bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Securing the Human Cloud
Authors: Meharia Pallavi , Agarwal Dharma Prakash
Published: March 2018

Wearable technology is rapidly changing the way we associate objects with our surroundings, and how we interact with the objects. As technology becomes more commonplace in our surroundings, our lives are rendered more vulnerable. As technology becomes more sophisticated, our interaction with it seems to become progressively minimalistic. This chapter introduces techniques wherein secure communication between humans and their surrounding devices can be facilitated by applying human physiological information as the identifying factor. Different biometric techniques are investigated, and the rationale behind their applicability is argued. Additionally, the benefits and possible use-cases for each technique is presented, and the associated open research problems are brought to light.
Co-Designing Wearable Technology Together With Visually Impaired Children
Authors: Caltenco Héctor , Magnusson Charlotte , Rydeman Bitte , Finocchietti Sara , Cappagli Giulia , Cocchi Elena , Ben Porquis Lope , Baud-Bovy Gabriel , Gori Monica
Published: March 2018

This paper presents the process and results of a set of studies within the ABBI EU project, with the general aim to co-design wearable technology (an audio bracelet) together with visually impaired children, starting at a young age. The authors discuss user preferences related to sounds and tactile materials and present the results of a focus group with very young visually-impaired children under the age of 5, together with their parents. They find that multisensory feedback (visual, tactile/haptic, auditory) is useful and that preferences vary - also the drastic and potentially unpleasant sounds and materials may have a role. Further studies investigate the possibilities of using the ABBI wearable technology for social contexts and games. In a series of game workshops children with and without visual impairments created games with wearable technology employing very simple interactivity. The authors report the created games, and note that even with this simple interactivity it is possible to create fun, inclusive and rich socially co-located games.
Biomechanical Energy Harvesting
Authors: De Pasquale Giorgio
Published: March 2018

Portable electronic systems and wearable sensor networks are offering increasing opportunities in fields like healthcare, medicine, sport, human-machine interfacing and data sharing. The technological research is looking for innovative design solutions able to improve performances and portability of wearable systems. The power supply strategy is crucial to improve lifetime, reduce maintenance, preserve the environment and reduce costs of smart distributed electronic systems applied to the body. The conversion of biomechanical energy of limbs and joints to electricity has the potential to solve much of the actual limitations. The design and building of wearable energy harvesters for wearable applications require different approaches respect to traditional vibratory energy harvesters. This chapter focuses on transduction materials, modeling strategies, experimental setups, and data analysis for the design of biomechanical energy harvesters; a case study based on system integration and miniaturization is also described for applications in the field of human-machines interfacing.
From Wearing to Wondering
Authors: Drake Joel R. , Cain Ryan , Lee Victor R.
Published: March 2018

Wearable technologies represent a rapidly expanding category of consumer information and communications technologies. From smartwatches to activity tracking devices, wearables are finding their way into many aspects of our lives, changing the way we think about ourselves and the world around us. The rapid adoption of these tools in everyday life hints at the possibilities these devices may hold in school and other educational settings. Drawing on examples taken from a five-year study using wearable fitness tracking devices in elementary and middle school classrooms, this paper presents two examples of how wearable devices can be appropriated for use in school settings. These examples focus on instances where students turned activity trackers into objects of inquiry using data from familiar activities.
ICTs for Orientation and Mobility for Blind People
Authors: Sanz Pablo Revuelta , Mezcua Belén Ruiz , Pena José M. Sánchez
Published: March 2018

Orientation and mobility are two fields of applications of the so-called Assistive Products, in which we can find a high growth in the last ten years. In this group, the so-called Electronic Travel Aids have a capital importance. These applications are focused on helping blind people in the following aspects of their daily lives, among others: avoiding crashing against obstacles, guiding through unknown environments, giving relevant information of the environment, helping blind people “see” by touch devices, electrodes, sounds, etc. Commercial, but also experimental technology has been intensely applied in this field to provide assistive products, which helps in ways that were unexpected some years ago. The authors provide an introduction to this field and a taxonomy of the available assistive products for the orientation and mobility. Finally, they detail advantages and disadvantages of several paradigmatic proposals to provide a global point of view of the state of the art in orientation and mobility technology for this group of users.
Investigation on Healthcare Monitoring Systems
Authors: Manirabona Audace , Fourati Lamia Chaari , Boudjit Saâdi
Published: March 2018

Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) services and applications have emerged as one of the most attractive research areas and have become more and more widespread especially for healthcare use. Lots of researches have been carried out to specify innovative services and applications using healthcare monitoring systems (HMS). However, the WBAN requirements vary from one application/service to another. Furthermore, HMSs are expected to reduce healthcare costs by enabling the continuous remote monitoring of patients' health even during their daily activities and thus reduce the frequency of the patient's visits at hospital. From a medical point of view, the WBAN will emerge as a key technology by providing real-time health monitoring and diagnosis of many life-threatening diseases. In this paper, the authors outline the WBAN applications and services requirements for healthcare and review them with emphasis on their strength, limitations and design challenges. In addition, HMS architecture and its applications are deeply studied and some case studies are discussed.
Optical Fiber Technology for eHealthcare
Authors: Alberto Nélia Jordão , Bilro Lúcia Maria Botas , Antunes Paulo Fernando da Costa , Leitão Cátia Sofia Jorge , Lima Hugo Filipe Teixeira , André Paulo Sérgio de Brito , Nogueira Rogério Nunes , Pinto João de Lemos
Published: March 2018

