Neuropeptide Y in GCF in periodontal health and disease

Objectives: To determine whether neuropeptide Y (NPY) is present in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in both periodontal health and disease and to study the relationship of NPY with periodontal inflammation. Methods: GCF samples (30 s) were collected from one site with both pocket depth (>4mm) and loss of periodontal attachment (>4mm) in 20 patients with chronic periodontitis (mean age 41.4, SD 9.6 yrs; 10 m, 10 f). GCF was also collected from clinically healthy sites (< 3mm, no bleeding on probing) in 20 subjects with no periodontitis (mean age 37.4, SD 11.7; 10 m, 10 f). GCF was collected using the periopaper strip method, diluted in 500 ul of phosphate-buffered saline and stored at –70°C. Samples were analysed in duplicate for NPY by radioimmunoassay. NPY levels were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Results: Measurable NPY was present in all the GCF samples collected from healthy subjects. NPY was below the level of detection in 4 (20%) of the diseased subjects. There was considerable variability in the amount of NPY collected from both groups. There were no differences between the levels of NPY measured in males compared with females in either the healthy or diseased groups. Significantly more (P< 0.0001) NPY (pg) was collected from healthy subjects (Median 165, IQR 80; mean 161, SD 64) than diseased subjects (Median 37.5, IQR 56.3; mean 39.8, SD 35.1). There was more variability in the NPY concentration (pg/ul) which was also significantly higher in healthy (Median 575.7, IQR 562.3; mean 645.7, SD 416.7) compared with diseased subjects (Median 43.6, IQR 117.4; mean 96.4, SD 124.5). Conclusions: It is concluded that the levels of NPY in GCF sampled

Exploring the Roles of Technology and Social Play in Art Museums

This co-written chapter was included in an edited book featuring invited authors from different countries and different areas of museum research and practice. The chapter uses a theory of play by Johan Huizinga (1938) to frame case studies of play-based interactive experiences in museums in various countries. The aim was to use theory to ground museum practice, in order to evaluate existing practical implementations as well as to inform the design of new ones. The book was nominated as one of the 10 best museum education books of 2011 by Museum Education Monitor, and the chapter led to a subsequent technology residency the author undertook in the Spike Island gallery, Bristol in 2012, funded by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, Arts and Humanities Research Council and Arts Council England. It also informed his subsequent postgraduate teaching, an example of which is a recent MA project, which deconstructs play from a computational perspective. Collaborations have continued with the co-author, which have resulted in a number of invited lectures. In this chapter the authors explore play as a structure for supporting visitor learning, drawing from international research in museums and interaction design. Four aspects of play first proposed by Huizinga are explored – the free-choice aspect of play, play as distinct from real life, play as an ordering structure, and the role of play in bridging communities. The chapter argues that play provides museums with ready-made structures and concepts, which can help planning for visitor learning. The research was equally divided between the co-authors, who developed the conceptual and theoretical aspects of the article by drawing on their own research alongside key examples of museum design and digital media.

Developmental patterns of individiuals within a sensory-based learning environment in art education : insights emerging from a case study /

My research permitted me to reexamine my recent evaluations of the Leaf Project given to the Foundation Year students during the fall semester of 1997. My personal description of the drawing curriculum formed part of the matrix of the Foundation Core Studies at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Research was based on the random selection of 1 8 students distributed over six of my teaching groups. The entire process included a representation of all grade levels. The intent of the research was to provide a pattern of alternative insights that could provide a more meaningful method of evaluation for visual learners in an art education setting. Visual methods of learning are indeed complex and involve the interplay of many sensory modalities of input. Using a qualitative method of research analysis, a series of queries were proposed into a structured matrix grid for seeking out possible and emerging patterns of learning. The grid provided for interrelated visual and linguistic analysis with emphasis in reflection and interconnectedness. Sensory-based modes of learning are currently being studied and discussed amongst educators as alternative approaches to learning. As patterns emerged from the research, it became apparent that a paradigm for evaluation would have to be a progressive profile of the learning that would take into account many of the different and evolving learning processes of the individual. A broader review of the student's entire development within the Foundation Year Program would have to have a shared evaluation through a cross section of representative faculty in the program. The results from the research were never intended to be conclusive. We realized from the start that sensory-based learning is a difficult process to evaluate from traditional standards used in education. The potential of such a process of inquiry permits the researcher to ask for a set of queries that might provide for a deeper form of evaluation unique to the students and their related learning environment. Only in this context can qualitative methods be used to profile their learning experiences in an expressive and meaningful manner.

