Finding our way through phenotypes.

Despite a large and multifaceted effort to understand the vast landscape of phenotypic data, their current form inhibits productive data analysis. The lack of a community-wide, consensus-based, human- and machine-interpretable language for describing phenotypes and their genomic and environmental contexts is perhaps the most pressing scientific bottleneck to integration across many key fields in biology, including genomics, systems biology, development, medicine, evolution, ecology, and systematics. Here we survey the current phenomics landscape, including data resources and handling, and the progress that has been made to accurately capture relevant data descriptions for phenotypes. We present an example of the kind of integration across domains that computable phenotypes would enable, and we call upon the broader biology community, publishers, and relevant funding agencies to support efforts to surmount today's data barriers and facilitate analytical reproducibility.

Mobile authoring of open educational resources for authentic learning scenarios

The proliferation of smartphones in the last decade and the number of publications in the field of authoring systems for computer-assisted learning depict a scenario that needs to be explored in order to facilitate the scaffolding of learning activities across contexts. Learning resources are traditionally designed in desktop-based authoring systems where the context is mostly restricted to the learning objective, capturing relevant case characteristics, or virtual situation models. Mobile authoring tools enable learners and teachers to foster universal access to educational resources not only providing channels to share, remix or re-contextualize these, but also capturing the context in-situ and in-time. As a further matter, authoring educational resources in a mobile context is an authentic experience where authors can link learning with their own daily life activities and reflections. The contribution of this manuscript is fourfold: first, the main barriers for ubiquitous and mobile authoring of educational resources are identified; second, recent research on mobile authoring tools is reviewed, and 10 key shortcomings of current approaches are identified; third, the design of a mobile environment to author educational resources (MAT for ARLearn) is presented, and the results of an evaluation of usability and hedonic quality are presented; fourth, conclusions and a research agenda for mobile authoring are discussed.

Welten Institute, Research Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology

This presentation gives an overview of the Welten Institute Research Portfolio.

Gold, power, protest: Digital and social media and protests against large-scale mining projects in Colombia

Colombia’s Internet connectivity has increased immensely. Colombia has also ‘opened for business’, leading to an influx of extractive projects to which social movements object heavily. Studies on the role of digital media in political mobilisation in developing countries are still scarce. Using surveys, interviews, and reviews of literature, policy papers, website and social media content, this study examines the role of digital and social media in social movement organisations and asks how increased digital connectivity can help spread knowledge and mobilise mining protests. Results show that the use of new media in Colombia is hindered by socioeconomic constraints, fear of oppression, the constraints of keyboard activism and strong hierarchical power structures within social movements. Hence, effects on political mobilisation are still limited. Social media do not spontaneously produce non-hierarchical knowledge structures. Attention to both internal and external knowledge sharing is therefore conditional to optimising digital and social media use.

Intervention éducative auprès de parents quant à l’observation et l’interprétation des comportements spécifiques de leur nouveau-né prématuré afin d’améliorer leur confiance parentale

Rapport de stage présenté à la faculté des sciences infirmières en vue de l’obtention du grade de Maître ès sciences (M.Sc.) en sciences infirmières option expertise-conseil en soins infirmiers

Caracterización y ajuste del factor de magnificación para radiología digital de cadera

Introducción. Las imágenes obtenidas mediante rayos X, determinan una conducta clínica en ortopedia y son analizadas por parte del cirujano en el momento previo a realizar un acto quirúrgico. El planeamiento pre quirúrgico basado en radiografías de cadera, permite predecir el tamaño de los componentes protésicos a utilizar en un reemplazo de cadera. Con el advenimiento de las radiografías digitales, existe la falsa percepción de que estas tienen corregido el factor de magnificación. La corrección de dicho factor requiere un protocolo de calibración de imágenes, aún no implementado en la Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (FSFB). Como consecuencia, las radiografías de cadera actualmente resultan magnificadas. Materiales y métodos. Fueron seleccionados 73 pacientes con reemplazo articular total de la cadera intervenidos en la FSFB. Para cada paciente, se estableció la dimensión de la cabeza protésica en la radiografía de cadera obtenida mediante el sistema de radiología digital (PACS-IMPAX) y su tamaño fue comparado con el de la cabeza femoral implantada. Resultados. La concordancia entre los dos observadores al medir la dimensión radiológica de los componentes protésicos fue excelente y el coeficiente de magnificación promedio de 1.2 (20%). Este será introducido al PACS-IMPAX para ajustar el tamaño definitivo de la radiografía. Conclusión. El ajuste del PACS-IMPAX permite obtener radiografías en las cuales se refleja con mayor precisión el tamaño de los segmentos anatómicos y de los componentes protésicos.

