Search and the City: Comparing the Use of WiFi in New York, Budapest and Montreal

Over the past five years, the use of mobile and wireless technology in public spaces of cities around the country has grown exponentially. Recently, cities including Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Minneapolis, and Austin have announced plans to build municipal wireless networks. These projects make a number of assumptions about the payoffs of municipal wireless networks without the benefit of research on the communication practices of users. To date, there is little such research. In addition, wireless technology – specifically, wireless fidelity or WiFi -- is often discussed as one of many ways to access the high-speed (broadband) Internet i.e. cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), fiber etc. Thus, there has been little analysis of the ways in which the use of the wireless Internet via WiFi may differ from that of the wireline Internet. In order to understand the potential user patterns that will be observed with respect to emerging technologies, it is necessary to disaggregate research about the various ways of connecting to the Internet.This paper compares the results from a six-month survey of the use of WiFi hotspots in New York, Budapest and Montreal. It is hoped that further analysis of these survey results will contribute to a more acute understanding of the ways in which the user patterns of particular modes of Internet access may differ internationally. The major research questions addressed in this paper are: 1) How is WiFi being used in public spaces, by whom, where, for what purposes?; 2) How does the use of WiFi differ from other communication technology?; and, 3) How is the use of WiFi similar or different across cities internationally? This paper makes the following arguments based on the survey data: first, WiFi is an important factor in attracting people to specific locations; second, the use of WiFi highly localized in that it is often used to search for information relevant to one's geographic location; third, there are significant differences in the way that WiFi is used across a variety of locations including cafes, parks and other public spaces; fourth, at present, WiFi users are, for the most part, young, male and highly educated displaying the characteristics of early adopters of technology; and, fifth, there is a convergence in the ways in which WiFi is used internationally in some respects, however there are also important differences in the reasons for these uses as well divergence in other respects.These findings may have an important impact in shaping current discussions municipal wireless networks by helping to identify content, applications and services that can be delivered overmobile and wireless networks. In addition, the answers to these questions are vital to inform a wide variety of legal and public policy issues related to information and communication technologies in addition to being important to the development of content and applications for mobile and wireless technologies. These include policies surrounding municipal wireless networks, spectrum, universal service, community media and network neutrality

PREVALENCIA DE ENDOPAR\uc1SITOS EN CABALLO CRIOLLO VENEZOLANO EN DOS HATOS DEL ESTADO APURE - VENEZUELA

Las helmintiasis y hemoparasitosis representan una amenaza diaria para los equinos, esta especie es susceptible de contraer distintas enfermedades parasitarias a lo largo de toda su vida. El objetivo de este estudio fue diagnosticar mediante la t\ue9cnica directa de Willis y la de frotis de capa blanca los endoparasitos en el Caballo Criollo Venezolano (CCV) en dos hatos del estado Apure. Se seleccionaron 200 equinos de dos hatos (h1 y h2) a los cuales se les tom\uf3 muestras de heces directamente del recto, \ue9stas se identificaron y trasladaron al laboratorio, donde se aplic\uf3 la t\ue9cnica cualitativa de Willis, as\ued como, la toma de muestras de sangre completa con anticoagulante para el diagn\uf3stico de hemopar\ue1sitos. Los resultados coprol\uf3gicos obtenidos por la morfolog\ueda y morfometr\ueda de los huevos y la identificaci\uf3n taxon\uf3mica de algunos ejemplares adultos fue de un 100% de grandes estrongilos en ambos hatos; entre los peque\uf1os estrongilos se identific\uf3 59% Triodontophorus sp. en h1 y 75% para el h2, as\ued como 2% de Cyathostomum sp. en h1, mientras que en h2 fueron negativos; Trichostrongylus axei 35% en el h1 y 6% para el h2; Anoplocephala sp. 25% h1 y 38% h2; Oxyuris equi 26% para ambos hatos y Parascaris equorum 23% h1 y 11% h2. En relaci\uf3n a los hemopar\ue1sitos mediante la t\ue9cnica de Woo resultaron negativos a Trypanosoma evansi y Setaria sp. en ambos hatos y en frotis de capa blanca se observ\uf3 el 0,5% a Theileria equi y 5,5% positivos a Babesia caballi. Se demostr\uf3 un alto porcentaje de par\ue1sitos gastrointestinales y una baja presencia de hemopar\ue1sitos en los animales de los dos hatos evaluados. Palabras Clave: helmintos, caballo criollo, hemopar\ue1sitos, endopar\ue1sitos. ABSTRACT Helminthiasis and hemoparasites are a daily threat to horses; this species is susceptible to suffer several parasitic diseases throughout their lifetime. The objective of this study was to diagnose the endoparasites of venezuelan creole horse in two herds at Apure State using direct techniques. Two hundreds (200) venezuelan creole horses were selected from two herds (h1 and h2). Stool samples were taken directly from rectum of each horse, identified and transferred to laboratory, where qualitative technique of Willis was applied. Samples of whole blood with anticoagulant were taken for diagnosing hemoparasites. The stool results obtained were 100% positives to large Strongylus in both herds; among the small Strongylus were identified: 59% Triodontophorus sp. in h1, and 75% for h2, 2% Cyathostomum sp. in h1, whereas h2 was negative; Trichostrongylus axei 35% in h1, and 6% in h2; Anoplocephala sp. 25% in h1, and 38% in h2; Oxyuris equi 26% for both herds, and Parascaris equorum 23% in h1, and 11% in h2. Regarding hemoparasites obtained by the Woo technique results were negative to Trypanosoma evansi and Setaria sp., whereas 0.5% were positive to Theileria equi, and 5.5% to Babesia caballi after buffy coat smears were microscopically checked. Finally it was demonstrated a high percentage of gastrointestinal parasites, and low or no presence of blood parasites in herds of venezuelan creole horse that were clinically healthy. Key words: helminths, creole horses, blood parasites, endoparasites.<br

