Designing and Achieving Airness: Theatrical Lighting Design of Airness by Chelsea Marcantel

This is the account of the lighting design process for Airness by Chelsea Marcantel. This show was designed using all my learned skills and the equipment available. This account will take the reader through an analysis of the play, the design process, research, technical process, and it concludes with a self-evaluation. This thesis is supported by outside sources, images, and documentation

Haiti Funders Forum: Feasibility Study

The Hauser Institute conducted a new study exploring the value, parameters, and sustainability of a Haiti Funders Forum. In collaboration with The Haiti Fund at the Boston Foundation and with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, researchers Paula Johnson and Colleen Kelly conducted a series of conversations with funder network leaders, individual interviews with Haiti funders, and a survey of a broad range of funders and other constituents to analyze and assess the potential activities and operational issues of a forum. The creation of a Haiti Funders Forum would aim to increase the effectiveness of philanthropy in Haiti by promoting information sharing, networking, and collaboration among grantmakers and social investors and through advocacy for increased philanthropy to and within the country. The report summarizes the findings and makes recommendations on a Forum's values, mission, and goals; functions and activities; and institutional and operational aspects

De la prosperidad al propósito: Perspectivas sobre la filantropía y la inversión social entre las personas de alto nivel patrimonial en América Latina

Siglos de tradiciones religiosas, normas culturales, historias políticas y condiciones económicas han moldeado el entorno actual de la filantropía privada y la inversión social en América Latina. Si bien las personas de alto nivel patrimonial de la región tienen una larga trayectoria de donaciones benéficas, el surgimiento relativamente reciente de democracias estables, crecimiento económico y acumulación de riqueza personal han sentado las bases para la aceleración de las actividades filantrópicas. Al mismo tiempo, en algunos países, las reducciones en los servicios gubernamentales, la desigualdad severa y la pobreza persistente han recalcado la necesidad de inversión social privada para la promoción del desarrollo social y económico.Este estudio describe el entorno filantrópico y las importantes e inspiradoras inversiones sociales de las personas de alto nivel patrimonial en seis países latinoamericanos: Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, México y Perú. También ofrece una mirada nueva al alma y al ejercicio de la filantropía en la región, con la esperanza de que sirva para alentar a otros a invertir capital filantrópico privado en el bien común

Da Prosperidade ao Propósito: Perspectivas sobre a Filantropia e Investimento Social Privado na América Latina

Séculos de tradições religiosas, normas culturais, histórias políticas e condições econômicas moldaram o ambiente atual para doações e investimentos sociais privados na América Latina. Embora as pessoas com patrimônio elevado da região tenham uma longa história de fazer doações à caridade, o surgimento relativamente recente de democracias estáveis, o crescimento econômico firme e a acumulação de patrimônio pessoal criaram as bases para uma maior atividade filantrópica. Ao mesmo tempo, cortes nos serviços públicos, as desigualdades e a pobreza persistente em alguns países ressaltaram a necessidade de investimentos sociais privados, para alavancar o desenvolvimento social e econômico.Este estudo descreve o ambiente filantrópico e ilustra os importantes e inspiradores investimentos sociais de pessoas com patrimônio elevado em seis países da América Latina; Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colômbia, México e Peru. Ele dá novas percepções sobre a alma e a prática de filantropia na região e, em termos otimistas, ajudará a encorajar outras pessoas a investirem capital filantrópico privado para o bem público

Arabidopsis bioinformatics resources: The current state, challenges, and priorities for the future

Effective research, education, and outreach efforts by the Arabidopsis thalianacommunity, as well as other scientific communities that depend on Arabidopsis resources, depend vitally on easily available and publicly‐shared resources. These resources include reference genome sequence data and an ever‐increasing number of diverse data sets and data types. TAIR (The Arabidopsis Information Resource) and Araport (originally named the Arabidopsis Information Portal) are community informatics resources that provide tools, data, and applications to the more than 30,000 researchers worldwide that use in their work either Arabidopsis as a primary system of study or data derived from Arabidopsis. Four years after Araport\u27s establishment, the IAIC held another workshop to evaluate the current status of Arabidopsis Informatics and chart a course for future research and development. The workshop focused on several challenges, including the need for reliable and current annotation, community‐defined common standards for data and metadata, and accessible and user‐friendly repositories/tools/methods for data integration and visualization. Solutions envisioned included (a) a centralized annotation authority to coalesce annotation from new groups, establish a consistent naming scheme, distribute this format regularly and frequently, and encourage and enforce its adoption. (b) Standards for data and metadata formats, which are essential, but challenging when comparing across diverse genotypes and in areas with less‐established standards (e.g., phenomics, metabolomics). Community‐established guidelines need to be developed. (c) A searchable, central repository for analysis and visualization tools. Improved versioning and user access would make tools more accessible. Workshop participants proposed a “one‐stop shop” website, an Arabidopsis “Super‐Portal” to link tools, data resources, programmatic standards, and best practice descriptions for each data type. This must have community buy‐in and participation in its establishment and development to encourage adoption

