The Poetic Works of Charlotte Smith: Philosophy, Sympathy, and Forging Community

This work will focus on Charlotte Smith’s poetic works and how, over the course of her entire poetic career (the late eighteenth century/early nineteenth century), she exhibits a concrete sense of a poetic ethos regarding sympathy in her writing. I seek to account for the overwhelming focus on suffering subjects by illuminating her view of the relation between poetry and sympathy for others. I will also place her within a history of writers and philosophers who examined the epistemological and practical nature of feeling, sympathy, and emotional connection among human beings. Smith feels that poetry renders suffering visible to others, fostering the possibility for sympathy among a wide audience. Smith primarily focuses on an audience that shares common experiences of pain and creating a community among them. At the very center of this community, the one who orchestrates bringing together of common sufferers, is the figure of the poet. As evidenced in “Sonnet I” of Elegiac Sonnets, the duty of the poet is to record painful emotions and situations despite her own pain of keen sensitivity, or “sensibility.” The poet is the most fitting recorder of human emotion since she possesses both a heightened awareness of the world and the skill to convert emotions and situations into art. Smith feels that the poet has a duty to those pained individuals. Elegiac Sonnets and her epic-length works, Emigrants and Beachy Head, demonstrate how poetry becomes the space in which the poet guides the creation and dissemination of sympathy. Poetry renders misery and suffering visible to anyone who reads about them and makes understanding such pain a possibility. However, poetry also renders pain visible to a larger readership that includes those who cannot understand the commonly shared experience to which Smith reaches out. Her poetry is open to a more general reading public that finds entertainment value or self-satisfaction in, as David Hume says, “she[dding] a generous tear” for emotional turmoil. In this way, Smith divides her readership: the larger group that responds to thrills and drama and those she wishes to bring together as a community of fellow sufferers. She makes use of both groups of readers, as one audience enables her to live and make money and the other enables her to fulfill her poetic duty through sympathy. She navigates her dual readership with choices of vulnerable subjects in dire situations, as they appeal to both audiences (albeit for different reasons). Yet, despite availability to anyone who reads the poetry, shared experience remains a necessity in Smith’s poetic ethos regarding sympathy for those alone in suffering

Philippine Air Transportation: Impact and Challenges

With the Philippines’ archipelagic geography, air transport is the most efficient way to connect its islands and boost economic activities. Using the latest Philippine input-output tables (National Statistical Coordination Board, 2006; Philippine Statistics Authority, 2014, 2017), the air transport sector proves to be the leading driver of economic activities. Ranking first relative to all other sectors in the economy, in terms of backward linkages, indicates its general dependence on the rest of the economy for inputs to the services that it provides

Changes in whole body bone mineral composition in a community-based pilot study designed for Mexican-American women at risk for type II diabetes

Changes in whole body bone mineral composition in a community-based pilot study designed for Mexican-American women at risk for type II diabetes David C. Castillo, B.S., Maria G. Placeres, B.S., Arely Perez, M.S., Danielle M. Bravo, B.S., Donovan L. Fogt, Ph.D., Zenong Yin, Ph.D. Mobile Health Laboratory, Department of Health and Kinesiology The University of Texas at San Antonio Classification of First Author (Master’s) Background: Osteoporosis is a serious public health concern in the United States that is expected to increase over the next several years, especially in women. The US Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health states that individuals can decrease the risk of developing osteoporosis with proper combinations of nutrition and physical activity. Diet and exercise are two important factors that have been shown to prevent or delay the onset of type II diabetes, another national top health concern. Intensive lifestyle interventions, such as The Diabetes Prevention Program have shown that type II diabetes can be delayed or prevented by losing moderate amounts of weight through dietary changes and increased physical activity. It is not clear if a lifestyle intervention can impact bone health. Purpose: This pilot study examined the effects of lifestyle intervention (dietary and physical activity behavior modification) on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC). The intervention was a 14-week community-based pilot study, based on The Diabetes Prevention Program, designed to reduce risk for type II diabetes in high-risk Mexican American women. The research questions were: Did the lifestyle intervention affect the outcome measures (BMC and BMD)? Were there differences in BMC and BMD between age groups (low-age ≤45 yrs. vs. high-age \u3e45 yrs.)? Were there differences in BMC and BMD between body weight groups (≤78 kg vs. \u3e78.1 kg)? Methods: The study used a one-group pre- and post-test design. Twenty-five non-diabetic Mexican-American females (average age = 45, SD = 10.9; BMI 25-40) participated in a 14-week lifestyle intervention pilot study. Changes in BMD (g/cm2) and BMC (g) were measured at baseline and 14 weeks after baseline using whole body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Results: results of paired t-test showed a significant increase in whole body BMC (p\u3c .0001) and a marginally significant increase in whole body BMD (p\u3c .06). Results of Analysis of Covariance revealed no significant difference in BMC between age groups and a marginally significant increase of BMD (p\u3c .07) in younger participants compared to older participants, after controlling pretest measure. There was a significant increase in BMC (p\u3c .01) and a marginally significant increase in BMD (p\u3c .08) in the high-body weight group compared to the low weight group after controlling for pretest measure. Conclusions: A lifestyle intervention that utilized a combination of physical activity and dietary modification showed great promise toward preventing the onset of osteoporosis, especially in heavier Mexican-American women

