The Legibility of Asian American Activism Studies

This essay examines “Asian American Activism studies” and asks:  What changes through the legibility of Asian American activism studies?  What does Asian American activism research uniquely offer?  We offer a historiographical analysis examining topical themes as well as theoretical and methodological interventions across time.  We provide an overview of the articles in this special issue.  We discuss future directions, attending to the ways that research on activism remains surprisingly sparse in certain major areas within Asian American studies as well as to the ways that particular trends within the field are anticipated to shape activism studies

Variational Bayesian tracking: whole track convergence for large scale ecological video monitoring

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Conference paper: IEEE International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN), 4-9 Aug. 2013, Dallas, Texas, USA.Variational Bayesian approximations offer a computationally fast alternative to numerical approximations for Bayesian inference. We examine variational Bayesian methods for filtering and smoothing continuous hidden Markov models, in particular those with sharply-peaked, nonlinear observations densities. We show that, by making variational updates in the correct order, robust convergence to the tracked state may be achieved. We apply the whole track convergence algorithm to tracking wild crickets in video streams and describe how animals may be identified from the characteristics of their tracks. We also show how identifying alphanumeric tags may be read under poor lighting conditions

Complementary Metagenomic Approaches Improve Reconstruction of Microbial Diversity in a Forest Soil.

Soil ecosystems harbor diverse microorganisms and yet remain only partially characterized as neither single-cell sequencing nor whole-community sequencing offers a complete picture of these complex communities. Thus, the genetic and metabolic potential of this "uncultivated majority" remains underexplored. To address these challenges, we applied a pooled-cell-sorting-based mini-metagenomics approach and compared the results to bulk metagenomics. Informatic binning of these data produced 200 mini-metagenome assembled genomes (sorted-MAGs) and 29 bulk metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs). The sorted and bulk MAGs increased the known phylogenetic diversity of soil taxa by 7.2% with respect to the Joint Genome Institute IMG/M database and showed clade-specific sequence recruitment patterns across diverse terrestrial soil metagenomes. Additionally, sorted-MAGs expanded the rare biosphere not captured through MAGs from bulk sequences, exemplified through phylogenetic and functional analyses of members of the phylum Bacteroidetes Analysis of 67 Bacteroidetes sorted-MAGs showed conserved patterns of carbon metabolism across four clades. These results indicate that mini-metagenomics enables genome-resolved investigation of predicted metabolism and demonstrates the utility of combining metagenomics methods to tap into the diversity of heterogeneous microbial assemblages.IMPORTANCE Microbial ecologists have historically used cultivation-based approaches as well as amplicon sequencing and shotgun metagenomics to characterize microbial diversity in soil. However, challenges persist in the study of microbial diversity, including the recalcitrance of the majority of microorganisms to laboratory cultivation and limited sequence assembly from highly complex samples. The uncultivated majority thus remains a reservoir of untapped genetic diversity. To address some of the challenges associated with bulk metagenomics as well as low throughput of single-cell genomics, we applied flow cytometry-enabled mini-metagenomics to capture expanded microbial diversity from forest soil and compare it to soil bulk metagenomics. Our resulting data from this pooled-cell sorting approach combined with bulk metagenomics revealed increased phylogenetic diversity through novel soil taxa and rare biosphere members. In-depth analysis of genomes within the highly represented Bacteroidetes phylum provided insights into conserved and clade-specific patterns of carbon metabolism

New Ways of Learning: Teacher Training in the Use of ICTs

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become a decisive resource in the field of education, and at the same time, an indispensable variable in the academic practice where we seek to use each one of the resources offered by Web 2.0. The objective of this article is to perform a critical analysis and review of the conceptual aspects of teacher training, the use of the ICTs and their implications in teacher's daily work, as well as in the teaching-learning process. Finally, it is concluded to highlight the importance of the creation of pedagogical dimensions that indicate the training competencies a teacher must have given the new technological tendency.Las tecnologías de la información y comunicación (TIC), se han convertido en un recurso determinante en el campo educativo, y a la vez una variable indispensable en la práctica académica donde se busca aprovechar cada uno de los recursos que nos ofrece la Web 2.0. El objetivo de este artículo es realizar un análisis y revisión crítica de los aspectos conceptuales frente a la formación del docente, en el uso de las TIC y su implicancia en su labor diaria, así como en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Se concluye en resaltar la importancia de la creación de dimensiones pedagógicas que señalen las competencias de formación, que debe presentar un docente, frente a la nueva tendencia tecnológica

