A Dynamic Model of Stability and Change in Mississippian Agricultural Systems

An argument in support of applying Stability Theory concepts to southeastern Mississippian agricultural systems is presented. By redefining such a system in terms of a finite set of variables, a characteristic definition can be developed that predicts system response to varying conditions. In particular, an attempt is made to determine periods of instability during the development of Mississippian Culture in the Little Tennessee River Valley of East Tennessee and correlate these periods with the timing of phase transitions. The system is divided into sets of (a) control (climatic and ecological) and (x) behavioral (technological and social) variables. The rules that define the behavioral limits form a potential function, V(a,x). For an agricultural system this function represents the total non-depleted, arable land reservoir. Stability is defined when dV/dx = 0. An extensive examination of the ethnohistoric record was used to produce a behavioral model of precontact aboriginal agriculture. Fields were cleared using fire. Plant densities were on the order of 10,000 plants per acre. No recognized method of soil fertilization was practiced. Cultivation was limited to two hoeings. Harvesting was divided between the green corn (milky stage) harvest in midsummer and one final harvest in the fall. Historical estimates of yield range between 10 and 20 bu/acre (6.3 to 12.6 quintals/ha). Field sizes varied between 0.3 and 1.5 acres/person (0.12 to 0.6 ha/person). Using region specific agricultural, pedological, and archaeological data; system parameters of yield potential, population growth, and minimum consumption are defined as functions of time. Predicted times of system failure are produced for a range of input parameters. Periods of instability are delimited based on the generalized, best case response curve for the total remaining land reservoir. The results suggest that Mississippian I (Martin Farm - A.D. 900-1000) and middle Mississippian III (Dallas - A.D. 1300-1400) were unstable phases. Mississippian II (Hiwassee Island - A.D. 1000-1200) and late or post Mississippian III (Mouse Creek or Cherokee - after A.D. 1400) represent stable adjustments. This result is in agreement with the archaeological and palynological record, demonstrating the applicability of this approach to anthropological research

Learning at the Interstices; Locating Practical Philosophies for Understanding Physical/virtual Inter-spaces

Virtual worlds are relatively recent developments, and so it is tempting to believe that they need to be understood through newly developed theories and philosophies. However, humans have long thought about the nature of reality and what it means to be “real.” This paper examines the three persistent philosophical concepts of Metaxis, Liminality and Space that have evolved across more than 2000 years of meditation, contemplation and reflection. Our particular focus here is on the nature of the interface between the virtual and the physical: at the interstices, and how the nature of transactions and transitions across those interfaces may impact upon learning. This may, at first, appear to be an esoteric pursuit, but we ground our arguments in primary and secondary data from research studies in higher education

Evaluating a Second Life PBL Demonstrator Project: What Can We Learn?

This article reports the findings of a demonstrator project to evaluate how effectively Immersive Virtual Worlds (IVWs) could support Problem-based Learning. The project designed, created and evaluated eight scenarios within Second Life (SL) for undergraduate courses in health care management and paramedic training. Evaluation was primarily qualitative, using illuminative evaluation which provided multiple perspectives through interviews, focus groups and questionnaires with designers, facilitators, learning technologists and students. Results showed that SL provided a rich, engaging environment which enhanced authenticity of the scenarios, though there were issues of access and usability. The article concludes by drawing together the lessons learned which will inform educators who seek to design and develop learning scenarios in this medium

Exposing the human nude phenotype [4]

Peer reviewedSubmitted Versio

Mountain Rivers Reveal the Earthquake Hazard of Geologic Faults in Silicon Valley

The 1989, Mw = 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake resulted in tens of lives lost and cost California almost 3% of its gross domestic product. Despite widespread damage, the earthquake did not clearly rupture the surface, challenging the identification and characterization of these hidden hazards. Here, we show that they can be illuminated by inverting fluvial topography for slip-and moment accrual-rates—fundamental components in earthquake hazard assessments—along relief-generating geologic faults. We applied this technique to thrust faults bounding the mountains along the western side of Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area, and discovered that these structures may be capable of generating a Mw = 6.9 earthquake every 250–300 years based on moment accrual rates. This method may be deployed broadly to evaluate seismic hazard in developing regions with limited geological and geophysical information

US201 Study: A Phase 2, Randomized Proof-of-Concept Trial of Favipiravir for the Treatment of COVID-19

