Experiential Learning through Community Co-design in Interior Design Pedagogy

The profit‐driven tendency of interior design trends and styles today has developed in line with the decrease of social awareness in design. The majority of interior design students also decide to pursue interior design education for its marketable and profitable purposes rather than seeing interior design as a field of opportunity to contribute to the social welfare of their communities. Hence, the objective of this research is to implement community service through co‐design in interior design pedagogy. The article describes the learning and design methods used based on human‐centred design approaches of co‐design and analyses the resulting benefits from this approach. Findings reveal that the process of collective creativity and collaborative development with the community enables a direct experience of learning and fosters a deeper connection and understanding of users. They also promote novel multidisciplinary design innovations, accommodate the communitys potentials in the society and stimulate a reflexive impact, allowing students to reflect on their future role as interior designers in bringing positive changes to their community against the profit‐driven tendency of contemporary designers today

Determinants of seasonal influenza vaccination in pregnant women in Valencia, Spain

Background: In most countries the coverage of seasonal influenza vaccination in pregnant women is low. We investigated the acceptance, reasons for rejection and professional involvement related to vaccine information in pregnant women in Valencia, Spain. Methods: Observational retrospective study in 200 pregnant women, 100 vaccinated and 100 unvaccinated, were interviewed during the 2014/2015 vaccination campaign. Electronic medical records, immunization registry and telephone interviews were used to determine reasons for vaccination and immunization rejection. Results: 40.5% of pregnant women in the health department were vaccinated. The midwife was identified as source of information for 89% of women. The vaccine was rejected due to low perceptions of risk of influenza infection (23%), lack of information (19%), considering the vaccine as superfluous (16%), close proximity of delivery date (13%) and fear of side effects (12%). Conclusion: Pregnant women in Spain declined to be vaccinated due to under-estimation of the risk of contracting or being harmed by influenza, and lack of information. Interventions aiming to optimize vaccination coverage should include information addressing the safety and effectiveness of the current vaccine together with improved professional training and motivation

Early Diagnosis of Vegetation Health From High-Resolution Hyperspectral and Thermal Imagery: Lessons Learned From Empirical Relationships and Radiative Transfer Modelling

[Purpose of Review] We provide a comprehensive review of the empirical and modelling approaches used to quantify the radiation–vegetation interactions related to vegetation temperature, leaf optical properties linked to pigment absorption and chlorophyll fluorescence emission, and of their capability to monitor vegetation health. Part 1 provides an overview of the main physiological indicators (PIs) applied in remote sensing to detect alterations in plant functioning linked to vegetation diseases and decline processes. Part 2 reviews the recent advances in the development of quantitative methods to assess PI through hyperspectral and thermal images.[Recent Findings] In recent years, the availability of high-resolution hyperspectral and thermal images has increased due to the extraordinary progress made in sensor technology, including the miniaturization of advanced cameras designed for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and lightweight aircrafts. This technological revolution has contributed to the wider use of hyperspectral imaging sensors by the scientific community and industry; it has led to better modelling and understanding of the sensitivity of different ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum to detect biophysical alterations used as early warning indicators of vegetation health.[Summary] The review deals with the capability of PIs such as vegetation temperature, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic energy downregulation and photosynthetic pigments detected through remote sensing to monitor the early responses of plants to different stressors. Various methods for the detection of PI alterations have recently been proposed and validated to monitor vegetation health. The greatest challenges for the remote sensing community today are (i) the availability of high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution image data; (ii) the empirical validation of radiation–vegetation interactions; (iii) the upscaling of physiological alterations from the leaf to the canopy, mainly in complex heterogeneous vegetation landscapes; and (iv) the temporal dynamics of the PIs and the interaction between physiological changes.The authors received funding provided by the FluorFLIGHT (GGR801) Marie Curie Fellowship, the QUERCUSAT and ESPECTRAMED projects (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness), the Academy of Finland (grants 266152, 317387) and the European Research Council Synergy grant ERC-2013-SyG-610028 IMBALANCE-P.Peer reviewe

γδ T cell frequencies are altered in HIV positive pregnant South African women and are associated with preterm birth

