. We primarily focus on issues that arise in distinct disease and or pathophysiological states, including gynecological and breast cancer, as well as those associated with partners of men who are either prostate cancer survivors or who have taken therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED). Regrettably, there is a very modest literature on sexual health and associated possible interventions in older patients in these cohorts. We discuss a variety of interventions and approaches, including those that we have developed and applied in a clinic at our host university, which have generally produced successful outcomes. The extended focus to sexual relationship dynamics in partners of men with either prostate cancer or ED in particular is virtually unexplored, yet is especially timely given the large numbers of women who encounter this situation. Finally, we briefly discuss cross-cultural distinctions in older couples' expectations, which exhibit remarkable variation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Updates on the Studies of $${\\varvec{N}}^\\mathbf{*}$$ N * Structure with CLAS and the Prospects with CLAS12

DOE PAGES

Mokeev, V. I.

2016-06-16

Here, the recent results onmore » $$\\gamma_vpN^*$$ electrocouplings from analyses of the data on exclusive meson electroproduction off protons measured with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab are presented. The impact of these results on the exploration of the excited nucleon state structure and non-perturbative strong interaction dynamics behind its formation is outlined. The future extension of these studies in the experiments with the CLAS12 detector in the upgraded Hall-B at JLab will provide for the first time $$\\gamma_vpN^*$$ electrocouplings of all prominent resonances at the still unexplored distance scales that correspond to extremely low (0.05~GeV$^2 < Q^2 <$ 0.5~GeV$^2$) and the highest photon virtualities (5.0~GeV$^2 < Q^2 <$ 12.0~GeV$^2$) ever achieved in the exclusive electroproduction measurements. The expected results will address the most important open problems of the Standard Model: on the nature of more than 98\\% of hadron mass, quark-gluon confinement and emergence of the excited nucleon state structure from the QCD Lagrangian, as well as allowing a search for the new states of hadron matter predicted from the first principles of QCD, the so-called hybrid baryons.« less

Development of a pharmacophore for cruzain using oxadiazoles as virtual molecular probes: quantitative structure-activity relationship studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Souza, Anacleto S.; de Oliveira, Marcelo T.; Andricopulo, Adriano D.

2017-09-01

Chagas's is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. According to the World Health Organization, 7 million people are infected worldwide leading to 7000 deaths per year. Drugs available, nifurtimox and benzimidazole, are limited due to low efficacy and high toxicity. As a validated target, cruzain represents a major front in drug discovery attempts for Chagas disease. Herein, we describe the development of 2D QSAR (r_{{{pred}}}2 = 0.81) and a 3D-QSAR-based pharmacophore (r_{{{pred}}}2 = 0.82) from a series of non-covalent cruzain inhibitors represented mostly by oxadiazoles (lead compound, IC50 = 200 nM). Both models allowed us to map key intermolecular interactions in S1', S2 and S3 cruzain sub-sites (including halogen bond and C‒H/π). To probe the predictive capacity of obtained models, inhibitors available in the literature from different classes displaying a range of scaffolds were evaluate achieving mean absolute deviation of 0.33 and 0.51 for 2D and 3D models, respectively. CoMFA revealed an unexplored region where addition of bulky substituents to produce new compounds in the series could be beneficial to improve biological activity.

Updates on the Studies of {\\varvec{N}}^* Structure with CLAS and the Prospects with CLAS12

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokeev, V. I.

2016-10-01

The recent results on γ _vpN^* electrocouplings from analyses of the data on exclusive meson electroproduction off protons measured with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab are presented. The impact of these results on the exploration of the excited nucleon state structure and non-perturbative strong interaction dynamics behind its formation is outlined. The future extension of these studies in the experiments with the CLAS12 detector in the upgraded Hall-B at JLab will provide for the first time γ _vpN^* electrocouplings of all prominent resonances at the still unexplored distance scales that correspond to extremely low (0.05 GeV^2 < Q^2< 0.5 GeV^2) and the highest photon virtualities (5.0 GeV^2 < Q^2< 12.0 GeV^2) ever achieved in the exclusive electroproduction measurements. The expected results will address the most important open problems of the Standard Model: on the nature of more than 98 % of hadron mass, quark-gluon confinement and emergence of the excited nucleon state structure from the QCD Lagrangian, as well as allowing a search for the new states of hadron matter predicted from the first principles of QCD, the so-called hybrid baryons.

The Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program : guide to information contained in folio of geologic and mineral resource maps of the Philip Smith Mountains quadrangle, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reiser, H.N.; Brosge, W.P.; Hamilton, T.D.; Singer, D.A.; Menzie, W. D.; Bird, K.J.; Cady, J.W.; Le Compte, J. R.; Cathrall, J.B.

1983-01-01

The geology and mineral resources of the Philip Smith Mountains quadrangle were virtually unexplored until the investigations for oil began in northern Alaska. Construction of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System has now made the quadrangle accessible by road. In 1975 and 1976 a team of geologists, geochemists, and geophysicists investigated the quadrangle in order to assess its mineral resource potential. This report is a guide to the resulting folio of twelve maps that describe the geology, stream sediment geochemistry, aeromagnetic features, Landsat imagery, and mineral resources of the area. The bedrock geology and aeromagnetic surveys show that mineral deposits associated with intrusive rocks are probably absent. However, the geology and geochemical anomalies do indicate the possibility of vein and strata-bound deposits of copper, lead, and zinc in the Paleozoic shale and carbonate rocks in the southern part of the quadrangle and of stratabound deposits of zinc and copper in the Permian and Mesozoic shales along the mountain front. The northwestern part of the quadrangle has a low to moderate potential for oil or gas; Mississippian carbonate rocks are the most likely reservoir. The only minerals produced to date have been construction materials.

Size restricted silymarin suspension evokes integrated adaptive response against acute hypoxia exposure in rat lung.

PubMed

Paul, Subhojit; Arya, Aditya; Gangwar, Anamika; Bhargava, Kalpana; Ahmad, Yasmin

2016-07-01

Despite its extraordinary antioxidant capacity, the clinical usage of silymarin has remained restricted to amelioration of hepatic pathology. Perhaps its low bioavailability and uneven bio-distribution, owing to its poor aqueous solubility, are two main causes that have dampened the clinical applicability and scope of this preparation. We took these two challenges and suggested an unexplored application of silymarin. Apart from liver, two of the most susceptible vital organs at the highest risk of oxidative stress are brain and lung, especially during reduced oxygen saturation (hypoxia) at anatomical level. Hypoxia causes excess generation of radicals primarily in the lungs as it is the first organ at the interphase of atmosphere and organism making it the most prone and vulnerable to oxidative stress and the first responder against hypobaric hypoxia. As our first objective, we improved the silymarin formulation by restricting its size to the lower threshold and then successfully tested the prophylactic and therapeutic action in rat lung challenged with simulated hypobaric hypoxia. After dose optimization, we observed that 50mg/kg BW silymarin as size restricted and homogenous aqueous suspension successfully minimized the reactive oxygen species and augmented the antioxidant defense by significant upregulation of catalase and superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione. Moreover, the well-established hypoxia markers and proteins related to hypoxia adaptability, hif1a and VEGF were differentially regulated conferring significant reduction in the inflammation caused by hypobaric hypoxia. We therefore report,the unexplored potential benefits of silymarin for preventing high altitude associated pathophysiology further paving its road to clinical trials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human health alters the sustainability of fishing practices in East Africa.

PubMed

Fiorella, Kathryn J; Milner, Erin M; Salmen, Charles R; Hickey, Matthew D; Omollo, Dan O; Odhiambo, Abdi; Mattah, Brian; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Fernald, Lia C H; Brashares, Justin S

2017-04-18

Understanding feedbacks between human and environmental health is critical for the millions who cope with recurrent illness and rely directly on natural resources for sustenance. Although studies have examined how environmental degradation exacerbates infectious disease, the effects of human health on our use of the environment remains unexplored. Human illness is often tacitly assumed to reduce human impacts on the environment. By this logic, ill people reduce the time and effort that they put into extractive livelihoods and, thereby, their impact on natural resources. We followed 303 households living on Lake Victoria, Kenya over four time points to examine how illness influenced fishing. Using fixed effect conditional logit models to control for individual-level and time-invariant factors, we analyzed the effect of illness on fishing effort and methods. Illness among individuals who listed fishing as their primary occupation affected their participation in fishing. However, among active fishers, we found limited evidence that illness reduced fishing effort. Instead, ill fishers shifted their fishing methods. When ill, fishers were more likely to use methods that were illegal, destructive, and concentrated in inshore areas but required less travel and energy. Ill fishers were also less likely to fish using legal methods that are physically demanding, require travel to deep waters, and are considered more sustainable. By altering the physical capacity and outlook of fishers, human illness shifted their effort, their engagement with natural resources, and the sustainability of their actions. These findings show a previously unexplored pathway through which poor human health may negatively impact the environment.

Diversity and Distribution of Thermophilic Bacteria in Hot Springs of Pakistan.

PubMed

Amin, Arshia; Ahmed, Iftikhar; Salam, Nimaichand; Kim, Byung-Yong; Singh, Dharmesh; Zhi, Xiao-Yang; Xiao, Min; Li, Wen-Jun

2017-07-01

Chilas and Hunza areas, located in the Main Mantle Thrust and Main Karakoram Thrust of the Himalayas, host a range of geochemically diverse hot springs. This Himalayan geothermal region encompassed hot springs ranging in temperature from 60 to 95 °C, in pH from 6.2 to 9.4, and in mineralogy from bicarbonates (Tato Field), sulfates (Tatta Pani) to mixed type (Murtazaabad). Microbial community structures in these geothermal springs remained largely unexplored to date. In this study, we report a comprehensive, culture-independent survey of microbial communities in nine samples from these geothermal fields by employing a bar-coded pyrosequencing technique. The bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi were dominant in all samples from Tato Field, Tatta Pani, and Murtazaabad. The community structures however depended on temperature, pH, and physicochemical parameters of the geothermal sites. The Murtazaabad hot springs with relatively higher temperature (90-95 °C) favored the growth of phylum Thermotogae, whereas the Tatta Pani thermal spring site TP-H3-b (60 °C) favored the phylum Proteobacteria. At sites with low silica and high temperature, OTUs belonging to phylum Chloroflexi were dominant. Deep water areas of the Murtazaabad hot springs favored the sulfur-reducing bacteria. About 40% of the total OTUs obtained from these samples were unclassified or uncharacterized, suggesting the presence of many undiscovered and unexplored microbiota. This study has provided novel insights into the nature of ecological interactions among important taxa in these communities, which in turn will help in determining future study courses in these sites.

