cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of the glucocorticoid receptor
Creators: name: Walther, Rhian
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2003
Subjects: subject: Biology, Molecular.

description: Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) are ligand-inducible transcription factors that regulate the activity of a wide variety of target genes. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a NHR that is found predominantly in the cytoplasm prior to ligand binding. Nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling has been proposed to play an important role in the regulation of NHR function by allowing for continuous communication between the nuclear receptor and cytosolic signalling pathways. To study shuttling in a setting that resembles the cellular environment I developed a fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) technique using randomly occurring multinucleated Cos7 cells. We found little if any shuttling of the liganded receptor 4 h after photobleaching, which was consistent with the slow rate of redistribution following ligand withdrawal but not consistent with the previously described rapid export that is believed to underlie nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of GR. This persistent nuclear localisation of the liganded receptor was confirmed using two independent assays. However, experiments performed in cells fused by treatment with polyethylene glycol (4000) confirmed earlier reports that liganded GR shuttles rapidly between nucleus and cytoplasm in a manner that is dependent upon direct binding of GR to calreticulin. In contrast, disruption of calreticulin binding did not abrogate the slow export of GR observed by FRAP. Further, redistribution of the receptor to the cytoplasm following ligand withdrawal was not dependent on calreticulin binding. Our results suggest that cell fusion activates a specialised mechanism of GR export that is dependent on calreticulin, and that under normal cellular conditions NHRs may not be able to respond rapidly to cytoplasmic signalling pathways. Additionally, our findings demonstrate that nucleocytoplasmic shuttling as suggested by cell fusion-based assays may not always reflect trafficking behaviour in a normal cell. Within the course of these studies, we noted that the slow rate of GR nuclear export is accelerated upon mutation of the GR nuclear localisation sequence 1 (NL1). This suggested that in addition to mediating nuclear import of GR by binding with importin alpha, the NL1 sequence might function to retain GR in the nucleus. We determined that the hinge region of GR, which includes the NL1 sequence, was sufficient to efficiently repress export mediated by the CRM1-dependent HIV Rev nuclear export sequence (NES). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Validation of the cuIBM code for Navier-Stokes equations with immersed boundary methods
Creators: name: Krishnan, Anush
name: Barba, Lorena A.
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Mechanical Engineering
subject: FOS: Mechanical engineering
subject: Computational Physics

description: We have developed a Navier-Stokes solver, called cuIBM, to simulate incompressible flows using immersed boundary methods. This document provides background on the numerical methods implemented in the cuIBM code framework and evidence of the validation exercise carried out by the authors. The code provides a growing set of options for flows with immersed boundaries, is written in C++ and uses GPU hardware via CUDA kernels and calls to the Cusp library. The validation tests in two-dimensions use an analytical solution (Couette flow) and several experimental results to contrast with the numerical solutions. The experimental benchmarks include a lid-driven cavity at Re=100, impulsively started flow around a circular cylinder at low and moderate Reynolds numbers, cylinder wake flow, and flow over both heaving and flapping airfoils.
Megacities - A Challenge for (German) Development Cooperation
Creators: name: Nitschke, Ulrich
name: Ouan, Nina
name: Peters, Gerrit
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: This article builds upon the lessons learnt on urbanisation in Germany and other countries before, during and since the UN Habitat Conferences and its follow-up processes. The ideas dealt with herein are important not only for urbanisation experts but for all involved in critically looking at strategic considerations for (German) development co-operation and the far-reaching impacts of growing urban challenges to South-North relations in general. Urban development has long been neglected by German development cooperation, strikingly despite considering today's high degree and dynamism of urbanisation. The pending Millennium Goals calls for a re-thinking of (German) development cooperation as urban, particularly mega-urban areas are far beyond their immediate territories responsible as engines and trendsetters for the development of larger areas, nations, if not supranational regions. Their ecological footprint as well as their socio-economic and political outreach goes often further than comparable medium nation states. Megacities, corresponding to the anchor country concept, understood as anchor cities in the context of (German) development cooperation, possess enormous potential for sustainable regional development, which yet has to be realized and addressed by (German) development politics. However, what kind of expertise can (German) development cooperation offer to successfully influence mega urban development? Which direction should such a development strategy take in order to ensure success?
description: Asien, Nr. 103 (2007): ASIEN (April)
Housing for Low-income Groups in Ho Chi Minh City between Re-Integration and Fragmentation
Creators: name: Waibel, Michael
name: Eckert, Ronald
name: Bose, Michael
name: Martin, Volker
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: The metropolitan region of Ho Chi Minh City has been the greatest beneficiary of the ongoing transitional process in Vietnam, but this has been accompanied by a sharp rise of social polarization and spatial fragmentation. This paper analyzes the housing sector as an example of the complex dynamics of the transitional urban development. One of the highest income-housing price ratios in the world excludes large parts of the population, especially rural-urban migrants, from access to formal housing and has aggravated housing inequalities in general. New ideas on the provision of housing for low-income people are presented. Hereby, the concept 'Low Rise - High Density' for adequate urban typologies and spatial strategies is promoted. This comprehensive approach, based on proven strategies for sustainable urban development, is adapted to local culture, minimizes financial expenditure, considers socioeconomic needs and provides environmental feasibility. A strategy towards re-inte- gration, also requires the participation of all relevant stakeholders and the stronger incorporation of bottom-up initiatives and of residents' real-life expertise into public planning. Spatial strategies should be specifically developed concerning the redevelopment of residential areas in the inner city and housing in the areas of urban expansion as well as in the surrounding provinces.
description: Asien, Nr. 103 (2007): ASIEN (April)
Recent advances in basic neurosciences and brain disease: from synapses to behavior
Creators: name: Bi, Guo-Qiang
name: Bolshakov, Vadim
name: Bu, Guojun
name: Cahill, Catherine M
name: Chen, Zhou-Feng
name: Collingridge, Graham L
name: Cooper, Robin L
name: Coorssen, Jens R
name: El-Husseini, Alaa
name: Galhardo, Vasco
name: Gan, Wen-Biao
name: Gu, Jianguo
name: Inoue, Kazuhide
name: Isaac, John
name: Iwata, Koichi
name: Jia, Zhengping
name: Kaang, Bong-Kiun
name: Kawamata, Mikito
name: Kida, Satoshi
name: Klann, Eric
name: Kohno, Tatsuro
name: Li, Min
name: Li, Xiao-Jiang
name: MacDonald, John F
name: Nader, Karim
name: Nguyen, Peter V
name: Oh, Uhtaek
name: Ren, Ke
name: Roder, John C
name: Salter, Michael W
name: Song, Weihong
name: Sugita, Shuzo
name: Tang, Shao-Jun
name: Tao, Yuanxiang
name: Wang, Yu T
name: Woo, Newton
name: Woodin, Melanie A
name: Yan, Zhen
name: Yoshimura, Megumu
name: Xu, Ming
name: Xu, Zao C
name: Zhang, Xia
name: Zhen, Mei
name: Zhuo, Min
Publisher: name: BioMed Central
Year: 2015

