Voltage-sensitive dye imaging reveals tonotopic organization of auditory cortex spontaneous activity

Imaging neural activity across a large (several mm) cortical area with high temporal and spatial resolution is desirable, for example in the auditory system to measure cortical processing across a broad frequency spectrum. Voltage-sensitive dye imaging (VSDI) has a unique combination of properties making this possible, but so far studies have been limited to studying simple sparsely-presented sensory stimuli. We demonstrate the feasibility of long-acquisition VSDI (using the dye RH-1691) in auditory cortex while presenting complex time-varying acoustic stimuli or silence. Using a dense array of partially-overlapping 50 ms tone pips (8 frequencies per octave spanning six octaves), we obtained high-resolution spectrotemporal receptive fields (STRFs) simultaneously across the majority of the guinea pig primary auditory cortical fields (A1 and DC). Long epochs of spontaneous activity were also measured, permitting a comparison of spontaneous activity patterns with functional architecture. By grouping all pixels in areas A1 and DC according to sound frequency preference (obtained from STRFs), we reveal that spontaneous activity (such as cortical spindles) show complex spatial patterns, which are organized according to sound frequency preference within and across cortical areas. More specifically, spontaneous activity correlation decreases as frequency preference diverges within A1 or DC; but additionally, pixels in A1 are also highly correlated with (even far-away) pixels in DC sharing similar frequency preference. These properties of patterned cortical spontaneous activity constrain mechanistic hypotheses regarding their genesis. Beyond these observations, the feasibility of VSDI with continuous stimulation or silence permits measuring population activity during long-lasting sound patterns, which is necessary for examining cortical dynamics and sensory-context dependent processing

SOME MEANINGFUL AND FUN ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS

Teaching English to young learners (TEYL) is very important to do. Many benefits can be got since young learners have much potential to be developed. However, Teaching English to young learners is not easy. Most teachers feel very frustrated because they do not have experiences and knowledge how to cope with the young learners. Actually TEYL can be both a rewarding and a demanding experience if teachers do appropriate activities in the classroom. To make this experience easier, more enjoyable and meaningful for both, teachers must identify what learning a language in school requires for young children. Subsequently, teachers need to use the basic principles of teaching young learners as the bases of selecting appropriate activities as offers to the young learners. Therefore, this paper discusses young learners’ needs in learning English and provides some meaningful and fun activities as choices to be implemented

Metabolic Network Analysis of Filamentous Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria were the first organisms to use oxygenic photosynthesis, converting CO2 into useful organic chemicals. However, the chemical industry has historically relied on fossil raw materials to produce organic precursors, which has contributed to global warming. Thus, cyanobacteria have emerged as sustainable stakeholders for biotechnological production. The filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. UTEX 2576 can metabolize multiple sources of Nitrogen and was studied as a platform for biotechnological production of high-value chemicals (i.e., pigments, antioxidants, vitamins and secondary metabolites). From a Chemical engineering perspective, the biomass generation in this organism was thoroughly studied by interpreting the cell as a microbial bio-factory. Nutrient consumption kinetics was studied to analyze raw material requirements from the growth medium. Transformation operations were analyzed with a Genome-Scale Metabolic Model, as a robust metabolic network of biochemical reactions. Production of valuable compounds was assessed through chemical characterization of the cyanobacterial biomass, generating biomass equations of cellular growth. Here, systemic interpretations of cellular processes are discussed with the aim of optimizing photosynthetic chemical production, by controlling stress biology and environmental conditions. This work demonstrates that the sophisticated metabolic network of Anabaena sp. UTEX 2576 is highly dependent on their biological interactions with organic and inorganic nutrients. In addition, this work brings up new strategies for studying the utilization of metallic and mineral elements in cyanobacteria for biotechnological and environmental purposes, going beyond Carbon and Nitrogen