Human health alters the sustainability of fishing practices in East Africa

PubMed Central

Milner, Erin M.; Salmen, Charles R.; Hickey, Matthew D.; Omollo, Dan O.; Odhiambo, Abdi; Mattah, Brian; Bukusi, Elizabeth A.; Fernald, Lia C. H.; Brashares, Justin S.

2017-01-01

Understanding feedbacks between human and environmental health is critical for the millions who cope with recurrent illness and rely directly on natural resources for sustenance. Although studies have examined how environmental degradation exacerbates infectious disease, the effects of human health on our use of the environment remains unexplored. Human illness is often tacitly assumed to reduce human impacts on the environment. By this logic, ill people reduce the time and effort that they put into extractive livelihoods and, thereby, their impact on natural resources. We followed 303 households living on Lake Victoria, Kenya over four time points to examine how illness influenced fishing. Using fixed effect conditional logit models to control for individual-level and time-invariant factors, we analyzed the effect of illness on fishing effort and methods. Illness among individuals who listed fishing as their primary occupation affected their participation in fishing. However, among active fishers, we found limited evidence that illness reduced fishing effort. Instead, ill fishers shifted their fishing methods. When ill, fishers were more likely to use methods that were illegal, destructive, and concentrated in inshore areas but required less travel and energy. Ill fishers were also less likely to fish using legal methods that are physically demanding, require travel to deep waters, and are considered more sustainable. By altering the physical capacity and outlook of fishers, human illness shifted their effort, their engagement with natural resources, and the sustainability of their actions. These findings show a previously unexplored pathway through which poor human health may negatively impact the environment. PMID:28377522

Substantive Editing as a Form of Plagiarism among Postgraduate Students in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lines, Lisa

2016-01-01

In university plagiarism policies, and in the research into plagiarism, one form of collusion remains virtually unacknowledged: substantive editing performed by editors. While almost all Australian universities allow postgraduate students to have their thesis professionally edited, "substantive" editing is prohibited. This article…

ICT Fluency and High Schools: A Workshop Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academies Press, 2006

2006-01-01

Information and communications technology (ICT) pervades virtually all domains of modern life--educational, professional, social, and personal. Yet although there have been numerous calls for linkages that enable ICT competencies acquired in one domain to benefit another, this goal has largely remained unrealized. In particular, while technology…

The intrinsic circadian clock within the cardiomyocyte directly regulates myocardial gene expression, metabolism, and contractile function

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Virtually every mammalian cell, including cardiomyocytes, possesses an intrinsic circadian clock. The role of this transcriptionally based molecular mechanism in cardiovascular biology remains unknown. We hypothesized that circadian clock within the cardiomyocyte plays a role in regulating myocardia...

The intrinsic circadian clock within the cardiomyocyte directly regulates myocardial gene expression, metabolism, and contractile function

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Virtually every mammalian cell, including cardiomyocytes, possesses an intrinsic circadian clock. The role of this transcriptionally based molecular mechanism in cardiovascular biology remains unknown. We hypothesized that the circadian clock within the cardiomyocyte plays a role in regulating myo...

The Critical Role of Self-Contact for Embodiment in Virtual Reality.

PubMed

Bovet, Sidney; Debarba, Henrique Galvan; Herbelin, Bruno; Molla, Eray; Boulic, Ronan

2018-04-01

With the broad range of motion capture devices available on the market, it is now commonplace to directly control the limb movement of an avatar during immersion in a virtual environment. Here, we study how the subjective experience of embodying a full-body controlled avatar is influenced by motor alteration and self-contact mismatches. Self-contact is in particular a strong source of passive haptic feedback and we assume it to bring a clear benefit in terms of embodiment. For evaluating this hypothesis, we experimentally manipulate self-contacts and the virtual hand displacement relatively to the body. We introduce these body posture transformations to experimentally reproduce the imperfect or incorrect mapping between real and virtual bodies, with the goal of quantifying the limits of acceptance for distorted mapping on the reported body ownership and agency. We first describe how we exploit egocentric coordinate representations to perform a motion capture ensuring that real and virtual hands coincide whenever the real hand is in contact with the body. Then, we present a pilot study that focuses on quantifying our sensitivity to visuo-tactile mismatches. The results are then used to design our main study with two factors, offset (for self-contact) and amplitude (for movement amplification). Our main result shows that subjects' embodiment remains important, even when an artificially amplified movement of the hand was performed, but provided that correct self-contacts are ensured.

Cue reactivity in virtual reality: the role of context.

PubMed

Paris, Megan M; Carter, Brian L; Traylor, Amy C; Bordnick, Patrick S; Day, Susan X; Armsworth, Mary W; Cinciripini, Paul M

2011-07-01

Cigarette smokers in laboratory experiments readily respond to smoking stimuli with increased craving. An alternative to traditional cue-reactivity methods (e.g., exposure to cigarette photos), virtual reality (VR) has been shown to be a viable cue presentation method to elicit and assess cigarette craving within complex virtual environments. However, it remains poorly understood whether contextual cues from the environment contribute to craving increases in addition to specific cues, like cigarettes. This study examined the role of contextual cues in a VR environment to evoke craving. Smokers were exposed to a virtual convenience store devoid of any specific cigarette cues followed by exposure to the same convenience store with specific cigarette cues added. Smokers reported increased craving following exposure to the virtual convenience store without specific cues, and significantly greater craving following the convenience store with cigarette cues added. However, increased craving recorded after the second convenience store may have been due to the pre-exposure to the first convenience store. This study offers evidence that an environmental context where cigarette cues are normally present (but are not), elicits significant craving in the absence of specific cigarette cues. This finding suggests that VR may have stronger ecological validity over traditional cue reactivity exposure methods by exposing smokers to the full range of cigarette-related environmental stimuli, in addition to specific cigarette cues, that smokers typically experience in their daily lives. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The biological inorganic chemistry of zinc ions.

PubMed

Krężel, Artur; Maret, Wolfgang

2016-12-01

The solution and complexation chemistry of zinc ions is the basis for zinc biology. In living organisms, zinc is redox-inert and has only one valence state: Zn(II). Its coordination environment in proteins is limited by oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur donors from the side chains of a few amino acids. In an estimated 10% of all human proteins, zinc has a catalytic or structural function and remains bound during the lifetime of the protein. However, in other proteins zinc ions bind reversibly with dissociation and association rates commensurate with the requirements in regulation, transport, transfer, sensing, signalling, and storage. In contrast to the extensive knowledge about zinc proteins, the coordination chemistry of the "mobile" zinc ions in these processes, i.e. when not bound to proteins, is virtually unexplored and the mechanisms of ligand exchange are poorly understood. Knowledge of the biological inorganic chemistry of zinc ions is essential for understanding its cellular biology and for designing complexes that deliver zinc to proteins and chelating agents that remove zinc from proteins, for detecting zinc ion species by qualitative and quantitative analysis, and for proper planning and execution of experiments involving zinc ions and nanoparticles such as zinc oxide (ZnO). In most investigations, reference is made to zinc or Zn 2+ without full appreciation of how biological zinc ions are buffered and how the d-block cation Zn 2+ differs from s-block cations such as Ca 2+ with regard to significantly higher affinity for ligands, preference for the donor atoms of ligands, and coordination dynamics. Zinc needs to be tightly controlled. The interaction with low molecular weight ligands such as water and inorganic and organic anions is highly relevant to its biology but in contrast to its coordination in proteins has not been discussed in the biochemical literature. From the discussion in this article, it is becoming evident that zinc ion speciation is important in zinc biochemistry and for biological recognition as a variety of low molecular weight zinc complexes have already been implicated in biological processes, e.g. with ATP, glutathione, citrate, ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid, nicotianamine, or bacillithiol. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing Deep Sea Communities Through Seabed Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matkin, A. G.; Cross, K.; Milititsky, M.

2016-02-01

The deep sea still remains virtually unexplored. Human activity, such as oil and gas exploration and deep sea mining, is expanding further into the deep sea, increasing the need to survey and map extensive areas of this habitat in order to assess ecosystem health and value. The technology needed to explore this remote environment has been advancing. Seabed imagery can cover extensive areas of the seafloor and investigate areas where sampling with traditional coring methodologies is just not possible (e.g. cold water coral reefs). Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are an expensive option, so drop or towed camera systems can provide a more viable and affordable alternative, while still allowing for real-time control. Assessment of seabed imagery in terms of presence, abundance and density of particular species can be conducted by bringing together a variety of analytical tools for a holistic approach. Sixteen deep sea transects located offshore West Africa were investigated with a towed digital video telemetry system (DTS). Both digital stills and video footage were acquired. An extensive data set was obtained from over 13,000 usable photographs, allowing for characterisation of the different habitats present in terms of community composition and abundance. All observed fauna were identified to the lowest taxonomic level and enumerated when possible, with densities derived after the seabed area was calculated for each suitable photograph. This methodology allowed for consistent assessment of the different habitat types present, overcoming constraints, such as specific taxa that cannot be enumerated, such as sponges, corals or bryozoans, the presence of mobile and sessile species, or the level of taxonomic detail. Although this methodology will not enable a full characterisation of a deep sea community, in terms of species composition for instance, itt will allow a robust assessment of large areas of the deep sea in terms of sensitive habitats present and community characteristics of each habitat. Such data can be readily utilised for planning and licensing purposes and be potentially revisited in the future when taxonomic resolution increases, for a more detailed characterisation or monitoring of this poorly described environment.