In the last years, optical fiber based sensors and systems for ehealthcare attracted the attention of the scientific community. Over this chapter, optical fiber technology is presented, referring the different types of optical fibers, its main characteristics, and advantages over other sensing methodologies. In addition, optical fiber based sensors and sensing techniques are discussed and several works reported in the literature are reviewed showing that they are a valuable technique to improve healthcare service to the community and as a potential solution to answer different problems. The final section of the chapter consists of the description of three applications of optical sensors in healthcare, namely monitoring of human joint movement, measuring strain of biological tissues, and characterization of medical materials.
The Nurse Educator's Role in Designing Instruction and Instructional Strategies for Academic and Clinical Settings
Authors: Slagter van Tryon Patricia J.
Published: March 2018

Nursing education programs seeking to equip graduates with needed tools to integrate medical expertise with experience in the systematic design of instruction have the opportunity to better ensure positive learning outcomes in varied settings as graduates take on their new roles as nurse educators. The learning environment of the nurse educator is complex yet with skill in the reasoned approach to the design of instruction can progress into more knowable contexts for which to problem solve. Nurse educators possessing interdisciplinary skills in their field facilitated by expertise in instructional design will enhance their practice by developing and delivering precision instruction.
Equipping Advanced Practice Nurses with Real-World Skills
Authors: Eckardt Patricia , Janotha Brenda , Marino Marie Ann , Erlanger David P. , Cannella Dolores
Published: March 2018

Nursing professionals need to assume responsibility and take initiative in ongoing personal and professional development. Qualities required of nursing graduates must include the ability to, “translate, integrate, and apply knowledge that leads to improvements in patient outcomes,” in an environment in which “[k]nowledge is increasingly complex and evolving rapidly” (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2008, p. 33). The ability to identify personal learning needs, set goals, apply learning strategies, pursue resources, and evaluate outcomes are essential. Nursing professionals must be self-directed learners to meet these expectations. Team-based learning (TBL) is a multiphase pedagogical approach requiring active student participation and collaboration. Team-based learning entails three stages: (1) individual preparation, (2) learning assurance assessment, and (3) team application activity.
Investigating Acceptance of Nursing Information Systems through UTAUT Lens
Authors: Nguyen Lemai , Wickramasinghe Nilmini , Botti Mary , Redley Bernice , Haddad Peter , Muhammad Imran
Published: March 2018

It is widely known that nurses are pivotal in coordinating and communicating patient care information in the complex network of healthcare professionals and service delivery. Yet, despite their pivotal role, information communication technologies have historically rarely been designed around nurses' operational needs. This could explain the poor integration of technologies into nursing work processes and consequent rejection by nursing professionals. The complex nature of acute care delivery in hospitals and the frequently interrupted patterns of nursing work suggest that nurses require flexible intelligent systems that can support and adapt to their variable workflow patterns. This study is designed to explore nurses' initial reactions to a new integrated point of care solution for acute healthcare contexts. We report on the first stage of a longitudinal project to use an innovative approach involving nurses in the development and refinement of this solution. Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology was used to evaluate acceptability of the proposed system by nurses.
Camões, Mariana Alcoforado ou o vazio. Implicações culturais e identitárias do turismo em Portugal
Authors: Tejero Cristina Martínez
Published: March 2018

Este artigo tem como origem a análise das interseções entre a literatura e a prática turística e pretende reflexionar sobre as dinâmicas culturais e identitárias geradas à volta de um dos fenómenos mais relevantes da contemporaneidade, o turismo. Concretamente, parte de um trabalho de campo que procura identificar a presença e funções da literatura nos materiais turísticos relativos a Portugal no período compreendido entre 1898 e 1989, para, a partir das deduções realizadas, refletir sobre os novos papéis atribuídos à literatura nas dinâmicas globais atuais e sobre o seu funcionamento distintivo relativamente a outras artes. A tendência detetada para a invisibilidade ou para a simplificação das formas culturais leva finalmente a questionar-nos sobre as implicações na configuração identitária de Portugal e sobre as suas consequências futuras.
Discovery and Analysis of Invertebrate IgVJ-C2 Structure from Amphioxus Provides Insight into the Evolution of the Ig Superfamily
Authors: Chen Rong , Zhang Lijie , Qi Jianxun , Zhang Nianzhi , Zhang Ling , Yao Shugang , Wu Yanan , Jiang Bo , Wang Zhenbao , Yuan Hongyu , Zhang Qiujin , Xia Chun
Published: March 2018

