Outcomes of CCAFS Work in Vietnam

The study explored how CCAFS SEA outputs have helped the country achieve its development outcomes in the agricultural sector. The assessment showed that CCAFS SEA, although still on-going, has contributed to specific outcomes in Vietnam, which include changes in knowledge, approaches, practices, and strategies related to climate change, particularly in the agricultural sector. These outcomes were observed among decision makers, policymakers, technical staff, and farmers

The identification of sub-pixel components from remotely sensed data: an evaluation of an artificial neural network approach

Until recently, methodologies to extract sub-pixel information from remotely sensed data have focused on linear un-mixing models and so called fuzzy classifiers. Recent research has suggested that neural networks have the potential for providing sub- pixel information. Neural networks offer an attractive alternative as they are non- parametric, they are not restricted to any number of classes, they do not assume that the spectral signatures of pixel components mix linearly and they do not necessarily have to be trained with pure pixels. The thesis tests the validity of neural networks for extracting sub-pixel information using a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis tools. Previously published experiments use data sets that are often limited in terms of numbers of pixels and numbers of classes. The data sets used in the thesis reflect the complexity of the landscape. Preparation for the experiments is canied out by analysing the data sets and establishing that the network is not sensitive to particular choices of parameters. Classification results using a conventional type of target with which to train the network show that the response of the network to mixed pixels is different from the response of the network to pure pixels. Different target types are then tested. Although targets which provide detailed compositional information produce higher accuracies of classification for subsidiary classes, there is a trade off between the added information and added complexity which can decrease classification accuracy. Overall, the results show that the network seems to be able to identify the classes that are present within pixels but not their proportions. Experiments with a very accurate data set show that the network behaves like a pattern matching algorithm and requires examples of mixed pixels in the training data set in order to estimate pixel compositions for unseen pixels. The network does not function like an unmixing model and cannot interpolate between pure classes

Good Teaching on Steroids: Assessments of Music Teaching and Learning with Students on the Autism Spectrum

As the population of school-aged children on the autism spectrum continues to grow, music teachers require new tools to assess the music learning, knowledge, and skills of children with autism. Similarly, music teacher educators and supervisors require new forms of assessment in order to assess music teaching with students with autism. This presentation will feature two layers of assessments: A. Assessments of student work/performances by children on the autism spectrum, to be used by music educators, and B. Assessments of pre-service and in-service music educators, to be used by music teacher educators and supervisors. Effective assessment of the music learning of students with autism calls on the practices, strategies, and approaches of effective assessment. By magnifying, deepening, broadening, and further personalizing them, music educators can gain a deeper understanding of what their students with autism know and can do in the music classroom and ensemble

Pulmonary pressures and outcome in primary mitral regurgitation. Paradigm shift from Rung to Ladder

Peer reviewe

INVESTIGANDO OS IMPACTOS SÓCIO-ECONÔMICOS DOS RISCOS DE SECA INDUZIDOS PELO CLIMA EM MULHERES AGRICULTORES REASSENTADAS NA PROVÍNCIA CENTRAL DE MASHONALAND, ZIMBABWE

The resettlement programme in post independent Zimbabwe was conducted to address socioeconomic imbalances between white farmers and the majority black population. The study focused on women due to gender inequalities and the historical background of patriarchal society. The aim of this study is to investigate the social and economic impacts of drought on the resettled women farmers. The data base of resettled women is not clear but based on the specific demographics such as similar type of crops and livestock, the sample of resettled women was taken. The convergence parallel mixed method design was applied. A multi sampling technique was used for purposively selecting three out of seven districts in Mashonaland Central province and stratified random sampling, and simple random sampling were also applied. Qualitative data was analysed by extracting themes and quantitative data was analysed using reliability test analysis and descriptive statistics per latent variable. The results showed that the nutrition of the women famers and their families was diminished, some of the children droped out of school because the women farmers were not able to pay school fees. The study recommended that the government and other organisations should offer financial assistance and conduct more drought awareness campaigns.El programa de reasentamiento en el Zimbabwe post-independiente se llevó a cabo para abordar los desequilibrios socioeconómicos entre los agricultores blancos y la población mayoritariamente negra. El estudio se centró en las mujeres debido a las desigualdades de género y los antecedentes históricos de la sociedad patriarcal. El objetivo de este estudio es investigar los impactos sociales y económicos de la sequía en las agricultoras reasentadas. La base de datos de las mujeres reasentadas no está clara, pero se tomó la muestra de mujeres reasentadas basándose en datos demográficos específicos, como tipos similares de cultivos y ganado. Se aplicó el diseño del método mixto paralelo de convergencia. Se utilizó una técnica de muestreo múltiple para seleccionar intencionalmente tres de siete distritos en la provincia de Mashonaland Central y también se aplicó un muestreo aleatorio estratificado y un muestreo aleatorio simple. Los datos cualitativos se analizaron mediante extracción de temas y los datos cuantitativos se analizaron mediante análisis de pruebas de confiabilidad y estadística descriptiva por variable latente. Los resultados mostraron que la nutrición de las agricultoras y sus familias disminuyó, algunos de los niños abandonaron la escuela porque las agricultoras no podían pagar las tasas escolares. El estudio recomendó que el gobierno y otras organizaciones ofrecieran asistencia financiera y llevaran a cabo más campañas de concientización sobre la sequía.O programa de reassentamento no Zimbabué pós-independência foi conduzido para resolver os desequilíbrios socioeconómicos entre os agricultores brancos e a maioria da população negra. O estudo centrou-se nas mulheres devido às desigualdades de género e ao contexto histórico da sociedade patriarcal. O objectivo deste estudo é investigar os impactos sociais e económicos da seca nas mulheres agricultoras reassentados. A base de dados das mulheres reassentados não é clara, mas com base na demografia específica, como tipos semelhantes de culturas e gado, foi retirada a amostra das mulheres reassentados. O projeto de método misto paralelo de convergência foi aplicado. Foi utilizada uma técnica de amostragem múltipla para seleccionar propositadamente três dos sete distritos na província de Mashonaland Central e foi também aplicada amostragem aleatória estratificada e amostragem aleatória simples. Os dados qualitativos foram analisados por meio da extração de temas e os dados quantitativos foram analisados por meio de análise de teste de confiabilidade e estatística descritiva por variável latente. Os resultados mostraram que a nutrição das mulheres agricultoras e das suas famílias estava diminuída, algumas das crianças abandonaram a escola porque as mulheres agricultoras não conseguiam pagar as propinas escolares. O estudo recomendou que o governo e outras organizações oferecessem assistência financeira e realizassem mais campanhas de sensibilização sobre a seca

