bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatially dependent flood probabilities to support the design of civil infrastructure systems
Authors: Le Phuong Dong , Leonard Michael , Westra Seth
Published: November 2019

Abstract. Conventional flood risk methods typically focus on estimation at a single
location, which can be inadequate for civil infrastructure systems such as
road or railway infrastructure. This is because rainfall extremes are
spatially dependent; to understand overall system risk, it is
necessary to assess the interconnected elements of the system jointly. For
example, when designing evacuation routes it is necessary to understand the
risk of one part of the system failing given that another region is flooded
or exceeds the level at which evacuation becomes necessary. Similarly,
failure of any single part of a road section (e.g., a flooded river
crossing) may lead to the wider system's failure (i.e., the entire road
becomes inoperable). This study demonstrates a spatially dependent
intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) framework that can be used to estimate flood
risk across multiple catchments, accounting for dependence both in space and
across different critical storm durations. The framework is demonstrated via
a case study of a highway upgrade comprising five river crossings. The
results show substantial differences in conditional and unconditional design
flow estimates, highlighting the importance of taking an integrated
approach. There is also a reduction in the estimated failure probability of
the overall system compared with the case where each river crossing is
treated independently. The results demonstrate the potential uses of
spatially dependent intensity–duration–frequency methods and suggest the
need for more conservative design estimates to take into account conditional
risks.
The role of turbulence and internal waves in the structure and
evolution of a near-field river plume
Authors: McPherson Rebecca A. , Stevens Craig L. , O'Callaghan Joanne M. , Lucas Andrew J. , Nash Jonathan D.
Published: November 2019

Abstract. An along-channel momentum budget is quantified in the near-field plume region of a controlled river flow entering Doubtful Sound, New Zealand. Observations include highly resolved density, velocity and turbulence, enabling a momentum budget to be constructed over a control volume. Estimates of internal stress (τ) were made from direct measurements of turbulence dissipation rates (ε) using vertical microstructure profiles. High flow speeds of the surface plume over 2 m s−1 and strong stratification (N2 ~ 10−1 s−2) resulted in enhanced turbulence dissipation rates (ε > 10−3 W kg−1) and internal stress (τ > 10−2 m2 s−2) at the base of surface layer. An observed transition from a supercritical to sub-critical flow regime in the initial 1 km indicates the presence of an internal hydraulic jump and the subsequent release of internal gravity waves. The momentum flux divergence of these internal waves suggests that almost 15 % of the total plume momentum can be transported out of the system by wave radiation, therefore playing a crucial role in the redistribution of momentum within the near-field plume. Observations illustrate that the evolution of the momentum budget components vary between the distinct surface plume layer and the turbulent, shear-stratified interfacial layer. Within the surface plume, a momentum balance was achieved. The dynamical balance demonstrates that the deceleration of the plume, driven by along-channel advection, is controlled by turbulence stress from the plume discharge point to as far as 3 km downstream. In the interfacial layer however, the momentum equation was dominated by the turbulence stress term and the balance was not closed. The redistribution of momentum within the shear-stratified layer by the observed hydraulic jump and internal wave radiation could account for the discrepancy in the budget.
Large-wavelength late Miocene thrusting in the North Alpine foreland: Implications for late orogenic processes
Authors: Mock Samuel , von Hagke Christoph , Schlunegger Fritz , Dunkl István , Herwegh Marco
Published: November 2019

Abstract. Additional to classical nappe tectonics, the Oligocene to mid-Miocene post-collisional evolution of the Central European Alps was characterized by vertically directed tectonics, with backthrusting along the Insubric Line and the subsequent uplift of the External Crystalline Massifs (ECMs). Thereafter, the orogen experienced axis-perpendicular growth when deformation propagated into its external parts. For the North Alpine foreland between Lake Geneva and Lake Constance, in the past, this has been kinematically and spatially linked to the uplift and exhumation of the ECMs. Based on apatite (U-Th-Sm)/He thermochronometry, we constrain thrusting in the Subalpine Molasse between 12–4 Ma, thus occurring coeval to main deformation in the Jura fold-and-thrust belt (FTB) and late stage exhumation of the ECMs. However, this pattern of tectonic activity is not restricted to areas which are bordered by ECMs, but is consistent along the northern front of the Alps between Geneva and Salzburg. Therefore, late Miocene foreland deformation is not necessarily a consequence of uplift and exhumation of the ECMs. While the local geometry of the Subalpine Molasse results from lateral variations of the mechanical stratigraphy of the foreland basin sediments, we suggest that the large-wavelength tectonic signal is the response to a shift in tectonic forces possibly caused by deep-seated geodynamic processes. This resulted in a change from dominantly vertical to horizontal tectonics and orogen-perpendicular growth of crustal thickening. We constrain the onset of this major tectonic change to ca. 12 Ma in the North Alpine foreland, resulting in thrusting and folding in the Subalpine Molasse west of Salzburg and in the Jura FTB until at least 4 Ma.
Retos y propuestas para la regulación del trabajo en los procesos productivos de las plataformas digitales
Authors: Dueñas Herrero Laurentino J.
Published: November 2019