The emergence of adaptive immunity in jawed vertebrates depended on the appearance of variable immune receptors, BCRs and TCRs, which exhibit variable-J–constant (VJ-C)–type Ig superfamily folds. Hitherto, however, the structures of IgV-J-IgC–type molecules had never been characterized in invertebrates, leaving the origin of BCR/TCR-type molecules unknown. Using x-ray crystallography, the structure of a VJ-C2 molecule, named AmpIgVJ-C2, was determined in amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae). The first domain shows typical V folding, including the hydrophobic core, CDR analogs, and eight conserved residues. The second domain is a C2-type Ig superfamily domain, as defined by its short length and the absence of β-strand D- and C1-typical motifs. AmpIgVJ-C2 molecules form homodimers, using “three-layer packing dimerization,” as described for TCRs and BCRs. The AmpIgVJ-C2 V domain harbors a diglycine motif in β-strand G and forms a β-bulge structure participating in V–V intermolecular interaction. By immunohistochemistry, AmpIgVJ-C2 molecules were primarily found in mucosal tissues, whereas PCR and sequence analysis indicated considerable genetic variation at the single-gene level; these findings would be consistent with an immune function and a basic ability to adapt to binding different immune targets. Our results show a BCR/TCR-ancestral like molecule in amphioxus and help us to understand the evolution of the adaptive immune system.
miR-130a and miR-212 Disrupt the Intestinal Epithelial Barrier through Modulation of PPARγ and Occludin Expression in Chronic Simian Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Kumar Vinay , Mansfield Joshua , Fan Rong , MacLean Andrew , Li Jian , Mohan Mahesh
Published: March 2018

Intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction is a well-known sequela of HIV/SIV infection that persists despite antiretroviral therapy. Although inflammation is a triggering factor, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Emerging evidence suggests that epithelial barrier function is epigenetically regulated by inflammation-induced microRNAs (miRNAs). Accordingly, we profiled and characterized miRNA/mRNA expression exclusively in colonic epithelium and identified 46 differentially expressed miRNAs (20 upregulated and 26 downregulated) in chronically SIV-infected rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). We bioinformatically crossed the predicted miRNA targets to transcriptomic data and characterized miR-130a and miR-212 as both were predicted to interact with critical epithelial barrier–associated genes. Next, we characterized peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and occludin (OCLN), predicted targets of miR-130a and miR-212, respectively, as their downregulation has been strongly linked to epithelial barrier disruption and dysbiosis. Immunofluorescence, luciferase reporter, and overexpression studies confirmed the ability of miR-130a and miR-212 to decrease protein expression of PPARγ and OCLN, respectively, and reduce transepithelial electrical resistance. Because Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol exerted protective effects in the intestine in our previous studies, we successfully used it to reverse miR-130a– and miR-212–mediated reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance. Finally, ex vivo Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol treatment of colon tissue from chronically SIV-infected rhesus macaques significantly increased PPARγ expression. Our findings suggest that dysregulated miR-130a and miR-212 expression in colonic epithelium during chronic HIV/SIV infection can facilitate epithelial barrier disruption by downregulating OCLN and PPARγ expression. Most importantly, our results highlight the beneficial effects of cannabinoids on epithelial barrier function in not just HIV/SIV but potentially other chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases.
Gpr109a Limits Microbiota-Induced IL-23 Production To Constrain ILC3-Mediated Colonic Inflammation
Authors: Bhatt Brinda , Zeng Peng , Zhu Huabin , Sivaprakasam Sathish , Li Siyi , Xiao Haiyan , Dong Lixin , Shiao Pamela , Kolhe Ravindra , Patel Nikhil , Li Honglin , Levy-Bercowski Daniel , Ganapathy Vadivel , Singh Nagendra
Published: March 2018

A set of coordinated interactions between gut microbiota and the immune cells surveilling the intestine play a key role in shaping local immune responses and intestinal health. Gpr109a is a G protein–coupled receptor expressed at a very high level on innate immune cells and previously shown to play a key role in the induction of colonic regulatory T cells. In this study, we show that Gpr109a−/−Rag1−/− mice exhibit spontaneous rectal prolapse and colonic inflammation, characterized by the presence of an elevated number of IL-17–producing Rorγt+ innate lymphoid cells (ILCs; ILC3). Genetic deletion of Rorγt alleviated the spontaneous colonic inflammation in Gpr109a−/−Rag1−/− mice. Gpr109a-deficient colonic dendritic cells produce higher amounts of IL-23 and thereby promote ILC3. Moreover, the depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics treatment decreased IL-23 production, ILC3, and colonic inflammation in Gpr109a−/−Rag1−/− mice. The ceca of Gpr109a−/−Rag1−/− mice showed significantly increased colonization by members of Bacteroidaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Prevotellaceae, Streptococcaceae, Christensenellaceae, and Mogibacteriaceae, as well as IBD-associated microbiota such as Enterobacteriaceae and Mycoplasmataceae, compared with Rag1−/− mice, housed in a facility positive for Helicobacter and murine norovirus. Niacin, a Gpr109a agonist, suppressed both IL-23 production by colonic DCs and ILC3 number in a Gpr109a-dependent manner. Collectively, our data present a model suggesting that targeting Gpr109a will be potentially beneficial in the suppression of IL-23–mediated immunopathologies.
Resolving the energy-growth nexus in South Africa
Authors: Molele Sehludi B. , Ncanywa Thobeka
Published: March 2018