Essays in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Labor

I explore the role of experimentation on the career choices of individuals deciding whether to be paid employees or entrepreneurs, and on the decisions of consumers deciding what medical treatment to buy. In the labor market, experimentation entails the accumulation of information that allows individuals to improve their occupational choices. In the product market, experimentation entails discovering the quality of new products and it may have an effect on the evolution of technology: less experimentation by individuals may slow down the process of innovation. I start in Chapter 2 with the observation that most individuals do not start a business and, if they do, tend to do so well into their thirties. While policies encouraging young, would-be entrepreneurs are popular, little is known about whether they are effective. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, I estimate a dynamic Roy model with imperfect information about ability to evaluate the relative importance of various economic determinants of entrepreneurial participation. Risk-averse, forward-looking individuals sequentially select entrepreneurial and paid-employment occupations based on their returns to experience, information value, non-pecuniary benefits, and entry costs. Results show that the main barriers faced by young entrepreneurs are entry costs and information frictions. I consider two policy counterfactuals: a subsidy targeting entry costs and entrepreneurship education targeting information frictions. I extend previous literature providing a mapping from the information quality of entrepreneurship education into career choices and long-term outcomes. A subsidy for young entrepreneurs increases participation but has small long-term effects. Entrepreneurship education can have sizable effects on participation and present value of income flows, even for low information quality. Nevertheless, the value of any particular entrepreneurship education program will depend on its cost and its information quality. In Chapter 3 we develop and estimate a dynamic structural model of demand for a product line whose spectrum of characteristics evolves over time because innovation is endogenous to consumer demand. To achieve this goal, we provide a new approach to the econometric challenge of estimating the process of technological change where innovation under uncertainty includes both frequent and incremental modifications along with sporadic major breakthroughs. Quality in our model is a multidimensional object: new products that are superior in some dimensions might be inferior in others. For example, new medicines more effective in combating disease than existing products sometimes have harsher side effects. In our model, consumer choices determine both the speed and the direction of product innovation. Demand externalities arise because the aggregate choices of atomistic individuals drive innovation. We apply our framework to analyze consumer choice and the realized path of innovations over a long time horizon in a maturing product market: HIV drugs. In this market, we observe the introduction of hundreds of new products, marking mostly modest, but sometimes major innovations over existing technologies. Our estimates are obtained through simulations of alternative hypothetical worlds that might have arisen if the innovations had taken different paths to the ones we observe. We use our estimates to assess the effects of policies that internalize the externalities affecting innovation and consumer welfare by modifying consumer choices. We find that experimentation in clinical trials is one of the mechanisms through which the externality operates

Review of the Representation of History in the New Media

History is often taught through textbooks. This consideration is intended to ensure that people respect leader and community contribution to maintain and develop excellences of civilization. However, few historians have considered in depth impact on the ways that history is being represented and communicated in the public sphere as the new media has become increasingly pervasive in today’s life. Students of history have generally held a dim opinion of the state of knowledge on the new media, pointing to many inaccuracies written by the amateurs. The emergence of the new media has transformed the nature of the public information which enables ordinary people a greater degree of participation in the public history making. The collection examined in this review paper focuses on the ideas and issues of the representation of Malaysia’s history in the new media, as well as to point the possible future direction for research and reflection. The challenges associated with the representation of Malaysia’s history and possible solutions are discussed, including a review of the literature related to media representation

For-Profit Higher Education and Community Colleges

The recent growth of for-profit educational providers has been one of the most watched trends in higher education (Blumenstyk, 2000; Burd, 1998; Selingo, 1999; Strosnider, 1998). Despite the widespread attention, surprisingly little concrete information exists about the for-profit phenomenon. Although the for-profit sector is not the only source of new competition in higher education, the highly publicized growth of some for-profit institutions has generated increasing anxiety among both private non-profit and public colleges and universities. To develop a better understanding of how these institutions compare to public community colleges with respect to their students and programs, the Community College Research Center joined with the National Center for Postsecondary Improvement (NCPI) to conduct a two-year study. The objective was to determine whether these two types of institutions are competitive or complementary and how community colleges have responded to the growth of the for-profits

