Accidental Pinhole and Pinspeck Cameras

We identify and study two types of “accidental” images that can be formed in scenes. The first is an accidental pinhole camera image. The second class of accidental images are “inverse” pinhole camera images, formed by subtracting an image with a small occluder present from a reference image without the occluder. Both types of accidental cameras happen in a variety of different situations. For example, an indoor scene illuminated by natural light, a street with a person walking under the shadow of a building, etc. The images produced by accidental cameras are often mistaken for shadows or interreflections. However, accidental images can reveal information about the scene outside the image, the lighting conditions, or the aperture by which light enters the scene.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (CAREER Award 0747120)United States. Office of Naval Research. Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (N000141010933)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (CGV 1111415)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (CGV 0964004

Uptake of home-based voluntary HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Improving access to HIV testing is a key priority in scaling up HIV treatment and prevention services. Home-based voluntary counselling and testing (HBT) as an approach to delivering wide-scale HIV testing is explored here

Household Transmission of Rotavirus in a Community with Rotavirus Vaccination in Quininde, Ecuador

Background: We studied the transmission of rotavirus infection in households in peri-urban Ecuador in the vaccination era. Methods: Stool samples were collected from household contacts of child rotavirus cases, diarrhea controls and healthy controls following presentation of the index child to health facilities. Rotavirus infection status of contacts was determined by RT-qPCR. We examined factors associated with transmissibility (index-case characteristics) and susceptibility (householdcontact characteristics). Results: Amongst cases, diarrhea controls and healthy control household contacts, infection attack rates (iAR) were 55%, 8% and 2%, (n = 137, 130, 137) respectively. iARs were higher from index cases with vomiting, and amongst siblings. Disease ARs were higher when the index child was ,18 months and had vomiting, with household contact ,10 years and those sharing a room with the index case being more susceptible. We found no evidence of asymptomatic infections leading to disease transmission. Conclusion: Transmission rates of rotavirus are high in households with an infected child, while background infections are rare. We have identified factors associated with transmission (vomiting/young age of index case) and susceptibility (young age/sharing a room/being a sibling of the index case). Vaccination may lead to indirect benefits by averting episodes or reducing symptoms in vaccinees

Updating known distribution models for forecasting climate change impact on endangered species

To plan endangered species conservation and to design adequate management programmes, it is necessary to predict their distributional response to climate change, especially under the current situation of rapid change. However, these predictions are customarily done by relating de novo the distribution of the species with climatic conditions with no regard of previously available knowledge about the factors affecting the species distribution. We propose to take advantage of known species distribution models, but proceeding to update them with the variables yielded by climatic models before projecting them to the future. To exemplify our proposal, the availability of suitable habitat across Spain for the endangered Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) was modelled by updating a pre-existing model based on current climate and topography to a combination of different general circulation models and Special Report on Emissions Scenarios. Our results suggested that the main threat for this endangered species would not be climate change, since all forecasting models show that its distribution will be maintained and increased in mainland Spain for all the XXI century. We remark on the importance of linking conservation biology with distribution modelling by updating existing models, frequently available for endangered species, considering all the known factors conditioning the species’ distribution, instead of building new models that are based on climate change variables only.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and FEDER (project CGL2009-11316/BOS

Acute WNT signalling activation perturbs differentiation within the adult stomach and rapidly leads to tumour formation

A role for WNT signalling in gastric carcinogenesis has been suggested due to two major observations. First, patients with germline mutations in adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) are susceptible to stomach polyps and second, in gastric cancer, WNT activation confers a poor prognosis. However, the functional significance of deregulated WNT signalling in gastric homoeostasis and cancer is still unclear. In this study we have addressed this by investigating the immediate effects of WNT signalling activation within the stomach epithelium. We have specifically activated the WNT signalling pathway within the mouse adult gastric epithelium via deletion of either glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) or APC or via expression of a constitutively active β-catenin protein. WNT pathway deregulation dramatically affects stomach homoeostasis at very short latencies. In the corpus, there is rapid loss of parietal cells with fundic gland polyp (FGP) formation and adenomatous change, which are similar to those observed in familial adenomatous polyposis. In the antrum, adenomas occur from 4 days post-WNT activation. Taken together, these data show a pivotal role for WNT signalling in gastric homoeostasis, FGP formation and adenomagenesis. Loss of the parietal cell population and corresponding FGP formation, an early event in gastric carcinogenesis, as well as antral adenoma formation are immediate effects of nuclear β-catenin translocation and WNT target gene expression. Furthermore, our inducible murine model will permit a better understanding of the molecular changes required to drive tumourigenesis in the stomach

Exploring the affordances and constraints of a “judgment free” informal STEM space in supporting African American girls’ sisterhood and STEM identities

