Beyond the Numbers: Comprehensive Internationalization at Miami University

Marketing materials for Miami University, a public doctoral university in Oxford, Ohio, frequently reference the caliber and popularity of the university’s outbound student mobility programs. With almost sixty percent of undergraduates studying abroad or away before graduation, outbound mobility has become a core element of both the Miami student experience and the university’s vision for global engagement. This study seeks to go beyond the numbers (i.e. student mobility rates) in examining whether the success of outbound student mobility programs is indicative of successful internationalization across the university as a whole. Using the American Council on Education (ACE) Center for International and Global Engagement (CIGE) Model for Comprehensive Internationalization, this study analyzes Miami University’s internationalization progress since 2012 according to six “pillars” of internationalization: 1) articulated institutional commitment; 2) administrative leadership, structure, and staffing; 3) curriculum, co-curriculum, and learning outcomes; 4) faculty policies and practices; 5) student mobility, and 6) collaboration and partnerships. Findings revealed a clear institutional commitment to internationalization in the form of Miami 2020, the university’s most recent strategic plan, as well as the presence of international, intercultural, and multicultural elements in areas such as faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure policies; inbound and outbound student mobility opportunities; and requirements of the core curriculum. At the same time, the implementation of certain internationalization initiatives continues to present challenges, including cultural, social, and academic issues faced by international students; questions surrounding sustainable leadership in Global Initiatives, the university’s centralized internationalization hub; and the overabundance of short-term, faculty-led programs

Wind optimal flight trajectories to minimise fuel consumption within a 3 dimensional flight network

This paper assesses the potential fuel savings benefits that can be gained from wind optimal flight trajectories. This question is posed on a 3 dimensional fixed flight network consisting of discrete waypoints which is representative of the size of Europe. The optimisation implements Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm to compute the minimum fuel burn route through a network and compares this to the fuel burn for the shortest distance route. Particular effort is applied to testing the repeatability and robustness of the results. This is achieved through a sensitive analysis based on a number of identified model parameters relating to the setup of the flight network. The results of this study show fuel savings between 1.0%-10.3%, and suggest that the benefits of wind optimal flight trajectories are significant

Treshold-controlled three-stage hydraulic behaviour of a mantled shallow carbonate aquifer (Tuhala karst area, North Estonia)

