Global metrics of land cover and land use provide a fundamental basis to examine the spatial variability of human-induced impacts on freshwater ecosystems. However, microscale processes and site ...specific conditions related to bank vegetation, pollution sources, adjacent land use and water uses can have important influences on ecosystem conditions, in particular in smaller tributary rivers. Compared to larger order rivers, these low-order streams and rivers are more numerous, yet often under-monitored. The present study explored the relationship of nutrient concentrations in 150 streams in 57 hydrological basins in South, Central and North America (Buenos Aires, Curitiba, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City and Vancouver) with macroscale information available from global datasets and microscale data acquired by trained citizen scientists. Average sub-basin phosphate (P-PO4) concentrations were found to be well correlated with sub-basin attributes on both macro and microscales, while the relationships between sub-basin attributes and nitrate (N-NO3) concentrations were limited. A phosphate threshold for eutrophic conditions (>0.1 mg L-1 P-PO4) was exceeded in basins where microscale point source discharge points (eg. residential, industrial, urban/road) were identified in more than 86% of stream reaches monitored by citizen scientists. The presence of bankside vegetation covaried (rho = -0.53) with lower phosphate concentrations in the ecosystems studied. Macroscale information on nutrient loading allowed for a strong separation between basins with and without eutrophic conditions. Most importantly, the combination of macroscale and microscale information acquired increased our ability to explain sub-basin variability of P-PO4 concentrations. The identification of microscale point sources and bank vegetation conditions by citizen scientists provided important information that local authorities could use to improve their management of lower order river ecosystems.
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Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This paper examines the phenomena of online crowdsourcing from the perspectives of both volunteers and the campaign coordinator of Tomnod – an online mapping project that uses crowdsourcing to ...identify objects and places in satellite images. A mixed-methods approach was used to study the enablers and barriers to participation, taking into consideration the whole spectrum of volunteers. The results show broad diversity in online volunteers, both in their demographics and the factors affecting their voluntary participation. The majority are older than 50 years and many – particularly the most active volunteers – have disabilities or long term health problems. The personal circumstances of participants are highlighted as a major factor affecting involvement in campaigns. Like many other platforms, altruism is a key motivator, yet many participants are more interested in the quality of their data and the impact it has on the ground. For many participants of online crowdsourcing campaigns, their involvement is strongly linked to the level of contact they have with campaign coordinators, both in the design of the platform and in providing feedback on the impact of their contributions.
•This study examines the participation of volunteers on an online crowdsourcing platform.•Core motivations for voluntary online crowdsourcing are largely altruistic.•Retirement, disability or long term health problems are major drivers for participation.•Feedback on the quality and impact of contributions is crucial in maintaining interest.•Effective communication between volunteers and site owner is strongly linked to appreciation of the platform.
This report aims to enhance our understanding of stakeholder mapping for co-created citizen science initiatives. It presents and discusses findings from an international two-day stakeholder mapping ...workshop with researchers, event organizers, communication experts, and artists realizing citizen science activities. Participants identified examples of co-creation in their work and mapped stakeholders for three co-creation initiatives from the “Doing It Together Science” project. For each case, we provide an overview of the stakeholder groups involved and the lessons derived from identifying actual and potential stakeholders in different phases of each activity and using different ways for mapping them. We demonstrate that not only stakeholder mapping can be diverse, but it may take different angles depending on the characteristics and project timescales, nevertheless adding significant value to any project. We argue that a better understanding of stakeholder involvement may contribute to more effective stakeholder communication, more successful implementation, and a greater impact for citizen science initiatives.
Flooding is a major global hazard whose management relies on an accurate understanding of its risks. Crowdsourcing represents a major opportunity for supporting flood risk management as members of ...the public are highly capable of producing useful flood information. This thesis explores a wide range of issues related to flood crowdsourcing using an interdisciplinary approach. Through an examination of 31 different projects a flood crowdsourcing typology was developed. This identified five key types of flood crowdsourcing: i) Incident Reporting, ii) Media Engagement, iii) Collaborative Mapping, iv) Online Volunteering and v) Passive VGI. These represent a wide range of initiatives with radically different aims, objectives, datasets and relationships with volunteers. Online Volunteering was explored in greater detail using Tomnod as a case study. This is a micro-tasking platform in which volunteers analyse satellite imagery to support disaster response. Volunteer motivations for participating on Tomnod were found to be largely altruistic. Demographics of participants were significant, with retirement, disability or long-term health problems identified as major drivers for participation. Many participants emphasised that effective communication between volunteers and the site owner is strongly linked to their appreciation of the platform. In addition, the feedback on the quality and impact of their contributions was found to be crucial in maintaining interest. Through an examination of their contributions, volunteers were found to be able to ascertain with a higher degree of accuracy, many features in satellite imagery which supervised image classification struggled to identify. This was more pronounced in poorer quality imagery where image classification had a very low accuracy. However, supervised classification was found to be far more systematic and succeeded in identifying impacts in many regions which were missed by volunteers. The efficacy of using crowdsourcing for flood risk management was explored further through the iterative development of a Collaborative Mapping web-platform called Floodcrowd. Through interviews and focus groups, stakeholders from the public and private sector expressed an interest in crowdsourcing as a tool for supporting flood risk management. Types of data which stakeholders are particularly interested in with regards to crowdsourcing differ between organisations. Yet, they typically include flood depths, photos, timeframes of events and historical background information. Through engagement activities, many citizens were found to be able and motivated to share such observations. Yet, motivations were strongly affected by the level of attention their contributions receive from authorities. This presents many opportunities as well as challenges for ensuring that the future of flood crowdsourcing improves flood risk management and does not damage stakeholder relationships with participants.
