Cross - fertilization between three different teaching modes for geo - informatics education

Objective of this study was to determine if the use and student appreciation of course materials differs for native materials (materials that were developed for that course type in which they are used) and foreign materials (materials that were developed for another course type) and if the way the materials are used, (compulsory versus optional, interchangeable versus the only source of information) affects the student appreciation. A comparison was made between a face-to-face course, a blended learning course and a distance course. The comparison was based on a questionnaire, the course evaluation and the statistics from the digital learning environments. Results show no difference between native and foreign course materials, but do however show the influence of the way the materials were used. Appreciation for compulsory, non-interchangeable materials is higher than for optional interchangeable ones, but even for this last category the general appreciation is high. Distance students have the highest overall appreciation for study materials, followed by the face-to-face students

Using the right slope of the 970nm absorption feature for estimating canopy water content

Canopy water content (CWC) is important for understanding the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Biogeochemical processes like photosynthesis, transpiration and net primary production are related to foliar water. The first derivative of the reflectance spectrum at wavelengths corresponding to the left slope of the minor water absorption band at 970 nm was found to be highly correlated with CWC and PROSAIL model simulations showed that it was insensitive to differences in leaf and canopy structure, soil background and illumination and observation geometry. However, these wavelengths are also located close to the water vapour absorption band at about 940 nm. In order to avoid interference with absorption by atmospheric water vapour, the potential of estimating CWC using the first derivative at the right slope of the 970 nm absorption feature was studied. Measurements obtained with an ASD FieldSpec spectrometer for three test sites were related to CWC (calculated as the difference between fresh and dry weight). The first site was a homogeneous grassland parcel with a grass/clover mixture. The second site was a heterogeneous floodplain with natural vegetation like grasses and various shrubs. The third site was an extensively grazed fen meadow. Results for all three test sites showed that the first derivative of the reflectance spectrum at the right slope of the 970 nm absorption feature was linearly correlated with CWC. Correlations were a bit lower than those at the left slope (at 942.5 nm) as shown in previous studies, but better than those obtained with water band indices. FieldSpec measurements showed that one may use any derivative around the middle of the right slope within the interval between 1015 nm and 1050 nm. We calculated the average derivative at this interval. The first site with grassland yielded an R2 of 0.39 for the derivative at the previously mentioned interval with CWC (based on 20 samples). The second site at the heterogeneous floodplain yielded an R2 of 0.45 for this derivative with CWC (based on 14 samples). Finally, the third site with the fen meadow yielded an R2 of 0.68 for this derivative with CWC (based on 40 samples). Regression lines between the derivative at the right slope of the 970 nm absorption feature and CWC for all three test sites were similar although vegetation types were quite different. This indicates that results may be transferable to other vegetation types and other sites

Characterization of human UTF1, a chromatin-associated protein with repressor activity expressed in pluripotent cells

AbstractIn mice, during early embryonic development UTF1 (undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1) is expressed in the inner cell mass of blastocysts and in adult animals expression is restricted to the gonads. (Embryonic) Cells expressing UTF1 are generally considered pluripotent, meaning they can differentiate into all cell types of the adult body. In mouse it was shown that UTF1 is tightly associated with chromatin and that it is required for proper differentiation of embryonic carcinoma and embryonic stem cells. In this study we functionally characterized the human UTF1 protein. We show with localization, subnuclear fractionation, and strip-FRAP analyses that human UTF1 is a tightly DNA-associated protein with transcriptional repressor activity. Our data identify human UTF1 as a pluripotency-associated chromatin component with core histone-like characteristics

Моделі динаміки пружних збурень у неоднорідно деформованому континуумі

Розвинуто нелінійну теорію пружності стосовно задач томографії тензорних полів у неоднорідно деформованих твердих тілах. За визначальні параметри локального термодинамічного стану, що відповідають процесові деформування, прийнято тензорні характеристики, означені щодо актуальної (деформованої) конфігурації — тензор напружень Коші та міри деформації Альманзі або Фінґера. У рамках запропонованої нелінійної теорії побудовано декілька варіантів системи рівнянь динаміки малих пружних збурень у неоднорідно деформованому твердому континуумі, лінеаризованої стосовно деформації збурення. Коефіцієнти отриманих рівнянь залежать від локальних параметрів початкового напружено-деформованого стану, заданих в актуальній конфігурації. У такому вигляді їх зручно застосовувати для опису хвильових процесів, які збуджують у неоднорідно деформованих тілах, щоб отримати апостеріорну інформацію про актуальний напружено-деформований стан цих об’єктів.A nonlinear theory of elasticity as applied to problems of tensor fields tomography in non-uniformly strained solids has been developed. As constitutive thermodynamic parameters of the theory, corresponding the process of deformation, the tensor characteristics determinate in the actual configuration — tensors Almansi’s and Finger’s have been used. In the frame of the theory several variants of system equations for dynamics of small elastic disturbances in non-uniformly strained continuum, linearized with respect to the amplitude of the disturbance, have been built. These equations coefficients are depended on local parameters of the body stress-strained state, determined in local base of the actual configuration. In such a form they are convenient to use for describing of the wave processes in non-uniformly strained solids activated to obtain some a posteriori information about the actual stress-strained state of such objects.Развита нелинейная теория упругости применительно к задачам томографии тензорных полей в неоднородно деформированных твердых телах. В качестве определяющих параметров локального термодинамического состояния, соответствующих процессу деформирования, приняты тензорные характеристики, определяемые относительно актуальной (деформированной) конфигурации — тензор напряжений Коши и меры деформации Альманзи или Фингера. В рамках предложенной нелинейной теории построено несколько вариантов системы уравнений динамики малых упругих возмущений в неоднородно деформированном твердом континууме, линеаризированной относительно деформации возмущения. Коэффициенты полученных уравнений зависят от локальных параметров напряженно-деформированного состояния, заданных в актуальной конфигурации. В таком виде их удобно применять для описания волновых процессов, которые возбуждают в неоднородно деформированных телах для получения апостериорной информации об актуальном напряженно-деформированном состоянии этих объектов

Evaluation of hypophysectomy for treatment of hypersomatotropism in 25 cats

Background: Successful treatment of cats with hypersomatotropism by transsphenoidal hypophysectomy is described in small numbers of cats. Objectives: To describe the endocrine profile, survival, and remission rates of hypersomatotropism and diabetes mellitus in a cohort of cats with hypersomatotropism that underwent hypophysectomy between 2008 and 2020. Animals: Twenty-five client-owned cats with spontaneous hypersomatotropism. Methods: Retrospective study. Diagnosis of hypersomatotropism was based on clinical signs, plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentration, and imaging of the pituitary gland. Growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1 concentrations were measured repeatedly after surgery. Survival times were calculated based on follow-up information from owners and referring veterinarians. Results: Median postoperative hospital stay was 7 days (range, 3-18 days). One cat died within 4 weeks of surgery. Median plasma GH concentration decreased significantly from 51.0 ng/mL (range, 5.0-101.0 ng/mL) before surgery to 3.8 ng/mL (range, 0.6-13.0 ng/mL) at 5 hours after surgery. Remission of hypersomatotropism, defined as normalization of plasma IGF-1 concentration, occurred in 23/24 cats (median, 34 ng/mL; range, 14-240 ng/mL) and 22/24 cats entered diabetic remission. Median survival time was 1347 days (95% confidence interval, 900-1794 days; range, 11-3180 days) and the overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year all-cause survival rates were 76%, 76%, and 52%, respectively. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: This study shows the beneficial outcome of hypophysectomy in cats with hypersomatotropism, marked by low death rate and a high percentage of diabetic remission and definitive cure