La OIT, la UE, los Estados y los interlocutores sociales pueden normar el ámbito económico desregularizado o con lagunas en la regulación de la digitalización y de la economía de plataformas. No hay estrictamente un lugar de trabajo, pero hay personas que producen en el ámbito de una organización que coloca su producto en el mercado. Realmente ¿el aleph de la platform economy está tan escondido y tan bien camuflado que se hace inaccesible para las leyes existentes y para las que están por llegar? Seguramente mediante una Directiva negociada se pueden regular los derechos y las obligaciones de los trabajadores en la economía de plataformas.
Leisure Involvement Level of 40 and Over Aged Individuals
Authors: Ekinci Nurullah Emir , Yalcin Hilal
Published: November 2019

This study aimed to investigate the leisure involvement level of individuals 40 years and over according to various variables. The study sample consisted of 106 volunteers aged 40 years and over in Hendek district of Sakarya city. As a data collection tool “leisure involvement scale” which developed by Kyle et al. (2007) and adapted to Turkish by Gürbüz et al. (2015), and personal information form were used. SPSS statistic program was used to analyze the data. The histograms, Skewness, and Kurtosis values (between -1 and +1) were checked to ensure normal distribution of the data. Therefore, parametric tests, independent sample t tests, and one-way ANOVA tests were used. To determine the significant differences between the groups, the Tukey test used. According to the findings of the study, between the gender variable and social relationship level, between the long-term accommodation place variable and attractiveness, between giving the importance and social relationship, between daily leisure time and giving importance and social relationship level, difficulty in finding free time and attractiveness, between the variables giving importance, social relationship and identification and doing sport statistically meaningful result found with the attractiveness dimension. As a result, it was found that the social relationships of females were higher in leisure time involvement than males. Also, results show that living in the same accommodation place for the long-term effects individuals’ leisure time involvement level. It was determined that the time devoted to leisure time affects the importance of leisure time and social relationships positively.
“Marginal” Landscapes: Human Activity, Vulnerability, and Resilience in the Western Taurus Mountains (Southwest Turkey)
Authors: Vandam Ralf , Kaptijn Eva , Broothaerts Nils , De Cupere Bea , Marinova Elena , Van Loo Maarten , Verstraeten Gert , Poblome Jeroen
Published: November 2019

The western Taurus mountains, southwest Turkey, comprise a diverse set of landscape zones that are characterized by great altitude variations. This article focuses on the agricultural so-called marginal highlands within this mountainous region. Large parts of the uplands are labeled “marginal” nowadays as they are not regarded as highly productive in terms of agricultural output or permanent occupation. Three decades of interdisciplinary research within the Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project (KU Leuven) have provided an enormous amount of archaeological, bioarchaeological, and geoarchaeological datasets that will be brought together in this article to explore diachronic patterns in human-environmental interactions within these areas. The study demonstrates not only the archaeological value of a highland area, but its vulnerability for human impact as well. The changing environments both naturally and sociopolitically favored a more resilient behavior of the human groups within the highlands.
Caracterización del barrio Alexis Argüello, Estelí, Nicaragua
Authors: Dicovskiy Riobóo Luis María , Videa Bustillo Mariliana , González Cantarero Dominga Dalila
Published: November 2019

Con la finalidad de conocer la problemática y las necesidades de colaboración de la UNI sede Regional Norte en los tres sectores del Barrio Alexis Argüello, en Estelí, se aplicaron 361 encuestas casa a casa. Se encontró que casi todas las familias hay alguien asalariados, generalmente trabajador de fábrica o comercio, la mayoría de los niños en edad escolar asiste a la escuela y la mayoría de las familias dicen tener título de propiedad de su casa. Las casas tienen energía eléctrica y agua potable en su mayoría. Además de contar con acceso a televisión e incluso cable, en una buena parte de estas. Sin embargo, se encontró un grado de pobreza económica en la población, la generalidad de las casas tenía piso de tierra, paredes de madera y servicio sanitario por letrina. Pero el aspecto más sensible para el barrio era el mal estado de sus calles y drenajes. A la universidad le piden que apoye las gestiones del barrio y ayude en la formulación de proyectos.
La pobreza en Centroamérica: entre agenda política, demandas sociales y proyectos nacionales
Authors: Flores Martínez Jonathan
Published: November 2019

Las oportunidades de desarrollo de la región centroamericana han sidocondicionadas pordiversos acontecimientos de carácter natural, social, cultural, y político, una región en la que su población alberga indicadores sociales deficitarios en relación a la pobreza1 y desigualdades sociales. Si bien es cierto, que la lucha contra la pobreza constituye formalmente una prioridad en las agendas gubernamentales, es relevante analizar si estas iniciativas políticas han logrado convertirse en políticas públicas y en definitiva si tienen un impacto en la mejora de las condiciones de vida para las personas de forma sostenible. Durante los últimos 15 años los países de esta región han experimentado una reducción de la pobreza , sin embargo, un alto índice de sus población continúa sumida en ella; de este panorama general se desglosa una discusión más puntual, el papel que han desempeñado los gobiernos en sus agendas programáticas, y hasta qué punto el ejercicio tradicional del poder constituye un obstáculo para enfrentar este problema. De modo que, abordar la pobreza no como un problema estrictamente econométrico, sino como fenómeno vinculado a la concepción y ejercicio del poder político es lo que orienta el interés reflexivo de este ensayo.
Las Segovia: su origen hasta su escenario de saqueos y luchas sangrientas
Authors: Fletes Beltrán Nayibe Del Carmen
Published: November 2019