This study explored the ways in which a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) enrichment program that is free (or as free as possible) of microaggressions and social structural constraints might influence African American (AA) girls to become innovators and to identify themselves as scientists or engineers. There are many beneficial impacts informal STEM experiences can bring to minority youth, such as increasing their interests and sense of competencies in science and engineering. Concurrently, the troubling trend of AA females deemed incapable of succeeding in school science and taking higher-level science courses persists. This study takes up the notion of such “judgment” AA females may face while engaging in STEM and explores how a “judgment-free” (free of oppressive judgment) STEM space in an informal community club can affect AA females’ identity work and agency. The following research questions were used as a guide to investigate how AA girls engage in an “judgment-free” informal STEM enrichment program: 1. What does it mean to the AA girls to have an informal youth STEM space that is free (as free as possible) of microaggressions and social structure constraints?; 1a. How are the youth in an informal STEM program positioned?; 1b. What are the youth in an informal STEM program able to do (process and products that they would not be able to do in more regimental STEM formal space)?; and 2. How might a setting free (or as free as possible) of microaggressions and social structure constraints influence 10- to 14-year-old African American girls’ STEM identity/agency and sense of sisterhood? Drawing upon Black feminist thought and identity work, I explore how a “judgment-free” theoretical framework can or cannot influence AA girls’ STEM identity and agency. The methodology used in this study was a longitudinal ethnographic critical case study over the course of 4 years. Creswell (2013) stated that “ethnographies focus on developing a complex, complete description of the culture of a group, a culture sharing group” (p. 91). Through this methodology, the culture of the youth at a community club was described using observations and interviews. I believed ethnography was appropriate because my study focused on a specific group of students—AA females who were engaged in STEM. Using defining features of ethnography, I explored how AA girls identified themselves as scientists or engineers. My participants were AA girls who attended the community club and the STEM enrichment program, GEC, for a minimum of 2-4 years. The length of time the girls had participated in GEC was an important criterion, given I used longitudinal ethnography. The girls ranged from fourth to ninth grade. I chose AA girls who were interested in science because of the personal connection I have with them; being an AA female who is engaged in STEM, there were times when my science identity was negatively influenced by microaggressions and social structure constraints. Through the use of this “judgment-free” theoretical framework, I found that STEM identities of the AA girls who attended GEC were influenced by the sisterhood they shared, their positioning as STEM experts, and how they used their STEM knowledge to help their community. The girls’ case studies revealed how a space as free as possible of negative judgment influenced the girls’ STEM identities and agency. The girls’ involvement in this STEM enrichment program showed that when students are given the space to investigate STEM without feeling negatively judged, they become more engaged in content and better understand how STEM relates to their lives. The AA girls’ experiences in this study are an indication that a judgment-free space, which supports sisterhood, embraces community, and promotes open discourse can foster AA girls’ STEM-gendered identity and agency so that they can see themselves as scientists and engineers

EFFECTS OF THE SOLVE STRATEGY ON THE MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS OF SECONDARY STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

Students with learning disabilities are most typically characterized as struggling readers (i.e., 80-90% of students are identified on the basis of reading failure; LD OnLine, 2008 Lerner, 1989; Lyon, Fletcher, Shaywitz, Torgesen, Wood, et al., 2001); however, as many as 50% of students with learning disabilities have IEP goals in the area of mathematics suggesting that general curricula in mathematics present a relevant barrier to the success of this population (Geary, 1999). Given that expectations in the era of the Common Core State Standards promote higher achievement in mathematics, specifically Algebraic thinking (CCSS, 2012), secondary curriculum in the area of Algebra presents a hurdle for students with a specific learning disability to keep pace with peers and graduate on time. This study investigated the effects of the SOLVE Strategy on the mathematical problem solving skills of secondary students with disabilities. A multiple probe across participants design was employed to determine the impact of the independent variable (i.e., instruction in the SOLVE Strategy) on the primary dependent variables (i.e., strategy use, correct response). The intervention was implemented with six 8th grade students with specific learning disabilities. Results indicated a functional relation between SOLVE Strategy usage and improved problem solving performance for all six target students. Additionally, all participants were able to generalize the SOLVE Strategy to other mathematic topics and concepts, and the teacher and students felt the intervention was socially acceptable. Finally, limitations of the study, suggestions for future research, and implications for practice are provided

Open and storage space preference of forty homemakers living in ranch type houses of approximately 1400 square feet in the Piedmont area of North Carolina

After living in a house, a family often finds that some spaces for living and for storage are inadequate while other spaces could be reduced. The purpose of this study was to determine how homemakers would reapportion the amount of living space and storage space provided for the different rooms in the house in which they live. House plans chosen for study ranged from 1,293.84 to 1,571.14 square feet. Excluding the space for walls, the floor space ranged from 1,118.57 to 1,322.82 square feet. Each plan had ten different rooms or areas

A design for demonstration equipment to be used in teaching lighting and adequate wiring for homes

Those who have become aware of the quantity and quality of light needed for seeing when performing the various activities in the home as well as for retaining the beauty and vitality of home decoration realize that lighting needs and lighting practices are in many instances separated by a wide gulf. This is well expressed in these statements made by people in the lighting industry: . . . Most of us . . . have used lighting merely to chase away darkness .... Recent surveys indicate that the average American home contains seventeen to eighteen lamp bulbs without a pattern to the lighting or, for that matter, much reason. Proper decoration and utility require sixty or more lamp bulbs and tubes skillfully organized and integrated in a living-decorating plan

Lattice dynamics in gallium using the "6-exp" potential with parameters determined by the "least squares" method

The equations of motion for the dumbbell molecules of gallium are derived using the harmonic approximation. The "6-exp" interaction potential energy function is used to derive analytic expressions for the interatomic coupling constants. The intermolecular coupling constants are then determined numerically. These are used to calculate the elements of the dynamical matrix. The dynamical matrix is solved for the normal mode frequencies. The "Least Squares" method is used with a computer program to select a set of "6-exp" parameters to best fit the frequencies measured by others. Since some imaginary frequencies occurred for all sets of parameters found, the model does not agree with experimental results. There are two possible reasons for this disagreement: (1) The "6-exp" interaction function may not be applicable to gallium or (2) it may be invalid to treat gallium as having a molecular structure