From Prosperity to Purpose: Perspectives on Philanthropy and Social Investment among Wealthy Individuals in Latin America

Centuries of religious traditions, cultural norms, political histories, and economic conditions have shaped today's environment for private giving and social investment in Latin America. While the region's wealthy individuals have a long history of charitable giving, the relatively recent emergence of stable democracies, steady economic growth, and accumulation of personal wealth have provided a foundation for accelerated philanthropic activity. At the same time, cutbacks in government services, acute inequalities, and persistent poverty in some countries have underscored the need for private social investment to help address social and economic development.This study describes the philanthropic environment and illuminates the important and inspirational social investments of wealthy individuals in six Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. It provides new insight into both the soul and practice of philanthropy in the region, and, optimistically, will help to encourage others to invest private philanthropic capital for the common public good

Fluid balance and cardiac function in septic shock as predictors of hospital mortality

INTRODUCTION: Septic shock is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Unfortunately, the optimal fluid management of septic shock is unknown and currently is empirical. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital (St. Louis, Missouri). Consecutive patients (n = 325) hospitalized with septic shock who had echocardiographic examinations performed within 24 hours of shock onset were enrolled. RESULTS: A total of 163 (50.2%) patients with septic shock died during hospitalization. Non-survivors had a significantly larger positive net fluid balance within the 24 hour window of septic shock onset (median (IQR): 4,374 ml (1,637 ml, 7,260 ml) vs. 2,959 ml (1,639.5 ml, 4,769.5 ml), P = 0.004). The greatest quartile of positive net fluid balance at 24 hours and eight days post-shock onset respectively were found to predict hospital mortality, and the greatest quartile of positive net fluid balance at eight days post-shock onset was an independent predictor of hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 1.66; 95% CI, 1.39 to 1.98; P = 0.004). Survivors were significantly more likely to have mild left ventricular dysfunction as evaluated by bedside echocardiography and non-survivors had slightly elevated left ventricular ejection fraction, which was also found to be an independent predictor of outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirms the importance of fluid balance and cardiac function as outcome predictors in patients with septic shock. A clinical trial to determine the optimal administration of intravenous fluids to patients with septic shock is needed

Using a smartphone application to promote healthy dietary behaviours and local food consumption

Smartphone “apps” are a powerful tool for public health promotion, but unidimensional interventions have been ineffective at sustaining behavioural change. Various logistical issues exist in successful app development for health intervention programs and for sustaining behavioural change. This study reports on a smartphone application and messaging service, called “SmartAPPetite,” which uses validated behaviour change techniques and a behavioural economic approach to “nudge” users into healthy dietary behaviours. To help gauge participation in and influence of the program, data were collected using an upfront food survey, message uptake tracking, experience sampling interviews, and a follow-up survey. Logistical and content-based issues in the deployment of the messaging service were subsequently addressed to strengthen the effectiveness of the app in changing dietary behaviours. Challenges included creating relevant food goal categories for participants, providing messaging appropriate to self-reported food literacy and ensuring continued participation in the program. SmartAPPetite was effective at creating a sense of improved awareness and consumption of healthy foods, as well as drawing people to local food vendors with greater frequency. This work serves as a storehouse of methods and best practices for multidimensional local food-based smartphone interventions aimed at improving the “triple bottom line” of health, economy, and environment

Examining the correlates of adolescent food and nutrition knowledge

Food literacy is a set of skills and knowledge that are integral to diet. It is common among teenagers to not have basic food literacy skills needed to consume a healthy diet. This study examined: (1) the current state of food and nutrition knowledge among adolescents 13–19 years of age in the census metropolitan area of London, ON, Canada; and (2) correlates of food knowledge and nutrition knowledge among adolescents. Data for this study were drawn from baseline youth and parent survey data collected from a larger population health intervention study. Statistical analysis of the survey data indicates that higher parental education and higher median neighbourhood family income, the use of mobile health applications, liking to cook, as well as confidence in reading and understanding food labels were all consistently associated with increased food and nutrition knowledge. Findings may help guide future research towards optimal methods for delivering food literacy interventions to effectively educate teenagers. Results of this study may help guide policy makers, researchers, and public health professionals in developing appropriate food and nutrition programs and curriculums to combat the decline in food literacy skills

A Genome-Scale Resource for the Functional Characterization of Arabidopsis Transcription Factors

SummaryExtensive transcriptional networks play major roles in cellular and organismal functions. Transcript levels are in part determined by the combinatorial and overlapping functions of multiple transcription factors (TFs) bound to gene promoters. Thus, TF-promoter interactions provide the basic molecular wiring of transcriptional regulatory networks. In plants, discovery of the functional roles of TFs is limited by an increased complexity of network circuitry due to a significant expansion of TF families. Here, we present the construction of a comprehensive collection of Arabidopsis TFs clones created to provide a versatile resource for uncovering TF biological functions. We leveraged this collection by implementing a high-throughput DNA binding assay and identified direct regulators of a key clock gene (CCA1) that provide molecular links between different signaling modules and the circadian clock. The resources introduced in this work will significantly contribute to a better understanding of the transcriptional regulatory landscape of plant genomes