No es una historia completa, es apenas pequeños esbozos pero con interesantes pinceladas de lo que es nuestra historia que seguro despertaran el interés de conocer un poco más de este terruño segoviano como le llaman los que han abordado sobre ella como la abordan los que desearíamos llegará a manos de todos los segovianos de dentro y fuera de la República, pues no dudamos que les interesará conocer algo del pasado de esta parte del terruño que los vio nacer, y que sin duda amarán, con un mayor, sino igual cariño, de quien ha gastado largas vigilias para dar a conocer a otros lo que tanto anheló saber en los años de su niñez; con la esperanza de que, otros mejor preparados perfeccionarán la obra. Nueva Segovia es toda una extensión montañosa, con diversos atractivos naturales entre los que los que se en cuentan cerros de gran Este departamento se ubica en uno de los extremos Norte del país y goza de un agradable clima fresco, Saturada de un paisaje encantador y de un suelo fecundo, esta región es propicia tanto para el campesino que, entonando una canción de esperanza, fecunda el surco de una tierra agradecida. Sus pequeñas ciudades y pueblos se caracterizan por su ambiente tranquilo y las céntricas casas de adobe con techos de tejas; en algunos de ellos hay talleres artesanales que producen interesantes piezas decorativas. Nueva Segovia no es sólo el reducto de un paréntesis de la conquista en tierras de Nicarao, es una tierra de costumbres y tradiciones.
Molecular Docking Studies to Understand the Potential Role of Ginger Compounds (6-Gingerol and 6-Shogaol) on Anti-Angiogenic and Anti-Lymphangiogenic Mechanisms
Authors: Nanchari Santhoshi Rani , Perugu Shyam , Venkatesan Vijayalakshmi
Published: November 2019

Background: 6-Gingerol and 6-Shogaol are novel biologically active phenol compounds isolated from rhizomes of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), which has a potential role as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and apoptotic. Till date there are no scientific reports on the functional properties of Ginger against the molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and metastasis. Hence, in the present study we have explored the feasibility of active ginger compounds (6-Gingerol and 6-Shogaol) to validate their molecular mechanisms on angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in breast cancer progression through in silico approach.

Methodology: Studies have been targeted to find the interactions between selected protein receptors, which play a pivotal role in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis and ligands of Ginger compounds (6-Gingerol and 6-Shogaol) by using Accelrys discovery studio 2.5, followed by analysis of data.

Results: Based on the in silico approaches, we found the best interactions between ginger compounds (6-Gingerol and 6-Shogaol) and targeted protein molecules as shown less than 3.10 A0H-bond distance to indicate higher binding affinity and stronger interactions and high docking scores. We demonstrate docking interactions of 6-Gingerol with the proteins involved in angiogenesis like VEGF-A (3QTK), VEGFR-1 (5ABD), VEGFR-2/VEGF-E COMPLEX (3V6B, Angiopoietin-2 (4JZC), PDGF-B (4QCI), KDR (5EW3) and with the proteins involved in lymphangiogenesis such as VEGF-C(2XIX), VEGF-C in complex with domains of 2 and 3 of VEGFR2 (2X1W), NRP2(4QDS) and Neuropilin-1/VEGF-A complex (4DEQ). Similarly, our data shows that 6-Shogaol also interacts with angiogenic specific proteins, like [VEGF-A (3QTK), VEGFR-1 (5ABD), VEGFR-2/VEGF-E COMPLEX (3V6B), Angiopoietin-2 (4JZC), PDGF-B (4QCI), KDR (5EW3)] and lymphangiogenesis [VEGF-C(2XIX), VEGF-C in complex with domains of 2 and 3 of VEGFR2 (2X1W), NRP2(4QDS) and Neuropilin-1/VEGF-A complex (4DEQ)].

Discussion: In silico approaches suggest a stronger binding affinity between the ginger compounds (6-Gingerol and 6-Shogaol) and selected proteins critical in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. The present study underlines the feasibility of neutraceuticals to target the pathways participating in breast cancer progression through neovascularization. Our results also advocate 6-Gingerol to be more potent inhibitor of lymphangiogenesis assessed by its binding efficacy with VEGF-C and NRP2 (4QDS) as compared against 6-Shogaol.
Het voorontwerp voor de wet uitbreiding meldplichten aandeelhouders
Authors: van Kleef D.P.
Published: November 2019

Het voorontwerp voor de wet uitbreiding meldplichten aandeelhouders

Op 23 mei 2019 is het voorontwerp voor de wet uitbreiding meldplichten aandeelhouders gepubliceerd. In deze bijdrage wordt het voorontwerp besproken en wordt ingegaan op de openbare consultatiereacties.
Bestuurdersaansprakelijkheid voor een misleidend prospectus – een (nieuwe) tussenstand?
Authors: Hurenkamp J.R.
Published: November 2019

Bestuurdersaansprakelijkheid voor een misleidend prospectus – een (nieuwe) tussenstand?

