Lesson outlines in the economic interpretation of history

https://stars.library.ucf.edu/prism/1720/thumbnail.jp

Empowering European agriculture: Policy recommendations to enhance stakeholder engagement for sustainable technology adoption

This scoping review and multi-tiered qualitative analysis examines data collected through the QuantiFarm project, literature, policies and EU projects to understand the roles of stakeholders in influencing European farmers to adopt Digital Agricultural Technology Solutions (DATSs). The paper adopts a holistic sustainability framework to address economic, social and environmental factors which influence farmers' decision-making about DATSs adoption. Key stakeholders, namely farmers, advisors, technology providers and policymakers, play unique and complementary roles in creating an innovation ecosystem. During the lifecycle of DATSs adoption, farmers face multiple drivers and barriers. Challenges such as cost, ease of use, data ownership, and interoperability continue to hinder uptake of technologies. Farmers often cite concerns about lack of transparency regarding costs, unclear benefits, and a lack of aftermarket (post-adoption) support. Advisors and technology providers must bridge these gaps by fostering trust, simplifying access to resources and co-developing solutions. Policymakers must ensure that incentives, education, and funding mechanisms are targeted and accessible to farmers of all scales. This study synthesises diverse perspectives and presents actionable recommendations to enhance stakeholders’ roles in the DATSs adoption process, shaping policy frameworks which support sustainable technology adoption. Transparent communication, varied education, reliable advice, tailored farmer-centric technology design and behaviourally driven policies are critical enablers of adoption. Themes resulted from study analysis and are presented as behavioural interventions for embedding in future policy structures. These insights aim to empower policy makers across Europe to support stakeholders in providing farmers with the tools, knowledge and confidence to adopt technologies which improve resilience and sustainability across economic, social and environmental dimensions

Extracellular electrical signals in a neuron-surface junction: model of heterogeneous membrane conductivity

Signals recorded from neurons with extracellular planar sensors have a wide range of waveforms and amplitudes. This variety is a result of different physical conditions affecting the ion currents through a cellular membrane. The transmembrane currents are often considered by macroscopic membrane models as essentially a homogeneous process. However, this assumption is doubtful, since ions move through ion channels, which are scattered within the membrane. Accounting for this fact, the present work proposes a theoretical model of heterogeneous membrane conductivity. The model is based on the hypothesis that both potential and charge are distributed inhomogeneously on the membrane surface, concentrated near channel pores, as the direct consequence of the inhomogeneous transmembrane current. A system of continuity equations having non-stationary and quasi-stationary forms expresses this fact mathematically. The present work performs mathematical analysis of the proposed equations, following by the synthesis of the equivalent electric element of a heterogeneous membrane current. This element is further used to construct a model of the cell-surface electric junction in a form of the equivalent electrical circuit. After that a study of how the heterogeneous membrane conductivity affects parameters of the extracellular electrical signal is performed. As the result it was found that variation of the passive characteristics of the cell-surface junction, conductivity of the cleft and the cleft height, could lead to different shapes of the extracellular signals

Fluid modeling of exhaust gas dispersion for the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy: final report (July 1990-November 1990)

Prepared for Physical Plant and Maintenance Department, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.CSU contract (i.e. project) no. 2-98220.CER90-91DKP-RNM-8.Includes bibliographical references (pages 36-38).A wind-tunnel study was conducted in the Fluid Dynamics and Diffusion Laboratory at Colorado State University on a model of a planned addition to the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (UCHSC). A 1:150 scale model of the new building, the School of Pharmacy (SOP) was added to an existing model of the UCHSC. It was used to collect information about the behavior of exhaust plumes and the probability of exhaust reentrainment into the new addition. Results are given in terms of normalized concentrations (K coefficients) to permit concentration estimates for alternative traffic, exhaust and wind speed combinations; but the decision as to the preferred configuration must be made with regard to current air-quality standards and building esthetics

Beyond the And/Or divide | Exploring the potential for experiential learning during horsehuman interactions