As karst aquifers are often characterised by non-linear behaviour, ascertaining the turning points in their hydraulic regime may provide essential information on the functioning of the aquifer. These characteristics also apply to the Silurian-Ordovician aquifer system, composed of diverse carbonate rocks, in Estonia. The aquifer system is an important source of drinking water in northern Estonia. It also comprises the Nabala- Rakvere aquifer, a locally important groundwater resource that underlies the Tuhala karst area famous for an intermittently overflowing karst spring known as the Witch's Well. The water rich in humic substances of the Tuhala River recharges the Tuhala karst system, which is drained by two spring groups. In order to develop measures for the sustainable management of the aquifer in the future, the aim of this study was to enhance understanding of the hydraulic behaviour and hydrodynamic properties of the Tuhala karst system. From October 2014 to December 2016 an extensive field campaign was carried out comprising the observation of 22 surface- and groundwater monitoring points for water level and physico-chemical parameters and the performance of four quantitative tracer tests. The data obtained were evaluated in accordance with the input– output water level relation curves and a conceptual model of the system was set up. The results show that a strong hydraulic link exists, primarily through well-developed conduits between the recharge and discharge area of the karst system. Depending on the hydrological conditions, groundwater flow direc tions vary and maximum linear flow velocities range between ~225 and 800 m/h. A threshold-controlled throughput capacity and interaction with the adjacent aquifer cause imbalances between the input and output discharges of the karst system. Tracer tests coupled with surface and groundwater level relation curve analysis allowed the specification of flow threshold conditions for the Witch's Well spring group and the overflow threshold for the Witch's Well, among other key hydrological events. The hydraulic regime of the karst system was divided into three stages, each with differing threshold controls and hydrodynamic characteristics.Key words: karst system, shallow carbonate aquifer, monitoring, tracer test, water level relation curve, threshold, overflow. Določanje mejnih vrednosti tristopenjskega hidravljičnega obnašanja pokritega plitvega karbonatnega vodonosnika (Tuhalski kras, severna Estonija)Kraški vodonosniki se pogosto obnašajo nelinearno, zato lahko z ugotavljanjem mejnih vrednosti v hidravličnem režimu zagotovimo bistvene informacije o delovanju vodonosnika. To velja tudi za silurijsko-ordovicijski vodonosni sistem v Estoniji, ki ga sestavljajo različne karbonatne kamnine in je pomemben vir pitne vode na severu države. Vključuje tudi vodonosnik Nabala- Rakvere, ki je lokalno pomemben vodni vir. Na tem območju se nahaja Tuhalski kras, ki je znan po občasno bruhajočem kraškem izviru Witch's Well (Čarovničin vodnjak). Tuhalski vodonosnik napaja reka Tuhala, bogata z huminskimi snovmi, prazni pa se skozi dve skupini izvirov. Da bi v prihodnje razvili ukrepe za trajnostno upravljanje vodonosnika, je bil namen te raziskave izboljšati razumevanje hidravličnega obnašanja in hidrodinamičnih lastnosti kraškega sistema. Od oktobra 2014 do decembra 2016 smo opravili obsežno terensko delo, ki je obsegalo spremljanje vodostajev in fizikalno-kemijskih parametrov v 23 površinskih in podzemnih točkah ter izvedbo štirih kvantitativnih sledilnih poskusov. Pridobljene podatke smo ovrednotili na podlagi krivulje odvisnosti vhodnih in izhodnih vodnih nivojev. Vzpostavili smo konceptualni model sistema. Rezultati kažejo na obstoj močne hidravlične povezave predvsem z dobro razvitimi kanali med območji napajanja in praznjenja kraškega sistema. Odvisno od hidroloških razmer se spreminjajo smeri in hitrosti toka podzemne vode, ki znašajo od ~225 do 800 m/h. Kapaciteta prepustnosti, ki jo uravnavajo določene mejne vrednosti, in posledične in terakcije s sosednjimi vodonosniki povzročajo neravnovesja med vhodnimi in izhodnimi pretočnimi vrednostmi kraškega sistema. Združevanje rezultatov sledilnih poskusov z analizo krivulje odvisnosti površinskih in podzemnih vodostajev nam je omogočilo, da smo določili mejne pretočne vrednosti izvira Witch's Well in druge ključne hidrološke dogodke. Hidravlični režim kraškega sistema smo razdelili na tri faze, od katerih ima vsaka določene mejne vrednosti in hidrodinamične lastnosti. Ključne besede: kraški sistem, plitvi karbonatni vodonosnik, monitoring, sledilni poskus, krivulja odvisnosti vodnih nivojev, prag, preliv.

Magnetism, spin texture and in-gap states: Atomic specialization at the surface of oxygen-deficient SrTiO3_3

Motivated by recent spin- and angular-resolved photoemission (SARPES) measurements performed on the two-dimensional electronic states confined near the (001) surface of SrTiO$_3$ in the presence of oxygen vacancies, we explore their spin structure by means of ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations of slabs. Relativistic nonmagnetic DFT calculations display Rashba-like spin winding with a splitting of a few meV and when surface magnetism on the Ti ions is in- cluded, bands become spin-split with an energy difference ~100 meV at the $\Gamma$ point, consistent with SARPES findings. While magnetism tends to suppress the effects of the relativistic Rashba interaction, signatures of it are still clearly visible in terms of complex spin textures. Furthermore, we observe an atomic specialization phenomenon, namely, two types of electronic contributions: one is from Ti atoms neighboring the oxygen vacancies that acquire rather large magnetic moments and mostly create in-gap states; another comes from the partly polarized t$_{2g}$ itinerant electrons of Ti atoms lying further away from the oxygen vacancy, which form the two-dimensional electron system and are responsible for the Rashba spin winding and the spin splitting at the Fermi surface.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, for Suppl. Mat. please contact first autho