De Prospectusverordening die sinds 21 juli 2019 rechtstreeks werkt, heeft geen gevolgen voor het aansprakelijkheidsregime ten aanzien van de bestuurder voor een misleidend prospectus. De bestuurder is enkel aansprakelijk als hem een ernstig verwijt treft (tenzij het gaat om (jaar)cijfers of handelen pro se), waarvoor geen bewijslastomkering of vermoeden geldt.
Ultrasound-assisted Endoscopic Evacuation of Recurrent Calf Hematoma Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Case Study
Authors: Michalski Łukasz , Paczesny Łukasz , Zabrzyński Jan , Kruczyński Jacek
Published: November 2019

Hematoma of the calf is a rare complication following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The golden standard method of its treatment is puncture and aspiration. More advanced procedures are needed in difficult cases, such as prolonged he­ma­tomas. Among the novel management choices is endoscopy with ultrasound guidance. The aim of the study was to present the management of a post-surgical hematoma of the calf using endoscopic and ultrasound-assisted surgery. A 48-year-old patient un­der­went arthroscopic ACLR grafted with hamstrings tendons (semitendinosus and gracilis). Due to a hematoma developing at the donor site, he experienced edema and paresthesiae of the calf and foot that enhanced over time. An open reoperation failed and symptoms recurred. A second reoperation was performed as an endoscopic and ultrasound-assisted mini-invasive procedure. Re­sults were assessed postoperatively using the IKDC 2000 and Lysholm questionnaires. An evident increase in IKDC 2000 Score (from 14.9 points after open surgery to 77.0 one week after endoscopic treatment) and Lysholm Scale (26 points after first surgery and 84 one week after endoscopic surgery) was observed after the mini-invasive procedure. Edema and paresthesiae of the affect­ed limb completely disappeared four weeks after endoscopy. No complications of the novel procedure were found. Accordingly, en­doscopic and ultrasound-assisted evacuation of a prolonged calf hematoma appears an effective minimally-invasive and tar­geted procedure.
Prática teatral e trabalho de grupo: a distribuição de funções artísticas e administrativas no contexto brasileiro de teatro de grupo, a partir de 1990
Authors: Cohen Samantha Agustin , Carreira André
Published: November 2019

O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar o projeto de pesquisa que constituirá minha futura dissertação de mestrado pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Teatro – UDESC. O projeto pretende investigar estruturas e distintos modos de sobrevivência de grupos teatrais brasileiros contemporâneos das regiões sudeste e sul, criados no início da década de 1990 e com uma produção teatral de relativa importância no atual contexto teatral regional e/ou nacional.
Um projeto de pesquisa sobre Teatro de Grupo
Authors: Carreira André , Vargas Antonio
Published: November 2019

Desde 1997 nossa equipe de trabalho (ÁQIS / Núcleo de pesquisa sobre processos de criação artística da Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina) vem pesquisando os processos de conformação de identidade cultural associados ao teatro. O estudo do fenômeno do teatro de grupo é hoje um elemento fundamental para a compreensão da cena brasileira, por isso para analisar os desdobramentos do teatro na contemporaneidade parece central identificar o papel que o teatro de grupo joga na conformação de novos padrões de trabalho.
Tentando definir o teatro da comunidade
Authors: Nogueira Marcia Pompeo
Published: November 2019

Trata-se de uma tentativa de definição de Teatro na Comunidade, o que inclui o entendimento do que vem a ser uma comunidade na contemporaneidade. Alguns modelos são apresentados na tentativa de contribuir para a criação de um referencial de análise de práticas de teatro nesta área
Objetos pedagógicos inclusivos no cotidiano escolar
Authors: Da Rosa Fonseca da Silva Maria Cristina , Bornelli Margarete
Published: November 2019

O presente texto diz respeito ao desenvolvimento de um estudo piloto realizado em uma escola pública federal com o objetivo de identificar a produção de objetos pedagógicos para ensinar arte em classes regulares com a participação de crianças com necessidades especiais. Tal investigação identificou também as concepções de inclusão presentes nos textos educacionais.
Florianópolis: Conjuntos históricos urbanos tombados
Authors: Makowiecky Sandra , Carneiro Filho Armando Athayde
Published: November 2019

Este trabalho pretende mostrar em uma visão geral, a situação dos conjuntos históricos urbanos tombados de Florianópolis, que possui um acervo significativo de edificações tombadas como Patrimônio Histórico, a maioria dos períodos colonial e neoclássico. No centro histórico, temos dez conjuntos urbanos tombados, compreendendo aproximadamente trezentos e trinta edificações.
Artes Visuais no ensino fundamental na atualidade
Authors: Franz Teresinha Sueli
Published: November 2019

Este artigo trata de fazer uma reflexão sobre  mudanças, problemas e novas perspectivas no ensino de Artes Visuais no ensino fundamental na atualidade. O texto se fundamenta em uma pesquisa sobre a Educação para a compreensão crítica da arte no ensino fundamental que está em andamento no CEART desde 2004. Seguimos nesta pesquisa  a  perspectiva metodológica qualitativa interpretativa crítica.Para o estudo empírico foram realizadas 16 entrevistas com professores de Artes Visuais em escolas de ensino fundamental de Florianópolis. O presente texto é fruto de parte da interpretação destes dados á luz de teóricos críticos da educação e da arte.
Procedimentos de transformação têxtil em tecido de malha
Authors: Costa Maria Izabel , Isoppo Ingrid Lagemann , Rosa Bárbara Jung da , Makowieck Melina , Nazario Geise Fabiane , Damo Tadeu , Silva Gabriele Louise Ribeiro da
Published: November 2019