Energy use is a pivotal element in the economic life of any country, especially in a developing economy such as South Africa. Based on trends such as load-shedding and oil supply shocks, it is essential to investigate the relationship between electricity and oil consumption to economic growth. This is particularly relevant in the South African context, where policy-makers have had to grapple with excess demand for electricity. The Johansen cointegration and vector error correction model approaches have been used to examine a short- and long-run relationship between energy consumption and economic growth. It has been found that electricity consumption has a negative relationship with economic growth and oil consumption has a positive relationship. Therefore, conservation policies like electricity rationing may be implemented, thereby proving to be beneficial to the broader economy. To offset periodical effects such as oil supply shocks, the country should keep high or adequate amounts of oil reserves and/or invest in oil exploration. It is highly recommended, regarding electricity, that the government is to adopt policy measures and direct interventions to promote an efficient use of electricity.
Provision of antiretroviral therapy for children in Nelson Mandela Bay: Health care professionals’ challenges
Authors: Williams Margaret , Van Rooyen Dalena R.M. , Ricks Esmeralda J.
Published: March 2018

Background: The human immunodeficiency virus and/or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic continues to increase in prevalence worldwide, particularly in South Africa, and includes the often overlooked paediatric population. The provision of paediatric antiretroviral treatment (ART) is as essential for children as for adults, and has numerous obstacles, not least of which is lack of decentralisation of facilities to provide essential treatment. Optimising ART, care and support for HIV-positive children, and their caregivers, at public sector primary health care (PHC) clinics is crucial to improve morbidity and mortality rates in children.Aim: To explore the experiences of health care professionals regarding the provision of ART for children at PHC clinics.Setting: The study was conducted in six PHC clinics in Nelson Mandela Bay Health District, Eastern Cape, South Africa.Methodology: The researchers used a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design with in-depth interviews. We used non-probability purposive sampling. Data collected were thematically analysed using Creswell’s data analysis spiral. We used Lincoln and Guba’s model to ensure trustworthiness. Ethical standards were applied.Results: Health care professionals experienced numerous challenges, such as lack of resources, need for training, mentoring and debriefing, all related to providing decentralised ART for HIV-positive children at the PHC level.Conclusion: Capacitation of the health care system, integration of services, competent management and visionary leadership to invoke a collaborative interdisciplinary team approach is required to ensure that HIV is treated as a chronic disease at the PHC clinic level.
Ergonomia Organizacional para a identificação do estado da Casa de Massas do Rio Saltinho: por uma abordagem sistêmica
Authors: Ferreira Alais Souza , Ourives Eliete Auxiliadora Assunção , Figueiredo Luiz Fernando Gonçalves de , Merino Eugenio Andrés Díaz
Published: March 2018

A ergonomia é a ciência do trabalho orientada para uma abordagem sistêmica de todos os aspectos da atividade humana. Esta ciência busca analisar a adequação do trabalho e ambiente em que as atividades são executadas ao ser humano. Seu objetivo é a satisfação e conforto dos indivíduos, e a garantia que a prática laboral e o uso de equipamentos não causem problemas a saúde do usuário. Dentre os domínios de especialização, o foco deste artigo está na ergonomia organizacional, também chamada de macroergonomia, que é a otimização dos sistemas sociotécnicos, com a inclusão das estruturas organizacionais, políticas e processos. Dessa forma, entende-se o processo como sendo uma abordagem sistêmica, ou seja, o estudo holístico dos sistemas de forma a envolver as suas principais interdependências, pois cada um dos elementos, ao serem reunidos para construir uma unidade funcional maior, desenvolvem qualidades que não se encontram em seus componentes isolados. Este artigo visa estudar a abordagem sistêmica do design na ergonomia organizacional no caso da Casa de Massas do Rio Saltinho – localizada em Chapadão do Lageado, Santa Catariana, Brasil. Para isso é necessário compreender o cenário da ergonomia organizacional da Casa de Massas, por meio da análise de observações e elicitação de vídeos e fotografias, visando a conscientização sistêmica da existência de problemas decorrentes da ausência de ergonomia. Para alcançá-lo é necessário: fazer um levantamento bibliográfico sobre a organizacão do trabalho; observar a linha de processamento, espaco físico e disposicão dos equipamentos; propor diretrizes visando melhorar o ambiente físico juntamente com os demais sistemas sóciotécnicos. A pesquisa classifica-se como exploratória, qualitativa, bibliográfica e documental. A amostra é constituída pela empresa Casa das Massas do Rio Saltinho, selecionada por critério amostral não probabilístico por conveniência em relação ao acesso devido à parceria estabelecida entre a prefeitura de Chapadão do Lageado, a Associação de Micro e Pequenas Empresas (AMPE) e o Núcleo de Abordagem Sistêmica do Design (NASDesign, UFSC). Os dados foram tratados por meio da análise documental constituída por elicitação fotográfica e de vídeo coletados pelo NASDesign em junho de 2014. Os resultados possibilitaram a compreensão do cenário da ergonomia organizacional da casa de massas, e o estabelecimento de diretrizes para o aprimoramento das estruturas organizacionais e do processo de produção. Isto contribui para o bem estar das colaboradoras no ambiente de trabalho, o crescimento empresarial da Casa de Massas e para o estabelecimento de um ambiente de trabalho mais cooperativo e motivador.  Palavras-chave: ergonomia organizacional, abordagem Sistêmica, casa de massas do Rio Saltinho.
Proposal for the categorization of the factors related to creativity, from Guilford to these days.
Authors: Flores Miranda Margarita Beatriz
Published: March 2018

