Implementation of Physical Education in Underfunded Schools

Physical education (P.E.) is a key aspect of inclusive learning; due to a number of factors, many elementary schools have not been able to sufficiently provide P.E. programs. For this Capstone Project, the researcher examined how underfunded schools can integrate online-based P.E. programs into the curriculum. Through a literature review and interviews with school staff, the researcher found a significant need for P.E. in low-socioeconomic elementary schools. Despite the existence of online-based physical education programs that require little to no funding, many staff from underfunded schools do not know about these types of readily available resources. The literature review and interviews informed an action project to address this issue. By compiling multiple resources related to online P.E. and making this information readily available to school staff, the researcher aimed to help create opportunities for a more active lifestyle for students from under resourced schools

No rebel without a cause: shifting the debate about conflict minerals in eastern DRC

Precluding conflict financing through the minerals sector has come to be seen as the panacea to ending conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the congo (DRc). The US Dodd-Frank-Act (2010) and European draft legislation attempt to reduce the financing of armed groups in conflict zones by asking companies to conduct due diligence along their supply chains to avoid the purchase of "conflict minerals". This Working Paper lays open the misconceptions that have led to such a narrow regulatory approach towards the congolese conundrum and analyses the consequences of implementing this legislation without embedding it in a wider agenda for peace. The authors argue that regulation on conflict minerals can only contribute to solving conflicts in eastern DRc if it becomes part of a wider approach to peacebuilding, which takes into account the complex reality of eastern DRc's conflicts

Koordinationschemische Untersuchungen von potentiell medizinisch einsetzbaren Eisenchelatoren

In dieser Arbeit wurden die Eisenchelatoren 2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5- a]pyridin-8-carbonsäure (BAY 1435321), 1-[3,5-Bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-[1,2,4]triazol-1- yl]cyclopropan (BAY 1841396), trans-4-[5-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-3-(3-hydroxypyridin-2-yl)-1H- [1,2,4]triazol-1-yl]cyclohexan-1-carbonsäure (BAY 1844301) und 1-[3-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-5- (3-hydroxypyridin-4-yl)-1H-[1,2,4]triazol-1-yl]cyclopropan (BAY 1855054) sowohl koordinationschemisch als auch cyclovoltammetrisch untersucht. Die koordinationschemischen Eigenschaften wurden mittels potentiometrischer und spektrophotometrischer Titrationen mit den dreiwertigen Metallen Fe3+, Al3+ und Ga3+ für die Liganden BAY 1435321 und BAY 1841396 im partiell wässrigen Medium xDMSO = 0.20 untersucht. Es konnten Festkörperstrukturen mit den drei Metallen für den Liganden BAY 1435321 erhalten werden, die isostrukturell zueinander sind. Für den Liganden BAY 1435321 konnte zudem eine Extrapolation der Deprotonierungskonstanten (pKS-Werte) ins wässrige Medium erzielt werden. Mit Hilfe von cyclovoltammetrischen Untersuchungen wurden die Redox-Potentiale der Eisen-Komplexe aller Liganden bei unterschiedlichen pH-Werten bestimmt (xDMSO = 0.20). Unter physiologischem pH-Wert lagen die Redox-Potentiale von BAY 1435321, BAY 1841396 und BAY 1844301 im kritischen Potential-Bereich, in dem es zur Ausbildung von oxidativem Stress kommen kann. Ausschließlich das Redox-Potential von BAY 1841396 lag außerhalb dieses Bereichs.In this work the coordination chemistry and the cyclovoltammetric properties of the iron chelators 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-8-carboxylic acid (BAY 1435321), 1-[3,5-Bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-[1,2,4]triazol-1-yl]cyclopropane (BAY 1841396), trans-4-[5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(3-hydroxypyridin-2-yl)-1H-[1,2,4]triazol-1-yl]cyclohexane-1- carboxylic acid (BAY 1844301) and 1-[3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(3-hydroxy-pyridin-4-yl)-1H-[1,2,4]triazol-1-yl]cyclopropane (BAY 1855054) were studied. The coordination properties of the ligands BAY 1435321 and BAY 1841396 with the trivalent metal ions Fe3+, Al3+ and Ga3+ were determined with potentiometric and spectrophotometric titrations in a partially aqueous solution xDMSO = 0.20. Crystal structures of the ligand BAY 1435321 with these three metal ions could be synthesized in alkaline solution. These structures were isostructural. It was possible to extrapolate the deprotonation constants (pKA values) of the ligand BAY 1435321 to aqueous solution. The investigations by cyclic voltammetry at different pH values yielded the redox potentials of the iron complexes of all ligands (xDMSO = 0.20). At physiological pH value the redox potentials of the complexes with BAY 1435321, BAY 1841396 and BAY 1844301 had come within the limits of critical potentials and therefore the iron complexes might trigger oxidative stress. The redox potential of the complex with BAY 1841396 was the only one out of this critical range at physiological pH value

