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We investigated the impact of the number of induction/consolidation cycles on outcomes of 3113 adult AML patients who received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) between 2008 and 2019. Patients received allo-HCT using myeloablative (MAC) or reduced-intensity (RIC) conditioning in first complete remission (CR) or with primary induction failure (PIF). Patients who received MAC allo-HCT in CR after 1 induction cycle had 1.3-fold better overall survival (OS) than 2 cycles to CR and 1.47-fold better than ≥3 cycles. OS after CR in 2 or ≥3 cycles was similar. Relapse risk was 1.65-fold greater in patients receiving ≥3 cycles to achieve CR. After RIC allo-HCT, the number of induction cycles to CR did not affect OS. Compared to CR in 1 cycle, relapse risk was 1.24-1.41-fold greater in patients receiving 2 or ≥3 cycles. For patients receiving only 1 cycle to CR, consolidation therapy prior to MAC allo-HCT was associated with improved OS vs. no consolidation therapy. Detectable MRD at the time of MAC allo-HCT did not impact outcomes while detectable MRD preceding RIC allo-HCT was associated with an increased risk of relapse. For allo-HCT in PIF, OS was significantly worse than allo-HCT in CR after 1-3 cycles.

The present study was aimed at the diagnosis of subclinical endometritis and its impact on early reproductive parameters in postpartum dairy cows (N=45). The proportion of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNCs-%) and intraluminal uterine fluid (ILUF-mm) was assessed by cytotape and transrectal ultrasonography, respectively, for the diagnosis of subclinical endometritis at 8 weeks post-partum. A receiver operator characteristics curve was used to determine the diagnostic threshold of PMNCs and ILUF. The optimal threshold value for PMNCs was ≥6% (area under the curve (AUC)-0.89; sensitivity-85.71%; specificity-83.33%; P, Cilj ovog rada bio je istražiti dijagnostiku supkliničkog endometritisa i njegov utjecaj na rane reproduktivne pokazatelje mliječnih krava (n = 45) u postpartalnom razdoblju. Količina polimorfonuklearnih stanica (PMNC u postotku) i intraluminalne maternične tekućine (ILUF u milimetrima) procijenjena je s pomoću test traka i transrektalne ultrasonografije kako bi se dijagnosticirao supklinički endometritis osam tjedana poslije porođaja. ROC krivulja upotrijebljena je kako bi se odredio dijagnostički prag PMNC-a i ILUF-a. Optimalna vrijednost praga za PMNC bila je ≥ 6 % (područje ispod krivulje (AUC) 0,89; osjetljivost 85,71 %; specifičnost 83,33 %; P < 0,05), a za ILUF ≥ 3,40 mm for (AUC – 0,92; osjetljivost 100 %; specifičnost 83,33 %; P < 0,05). Omjer dijagnostičkih izgleda (DOR) za razvoj supkliničkog endometritisa u krava koje su imale postotak PMNC-a i ILUF iznad praga bio je 7,70 za PMNC i 6,00 za ILUF. Analizirani su rani reproduktivni pokazatelji, kao što je broj dana potreban za završetak involucije maternice (UINV) i prva postpartalna ovulacija (FPO), te se pokazalo da su bili znakovito veći u krava sa supkliničkim endometritisom uzme li se u obzir postotak PMNC-a (P < 0,01 za UINV i P < 0,05 za FPO) i ILUF (P < 0,05 za UINV i P < 0,01 za FPO). Analiza linearne korelacije pokazala je znakovit odnos (P ≤ 0,01 – 0,05) između vrijednosti PMNC-a i ranih reproduktivnih pokazatelja. Slično, uočena je znakovita korelacija (P < 0,01) između ILUF-a i PMNC-a, bez obzira na dijagnostički prag. Endometralnom je citologijom i transrektalnom ultrasonografijom s dijagnostičkim pragom ≥ 6 % za PMNC i ≥ 3,40 mm za ILUF dijagnosticiran supklinički endometritis, zbog čega je odgođeno uspostavljanje uvjeta za ranu reprodukciju nakon porođaja.