The Elucidation of the involvement of endonuclease DNase y in reducing DNA transfection efficiency in mammalian cells

Gene therapy is predicated upon efficient gene transfer. While viral vectors are the method of choice for transformation efficiency, the immunogenicity and safety concerns remain problematic. Non-viral vectors, on the other hand, have shown high degrees of safety and are mostly non-immunogenic in nature. However, non-viral vectors usually suffer from low levels oftransformation efficiency and transgene expression. Thus, increasing transformation efficiency ofnon-viral vectors, in particular by calcium phosphate co-precipitation technique, is a way of generating a suitable vector for gene therapy and is the aim of this study. It is a long known fact that different cell lines have different transfection efficiencies regardless oftransfection methodology (Lin et a!., 1994). Using commonly available cell lines Madine-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK), HeLa and Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK-293), we have shown a decreasing trend ofDNase activity based on a plasmid digestion assay. From densitometry studies, as much as a 40% reduction in DNase activity was observed when comparing HEK-293 (least active) to MDBK (most active). Using various biochemical assays, it was determined that DNase y, in particular, was expressed more highly in MDBK cells than both HeLa and HEK-293. Upon cloning of the bovine DNase y gene, we utilized the sequence information to construct antisense expressing plasmids via both traditional antisense RNA (pASDGneoM) and siRNA (psiRNA-S4, psiRNA-S11 and psiRNA-S16). For the construction ofpASDGneoM, the 3' end of the DNase y was inserted in opposite orientation under a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter such that the expression ofRNA complementary to the DNase 2 ymRNA occurred. For siRNA plasmids, the sequence was screened to yield optimal short sequences for siRNA inhibition. The silencing ofbovine DNase y led to an increase in transfection efficiency based on traditional calcium phosphate co-precipitation technique; stable clones of siRNA-producing MDBK cell lines (psiRNA-S4 Bland psiRNA-S4 B4) both demol).strated 4-fold increases in transfection efficiency. Furthermore, serial transfection of antisense DNase y plasmid pASDGneoM and reporter pCMV-~ showed a maximum of 8-fold increase in transfection efficiency when the two separate transfections were carried out 4 hours apart (i.e. transfection ofpASDGneoM, separated by four hours, then transfection ofpCMV-~). Together, these results demonstrate the involvement ofDNase y in reducing transfection efficiency, at least by traditional calcium phosphate technique.

Making it "click": collaborative perceptions of creative practice in art education /

Making it "Click": Collaborative Perceptions ofCreative Practice in Art Education examined the teaching practice of 6 art educators who conducted their work through the Niagara Falls Art Gallery's (NFAG) in-schools and Children's Museum programmes. These community resources service the elementary levels of participatory Public, Catholic and French schools in the Niagara Peninsula. The goal of this research was to find ways in which these teachers could explore their creative potential as art educators. The "click," a term introduced by participants indicating the coming together of all positive factors towards creativity, became the central theme behind this study. Research revealed that the effective creative process was not merely a singular phase, but rather a series of 4 processes: 1 , gathering knowledge; 2, intuitive and experiential; 3, the informal presentation of information in which creativity as a process was explored; and 4, formal presentation that took the analysis of information to a deeper, holistic level. To examine the ways in which experience and knowledge could be shared and brought together through a collaborative process, this study employed data collection that used literature research, interviews, focus group discussions, and personal journal entries. Follow-up discussions that assessed the effectiveness of action research, took place VA months after the initial meetings. It is hoped that this study might assist in creative educational practices, for myself as a member of the NFAG teaching team, for colleagues in the art programmes, art educators, and other teachers in the broader disciplines of education.

The ‘Is’ of Fiction Elgin/Goodman Fictionalism : fictions in art and science

Cet essai a pour objet le rôle de la notion de fiction dans les domaines de l’art et de la science. Essentiellement, je soutiens que « fiction » dans ce contexte est « a category mistake » (concept versus genre) et je crois que cet essai peut réussir à « cuire du pain philosophique » en dévoilant une dispute verbale. Je suggère donc de clore un débat philosophique dans son intégralité. Je présente un exposé du style de fictionnalisme abordé par Catherine Z. Elgin et Nelson Goodman (que ce soit dans le contexte des arts ou des sciences, nous parvenons à la compréhension grâce à des fictions sous formes de « vérités non littérales ») et j’explore le concept de la fiction. Je soutiens que les représentations (textes descriptifs de toutes sortes, incluant les modèles) sont constituées d’éléments fictionnels et d’éléments facettés (à l’exception de la version idéale possible ou impossible, c’est-à-dire dans l’esprit de Dieu, qui n’inclurait que les facettes.) La compréhension ne peut provenir de la fiction, mais plutôt d’éléments facettés ordonnés de manière à créer une compréhension qui conduit généralement à des prédictions, des explications et des manipulations. Je définis les facettes comme ayant des caractéristiques organisées, alors que les fictions ont des caractéristiques désorganisées. La fiction dans son intégralité est donc, par définition, l’expression du néant (of nothing), ou en matière de langues idéales (mathématiques), l’expression de contradiction. Les fictions et les facettes relèvent des représentations qui sont elles-mêmes primitives. Les textes descriptifs sont donc fictionnels par degré. Les récits qui sont très fictionnels ont une certaine valeur (souvent ludique) mais contiennent toujours au moins une facette. En fin de compte, toutes les activités représentationnelles devraient être considérées irréelles, incomplètes, bien que parfois connectées à la réalité, c’est-à-dire, prises entre une description réaliste facettée et une fiction dans son intégralité.

La Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos de Oviedo : su origen y evoluci??n

Conseguir un acercamiento a la comprensi??n de las ense??anzas de las Artes y los Oficios en Espa??a, mediante el conocimiento de los programas de la Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Oviedo, de su origen y de la transformaci??n de estos estudios en dicha escuela, que actuar??a como catalizador en el ??mbito regional. Condiciones que posibilitaron la creaci??n del centro, a qui??nes iban dirigidos estos estudios y su posible repercusi??n social, su ordenamiento acad??mico y su evoluci??n. 1) Antecedentes de los estudios de las Artes y los Oficios en Espa??a. 2) La Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Oviedo: su origen y creaci??n. 3) La Escuela de Artes y Oficios: su evoluci??n. Bibliograf??a. Disposiciones legislativas. Fuentes orales. Fuentes manuscritas: registros de matr??culas, registros de entradas y comunicaciones, y actas de la Junta de profesores. Como antecedentes de los estudios de las Artes y los Oficios en Espa??a, se citan los siguientes: los gremios; las juntas y consulados; la Sociedad Econ??mica de Amigos del Pa??s, como fomentadora de la instauraci??n de un nuevo tipo de Educaci??n T??cnica; y el Estado en el siglo XVIII y XIX, creador del Real Conservatorio de Artes para el progreso de los Oficios, de las Artes y de la Agricultura. El antecedente m??s directo de la Escuela de Artes y Oficios, fue la Escuela de Dibujo de Oviedo, creada por la Sociedad de Amigos del Pa??s en 1785. En 1854, esta escuela pasa a convertirse en Academia Elemental de Bellas Artes. Esta academia funcion?? hasta 1886, pasando en ese momento la totalidad de su alumnado a quedar integrado en la Escuela de Artes y Oficios que hab??a sido creada en 1878. A partir de 1900, esta escuela recibi?? varias denominaciones: en 1900 pas?? a llamarse Escuela de Industrias y Bellas Artes, en 1953 se denomin?? Escuela de Artes y Oficios Art??sticos, y en 1963 adquiri?? el nombre que sigue vigente en la actualidad (Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos) con nuevos planes de estudios. En 1986 se lleva a cabo la reforma de la Escuela de Oviedo. A partir de este momento, el programa se compone de dos cursos comunes, tras cuya superaci??n se accede a la especialidad (dise??o gr??fico, grabado y t??cnicas de estampaci??n, dise??o de interiores) cuya duraci??n es de dos cursos, tras los cuales los alumnos deber??n superar un proyecto fin de carrera. El t??tulo obtenido equivale a FPII y posibilita el desarrollo de su especialidad en el campo laboral, o continuar sus estudios en cualquiera de las escuelas universitarias donde hubiera especialidad similar. Este trabajo expone una recopilaci??n de datos y un ordenamiento de un material escaso y disperso, con el fin de que sirva como punto de partida para realizar un posterior an??lisis exhaustivo de la escuela y una interpretaci??n sociol??gica de alumnos y profesores.

Los estudios de las artes y los oficios en Oviedo (1924-1963) : de la Escuela de Artes y Oficios Art??sticos a la Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos

Se analiza, durante el periodo hist??rico de 1924 a 1963, la transformaci??n que han sufrido las ense??anzas de la Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos de Oviedo, sus estudios, profesorado y alumnado, desde su creaci??n por Real Decreto de 15 de marzo de 1924 a partir de la Escuela de Artes e Industrias de Oviedo, hasta el momento de su reordenaci??n como Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos por el Decreto de 24 de junio de 1963.

