Conservación del patrimonio cultural utilizando nuevos métodos de comunicación: la Pagoda de madera de Yingxian, China

[EN] Architectural landmarks that represent a culture’s identity are also sanctuaries for cultural heritage preservation. The tallest and oldest wooden multi-story structure in the world, the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda of China is tilting at an ongoing rate that requires an urgency to find solutions to revert the damage. To preserve the evolving humanistic and artistic understandings of ancient Chinese architecture, and to cultivate the scientific reasoning behind ancient Chinese carpentry, new media allows digital and computational methods to replace human users who once manually analyzed data and information from cultural sites and artifacts. This article will exemplify new media tools such as animation via 3D/2D modeling, 3D scanning and virtual reality photography to examine material evidence of the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda of China, and the role new media can assist in its fight to sustain its originality since 1056.Highlights: Examination, documentation, research and education of architectural heritage sites using new media methods.Integration of old archives and digital/computational software to represent the outstanding value of the oldest and tallest wooden skyscraper in the world.Use of 2D/3D modelling and virtual reality photography developing information to increase awareness on cultural heritage sites suffering wood deterioration.[ES] Los hitos arquitectónicos que representan la identidad de una cultura también son santuarios para la preservación del patrimonio cultural. La pagoda de madera de Yingxian en China, la estructura de madera de varios pisos más alta y antigua del mundo, se inclina a un ritmo constante que requiere encontrar solución es urgentes que reviertan el daño. Para preservar la evolución humanística y la comprensión artística de la antigua arquitectura china, y para cultivar el razonamiento científico detrás de la antigua carpintería china, los nuevos medios de comunicación permiten asistencia digital y computacional a los usuarios humanos que analizaban manualmente los datos y la información de los sitios culturales y los artefactos. La evidencia alcanzada a partir de las investigaciones previas unido a que los métodos de documentación clásicos requerían una comprensión sólida de la información realizada por el investigador, conlleva a que los registros se puedan describir como estáticos y anticuados, y que solo pueden ofrecer información tal y como se presenta. Los nuevos medios de comunicación ofrecen a la Pagoda de madera de Yingxian la última asistencia digital para encontrar descubrimientos que no eran posibles de llevar a cabo en investigaciones anteriores usando los métodos clásicos. La ayuda de programas y herramientas computacionales amplía la evidencia ocultada en los sitios patrimoniales. Este artículo ejemplificará las nuevas herramientas de comunicación, como la animación a través del modelado 3D/2D, el escaneado 3D y la fotografía de realidad virtual para examinar la evidencia material de la Pagoda de madera de Yingxian, y el papel que los nuevos medios pueden desempeñar en su lucha por mantener la originalidad de esta pagoda budista de madera desde 1056.Lai, DS.; Leung, AK.; Chan, D.; Ching, SH. (2019). Cultural heritage preservation using new media methods: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, China. Virtual Archaeology Review. 10(21):103-115. https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2019.11071SWORD1031151021ACRL, (2015, February 9). 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(2015). Principles for the Conservation Heritage Sites in China. Beijing, China: Beijing Shi : Wen Wu Chu Ban She (文物出版社). (p. 100).Lai, D. (2018). (Director). The Preservation of the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong. Retrieved from https://www.cityu.edu.hk/cityvod/video/play/LIB/Yingxian_Pagoda.aspxLeary, C. (n.d.). 360 VR Panoramic Photography. Retrieved from http://chrisleary.photography/360-vr-panoramic-photography/Manovich, L. (2001) The language of new media. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. (p. 36)Malpas, J. (2008) New Media. Cultural Heritage and the Sense of Place: Mapping the Conceptual Ground. International Journal of Heritage Studies. (p. 198)NOAA. (2018). Significant Earthquake Search - sorted by Data. 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Quasi-Normal Mode Expansion for Linearized Waves in Gravitational Systems

The quasinormal modes (QNM's) of gravitational systems modeled by the Klein-Gordon equation with effective potentials are studied in analogy to the QNM's of optical cavities. Conditions are given for the QNM's to form a complete set, i.e., for the Green's function to be expressible as a sum over QNM's, answering a conjecture by Price and Husain [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 68}, 1973 (1992)]. In the cases where the QNM sum is divergent, procedures for regularization are given. The crucial condition for completeness is the existence of spatial discontinuities in the system, e.g., the discontinuity at the stellar surface in the model of Price and Husain.Comment: 12 pages, WUGRAV-94-

Wave Propagation in Gravitational Systems: Completeness of Quasinormal Modes

The dynamics of relativistic stars and black holes are often studied in terms of the quasinormal modes (QNM's) of the Klein-Gordon (KG) equation with different effective potentials $V(x)$. In this paper we present a systematic study of the relation between the structure of the QNM's of the KG equation and the form of $V(x)$. In particular, we determine the requirements on $V(x)$ in order for the QNM's to form complete sets, and discuss in what sense they form complete sets. Among other implications, this study opens up the possibility of using QNM expansions to analyse the behavior of waves in relativistic systems, even for systems whose QNM's do {\it not} form a complete set. For such systems, we show that a complete set of QNM's can often be obtained by introducing an infinitesimal change in the effective potential

Promoter methylation of the hMLH1 gene and protein expression of human mutL homolog 1 and human mutS homolog 2 in resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