Is there an association between cutaneous leishmaniasis and skin cancer? A systematic review

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a prevalent communicable disease in low- and middle-income countries, where non-communicable diseases like skin cancer are on the rise. However, the study of multi-morbidity or co-morbidity between communicable and non-communicable diseases is limited, and even null for some tropical or neglected diseases. Nevertheless, looking at these conditions together instead of as isolated entities in places where these illnesses exist, could show new prevention and treatment paths. We aimed to summarize and critically appraise the epidemiological evidence on the association between cutaneous leishmaniasis and skin cancer. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review using five search engines (Embase, Medline, Global Health, Scopus and Web of Science). We sought observational studies in which the outcome was skin cancer whilst the exposure was cutaneous leishmaniasis; these conditions should have had laboratory or pathology confirmation. Results: No epidemiological investigations have studied the association between cutaneous leishmaniasis and skin cancer. Most of the evidence about the association of interest is still based on case reports and other clinical observations rather than strong epidemiological observational studies. Conclusions: Research is much needed to verify the repeatedly clinical observation that cutaneous leishmaniasis may be a risk factor for skin cancer. This evidence could inform and guide early diagnosis or prevention of skin cancer in survivors of cutaneous leishmaniasis or where cutaneous leishmaniasis is still highly prevalent. Registration: PROSPERO ID CRD42018111230; registered on 16/10/18

Lower Urinary Tract Infections: Management, Outcomes and Risk Factors for Antibiotic Re-prescription in Primary Care

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are major drivers of antibiotic prescribing in primary care. Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for UTIs likely drives antibiotic resistance. We aimed to describe current investigation and antibiotic treatment to examine opportunities for improved antimicrobial stewardship. Methods: We identified a cohort of all patients with lower UTI diagnosis between 2011 and 2015 in the 390 primary care practices contributing data to ResearchOne in England. We examined investigation, antibiotic treatment and antibiotic re-prescription within 28 days according to guideline-defined patient groups. We assessed risk factors for re-prescription using mixed-effect logistic regression. Findings: In total, 494,675 UTIs were diagnosed in 300,354 patients. Median age was 54 years, and 83.3% were women. Same-day antibiotic was prescribed for 85.7% of UTIs; 56.8% were treated with trimethoprim, and urine sampling was undertaken in 25.0%. The antibiotic re-prescription rate was low (17,430, 4.1%) and increased slightly over time in men (from 5.2% in 2011 to 6.2% in 2015). Overall, 21.1% of pre-prescription were for the same antibiotic. The percentage of adults with recurrent UTIs ranged from 1.0% in 18–64 year-old men to 2.6% in women ≥65 years. The risk of antibiotic re-prescription increased with age, calendar year, recent antibiotic prescribing and treatment with antibiotic other than trimethoprim or nitrofurantoin. Interpretation: Most patients diagnosed with lower UTI in primary care receive same-day empirical antibiotics with little diversity in choice of agent. The antibiotic re-prescription rate is low. Microbiological investigation and re-prescription of the same antibiotic given for the initial episode happened in one quarter of UTIs. Funding: UK National Health Service Improvement

Comparison of time-gated surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy (TG-SERS) and classical SERS based monitoring of Escherichia coli cultivation samples

The application of Raman spectroscopy as a monitoring technique for bioprocesses is severely limited by a large background signal originating from fluorescing compounds in the culture media. Here, we compare time-gated Raman (TG-Raman)-, continuous wave NIR-process Raman (NIR-Raman), and continuous wave micro-Raman (micro-Raman) approaches in combination with surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for their potential to overcome this limit. For that purpose, we monitored metabolite concentrations of Escherichia coli bioreactor cultivations in cell-free supernatant samples. We investigated concentration transients of glucose, acetate, AMP, and cAMP at alternating substrate availability, from deficiency to excess. Raman and SERS signals were compared to off-line metabolite analysis of carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, and nucleotides. Results demonstrate that SERS, in almost all cases, led to a higher number of identifiable signals and better resolved spectra. Spectra derived from the TG-Raman were comparable to those of micro-Raman resulting in well-discernable Raman peaks, which allowed for the identification of a higher number of compounds. In contrast, NIR-Raman provided a superior performance for the quantitative evaluation of analytes, both with and without SERS nanoparticles when using multivariate data analysis. (c) 2018 American Institute of Chemical EngineersPeer reviewe

"My Children and I Will no Longer Suffer from Malaria": A Qualitative Study of the Acceptance and Rejection of Indoor Residual Spraying to Prevent Malaria in Tanzania.