At the foundation of scientific evaluation is the labor-intensive process of peer review. This critical task requires participants to consume vast amounts of highly technical text. Prior work has annotated different aspects of review argumentation, but discourse relations between reviews and rebuttals have yet to be examined. We present DISAPERE, a labeled dataset of 20k sentences contained in 506 review-rebuttal pairs in English, annotated by experts. DISAPERE synthesizes label sets from prior work and extends them to include fine-grained annotation of the rebuttal sentences, characterizing their context in the review and the authors' stance towards review arguments. Further, we annotate every review and rebuttal sentence. We show that discourse cues from rebuttals can shed light on the quality and interpretation of reviews. Further, an understanding of the argumentative strategies employed by the reviewers and authors provides useful signal for area chairs and other decision makers.

We introduce DiffOpt.jl, a Julia library to differentiate through the solution of optimization problems with respect to arbitrary parameters present in the objective and/or constraints. The library builds upon MathOptInterface, thus leveraging the rich ecosystem of solvers and composing well with modeling languages like JuMP. DiffOpt offers both forward and reverse differentiation modes, enabling multiple use cases from hyperparameter optimization to backpropagation and sensitivity analysis, bridging constrained optimization with end-to-end differentiable programming. DiffOpt is built on two known rules for differentiating quadratic programming and conic programming standard forms. However, thanks ability to differentiate through model transformation, the user is not limited to these forms and can differentiate with respect to the parameters of any model that can be reformulated into these standard forms. This notably includes programs mixing affine conic constraints and convex quadratic constraints or objective function.

Although deep neural networks are typically computationally expensive to use, technological advances in both the design of hardware platforms and of neural network architectures, have made it possible to use powerful models on edge devices. To enable widespread adoption of edge based machine learning, we introduce a set of open-source tools that make it easy to deploy, update and monitor machine learning models on a wide variety of edge devices. Our tools bring the concept of containerization to the TinyML world. We propose to package ML and application logic as containers called Runes to deploy onto edge devices. The containerization allows us to target a fragmented Internet-of-Things (IoT) ecosystem by providing a common platform for Runes to run across devices., Comment: Presented at the tinyML 2021 Research Symposium

With limited data comparing hematopoietic cell transplant outcomes between myeloablative total body irradiation (TBI) containing and non-TBI regimens in children with de novo acute myeloid leukemia, the aim of this study was to compare transplant-outcomes between these regimens. Cox regression models were used to compare transplant-outcomes after TBI and non-TBI regimens in 624 children transplanted between 2008 and 2016. Thirty two percent (n=199) received TBI regimens whereas 68% (n=425) received non-TBI regimens. Five-year non-relapse mortality was higher with TBI regimens (22% vs. 11%, P