This study investigated what it meant and continues to mean for the creativity scientific field, J. P. Guilford´s research on the need to eradicate genius theory in order to give rise to the idea of creativity as an adaptive and projective human quality. The field of creativity as it exists today, emerged largely as a result of Guilford´s theoretical model of the structure of intelligence, a pioneer contribution to the measurement and possible development of creative potential. To these days, Guilford´s and E. Paul Torrance´s (1962) factors related to creativity remain the most widely used in the design of creativity tests. This paper presents a complication of the creativity factors that have been added to Guilford's original list since 1950 until these days, by diverse and relevant authors in the field. A grouping process is performed to eliminate repetitions, similarities or redundancies, and to obtain a list of clearly differentiated attributes. Every attribute is defined in the creativity context in order to examine how they could be related under R. Estarda (2005) theory of creativity, that categorize creativity´s factors in the following triad: affection, cognition and volition. Same factors that J. Lamberth (1980) defined in social psychology, as the essential components in any measurement of behavior. The validity in the selection of Estrada's theory as a merging point comes from its commonality with the theories of Urban (1995), Saturnino de la Torre (2003), Kurtzberg & Amabile (2001) and Arieti (1976). This study supports the view of creativity as a systemic process that considers both the contextual and the individual contribution, and contemplates the potential interplay among the three behavioral components. Concluding that factors related to creativity play an essential role on the identification and the development of creative potential. Both attributes and their categorization remain as fields for a future research´s quantitative validation.
Estudio demoscópico de los atributos de un dispositivo de asistencia abdominointestinal.
Authors: Esnal-Angulo Iñaki , Hernandis-Ortuño Bernabé
Published: March 2018

Se presenta el estudio de la opinión de posibles usuarios y/o consumidores realizado sobre los atributos de diseño de un asistente abdominointestinal para ayudar a paliar el estreñimiento. El objetivo del estudio es la identificación de las características más relevantes que debe poseer un producto de dicha tipología y la detección de los grupos poblacionales más interesantes mediante el análisis y la valoración de la opinión de los posibles usuarios. El estudio llevado a cabo fue de carácter cuantitativo y consistió en una encuesta autocumplimentada realizada a 411 individuos, 225 mujeres (54.7%) y 186 varones (45.3%); seleccionados mediante muestreo aleatorio y realizados cara a cara en centros sanitarios y a través de redes sociales y mensajería electrónica. El cuestionario constó de 40 preguntas de valoración tipo Likert sobre el nivel de acuerdo o desacuerdo de los ítems propuestos y 6 preguntas de perfil. Los resultados obtenidos destacan la identificación de varios grupos poblacionales con intereses muy dispares, como son las mujeres y hombres de mediana edad, quienes valoran positivamente la funcionalidad y negativamente el consumo eléctrico y la necesidad de aprendizaje de uso, respectivamente. Por otro lado, los grupos de personas mayores de 60 años, con escaso nivel de estudios muestran una preocupación por el uso supervisado por los especialistas en centros sanitarios; y los menores de 30 años con alto nivel de estudios, quienes comparten su descontento con el uso en centros especializados, pero valoran positivamente que sea ecológico, personalizable y robusto. Se concluye que la diferenciación de estos grupos obliga a la consideración de diferentes propuestas de diseño en función de los intereses de los distintos perfiles detectados con el fin de adecuar el producto al mayor número de consumidores potenciales.
Non-methane organic gas emissions from biomass burning: identification, quantification, and emission factors from PTR-ToF during the FIREX 2016 laboratory experiment
Authors: Koss Abigail R. , Sekimoto Kanako , Gilman Jessica B. , Selimovic Vanessa , Coggon Matthew M. , Zarzana Kyle J. , Yuan Bin , Lerner Brian M. , Brown Steven S. , Jimenez Jose L. , Krechmer Jordan , Roberts James M. , Warneke Carsten , Yokelson Robert J. , de Gouw Joost
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Volatile and intermediate-volatility non-methane organic gases (NMOGs) released from biomass burning were measured during
laboratory-simulated wildfires by proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF). We identified NMOG
contributors to more than 150 PTR ion masses using gas chromatography (GC) pre-separation with electron ionization,
H3O+ chemical ionization, and NO+ chemical ionization, an extensive literature review, and
time series correlation, providing higher certainty for ion identifications than has been previously available. Our
interpretation of the PTR-ToF mass spectrum accounts for nearly 90 % of NMOG mass detected by PTR-ToF across all fuel
types. The relative contributions of different NMOGs to individual exact ion masses are mostly similar across many fires
and fuel types. The PTR-ToF measurements are compared to corresponding measurements from open-path Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy (OP-FTIR), broadband cavity-enhanced spectroscopy (ACES), and iodide ion chemical ionization mass
spectrometry (I− CIMS) where possible. The majority of comparisons have slopes near 1 and values of the linear
correlation coefficient, R2, of > 0.8, including compounds that are not frequently reported by PTR-MS such as
ammonia, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), nitrous acid (HONO), and propene. The exceptions include methylglyoxal and compounds that
are known to be difficult to measure with one or more of the deployed instruments. The fire-integrated emission ratios to
CO and emission factors of NMOGs from 18 fuel types are provided. Finally, we provide an overview of the chemical
characteristics of detected species. Non-aromatic oxygenated compounds are the most abundant. Furans and aromatics, while
less abundant, comprise a large portion of the OH reactivity. The OH reactivity, its major contributors, and the
volatility distribution of emissions can change considerably over the course of a fire.
From engineering hydrology to Earth system science: milestones in the transformation of hydrologic science
Authors: Sivapalan Murugesu
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Hydrology has undergone almost transformative changes over the past 50 years. Huge strides have been made in the transition from early empirical approaches to rigorous approaches based on the fluid mechanics of water movement on and below the land surface. However, progress has been hampered by problems posed by the presence of heterogeneity, including subsurface heterogeneity present at all scales. The inability to measure or map the heterogeneity everywhere prevented the development of balance equations and associated closure relations at the scales of interest, and has led to the virtual impasse we are presently in, in terms of development of physically based models needed for hydrologic predictions. An alternative to the mapping of heterogeneity everywhere is a new Earth system science view, which sees the heterogeneity as the end result of co-evolutionary hydrological, geomorphological, ecological, and pedological processes, each operating at a different rate, which help to shape the landscapes that we find in nature, including the heterogeneity that we do not readily see. The expectation is that instead of specifying exact details of the heterogeneity in our models, we can replace it (without loss of information) with the ecosystem function that they perform. Guided by this new Earth system science perspective, development of hydrologic science is now addressing new questions using novel holistic co-evolutionary approaches as opposed to the physical, fluid mechanics based reductionist approaches that we inherited from the recent past. In the emergent Anthropocene, the co-evolutionary view has expanded further to involve interactions and feedbacks with human-social processes as well. In this paper, I present my own perspective of key milestones in the transformation of hydrologic science from engineering hydrology to Earth system science, drawn from the work of several students and colleagues of mine, and discuss their implication for hydrologic observations, theory development, and predictions.
Dynamic magnification factors for tree blow-down by powder snow avalanche air blasts
Authors: Bartelt Perry , Bebi Peter , Feistl Thomas , Buser Othmar , Caviezel Andrin
Published: March 2018

