The Unspace Case: Developing a Maker Movement in a Multipurpose, Flexible Space, Library Setting

This paper presents the ongoing design, development, and implementation of a K-16 maker movement centered around a joint public school/university library whose minimal dedicated space has expanded opportunities for public participation, partnerships, and shared resources. As the library sought to circulate STEM resources for K-9 teachers and students in 2011, University instructors were seeking opportunities for preservice teachers to interact meaningfully with authentic, technology-rich environments. These separate endeavors coalesced over time to form a robust community of various school, university, and public stakeholders focused on mathematics and science learning. Because the space was not bound to a single physical location, proponents were able to leverage various resources, mobile tools, and settings to explore and apply STEM knowledge, construct products, and attract new and returning users. This design case articulates how the maker movement provides curricular programming while maintaining a playful atmosphere that encourages personal exploration regardless of age and ability

Three-body collisions in Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck theory

Aiming at a microscopic description of heavy ion collisions in the beam energy region of about 10 A GeV, we extend the Giessen Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (GiBUU) transport model by including a relativistic mean field, in-medium baryon-baryon cross sections and three-body collisions. The model is then compared with experimental data for central Au+Au collisions at 2-10 A GeV and central Pb+Pb collisions at 30 and 40 A GeV on the proton rapidity spectra, the midrapidity yields of $\pi^+$, $K^\pm$ and $(\Lambda+\Sigma^0)$, and the transverse mass spectra of $\pi^\pm$ and $K^\pm$. The three-body collisions increase the inverse slope parameters of the hadron $m_\perp$-spectra to a good agreement with the data.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, figures added, discussion extended, results not changed, version accepted in Phys. Rev.

Abundances in Stars from the Red Giant Branch Tip to the Near Main Sequence in M71: II. Iron Abundance

We present [Ffe/H] abundance results that involve a sample of stars with a wide range in luminosity from luminous giants to stars near the turnoff in a globular cluster. Our sample of 25 stars in M71 includes 10 giant stars more luminous than the RHB, 3 horizontal branch stars, 9 giant stars less luminous than the RHB, and 3 stars near the turnoff. We analyzed both Fe I and Fe II lines in high dispersion spectra observed with HIRES at the W. M. Keck Observatory. We find that the [Fe/H] abundances from both Fe I and Fe II lines agree with each other and with earlier determinations. Also the [Fe/H] obtained from Fe I and Fe II lines is constant within the rather small uncertainties for this group of stars over the full range in Teff and luminosity, suggesting that NLTE effects are negligible in our iron abundance determination. In this globular cluster, there is no difference among the mean [Fe/H] of giant stars located at or above the RHB, RHB stars, giant stars located below the RHB and stars near the turnoff.Comment: Minor changes to conform to version accepted for publication, with several new figures (Paper 2 of a pair

Patterns of Fetal Heart Rate Response at ∼30 Weeks Gestation Predict Size at Birth

There is evidence that fetal exposure to maternal stress is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Less is known about the association between fetal responses to a stressor and indicators of fetal maturity and developmental outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns in response to a startling stimulus at ∼30 weeks of gestation were associated with gestational age at birth and birth weight. FHR was measured in 156 maternal–fetal dyads following a vibroacoustic stimulus. All pregnancies were singleton intrauterine pregnancies in English-speaking women who were primarily married, middle class, White and at least 18 years of age. Group-based trajectory modeling identified five groups of fetuses displaying distinctive longitudinal trajectories of FHR response to the startling stimulus. The FHR group trajectories were significantly associated with birth weight percentile (P \u3c 0.01) even after controlling for estimated fetal weight at the time of assessment and parity, which are the known factors influencing birth weight (P \u3c 0.01). Post hoc analyses indicated that two groups accounted for the association between FHR patterns and birth weight. The group (n = 23) with the lowest birth weight exhibited an immediate FHR deceleration followed by an immediate acceleration that does not recover. An FHR pattern characterized by immediate and fast acceleration to the peak and a slow discovery to baseline was associated with the highest birth weight. This is the first direct evidence showing that low birth weight and the resulting neurological consequences may have their origins in early fetal development

Influence of water chemistry and environmental degradation on macroinvertebrate assemblages in a river basis in south-east Brazil.