The effect of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) on the risk of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) and relapse has not been specifically studied in older adults, who are increasingly undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) and surviving long-term to develop cGVHD. In this Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) analysis, we tested our hypothesis that the risk of NRM was higher with the development of cGVHD, particularly among older adults (age ≥60 years). We included 4429 adults age ≥40 years who underwent a first HLA-matched peripheral blood stem cell alloHCT for acute myelogenous leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome between 2008 and 2017. We compared outcomes of 4 groups-older adults (≥60 years) and younger adults (40 to 59 years) with cGVHD and older and younger adults without cGVHD-to determine the effect of older age and cGVHD on various outcomes. We used Cox proportional hazard models to determine the risk of NRM, relapse, and overall survival (OS). We treated cGVHD as a time-dependent covariate. The severity of cGVHD was based on the CIBMTR clinical definitions. cGVHD was significantly associated with a higher risk of NRM and lower risk of relapse regardless of age. The risk of NRM was higher for older adults versus younger adults. Adults who developed cGVHD as a group had longer OS compared with age-matched cohorts without cGVHD. Older adults had worse OS regardless of cGVHD. Among adults with cGVHD, clinically moderate or severe cGVHD was associated with a significantly higher risk of NRM and lower risk of relapse; severe cGVHD was associated with shorter OS, whereas mild to moderate cGVHD was associated with longer OS. Among both younger and older adults, the development of cGVHD was associated with a higher risk of NRM, lower risk of relapse, and longer OS. Older adults had a higher risk of NRM, but the increased risk of NRM associated with cGVHD did not differ based on age. The development of mild to moderate cGVHD offered the most favorable balance between minimizing NRM and decreasing the risk of relapse. The relapse risk was lowest for adults with severe cGVHD, but high NRM resulted in shorter OS. Developing strategies to avoid clinically severe cGVHD is critically important. © 2021 American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Tema/problemstilling Dette kvalitetsforbedringsprosjektet omhandler antibiotikabehandling av streptokokktonsillitt i allmennpraksis. Norge har siden 2008 fastholdt 10-dagers antibiotikabehandling for streptokokktonsillitt. Denne anbefalingen fra nasjonale retningslinjer er basert på eldre studier av lav kvalitet. Forbedringsprosjektet vårt går ut på å endre dagens praksis av antibiotikabehandlingen i tråd med anbefalingene fra nyere internasjonale studier, som anbefaler en halvering av behandlingslengden, til en 5-dagers antibiotikakur. Mikrosystemet vårt er Halmstad legekontor som praktiserer i tråd med dagens retningslinjer, og har sagt seg villige til å delta i prosjektet vårt. Målet vårt er å bidra til å redusere antibiotikaresistens, ved å redusere bruken av antibiotika. Kunnskapsgrunnlag Basert på PICO-spørsmål til oppgaven er det gjort et pyramidesøk og et søk i PubMeds database for å utforske kunnskapsgrunnlaget. Det er basert på hovedsakelig en randomisert kontrollert studie, Ståhlgren et al 2019. I tillegg er kunnskapsgrunnlaget vurdert i de kliniske oppslagsverkene UpToDate og Best Practice BMJ, norske retningslinjer ved antibiotikasenteret for primærmedisin, NICE-guidelines og til slutt to systematiske oversikter på temaet. Tiltak/kvalitetsindikator Tiltaket om å behandle pasienter med penicillin 660mg x4 i 5 dager istedenfor 10 dager er hovedsakelig tenkt relevant fordi det reduserer den totale bruken av antibiotika, samtidig som tiltaket gir raskere klinisk symptomfrihet og bedrer etterlevelsen for pasienten. Kvalitetsindikatoren vi har valgt for dette prosjektet er en prosessindikator som belyser «andelen forskrivninger av 5-dagers kurer ved streptokokkhals». Indikatoren anses som relevant, målbar, pålitelig og sensitiv for endring. I tillegg anses risikoen for feiltolkninger og risikoen for at tiltaket skal stjele oppmerksomhet fra andre legeoppgaver som svært liten. Ledelse/organisering For å innføre denne endringen settes det ned en prosjektgruppe ved Halmstad legekontor. Prosjektgruppen ledes av fagansvarlig lege og omfatter behandlende leger, samt en helsesekretær. Prosjektet er strukturert etter nasjonalt kunnskapssenter for helsetjenesten sin kvalitetsforbedringsmodell. Ny praksis innføres vintersesongen 2021/2022 fra oktober til og med mars. Gjennomføring av ny forskrivningspraksis måles fra journaldata. Målet er at 90% eller mer av kurene foreskrevet ved streptokokktonsillitt varer 5 dager. Konklusjon En 5 dagers antibiotikakur med fenoksymetylpenicillin for streptokokkhals viser seg å ikke være underlegen en 10 dagers behandling ifølge en nyere randomisert kontrollert studie. På bakgrunn av denne og resten av kunnskapsgrunnlaget anses det som sterkt nok grunnlag til å redusere behandlingslengden med antibiotika av streptokokktonsillitter fra 10 til 5 dager. Arbeidet med å innføre disse endringene vil være lite ressurskrevende for legekontoret.