description: Understanding basic neuronal mechanisms hold the hope for future treatment of brain disease. The 1st international conference on synapse, memory, drug addiction and pain was held in beautiful downtown Toronto, Canada on August 21–23, 2006. Unlike other traditional conferences, this new meeting focused on three major aims: (1) to promote new and cutting edge research in neuroscience; (2) to encourage international information exchange and scientific collaborations; and (3) to provide a platform for active scientists to discuss new findings. Up to 64 investigators presented their recent discoveries, from basic synaptic mechanisms to genes related to human brain disease. This meeting was in part sponsored by Molecular Pain, together with University of Toronto (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology as well as Center for the Study of Pain). Our goal for this meeting is to promote future active scientific collaborations and improve human health through fundamental basic neuroscience researches. The second international meeting on Neurons and Brain Disease will be held in Toronto (August 29–31, 2007).
Bangalore: Globalisation and Fragmentation in India's Hightech-Capital
Creators: name: Dittrich, Christoph
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: The meteoric rise of the South Indian megacity of Bangalore (alias Bengaluru) to a globally integrated location of software development and other modern service industries produces profound changes in the metropolitan social map, creating aggravating disparities and a highly fragmented and polarised urban society. Bangalore is becoming what is called a multiply divided city where both social and geographical barriers are reinforced. While a relatively tiny stratum of an affluent urban elite takes benefit from these transformations, the urban poor are further marginalised.
description: Asien, Nr. 103 (2007): ASIEN (April)
Analysis of the physical characteristics of an anhydrous vehicle for compounded pediatric oral liquids
Creators: name: Banov, Daniel
name: Liu, Yi
name: Ip, Kendice
name: Shan, Ashley
name: Vu, Christine
name: Zdoryk, Oleksandr
name: Bassani, August S.
name: Carvalho, Maria
Publisher: name: MDPI
Year: 2023

description: The paucity of suitable drug formulations for pediatric patients generates a need for customized, compounded medications. This research study was set out to comprehensively analyze the physical properties of the new, proprietary anhydrous oral vehicle SuspendIt® Anhydrous, which was designed for compounding pediatric oral liquids. A wide range of tests was used, including sedimentation volume, viscosity, droplet size after dispersion in simulated gastric fluid, microscopic examination and content uniformity measurements to evaluate the properties of the anhydrous vehicle. The results showed that the vehicle exhibited consistent physical properties under varying conditions and maintained stability over time. This can be attributed to the unique blend of excipients in its formulation, which not only maintain its viscosity but also confer thixotropic behavior. The unique combination of viscous, thixotropic and self-emulsifying properties allows for rapid redispersibility, sedimentation stability, accurate dosing, potential drug solubility, dispersion and promotion of enhanced gastrointestinal distribution and absorption. Furthermore, the vehicle demonstrated long-term sedimentation stability and content uniformity for a list of 13 anhydrous suspensions. These results suggest that the anhydrous oral vehicle could serve as a versatile base for pediatric formulation, potentially filling an important gap in pediatric drug delivery. Future studies can further investigate its compatibility, stability and performance with other drugs and in different clinical scenarios.
Feintes, essences et mimesis chez Nicole Brossard, Patrick Imbert et Marie-Claire Blais
Creators: name: Boulanger, Ghislaine
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2004
Subjects: subject: Literature, Canadian (French).