Abstract. We study how short duration powder avalanche blasts can break and overturn
tall trees. Tree blow-down is often used to back-calculate avalanche pressure
and therefore constrain avalanche flow velocity and motion. We find that tall
trees are susceptible to avalanche air blasts because the duration of the air
blast is near to the period of vibration of tall trees, both in bending and
root-plate overturning. Dynamic magnification factors for bending and
overturning failures should therefore be considered when back-calculating
avalanche impact pressures.
Uso y aplicación de las TIC en el proceso de enseñanza- aprendizaje
Authors: Lanuza Gámez Flor Idalia , Rizo Rodríguez Marlene , Saavedra Torres Luis Enrique
Published: March 2018

En la búsqueda por mejorar la calidad de la educación, la Facultad Regional Multidisciplinaria de Estelí ha integrado el uso de las TIC en las labores académicas y administrativas como lo establece el modelo educativo de la UNAN- Managua con el objetivo de mejorar el aprendizaje significativo de los estudiantes. Por ello, se realizó esta investigación con el fin de valorar el uso y aplicación de las TIC en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de la FAREM- Estelí, año lectivo 2017. Es una investigación aplicada, de carácter descriptivo y se enmarca metodológicamente en un enfoque mixto y de corte transversal. La muestra la constituyeron tres directores de departamentos académicos, 46 docentes y 129 estudiantes. Los principales resultados se enfocan en lo siguiente: se han venido dando pasos para la integración de las TIC en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje, así como los factores internos y externos que intervienen en el mismo. Sin embargo, hace falta mejorar la infraestructura, adquisición de hardware y software; así como capacitaciones sobre la TIC para la innovación a través de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación desde la Web 3.0.
Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos. Experiencia didáctica en Educación Secundaria implementando las TIC en la asignatura Aprender, Emprender y Prosperar
Authors: Orozco Alvarado Julio César , Díaz Pérez Adolfo Alejandro
Published: March 2018

La aplicación del Aprendizaje basado en proyectos y el uso de las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación (TIC) es una novedad en Educación Secundaria, ya que cada día se perpetúan más los métodos de enseñanza tradicionales que generan ambientes educativos conductistas y que restringen el desarrollo de la autonomía moral e intelectual del estudiantado. No obstante, en el presente estudio llevado a cabo en la asignatura Aprender, Emprender y Prosperar con estudiantes de 10mo grado de Educación Secundaria, se demostró que esta estrategia y recurso didáctico es propicio para generar aprendizajes significativos y útiles para la vida, además, permiten que el estudiantado desarrolle aptitudes y actitudes emprendedoras durante su formación en Educación Secundaria, al aplicar sus conocimientos en la resolución de los problemas de su comunidad. El abordaje metodológico de la investigación se realizó adoptando los fundamentos teóricos del paradigma sociocrítico e investigación acción para la realización de transformaciones educativas, y predominó el enfoque cualitativo por las técnicas e instrumentos de investigación aplicados.
Chapter 1: The Helios School – Inclusive University School in the City of Cologne
Authors: Reich Kersten
Published: March 2018