Mapping the Gaps: Building a pipeline for contributing and accessing crowdsourced bathymetry data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, A. M.; Jencks, J. H.; Robertson, E.; Reed, A.

2017-12-01

Both the Moon and Mars have been more comprehensively mapped than the Earth's oceans. Notably, less than 15% of the world's deep ocean and 50% of the world's coastal waters (<200m) have been measured directly. A knowledge of the depth and shape of the seafloor underpins the safe, sustainable, cost effective execution of almost every human activity that takes place at sea, yet most of the seafloor remains virtually unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored. Since 2014, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has encouraged innovative supplementary data-gathering and data-maximizing initiatives to increase knowledge of the bathymetry of the seas, oceans and coastal waters including crowdsourced bathymetry (CSB). CSB can be used to identify areas where nautical charts are inadequate or applied to charts when the source and uncertainties of the data are well understood. The key to successful CSB efforts is volunteer observers who operate vessels-of-opportunity in places where charts are poor or where the seafloor is dynamic and hydrographic assets are not easily available. NOAA chairs the IHO CSB Working Group and hosts the IHO Data Centre for Digital Bathymetry (IHO DCDB) at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). NCEI has been working to enhance the infrastructure and interface of the DCDB to provide archiving, discovery, display and retrieval of CSB contributed from mariners around the world. NCEI, in partnership with NOAA's Office of Coast Survey and Rose Point Navigation Systems, established a citizen science pilot program in 2015 to harvest CSB from Electronic Navigation Systems. Today, data providers can submit xyz, csv, or geoJSON for automated ingest, while other formats can be accommodated with minimal system code changes. Like most marine geophysical datasets at NCEI, users can discover, filter, and request CSB data via a map viewer (https://maps.ngdc.noaa.gov/viewers/csb/). Now that the CSB pipeline has been established, NCEI has begun to plan future work that includes expanding the current infrastructure to account for increasing data volumes and implementing a point storage technology that would allow results to be dynamically generated and displayed through heat maps, while continuing to increase the number of data contributors to the IHO CSB initiative.

Welfare Impact of Virtual Trading on Wholesale Electricity Markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giraldo, Juan S.

Virtual bidding has become a standard feature of multi-settlement wholesale electricity markets in the United States. Virtual bids are financial instruments that allow market participants to take financial positions in the Day-Ahead (DA) market that are automatically reversed/closed in the Real-Time (RT) market. Most U.S. wholesale electricity markets only have two types of virtual bids: a decrement bid (DEC), which is virtual load, and an increment offer (INC), which is virtual generation. In theory, financial participants create benefits by seeking out profitable bidding opportunities through arbitrage or speculation. Benefits have been argued to take the form of increased competition, price convergence, increased market liquidity, and a more efficient dispatch of generation resources. Studies have found that price convergence between the DA and RT markets improved following the introduction of virtual bidding into wholesale electricity markets. The improvement in price convergence was taken as evidence that market efficiency had increased and many of the theoretical benefits realized. Persistent price differences between the DA and RT markets have led to calls to further expand virtual bidding as a means to address remaining market inefficiencies. However, the argument that price convergence is beneficial is extrapolated from the study of commodity and financial markets and the role of futures for increasing market efficiency in that context. This viewpoint largely ignores details that differentiate wholesale electricity markets from other commodity markets. This dissertation advances the understanding of virtual bidding by evaluating the impact of virtual bidding based on the standard definition of economic efficiency which is social welfare. In addition, an examination of the impacts of another type of virtual bid, up-to-congestion (UTC) transactions is presented. This virtual product significantly increased virtual bidding activity in the PJM interconnection market since it became available to be used by financial traders in September 2010. Stylized models are used to determine the optimal bidding strategy for the different virtual bids under different scenarios. The welfare analysis shows that the main impact of virtual bidding is surplus reallocation and that the impact on market efficiency is small by comparison. The market structure is such that it is more likely to see surplus transfers from consumers to producers. The results also show that outcomes with greater price convergence as a result of virtual bidding activity were not necessarily more efficient, nor do they always correct surplus distribution distortions that result from bias in the DA expectation of RT load. Compared to INCs and DECs, the UTC analysis showed that UTCs do not have the same self-corrective incentives towards price convergence and are less likely to lead to nodal price convergence or correct for surplus distribution distortions caused by uncertainty and bias in the DA expectation of RT load. Additionally, the analysis showed that UTCs allow financial traders to engage in low risk high volume trading strategies that, while profitable, may have little to no impact on price convergence or market efficiency.

History of human papillomavirus, warts and cancer: what do we know today?

PubMed

Onon, Toli S

2011-10-01

Human papillomavirus has been a cause of infection in humans for thousands of years. The history of papillomaviruses, knowledge of their causative role in benign and malignant disease, and their structural characteristics have led to the development of vaccines to prevent cervical and anogenital cancers. Many questions remain unanswered before HPV vaccines can be optimised; however, the concept of virtual eradication of cervical cancer is not impossible, and remains a realistic aspiration. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and Valorization of Historical Sites Through 3d Documentation and Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farella, E.; Menna, F.; Nocerino, E.; Morabito, D.; Remondino, F.; Campi, M.

2016-06-01

The paper presents the first results of an interdisciplinary project related to the 3D documentation, dissemination, valorization and digital access of archeological sites. Beside the mere 3D documentation aim, the project has two goals: (i) to easily explore and share via web references and results of the interdisciplinary work, including the interpretative process and the final reconstruction of the remains; (ii) to promote and valorize archaeological areas using reality-based 3D data and Virtual Reality devices. This method has been verified on the ruins of the archeological site of Pausilypon, a maritime villa of Roman period (Naples, Italy). Using Unity3D, the virtual tour of the heritage site was integrated and enriched with the surveyed 3D data, text documents, CAAD reconstruction hypotheses, drawings, photos, etc. In this way, starting from the actual appearance of the ruins (panoramic images), passing through the 3D digital surveying models and several other historical information, the user is able to access virtual contents and reconstructed scenarios, all in a single virtual, interactive and immersive environment. These contents and scenarios allow to derive documentation and geometrical information, understand the site, perform analyses, see interpretative processes, communicate historical information and valorize the heritage location.

Bioinformatics Pipelines for Targeted Resequencing and Whole-Exome Sequencing of Human and Mouse Genomes: A Virtual Appliance Approach for Instant Deployment

PubMed Central

Saeed, Isaam; Wong, Stephen Q.; Mar, Victoria; Goode, David L.; Caramia, Franco; Doig, Ken; Ryland, Georgina L.; Thompson, Ella R.; Hunter, Sally M.; Halgamuge, Saman K.; Ellul, Jason; Dobrovic, Alexander; Campbell, Ian G.; Papenfuss, Anthony T.; McArthur, Grant A.; Tothill, Richard W.

2014-01-01

Targeted resequencing by massively parallel sequencing has become an effective and affordable way to survey small to large portions of the genome for genetic variation. Despite the rapid development in open source software for analysis of such data, the practical implementation of these tools through construction of sequencing analysis pipelines still remains a challenging and laborious activity, and a major hurdle for many small research and clinical laboratories. We developed TREVA (Targeted REsequencing Virtual Appliance), making pre-built pipelines immediately available as a virtual appliance. Based on virtual machine technologies, TREVA is a solution for rapid and efficient deployment of complex bioinformatics pipelines to laboratories of all sizes, enabling reproducible results. The analyses that are supported in TREVA include: somatic and germline single-nucleotide and insertion/deletion variant calling, copy number analysis, and cohort-based analyses such as pathway and significantly mutated genes analyses. TREVA is flexible and easy to use, and can be customised by Linux-based extensions if required. TREVA can also be deployed on the cloud (cloud computing), enabling instant access without investment overheads for additional hardware. TREVA is available at http://bioinformatics.petermac.org/treva/. PMID:24752294

VESPA: Developing the Planetary Science Virtual Observatory in H2020

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erard, S.; Cecconi, B.; Le Sidaner, P.; Capria, T.; Rossi, A. P.; Schmitt, B.; André, N.; Vandaele, A.-C.; Scherf, M.; Hueso, R.; Maattanen, A.; Thuillot, W.; Achilleos, N.; Marmo, C.; Santolik, O.; Benson, K.; Bollard, Ph.

2015-10-01

The Europlanet H2020 programme will develop a research infrastructure in Horizon 2020. The programme includes a follow-on to the FP7 activity aimed at developing the Planetary Science Virtual Observatory (VO). This activity is called VESPA, which stands for Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access. Building on the IDIS activity of Europlanet FP7, VESPA will distribute more data, will improve the connected tools and infrastructure, and will help developing a community of both users and data providers. One goal of the Europlanet FP7 programme was to set the basis for a European Virtual Observatory in Planetary Science. A prototype has been set up during FP7, most of the activity being dedicated to the definition of standards to handle data in this field. The aim was to facilitate searches in big archives as well as sparse databases, to make on-line data access and visualization possible, and to allow small data providers to make their data available in an interoperable environment with minimum effort. This system makes intensive use of studies and developments led in Astronomy (IVOA), Solar Science (HELIO), plasma physics (SPASE), and space archive services (IPDA). It remains consistent with extensions of IVOA standards.