The angle of Arrival (AoA) estimation is of great interest in modern communication systems. Traditional maximum likelihood-based iterative algorithms are sensitive to initialization and cannot be used online. We propose a Bayesian method to find AoA that is insensitive towards initialization. The proposed method is less complex and needs fewer computing resources than traditional deep learning-based methods. It has a faster convergence than the brute-force methods. Further, a Hedge type solution is proposed that helps to deploy the method online to handle the situations where the channel noise and antenna configuration in the receiver change over time. The proposed method achieves $92\%$ accuracy in a channel of noise variance $10^{-6}$ with $19.3\%$ of the brute-force method's computation.

In this article, we study a discounted stochastic game to model resource optimal intrusion detection in wireless sensor networks. To address the problem of uncertainties in various network parameters, we propose a globalized robust game theoretic framework for discounted robust stochastic games. A robust solution to the considered problem is an optimal point that is feasible for all realizations of data from a given uncertainty set. To allow a controlled violation of the constraints when the parameters move out of the uncertainty set, the concept of globalized robust framework comes into view. In this article, we formulate a globalized robust counterpart for the discounted stochastic game under consideration. With the help of globalized robust optimization, a concept of globalized robust Markov perfect equilibrium is introduced. The existence of such an equilibrium is shown for a discounted stochastic game when the number of actions of the players is finite. The contraction mapping theorem, Kakutani fixed point theorem and the concept of equicontinuity are used to prove the existence result. To compute a globalized robust Markov perfect equilibrium for the considered discounted stochastic game, a tractable representation of the proposed globalized robust counterpart is also provided. Using the derived tractable representation, we formulate a globalized robust intrusion detection system for wireless sensor networks. The simulation result reveals that the proposed globalized solution is much less sensitive to data perturbations than the robust solution., Comment: paper has incorrect graphs and results

The Drug Induced Liver Injury Network reports dietary supplements as one of the most important causes of drug induced hepatotoxicity, yet millions of people use these supplements without being aware of their potential life-threatening side effects. Garcinia cambogia (GC) extract is an herbal weight loss supplement, reported to cause fulminant hepatic failure. We present a case of a 57-year-old female with no previous history of liver disease, who presented with acute hepatitis due to GC extract taken for weight loss, which resolved after stopping it and got reaggravated on retaking it. Obtaining a history of herbal supplement use is critical in the evaluation of acute hepatitis.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States experience a disproportionate burden of HIV and bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. Screening levels among MSM remain inadequate owing to barriers to testing such as stigma, privacy and confidentiality concerns, transportation issues, insufficient clinic time, and limited access to health care. Self-collection of specimens at home and their return by mail for HIV and bacterial STI testing, as well as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence monitoring, could be a resource-efficient option that might mitigate some of these barriers. Objective: Project Caboodle! is a mixed-methods study that explores the acceptability and feasibility of self-collecting and returning a bundle of 5 different specimens for HIV and bacterial STI testing, as well as PrEP adherence monitoring, among sexually active HIV-negative or unknown status MSM in the United States aged 18 to 34 years. Methods: Participants will be recruited using age, race, and ethnicity varied advertising on social networking websites and mobile gay dating apps. In Phase 1, we will send 100 participants a box containing materials for self-collecting and potentially returning a finger-stick blood sample (for HIV testing), pharyngeal swab, rectal swab, and urine specimen (for gonorrhea and chlamydia testing), and hair sample (to assess adequacy for potential PrEP adherence monitoring). Specimen return will not be incentivized, and participants can choose to mail back all, some, or none of the specimens. Test results will be delivered back to participants by trained counselors over the phone. In Phase 2, we will conduct individual in-depth interviews using a video-based teleconferencing software (VSee) with 32 participants from Phase 1 (half who returned all specimens and half who returned some or no specimens) to examine attitudes toward and barriers to completing various study activities. Results: Project Caboodle! was funded in May 2018, and participant recruitment began in March 2019. The processes of designing a study logo, creating advertisements, programming Web-based surveys, and finalizing step-by-step written instructions accompanied by color images for specimen self-collection have been completed. The boxes containing 5 self-collection kits affixed with unique identification stickers are being assembled, and shipping procedures (for mailing out boxes to participants and for specimen return by participants using prepaid shipping envelopes) and payment procedures for completing the surveys and in-depth interviews are being finalized. Conclusions: Self-collection of biological specimens at home and their return by mail for HIV and bacterial STI testing, as well as PrEP adherence monitoring, might offer a practical and convenient solution to improve comprehensive prevention efforts for high-risk MSM. The potentially reduced time, expense, and travel associated with this approach could facilitate a wider implementation of screening algorithms and remote monitoring strategies. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/13647