Gibt es den inflammatorischen Endophänotyp bei der Parkinson-Erkrankung? Assoziation von Genotyp, Entzündungsparametern und dem Parkinson-Phänotyp

Parkinson’s disease (PD) ist eine neurodegenerative Erkrankung, die multifaktoriell verursacht wird. Die Krankheit zeichnet sich durch ein heterogenes Erscheinungsbild aus, die Symptome umfassen Dysfunktionen im motorischen, autonomen und kognitiven Bereich. Ausmaß und Voranschreiten der Symptomatik fallen inter- und intraindividuell sehr unterschiedlich aus. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde im Rahmen einer Studie mit 193 Probanden untersucht, ob voneinander unabhängige Cluster an PD-Symptomen identifizierbar sind und ob sich eines dieser Cluster von anderen Clustern durch signifikante Unterschiede bezüglich immun-assoziierter Parameter im Serum und anhand eines genetischen Risikoscores unterscheidet. Ein solches Symptom-Cluster könnte als inflammatorischer PD-Endophänotyp interpretiert werden. Die Identifizierung eines inflammatorischen PD-Endophänotyps hätte möglicherweise im Hinblick auf die Therapie Konsequenzen für die klinische Praxis. Durch principal component Analyse (PCA) konnten voneinander unabhängige Cluster an klinischen PD-Symptomen identifiziert werden: ein Cluster beinhaltete rascheres Voranschreiten von motorischer und autonomer Symptomatik, ein aufgrund der PCA-Ergebnisse als davon unabhängig anzusehendes Cluster rascheres Voranschreiten des kognitiven Abbaus. Beim Vergleich der Serumparameter zwischen verschiedenen demographischen/klinischen Parametern zeigte sich rascheres Voranschreiten des kognitiven Abbaus mit erhöhten IL-18-Serumspiegeln assoziiert. Signifikant erhöhte IL-15-Serumspiegel zeigten sich assoziiert mit rascherem kognitivem Abbau und mit rascherem Voranschreiten von motorischer und autonomer Symptomatik. Die Ergebnisse der Arbeit geben Hinweise darauf, dass aktiveres Immungeschehen im Rahmen der PD – im Spezifischen assoziiert mit erhöhten IL-15- und IL-18-Serumspiegeln – mit einer rascheren Progression der Erkrankung in den zentralen Symptombereichen (motorisch, autonom, kognitiv) assoziiert ist

Optimal control theory and the efficiency of the swimming mechanism of the Copepod Zooplankton

International audienceIn this article, the model of swimming at low Reynolds number introduced by D. Takagi (2015) to analyze the displacement of an abundant variety of zooplankton is used as a testbed to analyze the motion of symmetric microswimmers in the framework of optimal control theory assuming that the motion occurs minimizing the energy dissipated by the fluid drag forces in relation with the concept of efficiency of a stroke. The maximum principle is used to compute periodic controls candidates as minimizing controls and is a decisive tool combined with appropriate numerical simulations using indirect optimal control schemes to determine the most efficient stroke compared with standard computations using Stokes theorem and curvature control. Also the concept of graded approximations in SR-geometry is used to evaluate strokes with small amplitudes providing a fixed displacement and minimizing the dissipated energy

Widely Tunable Quantum-Well Laser: OPO Diode Around 2 μm Based on a Coupled Waveguide Heterostructure

We present the design of a widely tunable monolithic source on GaAs/AlGaAs. It consists of a quantum-well distributed feedback (DFB) laser vertically coupled with a waveguide engineered for nonlinear frequency conversion. No regrowth or alignment is necessary, and all the structure stems from a single epitaxy step. Light is emitted by the 0.98 μm DFB laser and transmitted to the underlying waveguide by an adiabatic taper, where it can undergo parametric down-conversion, providing signal and idler beams around 2 μm. Transfer rates and tolerances for transfer and conversion efficiency are calculated to be compatible with the tolerances of current fabrication processes. We estimate that an OPO threshold can be reached in the underlying waveguide for a laser emitted power of 20–100 mW, if high-reflectivity distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) are used