VESPA: developing the planetary science Virtual Observatory in H2020

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erard, Stéphane; Cecconi, Baptiste; Le Sidaner, Pierre; Capria, Teresa; Rossi, Angelo Pio

2016-04-01

The Europlanet H2020 programme will develop a research infrastructure in Horizon 2020. The programme includes a follow-on to the FP7 activity aimed at developing the Planetary Science Virtual Observatory (VO). This activity is called VESPA, which stands for Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access. Building on the IDIS activity of Europlanet FP7, VESPA will distribute more data, will improve the connected tools and infrastructure, and will help developing a community of both users and data providers. One goal of the Europlanet FP7 programme was to set the basis for a European Virtual Observatory in Planetary Science. A prototype has been set up during FP7, most of the activity being dedicated to the definition of standards to handle data in this field. The aim was to facilitate searches in big archives as well as sparse databases, to make on-line data access and visualization possible, and to allow small data providers to make their data available in an interoperable environment with minimum effort. This system makes intensive use of studies and developments led in Astronomy (IVOA), Solar Science (HELIO), plasma physics (SPASE), and space archive services (IPDA). It remains consistent with extensions of IVOA standards.

Grip force control during virtual object interaction: effect of force feedback,accuracy demands, and training.

PubMed

Gibo, Tricia L; Bastian, Amy J; Okamura, Allison M

2014-03-01

When grasping and manipulating objects, people are able to efficiently modulate their grip force according to the experienced load force. Effective grip force control involves providing enough grip force to prevent the object from slipping, while avoiding excessive force to avoid damage and fatigue. During indirect object manipulation via teleoperation systems or in virtual environments, users often receive limited somatosensory feedback about objects with which they interact. This study examines the effects of force feedback, accuracy demands, and training on grip force control during object interaction in a virtual environment. The task required subjects to grasp and move a virtual object while tracking a target. When force feedback was not provided, subjects failed to couple grip and load force, a capability fundamental to direct object interaction. Subjects also exerted larger grip force without force feedback and when accuracy demands of the tracking task were high. In addition, the presence or absence of force feedback during training affected subsequent performance, even when the feedback condition was switched. Subjects' grip force control remained reminiscent of their employed grip during the initial training. These results motivate the use of force feedback during telemanipulation and highlight the effect of force feedback during training.

High sensitivity to multisensory conflicts in agoraphobia exhibited by virtual reality.

PubMed

Viaud-Delmon, Isabelle; Warusfel, Olivier; Seguelas, Angeline; Rio, Emmanuel; Jouvent, Roland

2006-10-01

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of auditory feedback in a VR system planned for clinical use and to address the different factors that should be taken into account in building a bimodal virtual environment (VE). We conducted an experiment in which we assessed spatial performances in agoraphobic patients and normal subjects comparing two kinds of VEs, visual alone (Vis) and auditory-visual (AVis), during separate sessions. Subjects were equipped with a head-mounted display coupled with an electromagnetic sensor system and immersed in a virtual town. Their task was to locate different landmarks and become familiar with the town. In the AVis condition subjects were equipped with the head-mounted display and headphones, which delivered a soundscape updated in real-time according to their movement in the virtual town. While general performances remained comparable across the conditions, the reported feeling of immersion was more compelling in the AVis environment. However, patients exhibited more cybersickness symptoms in this condition. The result of this study points to the multisensory integration deficit of agoraphobic patients and underline the need for further research on multimodal VR systems for clinical use.

Do virtual reality games improve mobility skills and balance measurements in community-dwelling older adults? Systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Neri, Silvia Gr; Cardoso, Jefferson R; Cruz, Lorena; Lima, Ricardo M; de Oliveira, Ricardo J; Iversen, Maura D; Carregaro, Rodrigo L

2017-10-01

To summarize evidence on the effectiveness of virtual reality games and conventional therapy or no-intervention for fall prevention in the elderly. An electronic data search (last searched December 2016) was performed on 10 databases (Web of Science, EMBASE, PUBMED, CINAHL, LILACS, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Library, Scopus, SciELO, PEDro) and retained only randomized controlled trials. Sample characteristics and intervention parameters were compared, focusing on clinical homogeneity of demographic characteristics, type/duration of interventions, outcomes (balance, reaction time, mobility, lower limb strength and fear of falling) and low risk of bias. Based on homogeneity, a meta-analysis was considered. Two independent reviewers assessed the risk of bias. A total of 28 studies met the inclusion criteria and were appraised ( n: 1121 elderly participants). We found that virtual reality games presented positive effects on balance and fear of falling compared with no-intervention. Virtual reality games were also superior to conventional interventions for balance improvements and fear of falling. The six studies included in the meta-analysis demonstrated that virtual reality games significantly improved mobility and balance after 3-6 and 8-12 weeks of intervention when compared with no-intervention. The risk of bias revealed that less than one-third of the studies correctly described the random sequence generation and allocation concealment procedures. Our review suggests positive clinical effects of virtual reality games for balance and mobility improvements compared with no-treatment and conventional interventions. However, owing to the high risk of bias and large variability of intervention protocols, the evidence remains inconclusive and further research is warranted.

Towards a Transcription System of Sign Language for 3D Virtual Agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Do Amaral, Wanessa Machado; de Martino, José Mario

Accessibility is a growing concern in computer science. Since virtual information is mostly presented visually, it may seem that access for deaf people is not an issue. However, for prelingually deaf individuals, those who were deaf since before acquiring and formally learn a language, written information is often of limited accessibility than if presented in signing. Further, for this community, signing is their language of choice, and reading text in a spoken language is akin to using a foreign language. Sign language uses gestures and facial expressions and is widely used by deaf communities. To enabling efficient production of signed content on virtual environment, it is necessary to make written records of signs. Transcription systems have been developed to describe sign languages in written form, but these systems have limitations. Since they were not originally designed with computer animation in mind, in general, the recognition and reproduction of signs in these systems is an easy task only to those who deeply know the system. The aim of this work is to develop a transcription system to provide signed content in virtual environment. To animate a virtual avatar, a transcription system requires explicit enough information, such as movement speed, signs concatenation, sequence of each hold-and-movement and facial expressions, trying to articulate close to reality. Although many important studies in sign languages have been published, the transcription problem remains a challenge. Thus, a notation to describe, store and play signed content in virtual environments offers a multidisciplinary study and research tool, which may help linguistic studies to understand the sign languages structure and grammar.

A Reliable, Feasible Method to Observe Neighborhoods at High Spatial Resolution

PubMed Central

Kepper, Maura M.; Sothern, Melinda S.; Theall, Katherine P.; Griffiths, Lauren A.; Scribner, Richard; Tseng, Tung-Sung; Schaettle, Paul; Cwik, Jessica M.; Felker-Kantor, Erica; Broyles, Stephanie T.

2016-01-01

Introduction Systematic social observation (SSO) methods traditionally measure neighborhoods at street level and have been performed reliably using virtual applications to increase feasibility. Research indicates that collection at even higher spatial resolution may better elucidate the health impact of neighborhood factors, but whether virtual applications can reliably capture social determinants of health at the smallest geographic resolution (parcel level) remains uncertain. This paper presents a novel, parcel-level SSO methodology and assesses whether this new method can be collected reliably using Google Street View and is feasible. Methods Multiple raters (N=5) observed 42 neighborhoods. In 2016, inter-rater reliability (observed agreement and kappa coefficient) was compared for four SSO methods: (1) street-level in person; (2) street-level virtual; (3) parcel-level in person; and (4) parcel-level virtual. Intra-rater reliability (observed agreement and kappa coefficient) was calculated to determine whether parcel-level methods produce results comparable to traditional street-level observation. Results Substantial levels of inter-rater agreement were documented across all four methods; all methods had >70% of items with at least substantial agreement. Only physical decay showed higher levels of agreement (83% of items with >75% agreement) for direct versus virtual rating source. Intra-rater agreement comparing street- versus parcel-level methods resulted in observed agreement >75% for all but one item (90%). Conclusions Results support the use of Google Street View as a reliable, feasible tool for performing SSO at the smallest geographic resolution. Validation of a new parcel-level method collected virtually may improve the assessment of social determinants contributing to disparities in health behaviors and outcomes. PMID:27989289

Virtual Surgery for Conduit Reconstruction of the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract.

PubMed

Ong, Chin Siang; Loke, Yue-Hin; Opfermann, Justin; Olivieri, Laura; Vricella, Luca; Krieger, Axel; Hibino, Narutoshi

2017-05-01

Virtual surgery involves the planning and simulation of surgical reconstruction using three-dimensional (3D) modeling based upon individual patient data, augmented by simulation of planned surgical alterations including implantation of devices or grafts. Here we describe a case in which virtual cardiac surgery aided us in determining the optimal conduit size to use for the reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract. The patient is a young adolescent male with a history of tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia, requiring right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduit replacement. Utilizing preoperative magnetic resonance imaging data, virtual surgery was undertaken to construct his heart in 3D and to simulate the implantation of three different sizes of RV-PA conduit (18, 20, and 22 mm). Virtual cardiac surgery allowed us to predict the ability to implant a conduit of a size that would likely remain adequate in the face of continued somatic growth and also allow for the possibility of transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation at some time in the future. Subsequently, the patient underwent uneventful conduit change surgery with implantation of a 22-mm Hancock valved conduit. As predicted, the intrathoracic space was sufficient to accommodate the relatively large conduit size without geometric distortion or sternal compression. Virtual cardiac surgery gives surgeons the ability to simulate the implantation of prostheses of different sizes in relation to the dimensions of a specific patient's own heart and thoracic cavity in 3D prior to surgery. This can be very helpful in predicting optimal conduit size, determining appropriate timing of surgery, and patient education.

Characterization of the phantom material virtual water in high-energy photon and electron beams.