The objective of this study was to identify attitudes and misconceptions related to acceptance or refusal of indoor residual spraying (IRS) in Tanzania for both the general population and among certain groups (e.g., farmers, fishermen, community leaders, and women). This study was a series of qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions conducted from October 2010 to March 2011 on Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Three groups of participants were targeted: acceptors of IRS (those who have already had their homes sprayed), refusers (those whose communities have been sprayed, but refused to have their individual home sprayed), and those whose houses were about to be sprayed as part of IRS scale-up. Interviews were also conducted with farmers, fishermen, women, community leaders and members of non-government organizations responsible for community mobilization around IRS. Results showed refusers are a very small percentage of the population. They tend to be more knowledgeable people such as teachers, drivers, extension workers, and other civil servants who do not simply follow the orders of the local government or the sprayers, but are skeptical about the process until they see true results. Refusal took three forms: 1) refusing partially until thorough explanation is provided; 2) accepting spray to be done in a few rooms only; and 3) refusing outright. In most of the refusal interviews, refusers justified why their houses were not sprayed, often without admitting that they had refused. Reasons for refusal included initial ignorance about the reasons for IRS, uncertainty about its effectiveness, increased prevalence of other insects, potential physical side effects, odour, rumours about the chemical affecting fertility, embarrassment about moving poor quality possessions out of the house, and belief that the spray was politically motivated. To increase IRS acceptance, participants recommended more emphasis on providing thorough public education, ensuring the sprayers themselves are more knowledgeable about IRS, and asking that community leaders encourage participation by their constituents rather than threatening punishment for noncompliance. While there are several rumours and misconceptions concerning IRS in Tanzania, acceptance is very high and continues to increase as positive results become apparent

Design of secure coding challenges for cybersecurity education in the industry

To minimize the possibility of introducing vulnerabilities in source code, software developers in the industry may attend security awareness and secure coding training. One promising novel approach to raise awareness is to use cybersecurity challenges in a capture-the-flag event. In order for this to be effective, the types of challenges must be adequately designed to address the target group. In this work we look at how to design challenges for software developers in an industrial context, based on survey given to security experts by gathering their experience on the field. While our results show that traditional methods seem to be adequate, they also reveal a new class of challenges based on code entry and interaction with an automated coach.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Mapping and neuromodulation of lower urinary tract function using spinal cord stimulation in female rats

Spinal cord epidural stimulation (SCS) represents a form of neuromodulation for the management of spasticity and pain. This technology has recently emerged as a new approach for potentially augmenting locomotion and voiding function in humans and rodents after spinal cord injury. However, the effect of SCS on micturition has not been studied extensively. Here, SCS was first applied as a direct stimulus onto individual segmental levels of the lumbar spinal cord in rats to map evoked external urethral sphincter (EUS) electromyography activity and SCS-induced voiding contractions. SCS of L2-3 inhibited EUS tonic activity, and SCS on L3 (L3/SCS) inhibited EUS tonic activity and elicited EUS bursting. In contrast, SCS of L1 and L4-6 evoked EUS tonic contractions, which resembled the urethral guarding reflex during bladder storage. Next, the effects of a bilateral pelvic nerve crush (PNC) injury on urodynamic function were examined at 14 days post-operatively. The PNC injury resulted in decreased voiding efficiency and maximum intravesical pressure, whereas the post-voiding residual volume was increased, suggestive of an underactive bladder. Finally, L3/SCS was performed to induce a voiding contraction and enable voiding in rats with a PNC injury. Voiding efficiency was significantly increased, and the residual volume was decreased by L3/SCS in rats after the PNC injury. We conclude that L3/SCS may be used to induce micturition reflexes in a partially filled bladder, reduce urethral resistance, and augment bladder emptying after PNC injury