description: En effet, la venue de Nicole Brossard à l'écriture féminine et/ou lesbienne s'est effectuée sous le signe d'un essentialisme stratégique longtemps avant que Stephen Heath et Gayatri Spivak ne popularisent cette expression. Aussi ne peut-on s'intéresser aux points d'intersection entre essence et feintise, dans l'oeuvre brossardienne, sans par la même occasion revenir à cette époque trouble où des sujets feinteurs se disputaient l'arène du féminin, où l'écrivaine refoulait aux limites de l'écriture-femme des sujets hybrides susceptibles de mettre en abyme ses propres im/postures. Aux frontières du féminin tenteront également de passer les écritures et identités lesbiennes, passant tantôt pour autres qu'elles ne sont vraiment, tantôt par cette figure utopique que l'écrivaine prend pour toute femme, pour toute lesbienne. L'idéal brossardien aura d'ailleurs un tel ascendant sur ses contemporaines que même ses contemporains souhaiteront se faire lesbiennes, émulant et défiant l'auteure du Désert mauve tout à la fois, comme nous le découvrirons dans une nouvelle de Patrick Imbert ou seront taraudées les cloisons entre les genres identitaires et scripturaires. Car l'essence s'avère avant tout une question de frontières, de territoires autour desquels se greffent des identités marginales, et au coeur desquels s'imposent des entités dominantes, différenciatrices. Voilà, il est vrai, un tiroir dont les secrets encore aujourd'hui nous résistent où dont plusieurs souhaiteraient perdre la clef, car se cachent au fond de lui d'épineux problèmes d'exclusion, souvent involontaires, causes par une rhétorique essentialiste quelque peu piègée. La philosophe Elizabeth V. Spelman a certes eu raison de déconstruire métaphores et analogies, de démonter les mécanismes de forclusion intrinsèques à ces figures. Mais à tant vouloir franchir des frontières interdites, il arrive que l'on doive non seulement passer pour une autre, mais aussi, avec d'autres, comme nous le démontrera un roman de Marie-Claire Blais. Or, qu'advient-il de l'intention solidaire, lorsque celle-ci se conjugue à des problèmes de légitimité, lorsqu'elle ne saurait admettre certaines relations de pouvoir ou lorsque encore, elle tend à les reproduire? Qui disparait, dans la foulée des emprunts identitaires? (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Killarney fern Trichomanes speciosum Willd. in Poland (2002 2008) the state of population and protection perspective
Creators: name: Świerkosz, Krzysztof
name: Reczyńska, Kamila
name: Krukowski, Marek
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2012
Subjects: Botany

description: Killarney fern (Trichomanes speciosum Willd., Hymenophyllaceae) is one of the most endangered and interesting ferns in Europe, which forms exclusively independent gametophyte colonies. In Poland, it has been reported in two localities in the Westsudeten Foothills, Lower Silesia. They are the most eastern outposts of this taxon in Europe, suffering the most severe climatic conditions in the extent of its occurrence. In both sites, gametophytes occurred in horizontal rock fissures in the Upper Cretaceous sandstone, surrounded by degraded eastern oak-hornbeam forests. The analysis of its occurrence in Poland during sixth years showed dynamic changes of the population state. The population which occurs in the cave near Złotoryja has decreased between 2002 and 2006, to be almost extinct, but in the last two years its cover increased to half of its previous state. Gametophytes found in the locality near Lwówek Śląski (Panieńskie Skały) in years 2002 2004 have not been confirmed in 2008.
Informal Elements in Urban Growth Regulation in China - Urban Villages in Ningbo
Creators: name: Changqing, Qi
name: Kreibich, Volker
name: Baumgart, Sabine
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: Massive rural-urban migration has always accompanied modern urbanisation; the volume of migration flows in contemporary China is, however, unique in history. Al­though cheap labour is an essential ingredient to the booming economy, the Chinese political-administrative system is ill prepared to accommodate the migrants in the rapidly growing conurbations. They are denied the status of urban residents and are forced to live in so-called urban villages which constitute enclaves of informality in an otherwise highly regulated society.The article sets out to describe and understand the informal elements of urban growth in the light of uncoordinated and even contradicting political aims and administrative regulations on the national, provincial and municipal levels. Based on a representative survey of two urban villages in the booming city of Ningbo, the socio-economic characteristics of migrants and their position on the urban housing market are related to their precarious residential status. The changing perceptions and attitudes of local politicians and administrators are explored with reference to new directives issued by central government.
description: Asien, Nr. 103 (2007): ASIEN (April)
Integrating Solid-State Nanopore Sensors within Various Microfluidic Arrays for Single-Molecule Detection
Creators: name: Tahvildari, Radin
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2017
Subjects: Nanopore sensors
Microfluidic
Single-molecule detection
Microfabrication
Biophysics
Integration