ObjectiveAberrant expression of mismatch repair genes, such as human mutL homolog 1 (hMLH1) and human mutS homolog 2 (hMSH2), are common in some human cancers, and promoter methylation is believed to inactivate expression of hMLH1. We investigated whether promoter methylation is involved in loss of hMLH1 protein and whether aberrant expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2 protein is related to prognosis after resection for esophageal squamous cell cancer.MethodsWe analyzed promoter methylation of hMLH1 using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and hMLH1 and hMSH2 protein by using immunohistochemistry in 60 resected tumor specimens. The Pearson χ2 test was used to compare expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2 protein among patients with different clinicopathologic parameters. Concordance analysis was performed between hMLH1 methylation and its protein expression.ResultsLoss of hMLH1 and hMSH2 protein was found in 43 (72%) and 39 (65%, P = .06) of 60 resected specimens, respectively. hMLH1 protein correlated well with tumor staging (P < .0001), depth of tumor invasion (P = .008), and nodal involvement (P < .0001) but not with distant metastasis, whereas hMSH2 did not show correlation with any of these parameters. A concordance rate of 83.3% was present between expression of hMLH1 protein and its promoter methylation (P < .001).ConclusionsAberrant expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2 protein is frequently associated with the presence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and expression of hMLH1 protein is a better prognostic predictor than is expression of hMSH2 protein. Promoter methylation is one of the mechanisms responsible for loss of hMLH1 protein in esophageal squamous cell cancer

Evaluation of a virtual reality based interactive simulator with haptic feedback for learning NGT placement

Background The placement of a nasogastric tube is a blind process; the tube may be mistakenly inserted into other locations, leading to possible complications or fatal incidents. Effective education and training of nursing students to perform this procedure is essential. Purpose To investigate the application of the virtual reality based simulator with haptic feedback to nursing students for their learning around nasogastric tube placement. Methods A quasi-experimental non-equivalent group pre- and post-test study, in which the outcome measures of two classes of pre-registration nursing students were compared for their evidence of learning about the advanced NGT simulator (in addition to usual training) against the control group who only used mannequins for their usual education and training. Results There was a decrease, though remaining at a good level, in the technology acceptance rating within (p = .000) and between (p < .05) the simulator group than the control over time at post-test. Taking into consideration of some demographic differences at baseline between the two groups, analysis of results demonstrated that there was no predictor effect of those factors in relation to technology acceptance (F = .02, p = .922), but in scores for the test using multiple-choice questions (MCQ) about knowledge in nasogastric tube insertion (F = 23.4, p = .000). Both groups demonstrated significant increases in MCQ scores at post-test, with higher scores in the simulator group at both pre-test (p < .05) and post-test (p = .000). There was no significant difference in learning outcomes around competence in skills within the evaluation results between groups at post-test. Usability of the simulator system as rated by the simulator group was good. Conclusions Students did not reject the use of the new simulator for their learning about nasogastric tube placement. As an adjunct to conventional teaching and learning, the use of the simulator appears to be promising in enhancing the education and training of nursing students for development of the important clinical skill of safe nasogastric tube placement. Future studies are warranted, with the design inclusive of equivalent groups and a larger sample size to further the evidence in substantiating the use of this simulator for better learning outcomes

Role of polymorphisms of the inflammatory response genes and DC-SIGNR in genetic susceptibility to SARS and other infections.

Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases: Research Dissemination Reports (Series 2)1. A genetic risk-association study involving more than 1200 subjects showed individuals homozygous for L-SIGN tandem repeats are less susceptible to SARS infection. 2. This was supported by in vitro binding studies that demonstrated homozygous L-SIGN, compared to heterozygous, had higher binding capacity for SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), with higher proteasome-dependent viral degradation. In contrast, homozygous L-SIGN demonstrated lower binding capacity for HIV1-gp120.3. Genetic-association studies for single nucleotide polymorphisms of the inflammatory response genes, namely TNF-alpha, INF-alpha, INF-beta, INF-gamma, IL1-alpha, IL1-beta, IL-4, IL-6 and iNOS, failed to show a significant association with SARS clinical outcomes or susceptibility.published_or_final_versio

Functional role of ICAM-3 polymorphism in genetic susceptibility to SARS infection.

Key Messages 1. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients who are homozygous for intercellular adhesion molecule-3 (ICAM-3) Gly143 showed significant association with higher lactate dehydrogenase levels and lower total white blood cell counts on admission. 2. In vitro functional studies demonstrated low level binding of ICAM-3 to DC-SIGN and a wide variation in T-cell response of the wild-type ICAM-3 genotype.published_or_final_versio

Effectiveness of a denture hygiene intervention programme among institutionalized elders

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a denture hygiene intervention programme in terms of improving denture cleanliness and denture stomatitis. Methods: Residents at seven elderly care homes were invited to participate in a denture hygiene programme. Clinical assessment of denture stomatitis was undertaken and denture cleanliness assessed: (i) qualitatively by the Denture Cleanliness Index ratings and (ii) quantitatively by planimetric assessments of plaque coverage from digital images using Adobe Photoshop®. Individual denture hygiene instruction was provided and denture cleanser (Polident®) supplied. Six weeks later assessments of denture stomatitis and denture cleanliness were undertaken. Results: Fifty-six participants were recruited; most had evidence of denture stomatitis (82.1%, 46) and 62.5% (35) of dentures were classified as ‘very poorly cleaned’. The mean percentage of plaque coverage was 28.11 (SD 19.64) and 37.5% (21) had evidence of plaque covering more than a third of the denture surface. Denture cleanliness was associated with denture stomatitis (P0.05).Conclusion: A 6-week denture hygiene intervention programme was effective at improving denture stomatitis and denture cleanliness among residents of elderly care homes. However, persistence of problems in denture cleanliness and denture stomatitis existed and this warrants further consideration.published_or_final_versio