Space in Emerging Economies

Emerging space economies have different rates of involvement and contribution to the space sector, however, despite different objectives and challenges, investing in the space economy contributes to the socio-economic development and growth of these countries. The main objective of this research is to investigate space in emerging economies. More specifically, through literature reviews, subject matter expert interviews, and data analytics, we investigate both the benefits of space technology and applications to socio-economic development and space industry development and support. In our research, investigating the industry, politics, and law is critical to understanding the future opportunities for space in emerging economies. Our main focus of research will be pertaining to nations in Latin America, specifically Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, as compared to focusing on the whole global scale

Collpas as activity hotspots for frugivorous bats (Stenodermatinae) in the Peruvian Amazon: underlying mechanisms and conservation implications

In western Amazonia, large numbers of frugivorous bats regularly visit natural forest clearings known locally as collpas (also called clay licks or mineral licks). Bats arrive at collpas to drink water that has accumulated in depressions created by larger mammals that consume soil. Although collpa visitation by bats appears relatively common in western Amazonia, little is known about its causes and its ecological implications. In this dissertation I describe general and seasonal patterns of collpa visitation by frugivorous bats in the Peruvian Amazon, and I investigate potential explanations for this unique behavior. Regardless of season, collpas seem to be activity hotspots for frugivorous bats, especially for reproductive females. Furthermore, collpas are visited almost exclusively by frugivorous species of the subfamily Stenodermatinae. Because some nutrients are found in low concentrations, a potential explanation for collpa visitation is to obtain key limited resources. Collpas are mineral-rich water sources. The content of selected minerals in collpa water, especially sodium, was significantly higher compared to other natural sources of water such as creeks, oxbow lakes, and rivers for both dry and rainy seasons. Thus, collpas may function as mineral sources for female reproductive frugivorous bats. Stenodermatine bats feed mostly on figs, whereas bats from the sub-family Carolliinae feed on Piper fruits, but also complement their diets with insects as well as other plant species. Thus, because stenodermatine species are extremely common at collpas, collpa visitation may be related to nutrient deficiencies in specific diets. Although there was a clear distinction in mineral and nitrogen content of Ficus and Piper fruits, they seem to provide frugivorous bats enough nitrogen (protein) and most minerals to meet their maintenance requirements. However, both fruit genera were very limited in sodium, which suggests sodium limitation for frugivorous bats in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon. Carolliine bats may be obtaining sodium from insects, whereas stenodermatine bats may use collpas as secondary sources of sodium, especially during reproduction. Additionally, I provide experimental evidence that demonstrates that stenodermatine bats have a strong preference for collpa water. Finally, because collpas are important mineral sources for frugivorous bats, they should be considered important conservation targets

Space in the Emerging Economies of Latin America; An Investigation Through the Lens of a Macro-Environmental Framework (Poster on STM Conference for Spark Grant)

The UN has proposed a framework for space-emerging economies in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Atie, et al, 2020). By increasing their nations’ space activities and showing efforts into establishing strategic goals, these emerging space economies can close the gap between them and their space-faring nation counterparts, increasing their socio-economic growth and development. The benefits of space technology and applications to socio-economic development and space industry development and support have become increasingly dependent on the global agendas on sustainability and development. Part of the UN’s agenda for the UN Sustainable Development Goals of Space2030 include the space economy, focusing on the progress of space-derived economic benefits; space society, to advance the societal benefits of space-related activities; space accessibility, allowing access to space for all; and space diplomacy, which strives to build international cooperation and the governance of space activities (Atie, et al, 2020). In Latin America, some nations have made efforts into space and in recent years took a step to collaborate with one another. The Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) was established in 2021 signed by 18 Latin American and Caribbean countries. ALCE will be an international organization that will coordinate cooperation in space technology, research, exploration, and related application that strengthen the comprehensive and sustainable development of a space program that will benefit the region (Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores, 2021). The agency will be based in Mexico and some of the signing nations include, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Costa Rica, among others. Emerging space economies have different rates of involvement and contribution to the space sector, however, despite different objectives and challenges, investing in the space economy contributes to the socio-economic development and growth of these countries. The main objective of this research is to investigate space in emerging economies, specifically nations in Latin America, as compared to focusing on the whole global scale. In our research, we study Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina through the lens of the Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Environmental, and Legal (PESTEL) macro-environmental framework. Through literature reviews, subject matter expert interviews, and survey data, we investigate both the benefits of space technology and applications to socio-economic development and space industry development and support. The conclusions drawn from this analysis are critical to understanding the future opportunities for space in emerging economies