Massive splenomegaly with severe hypersplenism can occur as a late complication of portal hypertension (PH) caused by extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) in children. Severe hypersplenism is often refractory to treatment with endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) and shunt surgery. We report our experience of managing this disorder surgically.We performed splenectomy and esophagogastric devascularization via laparotomy in 14 children with an average age of 9.7 years. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy had shown esophageal varices of varying grade, and EST had been done for patients with a history of bleeding. The indications for surgery were pain and discomfort caused by a large spleen greater than 15 cm below the costal margin, and intractable symptomatic hypersplenism with a total leukocyte count2500/mm3 and a platelet count50,000/mm3, or both.Postoperative recovery was uneventful and the leukocyte and platelet counts reverted to normal. After follow-up for 1-5 years, all 14 children were asymptomatic, with improved growth and nutrition and no reported episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding, sepsis, or encephalopathy.Splenectomy with devascularization is effective for children with massive splenomegaly and severe hypersplenism secondary to EHPVO.

Background/Purpose Isolated splenic abscesses are rare in pediatric patients. The recommended treatment in the literature has been in favor of splenectomy, although conservative treatment with splenic preservation is being increasingly reported. We report successful management of 4 pediatric patients with splenic abscess by needle aspirations and antibiotics. Materials and Methods Four children (aged 7-11 years; male-female, 3:1) were admitted in our institution with history of high-grade fever with chills, anorexia, left hypochondrial pain, and splenomegaly. One child was a known case of thalassemia, and one had a history of typhoid fever. The others did not have any predisposing condition. Ultrasonography (USG) and computed tomographic scan of the abdomen showed a solitary abscess in the spleen in 2 patients and multiple abscesses in the other 2. Ultrasonography-guided needle aspiration in 3 cases revealed purulent fluid, which, on culture, grew Escherichia coli in 1 case, Salmonella paratyphi A in 1 case, but sterile in 1 case. Blood culture was sterile in all the cases, but Widal's test was positive in 2 patients. Treatment protocol included USG-guided needle aspiration of pus along with intravenous ceftriaxone, metronidazole, and amikacin for 3 to 12 weeks. Results All 4 patients showed a good response to conservative treatment. Serial USG showed gradual resolution of abscess, and none was subjected to splenectomy. Conclusion Isolated splenic abscess in children can be successfully treated with needle aspirations and intravenous antibiotics, thereby avoiding splenectomy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The purpose of this prospective study was to review the operative findings, treatment strategies, as well as the results of management of 46 consecutive cases of jejunoileal and colonic atresia, managed over a 2-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 42 patients with jejunoileal atresia (JIA) and 4 with colonic atresia (CA). The 4 group types were: type I-membranous (n=20), type II- blind ends separated by a fibrous cord (n=6), type IIIa- blind ends with a V-shaped mesenteric defect (n=10), type IIIb- apple-peel atresia (n=4) and type IV- multiple atresias (n=6). Primary surgery for JIA consisted of resection with a single anastomosis (n=37), anastomosis after tapering jejunoplasty (n=3), multiple anastomosis (n=1) and a Bishop-Koop ileostomy (n=1). For CA, resection with primary anastomosis was performed. A single end-to-oblique anastomosis after adequate resection of dilated proximal bowel, was the preferred surgical procedure. In the absence of facilities for administering TPN, early oral/nasogastric (NG) tube feeding was encouraged. In patients with anastomotic dysfunction, conservative treatment of the obstruction followed after its resolution by gradually increased NG feeds, was the preferred treatment protocol. RESULTS: Late presentation or diagnosis with hypovolemia, electrolyte imbalance, unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia (n=25) and sepsis (n=6), were significant preoperative findings. After resection and anastomosis, significant shortening of bowel length was seen in 16 patients (34.7%). Postoperative complications included an anastomotic leak (n=3), a perforation proximal to the anastomosis in 1 and anastomotic dysfunction in 5 patients. Full oral or NG tube feeding was possible only by the 13th to 31st postoperative day (POD), after the primary surgery in patients with anastomotic dysfunction and those undergoing reoperation. Overall, 38 patients survived (82.6%). Mortality was highest in patients with type IIIb or type IV JIA. CONCLUSIONS: Despite lack of ideal facilities for neonatal intensive care and administration of TPN, good results were achieved in the management of JIA and CA by following these principles: (1) adequate preoperative resuscitation, (2) meticulous surgical technique and a standardized surgical protocol, (3) early recognition of postoperative complications and their management by a uniform protocol and (4) wherever possible, early institution of oral or NG feeds, preferably by breast milk.