My essay introduces the model of the Inclusive University School of Cologne, established in 2015, that intends to be a contemporary model of democratic school in the Deweyan tradition based on principles of participation and diversity under the complex life conditions of today. The text contains four components: First, I will reconstruct some elements and principles from Dewey’s Chicago Laboratory School that served as a basis for the Inclusive University School of Cologne. Secondly, I will give a comprehensive account of the inclusive concept of the Cologne school and the ways it works out in practice. Third, I will elaborate on the pedagogical program of the school formulated in ten components of inclusive learning and teaching. In a fourth step, I will give a concrete account of what “new learning” means in the context of this new school. Finally, I will discuss some main obstacles that we encountered and had to overcome in establishing the school in Cologne.
Chapter 5: Fake News and Alternative Facts – A Constructivist Critique of the Current Right-Wing Populist Will to Truth
Authors: Neubert Stefan , Reich Kersten
Published: March 2018

This chapter focuses on rhetorical strategies employed in right-wing populist discourses like the talk about “fake news” and “alternative facts” most prominently used in the Trump campaign and in the first year of his presidency. We discuss what is at stake in current politics regarding the relation between power and truth and propose some perspectives for critical reflection. First, we explore the concept of truth from a pragmatist and constructivist perspective. We argue that there is a fundamental and necessary distinction between relativism and arbitrariness. Second, we consider the role of facts and scientific results in culture and society and the role that markets play in the distribution and dissemination of information and beliefs in a consumer society. We refer to Foucault’s critical concept of the “will to truth” in order to argue that there are standards and procedures regarding facts and beliefs in modern society – e.g., practices that have shown their relative success in the hard and soft sciences – that must be defended against arbitrary assults by right-wing propaganda. We conclude by considering the necessary connection between a plurastic concept of truth and democratic politics in the face of the current right-wing attempts to establish a regime of truth that is fundamentally detrimental to democracy.
Corporate Investment and Portfolio Returns in Japan: A Markov Switching Approach
Authors: Tsuji Chikashi
Published: March 2018

This paper explores the profitability of four Japanese higher return equity portfolios and their linkages between corporate investment factor return, the so-called conservative-minus-aggressive (CMA), suggested by Fama and French (2015). Our empirical examinations derive the following evidence. First, in the four Japanese equity portfolios, the smallest and the highest operating profitability portfolio presents the highest return. Second, the smallest and the highest book-to-market (B/M) portfolio, the smallest and moderate investment portfolio, and the smallest and the second strongest momentum portfolio also record higher excess returns than the overall equity market in Japan. Moreover, our analyses via two-regime Markov switching models evidence that for all the four Japanese equity portfolios, there are clearly two regimes: one is positively related to CMA and the other is little or negatively related to CMA. Furthermore, our analyses also reveal that recently, all the four Japanese equity portfolios yield higher returns than CMA with showing weaker linkages between CMA.
Aggressiveness, aggression, violence, bullying, and cyberbullying as childhood care and education problems of the 21st century
Authors: Małysz Zbigniew
Published: March 2018

The article attempts to classify and distinguish the phenomena listed in the title as distinctive childhood care and education problems of the 21st century.
The author begins with a discussion of primary causes of human aggressiveness and aggression, then briefly analyzes and describes the phenomena/concepts of aggressiveness, aggression, and violence, focusing on a relatively detailed analysis and description of school bullying and cyberbullying as new and distinctive childhood care and education problems of the 21st century.
At the end, he presents conclusions from the analysis.
Mindfulness programs for children and adolescents to prevent cyberbullying
Authors: Gregorek Anna
Published: March 2018

The scale of the cyberbullying problem is big and disturbing. Attempts are being made to eliminate and reduce this issue by seeking effective preventive solutions. Based on her analysis of the literature on mindfulness, the author points to the enormous potential of mindfulness-based programs in preventing cyberbullying threats. Numerous studies confirm that the practice of mindfulness is an effective program in the fight against stress, pain, and even illness; it improves mental and physical well-being. Mindfulness practitioners become more compassionate, milder, empathetic, they cope better with difficult situations, use positive thinking and behavior patterns, achieve calmness and confidence, and make positive changes in interpersonal relationships.
Hypomelanotic melanoma detected by the “little red riding hood sign” in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1
Authors: Giuffrida Roberta , Uranitsch Maximilian , Schmid Karin , Deinlein Teresa , Favero Fabrizio , Zalaudek Iris
Published: March 2018