Space Debris Mitigation: Understanding the Business Case and Proposing Solutions

The overall mission of the Space Debris Mitigation: Understanding the Business Case and Proposing Solutions project is to investigate the pressing issue of space debris mitigation from a business perspective and how it will affect the U.S. commercial sector in the growing Low Earth Orbit (LEO) economy. Investigating and creating possible business cases for companies to reduce space debris of their own making; to find potential national solutions that support the business case; and to add to the growing conversation on space sustainability are a huge focus to the project. The U.S. Department of Defense is tracking over 20,000 artificial satellites — payloads, rocket bodies, and debris, where approximately 90 percent of these satellites are non- operational. With no mandates and the recent boom of the commercial sector, the amount of space debris in LEO is consistently rising. Our proposals for space debris mitigation can be broken down into the short and long term. In the short term, we propose a tax plan, similar to the carbon tax, where companies\u27 satellites will be taxed according to the volume of their debris until it is no longer in orbit. In the long term, we propose collision coverage in insurance utilizing the space sustainability rating where it will incentivize good behavior and can be used to determine premiums, offer discounts, and even refuse insurance for underperformers. Moving forward, we will have to incorporate foreseeable issues with our tax plan such as loopholes, tax avoidance, and NASA, as it is federally funded

Space in the Emerging Economies of Latin America; An Investigation Through the Lens of a Macro-Environmental Framework

The UN has proposed a framework for space-emerging economies in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Atie, et al, 2020). By increasing their nations’ space activities and showing efforts into establishing strategic goals, these emerging space economies can close the gap between them and their space-faring nation counterparts, increasing their socio-economic growth and development. The benefits of space technology and applications to socio-economic development and space industry development and support have become increasingly dependent on the global agendas on sustainability and development. Part of the UN’s agenda for the UN Sustainable Development Goals of Space2030 include the space economy, focusing on the progress of space-derived economic benefits; space society, to advance the societal benefits of space-related activities; space accessibility, allowing access to space for all; and space diplomacy, which strives to build international cooperation and the governance of space activities (Atie, et al, 2020). In Latin America, some nations have made efforts into space and in recent years took a step to collaborate with one another. The Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) was established in 2021 signed by 18 Latin American and Caribbean countries. ALCE will be an international organization that will coordinate cooperation in space technology, research, exploration, and related application that strengthen the comprehensive and sustainable development of a space program that will benefit the region (Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores, 2021). The agency will be based in Mexico and some of the signing nations include, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Costa Rica, among others. Emerging space economies have different rates of involvement and contribution to the space sector, however, despite different objectives and challenges, investing in the space economy contributes to the socio-economic development and growth of these countries. The main objective of this research is to investigate space in emerging economies, specifically nations in Latin America, as compared to focusing on the whole global scale. In our research, we study Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina through the lens of the Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Environmental, and Legal (PESTEL) macro-environmental framework. Through literature reviews, subject matter expert interviews, and survey data, we investigate both the benefits of space technology and applications to socio-economic development and space industry development and support. The conclusions drawn from this analysis are critical to understanding the future opportunities for space in emerging economies

Computation of Lipid Headgroup Interactions

The equilibrium structure of lipid aggregates is determined by the balance of numerous forces between hydrophobic acyl chains, hydrophilic lipid headgroups, and the lipid\u27s environment. Among these forces, lipid headgroup interactions are both important to the stability of lipid structures and responsible for many of the interactions between biological membranes and aqueous solutes including ions and soluble peptides. In order to model these headgroup interactions, we consider the electrical properties of the headgroup molecules via the multipole expansion. While common lipid headgroups such as phosphatidylcholine are electrically neutral, they are characterized by non-zero higher order terms in the multipole expansion. Making a dipole approximation, we employ a two dimensional lattice of classical dipoles to model the headgroup networks of lipid aggregates. Restrictions to each dipole\u27s position and orientation are imposed to account for the effect of hydrocarbon chains which are not included in the model. A Monte Carlo algorithm is used to calculate headgroup-headgroup interactions and network energies in both dipole and point-charge approximations

The ribosomal P-stalk couples amino acid starvation to GCN2 activation in mammalian cells