Transcriptional profiling of the LPS induced NF-kappaB response in macrophages

BACKGROUND: Exposure of macrophages to bacterial products such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) results in activation of the NF-kappaB transcription factor, which orchestrates a gene expression programme that underpins the macrophage-dependent immune response. These changes include the induction or repression of a wide range of genes that regulate inflammation, cell proliferation, migration and cell survival. This process is tightly regulated and loss of control is associated with conditions such as septic shock, inflammatory diseases and cancer. To study this response, it is important to have in vitro model systems that reflect the behaviour of cells in vivo. In addition, it is necessary to understand the natural differences that can occur between individuals. In this report, we have investigated and compared the LPS response in macrophage derived cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) derived macrophages. RESULTS: Gene expression profiles were determined following LPS treatment of THP-1 cells for 1 and 4 hours. LPS significantly induced or repressed 72 out of 465 genes selected as being known or putative NF-kappaB target genes, which exhibited 4 temporal patterns of expression. Results for 34 of these genes, including several genes not previously identified as LPS target genes, were validated using real time PCR. A high correlation between microarray and real time PCR data was found. Significantly, the LPS induced expression profile of THP-1 cells, as determined using real time PCR, was found to be very similar to that of human PBMC derived macrophages. Interestingly, some differences were observed in the LPS response between the two donor PBMC macrophage populations. Surprisingly, we found that the LPS response in U937 cells was dramatically different to both THP-1 and PBMC derived macrophages. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a dynamic and diverse transcriptional response to LPS in macrophages, involving both the induction and repression of gene expression in a time dependent manner. Moreover, we demonstrated that the LPS induced transcriptional response in the THP-1 cell line is very similar to primary PBMC derived macrophages. Therefore, THP-1 cells represent a good model system for studying the mechanisms of LPS and NF-kappaB dependent gene expression.

Individual differences in mental control predict involuntary musical imagery

The experience of earworms, a type of involuntary musical imagery, may reflect a systematic failure in mental control. This study focused on how individual differences in each of two factors, schizotypy, or “openness to experience”, and thought suppression might relate to the appearance of the involuntary musical image (earworm). Schizotypy, was measured by Raine’s schizotypal personality questionnaire (SPQ; Raine, 1991) and thought suppression was measured by the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI; Wegner & Zanakos, 1994). Each was found to contribute independently to the overall experience of involuntary musical imagery. Schizotypy was correlated with the length and disruptiveness of earworms, the difficulty with which they were dismissed and the worry they caused, but was not correlated with the frequency of such intrusive imagery. In turn, schizotypy was predicted by suppression and intrusion components of WBSI. The WBSI is associated with the length, disruptiveness, difficulty dismissing and interference but not with the worry caused or the frequency of earworms. The assumption of “ownership” of earworms was also found to affect the extent to which the earworms were considered worrying. Multiple regression analysis showed that both schizotypy and the WBSI predicted the difficulty with which unwanted musical images were dismissed, but that the WBSI accounted for additional variance on top of that accounted for by schizotypy. Finally we consider how earworm management might relate to wider cognitive processes.

A Migração e seu reverso, entre o município de Salvador do Sul (RS) e o Oeste Catarinense (1950-2000).