Este texto apresenta resultados parciais da pesquisa que objetiva a criação de novos produtos têxteis, a partir da transformação da estrutura e do design de superfície do tecido de malha circular, fornecido pela empresa Sun Camisetas Ltda (SC). Aplica Procedimentos de Transformação Têxtil Estrutural, Construtivo, Colorístico e Combinado bem como a Sinética como técnica facilitadora do processo criativo.
Edith Llop
Authors: Melenchón Maldonado Javier , Bassols Andreu
Published: November 2019

Edith Llop es la primera graduada en el Máster universitario en Aplicaciones Multimedia de la UOC. En esta entrevista, esta Ingeniera en Informática especializada en Diseño Gráfico, nos explica cómo ha sido su experiencia al cursar estos estudios virtuales en el ámbito de la multimedia. Hacer un máster era una espinita que desde hacía mucho tiempo había tenido clavada.
Recycling
Authors: Jørgensen Finn Arne
Published: November 2019

An overview of recycling as an activity and a process, following different materials through the waste stream.

Is there a point to recycling? Is recycling even good for the environment? In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Finn Arne Jørgensen answers (drumroll, please): it depends. From a technical point of view, recycling is a series of processes—collecting, sorting, processing, manufacturing. Recycling also has a cultural component; at its core, recycling is about transformation and value, turning material waste into something useful—plastic bags into patio furniture, plastic bottles into T-shirts. Jørgensen offers an accessible and engaging overview of recycling as an activity and as a process at the intersection of the material and the ideological.

Jørgensen follows a series of materials as they move back and forth between producer and consumer, continually transforming in form and value, in a never-ceasing journey toward becoming waste. He considers organic waste and cultural contamination; the history of recyclable writing surfaces from papyrus to newsprint; discarded clothing as it moves from the the Global North to the Global South; the shifting fate of glass bottles; the efficiency of aluminum recycling; the many types of plastic and the difficulties of informed consumer choice; e-waste and technological obsolescence; and industrial waste. Finally, re-asking the question posed by John Tierney in an infamous 1996 New York Times article, “is recycling garbage?” Jørgensen argues that recycling is necessary—as both symbolic action and physical activity that has a tangible effect on the real world.
Citizenship
Authors: Kochenov Dimitry
Published: November 2019

The story of citizenship as a tale not of liberation, dignity, and nationhood but of complacency, hypocrisy, and domination.

The glorification of citizenship is a given in today's world, part of a civic narrative that invokes liberation, dignity, and nationhood. In reality, explains Dimitry Kochenov, citizenship is a story of complacency, hypocrisy, and domination, flattering to citizens and demeaning for noncitizens. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Kochenov explains the state of citizenship in the modern world.

Kochenov offers a critical introduction to a subject most often regarded uncritically, describing what citizenship is, what it entails, how it came about, and how its role in the world has been changing. He examines four key elements of the concept: status, considering how and why the status of citizenship is extended, what function it serves, and who is left behind; rights, particularly the right to live and work in a state; duties, and what it means to be a “good citizen”; and politics, as enacted in the granting and enjoyment of citizenship.

Citizenship promises to apply the attractive ideas of dignity, equality, and human worth—but to strictly separated groups of individuals. Those outside the separation aren't citizens as currently understood, and they do not belong. Citizenship, Kochenov warns, is too often a legal tool that justifies violence, humiliation, and exclusion.
Fire, Ice, and Physics
Authors: Thompson Rebecca C.
Published: November 2019

Exploring the science in George R. R. Martin's fantastical world, from the physics of an ice wall to the genetics of the Targaryens and Lannisters.

Game of Thrones is a fantasy that features a lot of made-up science—fabricated climatology (when is winter coming?), astronomy, metallurgy, chemistry, and biology. Most fans of George R. R. Martin's fantastical world accept it all as part of the magic. A trained scientist, watching the fake science in Game of Thrones, might think, “But how would it work?” In Fire, Ice, and Physics, Rebecca Thompson turns a scientist's eye on Game of Thrones, exploring, among other things, the science of an ice wall, the genetics of the Targaryen and Lannister families, and the biology of beheading. Thompson, a PhD in physics and an enthusiastic Game of Thrones fan, uses the fantasy science of the show as a gateway to some interesting real science, introducing GOT fandom to a new dimension of appreciation.

Thompson starts at the beginning, with winter, explaining seasons and the very elliptical orbit of the Earth that might cause winter to come (or not come). She tells us that ice can behave like ketchup, compares regular steel to Valyrian steel, explains that dragons are “bats, but with fire,” and considers Targaryen inbreeding. Finally she offers scientific explanations of the various types of fatal justice meted out, including beheading, hanging, poisoning (reporting that the effects of “the Strangler,” administered to Joffrey at the Purple Wedding, resemble the effects of strychnine), skull crushing, and burning at the stake.