description: The miniaturization afforded by the integration of microfluidic technologies within lab-on-a-chip devices has greatly enhanced analytical capabilities in several key applications. Microfluidics has been utilized in a wide range of areas including sample preparation and analysis, DNA microarrays, cell detection, as well as environmental monitoring. The use of microfluidics in these applications offer many unique advantages: reduction in the required sample size, reduction in analysis time, lowered cost through batch fabrication, potentially higher throughput and the vision of having such devices used in portable systems. Nanopore sensors are a relatively new technology capable of detection and analysis with single-molecule sensitivity, and show promise in many applications related to the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Recently, some research groups demonstrated the integration of nanopores within microfluidic devices to increase analytical throughput. This thesis describes a methodology for integrating nanopore sensors within microfluidic devices with the aim of enhancing the analytical capabilities required to analyze biomolecular samples. In this work, the first generation of an integrated nanopore-microfluidic device contained multiple independently addressable microfluidic channels to fabricate an array of nanopore sensors using controlled breakdown (CBD). Next, for the second generation, we added pneumatic microvalves to manipulate electrical and fluidic access through connected microfluidic channels. As a proof-of-concept, single molecules (single- and double-stranded DNA, proteins) were successfully detected in the devices. It is also demonstrated that inclusion of the microfluidic via (microvia) limited the exposed area of the embedded silicon nitride membrane to the solution. This helped in localizing nanopore formation by confining the electric field to specific regions of the insulating membrane while significantly reducing high frequency noise in the ionic current signal through the reduction of chip capacitance. The devices highlighted in this thesis were designed and fabricated using soft lithography techniques which are available in most biotechnology laboratories. The core of this thesis is based on two scientific articles (Chapters 3 and 4), which are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. These chapters are preceded by an introductory chapter and another chapter detailing the experimental setup and the methods used during the course of this study.
High-precision isotopic characterization of USGS reference materials by TIMS and MC-ICP-MS.
Creators: name: Weis, Dominique
name: Kieffer, Bruno
name: Barling, Jane
name: Williams, Gwen A.
name: Hanano, Diane
name: Pretorius, Wilma
name: Scoates, James
name: Goolaerts, Arnaud
name: Friedman, Richard M.
Publisher: name: American Geophysical Union
Year: 2016

description: The Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research (PCIGR) at the University of British Columbia has undertaken a systematic analysis of the isotopic (Sr, Nd, and Pb) compositions and concentrations of a broad compositional range of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reference materials, including basalt (BCR-1, 2; BHVO-1, 2), andesite (AGV-1, 2), rhyolite (RGM-1, 2), syenite (STM-1, 2), granodiorite (GSP-2), and granite (G-2, 3). USGS rock reference materials are geochemically well characterized, but there is neither a systematic methodology nor a database for radiogenic isotopic compositions, even for the widely used BCR-1. This investigation represents the first comprehensive, systematic analysis of the isotopic composition and concentration of USGS reference materials and provides an important database for the isotopic community. In addition, the range of equipment at the PCIGR, including a Nu Instruments Plasma MC-ICP-MS, a Thermo Finnigan Triton TIMS, and a Thermo Finnigan Element2 HR-ICP-MS, permits an assessment and comparison of the precision and accuracy of isotopic analyses determined by both the TIMS and MC-ICP-MS methods (e.g., Nd isotopic compositions). For each of the reference materials, 5 to 10 complete replicate analyses provide coherent isotopic results, all with external precision below 30 ppm (2 SD) for Sr and Nd isotopic compositions (27 and 24 ppm for TIMS and MC-ICP-MS, respectively). Our results also show that the first- and second-generation USGS reference materials have homogeneous Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. Nd isotopic compositions by MC-ICP-MS and TIMS agree to within 15 ppm for all reference materials. Interlaboratory MC-ICP-MS comparisons show excellent agreement for Pb isotopic compositions; however, the reproducibility is not as good as for Sr and Nd. A careful, sequential leaching experiment of three first- and second-generation reference materials (BCR, BHVO, AGV) indicates that the heterogeneity in Pb isotopic compositions, and concentrations, could be directly related to contamination by the steel (mortar/pestle) used to process the materials. Contamination also accounts for the high concentrations of certain other trace elements (e.g., Li, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, W) in various USGS reference materials. An edited version of this paper was published by AGU. Copyright 2006 American Geophysical Union.
title: Mato Grosso's path to net-zero: Tackling pasture degradation for enhanced beef exports
Creators: name: Pereira, Osvaldo
name: Vasconcelos, André
Publisher: name: Trase
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 1.5
subject: FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
classificationCode: 5.2
subject: FOS: Economics and business
classificationCode: 4.1
subject: FOS: Agriculture, forestry and fisheries

