57 research outputs found
Higher Education; For Free, For Everyone, For Real? Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and the Responsible University: History and Enacting Rationalities for MOOC Initiatives at Three Swedish Universities
Large-scale open education initiatives, commonly referred to as MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), may be said to offer universities a new form of public outreach, whereby universities can take an active role in educating society and provide affordable pathways to lifelong learning for all. In this chapter, we examine how MOOC initiatives resonate with the notion of the responsible university from the perspective of Swedish higher education. Based on an analysis of notions of intent expressed by three Swedish universities, we reason about the roles that MOOC initiatives may play. Further, we adapt a framework on how public organisations negotiate bounded realities in order to juxtapose discourses that reflect different rationales for the MOOC initiatives at three Swedish universities. As a result, we identify a number of affordances that MOOCs potentially provide, such as access to lifelong learning from higher education institutions to diversified and unprivileged groups, but also how the universities intend to utilise MOOC projects for internal capacity-building related to the digitalisation of education. Currently, potentially conflicting rationalities arise between strong norms of tuition-free, state-funded education and the developing business models of the MOOC platform providers that illustrate a challenge for the Nordic model
Interruption of torus doubling bifurcation and genesis of strange nonchaotic attractors in a quasiperiodically forced map : Mechanisms and their characterizations
A simple quasiperiodically forced one-dimensional cubic map is shown to
exhibit very many types of routes to chaos via strange nonchaotic attractors
(SNAs) with reference to a two-parameter space. The routes include
transitions to chaos via SNAs from both one frequency torus and period doubled
torus. In the former case, we identify the fractalization and type I
intermittency routes. In the latter case, we point out that atleast four
distinct routes through which the truncation of torus doubling bifurcation and
the birth of SNAs take place in this model. In particular, the formation of
SNAs through Heagy-Hammel, fractalization and type--III intermittent mechanisms
are described. In addition, it has been found that in this system there are
some regions in the parameter space where a novel dynamics involving a sudden
expansion of the attractor which tames the growth of period-doubling
bifurcation takes place, giving birth to SNA. The SNAs created through
different mechanisms are characterized by the behaviour of the Lyapunov
exponents and their variance, by the estimation of phase sensitivity exponent
as well as through the distribution of finite-time Lyapunov exponents.Comment: 27 pages, RevTeX 4, 16 EPS figures. Phys. Rev. E (2001) to appea
Inducible ASABF-Type Antimicrobial Peptide from the Sponge Suberites domuncula: Microbicidal and Hemolytic Activity in Vitro and Toxic Effect on Molluscs in Vivo†
Since sponges, as typical filter-feeders, are exposed to a high load of attacking prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, they are armed with a wide arsenal of antimicrobial/cytostatic low-molecular-weight, non-proteinaceous bioactive compounds. Here we present the first sponge agent belonging to the group of ASABF-type antimicrobial peptides. The ASABF gene was identified and cloned from the demosponge Suberites domuncula. The mature peptide, with a length of 64 aa residues has a predicted pI of 9.24, and comprises the characteristic CSα β structural motif. Consequently, the S. domuncula ASABF shares high similarity with the nematode ASABFs; it is distantly related to the defensins. The recombinant peptide was found to display besides microbicidal activity, anti-fungal activity. In addition, the peptide lyses human erythrocytes. The expression of ASABF is upregulated after exposure to the apoptosis-inducing agent 2,2′-dipyridyl. During the process of apoptosis of surface tissue of S. domuncula, grazing gastropods (Bittium sp.) are attracted by quinolinic acid which is synthesized through the kynurenine pathway by the enzyme 3-hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-dioxygenase (HAD). Finally, the gastropods are repelled from the sponge tissue by the ASABF. It is shown that the effector peptide ASABF is sequentially expressed after the induction of the HAD gene and a caspase, as a central enzyme executing apoptosis
Study of in the vicinity of
Using 2917 of data accumulated at 3.773~,
44.5~ of data accumulated at 3.65~ and data accumulated
during a line-shape scan with the BESIII detector, the reaction
is studied considering a possible interference
between resonant and continuum amplitudes. The cross section of
,
, is found to have two
solutions, determined to be () pb with the phase angle
(0.11 pb at the 90% confidence level),
or ) pb with both of which
agree with a destructive interference. Using the obtained cross section of
, the cross section of , which is useful information for the future PANDA experiment, is
estimated to be either () nb ( nb at 90% C.L.) or
nb
The role of valuation and bargaining in optimising transboundary watercourse treaty regimes
In the face of water scarcity, growing water demands, population increase, ecosystem degradation, climate change, and so on transboundary watercourse states inevitably have to make difficult decisions on how finite quantities of water are distributed. Such waters, and their associated ecosystem services, offer multiple benefits. Valuation and bargaining can play a key role in the sharing of these ecosystems services and their associated benefits across sovereign borders. Ecosystem services in transboundary watercourses essentially constitute a portfolio of assets. Whilst challenging, their commodification, which creates property rights, supports trading. Such trading offers a means by which to resolve conflicts over competing uses and allows states to optimise their ‘portfolios’. However, despite this potential, adoption of appropriate treaty frameworks that might facilitate a market-based approach to the discovery and allocation of water-related ecosystem services at the transboundary level remains both a challenge, and a topic worthy of further study. Drawing upon concepts in law and economics, this paper therefore seeks to advance the study of how treaty frameworks might be developed in a way that supports such a market-based approach to ecosystem services and transboundary waters
Polyester textile functionalization through incorporation of pH/thermo-responsive microgels. Part II: polyester functionalization and characterization
Characterization of esterase activity from an Acetomicrobium hydrogeniformans enzyme with high structural stability in extreme conditions
The biotechnological and industrial uses of thermostable and organic solvent-tolerant enzymes are extensive and the investigation of such enzymes from microbiota present in oil reservoirs is a promising approach. Searching sequence databases for esterases from such microbiota, we have identified in silico a potentially secreted esterase from Acetomicrobium hydrogeniformans, named AhEst. The recombinant enzyme was produced in E. coli to be used in biochemical and biophysical characterization studies. AhEst presented hydrolytic activity on short-acyl-chain p-nitrophenyl ester substrates. AhEst activity was high and stable in temperatures up to 75 °C. Interestingly, high salt concentration induced a significant increase of catalytic activity. AhEst still retained ~ 50% of its activity in 30% concentration of several organic solvents. Synchrotron radiation circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopies confirmed that AhEst displays high structural stability in extreme conditions of temperature, salinity, and organic solvents. The enzyme is a good emulsifier agent and is able to partially reverse the wettability of an oil-wet carbonate substrate, making it of potential interest for use in enhanced oil recovery. All the traits observed in AhEst make it an interesting candidate for many industrial applications, such as those in which a significant hydrolytic activity at high temperatures is required
Do biofilm communities respond to the chemical signatures of fracking? A test involving streams in North-central Arkansas
Neurofilament proteins in neurodegenerative diseases
The function of neurofilaments, the major component in large myelinated neurons, is not well understood even though they were discovered as structures over 100 years ago. Recent studies have suggested that neuro-filaments are closely related to many neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson disease Alzheimer disease, and diabetes. Using in vitro assays, cultures and transgenic mice, these studies provided new insights into neurofilament function. The function of each subunit, the relationship of neurofilaments with other cytoskeletal elements and their clinical significance are topics of increasing attention
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