PubMed

McEwen, M R; Niven, D

2006-04-01

The material Virtual Water has been characterized in photon and electron beams. Range-scaling factors and fluence correction factors were obtained, the latter with an uncertainty of around 0.2%. This level of uncertainty means that it may be possible to perform dosimetry in a solid phantom with an accuracy approaching that of measurements in water. Two formulations of Virtual Water were investigated with nominally the same elemental composition but differing densities. For photon beams neither formulation showed exact water equivalence-the water/Virtual Water dose ratio varied with the depth of measurement with a difference of over 1% at 10 cm depth. However, by using a density (range) scaling factor very good agreement (<0.2%) between water and Virtual Water at all depths was obtained. In the case of electron beams a range-scaling factor was also required to match the shapes of the depth dose curves in water and Virtual Water. However, there remained a difference in the measured fluence in the two phantoms after this scaling factor had been applied. For measurements around the peak of the depth-dose curve and the reference depth this difference showed some small energy dependence but was in the range 0.1%-0.4%. Perturbation measurements have indicated that small slabs of material upstream of a detector have a small (<0.1% effect) on the chamber reading but material behind the detector can have a larger effect. This has consequences for the design of experiments and in the comparison of measurements and Monte Carlo-derived values.

Creating Interactive Virtual Humans: Some Assembly Required

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-08-01

other alterna- tives is an important open problem in vir- tual human research. The future of androids remains to be seen, but realistic interactive...psychology and linguistics. Contact her at cassell@ media.mit.edu. Eric Petajan is chief scientist and founder of face2face animation, and chaired the

The "Virtual" Panel: A Computerized Model for LGBT Speaker Panels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beasley, Christopher; Torres-Harding, Susan; Pedersen, Paula J.

2012-01-01

Recent societal trends indicate more tolerance for homosexuality, but prejudice remains on college campuses. Speaker panels are commonly used in classrooms as a way to educate students about sexual diversity and decrease negative attitudes toward sexual diversity. The advent of computer-delivered instruction presents a unique opportunity to…

Changing a Cultural Icon: The Academic Library as a Virtual Destination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Jerry D.

2006-01-01

Academic libraries today are complex institutions with multiple roles and a host of related operations and services developed over the years. Yet their fundamental purpose has remained the same: to provide access to trustworthy, authoritative knowledge. Consequently, academic libraries--along with their private and governmental counterparts--have…

Factors Affecting Adoption of Video Games in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenny, Robert; Gunter, Glenda

2011-01-01

Video games are one of the fastest growing elements of informal, virtual learning. While their popularity in informal learning situations continues to grow, adoption in the K-12 classrooms remains stagnant. We attribute this to two separate but inter-related phenomena. Game designers and developers fail to incorporate important pedagogic…

International Aid to Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benavot, Aaron

2010-01-01

Recent evidence highlights several worrisome trends regarding aid pledges and disbursements, which have been exacerbated by the global financial crisis. First, while overall development assistance rose in 2008, after 2 years of decline, the share of all sector aid going to the education sector has remained virtually unchanged at about 12 percent…

Zinc for preterm infants: Who needs it and how much is needed?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The establishment of micronutrient requirements for infants remains a challenge. For healthy full-term infants, breast milk is an appropriate standard for virtually all nutrients. In contrast, guidelines for infants who are not healthy, and infants who are born preterm, are much more tenuous....

The Virtual Professor: A New Model in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valentine, Randall; Bennett, Robert

2013-01-01

Traditional colleges and universities face a unique challenge of increasing the scope of educational operations to accommodate the growing demand for online education. While online enrollments in higher education have grown at a rapid pace, faculty resources have remained stagnant at many institutions due to budget constraints and a sluggish…

Cultivating Student Global Competence: A Pilot Experimental Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yulong

2013-01-01

Although student global competence has been recognized as an important learning outcome by more and more colleges and universities, campus internationalization efforts remain fragmented and largely ineffective. We proposed a pedagogical intervention that provided students from China and the U.S. with opportunities to establish virtual contact and…

Upper third molar internal structural organization and semicircular canal morphology in Plio-Pleistocene South African cercopithecoids.

PubMed

Beaudet, Amélie; Dumoncel, Jean; Thackeray, John Francis; Bruxelles, Laurent; Duployer, Benjamin; Tenailleau, Christophe; Bam, Lunga; Hoffman, Jakobus; de Beer, Frikkie; Braga, José

2016-06-01

Despite the abundance of cercopithecoids in the fossil record, especially in South Africa, and the recent development of morphometric approaches, uncertainties regarding the taxonomic identification of isolated cranio-dental specimens remain. Because cercopithecoids, nearly always found in stratigraphic association with hominin remains in Plio-Pleistocene deposits, are considered as sensitive ecological and chronological biomarkers, a significant effort should be made to clarify their palaeobiodiversity by assessing additional reliable morphological diagnostic criteria. Here we test the relevance of both molar crown internal structure and bony labyrinth morphology for discrimination of fossil cercopithecoid species. We use microtomographic-based 3D virtual imaging and quantitative analyses to investigate tooth endostructural organization and inner ear shape in 29 craniodental specimens from the South African sites of Kromdraai, Makapansgat, Sterkfontein and Swartkrans and provide the first detailed description of the internal structural condition characterizing this Plio-Pleistocene primate assemblage. Our preliminary results show that enamel-dentine junction morphology could be informative for discriminating highly autapomorphic taxa such as Theropithecus, while semicircular canal shape is tentatively proposed as an efficient criterion for diagnosing Dinopithecus ingens. Further research in virtual paleoprimatology may contribute to the identification of unassigned isolated fossil remains and shed new light on the internal craniodental morphology of extinct primate taxa. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using peer-to-peer energy-trading platforms to incentivize prosumers to form federated power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morstyn, Thomas; Farrell, Niall; Darby, Sarah J.; McCulloch, Malcolm D.

2018-02-01

Power networks are undergoing a fundamental transition, with traditionally passive consumers becoming `prosumers' — proactive consumers with distributed energy resources, actively managing their consumption, production and storage of energy. A key question that remains unresolved is: how can we incentivize coordination between vast numbers of distributed energy resources, each with different owners and characteristics? Virtual power plants and peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading offer different sources of value to prosumers and the power network, and have been proposed as different potential structures for future prosumer electricity markets. In this Perspective, we argue they can be combined to capture the benefits of both. We thus propose the concept of the federated power plant, a virtual power plant formed through P2P transactions between self-organizing prosumers. This addresses social, institutional and economic issues faced by top-down strategies for coordinating virtual power plants, while unlocking additional value for P2P energy trading.

Chronic disease management and the development of virtual communities.

PubMed

Smith, Alan D

2007-01-01

The current volume and expected increases in the number of patients with chronic diseases are concerned significant and substantial. Patients with chronic diseases have a great need to personally manage their health-related behaviour, such as food consumption, and its impact on their health indicators, like blood pressure, body weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, to name a few. Current healthcare systems are unable to meet the needs of patients with chronic diseases for management, due to the need for acute care. An analysis of the needs was performed and recommendations for virtual communities were made to help patients with chronic diseases monitor and manage their health. Virtual communities have the potential to meet the need to assist with monitoring activities, education, community membership, and the sale of products and services. However, they also face risks inherent to accepting and storing any form of personal health information, and of remaining in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act of 2001.

Language-driven anticipatory eye movements in virtual reality.

PubMed

Eichert, Nicole; Peeters, David; Hagoort, Peter

2018-06-01

Predictive language processing is often studied by measuring eye movements as participants look at objects on a computer screen while they listen to spoken sentences. This variant of the visual-world paradigm has revealed that information encountered by a listener at a spoken verb can give rise to anticipatory eye movements to a target object, which is taken to indicate that people predict upcoming words. The ecological validity of such findings remains questionable, however, because these computer experiments used two-dimensional stimuli that were mere abstractions of real-world objects. Here we present a visual-world paradigm study in a three-dimensional (3-D) immersive virtual reality environment. Despite significant changes in the stimulus materials and the different mode of stimulus presentation, language-mediated anticipatory eye movements were still observed. These findings thus indicate that people do predict upcoming words during language comprehension in a more naturalistic setting where natural depth cues are preserved. Moreover, the results confirm the feasibility of using eyetracking in rich and multimodal 3-D virtual environments.

Fish in the matrix: motor learning in a virtual world.

PubMed

Engert, Florian

2012-01-01

One of the large remaining challenges in the field of zebrafish neuroscience is the establishment of techniques and preparations that permit the recording and perturbation of neural activity in animals that can interact meaningfully with the environment. Since it is very difficult to do this in freely behaving zebrafish, I describe here two alternative approaches that meet this goal via tethered preparations. The first uses head-fixation in agarose in combination with online imaging and analysis of tail motion. In the second method, paralyzed fish are suspended with suction pipettes in mid-water and nerve root recordings serve as indicators for intended locomotion. In both cases, fish can be immersed into a virtual environment and allowed to interact with this virtual world via real or fictive tail motions. The specific examples given in this review focus primarily on the role of visual feedback~- but the general principles certainly extend to other modalities, including proprioception, hearing, balance, and somatosensation.