Background Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal and child mortality worldwide. Maternal HIV infection and antiretroviral treatment (ART) increase the rate of preterm birth, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown, limiting progress in prediction, prevention and treatment. While overall γδ T cell levels remain constant, acute HIV infection is associated with a depletion of the Vδ2 subset and an increase in the Vδ1 subset, which do not return to baseline with ART. γδ T cells have also been implicated in adverse pregnancy outcomes and we therefore investigated the potential association between maternal HIV infection, peripheral γδ T cell frequencies and preterm birth. Methods Study participants were HIV positive (n = 47) and HIV negative (n = 45) women enrolled in a prospective pregnancy cohort study at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, South Africa. Women were enrolled in early pregnancy and gestational age was accurately determined by first trimester ultrasound scan. Peripheral blood samples were collected in each trimester and peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated. Frequencies of γδ T cells, Vδ1+ and Vδ2+ γδ T cell subsets, and CCR6 chemokine receptor expression were determined by flow cytometry. Results Total γδ T cell levels were similar between HIV positive and HIV negative women throughout pregnancy. However, in each trimester maternal HIV infection was associated with reduced levels of the Vδ2+ subset and increased levels of the Vδ1+ subset, leading to a reversal of the Vδ1/Vδ2 ratio. Timing of ART initiation among HIV positive women did not affect levels of γδ T cells, the Vδ1+ and Vδ2+ subsets, or the Vδ1/Vδ2 ratio. Importantly, preterm birth was associated with lower total γδ T cell levels in early pregnancy and γδ T cell frequencies were lowest in HIV positive women who delivered preterm. Moreover, in the first trimester the proportion of Vδ1+ T cells that were CCR6+ was significantly reduced in HIV+ women and women who delivered preterm, resulting in the lowest proportion of CCR6+ Vδ1 T cells in HIV positive women who delivered preterm. Conclusions Our findings suggest that altered γδ T cell frequencies may link maternal HIV infection and preterm birth. γδ T cell frequencies in early pregnancy may serve as predictive biomarkers to identify women at risk of delivering preterm

Gigantospongia, new genus, the largest known Permian sponge, Capitan limestone, Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico

Several specimens of the large, discoidal, new inozoid genus and species, Gigantospongia discoforma, have been discovered in the Upper Permian, Upper Capitan Limestone in the northern Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico, near Carlsbad Caverns. The holotype is nearly 2.5 meters across, as exposed, and ranges from 8-20 mm thick, with numerous canals transverse and parallel to the principal plane. These canals are approximately 1 mm in diameter and separated by tracts 1-2 mm thick. Thickened dermal and gastral layers, each approximately 1 mm thick, occur at tops and bases of both the holotype and associated paratypes in the “Sponge Window” exposures of Bat Cave Draw, and in specimens from Chinaberry and Hackberry Draws. Inverted Lemonea conica Senowbari-Daryan, 1990, is apparently attached to the base, and appears to have grown inverted in a void formed or capped by the tabular inozoid. Well-preserved specimens of Amblysiphonella also appear inverted, as do examples of Lemonea cylindrica (Girty, 1908), a new species of Lemonea, and Guadalupia explanata (King, 1943), which occur between the holotype and an underlying paratype. All appear coated with Archaeolithoporella crusts. Microstructure of the inozoan skeleton is obscured by diagenesis

Sirtuin 1 is upregulated in a subset of hepatocellular carcinomas where it is essential for telomere maintenance and tumor cell growth

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Treatment of HCC is complicated by the fact that the disease is often diagnosed at an advanced stage when it is no longer amenable to curative surgery, and current systemic chemotherapeutics are mostly inefficacious. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a class III histone deacetylase that is implicated in gene regulations and stress resistance. In this study, we found that SIRT1 is essential for the tumorigenesis of HCC. We showed that although SIRT1 was expressed at very low levels in normal livers, it was overexpressed in HCC cell lines and in a subset of HCC. Tissue microarray analysis of HCC and adjacent nontumoral liver tissues revealed a positive correlation between the expression levels of SIRT1 and advancement in tumor grades. Downregulation of SIRT1 consistently suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells via the induction of cellular senescence or apoptosis. SIRT1 silencing also caused telomere dysfunction-induced foci and nuclear abnormality that were clearly associated with reduced expressions of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), and PTOP, which is a member of the shelterin complex. Ectopic expression of either TERT or PTOP in SIRT1-depleted cells significantly restored cell proliferation. There was also a positive correlation between the level of induction of SIRT1 and PTOP in human HCC. Finally, SIRT1-silencing sensitized HCC cells to doxorubicin treatment. Together, our findings reveal a novel function for SIRT1 in telomere maintenance of HCC, and they rationalize the clinical exploration of SIRT1 inhibitors for HCC therapy. ©2011 AACR.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Inhibition of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma growth and metastasis in mice by adenovirus-associated virus-mediated expression of human endostatin

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a highly malignant and frequently metastasized tumor. Endostatin has been shown to inhibit NPC growth, but its efficacy against NPC metastasis has not been shown in vivo. Here, we established a NPC metastasis model in mice by transplanting EBV-positive NPC cells, C666-1, in the livers of nude mice and observed lung metastasis. Furthermore, we showed that tall vein injection of recombinant adeno-associated virus encoding human endostatin (rAAV-hEndo) significantly prolonged the median survival rate of NPC metastasis-bearing mice (from 22 to 37 days, P < 0.01). The rAAV-hEndo treatment resulted in a statistically significant reduction in tumor growth and microvessel formation. It also increased the apoptotic index in the primary liver tumor but not in the normal liver tissue. Importantly, no formation of liver or lung metastasis was detected. The potent inhibition of NPC metastasis suggests the feasibility of combining rAAV-hEndo gene therapy with other therapies for the prevention and treatment of NPC metastasis. Copyright © 2006 American Association for Cancer Research.link_to_OA_fulltex