Topology Optimization of Plastic Parts for Injection Molding

Topology optimization is broadly recognized as a design approach to generate high-performance conceptual designs suitable for freeform fabrication, e.g., additive manufacturing. When other fabrication methods are considered, topology optimization must integrate manufacturing constraints. The integration of constraints for extrusion and casting has been addressed in the past by a few researcher groups. In this work, extrusion and casting constraints are revisited and extended to include plastic injection. The proposed method relies on the use of intersection planes and the definition of a parting line within the planes. The resulting topologies can be injected in a two-plate mold without the use of inserts. The implementation and results of the proposed approach are demonstrated in classic three-dimensional problems that include a cantilevered beam with different load conditions

Neutrophil extracellular traps: from physiology to pathology.

At the frontline of the host defence response, neutrophil antimicrobial functions have adapted to combat infections and injuries of different origins and magnitude. The release of web-like DNA structures named neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) constitutes an important mechanism by which neutrophils prevent pathogen dissemination or deal with microorganisms of a bigger size. At the same time, nuclear and granule proteins with microbicidal activity bind to these DNA structures promoting the elimination of entrapped pathogens. However, these toxic properties may produce unwanted effects in the host, when neutrophils uncontrollably release NETs upon persistent inflammation. As a consequence, NET accumulation can produce vessel occlusion, tissue damage, and prolonged inflammation associated with the progression and exacerbation of multiple pathologic conditions. This review outlines recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of NET release and functions in sterile disease. We also discuss mechanisms of physiological regulation and the importance of neutrophil heterogeneity in NET formation and composition.C.S.-R. receives funding from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB1123 TP A6). O.S. receives funding from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB914 TP B8, SFB1123 TP A6, TP B5, SFB1009 TP A13), the Vetenskapsra˚det (2017-01762), the Else-Kro¨ner-Fresenius Stiftung (2017_A13), the Swedish Heart–Lung Foundation (20190317), and the Leducq foundation (TNE-18CVD04). P.L. receives funding support from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (1R01HL134892), the American Heart Association (18CSA34080399), the RRM Charitable Fund, and the Simard Fund. V.P. receives core funding from the Francis Crick institute funded by UK Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust (FC0010129, FC001134). I.V.A was funded by an EMBO LTF (ALTF 113-2019). A.H. is funded by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (RTI2018-095497-B-I00), La Caixa Foundation (HR17_00527), and the European Commision (FET-OPEN 861878).S

Evaluación de la eficacia de un abono orgánico en el cultivo de pimentón (Capsicum annuum L. ) en la granja del colegio integrado del carare (CICA) en el municipio de Cimitarra - Santander