More-than-human participation: Design for sustainable smart city futures

In this forum we highlight innovative thought, design, and research in the area of interaction design and sustainability, illustrating the diversity of approaches across HCI communities. — Roy Bendor, Edito

Catecholaminergic connectivity to the inner ear, central auditory, and vocal motor circuitry in the plainfin midshipman fish porichthys notatus

Author Posting. © John Wiley & Sons, 2014. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of John Wiley & Sons for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Comparative Neurology 522 (2014): 2887-2927, doi:10.1002/cne.23596.Although the neuroanatomical distribution of catecholaminergic (CA) neurons has been well documented across all vertebrate classes, few studies have examined CA connectivity to physiologically and anatomically identified neural circuitry that controls behavior. The goal of this study was to characterize CA distribution in the brain and inner ear of the plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus) with particular emphasis on their relationship with anatomically labeled circuitry that both produces and encodes social acoustic signals in this species. Neurobiotin labeling of the main auditory end organ, the saccule, combined with tyrosine hydroxylase immunofluorescence (TH-ir) revealed a strong CA innervation of both the peripheral and central auditory system. Diencephalic TH-ir neurons in the periventricular posterior tuberculum, known to be dopaminergic, send ascending projections to the ventral telencephalon and prominent descending projections to vocal–acoustic integration sites, notably the hindbrain octavolateralis efferent nucleus, as well as onto the base of hair cells in the saccule via nerve VIII. Neurobiotin backfills of the vocal nerve in combination with TH-ir revealed CA terminals on all components of the vocal pattern generator, which appears to largely originate from local TH-ir neurons but may include input from diencephalic projections as well. This study provides strong neuroanatomical evidence that catecholamines are important modulators of both auditory and vocal circuitry and acoustic-driven social behavior in midshipman fish. This demonstration of TH-ir terminals in the main end organ of hearing in a nonmammalian vertebrate suggests a conserved and important anatomical and functional role for dopamine in normal audition.National Institutes of Health; Grant number: SC2DA034996 (to P.M.F.); Grant sponsor: The Professional Staff Congress/ The City University of New York (PSC-CUNY); Grant number: 65650-00 43 (to P.M.F.); Grant sponsor: Leonard and Claire Tow Travel Award (to P.M.F.); Grant sponsor: Whitman Investigator Faculty Research Fellowships from the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods, Hole, MA (where the study was partly conducted) (to P.M.F. and J.A.S.).2015-05-0

Making Custodians: A design anthropology approach to designing emotionally enduring built environment artefacts

My doctoral research through creative production takes a Design Anthropology approach to examine the person-object relationship typical of artefacts with long-term attachment and significance. I then speculate on the implications of these findings with the goal of designing enduring new built environment artefacts, surfaces, and furniture. The exegesis explores the context of this enquiry within design theory and practice and its significance, given the environmental impact of high levels of premature disposal and ‘fast’ consumption

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type-2 diabetes mellitus: population analysis, metabolic profile and referral management pathway

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is strongly associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus, with diabetic patients being at higher risk for adverse outcomes. The aim of this thesis was to explore in detail the clinical and metabolic phenotype of diabetics screened for NAFLD in primary care and to develop a referral management pathway for this population. Moreover, this thesis investigated the impact of alterations of the gut-liver axis on the severity of liver disease in such cohort. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, consecutive diabetic patients from primary care were screened for liver disease and NAFLD. Nuclear magnetic resonance and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to explore the metabolic profile of the patients against severity of liver disease. Stool meta-taxagenomics allowed for the analysis of the composition of the microbiome, while gut permeability was investigated using an in-vitro model and an ex-vivo measurement of faecal protease activity. Inflammatory cytokines profile was also analysed in serum as well as in faecal samples. Results: Clinically significant NAFLD was highly prevalent in the diabetic population in primary care. According to the results of this study, applying FIB-4 with a cut-off of 1.3 in this population would miss up to 38% of the patients with significant liver disease. The BIMAST score, which was derived based on simple clinical parameters, was validated both internally and externally, outperformed conventional screening methods and optimised risk-stratification in primary care. Among the metabolites, only lysine deficiency was associated with increased hepatic collagen content. Moreover, specific changes in gut microbiome were associated with more severe liver disease, while intestinal permeability tended to increase with liver disease severity. A combination of host and microbiota-related factors were associated with a leakier gut in this population. Conclusions: Current risk-stratification for NAFLD among diabetics in primary care can be improved. Exploring the gut-liver axis may offer diagnostic as well as therapeutical insights in this population.Open Acces