Moral distress and burnout in internal medicine residents

Background: Residents frequently encounter situations in their workplace that may induce moral distress or burnout. The objective of this study was to measure overall and rotation-specific moral distress and burnout in medical residents, and the relationship between demographics and moral distress and burnout.Methods: The revised Moral Distress Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Human Service version) were administered to Internal Medicine residents in the 2013-2014 academic year at the University of British Columbia.Results: Of the 88 residents, 45 completed the surveys. Participants (mean age 30+/-3; 46% male) reported a median moral distress score (interquartile range) of 77 (50-96). Twenty-six percent of residents had considered quitting because of moral distress, 21% had a high level of burnout, and only 5% had a low level of burnout. Moral distress scores were highest during Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) rotations, and lowest during elective rotations (p<0.0001). Women reported higher emotional exhaustion. Moral distress was associated with depersonalization (p=0.01), and both moral distress and burnout were associated with intention to leave the job.Conclusion: Internal Medicine residents report moral distress that is greatest during ICU and CTU rotations, and is associated with burnout and intention to leave the job

Civilisation of manners and misophonia

Misophonia is a disorder of tolerance to specific sounds (i.e. trigger sounds), such as chewing, throat clearing or breathing sounds, produced by humans, which can trigger intense emotional reactions (anger, disgust). This relatively prevalent disorder can cause a reduction in the quality of life. The causes of misophonia are still unclear. In this article, we develop a “social” hypothesis based on the work of Norbert Elias. Misophonia would be an exaggerated reaction to behaviours (of others) that have been subject to rigorous social conditioning, which are supposed to be strictly regulated and repressed. The social rules imposed by society, accompanying the long process of pacification and increasing interdependence between individuals over the centuries, would be at the origin of this conditioning. The function of this conditioning, achieved mainly through shame and disgust, would be to preserve social cohesion, through the strict training of behaviour. It is indeed imperative to control oneself, to act in a thoughtful and balanced way, to spare others by taking into account their expectations, in short to behave in a “courteous” way. Imposed and less spontaneous behaviour creates a sense of modesty and distance between individuals. The obligation to strictly regulate behaviour and affect in public contributes to the creation of an interiority, an "inner self". The feeling of intrusion by others is a collateral effect of this process of distancing and individualisation. The rigorous integration of the social rule by the misophonic subject may account for the fact that any violation of the rule is considered unacceptable. In order to put an end to the unpleasant situation, i.e. to the intrusion generated by the “encroachment” of others, the subject has no other choice but to flee or to attack the author of the sound

Construction Labour Measurement in Reinforced Concrete Floating Caissons in Maritime Ports

This research work attempts to approach the measuring of the working equipment necessary to make floating caissons for maritime work and their performances. With this objective, an empirical study has been carried out based on the construction of five floating caissons with a rectangular layout of 34.00 meters in length, 17.00 meters in width, and 19.00 meters in depth, lightened with 32 vertical cells. This work was carried out in the port of Granadilla, Tenerife (Spain). The updated scientific literature related to the execution of this type of floating structure refers to the importance of the calculation hypotheses, the actions to be taken into account, the service states or the importance of the choice of materials (concrete and steel). However, scientific research does not seem to face the problem of how to size the working team necessary to execute this type of structure. The work force is approached from the point of view of the adequate sizing of working groups. The important contribution of the article to the project and construction management literature is the development and capability of an easy-to-use optimization model for planning the labour and labour days required in floating caisson construction. The optimization model proposed in this research allows the project managers of a construction company to estimate the labour costs and teams necessary in the execution of the construction. This gives it a competitive advantage both in the construction phase and in the bidding phase for the award of the work. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-02-01 Full Text: PD