Background: Favipiravir is used to treat influenza, and studies demonstrate that it has antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Methods: We performed a randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase 2 proof-of-concept trial of favipiravir in hospitalized adult patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients were randomized to standard of care (SOC) or favipiravir treatment (1800mg per os twice a day [b.i.d.] on day 1, followed by 1000mg b.i.d. for 13 days). The primary end point was time to viral clearance on day 29. Results: Fifty patients were enrolled and stratified by disease severity (critical disease, severe disease, or mild to moderate disease). Nineteen patients were censored from the event of viral clearance based on being SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative at the study outset, being PCR-positive at day 29, or because of loss to follow-up. Data from the 31 remaining patients who achieved viral clearance show enhanced viral clearance in the favipiravir group compared with the SOC group by day 29, with 72% of the favipiravir group and 52% of the SOC group being evaluable for viral clearance through day 29. The median time to viral clearance was 16.0 days (90% CI, 12.0 to 29.0) in the favipiravir group and 30.0 days (90% CI, 12.0 to 31.0) in the SOC group. A post hoc analysis revealed an effect in the subgroup of patients who were neutralizing antibody-negative at randomization. Treatment-emergent adverse events were equally distributed between the groups. Conclusions: We demonstrate that favipiravir can be safely administered to hospitalized adults with COVID-19 and believe that further studies are warranted. ClinicalTrialsgov registration: NCT04358549

Neutrons from multiplicity-selected La-La and Nb-Nb collisions at 400A MeV and La-La collisions at 250A MeV

Triple-differential cross sections for neutrons from high-multiplicity La-La collisions at 250 and 400 MeV per nucleon and Nb-Nb collisions at 400 MeV per nucleon were measured at several polar angles as a function of the azimuthal angle with respect to the reaction plane of the collision. The reaction plane was determined by a transverse-velocity method with the capability of identifying charged-particles with Z=1, Z=2, and Z > 2. The flow of neutrons was extracted from the slope at mid-rapidity of the curve of the average in-plane momentum vs the center-of-mass rapidity. The squeeze-out of the participant neutrons was observed in a direction normal to the reaction plane in the normalized momentum coordinates in the center-of-mass system. Experimental results of the neutron squeeze-out were compared with BUU calculations. The polar-angle dependence of the maximum azimuthal anisotropy ratio $r(\theta)$ was found to be insensitive to the mass of the colliding nuclei and the beam energy. Comparison of the observed polar-angle dependence of the maximum azimuthal anisotropy ratio $r(\theta)$ with BUU calculations for free neutrons revealed that $r(\theta)$ is insensitive also to the incompressibility modulus in the nuclear equation of state.Comment: ReVTeX, 16 pages, 17 figures. To be published in Physical Review

Introducing Isomad, a Compilation of Isotopic Datasets for Madagascar

Abstract We present the first open-access, island-wide isotopic database (IsoMad) for modern biologically relevant materials collected on Madagascar within the past 150 years from both terrestrial and nearshore marine environments. Isotopic research on the island has increasingly helped with biological studies of endemic organisms, including evaluating foraging niches and investigating factors that affect the spatial distribution and abundance of species. The IsoMad database should facilitate future work by making it easy for researchers to access existing data (even for those who are relatively unfamiliar with the literature) and identify both research gaps and opportunities for using various isotope systems to answer research questions. We also hope that this database will encourage full data reporting in future publications

Spin observables in deuteron-proton radiative capture at intermediate energies

A radiative deuteron-proton capture experiment was carried out at KVI using polarized-deuteron beams at incident energies of 55, 66.5, and 90 MeV/nucleon. Vector and tensor-analyzing powers were obtained for a large angular range. The results are interpreted with the help of Faddeev calculations, which are based on modern two- and three-nucleon potentials. Our data are described well by the calculations, and disagree significantly with the observed tensor anomaly at RCNP.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PL

Problem-based learning approaches in meteorology

Problem-Based Learning, despite recent controversies about its effectiveness, is used extensively as a teaching method throughout higher education. In meteorology, there has been little attempt to incorporate Problem-Based Learning techniques into the curriculum. Motivated by a desire to enhance the reflective engagement of students within a current field course module, this project describes the implementation of two test Problem-Based Learning activities and testing and improvement using several different and complementary means of evaluation. By the end of a 2-year program of design, implementation, testing, and reflection and re-evaluation, two robust, engaging activities have been developed that provide an enhanced and diverse learning environment in the field course. The results suggest that Problem-Based Learning techniques would be a useful addition to the meteorology curriculum and suggestions for courses and activities that may benefit from this approach are included in the conclusions