The research examined horse-human interactions to discover what impact, if any, these experiences had on participants’ learning within and beyond the horse world. From decades of diverse experiences in education, I became concerned about the rise in disengagement. Learners who weren’t given sufficient opportunities to use their wholeselves became disjointed and lost enjoyment in the learning process. Likewise, disconnects occurred when classroom learning wasn’t linked to real life. The separation of the wholeperson - mind, body, and emotions - in the learning process appeared to parallel societal misperceptions that academic learning with its emphasis on mental knowledge production, was more or less than practical, hands-on knowledge and skill development. To examine these educational concerns and polarities, I looked to where I find joy in learning – horsehuman interactions. This study is intended for adult learners and educators who are interested in quality experiential learning situations. Dewey, among others like Freire, have suggested quality learning happens through educative experiences which include continuity and integration between learners and what and where learning occurs. The study was framed by an analysis of continuity, integration, and aesthetics which became a united foundation for whole-body, experiential learning. Research was conducted using qualitative, interpretive methodologies based on pragmatic and social constructivist principles. Biographical and visual methods were used to bring in the aesthetic, aimed to help readers and participants connect on a deeper level with the topic. Data were a collection of field notes. Primary data comprised of transcripts and summaries from interviews with twenty-four equestrians. Secondary data included embodied participation in the study, and biographical field notes which were written and auditory reflections from observations of horse-human interactions and learning-teaching experiences. An interpretation of results sought to honour participants’ experiences and led to an organisation of emergent themes into five central findings, uncovered through an inductive, researcher-created coding system. Conceptual/thematic findings suggested equestrians were regularly engaged in experiential learning which happened through their interactions with horses. They used their whole selves to draw on prior experiences and applied them to real challenges in the present. Collectively, these experiences prepared them to handle future situations. These educative experiences were relational, social, ecological, and held genuine interest. This study gave whole-body experiential learning attention. Examining experiential learning through horse-human interactions may help readers consider how to incorporate similar whole-body learning experiences in their learning-teaching practices. Better understanding of how learning is impacted because of the continuously integrated interactions between horses and humans deserves consideration because of its potential for developing and maintaining human growth. Horse-human interactions involve, among other things, movement, learning, and nature which, together, have proven to facilitate cognitive, physical, and emotional development. This study sought to contribute to experiential learning theory by moving beyond divisions of mind And/Or body towards a unified and meaningful learning approach through the unique insights of the dynamic interactions between humans and horses. A wider practice of respectful, interspecies interactions can encourage more opportunities to learn from others species and nature. This learning can promote individual responsibility, empathy for others, and actions which help us recognise and act to sustain the vital health of our natural world

Microfabricated silicon biosensors for microphysiometry

Microphysiometers are biosensor devices that measure the metabolic rate of living cells by detecting the rate of extracellular acidification caused by a small number of cells. The cells are entrapped in a microvolume chamber, whose bottom surface is a silicon sensor chip. In a further miniaturization step, we have recently fabricated multichannel flow-through chips that will allow greater throughput and multiplicity. Microphysiometer technology can be applied to the detection of microorganisms. We describe the sensitive detection of bacteria and yeast. Further applications of microphysiometry to the characterization of microorganisms can be anticipated

A new class of cleavable fluorescent nucleotides: synthesis and optimization as reversible terminators for DNA sequencing by synthesis†

Fluorescent 2′-deoxynucleotides containing a protecting group at the 3′-O-position are reversible terminators enabling array-based DNA sequencing by synthesis (SBS) approaches. Herein, we describe the synthesis of a new family of 3′-OH unprotected cleavable fluorescent 2′-deoxynucleotides and their evaluation as reversible terminators for high-throughput DNA SBS strategies. In this first version, all four modified nucleotides bearing a cleavable disulfide Alexa Fluor® 594 dye were assayed for their ability to act as a reversible stop for the incorporation of the next labeled base. Their use in SBS leaded to a signal–no signal output after successive addition of each labeled nucleotide during the sequencing process (binary read-out). Solid-phase immobilized synthetic DNA target sequences were used to optimize the method that has been applied to DNA polymerized colonies or clusters obtained by in situ solid-phase amplification of fragments of genomic DNA templates