description: Investing in pasture recovery could make a huge contribution to improving the environmental performance of beef production in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. New analysis by Trase shows where these investments would be most beneficial.
Validation of the cuIBM code for Navier-Stokes equations with immersed boundary methods
Creators: name: Krishnan, Anush
name: Barba, Lorena A.
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2013
Subjects: subject: Mechanical Engineering
subject: FOS: Mechanical engineering
subject: Computational Physics

description: We have developed a Navier-Stokes solver, called cuIBM, to simulate incompressible flows using immersed boundary methods. This document provides background on the numerical methods implemented in the cuIBM code framework and evidence of the validation exercise carried out by the authors. The code provides a growing set of options for flows with immersed boundaries, is written in C++ and uses GPU hardware via CUDA kernels and calls to the Cusp library. The validation tests in two-dimensions use an analytical solution (Couette flow) and several experimental results to contrast with the numerical solutions. The experimental benchmarks include a lid-driven cavity at Re=100, impulsively started flow around a circular cylinder at low and moderate Reynolds numbers, cylinder wake flow, and flow over both heaving and flapping airfoils.
Megacities and Global Change in East, Southeast and South Asia
Creators: name: Kraas, Frauke
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: Megacities have particular significance in the world-wide process of urbanisation: In the year 2015, more than 600 million people will be living in about 60 megacities worldwide (i.e. metropolises with more than 5 million people). Under the dynamics of global change they affect global change just as profoundly as global change can affect megacities. Often, megacities are perceived mainly as burdened by disadvantages, origins and motors of multiple problems as well as agents and victims of risks. Such a view does, however, neglect - at least potential - benefits, chances and advantages of mega-urban developments. In East, Southeast and South Asia, radical spatial, demographic, social and political structural changes in (mega-)urban areas took place, associated with the economic rise of the whole region since the mid- 1980s, which show remarkable differences. Furthermore, the issue of systematic risk minimisation and risk prevention and the question of growing importance of informality within megaurban areas are touched.
description: Asien, Nr. 103 (2007): ASIEN (April)
Ananjeva, G. A., T. I. Andreeva, et al. (2011). "Monitoring of tobacco smoke particulate matter air pollution in the universities of Kazan city."
Creators: name: Andreeva, Tatiana
name: Kholodnova, D.V.
name: Vasylyev, V.A.
name: Perekhodko, M.K.
name: Kamalova, V.L.
name: Bilalova, Z.M.
name: Sairanov, R.R.
name: Ananjeva, Galina
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2012
Subjects: Medicine

description: Ananjeva, G. A., T. I. Andreeva, et al. (2011). "Monitoring of tobacco smoke particulate matter air pollution in the universities of Kazan city." Tobacco Control and Public Health in Eastern Europe 1(1): 11-19. Particulate matter (PM) measurements were conducted in the premises of eight universities in Kazan city. Where smoking is allowed, PM concentrations reach dangerous levels. Smoking mostly takes place in rest-rooms, hallways, corridors, and kitchens of student dormitories. In premises where nobody smokes of the buildings where smoking is not fully forbidden, PM concentrations may be dangerous even for healthy people. Smoke-free policies in university buildings do not cause compensatory smoking at the entrances. PM concentrations at the upper floors of the buildings are generally higher, which needs to be taken in to account while interpreting the results of PM measurements. Smoke-free policies must cover both university buildings and student dormitories.
Andreeva, T. (2011). "Studies in the field of tobacco control: what kind they are and what they are for? Examples from Kazan."
Creators: name: Andreeva, Tatiana
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2012
Subjects: Medicine

description: Andreeva, T. (2011). "Studies in the field of tobacco control: what kind they are and what they are for? Examples from Kazan." Tobacco Control and Public Health in Eastern Europe 1(1): 1-10. The paper reviews approaches expected to be helpful for researchers involved in tobacco control studies. Classifications of studies are discussed starting from most general ones and related to any studies in the field of health sciences and ending with more specific for tobacco control. Part of the paper is devoted to structuring study data and building its design, including outcome measures, determinants, confounders, effect measure modifiers and mediators. Significant place is devoted to evaluative studies. Examples mostly come from the papers of Kazan authors presented at the first and second conferences ‘Health of Kazan-city dwellers and tobacco’ and other sources the author relies on.
Key words: tobacco control, study model, study design, evaluative studies, outcome measures, determinants, confounders, effect measure modifiers, mediators.
Chagarna N, Andreeva T (2012) Socio-economic determinants of eating practices of Ukrainians.
Creators: name: Andreeva, Tatiana
name: Chagarna, Natalia
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2012
Subjects: Medicine