Poultry manure is a widely used organic fertilizer due to its high content of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It is produced from the decomposition and accumulation of poultry droppings, mainly hens, in combination with the material used to absorb moisture. Poultry manure is used to improve soil quality and structure, as well as to increase crop production. In the present work, the effect of poultry manure in combination with efficient microorganisms (EM) on the cultivation of paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) is evaluated. The farm of the Colegio Integrado del Carare has a problem of solid waste production from the feces of 600 laying hens, generating approximately 2 tons of solid waste per year. On the other hand, there are problems in the production of chicken manure because its preparation is not adequate and causes environmental problems. Therefore, the aim is to develop a biotechnological strategy to improve the production of poultry manure with the addition of efficient microorganisms (EM) and to use poultry manure as agricultural fertilizer to improve paprika production. The hypothesis is that the application of poultry manure with and without microorganisms will improve paprika crop growth, quality and production. The methodology used is the preparation of the poultry manure with EM, the establishment of the crop and the application of treatments. Treatments consist of grams of poultry manure/plant: absolute control (0 gr), treatment 1 (80 gr), treatment 2 (40 gr), treatment 3 (6 gr), and grams of poultry manure/plant + ME - absolute control 0 gr - treatment 1 (80 gr) - treatment 2 (80 gr + 10% ME) - treatment 3 (80 gr + 25% ME) - treatment 3 (80 gr + 50% ME). The statistical design is a completely randomized design with 6 replicates per treatment, and significant differences between treatments are evaluated by ANOVA and t-test. The impact we want to generate is to contribute to sustainable agricultural practices in the cultivation of paprika and the preservation of the environment through the proper preparation of poultry manure.La gallinaza es un abono orgánico ampliamente utilizado debido a su alto contenido de nutrientes como nitrógeno, fósforo y potasio. Se produce a partir de la descomposición y acumulación de los excrementos de aves de corral, principalmente gallinas, en combinación con el material utilizado para absorber la humedad. La gallinaza es utilizada para mejorar la calidad del suelo y su estructura, además para aumentar la producción de cultivos. En el presente trabajo, se evalúa el efecto de la gallinaza en combinación con microorganismos eficientes (EM) en el cultivo de pimentón (Capsicum annuum L.). En la granja del Colegio Integrado del Carare, se presenta un problema de producción de residuos sólidos procedentes de las heces de 600 gallinas ponedoras, generando aproximadamente 2 toneladas de residuos sólidos al año. Por otro lado, se tienen problemas en la producción de gallinaza debido a que su preparación no es adecuada y ocasiona problemas ambientales. Por lo anterior, se pretende desarrollar una estrategia biotecnológica para mejorar la producción de gallinaza con la adición de microorganismos eficientes (EM) y utilizar la gallinaza como abono agrícola para mejorar la producción de pimentón. La hipótesis consiste en que, si se aplica gallinaza con y sin microorganismos, se mejorará el crecimiento del cultivo de pimentón, calidad y producción. La metodología empleada es la preparación de la gallinaza con EM, el establecimiento del cultivo y la aplicación de tratamientos. Los tratamientos consisten en gramos de gallinaza/planta: control absoluto (0 gr), tratamiento 1 (80 gr), tratamiento 2 (40 gr), tratamiento 3 (6 gr), y gramos de gallinaza/planta + EM - control absoluto 0 gr - tratamiento 1 (80 gr) - tratamiento 2 (80 gr + 10% EM) - tratamiento 3 (80 gr + 25% EM) - tratamiento 3 (80 gr + 50% EM). El diseño estadístico es un diseño completamente al azar con 6 repeticiones por tratamiento, y se evalúan las diferencias significativas entre tratamientos por ANOVA y la prueba t. El impacto que queremos generar es contribuir a prácticas agrícolas sostenibles en el cultivo del pimentón y a la preservación del medio ambiente por medio de la adecuada preparación de la gallinaza

Association of sex and cardiovascular risk factors with atherosclerosis distribution pattern in lower extremity peripheral artery disease.

OBJECTIVE Atherosclerosis expression varies across not only coronary, cerebrovascular, and peripheral arteries but also within the peripheral vascular tree. The underlying pathomechanisms of distinct atherosclerosis phenotypes in lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) is poorly understood. We investigated the association of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and atherosclerosis distribution in a targeted approach analyzing symptomatic patients with isolated anatomic phenotypes of PAD. METHODS In a cross-sectional analysis of consecutive patients undergoing first-time endovascular recanalization for symptomatic PAD, data of patients with isolated anatomic phenotypes of either proximal (iliac) or distal (infrageniculate) atherosclerosis segregation were extracted. We performed a multivariable logistic regression model with backward elimination to investigate the association of proximal and distal PAD with CVRFs. RESULTS Of the 637 patients (29% females) with endovascular recanalization, 351 (55%) had proximal and 286 (45%) had distal atherosclerosis. Female sex [odds ratio (OR) 0.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20-0.54, p = 0.01], active smoking (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.09-0.28, p < 0.001), and former smoking (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.20-0.57, p < 0.001) were associated with proximal disease. Diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.93-5.46, p < 0.001), chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.08-1.28, p < 0.001), and older age (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.06-1.61, p = 0.01) were associated with distal disease. CONCLUSION Female sex, particularly in the context of smoking, is associated with clinically relevant, proximal atherosclerosis expression. Our additional findings that distal atherosclerosis expression is associated with DM, CKD, and older age suggest that PAD has at least two distinct atherosclerotic phenotypes with sex-specific and individual susceptibility to atherogenic risk factors