Fish in the matrix: motor learning in a virtual world

PubMed Central

Engert, Florian

2013-01-01

One of the large remaining challenges in the field of zebrafish neuroscience is the establishment of techniques and preparations that permit the recording and perturbation of neural activity in animals that can interact meaningfully with the environment. Since it is very difficult to do this in freely behaving zebrafish, I describe here two alternative approaches that meet this goal via tethered preparations. The first uses head-fixation in agarose in combination with online imaging and analysis of tail motion. In the second method, paralyzed fish are suspended with suction pipettes in mid-water and nerve root recordings serve as indicators for intended locomotion. In both cases, fish can be immersed into a virtual environment and allowed to interact with this virtual world via real or fictive tail motions. The specific examples given in this review focus primarily on the role of visual feedback~– but the general principles certainly extend to other modalities, including proprioception, hearing, balance, and somatosensation. PMID:23355810

Virtual wayfinding using simulated prosthetic vision in gaze-locked viewing.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Yang, Liancheng; Dagnelie, Gislin

2008-11-01

To assess virtual maze navigation performance with simulated prosthetic vision in gaze-locked viewing, under the conditions of varying luminance contrast, background noise, and phosphene dropout. Four normally sighted subjects performed virtual maze navigation using simulated prosthetic vision in gaze-locked viewing, under five conditions of luminance contrast, background noise, and phosphene dropout. Navigation performance was measured as the time required to traverse a 10-room maze using a game controller, and the number of errors made during the trip. Navigation performance time (1) became stable after 6 to 10 trials, (2) remained similar on average at luminance contrast of 68% and 16% but had greater variation at 16%, (3) was not significantly affected by background noise, and (4) increased by 40% when 30% of phosphenes were removed. Navigation performance time and number of errors were significantly and positively correlated. Assuming that the simulated gaze-locked viewing conditions are extended to implant wearers, such prosthetic vision can be helpful for wayfinding in simple mobility tasks, though phosphene dropout may interfere with performance.

Technology, Educator Intention, and Relationships in Virtual Learning Spaces: A Qualitative Metasynthesis.

PubMed

Gdanetz, Lorraine M; Hamer, Mika K; Thomas, Eileen; Tarasenko, Lindsey M; Horton-Deutsch, Sara; Jones, Jacqueline

2018-04-01

A main concern that remains with the continued growth of online nursing education programs is the way educator and student relationships can be affected by new technologies. This interpretive study aims to gain an understanding of how technology influences the development of interpersonal relationships between the student and faculty in a virtual learning environment. Using an established structured approach to qualitative metasynthesis, a search was conducted using PubMed, EBSCO, CINAHL, Medline, ProQuest, Ovid Nursing databases, and Google Scholar, focused on caring and relational aspects of online nursing education. Technology alters communication, thereby positioning the intentionality of the educator at the heart of interpersonal relationship development in virtual learning spaces. This interpretive synthesis of prior qualitative research supports the development of a framework for online nursing courses, the need for continuing education of nursing faculty, the value of caring intentions, and enhancement of the educator's technological proficiency. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(4):197-202.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Hole Transport in A-form DNA/RNA Hybrid Duplexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Jiun Ru; Shao, Fangwei

2017-01-01

DNA/RNA hybrid duplexes are prevalent in many cellular functions and are an attractive target form for electrochemical biosensing and electric nanodevice. However the electronic conductivities of DNA/RNA hybrid duplex remain relatively unexplored and limited further technological applications. Here cyclopropyl-modified deoxyribose- and ribose-adenosines were developed to explore hole transport (HT) in both DNA duplex and DNA/RNA hybrids by probing the transient hole occupancies on adenine tracts. HT yields through both B-form and A-form double helixes displayed similar shallow distance dependence, although the HT yields of DNA/RNA hybrid duplexes were lower than those of DNA duplexes. The lack of oscillatory periods and direction dependence in HT through both helixes implied efficient hole propagation can be achieved via the hole delocalization and coherent HT over adenine tracts, regardless of the structural variations.

The MAGIC telescope for gamma-ray astronomy above 30 GeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moralejo, A.; Baixeras, C.; Bastieri, D.; Bednarek, W.; Bigongiari, C.; Biland, A.; Blanch, O.; Böck, R.; Bretz, T.; Chilingarian, A.; Coarasa, J. A.; Colombo, E.; Commichau, S.; Contreras, J. L.; Cortina, J.; de Angelis, A.; de los Reyes, R.; de Lotto, B.; Domingo, C.; Domingo, E.; Dorner, D.; Ferenc, D.; Fernández, E.; Flix, J.; Fonseca, V.; Font, L.; Galante, N.; Gaug, M.; Garczarczyk, M.; Gebauer, J.; Giannitrapani, R.; Giller, M.; Goebel, F.; Hengstebeck, T.; Jacon, P.; de Jager, O. C.; Kalekin, O.; Kestel, M.; Kim, K.-S.; Kneiske, T.; Laatiaoui, M.; Laille, A.; Lindfors, E.; Longo, F.; López, M.; López, J.; Lorenz, E.; Lucarelli, F.; Mannheim, K.; Mariotti, M.; Martínez, M.; Mase, K.; Merck, M.; Meucci, M.; Mirzoyan, R.; Mizobuchi, S.; Moralejo, A.; Oña-Wilhelmi, E.; Orduña, R.; Paneque, D.; Paoletti, R.; Pasanen, M.; Pascoli, D.; Pauss, F.; Pavel, N.; Pegna, R.; Peruzzo, L.; Piccioli, A.; Pin, M.; Robert, A.; Saggion, A.; Sánchez, A.; Sartori, P.; Scalzotto, V.; Shinozaki, K.; Sillanpaa, A.; Sobczynska, D.; Stamerra, A.; Stark, L. S.; Stepanian, A.; Stiehler, R.; Takalo, L.; Teshima, M.; Tonello, N.; Torres, A.; Turini, N.; Viertel, G.; Vitale, V.; Volkov, S.; Wagner, R.; Wibig, T.; Wittek, W.

2003-12-01

The MAGIC telescope, presently at its commissioning phase, will become fully operative by the end of 2003. Placed at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM) on the island of La Palma, MAGIC is the largest among new generation ground-based gamma ray telescopes, and will reach an energy threshold as low as 30 GeV. The range of the electromagnetic spectrum between 10 and 250 GeV remains to date mostly unexplored. Observations in this energy region are expected to provide key data for the understanding of a wide variety of astrophysical phenomena belonging to the so-called ``non thermal Universe'', like the processes in the nuclei of active galaxies, the radiation mechanisms of pulsars and supernova remnants, and the enigmatic gamma-ray bursts. An overview of the telescope and its physics goals is presented.

Revealing the subfemtosecond dynamics of orbital angular momentum in nanoplasmonic vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spektor, G.; Kilbane, D.; Mahro, A. K.; Frank, B.; Ristok, S.; Gal, L.; Kahl, P.; Podbiel, D.; Mathias, S.; Giessen, H.; Meyer zu Heringdorf, F.-J.; Orenstein, M.; Aeschlimann, M.

2017-03-01

The ability of light to carry and deliver orbital angular momentum (OAM) in the form of optical vortices has attracted much interest. The physical properties of light with a helical wavefront can be confined onto two-dimensional surfaces with subwavelength dimensions in the form of plasmonic vortices, opening avenues for thus far unknown light-matter interactions. Because of their extreme rotational velocity, the ultrafast dynamics of such vortices remained unexplored. Here we show the detailed spatiotemporal evolution of nanovortices using time-resolved two-photon photoemission electron microscopy. We observe both long- and short-range plasmonic vortices confined to deep subwavelength dimensions on the scale of 100 nanometers with nanometer spatial resolution and subfemtosecond time-step resolution. Finally, by measuring the angular velocity of the vortex, we directly extract the OAM magnitude of light.

Tomography reveals buoyant asthenosphere accumulating beneath the Juan de Fuca plate.

PubMed

Hawley, William B; Allen, Richard M; Richards, Mark A

2016-09-23

The boundary between Earth's strong lithospheric plates and the underlying mantle asthenosphere corresponds to an abrupt seismic velocity decrease and electrical conductivity increase with depth, perhaps indicating a thin, weak layer that may strongly influence plate motion dynamics. The behavior of such a layer at subduction zones remains unexplored. We present a tomographic model, derived from on- and offshore seismic experiments, that reveals a strong low-velocity feature beneath the subducting Juan de Fuca slab along the entire Cascadia subduction zone. Through simple geodynamic arguments, we propose that this low-velocity feature is the accumulation of material from a thin, weak, buoyant layer present beneath the entire oceanic lithosphere. The presence of this feature could have major implications for our understanding of the asthenosphere and subduction zone dynamics. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The effect of noise-induced variance on parameter recovery from reaction times.

PubMed

Vadillo, Miguel A; Garaizar, Pablo

2016-03-31

Technical noise can compromise the precision and accuracy of the reaction times collected in psychological experiments, especially in the case of Internet-based studies. Although this noise seems to have only a small impact on traditional statistical analyses, its effects on model fit to reaction-time distributions remains unexplored. Across four simulations we study the impact of technical noise on parameter recovery from data generated from an ex-Gaussian distribution and from a Ratcliff Diffusion Model. Our results suggest that the impact of noise-induced variance tends to be limited to specific parameters and conditions. Although we encourage researchers to adopt all measures to reduce the impact of noise on reaction-time experiments, we conclude that the typical amount of noise-induced variance found in these experiments does not pose substantial problems for statistical analyses based on model fitting.

On the role of local charge carrier mobility in the charge separation mechanism of organic photovoltaics.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Saya; Saeki, Akinori; Saito, Masahiko; Osaka, Itaru; Seki, Shu

2015-07-21

Although the charge separation (CS) and transport processes that compete with geminate and non-geminate recombination are commonly regarded as the governing factors of organic photovoltaic (OPV) efficiency, the details of the CS mechanism remain largely unexplored. Here we provide a systematic investigation on the role of local charge carrier mobility in bulk heterojunction films of ten different low-bandgap polymers and polythiophene analogues blended with methanofullerene (PCBM). By correlating with the OPV performances, we demonstrated that the local mobility of the blend measured by time-resolved microwave conductivity is more important for the OPV output than those of the pure polymers. Furthermore, the results revealed two separate trends for crystalline and semi-crystalline polymers. This work offers guidance in the design of high-performance organic solar cells.

The Expensive-Tissue Hypothesis in Vertebrates: Gut Microbiota Effect, a Review.