description: Chagarna N, Andreeva T (2012) Socio-economic determinants of eating practices of Ukrainians. Tobacco Control and Public Health in Eastern Europe 2 (Supplement 1, 2nd conference 'Economics, sociology, theory and practice of public health'):s39-s40. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.92770BACKGROUND: Healthy eating practices are among important public healthgoalsworldwide. We aimed to investigate socio-economic determinants of the nutrition habits of Ukrainian families. METHODS: Data from the “UKRAINIAN LONGITUDINAL MONITORING SURVEY 2007” were analysed. Factor analysis produced variables characterising eating practices, which were re-coded in binary variables indicating low/high food consumption. The bivariate and multivariate analysis was conducted to identify associations between socio-economic state and eating modes. RESULTS: Three dimensions of nutrition practices were identified in the factor analysis: “standard diet” variable associated with quantities of most food products consumed, it actually shows how much food in general the household consumes, “fruit-and-vegetable diet”variable was associated with quantities of various fruits and vegetables included in the questionnaire, and “processed-(pre-packed)-food diet” variable was created based on its associations with products like sausage. More “processed” food was consumed by members of households which were generally better-off (equipped with dvd-player, computer (laptop), garage), and Russian-speakers. More plant food was consumed by the households with attributes of rural living (equipped with bottled gas, central or individual system of heating, those who possessed a motorcycleor a truck). The owners of a plot adjacent to rural house or land used for gardening were eating more fruits and vegetables. A small group of well-off urban dwellers (like those possessing tumble-dryers), tend to eat more plant food; however, this group is not numerous. CONCLUSION: Plant food eating in Ukraine stays a factor of survival rather than healthy eating for those households which dwell in rural areas and have no means to choose foods they want. Those people who achieve better socio-economic status tend to increase processed food portion of their diets. Only a very small group of affluent Ukrainian citizens tend to eat much fruit and vegetables contributing to U-form relationship between socio-economic status and antioxidant-rich food consumption.  KEYWORDS: eating practices, socio-economic characteristics.
Simple Model for Pollution Dispersion in a Convective Boundary Layer.
Creators: name: Stull, Roland B., 1950-
name: Ainslie, Bruce
Publisher: name: American Meteorological Society
Year: 2011

description: A simplified model for dispersion in a convective boundary layer is presented and is used to diagnose crosswind-integrated concentrations, ground-level concentrations, and vertical plume spread over flat terrain for various release heights. The model parameterizes the long-wavelength oscillation of the time-averaged plume centerline versus downwind distance under unstable conditions, using a simple sine wave. This wave is phase shifted to account for the influence of source height and is damped toward the mid–mixed layer to account for the well-mixed end state of convective dispersion. This model represents an improvement over a previous model in two ways. First, vertical dispersion about the oscillating time-averaged centerline is parameterized using a lognormal distribution instead of a Gaussian distribution so as to give better ground-level concentration. Second, to account for the addition of surface-layer shear-generated turbulence to a convective boundary layer, the wavelength of the time-averaged oscillation is stretched as a function of the ratio of friction velocity to the Deardorff convective velocity scale. Results are tested against published laboratory, large-eddy simulation, and field data and are compared with the dispersion scheme used in the AERMOD regulatory dispersion model. In general, the simplified convective dispersion model provides close agreement with the observations and simulations. The utility of a buoyancy velocity to serve as a convection scale is also demonstrated. Copyright 2006 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 USC §108, as revised by P.L. 94-553) does not require the AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a web site or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, requires written permission or a license from the AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy, available on the AMS Web site located at (http://www.ametsoc.org/) or from the AMS at 617-227-2425 or copyright@ametsoc.org.
Risk Preferences in China — Results from Experimental Economics
Creators: name: Haering, Alexander
name: Heinrich, Timo
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: The propensity to take risks is a fundamental trait that determines the nature of decision making. For example, risk taking is regarded as an important driver of entrepreneurial and innovative behavior in an economy. In this paper, we survey the empirical evidence on individual risk-taking behavior in China. We focus on those studies that elicit preferences for risk taking involving real monetary stakes under controlled conditions, using the methods of Experimental Economics. The studies that we summarize compare Chinese subjects to those in other countries. While non-incentivized surveys find that Chinese subjects are more willing to take risks than Germans and Americans are, the existing experimental studies suggest that this relationship is less clear cut.
description: Asien, Nr. 142 (2017): ASIEN (Januar)
Hierarchical Segmentation of Videos into Shots and Scenes using Visual Content
Creators: name: Thompson, Andrew
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2010
Subjects: subject: Engineering, Electronics and Electrical.