Esta dissertação parte da análise dos fluxos migratórios que vêm ocorrendo entre o município de Salvador do Sul, no Rio Grande do Sul, e os municípios do Oeste de Santa Catarina, mais especificamente Itapiranga, Palmitos, São Miguel d’Oeste, São Carlos e Tunápolis, no período de 1950 – 2000. O primeiro fluxo migratório ocorrente entre 1950 e 1970 teve como agente potencializador o “acesso a terra”. Jovens casais gaúchos emigraram rumo à fronteira agrícola do Oeste Catarinense, onde se ofereciam terras a preços baixos, constituindo pequenas propriedades familiares. No segundo fluxo, os filhos e netos desses primeiros migrantes que se estabeleceram no Oeste Catarinense migram de volta ao Rio Grande do Sul, na região dos municípios do Vale do Caí, entre os quais desponta Salvador do Sul. A motivação que leva a essa migração é a busca de emprego assalariado sem exigência de mão-deobra especializada, aliada à rede de parentesco existente no município.

Avaliação de misturas asfálticas com incorporação de borracha reciclada de pneus

Este trabalho apresenta uma pesquisa experimental que buscou o entendimento dos fatores influentes no desempenho de misturas asfálticas preparadas com incorporação de borracha reciclada de pneus. Foram estudados tanto os ligantes modificados (asfalto-borracha) e misturas preparadas com tais ligantes, como as misturas tipo agregado-borracha. As misturas de ligantes modificados com borracha (processo úmido) foram preparadas em laboratório e caracterizadas segundo ensaios tradicionais e da Metodologia SUPERPAVETM. Para as misturas agregado-borracha (processo seco) foram preparadas e ensaiadas, misturas tipo concreto asfáltico variando-se os principais fatores intervenientes no desempenho, tais como: granulometria da borracha e do agregado, tempo de digestão da borracha e percentual de borracha. Para caracterização e verificação de desempenho, realizaram-se os ensaios da Metodologia Marshall, ensaios de resistência à tração, módulo de resiliência à compressão diâmetral, fadiga à tensão controlada, adesividade (Metodologia Lottman Modificada), abrasão (Cântabro) e deformação permanente (creep dinâmico e simulador tipo LCPC). Foi construído, também, um pequeno trecho experimental comparativo, para verificação de aspectos executivos e monitoramento de superfície (com borracha-agregado). Os resultados obtidos demonstraram a superioridade tanto dos ligantes modificados quanto das misturas asfálticas preparadas com tais ligantes. Pode-se afirmar que a adição de 12 a 18% de borracha ao ligante, leva à produção de misturas com maior resistência à fadiga e a deformações permanentes e maior durabilidade A incorporação de borracha, através do processo seco, melhora as características de resistência à fadiga e ao trincamento térmico, devido à menor sensibilidade a variações de temperatura. O efeito do tempo de digestão mostrou-se altamente relevante no comportamento das misturas. As medidas de macrotextura in situ indicaram que o revestimento tipo borracha-agregado possui características funcionais melhores que as do trecho comparativo em concreto asfáltico convencional. Ficou evidente a existência de viabilidade técnica para execução de revestimentos com a utilização de borracha reciclada, tanto com o emprego do processo úmido quanto seco.

Arctiinae (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) coletados em unidades de conservação estaduais do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Arctiinae (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) coletados em unidades de conservação estaduais do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. O presente estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de analisar a composição das comunidades de Arctiinae no Parque Estadual do Espigão Alto (Barracão), Parque Estadual de Rondinha (Sarandí), Parque Estadual do Turvo (Derrubadas) e na Reserva Biológica de Ibirapuitã (Alegrete). Dez armadilhas luminosas foram utilizadas para coletar os lepidópteros, de novembro de 2000 a fevereiro de 2001, amostrando-se uma noite em cada local. Os lepidópteros foram identificados aos níveis de subfamília, tribo e, quando possível gênero e espécie. Obteve-se um total de 5.969 arctiíneos pertencentes a 137 morfo espécies, distribuidos em seis tribos.