PubMed

Huang, Chun Hua; Yu, Xin; Liao, Wen Bo

2018-06-17

The gut microbiota is integral to an organism’s digestive structure and has been shown to play an important role in producing substrates for gluconeogenesis and energy production, vasodilator, and gut motility. Numerous studies have demonstrated that variation in diet types is associated with the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota, a relationship that plays a significant role in nutrient absorption and affects gut size. The Expensive-Tissue Hypothesis states (ETH) that the metabolic requirement of relatively large brains is offset by a corresponding reduction of the other tissues, such as gut size. However, how the trade-off between gut size and brain size in vertebrates is associated with the gut microbiota through metabolic requirements still remains unexplored. Here, we review research relating to and discuss the potential influence of gut microbiota on the ETH.

Negotiating Decisions during Informed Consent for Pediatric Phase I Oncology Trials

PubMed Central

Marshall, Patricia A.; Magtanong, Ruth V.; Leek, Angela C.; Hizlan, Sabahat; Yamokoski, Amy D.; Kodish, Eric D.

2012-01-01

During informed consent conferences (ICCs) for Phase I trials, oncologists must present complex information while addressing concerns. Research on communication that evolves during ICCs remains largely unexplored. We examined communication during ICCs for pediatric Phase I cancer trials using a stratified random sample from six pediatric cancer centers. A grounded theory approach identified key communication steps and factors influencing the negotiation of decisions for trial participation. Analysis suggests that during ICCs, families, patients, and clinicians exercise choice and control by negotiating micro-decisions in two broad domains: drug logic and logistics, and administration/scheduling. Micro-decisions unfold in a four-step communication process: (1) introduction of an issue; (2) response; (3) negotiation of the issue; and (4) resolution and decision. Negotiation over smaller micro-decisions is prominent in ICCs and merits further study. PMID:22565583

Negotiating decisions during informed consent for pediatric Phase I oncology trials.

PubMed

Marshall, Patricia A; Magtanong, Ruth V; Leek, Angela C; Hizlan, Sabahat; Yamokoski, Amy D; Kodish, Eric D

2012-04-01

During informed consent conferences (ICCs) for Phase I trials, oncologists must present complex information while addressing concerns. Research on communication that evolves during ICCs remains largely unexplored. We examined communication during ICCs for pediatric Phase I cancer trials using a stratified random sample from six pediatric cancer centers. A grounded theory approach identified key communication steps and factors influencing the negotiation of decisions for trial participation. Analysis suggests that during ICCs, families, patients, and clinicians exercise choice and control by negotiating micro-decisions in two broad domains: drug logic and logistics, and administration/scheduling. Micro-decisions unfold in a four-step communication process: (1) introduction of an issue; (2) response; (3) negotiation of the issue; and (4) resolution and decision. Negotiation over smaller micro-decisions is prominent in ICCs and merits further study.

The application of "integrated marketing communications" to social marketing and health communication: organizational challenges and implications.

PubMed

Nowak, G; Cole, G; Kirby, S; Freimuth, V; Caywood, C

1998-01-01

Influencing consumer behavior is a difficult and often resource-intensive undertaking, with success usually requiring identifying, describing, and understanding target audiences; solid product and/or service positioning relative to competitors; and significant media and communication resources. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is a new way of organizing and managing persuasive communication tools and functions which involves realigning communications to consider the flow of information from an organization from the viewpoint of end consumers. Although the application of IMC to social marketing remains relatively unexplored, the IMC literature and recent efforts by the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control suggest that integrated communication approaches have much to offer social marketing and health communication efforts. IMC, IMC and social marketing, and implications of IMC for public and private sector social marketing programs are discussed.

Astonishing diversity revealed: an annotated and illustrated inventory of Nudipleura (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) from Mozambique.

PubMed

Tibiriçá, Yara; Pola, Marta; Cervera, Juan Lucas

2017-12-01

This paper provides the first comprehensive annotated and illustrated inventory of Nudipleura from Mozambique. A total of 267 species are recorded, including 61 putative new species, documented over a period of seven years from several localities along the coast. At least 20 species need further investigation through molecular and taxomic analysis. Of the 186 confirmed described species, 118 are new records for the Mozambican fauna. Sampling was carried in tidal reefs and depths up to 60m on the subtropical and tropical coast of Mozambique. The most representative families were Chromodorididae (69 species), Discodorididae (30 species), Facelinidae (23 species) and Phyllididae (16 species). Nevertheless, a vast area of Mozambique remains unexplored, thus it is likely that the species documented here represent only a fraction of the true Nudipleura diversity of the country.

A microscopic study investigating the structure of SnSe surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sang-ui; Duong, Anh-Tuan; Cho, Sunglae; Rhim, S. H.; Kim, Jungdae

2016-09-01

SnSe has been widely studied due to its many potential applications that take advantage of its excellent thermoelectric, photovoltaic, and optoelectronic properties. However, experimental investigations into the microscopic structure of SnSe remain largely unexplored. Herein, for the first time, the atomic and electronic structures of SnSe surfaces are studied by a home-built low temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The cleaved surface of SnSe is comprised of covalently bonded Se and Sn atoms in zigzag patterns. However, rectangular periodicity was observed in the atomic images of SnSe surfaces for filled and empty state probing. Detailed atomic structures are analyzed by DFT calculations, indicating that the bright extrusions of both filled and empty state images are mostly located at the positions of Sn atoms.

Hole Transport in A-form DNA/RNA Hybrid Duplexes

PubMed Central

Wong, Jiun Ru; Shao, Fangwei

2017-01-01

DNA/RNA hybrid duplexes are prevalent in many cellular functions and are an attractive target form for electrochemical biosensing and electric nanodevice. However the electronic conductivities of DNA/RNA hybrid duplex remain relatively unexplored and limited further technological applications. Here cyclopropyl-modified deoxyribose- and ribose-adenosines were developed to explore hole transport (HT) in both DNA duplex and DNA/RNA hybrids by probing the transient hole occupancies on adenine tracts. HT yields through both B-form and A-form double helixes displayed similar shallow distance dependence, although the HT yields of DNA/RNA hybrid duplexes were lower than those of DNA duplexes. The lack of oscillatory periods and direction dependence in HT through both helixes implied efficient hole propagation can be achieved via the hole delocalization and coherent HT over adenine tracts, regardless of the structural variations. PMID:28084308

A Diffusive-Particle Theory of Free Recall

PubMed Central

Fumarola, Francesco

2017-01-01

Diffusive models of free recall have been recently introduced in the memory literature, but their potential remains largely unexplored. In this paper, a diffusive model of short-term verbal memory is considered, in which the psychological state of the subject is encoded as the instantaneous position of a particle diffusing over a semantic graph. The model is particularly suitable for studying the dependence of free-recall observables on the semantic properties of the words to be recalled. Besides predicting some well-known experimental features (forward asymmetry, semantic clustering, word-length effect), a novel prediction is obtained on the relationship between the contiguity effect and the syllabic length of words; shorter words, by way of their wider semantic range, are predicted to be characterized by stronger forward contiguity. A fresh analysis of archival free-recall data allows to confirm this prediction. PMID:29085521

Scratch2 prevents cell cycle re-entry by repressing miR-25 in postmitotic primary neurons.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Aznar, Eva; Barrallo-Gimeno, Alejandro; Nieto, M Angela

2013-03-20

During the development of the nervous system the regulation of cell cycle, differentiation, and survival is tightly interlinked. Newly generated neurons must keep cell cycle components under strict control, as cell cycle re-entry leads to neuronal degeneration and death. However, despite their relevance, the mechanisms controlling this process remain largely unexplored. Here we show that Scratch2 is involved in the control of the cell cycle in neurons in the developing spinal cord of the zebrafish embryo. scratch2 knockdown induces postmitotic neurons to re-enter mitosis. Scratch2 prevents cell cycle re-entry by maintaining high levels of the cycle inhibitor p57 through the downregulation of miR-25. Thus, Scratch2 appears to safeguard the homeostasis of postmitotic primary neurons by preventing cell cycle re-entry.

Freezing Behavior as a Response to Sexual Visual Stimuli as Demonstrated by Posturography

PubMed Central

Mouras, Harold; Lelard, Thierry; Ahmaidi, Said; Godefroy, Olivier; Krystkowiak, Pierre

2015-01-01

Posturographic changes in motivational conditions remain largely unexplored in the context of embodied cognition. Over the last decade, sexual motivation has been used as a good canonical working model to study motivated social interactions. The objective of this study was to explore posturographic variations in response to visual sexual videos as compared to neutral videos. Our results support demonstration of a freezing-type response in response to sexually explicit stimuli compared to other conditions, as demonstrated by significantly decreased standard deviations for (i) the center of pressure displacement along the mediolateral and anteroposterior axes and (ii) center of pressure’s displacement surface. These results support the complexity of the motor correlates of sexual motivation considered to be a canonical functional context to study the motor correlates of motivated social interactions. PMID:25992571

Overcoming adaptive resistance in mucoepidermoid carcinoma through inhibition of the IKK-β/IκBα/NFκB axis

PubMed Central

Wagner, Vivian P.; Martins, Marco A.T.; Martins, Manoela D.; Warner, Kristy A.; Webber, Liana P.; Squarize, Cristiane H.; Nör, Jacques E.; Castilho, Rogerio M.

2016-01-01

Patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) experience low survival rates and high morbidity following treatment, yet the intrinsic resistance of MEC cells to ionizing radiation (IR) and the mechanisms underlying acquired resistance remain unexplored. Herein, we demonstrated that low doses of IR intrinsically activated NFκB in resistant MEC cell lines. Moreover, resistance was significantly enhanced in IR-sensitive cell lines when NFκB pathway was stimulated. Pharmacological inhibition of the IKK-β/IκBα/NFκB axis, using a single dose of FDA-approved Emetine, led to a striking sensitization of MEC cells to IR and a reduction in cancer stem cells. We achieved a major step towards better understanding the basic mechanisms involved in IR-adaptive resistance in MEC cell lines and how to efficiently overcome this critical problem. PMID:27682876

Semantic Labelling of Road Furniture in Mobile Laser Scanning Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, F.; Oude Elberink, S.; Vosselman, G.