Even the most faithful Game of Thrones fans will learn new and interesting things about the show from Thompson's entertaining and engaging account. Fire, Ice, and Physics is an essential companion for all future bingeing.
Writers in the Secret Garden
Authors: Aragon Cecilia , Davis Katie
Published: November 2019

An in-depth examination of the novel ways young people support and learn from each other though participation in online fanfiction communities.

Over the past twenty years, amateur fanfiction writers have published an astonishing amount of fiction in online repositories. More than 1.5 million enthusiastic fanfiction writers—primarily young people in their teens and twenties—have contributed nearly seven million stories and more than 176 million reviews to a single online site, Fanfiction.net. In this book, Cecilia Aragon and Katie Davis provide an in-depth examination of fanfiction writers and fanfiction repositories, finding that these sites are not shallow agglomerations and regurgitations of pop culture but rather online spaces for sophisticated and informal learning. Through their participation in online fanfiction communities, young people find ways to support and learn from one another.

Aragon and Davis term this novel system of interactive advice and instruction distributed mentoring, and describe its seven attributes, each of which is supported by an aspect of networked technologies: aggregation, accretion, acceleration, abundance, availability, asynchronicity, and affect. Employing an innovative combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses, they provide an in-depth ethnography, reporting on a nine-month study of three fanfiction sites, and offer a quantitative analysis of lexical diversity in the 61.5 billion words on the Fanfiction.net site. Going beyond fandom, Aragon and Davis consider how distributed mentoring could improve not only other online learning platforms but also formal writing instruction in schools.
The Feeling of Life Itself
Authors: Koch Christof
Published: November 2019

A thought-provoking argument that consciousness—more widespread than previously assumed—is the feeling of being alive, not a type of computation or a clever hack.

In The Feeling of Life Itself, Christof Koch offers a straightforward definition of consciousness as any subjective experience, from the most mundane to the most exalted—the feeling of being alive. Psychologists study which cognitive operations underpin a given conscious perception. Neuroscientists track the neural correlates of consciousness in the brain, the organ of the mind. But why the brain and not, say, the liver? How can the brain—three pounds of highly excitable matter, a piece of furniture in the universe, subject to the same laws of physics as any other piece—give rise to subjective experience? Koch argues that what is needed to answer these questions is a quantitative theory that starts with experience and proceeds to the brain. In The Feeling of Life Itself, Koch outlines such a theory, based on integrated information.

Koch describes how the theory explains many facts about the neurology of consciousness and how it has been used to build a clinically useful consciousness meter. The theory predicts that many, and perhaps all, animals experience the sights and sounds of life; consciousness is much more widespread than conventionally assumed. Contrary to received wisdom, however, Koch argues that programmable computers will not have consciousness. Even a perfect software model of the brain is not conscious. Its simulation is fake consciousness. Consciousness is not a special type of computation—it is not a clever hack. Consciousness is about being.
Fake Photos
Authors: Farid Hany
Published: November 2019

A concise and accessible guide to techniques for detecting doctored and fake images in photographs and digital media.

Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Mussolini, and other dictators routinely doctored photographs so that the images aligned with their messages. They erased people who were there, added people who were not, and manipulated backgrounds. They knew if they changed the visual record, they could change history. Once, altering images required hours in the darkroom; today, it can be done with a keyboard and mouse. Because photographs are so easily faked, fake photos are everywhere—supermarket tabloids, fashion magazines, political ads, and social media. How can we tell if an image is real or false? In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Hany Farid offers a concise and accessible guide to techniques for detecting doctored and fake images in photographs and digital media.

Farid, an expert in photo forensics, has spent two decades developing techniques for authenticating digital images. These techniques model the entire image-creation process in order to find the digital disruption introduced by manipulation of the image. Each section of the book describes a different technique for analyzing an image, beginning with those requiring minimal technical expertise and advancing to those at intermediate and higher levels. There are techniques for, among other things, reverse image searches, metadata analysis, finding image imperfections introduced by JPEG compression, image cloning, tracing pixel patterns, and detecting images that are computer generated. In each section, Farid describes the techniques, explains when they should be applied, and offers examples of image analysis.
The Lost Planets
Authors: Wenz John
Published: November 2019

A fascinating account of the pioneering astronomer who claimed (erroneously) to have discovered a planet outside the solar system.

There are innumerable planets revolving around innumerable stars across our galaxy. Between 2009 and 2018, NASA's Kepler space telescope discovered thousands of them. But exoplanets—planets outside the solar system—appeared in science fiction before they appeared in telescopes. Astronomers in the early decades of the twentieth century spent entire careers searching for planets in other stellar systems. In The Lost Planets, John Wenz offers an account of the pioneering astronomer Peter van de Kamp, who was one of the first to claim discovery of exoplanets.

Van de Kamp, working at Swarthmore College's observatory, announced in 1963 that he had identified a planet around Barnard's Star, the second-closest star system to the Sun. He cited the deviations in Barnard's star's path—“wobbles” that suggested a large object was lurching around the star. Van de Kamp became something of a celebrity (appearing on a television show with “Mr. Wizard,” Don Henry), but subsequent research did not support his claims. Wenz describes van de Kamp's stubborn refusal to accept that he was wrong, discusses the evidence found by other researchers, and explains recent advances in exoplanet detection, including transit, radial velocity, direct imaging, and microlensing.