Seven sites of the Guapimirim river basin were studied during three sampling periods based on the rain regime: end of wet season (May 1998), dry season (August 1998), and wet season (January 1999). Four substrates were collected at each site: sand, stony substrates, litter in pool areas and litter in riffle areas. Relationships between macroinvertebrate assemblages, water chemistry variables and environmental degradation were examined using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). According to CCA, concentrations of dissolved oxygen and chloride, and the environmental degradation, measured by the Riparian Channel Environment index, exhibited the strongest relationship to macroinvertebrate assemblages. Overall, the loss of community diversity measured by the Shannon Index along the degradation gradient was observed. Some taxa were shown to be sensitive to water pollution, especially among Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera and some Ephemeroptera, while others such as Simuliidae, Odonata and molluscs were tolerant to moderate levels of pollutants. The Chironomidae were the only group tolerant to a high level of pollutants and degradation

Hip fracture outcomes in patients with COPD

Hip fractures are common in patients with COPD and contemporary outcome data is needed. Patients admitted with a hip fracture to one acute trust (2010-2015) were assessed prospectively (UK National Hip Fracture Database audit) and mortality data collected. Of the 4020 patients, 16.2% had a recorded COPD diagnosis. Mortality was significantly greater in patients with COPD compared to non-COPD: 30-days (12.6% vs 7.8%) and 1-year (35.3% vs 25.3%), both p[less than] 0.001 and remained significant after adjustment (aOR at 1 year 1.44 95% CI1.18 -1.76). There is further excess mortality following a hip fracture in those with COPD

Ultrafast spin dynamics and critical behavior in half-metallic ferromagnet : Sr_2FeMoO_6

Ultrafast spin dynamics in ferromagnetic half-metallic compound Sr_2FeMoO_6 is investigated by pump-probe measurements of magneto-optical Kerr effect. Half-metallic nature of this material gives rise to anomalous thermal insulation between spins and electrons, and allows us to pursue the spin dynamics from a few to several hundred picoseconds after the optical excitation. The optically detected magnetization dynamics clearly shows the crossover from microscopic photoinduced demagnetization to macroscopic critical behavior with universal power law divergence of relaxation time for wide dynamical critical region.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures. Abstract and Figures 1 & 3 are correcte

The uptake of selenium by perennial ryegrass in soils of different organic matter contents receiving sheep excreta

Background and Aims The intake of selenium, an essential element for animals and humans, in ruminants is largely determined by selenium concentration in ingested forages, which take up selenium mainly from soil. Ruminant excreta is a common source of organic fertilizer, which provides both nutrients and organic matter. This study aims to unentangle the unclear effect of applying different types of ruminant excreta in soils of different organic matter contents on selenium uptake by forage. Methods Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) was grown in soils of different organic matter contents. Urine and/or feces collected from sheep fed with organic or inorganic mineral supplements, including selenium, were applied to the soils. The selenium in the collected samples were analyzed using ICP-MS. The associated biogeochemical reactions were scrutinized by wet chemistry. Results The application of urine and/or feces resulted in either the same or lower selenium concentrations in perennial ryegrass. The excreta type did not affect total selenium accumulation in grass grown in low organic matter soil, whereas in high organic matter soil, feces resulted in significantly lower total selenium accumulation than urine, which was attributed to a possible interaction of selenium sorption in soil and microbial reduction of Se. Conclusion This one-time excreta application did not increase, but further decrease in some treatments, selenium concentration and accumulation in the perennial ryegrass. Consequently, to increase ruminant selenium intake, supplementing selenium directly to animals is more recommended than applying animal manure to soil, which might drive selenium reduction and decrease selenium uptake by grass

Barriers to enrollment in a randomized controlled trial of hydrocortisone for cardiovascular insufficiency in term and late preterm newborn infants.

ObjectiveTo analyze reasons for low enrollment in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the effect of hydrocortisone for cardiovascular insufficiency on survival without neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in term/late preterm newborns.Study designThe original study was a multicenter RCT. Eligibility: ⩾34 weeks' gestation, <72 h old, mechanically ventilated, receiving inotrope. Primary outcome was NDI at 2 years; infants with diagnoses at high risk for NDI were excluded. This paper presents an analysis of reasons for low patient enrollment.ResultsTwo hundred and fifty-seven of the 932 otherwise eligible infants received inotropes; however, 207 (81%) had exclusionary diagnoses. Only 12 infants were randomized over 10 months; therefore, the study was terminated. Contributing factors included few eligible infants after exclusions, open-label steroid therapy and a narrow enrollment window.ConclusionDespite an observational study to estimate the population, very few infants were enrolled. Successful RCTs of emergent therapy may require fewer exclusions, a short-term primary outcome, waiver of consent and/or other alternatives