ABSTRACT
Prior work has studied the interaction experiences of screen-reader users with simple online data visualizations (e.g., bar charts, line graphs, scatter plots), highlighting the disenfranchisement of screen-reader users in accessing information from these visualizations. However, the interactions of screen-reader users with online geospatial data visualizations, commonly used by visualization creators to represent geospatial data (e.g., COVID-19 cases per US state), remain unexplored. In this work, we study the interactions of and information extraction by screen-reader users from online geospatial data visualizations. Specifically, we conducted a user study with 12 screen-reader users to understand the information they seek from online geospatial data visualizations and the questions they ask to extract that information. We utilized our findings to generate a taxonomy of information sought from our participants' interactions. Additionally, we extended the functionalities of VoxLens-an open-source multi-modal solution that improves data visualization accessibility-to enable screen-reader users to extract information from online geospatial data visualizations. © 2022 Owner/Author.
ABSTRACT
The pedagogy of a first-year engineering course in manufacturing is presented. This course entitled Manufacturing and Society involves collaboration with social science, is based on industrial robots as the central theme to attract students’ interests and utilizes the flipped classroom approach for delivery. We hypothesize that, in one semester, recent high school graduates will be able to gain knowledge in manufacturing by learning the computer-aided engineering (CAD) software, applying CAD to design a penholder, fabricating the penholder using additive manufacturing and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software, programming the robot to create a toolpath for the pen, drawing using the pen on the penholder guided by a robot, and elaborating on impacts of robotic painting on society from a social science perspective. This course is designed to give students, regardless of their intended major in engineering, broad knowledge in manufacturing via 10 engineering, 3 social science, and 10 technical communication lectures;8 labs;and 4 projects. The social science lectures and discussions focus on how knowledge about society can be used to inform design and manufacturing decisions, social science research methods for understanding how engineers and technology can impact people's lives, and changing trends in work, the workplace, and the future workforce as it relates to manufacturing. This course aimed to give undergraduate first-year engineering students a positive view of advanced manufacturing and its impact on society. Student evaluations and comments were positive and affirmed the learning objective of teaching manufacturing to the first-year engineering students. The flipped classroom approach was demonstrated to be ideal during the COVID-19 pandemic with limited capacity for in-person lectures and labs. The use of flipped classrooms allowed students to learn at their own pace, review and reinforce knowledge, have a closer interaction with instructors, and reduce the number of technical errors using simulation tools. This course with the support of flipped classroom pedagogy can be successfully implemented in the post-pandemic era, devoting the time of the class to answer questions, expand upon the class content and have a closer in-person interaction with students. © 2022
ABSTRACT
In 2016, General David Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, called on 9th Air Force (9 AF) at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina to develop a Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ) capability, with the expectation that other numbered air forces would follow. After declaring initial operation capability in December 2018, 9 AF began to move toward full operating capacity. In the spring of 2020, 9 AF was called on to lead Task Force - Southeast, supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. In August 2020, wings and direct reporting units from 9 AF and the 12th Air Force were integrated to form the 15th Air Force (15 AF), which continues the 9 AF mission to prepare to deploy as a service-retained JTF HQ or Air Expeditionary Task Force headquarters. Before 9 AF was integrated into 15 AF, 9 AF leadership and Headquarters Air Force (HAF) asked the RAND Corporation to examine how JTF HQs are formed and identify those factors that influence the selection of a unit to lead a Joint Task Force (JTF). RAND was also asked to explore how the U.S. Air Force (USAF) can prepare for the unique requirements of leading joint operations. This report outlines those issues associated with "getting ready" (how the USAF can prepare to lead joint operations) and "getting the call" (how the USAF can posture itself to increase and enhance its JTF leadership opportunities). RAND conducted this research through discussions with 9 AF staff, observation of ongoing unit training, engagement with individuals across the U.S. Department of Defense, quantitative analysis of trends in JTF formation from 1990 to 2017, and case studies of the recent joint operations Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, Joint Forces Command - United Assistance, and Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve.
ABSTRACT
Background: The pathobiology of in situ pulmonary thrombosis in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is incompletely characterized. In human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs), hypoxia upregulates expression of a pro-thrombotic NEDD9 peptide (N9 ) on the extracellular plasma membrane surface. We hypothesized that increased pulmonary endothelial N9 is a novel feature of the SARS-CoV-2 pathophenotype. Methods: Paraffin-embedded autopsy lung specimens were acquired from patients with ARDS due to SARS-CoV-2 infection (n=13), ARDS of other causes (n=10), and non-disease controls (n=5). Immunofluorescence characterized expression of N9 , fibrin, and TCF12, a putative binding target of SARS-CoV-2 and known transcriptional regulator of NEDD9. We performed RNA-Seq on mRNA isolated from control HPAECs treated with normoxia or hypoxia (0.2% O2 ) for 24 hr. Immunoprecipitation-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (IP-LC-MS) profiled protein-protein interactions involving N9 relevant to thrombus stabilization. Results: Compared to non-SARS-CoV-2-ARDS lungs, pulmonary endothelial N9 expression and N9-fibrin colocalization was increased by 174% (P<0.002) and 212% (P<0.001) in SARS-CoV-2-ARDS, respectively. Compared to normoxia, hypoxia increased TCF12 mRNA quantity significantly in HPAECs in vitro [+1.19-fold, P=0.001;false discovery rate (FDR)=0.005]. Pulmonary endothelial nuclear TCF12 expression was also increased by 370% in SARS-CoV-2-ARDS vs. controls. In HPAEC plasma membranes, IP-LC-MS identified a novel protein-protein interaction between NEDD9 and the β3 subunit of the αvβ3 integrin, which regulates fibrin anchoring to endothelial cells. Conclusions: Compared to non-SARS-CoV-2-ARDS, SARS-CoV-2-ARDS is associated with increased pulmonary endothelial N9 expression and N9-fibrin colocalization in microthrombi in situ. Increased hypoxia signaling or SARS-CoV-2-mediated regulation of TCF12 are potential mechanisms by which to explain these findings. Identifying N9 in the pulmonary microthrombi of SARS-CoV-2 lungs may have important pathobiological and, potentially, therapeutic implications for ARDS patients.
ABSTRACT
Manufacturing processes is a key subject in undergraduate engineering curricula, and ideally blends theory with hands-on activities and exposure to manufacturing practice. Therewith, the emergence of scalable, versatile digital learning tools and techniques suggests that manufacturing courses should explore how to maximize the use and value of in-person teaching time. This paper describes the application of a flipped classroom model to undergraduate manufacturing processes courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan. In the flipped classroom approach, pre-recorded lecture videos are provided to students, and in-class time is used for hands-on activities and/or labs, thereby promoting discussion and interaction among students and staff. Together, the combination of online preparation and in-person learning is designed to: (1) study manufactured products, and relate observations to fundamental principles;(2) encourage formulation of questions based on open-ended topics;(3) practice written, verbal, and graphical communication skills;and (4) build a layered understanding of manufacturing as a complex system that connects process physics to overarching principles of rate, quality, cost, and flexibility. We also share our experiences teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated a balance of remote and in-person learning, and comment on emerging curriculum elements including use of augmented reality. © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.