Cuando la nueva tecnología se une a los documentos antiguos y el oriente se encuentra con el oeste: la reconstrucción virtual del faro pagoda de Fisher Island (China)

[EN] Located on the route between Xiamen and Taiwan (China), the Penghu (Pescadores Islands) are an archipelago and the site of a military garrison. The second largest island, Xiyu or Fisher Island, was accordingly an obvious point to build a navigational marker to guide sailors. Records indicate that some type of a marker, in the form of a tower or pagoda, was constructed in the 17thcentury. However, in 1778the original was replaced by a different sort of pagoda tower. The new structure has long been known to have been a purpose fully designed lighthouse. Although today’s Yuwengdao lighthouse, built in 1875, has become a famous heritage landmark, the earlier 1778 structure, it can be argued has greater heritage significance in that it was an entirely original creation preceding the introduction of western lighthouse technology in China by nearly a century. Thanks to the fortunate discovery of a hitherto unknown photograph of this earlier lighthouse backed by further research in early navigational documents, gazetteers, charts and inscriptions and The authors have been able to make a 3D virtual reconstruction using state-of-the-art Revit software and thus answer several research questions about this old lighthouse pagoda, including dimensions, location, orientation, function and materials.[ES] Situado en la ruta entre Xiamen y Taiwán(China), Penghu (Islas Pescadores) es un archipiélago que históricamente tenía una guarnición militar. La segunda isla más grande, Fisher Island, era por lo tanto un punto obvio para construir una señal de navegación para guiar a marineros. Los registros muestran que un tipo de torre o pagoda sirvió también como señal de navegación, que se construyó en el siglo XVII. Sin embargo, en 1778 fue reemplazado por una pagoda conocida por haber sido diseñada principalmente como un faro. Aunque hoy en día el faro de Yuwengdao, construido en 1875, se ha convertido en un hito famoso de la herencia cultural, la estructura anterior de 1778 se puede argumentar que fue de mayor significancia patrimonial porque era una creación enteramente original, precediendo la introducción de la tecnología occidental de un faro en China casi un siglo. Gracias al afortunado descubrimiento de la fotografía hasta ahora desconocida de este antiguo faro, respaldada por investigaciones adicionales en los primeros documentos de navegación, nomenclátores, tablas e inscripciones, los autores han sido capaces de hacer una reconstrucción virtual 3D utilizando el software de última generación Revit y responder consiguientemente a varias preguntas de investigación sobre este antiguo faro pagoda ,incluyendo sus dimensiones, ubicación, orientación, función y materiales.The lead author is grateful for support from Prof. Steve Ching and Prof. Stephen Davies during the exercise. We also owe a debt of thanksto support from The Royal Geographical Society Picture Library for providing the 1875 terrestrial image.Leung, AK.; Davies, S.; Ching, SH. (2018). When new technology joins old documents and east meets west: virtually reconstructing the Fisher Island Pagoda Lighthouse (China). Virtual Archaeology Review. 9(18):12-27. doi:10.4995/var.2018.7982SWORD122791

Characterisation of Drosophila Ubx CPTI000601 and hth CPTI000378 protein trap lines.

In Drosophila, protein trap strategies provide powerful approaches for the generation of tagged proteins expressed under endogenous control. Here, we describe expression and functional analysis to evaluate new Ubx and hth protein trap lines generated by the Cambridge Protein Trap project. Both protein traps exhibit spatial and temporal expression patterns consistent with the reported endogenous pattern in the embryo. In imaginal discs, Ubx-YFP is expressed throughout the haltere and 3rd leg imaginal discs, while Hth-YFP is expressed in the proximal regions of haltere and wing discs but not in the pouch region. The UbxCPTI000601 line is semilethal as a homozygote. No T3/A1 to T2 transformations were observed in the embryonic cuticle or the developing midgut. The homozygous survivors, however, exhibit a weak haltere phenotype with a few wing-like marginal bristles on the haltere capitellum. Although hthCPTI000378 is completely lethal as a homozygote, the hthCPTI000378/hthC1 genotype is viable. Using a hth deletion (Df(3R)BSC479) we show that hthCPTI000378/Df(3R)BSC479 adults are phenotypically normal. No transformations were observed in hthCPTI000378, hthCPTI000378/hthC1, or hthCPTI000378/Df(3R)BSC479 embryonic cuticles. We have successfully characterised the Ubx-YFP and Hth-YFP protein trap lines demonstrating that the tagged proteins show appropriate expression patterns and produce at least partially functional proteins

Correlation between biomarkers of exposure, effect and potential harm in the urine of electronic cigarette users.

ObjectivesTo determine if urinary biomarkers of effect and potential harm are elevated in electronic cigarette users compared with non-smokers and if elevation correlates with increased concentrations of metals in urine.Study design and settingThis was a cross-sectional study of biomarkers of exposure, effect and potential harm in urine from non-smokers (n=20), electronic cigarette users (n=20) and cigarette smokers (n=13). Participant's screening and urine collection were performed at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and biomarker analysis and metal analysis were performed at the University of California, Riverside.ResultsMetallothionein was significantly elevated in the electronic cigarette group (3761±3932 pg/mg) compared with the non-smokers (1129±1294 pg/mg, p=0.05). 8-OHdG (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine) was significantly elevated in electronic cigarette users (442.8±300.7 ng/mg) versus non-smokers (221.6±157.8 ng/mg, p=0.01). 8-Isoprostane showed a significant increase in electronic cigarette users (750.8±433 pg/mg) versus non-smokers (411.2±287.4 pg/mg, p=0.03). Linear regression analysis in the electronic cigarette group showed a significant correlation between cotinine and total metal concentration; total metal concentration and metallothionein; cotinine and oxidative DNA damage; and total metal concentration and oxidative DNA damage. Zinc was significantly elevated in the electronic cigarette users (584.5±826.6 µg/g) compared with non-smokers (413.6±233.7 µg/g, p=0.03). Linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between urinary zinc concentration and 8-OHdG in the electronic cigarette users.ConclusionsThis study is the first to investigate biomarkers of potential harm and effect in electronic cigarette users and to show a linkage to metal exposure. The biomarker levels in electronic cigarette users were similar to (and not lower than) cigarette smokers. In electronic cigarette users, there was a link to elevated total metal exposure and oxidative DNA damage. Specifically, our results demonstrate that zinc concentration was correlated to oxidative DNA damage