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The concept of semi compatibility is given in probabilistic metric space and it has been applied to prove the existence of unique common fixed point of four self-maps with weak compatibility satisfying an implicit relation. At the end we provide examples in support of the result., Authors thank to MPCOST, Bhopal for financial support through the project M-19/2006., 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 54H25, 47H10.

Peritonitis due to rupture of liver hydatid cyst secondary to blunt abdominal trauma can present with fatal consequences. Timely diagnosis and appropriate surgical management can be life saving. We report a case of ruptured liver hydatid cyst in the peritoneal cavity following trauma and its successful operative management in a preadolescent previously asymptomatic boy. Importance of detailed physical examination and early diagnosis by using appropriate radiological investigations is highlighted.

Background : Male-specific late effects after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) include genital chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), hypogonadism, sexual dysfunction, infertility, and subsequent malignancies, such as prostate, penile, and testicular cancer. They may be closely intertwined and cause prolonged morbidity and decreased quality of life after HCT. Objective : Here, we provide a systematic review of male-specific late effects in a collaboration between transplant physicians, endocrinologists, urologists, dermatologists, and sexual health professionals through the Late Effects and Quality of Life Working Committee of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, and the Transplant Complications Working Party of the European Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Study Design : We utilized systematic review methodology to summarize incidence, risk factors, screening, prevention and treatment of these complications and provide consensus evidence-based recommendations for clinical practice and future research. Results : Most of the evidence regarding male GvHD is still based on limited data, precluding strong therapeutic recommendations. We therefore recommend to systematically screen for male genital GvHD regularly and report it to large registries to allow for a better understanding. Future research should also address treatment since little published evidence is available to date. Male-specific endocrine consequences of HCT include hypogonadism which may also affect bone health. Since the evidence is scarce, current recommendations for hormone substitution and/or bone health treatment are based on similar principles as for the general population. Following HCT, sexual health decreases and this topic should be addressed at regular intervals. Future studies should focus on interventional strategies to address sexual dysfunction. Infertility remains prevalent in patients having undergone myeloablative conditioning, which warrants offering sperm preservation in all HCT candidates. Most studies on fertility rely on descriptive registry analysis and surveys, hence the importance of reporting post-HCT conception data to large registries. Although the quality of evidence is low, the development of cancer in male genital organs does not seem more prevalent than in the general population; however, subsequent malignancies in general seem to be more prevalent in males than females, and special attention should be given to skin and oral mucosa. Conclusion : Male-specific late effects, probably more under-reported than female-specific complications, should be systematically considered during the regular follow-up visits of male survivors who have undergone HCT. Care of patients with male-specific late effects warrants close collaboration between transplant physicians and specialists from other involved disciplines. Future research should be directed towards better data collection on male-specific late effects and on studies about the interrelationship between these late effects, to allow the development of evidence based effective management practices.