Van de Kamp retired from Swarthmore in 1972, and died in 1995 at 93. In 2009, Swarthmore named its new observatory the Peter van de Kamp Observatory. In the 1990s, astronomers discovered and confirmed the first planet outside our solar system. In 2018, an exoplanet was detected around Barnard's Star—not, however, the one van de Kamp thought he had discovered in 1963.
Handprints on Hubble
Authors: Sullivan Kathryn D.
Published: November 2019

The first American woman to walk in space recounts her experience as part of the team that launched, rescued, repaired, and maintained the Hubble Space Telescope.

The Hubble Space Telescope has revolutionized our understanding of the universe. It has, among many other achievements, revealed thousands of galaxies in what seemed to be empty patches of sky; transformed our knowledge of black holes; found dwarf planets with moons orbiting other stars; and measured precisely how fast the universe is expanding. In Handprints on Hubble, retired astronaut Kathryn Sullivan describes her work on the NASA team that made all of this possible. Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space, recounts how she and other astronauts, engineers, and scientists launched, rescued, repaired, and maintained Hubble, the most productive observatory ever built.

Along the way, Sullivan chronicles her early life as a “Sputnik Baby,” her path to NASA through oceanography, and her initiation into the space program as one of “thirty-five new guys.” (She was also one of the first six women to join NASA's storied astronaut corps.) She describes in vivid detail what liftoff feels like inside a spacecraft (it's like “being in an earthquake and a fighter jet at the same time”), shows us the view from a spacewalk, and recounts the temporary grounding of the shuttle program after the Challenger disaster.

Sullivan explains that “maintainability” was designed into Hubble, and she describes the work of inventing the tools and processes that made on-orbit maintenance possible. Because in-flight repair and upgrade was part of the plan, NASA was able to fix a serious defect in Hubble's mirrors—leaving literal and metaphorical “handprints on Hubble.”

Handprints on Hubble was published with the support of the MIT Press Fund for Diverse Voices.
Virtual Reality
Authors: Greengard Samuel
Published: November 2019

A comprehensive overview of developments in augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality—and how they could affect every part of our lives.

After years of hype, extended reality—augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR)—has entered the mainstream. Commercially available, relatively inexpensive VR headsets transport wearers to other realities—fantasy worlds, faraway countries, sporting events—in ways that even the most ultra-high-definition screen cannot. AR glasses receive data in visual and auditory forms that are more useful than any laptop or smartphone can deliver. Immersive MR environments blend physical and virtual reality to create a new reality. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, technology writer Samuel Greengard offers an accessible overview of developments in extended reality, explaining the technology, considering the social and psychological ramifications, and discussing possible future directions.

Greengard describes the history and technological development of augmented and virtual realities, including the latest research in the field, and surveys the various shapes and forms of VR, AR, and MR, including head-mounted displays, mobile systems, and goggles. He examines the way these technologies are shaping and reshaping some professions and industries, and explores how extended reality affects psychology, morality, law, and social constructs. It's not a question of whether extended reality will become a standard part of our world, he argues, but how, when, and where these technologies will take hold. Will extended reality help create a better world? Will it benefit society as a whole? Or will it merely provide financial windfalls for a select few? Greengard's account equips us to ask the right questions about a transformative technology.
See Sooner, Act Faster
Authors: Day George S. , Schoemaker Paul J. H.
Published: November 2019

How organizations can anticipate threats, spot opportunities, and act faster when the time is right; with rich examples including Adobe, MasterCard, and Amazon.

When turbulence is the new normal, an organization's survival depends on vigilant leadership that can anticipate threats, spot opportunities, and act quickly when the time is right. In See Sooner, Act Faster, strategy experts George Day and Paul Schoemaker offer tools for thriving when digital advances intensify turbulence.

Vigilant firms have greater foresight than their rivals, while vulnerable firms often miss early signals of external threats and organizational challenges. Charles Schwab, for example, was early to see and act on the promise of “robo-advisors”; Honeywell, on the other hand, stumbled when Nest Labs came out first with a “smart” thermostat. Day and Schoemaker show leaders how to assess their vigilance capabilities and cultivate insight and foresight throughout their organizations. They draw on a range of cases, including Adobe and Intuit's move to the cloud, Shell's investment in clean energy, and MasterCard's early recognition of digital challenges.

Day and Schoemaker describe how to allocate the scarce resource of attention, how to detect weak signals and separate them from background noise, and how to respond strategically before competitors do. The challenge is not just to act faster but to act wisely, and the authors suggest ways to create dynamic portfolios of options. Finally, they offer an action agenda, with tips for fostering vigilance and agility throughout an organization. The rewards are stronger market positions, higher profits and growth, more motivated employees, and organization longevity.
Why Humans Matter More Than Ever
Authors: MIT Sloan Management Review
Published: November 2019

Experts offer strategies for managing people in technocentric times.