Myoblast fusion is essential for muscle development and regeneration. Yet, it remains poorly understood how mononucleated myoblasts fuse with preexisting fibers. We demonstrate that ERK1/2 inhibition ...(ERKi) induces robust differentiation and fusion of primary mouse myoblasts through a linear pathway involving RXR, ryanodine receptors, and calcium-dependent activation of CaMKII in nascent myotubes. CaMKII activation results in myotube growth via fusion with mononucleated myoblasts at a fusogenic synapse. Mechanistically, CaMKII interacts with and regulates MYMK and Rac1, and CaMKIIδ/γ knockout mice exhibit smaller regenerated myofibers following injury. In addition, the expression of a dominant negative CaMKII inhibits the formation of large multinucleated myotubes. Finally, we demonstrate the evolutionary conservation of the pathway in chicken myoblasts. We conclude that ERK1/2 represses a signaling cascade leading to CaMKII-mediated fusion of myoblasts to myotubes, providing an attractive target for the cultivated meat industry and regenerative medicine.
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•ERK inhibition induces robust mouse and chicken myoblast differentiation and fusion•Myotubes fuse with mononucleated myoblasts at an asymmetric fusogenic synapse•ERKi-driven signaling cascade leads to Ca2+-CaMKII-dependent myoblasts to myotube fusion•CaMKII is required for efficient muscle regeneration following injury
Eigler et al. show that an evolutionarily conserved signaling cascade initiated by ERK inhibition in myoblasts leads to CaMKII-dependent fusion of mononucleated myoblasts with early myotubes at a fusogenic synapse. Moreover, CaMKII is required for efficient muscle regeneration following injury.
In this paper we present a 5G Internet Radio-Light (IoRL) architecture for homes that can be readily deployed because it utilizes unlicensed visible light and millimeter wave part of the spectrum, ...which does not require Mobile Network Operator (MNO) permission to deploy and which is used to provide inhabitants of houses with accurate location, interaction, access to Internet and Cloud based services such as high resolution video on a Tablet PC. The paper describes the home use cases and the IoRL architecture.
We report our initial experience combining cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus intraperitoneal chemotherapy with hyperthermia (HIPEC) in a selected group of patients presenting with disseminated ...peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) of colorectaL or appendiceaL origin at a single tertiary referral institution.
The study included patients who underwent CRS with HIPEC at the Sheba Medical Center between April 2009 and December 2011. The HIPEC technique was administered with the open Coliseum technique reaching a steady state of mitomycin-C delivery at 410 C for perfusion duration of 90 minutes.
AnaLysis included 45 patients (18 males) incorporating 42 cases of primary colorectal cancer (CRC) or appendiceal cancer and 3 cases of pseudomyxoma peritonei. Thirty-seven patients (82%) underwent CC-0 resections with a median overall hospital stay of 8 days (range 5-43). There was one perioperative death at 90 days. The perioperative complication rate was 31.1%. The median follow-up was 12 months (range 2-36) during which 13 patients died. Among the CRC and appendiceal cancer group the median overall survival was 20.2 months and the median progression free survival was 16.4 months (Kaplan-Meier analysis). During follow-up, 23 patients experienced disease progression.
The selective use of cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal or appendiceal origin is safe with acceptable morbidity and low mortality.
5G Internet of radio light services for supermarkets Cosmas, John; Meunier, Ben; Ali, Kareem ...
2017 14th China International Forum on Solid State Lighting: International Forum on Wide Bandgap Semiconductors China (SSLChina: IFWS),
2017-Nov.
Conference Proceeding
Odprti dostop
In this paper we present a 5G Internet Radio-Light (IoRL) architecture for supermarkets that can be readily deployed because it utilizes unlicensed visible light and millimeter wave part of the ...spectrum and which is used to provide shoppers with accurate location, interaction, access to Internet and Cloud based services such as high resolution video on a Tablet PC. The paper describes the supermarket use cases, the user and functional requirements and the IoRL architecture.
Anal sexual eroticism is a fact of modern life and a part of the male homosexual relationship. A delineation of surgical problems associated with anal erotic instrumentation with enema is presented. ...The cases of three patients with rectal perforation are described.
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