Connecting

Christy I. Wenger, The Emotional Labor of Our Work W. Keith Duffy, Interdisciplinary Dangers: A Small Caveat Sheila Kennedy & Jen Consilio, One Mindful Step Carl Vandermeulen, The Way to the Falls Robert Randolph, A Good Rai

Reanalysis of antiproton production in proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus reactions at subthreshold energies

We reanalyse the production of $p\bar{p}$ pairs in proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions employing novel elementary cross sections for baryon-baryon and pion-baryon production channels based on a boson-exchange model. In contrast to previous transport studies performed in the literature the secondary pion induced channel is found to be most important in both p+A and A+A collisions at subthreshold energies. A detailed comparison with the experimental data available indicates that sizeable attractive $\bar{p}$ potentials in the order of - 100 to - 150 MeV at normal nuclear matter density are needed to reproduce the size and shape of the experimental spectra.Comment: 25 pages, latex, including 15 ps-figures, UGI-97-21, submitted to Nucl. Phys.

The design of a feedback report on students' writing processes

Feedback in schrijfvaardigheidsonderwijs gaat over de kwaliteit van teksten en moet leerlingen helpen hun schrijfvaardigheid verder te ontwikkelen. Jochem Aben, Brenda van den Broek, Nina Vandermeulen, Elke van Steendam en Gert Rijlaarsdam ontwikkelden voor leerlingen in 4 en 5 vwo een feedbackrapport over hun schrijfproces, dat het schrijfgedrag van leerlingen in kaart brengt als zij op de computer een tekst schrijven op basis van bronnen. Het feedbackrapport beoogt gestuurde zelfstudie: de leerlingen worden via uitleg en toepassingsopdrachten vertrouwd gemaakt met hun schrijfprocesgegevens en aangezet tot analyse en verandering. Een test van het rapport in een kleinschalige studie wees uit dat het leerlingen inderdaad in staat stelt zelfstandig concrete acties te formuleren om hun schrijfproces te verbeteren.Feedback in schrijfvaardigheidsonderwijs gaat overde kwaliteit van teksten en moet leerlingen helpen hunschrijfvaardigheid verder te ontwikkelen. Dat zal vooreen deel betekenen dat zij hun schrijfproces andersaan moeten pakken: de betere hardloopcoach zegt zijnpupillen immers niet dát, maar hóe zij harder moetenlopen. In het voortgezet onderwijs is schrijfprocesfeedbacknog niet bekend. In die lacune proberen wijte voorzien door voor leerlingen een feedbackrapportte ontwikkelen dat over hun schrijfproces gaat: hetbeschrijft het schrijfgedrag van leerlingen als zij opde computer een tekst schrijven op basis van bronnen.We genereerden zulke rapporten voor ruim 500 leerlingenuit 4- en 5-vwo op 35 scholen. Die leerlingenschreven ieder vier teksten, zodat ze ook inzicht kregenin de mate waarin hun processen variëren over taken.Het feedbackrapport beoogt gestuurde zelfstudie: deleerlingen worden via uitleg en toepassingsopdrachtenvertrouwd gemaakt met hun schrijfprocesgegevensen aangezet tot analyse en verandering. We testten hetrapport in een kleinschalige studie met drie leerlingen.Het bleek dat het leerlingen inderdaad in staatstelt zelfstandig concrete acties te formuleren om hunschrijfproces te verbeteren

Stable Maintenance of Multiple Plasmids in E. coli Using a Single Selective Marker

Plasmid-based genetic systems in Escherichia coli are a staple of synthetic biology. However, the use of plasmids imposes limitations on the size of synthetic gene circuits and the ease with which they can be placed into bacterial hosts. For instance, unique selective markers must be used for each plasmid to ensure their maintenance in the host. These selective markers are most often genes encoding resistance to antibiotics such as ampicillin or kanamycin. However, the simultaneous use of multiple antibiotics to retain different plasmids can place undue stress on the host and increase the cost of growth media. To address this problem, we have developed a method for stably transforming three different plasmids in E. coli using a single antibiotic selective marker. To do this, we first examined two different systems with which two plasmids may be maintained. These systems make use of either T7 RNA polymerase-specific regulation of the resistance gene or split antibiotic resistance enzymes encoded on separate plasmids. Finally, we combined the two methods to create a system with which three plasmids can be transformed and stably maintained using a single selective marker. This work shows that large-scale plasmid-based synthetic gene circuits need not be limited by the use of multiple antibiotic resistance genes

PACE Technical Report Series, Volume 7: Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) Concept Design Studies

Extending OCI hyperspectral radiance measurements in the ultraviolet to 320 nm on the blue spectrograph enables quantitation of atmospheric total column ozone (O3) for use in ocean color atmospheric correction algorithms. The strong absorption by atmospheric ozone below 340 nm enables the quantification of total column ozone. Other applications are possible but were not investigated due to their exploratory nature and lower priority.The first step in the atmospheric correction processing, which converts top-of-the-atmosphere radiances to water-leaving radiances, is removal of the absorbance by atmospheric trace gases such as water vapor, oxygen, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. Details of the atmospheric correction process currently used by the Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) and will be employed for PACE with appropriate modifications, are described by Mobley et al. [2016]. Atmospheric ozone absorbs within the visible to near-infrared spectrum between ~450 nm and 800nm and most appreciably between 530 nm and 650 nm, a spectral region critical for maintaining NASA's chlorophyll-a climate data record and for PACE algorithms planned to characterize phytoplankton community composition and other ocean color products.While satellite-based observations will likely be available during PACE's mission lifetime, the difference in acquisition time with PACE, the coarseness in their spatial resolution, and differences in viewing geometries will introduce significant levels of uncertainties in PACE ocean color data products

Peri-operative management of anti-platelet agents and anti-thrombotic agents in geriatric patients undergoing semi-urgent hip fracture surgery

Hip fractures are common events in the geriatric population and are often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Over the coming decades, the size of the greying population is forecast to increase and hence, the annual incidence of hip fracture is expected to rise substantially. Several studies have shown that hip fracture surgery performed within 24 to 48 h of hospitalisation significantly reduces mortality. Medical specialists including cardiologists are often involved in the care of these geriatric patients as most of them have comorbid conditions that must be managed concomitantly with their fracture. Cardiovascular and thromboembolic complications are among some of the commonest adverse events that could be experienced by these elderly patients during hospitalisation. We review in this article the current recommendations and controversies on the peri-operative management of anti-platelet agents and anti-thrombotic agents in geriatric patients undergoing semi-urgent hip fracture surgery