In these technocentric times, it is more important than ever to manage people well. Companies—employees and managers—may feel overwhelmed by the never-ending disruptions caused by new technologies. This volume in the Digital Future of Management series shows why we should step back, take stock, and seize just a bit more control over how our world is evolving. In Why Humans Matter More Than Ever, management experts from both industry and academia offer strategies for managing people in our brave new digital world.

The contributors explain how new technologies, even the most sophisticated artificial intelligence agents, depend on human collaboration. Companies need to develop rules, principles, and clear ethical guidelines that structure smart object–human interactions. Moreover, in a world filled with technology distractions, we must learn to how to manage our most valuable personal resource: our attention. Leaders need to step up to prepare their organizations for the evolution of work, showing them how to adapt, be more collaborative, and learn new skills. As virtual collaborations take place across professions, locations, and industries, we must adopt the best practices in virtual communication. Finally, going beyond empathy and curiosity, leaders should be self-aware enough to remind themselves of what they may be missing—even the best managers don't know everything.

Contributors Lynne Andersson, Robert D. Austin, Catherine Bailey, Kathryn M. Bartol, Daniel Han Ming Chng, Chris DeBrusk, Arati Deo, Kishore Durg, Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, Mallika Fernandes, Ayelet Fishbach, Fritz Fleischmann, Kristen Getchell, Bhaskar Ghosh, Brad Gilbreath, Rob Gleasure, Sergey Gorbatov, Lynda Gratton, N. Sharon Hill, Beth Humberd, Bala Iyer, Tae-Yeol Kim, Frieda Klotz, Angela Lane, Scott Latham, Thomas W. Malone, Daniel McDuff, Alain Pinsonneault, Yasser Rahrovani, Fabrizio Salvador, Amanda Shantz, Antti Tenhiälä, Jan vom Brocke, Eoin Whelan
Evaluation of performance of leading algorithms for variant pathogenicity predictions and designing a combinatory predictor method: application to Rett syndrome variants
Authors: Ganakammal Satishkumar Ranganathan , Alexov Emil
Published: November 2019

Background

Genomics diagnostic tests are done for a wide spectrum of complex genetics conditions such as autism and cancer. The growth of technology has not only aided in successfully decoding the genetic variants that causes or trigger these disorders. However, interpretation of these variants is not a trivial task even at a level of distinguish pathogenic vs benign variants.

Methods

We used the clinically significant variants from ClinVar database to evaluate the performance of 14 most popular in-silico predictors using supervised learning methods. We implemented a feature selection and random forest classification algorithm to identify the best combination of predictors to evaluate the pathogenicity of a variant. Finally, we have also utilized this combination of predictors to reclassify the variants of unknown significance in MeCP2 gene that are associated with the Rett syndrome.

Results

The results from analysis shows an optimized selection of prediction algorithm and developed a combinatory predictor method. Our combinatory approach of using both best performing independent and ensemble predictors reduces any algorithm biases in variant characterization. The reclassification of variants (such as VUS) in MECP2 gene associated with RETT syndrome suggest that the combinatory in-silico predictor approach had a higher success rate in categorizing their pathogenicity.
Effects of Hyperthermia on Erythrocyte Parameters of Carp Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758) from Bardaca Swamp, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Dzafic Subha , Bakrac Azra , Suljevic Damir , Dekic Radoslav
Published: November 2019

Thermal changes in water cause many metabolic changes that manifest themselves in physiological fish adaptations. The analysis of hematologic and biochemical blood parameters provides important information on environmental influences on the health status of fish. The hematocrit (HCT) (l/l), hemoglobin concentration (Hb) (g/l), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (fl), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) (pg), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (g/l) and red blood cells (RBC) (x1012/L) were analyzed. Animals were grouped into two groups: control (n=10) and experimental (n=16).

The experimental fish were exposed to 28°C for 30 min. Puncture of the heart was done and the blood without anticoagulant was analyzed. During hyperthermia, an increase in hematological parameters was observed, except for MCV values that were low. Significant differences were established only for the number of erythrocytes and the hematocrit values (p<0.05).

The results showed a decrease in MCV and an increase in the value of other erythrocyte parameters. Significant changes in the number of erythrocyte and hematocrit values were found. Some hematological parameters such as erythrocyte and MCV values are significant stress indicators and can serve us as important factors for physiological adaptations of fish.

The carp shows excellent ability to adjust to temperature variations that can be seen through the analysis of hematological status.
Climate Change: Vulnerability of the Niger Delta Region, in Nigeria
Authors: Udinmade Ighedosa Stephena
Published: November 2019

Climate change is not just a global threat, but an unprecedented public health emergency. Climate change has been characterized by global warming, increased frequency and intensity of   precipitation, catastrophic wind events, and extreme weather events, associated with heat waves, flooding disasters, and prolonged droughts. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) attributes climate change to anthropogenic or human activities.  Globally, the most vulnerable regions, to hazardous impacts of climate change, are the mega-deltas of Africa and Asia, due to high exposure to sea level rise, storm surges, coastal erosion, and river flooding, compounded by increasing human-induced pressures on coastal areas. The vulnerability of the Niger Delta region, is exacerbated by oil spillages, gas flaring. and environmental degradation.

This review article highlights, the urgent implementation of mitigation and adaptation as opportunities for full transformation of economies, of the Niger delta region, in line with sustainable developmental goals (SDGs).