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) kinase GCN2 is activated by amino acid starvation to elicit a rectifying physiological program known as the Integrated Stress Response (ISR). A role for uncharged tRNAs as activating ligands of yeast GCN2 is supported experimentally. However, mouse GCN2 activation has recently been observed in circumstances associated with ribosome stalling with no global increase in uncharged tRNAs. We report on a mammalian CHO cell-based CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis screen for genes that contribute to ISR activation by amino acid starvation. Disruption of genes encoding components of the ribosome P-stalk, uL10 and P1, selectively attenuated GCN2-mediated ISR activation by amino acid starvation or interference with tRNA charging without affecting the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein stress-induced ISR, mediated by the related eIF2α kinase PERK. Wildtype ribosomes isolated from CHO cells, but not those with P-stalk lesions, stimulated GCN2-dependent eIF2α phosphorylation in vitro. These observations support a model whereby lack of a cognate charged tRNA exposes a latent capacity of the ribosome P-stalk to activate GCN2 in cells and help explain the emerging link between ribosome stalling and ISR activation

Desarrollo de un Plan de Gestión Comunitaria para Mejorar la Calidad de Vida y Factores Determinantes en la Población de Adultos Mayores en Machala

Introduction: Currently, population aging is one of the most relevant demographic problems. The protection of older adults and health actions to increase the quality of life is a priority of the Ecuadorian state. Objective: Design an intervention strategy to improve the quality of life of older adults. Methods: Applied research with a first descriptive-evaluative and strategy design stage and a second stage of carrying out interventions and evaluating results; carried out in the province of El Oro, with a universe of 175 older adults and a sample of 175 individuals who met the inclusion criteria. Sociodemographic variables: quality of life, self-esteem and lifestyles; The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Scale, the Guide for the Study of Lifestyle and the MGH Quality of Life Scale in the Elderly were applied.  Results: The female sex predominated, the quality of life was higher in people with a partner, there was no correlation with the level of education, nor was polypharmacy found in older adults; Self-esteem, healthy lifestyles and quality of life were significantly increased after the intervention. Conclusions: The designed intervention strategy contributed to raising the quality of life in older adults.Introducción: En la actualidad, el envejecimiento poblacional es uno de los problemas demográficos más relevantes. Constituye una prioridad del estado ecuatoriano la protección al adulto mayor y las acciones de salud para el aumento de la calidad de vida. Objetivo: Diseñar una estrategia de intervención para mejorar la calidad de vida de los adultos mayores. Métodos: Investigación aplicada con una primera etapa descriptiva – evaluativa y de diseño de la estrategia y una segunda etapa de realización de intervenciones y evaluación de resultados; efectuada en la provincia de el Oro, con un universo de 175 adultos mayores y una muestra de 175 individuos que cumplieron los criterios de inclusión. Variables sociodemográficas: calidad de vida, autoestima y estilos de vida; se aplicó la Escala de Autoestima de Coopersmith, la Guía para el estudio del estilo de vida y la Escala MGH de calidad de vida en el adulto mayor. Resultados: Predominó el sexo femenino, la calidad de vida fue más alta en las personas con pareja, no existió correlación con el nivel de escolaridad ni se encontró polifarmacia en los adultos mayores; la autoestima, los estilos de vida saludables y la calidad de vida se elevaron considerablemente después de la intervención.  Conclusiones: La estrategia de intervención diseñada contribuyó a elevar la calidad de vida en los adultos mayores

The ribosomal P-stalk couples amino acid starvation to GCN2 activation in mammalian cells.

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2a (eIF2a) kinase GCN2 is activated by amino acid starvation to elicit a rectifying physiological program known as the Integrated Stress Response (ISR). A role for uncharged tRNAs as activating ligands of yeast GCN2 is supported experimentally. However, mouse GCN2 activation has recently been observed in circumstances associated with ribosome stalling with no global increase in uncharged tRNAs. We report on a mammalian CHO cell-based CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis screen for genes that contribute to ISR activation by amino acid starvation. Disruption of genes encoding components of the ribosome P-stalk, uL10 and P1, selectively attenuated GCN2-mediated ISR activation by amino acid starvation or interference with tRNA charging without affecting the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein stress-induced ISR, mediated by the related eIF2a kinase PERK. Wildtype ribosomes isolated from CHO cells, but not those with P-stalk lesions, stimulated GCN2-dependent eIF2a phosphorylation in vitro. These observations support a model whereby lack of a cognate charged tRNA exposes a latent capacity of the ribosome P-stalk to activate GCN2 in cells and help explain the emerging link between ribosome stalling and ISR activation