Simultaneous observation of high order multiple quantum coherences at ultralow magnetic fields

We present a method for the simultaneous observation of heteronuclear multi-quantum coherences (up to the 3rd order), which give an additional degree of freedom for ultralow magnetic field (ULF) MR experiments, where the chemical shift is negligible. The nonequilibrium spin state is generated by Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange (SABRE) and detected at ULF with SQUID-based NMR. We compare the results obtained by the heteronuclei Correlated SpectroscopY (COSY) with a Flip Angle FOurier Series (FAFOS) method. COSY allows a quantitative analysis of homo- and heteronuclei quantum coherences

Analysis of the electron transfer from Pheo− to QA in PS II membrane fragments from spinach by time resolved 325 nm absorption changes in the picosecond domain

AbstractAbsorption changes at 325 nm (ΔA325) induced by 15 ps laser flashes (λ = 650 nm) in PS II membrane fragments were measured with picosecond time-resolution. In samples with the reaction centers (RCs) kept in the open state (P I QA) the signals are characterized by a very fast rise (not resolvable by our equipment) followed by only small changes within our time window of 1.6 ns. In the closed state (P I Q−A) of the reaction center the signal decays with an average half-life time of about 250 ps. It is shown that under our excitation conditions (E = 2 × 1014 photons/cm2 per pulse) subtraction of the absorption changes in closed RCs (ΔAclosed325) from those in open RCs (ΔAopen325) leads to a difference signal which is dominated by the reduction kinetics of QA. From the rise kinetics of this signal and by comparison with data in the literature it is inferred that QA becomes reduced by direct electron transfer from Pheo− with a time constant of about 350 ± 100 ps

Neurodynamic evaluation of hearing aid features using EEG correlates of listening effort

In this study, we propose a novel estimate of listening effort using electroencephalographic data. This method is a translation of our past findings, gained from the evoked electroencephalographic activity, to the oscillatory EEG activity. To test this technique, electroencephalographic data from experienced hearing aid users with moderate hearing loss were recorded, wearing hearing aids. The investigated hearing aid settings were: a directional microphone combined with a noise reduction algorithm in a medium and a strong setting, the noise reduction setting turned off, and a setting using omnidirectional microphones without any noise reduction. The results suggest that the electroencephalographic estimate of listening effort seems to be a useful tool to map the exerted effort of the participants. In addition, the results indicate that a directional processing mode can reduce the listening effort in multitalker listening situations

