Microfluidic pneumatic cages : A novel approach for in-chip crystal trapping, manipulation and controlled chemical treatment

The precise localization and controlled chemical treatment of structures on a surface are significant challenges for common laboratory technologies. Herein, we introduce a microfluidic-based technology, employing a double-layer microfluidic device, which can trap and localize in situ and ex situ synthesized structures on microfluidic channel surfaces. Crucially, we show how such a device can be used to conduct controlled chemical reactions onto on-chip trapped structures and we demonstrate how the synthetic pathway of a crystalline molecular material and its positioning inside a microfluidic channel can be precisely modified with this technology. This approach provides new opportunities for the controlled assembly of structures on surface and for their subsequent treatment

The Influence of Land Use on Fish Health and Fish Communities in Wadeable Steams in South Carolina

In 2011 the State of South Carolina population was over 4.6 million people and has increased at a rate of around 15% (1.5% per year) throughout the last decade. While the population density per square mile is relatively low compared to other US states, it seems certain the population will further increase in years to come. Increasing population density leads to urbanization resulting in an increase in impervious surfaces such as roadways, parking lots, and building roofs. This changing land use can have dramatic effects on smaller streams and creeks which form the upper reaches of watersheds. Although water systems can become fragmented, watersheds encompass the entire drainage area of a region. A changing landscape upstream can have dramatic effects many miles downstream from the initial source of disturbance. Freshwater species worldwide face accelerated extinction rates relative to most other wildlife taxa. The southeastern U.S. in particular is of high concern due to long term declines in native fish and aquatic species. Consequences of poor land management practices (i.e. siltation, excessive nutrients, flow disruption) can negatively impact flora and fauna that depend on these water sources for survival, reproduction, and/or development. Due to the interconnected nature of water systems, water flow will end up in larger rivers, reservoirs, and coastal areas. Because of the importance and uniqueness of these habitats, local flora and fauna could be at high risk if the wadeable streams in the upper reaches are developed. Currently there is not enough information on how the surrounding landscape influences the quality of water and aquatic ecosystems to make informed decisions regarding aquatic conservation and restoration. Because the human population is ever increasing, a better understanding of anthropogenic influences would allow us to make better, more informed land management decisions. The goal of this dissertation was to study effects of a changing land use on fish health and fish assemblage by measuring a set of biochemical biomarkers in an abundant fish species, Lepomis sp. (sunfish), commonly found in wadeable streams in South Carolina. The data set incorporates information on land use, fish species assemblage, abiotic habitat characteristics, and biomarker responses from over a hundred random wadeable stream sites throughout the state. Biomarker responses, which are changes at the biochemical and cellular level, were correlated with changes throughout multiple levels of organization (i.e. tissue, individual, population, and community). Results of this work indicate Lepomis sp. are a widely distributed fish type that can be used as a model to represent all fish species in an assemblage at a sampling location, the magnitude of chemical contamination detected in Lepomis sp. via biomarker response can be used to determine changes in overall fish assemblage structure, and 10% urban surface and greater is a threat pathway leading to deleterious effects on aquatic ecosystems (both in disruption of fish assemblage integrity and increasing biomarker response). Within a watershed, fish health at the organism, population, and community scales declines concomitantly in response to increasing urban surfaces. As the human population continues to increase, there will be an increased burden of aquatic contaminants resulting in a decline in the diversity of fish and other aquatic life. Sensitive species will be the first to disappear. Eventually, a watershed may become so badly deteriorated that only a few tolerant or specialized species will remain. Results of this research revealed threat pathways to fish health and aquatic resources, identify the magnitude of the anthropogenic impact on watersheds at a statewide level, and provide a scientific basis for sustainability from the scientific community to stakeholders, land developers, and policy creators

Research Perspectives: The Rise of Human Machines: How Cognitive Computing Systems Challenge Assumptions of User-System Interaction