THE WINCHESTER CENTRE FOR GLOBAL FUTURES IN ART DESIGN & MEDIA

The Winchester Centre for Global Futures in Art Design and Media highlights historical, contemporary and future roles for art, design and media within globalization. Its members build sustained collaborations with international partners in public service, the creative industries and civil society. Critically concerned with art and design practices of making, thinking and representation, the Winchester Centre actively engages in education and enterprise, exploring the contribution of media, materials and technologies to the improvement of human societies globally. Led by professors Jonathan Harris, Sean Cubitt, and Ryan Bishop, the Winchester Centre will make a decisive contribution to the work of the School and the University in future years. The Centre's inaugural professors would like to invite you now to suggest future research themes and activities. In the coming weeks details regarding the programme and prospective membership of the Winchester Centre will be made available.

La influencia y expansión de los valores del liberalismo romántico en el arte pictórico de la segunda mitad del siglo XIX en Europa el impresionismo en Francia y el art nouveau en Austria

El objetivo de este trabajo es doble. Primero: hacer visible la influencia de los valores del liberalismo romántico en la composición de un nuevo orden estético. Y el segundo: mostrar cómo a partir de esta nuevo orden se expande una visión e interpretación del arte y la sociedad ligada al espíritu de esta cosmovisión. Evidenciando así la importancia del arte en la configuración del pensamiento liberal como rector del sistema internacional, donde no sólo los matices económicos, políticos y comerciales permiten la difusión, expansión y consolidación de este pensamiento en la sociedad europea e internacional. Para tal fin, la hipótesis que queremos sostener es que, primero: en el caso del arte de la segunda mitad del siglo XIX en Francia, conocido como impresionismo, están implícitos los valores del liberalismo romántico. Y segundo: por medio del contenido de las obras pictóricas de este movimiento se expanden los mismos valores que incentivaron el arte frances, recalando y haciendose visibles en la sociedad y en el arte de finales del mismo siglo en Austria.

El bachillerato art??stico experimental (artes pl??sticas) en la Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos n??mero 1 de Madrid

Situar hist??ricamente la Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos n?? 1 de Madrid para explicar el origen de una situaci??n que permite llegar a la realizaci??n de estos estudios experimentales justificadamente; recopilar el desarrollo de las actuaciones realizadas hasta llegar al Bachillerato Art??stico Experimental, Artes Pl??sticas y, posteriormente al Bachillerato de Artes, Artes Pl??sticas y Dise??o; recoger la realizaci??n de la experiencia de Bachillerato Art??stico, Artes Pl??sticas, en la Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos n?? 1 de Madrid, dejando constancia hist??rica de esta experiencia educativa; recopilar la legislaci??n existente, evaluar y sacar conclusiones. Se inicia con el an??lisis de la documentaci??n y legislaci??n existente; trata de reconstruir la historia de la Escuela de Artes Aplicada y Oficios n?? 1 de Madrid y secuencializar los hechos y actuaciones que la hacen posible. Se recogen y analizan todos los datos existentes sobre la experiencia del Bachillerato Art??stico en la Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos n?? 1 de Madrid. Para ello, se recurre a los archivos del centro, as?? como datos recogidos directamente de la experiencia. Se recogen testimonios de las personas implicadas en la realizaci??n de la experiencia de Bachillerato Artistico en esta Escuela y en otras escuelas. Se reunen datos sobre el panorama educativo de otros pa??ses europeos y se realiza un an??lisis estad??stico de las calificaciones de curso y de los datos recogidos en la Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad. Investigaci??n hist??rica, enfoque descriptivo, investigaci??n aplicada, investigaci??n evaluativa, an??lisis estad??stico. Las ense??anzas art??sticas (Artes Aplicadas) comienzan a definirse en Espa??a a finales del siglo XVIII y desde entonces existe en ellas un deseo de integrar enfoques art??sticos, cient??ficos e industriales; las ense??anzas art??sticas cubren un sector de formaci??n art??stica que la sociedad demanda y es una formaci??n que incide directamente en la calidad de vida y en la cultura que se construye entre todos. Son ense??anzas restringidas desde su especificidad y en las que se valora sus aspectos cualitativos m??s que cuantitativos. La Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Art??sticos n?? 1 de Madrid, se encuentra muy vinculada a la historia de la misma de estas ense??anzas art??sticas. Hay que considerar el Bachillerato Art??stico Experimental y su sucesor, el Bachillerato de Artes, como una oferta importante en la educaci??n art??stiva de este nivel y, de manera especial, como estudios iniciales que dan paso a estudios universitarios relacionados con estos temas. Cubre las necesidades de un sector minoritario pero importante de la poblaci??n que se orienta hacia un tipo de estudios art??sticos que resultan fundamentales para la cultura del pa??s.