Online Tracking of the Contents of Conscious Perception Using Real-Time fMRI

Perception is an active process that interprets and structures the stimulus input based on assumptions about its possible causes. We use real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) to investigate a particularly powerful demonstration of dynamic object integration in which the same physical stimulus intermittently elicits categorically different conscious object percepts. In this study, we simulated an outline object that is moving behind a narrow slit. With such displays, the physically identical stimulus can elicit categorically different percepts that either correspond closely to the physical stimulus (vertically moving line segments) or represent a hypothesis about the underlying cause of the physical stimulus (a horizontally moving object that is partly occluded). In the latter case, the brain must construct an object from the input sequence. Combining rtfMRI with machine learning techniques we show that it is possible to determine online the momentary state of a subject’s conscious percept from time resolved BOLD-activity. In addition, we found that feedback about the currently decoded percept increased the decoding rates compared to prior fMRI recordings of the same stimulus without feedback presentation. The analysis of the trained classifier revealed a brain network that discriminates contents of conscious perception with antagonistic interactions between early sensory areas that represent physical stimulus properties and higher-tier brain areas. During integrated object percepts, brain activity decreases in early sensory areas and increases in higher-tier areas. We conclude that it is possible to use BOLD responses to reliably track the contents of conscious visual perception with a relatively high temporal resolution. We suggest that our approach can also be used to investigate the neural basis of auditory object formation and discuss the results in the context of predictive coding theory

Temperature Sensitive 19F-Substituted Molecules for Combined Proton-/Fluorine-Imaging in a 7 T Whole-Body MRI System

¹⁹F MR spectroscopy and imaging represent important tools for the development of new MR contrast agents and pharmaceutics. Until now, there are only a few published data that described the influence of temperature changes to the ¹⁹F chemical shifts in aqueous solutions. Temperature coefficients up to ~ 8.7Hz/K were determined. Thermoresponsive agents are of high interest in, e.g. hyperthermia studies. Changes in signal intensity and chemical shift give information of the local temperature. Here, we present novel MR spectroscopic and imaging data, which describe the ¹⁹F MR signal temperature dependency of different fluorinated organic substrates in isotonic saline solution and their temperature calculation methods

Effect of surface treatment on the fatigue strength of additive manufactured Ti6Al4V alloy

Different alloys can be used for Additive Manufacturing (AM) with good structural strength. Among the titanium alloys, Ti6Al4V is the most used, especially for aerospace applications. There have been many analyses of the mechanical properties of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V with very good static strength results in general. However, there are still some difficulties to get fatigue properties close enough to the ones of specimens manufactured using traditional processes Considering the high effect of surface roughness on the fatigue strength of  AM specimens, this work deals with the effect produced by some surface treatments on the fatigue properties. Five treatments have been used for comparison. All specimens were annealed previously to reduce residual stresses, as well as sand blasted to reduce the roughness. The treatments considered are: 1) no treatment after annealing and sand blasting; 2) shot peening; 3) shot peening plus Chemical Assisted Surface Enhancement (CASE); 4) laser shock peening, and 5) HIP. After fatigue testing, a comparison of the results has been carried out. It was found that laser peening produced the best results, followed by shot peening plus CASE and shot peening, with the lowest strength produced by HIP as well as just sand blasting after thermal treatment

Digital watermarking : applicability for developing trust in medical imaging workflows state of the art review

Medical images can be intentionally or unintentionally manipulated both within the secure medical system environment and outside, as images are viewed, extracted and transmitted. Many organisations have invested heavily in Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), which are intended to facilitate data security. However, it is common for images, and records, to be extracted from these for a wide range of accepted practices, such as external second opinion, transmission to another care provider, patient data request, etc. Therefore, confirming trust within medical imaging workflows has become essential. Digital watermarking has been recognised as a promising approach for ensuring the authenticity and integrity of medical images. Authenticity refers to the ability to identify the information origin and prove that the data relates to the right patient. Integrity means the capacity to ensure that the information has not been altered without authorisation. This paper presents a survey of medical images watermarking and offers an evident scene for concerned researchers by analysing the robustness and limitations of various existing approaches. This includes studying the security levels of medical images within PACS system, clarifying the requirements of medical images watermarking and defining the purposes of watermarking approaches when applied to medical images