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder commonly associated with an increased risk for development of malignancy, including skin cancers. Herein we describe a case of invasive melanoma occurring in a patient with NF1 and discuss the association between these two diseases, highlighting the importance of comparative clinical and dermoscopic approach in this category of patients in which the detection of melanoma can be difficult by the presence of multiple skin tumors.
Mapping marine biomes of the world
Authors: Jayathilake Dinusha Rasanjalee , Costello Mark John
Published: March 2018

There is no global map of marine biomes, i.e., areas characterized by similar habitat forming plant life forms. We defined five marine biomes; seagrass, kelp, mangroves, zooxanthellate corals, and saltmarshes. We mapped seagrass and kelp biomes using species distribution modeling (MaxEnt) of species occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) Ocean Data Viewer. Environmental data layers were extracted from Global Marine Environment Datasets (GMED) and interpolated into 30 arc seconds resolution. The resulting MaxEnt model predicted a similar geographical distribution to the occurrence records. In addition, it mapped areas where previous maps lacked data and predicted seagrass occupies 1,646,788 km2. This map will be combined with maps of kelp, coral, and mangrove biomes to show the spatial extent of marine biomes for use in global carbon budgets and design Marine Protected Area networks.
Mitochondrial diversity of Bulgarian native dogs suggests dual phylogenetic origin
Authors: Marinov Miroslav , Teofanova Denitsa , Radoslavov Georgi , Hristov Peter I
Published: March 2018

The dog has been the first domesticated animal to have a central role in human society from ancient times to present day. Although there have been numerous investigations of dog phylogeny and origin, genetic data of dogs in the region of the Balkan Peninsula (South-Eastern Europe) are still scarce. Therefore, the aim of the present study has been to perform phylogenetic analysis of three native Bulgarian dog breeds. A total of 130 samples were analyzed according to HVR1 (hypervariable region, D-loop region). The samples were taken from two hunting dog breeds (Bulgarian Hound dog: Barak, n=34; Bulgarian Scenthound dog: Gonche, n=45) as well as from a Bulgarian Shepherd dog (n=51). The first two breeds are reared in a flat region of the country (the Northern part of Bulgaria, the Danubian Plain), while the last breed is a typical representative of the mountainous part of the country. The results have shown the presence of almost all main clades – A, B, C and D – in the three dog breeds taken together, except clades E and F, as expected. With regard to haplogroups distribution, there are clear differences among investigated breeds. While hunting breeds exhibit a prevalence of the C clade, the mountainous Shepherd dog shows presence of the D2 haplogroup but absence of the C clade. In conclusion, the present study has been the first to investigate the mitochondrial diversity of native dog breeds in Bulgaria. The results show a clear difference of haplogroups dissemination in native hunting and shepherd dogs that suggests a dual independent phylogenetic origin without hybridization events between them.
TANGO1 builds a machine for collagen export by recruiting and spatially organizing COPII, tethers and membranes
Authors: Raote Ishier , Ortega-Bellido Maria , Santos António JM , Foresti Ombretta , Zhang Chong , Garcia-Parajo Maria F , Campelo Felix , Malhotra Vivek
Published: March 2018

Collagen export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) requires TANGO1, COPII coats, and retrograde fusion of ERGIC membranes. How do these components come together to produce a transport carrier commensurate with the bulky cargo collagen? TANGO1 is known to form a ring that corrals COPII coats, and we show here how this ring or fence is assembled. Our data reveal that a TANGO1 ring is organized by its radial interaction with COPII, and lateral interactions with cTAGE5, TANGO1-short or itself. Of particular interest is the finding that TANGO1 recruits ERGIC membranes for collagen export via the NRZ (NBAS/RINT1/ZW10) tether complex. Therefore, TANGO1 couples retrograde membrane flow to anterograde cargo transport. Without the NRZ complex, the TANGO1 ring does not assemble, suggesting its role in nucleating or stabilising this process. Thus, coordinated capture of COPII coats, cTAGE5, TANGO1-short, and tethers by TANGO1 assembles a collagen export machine at the ER.
The sweet side of vimentin
Authors: Snider Natasha T , Ku Nam-On , Omary M Bishr
Published: March 2018

A protein modification called O-linked glycosylation regulates the interactions between vimentin molecules under normal conditions, and the ability of Chlamydia bacteria to replicate after they infect cells.
cisTEM, user-friendly software for single-particle image processing
Authors: Grant Timothy , Rohou Alexis , Grigorieff Nikolaus
Published: March 2018

We have developed new open-source software called cisTEM (computational imaging system for transmission electron microscopy) for the processing of data for high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy and single-particle averaging. cisTEM features a graphical user interface that is used to submit jobs, monitor their progress, and display results. It implements a full processing pipeline including movie processing, image defocus determination, automatic particle picking, 2D classification, ab-initio 3D map generation from random parameters, 3D classification, and high-resolution refinement and reconstruction. Some of these steps implement newly-developed algorithms; others were adapted from previously published algorithms. The software is optimized to enable processing of typical datasets (2000 micrographs, 200 k – 300 k particles) on a high-end, CPU-based workstation in half a day or less, comparable to GPU-accelerated processing. Jobs can also be scheduled on large computer clusters using flexible run profiles that can be adapted for most computing environments. cisTEM is available for download from cistem.org.