Video content is a massive source of entertainment, education, and income for a large population of online users. As more reliance upon this medium enters the field of education, formal and informal, people need tools to enhance their ability to tell stories and engage an audience. A tool that easily adjusts without compromising the interaction, the storytelling, or the visual moment, while also capturing as much information as possible, might be of great benefit to all creators of video content. Allowing tutorial creators the ability to efficiently record multiple views of their content may better aid in presenting concepts while retaining the attention of the viewership. The opportunity to present information effectively may have impacts on fields including education as well as entertainment. This thesis aims to explore possible reasons why content can be made to retain the audience's attention and to create a tool utilizing these facets for far reaching possibilities. Master of Science Video content is a massive source of entertainment, education, and income for a large population of online users. As more reliance upon this medium enters the field of education, formal and informal, people need tools to enhance their ability to tell stories and engage an audience. A tool that easily adjusts without compromising the interaction, the storytelling, or the visual moment, while also capturing as much information as possible, might be of great benefit to all creators of video content. Allowing tutorial creators the ability to efficiently record multiple views of their content may better aid in presenting concepts while retaining the attention of the viewership. The opportunity to present information effectively may have impacts on fields including education as well as entertainment. This thesis aims to explore possible reasons why content can be made to retain the audience's attention and to create a tool utilizing these facets for far reaching possibilities.

Malawi is currently identified as one of the poorest countries in the world, based upon economic factors and the large dependence of the country on foreign aid. Poverty is endemic, but how does one measure factors such as happiness and contentment that exists in many communities? How does one account for cultural richness and diversity? Known as the warm heart of Africa, Malawi lives up to its reputation through the warmth and hospitality shown by its people. In spite of an absence of a strong formal architectural history, one cannot help but be impressed by the crude vernacular architecture that is found throughout the country. Together these two conditions, the warm heart and vernacular architecture lead to the question concerning the role of architecture in augmenting Malawis image globally. How can these pre-liminal conditions come together as a force that would start scripting the path of progress for Malawi as a nation? This thesis evaluates the current pre-liminal situation in Malawi through the study of its activities, events and culture. It proposes an intervention in the form of a new library which at its core is developed around the principles of liminality. From the gathering spaces to the local construction techniques and the use of shaded spaces in and around the building, this thesis is an attempt to trigger a liminal shift in Malawi. Master of Architecture

What does sustainability mean with respect to furniture design and fabrication? How has technology - created and subsequently clouded - opportunities for new thinking? This body of work explores these broader questions and, more specifically, the efficiencies of bending wood. Historical precedents will guide a distillation of established bentwood technologies, which in turn will generate a more sustainable operation. The framework of this operation revolves around a minimalist approach to design coupled with an increased focus on product longevity - the paramount sustainable attribute. Additionally, an investigation of suitable alternatives to the most common - and highly toxic - adhesives is necessary. Beyond secondary research the primary research will utilize small-scale models to minimize material waste while examining the appropriateness of new processes. These studies will emulate the sculptural plywood experiments of Alvar Aalto and Charles and Ray Eames. The final manufacturing process will make use of these study models with the intent of generating a modular system of interchangeable formwork to customize sustainably produced pieces. Final deliverables include the tangible studies along with full-scale designs utilizing modular formwork and a research component documenting the potential for a more comprehensive definition of sustainability with regards to furniture. Master of Science

Recent advances in technology are reshaping and enhancing the role of the industrial designer. While industrial designers are already trained to be experts in process and possess a wide range of skills, there must be a higher level of fusion between design, science, and technology than ever before. This paradigm presents an opportunity in the emerging field of wearable technology; industrial design, engineering and computer science would be an optimal collaboration for the inevitable increase in mixes of disciplines to address all aspects of a product and its development. By investigating products from companies such as Nike and Adidas, and also by exploring themes of personal augmentation in science fiction, this thesis will explore the conceptualization of a soft, wearable garment system for runners that utilizes developing advancements in technology, apparel and graphical user interface. Master of Science