Cognitive computing systems (CCS) are a new class of computing systems that implement more human-like cognitive abilities. CCS are not a typical technological advancement but an unprecedented advance toward human-like systems fueled by artificial intelligence. Such systems can adapt to situations, perceive their environments, and interact with humans and other technologies. Due to these properties, CCS are already disrupting established industries, such as retail, insurance, and healthcare. As we make the case in this paper, the increasingly human-like capabilities of CCS challenge five fundamental assumptions that we as IS researchers have held about how users interact with IT artifacts. These assumptions pertain to (1) the direction of the user-artifact relationship, (2) the artifact’s awareness of its environment, (3) functional transparency, (4) reliability, and (5) the user’s awareness of artifact use. We argue that the disruption of these five assumptions limits the applicability of our extant body of knowledge to CCS. Consequently, CCS present a unique opportunity for novel theory development and associated contributions. We argue that IS is well positioned to take this opportunity and present research questions that, if answered, will lead to interesting, influential, and original theories

Do You Bant? William Banting and Bantingism: A Cultural History of a Victorian Anti-Fat Aesthetic

In the second half of the nineteenth century, a retired Victorian undertaker named William Banting (1796-1878) dramatically altered attitudes toward fat by initiating the profoundly consequential idea of the diet as a saleable commodity capable of marking identity within particular social and racial contexts and connecting obesity with degeneracy, illness, and evil. His work Letter on Corpulence Addressed to the General Public self-published in 1863 describes how, with physician William Harvey, Banting reduced his weight by nearly fifty pounds by following a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Banting and his dieting phenomenon transformed the English cultural consciousness of fatness, and created a Victorian cultural craze that valorized slimness as a marker of privilege and prestige by drawing on the escalating regularization of medicine and the conventions of medical discourse that were increasingly popular among readers. Though there were both positive and negative reactions to Banting, his work undoubtedly became a subject of busy popular conversation, challenging and transforming Victorian notions of body, self, and power in social and national contexts. After its importation into India, the diet served as a way to maintain colonial control and to reify the English imagination of its imperial identity. It likewise established a form of control over Indian subjects of the British raj, who, after the Mutiny of 1857, were seen increasingly as a threat that needed to be addressed. A study of Banting\u27s work thus invites skepticism of the various ways such anti-fat discourses are deployed to further entrench hierarchies of power and preference. It also recognizes the perpetuation of the colonial episteme in modern discourses about healthful dietary practice

Souvenir Ninth Indian Fisheries Forum

This souvenir is the result of benevolent contributions from a galaxy of intellectuals as well as well-wishers. The articles written by experts provide a multidimensional perspective of the various developments taking place in the sector. We have been encouraged by the blessings received through messages from the different high dignitaries of the country. The enthusiastic support we have received from all our sponsors and advertisers is truly magnificent

Innovative pedagogy: what are the best practices of professors in STEM, leadership, or professional programs who integrate literature?

This phenomenological study examines innovative pedagogy and the integration of literature by professors in STEM, leadership, and professional programs to foster leadership. The study probes university professors’ personal experiences integrating literature, focusing on pedagogical strategies and practices. Many studies exist on the use of literature to develop empathy, analytical, or critical thinking in higher education. However, there is virtually no published research on the integration of literature in STEM, leadership, and professional programs to foster leadership skills. Existing theories on utilizing literature in the humanities also apply to its integration into STEM, leadership, and professional programs. Therefore, professors integrating literature have well-defined research on how literature fosters storytelling abilities, critical thinking, decision-making and other dimensions of leadership. Purposive sampling was used to select professors with expertise integrating literature. Individual phone and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants regarding the integration of literature. As a result, 636 coded passages were bracketed into 32 themes. The top three themes of the study included: (a) fosters leadership skills, (b) pedagogic strategies, and (c) Socratic Method. Two keys findings emerged. Finding 1, the integration of compelling literature developed leadership skills in next generation STEM, leadership, or professional students. Finding 2, the effective integration of literature required use of pedagogical strategies, which included: planning courses with a theoretical foundation, using guided questions for reading, and employing Socratic Method. Professors should select compelling highly regarded/relatable literary works with protagonists that make decisions and pair these literary works with other powerful autobiographies, theatrical or documentary movies/clips of the same subject matter. Recommendations include STEM, leadership, and professional programs add leadership through literature courses. These findings can be used for professional development training that center on fostering leadership skills. This study provides researchers and professors with strategies for utilizing literature to foster leadership