description: With the large amounts of video data available, it has become increasingly important to have the ability to quickly search through and browse through these videos. With that in mind, the objective of this project is to facilitate the process of searching through videos for specific content by creating a video search tool, with an immediate goal of automatically performing a hierarchical segmentation of videos, particularly full-length movies, before carrying out a search for a specific query. We approach the problem by first segmenting the video into its film units. Once the units have been extracted, various similarity measures between features, that are extracted from the film units, can be used to locate specific sections in the movie. In order to be able to properly search through a film, we must first have access to its basic units. A movie can be broken down into a hierarchy of three units: frames, shots, and scenes. The important first step in this process is to partition the film into shots. Shot detection, the process of locating the transitions between different cameras, is executed by performing a color reduction, using the 4-Histograms method to calculate the distance between neighboring frames, applying a second order derivative to the resulting distance vector, and finally using the automatically calculated threshold to locate shot cuts. Scene detection is generally a more difficult task when compared to shot detection. After the shot boundaries of a video have been detected, the next step towards scene detection is to calculate a certain similarity measure which can then be used to cluster shots into scenes. Various keyframe extraction algorithms and similarity measures from the literature were considered and compared. Frame sampling for obtaining keyframe sets and Bhattacharya distance for similarity measure were selected for use in the shot detection algorithm. A binary shot similarity map is then created using the keyframe sets and Bhattacharya distance similarity measure. Next, a temporal distance weight and a predetermined threshold are applied to the map to obtain the final binary similarity map. The last step uses the proposed algorithm to locate the shot clusters along the diagonal which correspond to scenes. These methods and measures were successfully implemented in the Video Search Tool to hierarchically segment videos into shots and scenes.
Single‐cell profiling and zebrafish avatars reveal LGALS1 as immunomodulating target in glioblastoma
Creators: name: Finotto, Lise
name: Cole, Basiel
name: Giese, Wolfgang
name: Baumann, Elisabeth
name: Claeys, Annelies
name: Vanmechelen, Maxime
name: Decraene, Brecht
name: Derweduwe, Marleen
name: Dubroja Lakic, Nikolina
name: Shankar, Gautam
name: Nagathihalli Kantharaju, Madhu
name: Albrecht, Jan Philipp
name: Geudens, Ilse
name: Stanchi, Fabio
name: Ligon, Keith L
name: Boeckx, Bram
name: Lambrechts, Diether
name: Harrington, Kyle
name: Van Den Bosch, Ludo
name: De Vleeschouwer, Steven
name: De Smet, Frederik
name: Gerhardt, Holger
Publisher: name: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: glioblastoma
subject: LGALS1
subject: macrophages
subject: scRNA‐seq
subject: zebrafish avatars
subject: 570 Biologie
subject: 610 Medizin und Gesundheit

description: Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most malignant primary brain tumor, with a median survival rarely exceeding 2 years. Tumor heterogeneity and an immunosuppressive microenvironment are key factors contributing to the poor response rates of current therapeutic approaches. GBM‐associated macrophages (GAMs) often exhibit immunosuppressive features that promote tumor progression. However, their dynamic interactions with GBM tumor cells remain poorly understood. Here, we used patient‐derived GBM stem cell cultures and combined single‐cell RNA sequencing of GAM‐GBM co‐cultures and real‐time in vivo monitoring of GAM‐GBM interactions in orthotopic zebrafish xenograft models to provide insight into the cellular, molecular, and spatial heterogeneity. Our analyses revealed substantial heterogeneity across GBM patients in GBM‐induced GAM polarization and the ability to attract and activate GAMs—features that correlated with patient survival. Differential gene expression analysis, immunohistochemistry on original tumor samples, and knock‐out experiments in zebrafish subsequently identified LGALS1 as a primary regulator of immunosuppression. Overall, our work highlights that GAM‐GBM interactions can be studied in a clinically relevant way using co‐cultures and avatar models, while offering new opportunities to identify promising immune‐modulating targets.
Innovative Methods in Urban Research
Creators: name: Sneep, Deirdre
name: Borgmann, Katharina
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: There are many tools and means for looking at urban settings, and both quantitative and qualitative methods are widely accepted. For researchers who conduct fieldwork in cities that they are not thoroughly acquainted with, choosing the right method is an important step in the design of their research plan. There is a plethora of valuable literature available on doing fieldwork in East Asian cities, but in the past decade — due to the rapid development in digital research technology — the equipment and tools for research have multiplied in number. New equipment leaves many researchers willing to experiment with it, but at the same time unable to find sources that evaluate these unfamiliar tools. This research note discusses one of these new digital equipment devices, the action camera, which — with some considerations — can prove to be a valuable tool for urban research across many different disciplines. Based on the argument that visual media, and in particular video recordings, are a necessary addition to research designs that focus on the relationship between built environment and society, the authors discuss the tool and share their experiences of using it. In this research note, experiences from researchers using a new tool for visual urban research in case studies from Urban Anthropology and Environmental Design were combined so as to shed new light on using visual aids in research plans.
description: Asien, Nr. 142 (2017): ASIEN (Januar)
The Concept of “Political Innovation” and Its Application in China and South Korea∗
Creators: name: Guahk, Youngah
name: Le, Weijing
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: Research on “innovation” has focused mainly on its technological and economic varieties, but there are at present relatively few studies about innovation in social and political contexts. In view of the limited number of relevant studies, this article explores the understanding of innovation from the perspective of Political Science — as well as the Social Sciences more broadly. The first part discusses the concept of “political innovation” by referring to three major characteristics thereof: novelty; crises, risks, and social needs as innovation triggers; and, finally, social impact. We draw attention to the continuing difficulty of drawing a clear dividing line between it and other phenomena such as “change,” “reform,” or “revolution.” Following the term-defining first part, the second half of the article explores the application of the concept within political and academic debates in two East Asian countries, China and South Korea, pointing out the discursive relationships between innovation and reform. The article concludes with a discussion of the differences between the two countries in terms of the application of the political innovation concept, as well as between their core understandings of it and those interpretations thereof that are dominant in the West.
description: Asien, Nr. 142 (2017): ASIEN (Januar)
Canadian Forces Military Nursing Officers And Moral Distress: A Grounded Theory Approach
Creators: name: Bradshaw, Trevor
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2010
Subjects: subject: Health Sciences, Nursing.