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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Wooden Structures of Liao Dynasty-Wooden Pagoda of Yingxian County, Main Hall of Fengguo Monastery of Yixian County. Retrieved from https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5803

Elementary School Student Development of STEM Attitudes and Perceived Learning in a STEM Integrated Robotics Curriculum

Robotics has been advocated as an emerging approach to engaging K-12 students in learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study examined the impacts of a project-based STEM integrated robotics curriculum on elementary school students’ attitudes toward STEM and perceived learning in an afterschool setting. Three elementary school teachers and 18 fourth to sixth graders participated in an eight-week-long program. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed, and showed students’ attitudes toward math improved significantly at the end of the robotics curriculum. Three specific areas of learning were identified, including STEM content learning and connection, engagement and perseverance, and development and challenge in teamwork. The findings also identified the opportunities and challenges in designing a STEM integrated robotics afterschool curriculum for upper elementary school students. Implications for future research studies and curriculum design are discussed

A Foreground Masking Strategy for [CII] Intensity Mapping Experiments Using Galaxies Selected by Stellar Mass and Redshift

Intensity mapping provides a unique means to probe the epoch of reionization (EoR), when the neutral intergalactic medium was ionized by the energetic photons emitted from the first galaxies. The [CII] 158$\mu$m fine-structure line is typically one of the brightest emission lines of star-forming galaxies and thus a promising tracer of the global EoR star-formation activity. However, [CII] intensity maps at $6 \lesssim z \lesssim 8$ are contaminated by interloping CO rotational line emission ($3 \leq J_{\rm upp} \leq 6$) from lower-redshift galaxies. Here we present a strategy to remove the foreground contamination in upcoming [CII] intensity mapping experiments, guided by a model of CO emission from foreground galaxies. The model is based on empirical measurements of the mean and scatter of the total infrared luminosities of galaxies at $z 10^{8}\,\rm M_{\rm \odot}$ selected in $K$-band from the COSMOS/UltraVISTA survey, which can be converted to CO line strengths. For a mock field of the Tomographic Ionized-carbon Mapping Experiment (TIME), we find that masking out the "voxels" (spectral-spatial elements) containing foreground galaxies identified using an optimized CO flux threshold results in a $z$-dependent criterion $m^{\rm AB}_{\rm K} \lesssim 22$ (or $M_{*} \gtrsim 10^{9} \,\rm M_{\rm \odot}$) at $z < 1$ and makes a [CII]/CO$_{\rm tot}$ power ratio of $\gtrsim 10$ at $k=0.1$ $h$/Mpc achievable, at the cost of a moderate $\lesssim 8\%$ loss of total survey volume.Comment: 14 figures, 4 tables, re-submitted to ApJ after addressing reviewer's comments. Comments welcom

A Panel Data Approach for Program Evaluation — Measuring the Benefits of Political and Economic Integration of Hong Kong with Mainland China

We propose a simple to implement panel data method to evaluate the impacts of social policy. The basic idea is to exploit the dependence among cross-sectional units to construct the counterfactuals. The cross-sectional correlations are attributed to the presence of some (unobserved) common factors. However, instead of trying to estimate the unobserved factors, we propose to use observed data. We use a panel of 24 countries to evaluate the impact of political and economic integration of Hong Kong (HK) with Mainland China. We find that the political integration hardly had any impact on the growth of the Hong Kong economy. However, the economic integration has raised HK’s annual real GDP by about 4%.

The effects of leaflet material properties on the simulated function of regurgitant mitral valves

Advances in three-dimensional imaging provide the ability to construct and analyze finite element (FE) models to evaluate the biomechanical behavior and function of atrioventricular valves. However, while obtaining patient-specific valve geometry is now possible, non-invasive measurement of patient-specific leaflet material properties remains nearly impossible. Both valve geometry and tissue properties play a significant role in governing valve dynamics, leading to the central question of whether clinically relevant insights can be attained from FE analysis of atrioventricular valves without precise knowledge of tissue properties. As such we investigated 1) the influence of tissue extensibility and 2) the effects of constitutive model parameters and leaflet thickness on simulated valve function and mechanics. We compared metrics of valve function (e.g., leaflet coaptation and regurgitant orifice area) and mechanics (e.g., stress and strain) across one normal and three regurgitant mitral valve (MV) models with common mechanisms of regurgitation (annular dilation, leaflet prolapse, leaflet tethering) of both moderate and severe degree. We developed a novel fully-automated approach to accurately quantify regurgitant orifice areas of complex valve geometries. We found that the relative ordering of the mechanical and functional metrics was maintained across a group of valves using material properties up to 15% softer than the representative adult mitral constitutive model. Our findings suggest that FE simulations can be used to qualitatively compare how differences and alterations in valve structure affect relative atrioventricular valve function even in populations where material properties are not precisely known