Endocrine Sequelae in 157 Pediatric Survivors of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)

Successful rates of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) face paralleled escalation of late endocrine and metabolic effects. Objective: This work aimed to characterize these sequelae distinguishing between the underlying pathologies and treatments received. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted in 157 children post-HSCT (hematopoietic pathology [N = 106], solid tumors [N = 40], and rare entities [N = 11]) followed at a single endocrine department between 2009 and 2019. Regression analysis was used to ascertain association. Results: Of all patients, 58.7% presented with at least one endocrine abnormality. Endocrinopathies post HSCT were most frequently developed in lymphoblastic leukemia (60.5% of them), whereas myeloid leukemias had the fewest. A total of 64% of patients presented with primary hypogonadism, 52% short stature, and 20% obesity. Endocrinopathy was associated with older age at HSCT (9.78 years [6.25-12.25] vs 6.78 years [4.06-9.75]) (P <. 005), pubertal Tanner stage V (P <. 001), chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) (P =. 022), and direct gonadal therapy (P =. 026). The incidence of endocrinopathies was higher in girls (15% more common; P <. 02) and in patients who received radiotherapy (18% higher), steroids (17.4% increase), allogenic HSCT (7% higher), thymoglobulin, or cyclophosphamide. Those on busulfan presented with a 27.5% higher rate of primary hypogonadism (P =. 003). Conclusion: More than half of children surviving HSCT will develop endocrinopathies. Strikingly, obesity has risen to the third most frequent endocrine disruption, mainly due to steroids, and partly adhering to the general population tendency. Lymphoblastic leukemia was the condition with a higher rate of endocrine abnormalities. Female sex, older age at HSCT, pubertal stage, allogenic transplant, radiotherapy, alkylating drugs, and GVHD pose risk factors for endocrine disturbance

Mutation Analysis in Regulator DNA-Binding Regions for Antimicrobial Efflux Pumps in 17,000 Pseudomonas aeruginosa Genomes

Mutations leading to upregulation of efflux pumps can produce multiple drug resistance in the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Changes in their DNA binding regions, i.e., palindromic operators, can compromise pump depression and subsequently enhance resistance against several antibacterials and biocides. Here, we have identified (pseudo)palindromic repeats close to promoters of genes encoding 13 core drug-efflux pumps of P. aeruginosa. This framework was applied to detect mutations in these repeats in 17,292 genomes. Eighty-nine percent of isolates carried at least one mutation. Eight binary genetic properties potentially related to expression were calculated for mutations. These included palindromicity reduction, mutation type, positioning within the repeat and DNA-bending shift. High-risk ST298, ST308 and ST357 clones commonly carried four conserved mutations while ST175 and the cystic fibrosis-linked ST649 clones showed none. Remarkably, a T-to-C transition in the fourth position of the upstream repeat for mexEF-oprN was nearly exclusive of the high-risk ST111 clone. Other mutations were associated with high-risk sublineages using sample geotemporal metadata. Moreover, 1.5% of isolates carried five or more mutations suggesting they undergo an alternative program for regulation of their effluxome. Overall, P. aeruginosa shows a wide range of operator mutations with a potential effect on efflux pump expression and antibiotic resistance.This research was funded by Acción Estratégica en Salud from the ISCIII, grant MPY 509/19. This research was also supported by Personalized and Precision Medicine grant from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (MePRAM Project, PMP22/00092), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea-NextGenerationEU.S