description: Background: Deployed military nurses frequently experience moral dilemmas in their delivery of care, putting them at risk to suffer moral distress. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of deployed Canadian Forces nurses and moral distress. Methods: A grounded theory approach provided the framework for the study's design and data analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten nurses previously deployed on combat or humanitarian missions. Findings: A new Moral Distress Model was developed reflecting four contributing factors to the development of moral distress: patient care delivery, chain-of-command, lack of moral preparation and training, and lack of professionalism. The central category -- "unique environment" -- suggests that moral distress is a two-part process: moral deliberation, and moral impact, influenced by the unique environment. Conclusion: Moral distress was a prominent phenomenon affecting deployed CF nurses. Pre-deployment training and on-going educational and supportive strategies are suggested to mitigate the significant impact of moral distress. Keywords: ethics, morals, nurses, military nurses, military personnel, decision making
Facilitators and barriers of wet nursing across different cultures
Creators: name: Abdelrahmman, Khadija
Publisher: name: Macquarie University
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 321302
subject: Infant and child health

description: Supporting breastfeeding during humanitarian emergencies is crucial to provide infants and young children with proper nutrition that protects them from high risk of malnutrition and infection. Wet nursing is defined as when women breastfeed other children in case their biological mothers are unable to breastfeed their own children due to illness or death. While wet nursing is included in recommendations for infant and young children feeding in emergencies, there is a lack of practical guidance for implementing the practice.
This thesis includes two papers: a narrative review and a qualitative study (semi-structured interviews) that aimed to identify potential facilitators and barriers to wet nursing across various cultures to inform the development of operational guidance on wet nursing in emergencies.
The findings from the narrative review reveal that wet nursing was associated with diverse experiences for wet nurses and community according to how it was practised and suggest that potential facilitators and barriers of wet nursing in emergencies are related to infant mortality rates, cultural and individual support, availability of wet nurses, and resources to support wet nursing.
The qualitative study revealed that implementing wet nursing in emergencies shares general factors affecting good breastfeeding practices, such as understanding the breastfeeding importance and the infant formula risks. Yet, wet nursing is also impacted by the risk of infection transmission, negative attitudes towards wet nursing and the need for culturally sensitive counselling to mediate wet nursing. Practical recommendations developed based on these findings would target three domains: planning and policies, knowledge, and continuous monitoring and evaluation.
Both studies highlighted that wet nursing could save infants’ lives in low-resourced settings like emergencies. Yet, implementing the practice needs applicable and adequate guidelines that consider the cultural and educational differences between communities, and adequate training and education for mothers, healthcare providers, breastfeeding counsellors and emergency workers.
Governance of the Low-Carbon Transition in China
Creators: name: Xiaoli, Lin
name: Aristova, Julia
Publisher: name: Asien
Year: 2021

description: Rapid urbanization is one of the key features of China’s modern development. Chinese cities, growing in number and scale, consume evermore energy and their carbon footprint makes the country the world’s largest carbon emitter. In response, China is now pursuing low-carbon development. The low-carbon transition ideal suggests a fundamental change in the way that energy is produced and consumed. Governance plays a crucial role in the low-carbon transition process. Low-carbon governance in China has a hierarchical structure to it. The national government establishes strategies and the legal framework for it, whereas local government is responsible for its actual implementation. The steps that local government takes are analyzed from two perspectives in this paper: mode of governance and type of initiative. Case studies of low-carbon governance in the building and transport sectors show that a mixed mode of governance is characteristic of both, yet specific combinations of modes lead to different results. Risky and quick decisions made by the local government lead to fast results. However, these projects are prone to being unsustainable over the course of time. The current lack of participation by non-state actors in low-carbon governance in China is a key obstacle to a successful transition, and the effective reduction of carbon emissions.
description: Asien, Nr. 142 (2017): ASIEN (Januar)