El proteccionismo como nueva estrategia para el crecimiento económico

After the years 2010, international trade has experienced a slowdown because of the decline of the world economy; in response, Donald Trump has implemented a series of protectionist reforms to boost the growth of his country. The objective of the document is to analyze the protectionist policies of the United States (US) and China to propose measures that promote economic growth in Mexico. Faced with this scenario, Mexico should implement a flexible protectionist economic policy constituted by a commercial policy of diversification, an economic policy aimed at strengthening the domestic market and a cultural policy of cooperation between various actors in economic activity: Civil Society, Business, Government, Market and University.Después de los años 2010, el comercio internacional ha experimentado una desaceleración como resultado de la disminución de la economía mundial, como respuesta Donald Trump ha implementado una serie de reformas proteccionistas para impulsar el crecimiento de su país. El objetivo del documento es analizar las políticas proteccionistas de los Estados Unidos (EU) y China para proponer medidas que impulsen el crecimiento económico de México. Frente a este escenario, México debería implementar una política económica proteccionista flexible constituida por una política comercial de diversificación, una política económica orientada al fortalecimiento del mercado interno y una política cultural de cooperación entre diversos actores de la actividad económica: Sociedad Civil, Empresas, Gobierno, Mercado y Universidad

Custom Gift Store

El presente proyecto de investigación tiene como finalidad la implementación de un negocio sostenible enfocado en la venta de regalos personalizables, con el que se podrá recomendar el obsequio ideal, según el resultado de un test de personalidad por medio de una página web. Este proyecto se basa en la recopilación de información de un público que tiende a comprar por internet o usar dispositivos móviles para hacer una compra. Esta investigación se realizó en Lima Metropolitana a las personas que pertenecen a un Nivel Socioeconómico A y B, haciendo hincapié principalmente en aquellas personas que buscan una mayor practicidad y prefieren comprar a cualquier hora, en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar sin la necesidad de desplazarse de un sitio a otro. La idea de negocio nace a partir de la poca competencia de personalización de regalos de manera virtual. Este modelo de negocio es viable, debido a que, en los más de 100 días de confinamiento, se registró un evidente crecimiento de las compras vía online, impulsando el sector E-commerce en un 400%. Para desarrollar este proyecto, se realizó un análisis profundo que abarcó lo siguiente: validación del modelo de negocio, análisis interno y externo, desarrollo del plan de negocio, plan de Operaciones, plan de Marketing, plan de Recursos Humanos, Plan de Responsabilidad Social Empresarial y Plan Financiero. Todo ello con la finalidad de validar la viabilidad del proyecto y poder llevarlo a la realidad.The purpose of this research project is to develop a sustainable business focused on selling customizable gifts, in which the ideal one can be recommended, according to the results of a personality test that will be provided through a online web. This project is based on the compilation of data from a public that tends to buy online. In addition, this research was accomplished in Lima Metropolitana by people who belongs to Socioeconomic Level A and B, with an emphasis mainly on those who seek greater practicality and are eager to buy at any time and anywhere without the need to travel from one place to another. Furthermore, the business idea was born from the little competition of personalization gifts in a virtual web. This business model is not only viable, but also scalable, due to the fact that, in the more than 100 days of quarantine, there was an evident growth in online purchases, boosting the e-commerce sector by 400% in the country. To develop this entrepreneurship, we needed to do the following assignments: validation of the business model, internal and external analysis, development of the business plan, Operations plan, Marketing plan, Human Resources plan, Corporate Social Responsibility plan and, last but not least, a Financial plan. In summary, the main purpose of this research project is to validate the viability of the project and being able to develop it successfully.Trabajo de investigació

BRCA2 polymorphic stop codon K3326X and the risk of breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers

Background: The K3326X variant in BRCA2 (BRCA2*c.9976A>T; p.Lys3326*; rs11571833) has been found to be associated with small increased risks of breast cancer. However, it is not clear to what extent linkage disequilibrium with fully pathogenic mutations might account for this association. There is scant information about the effect of K3326X in other hormone-related cancers. Methods: Using weighted logistic regression, we analyzed data from the large iCOGS study including 76 637 cancer case patients and 83 796 control patients to estimate odds ratios (ORw) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for K3326X variant carriers in relation to breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer risks, with weights defined as probability of not having a pathogenic BRCA2 variant. Using Cox proportional hazards modeling, we also examined the associations of K3326X with breast and ovarian cancer risks among 7183 BRCA1 variant carriers. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: The K3326X variant was associated with breast (ORw = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.17 to 1.40, P = 5.9x10- 6) and invasive ovarian cancer (ORw = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.10 to 1.43, P = 3.8x10-3). These associations were stronger for serous ovarian cancer and for estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer (ORw = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.2 to 1.70, P = 3.4x10-5 and ORw = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.28 to 1.76, P = 4.1x10-5, respectively). For BRCA1 mutation carriers, there was a statistically significant inverse association of the K3326X variant with risk of ovarian cancer (HR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.22 to 0.84, P = .013) but no association with breast cancer. No association with prostate cancer was observed. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that the K3326X variant is associated with risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers independent of other pathogenic variants in BRCA2. Further studies are needed to determine the biological mechanism of action responsible for these associations

Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above 4×10184{\times}10^{18} eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding $4{\times}10^{18}$ eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers with zenith angles greater than $60^{\circ}$ detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above $5.3{\times}10^{18}$ eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law $E^{-\gamma}$ with index $\gamma=2.70 \pm 0.02 \,\text{(stat)} \pm 0.1\,\text{(sys)}$ followed by a smooth suppression region. For the energy ($E_\text{s}$) at which the spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence of suppression, we find $E_\text{s}=(5.12\pm0.25\,\text{(stat)}^{+1.0}_{-1.2}\,\text{(sys)}){\times}10^{19}$ eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Energy Estimation of Cosmic Rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30 to 80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy -- corrected for geometrical effects -- is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Measurement of the Radiation Energy in the Radio Signal of Extensive Air Showers as a Universal Estimator of Cosmic-Ray Energy

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8 \pm 0.7 (stat) \pm 6.7 (sys) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principle calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the direct calibration of any cosmic-ray radio detector against the well-established energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Supplemental material in the ancillary file