2017-09-01

Road furniture semantic labelling is vital for large scale mapping and autonomous driving systems. Much research has been investigated on road furniture interpretation in both 2D images and 3D point clouds. Precise interpretation of road furniture in mobile laser scanning data still remains unexplored. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to interpret road furniture based on their logical relations and functionalities. Our work represents the most detailed interpretation of road furniture in mobile laser scanning data. 93.3 % of poles are correctly extracted and all of them are correctly recognised. 94.3 % of street light heads are detected and 76.9 % of them are correctly identified. Despite errors arising from the recognition of other components, our framework provides a promising solution to automatically map road furniture at a detailed level in urban environments.

A topological quantum optics interface.

PubMed

Barik, Sabyasachi; Karasahin, Aziz; Flower, Christopher; Cai, Tao; Miyake, Hirokazu; DeGottardi, Wade; Hafezi, Mohammad; Waks, Edo

2018-02-09

The application of topology in optics has led to a new paradigm in developing photonic devices with robust properties against disorder. Although considerable progress on topological phenomena has been achieved in the classical domain, the realization of strong light-matter coupling in the quantum domain remains unexplored. We demonstrate a strong interface between single quantum emitters and topological photonic states. Our approach creates robust counterpropagating edge states at the boundary of two distinct topological photonic crystals. We demonstrate the chiral emission of a quantum emitter into these modes and establish their robustness against sharp bends. This approach may enable the development of quantum optics devices with built-in protection, with potential applications in quantum simulation and sensing. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Early-branching Gut Fungi Possess A Large, And Comprehensive Array Of Biomass-Degrading Enzymes

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

Solomon, Kevin V.; Haitjema, Charles; Henske, John K.

The fungal kingdom is the source of almost all industrial enzymes in use for lignocellulose bioprocessing. Its more primitive members, however, remain relatively unexploited. We developed a systems-level approach that integrates RNA-Seq, proteomics, phenotype and biochemical studies of relatively unexplored early-branching free-living fungi. Anaerobic gut fungi isolated from herbivores produce a large array of biomass-degrading enzymes that synergistically degrade crude, unpretreated plant biomass, and are competitive with optimized commercial preparations from Aspergillus and Trichoderma. Compared to these model platforms, gut fungal enzymes are unbiased in substrate preference due to a wealth of xylan-degrading enzymes. These enzymes are universally catabolite repressed,more » and are further regulated by a rich landscape of noncoding regulatory RNAs. Furthermore, we identified several promising sequence divergent enzyme candidates for lignocellulosic bioprocessing.« less

Anxiety and Decision-Making

PubMed Central

Hartley, Catherine A.; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

2013-01-01

While the everyday decision-making of clinically anxious individuals is clearly influenced by their excessive fear and worry, the relationship between anxiety and decision-making remains relatively unexplored in neuroeconomic studies. In this review, we attempt to explore the role of anxiety in decision-making using a neuroeconomic approach. We first review the neural systems mediating fear and anxiety, which overlap with a network of brain regions implicated in studies of economic decision-making. We then discuss the potential influence of cognitive biases associated with anxiety upon economic choice, focusing on a set of decision-making biases involving choice in the face of potential aversive outcomes. We propose that the neural circuitry supporting fear learning and regulation may mediate the influence of anxiety upon choice, and suggest that techniques for altering fear and anxiety may also change decisions. PMID:22325982

Is Trust for Sale? The Effectiveness of Financial Compensation for Repairing Competence- versus Integrity-Based Trust Violations

PubMed Central

Haesevoets, Tessa; Reinders Folmer, Chris; Van Hiel, Alain

2015-01-01

Despite the popularity of financial compensation as a means for addressing trust violations, the question whether (more) money can indeed buy trust back remains largely unexplored. In the present research, we focus on the role of violation type and compensation size. The results of a scenario study and a laboratory experiment show that financial compensation can effectively promote the restoration of trust for transgressions that indicate a lack of competence. Conversely, for transgressions which signal a lack of integrity, financial compensation is not an effective tool to repair trust. Moreover, our findings indicate that for both violation types, overcompensation has no positive effects on top of the impact of equal compensation. These findings therefore show that when it comes to trust, money cannot buy everything. PMID:26714025

Evaluation of LOINC for Representing Constitutional Cytogenetic Test Result Reports

PubMed Central

Heras, Yan Z.; Mitchell, Joyce A.; Williams, Marc S.; Brothman, Arthur R.; Huff, Stanley M.

2009-01-01

Genetic testing is becoming increasingly important to medical practice. Integrating genetics and genomics data into electronic medical records is crucial in translating genetic discoveries into improved patient care. Information technology, especially Clinical Decision Support Systems, holds great potential to help clinical professionals take full advantage of genomic advances in their daily medical practice. However, issues relating to standard terminology and information models for exchanging genetic testing results remain relatively unexplored. This study evaluates whether the current LOINC standard is adequate to represent constitutional cytogenetic test result reports using sample result reports from ARUP Laboratories. The results demonstrate that current standard terminology is insufficient to support the needs of coding cytogenetic test results. The terminology infrastructure must be developed before clinical information systems will be able to handle the high volumes of genetic data expected in the near future. PMID:20351857

Evaluation of LOINC for representing constitutional cytogenetic test result reports.

PubMed

Heras, Yan Z; Mitchell, Joyce A; Williams, Marc S; Brothman, Arthur R; Huff, Stanley M

2009-11-14

Genetic testing is becoming increasingly important to medical practice. Integrating genetics and genomics data into electronic medical records is crucial in translating genetic discoveries into improved patient care. Information technology, especially Clinical Decision Support Systems, holds great potential to help clinical professionals take full advantage of genomic advances in their daily medical practice. However, issues relating to standard terminology and information models for exchanging genetic testing results remain relatively unexplored. This study evaluates whether the current LOINC standard is adequate to represent constitutional cytogenetic test result reports using sample result reports from ARUP Laboratories. The results demonstrate that current standard terminology is insufficient to support the needs of coding cytogenetic test results. The terminology infrastructure must be developed before clinical information systems will be able to handle the high volumes of genetic data expected in the near future.

Unbinding Transition of Probes in Single-File Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bénichou, Olivier; Démery, Vincent; Poncet, Alexis

2018-02-01

Single-file transport, arising in quasi-one-dimensional geometries where particles cannot pass each other, is characterized by the anomalous dynamics of a probe, notably its response to an external force. In these systems, the motion of several probes submitted to different external forces, although relevant to mixtures of charged and neutral or active and passive objects, remains unexplored. Here, we determine how several probes respond to external forces. We rely on a hydrodynamic description of the symmetric exclusion process to obtain exact analytical results at long times. We show that the probes can either move as a whole, or separate into two groups moving away from each other. In between the two regimes, they separate with a different dynamical exponent, as t1 /4. This unbinding transition also occurs in several continuous single-file systems and is expected to be observable.

High Performance Nano-Crystalline Oxide Fuel Cell Materials. Defects, Structures, Interfaces, Transport, and Electrochemistry

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

Barnett, Scott; Poeppelmeier, Ken; Mason, Tom

This project addresses fundamental materials challenges in solid oxide electrochemical cells, devices that have a broad range of important energy applications. Although nano-scale mixed ionically and electronically conducting (MIEC) materials provide an important opportunity to improve performance and reduce device operating temperature, durability issues threaten to limit their utility and have remained largely unexplored. Our work has focused on both (1) understanding the fundamental processes related to oxygen transport and surface-vapor reactions in nano-scale MIEC materials, and (2) determining and understanding the key factors that control their long-term stability. Furthermore, materials stability has been explored under the “extreme” conditions encounteredmore » in many solid oxide cell applications, i.e, very high or very low effective oxygen pressures, and high current density.« less

Optimal pollution mitigation in Monterey Bay based on coastal radar data and nonlinear dynamics.

PubMed

Coulliette, Chad; Lekien, Francois; Paduan, Jeffrey D; Haller, George; Marsden, Jerrold E

2007-09-15

High-frequency (HF) radar technology produces detailed velocity maps near the surface of estuaries and bays. The use of velocity data in environmental prediction, nonetheless, remains unexplored. In this paper, we uncover a striking flow structure in coastal radar observations of Monterey Bay, along the California coastline. This complex structure governs the spread of organic contaminants, such as agricultural runoff which is a typical source of pollution in the bay. We show that a HF radar-based pollution release scheme using this flow structure reduces the impact of pollution on the coastal environment in the bay. We predict the motion of the Lagrangian flow structures from finite-time Lyapunov exponents of the coastal HF velocity data. From this prediction, we obtain optimal release times, at which pollution leaves the bay most efficiently.

Coral symbiotic algae calcify ex hospite in partnership with bacteria.

PubMed

Frommlet, Jörg C; Sousa, Maria L; Alves, Artur; Vieira, Sandra I; Suggett, David J; Serôdio, João

2015-05-12

Dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium are commonly recognized as invertebrate endosymbionts that are of central importance for the functioning of coral reef ecosystems. However, the endosymbiotic phase within Symbiodinium life history is inherently tied to a more cryptic free-living (ex hospite) phase that remains largely unexplored. Here we show that free-living Symbiodinium spp. in culture commonly form calcifying bacterial-algal communities that produce aragonitic spherulites and encase the dinoflagellates as endolithic cells. This process is driven by Symbiodinium photosynthesis but occurs only in partnership with bacteria. Our findings not only place dinoflagellates on the map of microbial-algal organomineralization processes but also point toward an endolithic phase in the Symbiodinium life history, a phenomenon that may provide new perspectives on the biology and ecology of Symbiodinium spp. and the evolutionary history of the coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis.