Influência de movimentos oculares sacádicos no equilíbrio postural de idosos praticantes de vôlei adaptado e idosos sedentários

Pós-graduação em Desenvolvimento Humano e Tecnologias - IBRC

Macchine esperienziali: Narrativa, cognizione e atto di lettura

La mia tesi si riallaccia al dibattito teorico-letterario contemporaneo sulla possibilità di un approccio cognitivo alla narrativa e alla letteratura in particolare. Essa si propone di esplorare il rapporto tra narrazione ed esperienza, ridefinendo il concetto di “esperienzialità” della narrativa introdotto da Monika Fludernik nel suo Towards a “Natural” Narratology (1996). A differenza di Fludernik, che ha identificato l’esperienzialità con la rappresentazione dell’esperienza dei personaggi, la mia trattazione assegna un ruolo di primo piano al lettore, cercando di rispondere alla domanda: perché leggere una storia è – o si costituisce come – un’esperienza? L’intuizione dietro tutto ciò è che le teorizzazioni dell’esperienza e della coscienza nella filosofia della mente degli ultimi venti anni possano gettare luce sull’interazione tra lettori e testi narrativi. Il mio punto di riferimento principale è la scienza cognitiva “di seconda generazione”, secondo cui l’esperienza è un relazionarsi attivo e corporeo al mondo. La prima parte del mio studio è dedicata all’intreccio tra la narrativa e quello che chiamo lo “sfondo esperienziale” di ogni lettore, un repertorio di esperienze già note ai lettori attraverso ripetute interazioni con il mondo fisico e socio-culturale. Mi soffermo inoltre sul modo in cui relazionarsi a un testo narrativo può causare cambiamenti e slittamenti in questo sfondo esperienziale, incidendo sulla visione del mondo del lettore. Mi rivolgo poi al coinvolgimento corporeo del lettore, mostrando che la narrativa può attingere allo sfondo esperienziale dei suoi fruitori anche sul piano dell’esperienza di base: le simulazioni corporee della percezione contribuiscono alla nostra comprensione delle storie, incidendo sia sulla ricostruzione dello spazio dell’ambientazione sia sulla relazione intersoggettiva tra lettori e personaggi. Infine, mi occupo del rapporto tra l’esperienza della lettura e la pratica critico-letteraria dell’interpretazione, sostenendo che – lungi dal costituire due modalità opposte di fruizione dei testi – esse sono intimamente connesse.

Linguistica Cognitiva e analisi retorica: indicazioni per un percorso sulla metafora nella didattica della lingua.

La tesi sviluppa le proposte teoriche della Linguistica Cognitiva a proposito della metafora e propone una loro possibile applicazione in ambito didattico. La linguistica cognitiva costituisce la cornice interpretativa della ricerca, a partire dai suoi concetti principali: la prospettiva integrata, l’embodiment, la centralità della semantica, l’attenzione per la psicolinguistica e le neuroscienze. All’interno di questo panorama, prende vigore un’idea di metafora come punto d’incontro tra lingua e pensiero, come criterio organizzatore delle conoscenze, strumento conoscitivo fondamentale nei processi di apprendimento. A livello didattico, la metafora si rivela imprescindibile sia come strumento operativo che come oggetto di riflessione. L’approccio cognitivista può fornire utili indicazioni su come impostare un percorso didattico sulla metafora. Nel presente lavoro, si indaga in particolare l’uso didattico di stimoli non verbali nel rafforzamento delle competenze metaforiche di studenti di scuola media. Si è scelto come materiale di partenza la pubblicità, per due motivi: il diffuso impiego di strategie retoriche in ambito pubblicitario e la specificità comunicativa del genere, che permette una chiara disambiguazione di fenomeni che, in altri contesti, non potrebbero essere analizzati con la stessa univocità. Si presenta dunque un laboratorio finalizzato al miglioramento della competenza metaforica degli studenti che si avvale di due strategie complementari: da una parte, una spiegazione ispirata ai modelli cognitivisti, sia nella terminologia impiegata che nella modalità di analisi (di tipo usage-based); dall’altra un training con metafore visive in pubblicità, che comprende una fase di analisi e una fase di produzione. È stato usato un test, suddiviso in compiti specifici, per oggettivare il più possibile i progressi degli studenti alla fine del training, ma anche per rilevare le difficoltà e i punti di forza nell’analisi rispetto sia ai contesti d’uso (letterario e convenzionale) sia alle forme linguistiche assunte dalla metafora (nominale, verbale, aggettivale).

Les TICE pour la production écrite et la traduction de l'italien vers le français : le cas de la SSLMIT de Forlì

Les recherches relatives à l'utilisation des TICE se concentrent fréquemment soit sur la dimension cognitive, sur la dimension linguistique ou sur la dimension culturelle. Le plus souvent, les recherches empiriques se proposent d'évaluer les effets directs des TICE sur les performances langagières des apprenants. En outre, les recherches, surtout en psychologie cognitive, sont le plus souvent effectuées en laboratoire. C'est pourquoi le travail présenté dans cette thèse se propose d'inscrire l'utilisation des TICE dans une perspective écologique, et de proposer une approche intégrée pour l'analyse des pratiques effectives aussi bien en didactique des langues qu'en didactique de la traduction. En ce qui concerne les aspects cognitifs, nous recourons à un concept apprécié des praticiens, celui de stratégies d'apprentissage. Les quatre premiers chapitres de la présente thèse sont consacrés à l'élaboration du cadre théorique dans lequel nous inscrivons notre recherche. Nous aborderons en premier lieu les aspects disciplinaires, et notamment l’interdisciplinarité de nos deux champs de référence. Ensuite nous traiterons les stratégies d'apprentissage et les stratégies de traduction. Dans un troisième mouvement, nous nous efforcerons de définir les deux compétences visées par notre recherche : la production écrite et la traduction. Dans un quatrième temps, nous nous intéresserons aux modifications introduites par les TICE dans les pratiques d'enseignement et d'apprentissage de ces deux compétences. Le cinquième chapitre a pour objet la présentation, l'analyse des données recueillies auprès de groupes d'enseignants et d'étudiants de la section de français de la SSLMIT. Il s’agira dans un premier temps, de présenter notre corpus. Ensuite nous procéderons à l’analyse des données. Enfin, nous présenterons, après une synthèse globale, des pistes didactiques et scientifiques à même de prolonger notre travail.

Quantum Einstein gravity - advancements of heat kernel-based renormalization group studies

The asymptotic safety scenario allows to define a consistent theory of quantized gravity within the framework of quantum field theory. The central conjecture of this scenario is the existence of a non-Gaussian fixed point of the theory's renormalization group flow, that allows to formulate renormalization conditions that render the theory fully predictive. Investigations of this possibility use an exact functional renormalization group equation as a primary non-perturbative tool. This equation implements Wilsonian renormalization group transformations, and is demonstrated to represent a reformulation of the functional integral approach to quantum field theory.rnAs its main result, this thesis develops an algebraic algorithm which allows to systematically construct the renormalization group flow of gauge theories as well as gravity in arbitrary expansion schemes. In particular, it uses off-diagonal heat kernel techniques to efficiently handle the non-minimal differential operators which appear due to gauge symmetries. The central virtue of the algorithm is that no additional simplifications need to be employed, opening the possibility for more systematic investigations of the emergence of non-perturbative phenomena. As a by-product several novel results on the heat kernel expansion of the Laplace operator acting on general gauge bundles are obtained.rnThe constructed algorithm is used to re-derive the renormalization group flow of gravity in the Einstein-Hilbert truncation, showing the manifest background independence of the results. The well-studied Einstein-Hilbert case is further advanced by taking the effect of a running ghost field renormalization on the gravitational coupling constants into account. A detailed numerical analysis reveals a further stabilization of the found non-Gaussian fixed point.rnFinally, the proposed algorithm is applied to the case of higher derivative gravity including all curvature squared interactions. This establishes an improvement of existing computations, taking the independent running of the Euler topological term into account. Known perturbative results are reproduced in this case from the renormalization group equation, identifying however a unique non-Gaussian fixed point.rn

Complement C3 is a novel plasma clot component with anti-fibrinolytic properties

Increased plasma clot density and prolonged lysis times are associated with cardiovascular disease. In this study, we employed a functional proteomics approach to identify novel clot components which may influence clot phenotypes.

Met-thodology

Met-regulated expression signature defines a subset of human hepatocellular carcinomas with poor prognosis and aggressive phenotype. Kaposi-Novak P, Lee JS, Gomez-Quiroz L, Coulouarn C, Factor VM, Thorgeirsson SS. Identification of specific gene expression signatures characteristic of oncogenic pathways is an important step toward molecular classification of human malignancies. Aberrant activation of the Met signaling pathway is frequently associated with tumour progression and metastasis. In this study, we defined the Met-dependent gene expression signature using global gene expression profiling of WT and Met-deficient primary mouse hepatocytes. Newly identified transcriptional targets of the Met pathway included genes involved in the regulation of oxidative stress responses as well as cell motility, cytoskeletal organization, and angiogenesis. To assess the importance of a Met-regulated gene expression signature, a comparative functional genomic approach was applied to 242 human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and 7 metastatic liver lesions. Cluster analysis revealed that a subset of human HCCs and all liver metastases shared the Met-induced expression signature. Furthermore, the presence of the Met signature showed significant correlation with increased vascular invasion rate and microvessel density as well as with decreased mean survival time of HCC patients. We conclude that the genetically defined gene expression signatures in combination with comparative functional genomics constitute an attractive paradigm for defining both the function of oncogenic pathways and the clinically relevant subgroups of human cancers. [Abstract reproduced by permission of J Clin Invest 2006;116:1582-1595].

Chemotherapeutic strategies against Trypanosoma brucei: drug targets vs. drug targeting

Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense are the causative agents of sleeping sickness, a fatal disease that affects 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, only a handful of clinically useful drugs are available. These drugs suffer from severe side-effects. The situation is further aggravated by the alarming incidence of treatment failures in several sleeping sickness foci, apparently indicating the occurrence of drug-resistant trypanosomes. Because of these reasons, and since vaccination does not appear to be feasible due to the trypanosomes' ever changing coat of variable surface glycoproteins (VSGs), new drugs are needed urgently. The entry of Trypanosoma brucei into the post-genomic age raises hopes for the identification of novel kinds of drug targets and in turn new treatments for sleeping sickness. The pragmatic definition of a drug target is, a protein that is essential for the parasite and does not have homologues in the host. Such proteins are identified by comparing the predicted proteomes of T. brucei and Homo sapiens, then validated by large-scale gene disruption or gene silencing experiments in trypanosomes. Once all proteins that are essential and unique to the parasite are identified, inhibitors may be found by high-throughput screening. However powerful, this functional genomics approach is going to miss a number of attractive targets. Several current, successful parasiticides attack proteins that have close homologues in the human proteome. Drugs like DFMO or pyrimethamine inhibit parasite and host enzymes alike--a therapeutic window is opened only by subtle differences in the regulation of the targets, which cannot be recognized in silico. Working against the post-genomic approach is also the fact that essential proteins tend to be more highly conserved between species than non-essential ones. Here we advocate drug targeting, i.e. uptake or activation of a drug via parasite-specific pathways, as a chemotherapeutic strategy to selectively inhibit enzymes that have equally sensitive counterparts in the host. The T. brucei purine salvage machinery offers opportunities for both metabolic and transport-based targeting: unusual nucleoside and nucleobase permeases may be exploited for selective import, salvage enzymes for selective activation of purine antimetabolites.

Zielinstruktionen, räumliche Quiet-Eye-Verankerung und Bewegungsparametrisierung: Hinweise auf einen Wirkmechanismus

Die motorikwissenschaftliche Befundlage zum sogenannten „Quiet Eye“ weist darauf hin, dass hohe sportmotorische Leistungen, insbesondere in Präzisionsaufgaben, mit einer langen finalen Fixation vor der Bewegungsentfaltung einhergehen. Ein Mechanismus, der diesen Zusammenhang aus einer kognitionspsychologischen Perspektive erklären könnte, ist die Optimierung von Informationsverarbeitungsprozessen der Bewegungsparametrisierung. Diese Annahme wurde durch eine experimentelle Manipulation von Zielinstruktionen in einer Ballwurfaufgabe untersucht. Zum einen zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass sich die räumliche Verankerung des Quiet Eye in Abhängigkeit der variierten Aufgabenziele verändert; zum anderen deuten die Befunde darauf hin, dass sich Veränderungen der Verankerung im Bewegungsresultat niederschlagen. Damit wird ein kognitiver Wirkmechanismus plausibilisiert, nach dem die Bewegungsgenauigkeit durch Zielinstruktion via räumliche Quiet-Eye-Verankerung bestimmt wird.

Design and evaluation of the parent education component of a comprehensive violence prevention project in middle schools

Low parental monitoring is related to youth risk behaviors such as delinquency and aggression. The purpose of this dissertation was to describe the development and evaluation of a parent education intervention to increase parental monitoring in Hispanic parents of middle school children.^ The first study described the process of intervention mapping as used to develop Padres Trabajando por la Paz, a newsletter intervention for parents. Using theory, empirical literature, and information from the target population, performance objectives and determinants for monitoring were defined. Learning objectives were specified and a staged social-cognitive approach was used to develop methods and strategies delivered through newsletters.^ The second study examined the outcomes of a randomized trial of the newsletter intervention. Outcome measures consisted of a general measure of monitoring, parent and child reports of monitoring behaviors targeted by the intervention, and psychosocial determinants of monitoring (self-efficacy, norms, outcome expectancies, knowledge, and beliefs). Seventy-seven parents completed the randomized trial, half of which received four newsletters over an eight-week period. Results revealed a significant interaction effect for baseline and treatment for parent's reports of norms for monitoring (p =.009). Parents in the experimental condition who scored low at baseline reported increased norms for monitoring at follow-up. A significant interaction effect for child reports of parental monitoring behaviors (p =.04) reflected an small increase across baseline levels in the experimental condition and decreases for the control condition at higher baseline scores. Both groups of parents reported increased levels of monitoring at follow-up. No other outcome measures varied significantly by condition.^ The third study examined the relationship between the psychosocial determinants of parental monitoring and parental monitoring behaviors in the study population. Weak evidence for a relationship between outcome expectancies and parental monitoring behaviors suggests further research in the area utilizing stronger empirical models such as longitudinal design and structural equation modeling.^ The low-cost, minimal newsletter intervention showed promise for changing norms among Hispanic parents for parental monitoring. In light of the importance of parental monitoring as a protective factor for youth health risk behaviors, more research needs to be done to develop and evaluate interventions to increase parental monitoring. ^

The Strategic Role of the Sales Force: Perceptions of Senior Sales Executives

Current models of sales force strategy imply formidable information processing demands, which leads us to take a cognitive approach to studying the issue of sales force strategy. We focus on how top-level executives use mental models of sales force performance to simplify the issue of sales force strategy. We interviewed 74 senior executives responsible for their firms’ selling function using the repertory grid approach, as this methodology has been shown to be particularly effective at uncovering the collective cognitive maps on which executives’ decisions and behaviors are based. Executives identified a broad set of 37 strategic concepts that they felt distinguish the sales force efforts of directly competing companies. A second set of sales executives classified the 37 concepts into capabilities, resources, and organizational context concepts. Based on the classification results and feedback from both sets of executives, we developed research propositions for examining sales force strategy and provide directions for future research.

Critical determinants of estrogen receptor -mediated agonist activity

Exogenous ligands that bind to the estrogen receptor (ER) exhibit unique pharmacologies distinct from that observed with the endogenous hormone, 17β-estradiol (ED. Differential activity among ER ligands has been observed at the level of receptor binding, promoter interaction and transcriptional activation. Furthermore, xenoestrogens can display tissue-specific agonist activity on the cellular level, functioning as an agonist in one tissue and as an antagonist in another. That the same ligand, functioning through the same receptor, can produce differing agonist responses on the cellular level indicates that there are tissue-specific determinants of agonist activity. In these studies critical molecular determinants of agonist activity were characterized for several cell types. In the normal and neoplastic myometrium a proliferative response was dependent upon activation of AF2 of the ER, functioning as a determinant of agonism in this cell type. Progesterone receptor (PR) ligands transdominantly suppressed ER-mediated transcription and proliferation in uterine leiomyoma cells, indicating that ER/PR cross-talk can modulate agonist activity in a myometrial cell background. In the breast, the agonist response to ER ligands was investigated by employing a functional genomics approach to generate gene expression profiles. Treatment of breast cancer cells with the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen largely recapitulated the expression profile induced by treatment with the agonist E2, despite the well-characterized antiproliferative effects produced by tamoxifen in this cell type. While the expression of many genes involved in regulating cell cycle progression, including fos, myc, cdc25a, stk15 and cyclin A, were induced by both E2 and tamoxifen in breast cells, treatment with the agonist E2 specifically induced the expression of cyclin D1, fra-1 , and uracil DNA glycosylase. These results suggest that the inability of tamoxifen to transactivate expression of only a few key genes, functioning as cellular gatekeepers, prevent tamoxifen-treated breast cells from entering the cell cycle. Thus, the expression of these agonist-specific marker genes is a potential determinant of agonist activity at the cellular level in the breast. Collectively, studies in the breast and uterine myometrium have identified several mechanisms whereby ER ligands modulate ER-mediated signaling and provide insights into the biology of tissue-specific agonist activity in hormone-responsive tissues. ^

Vanos ruidos de la lengua : La construcción del lenguaje poético en Eurípides

El análisis retórico tradicional del lenguaje poético de las tragedias de Eurípides ofrece frecuentemente el recuento de una variedad de recursos de estilo. Sin embargo, Eurípides propone una reflexión meta-discursiva acerca de la relación entre el objeto denominado y el nombre con el que se lo denomina, reintroduciendo de esta manera una autoconciencia de su quehacer literario. La cabal comprensión de este planteo meta-discursivo del trágico nos dará una clave que nos permitirá profundizar el sentido de sus usos retóricos. Intentaremos analizar este lenguaje poético euripideo en sus seis tragedias de tema bélico -Heraclidas, Hécuba, Troyanas, Helena, Suplicantes e Ifigenia en Áulide-, como una construcción intelectual autónoma que, en su complejidad retórica, intenta servir de herramienta y espejo (y, por tanto, de aproximación cognitiva) a la nueva contemplación del mundo que el final del siglo V propone

The computer paradigm in vocational guidance

The technological advances in last decades have transformed the external resources of Vocational Counseling, Occupational Information and assessment of clients. Most computer systems follow a behaviorist-cognitive approach. However, the use of vocational counseling software is not exclusive to one conceptual approach. Computers are introduced in education from primary school; counselors and other educators are expected to use those systems. The attitude of counselors ranges from enthusiastic acceptance to complete refusal. Many counselors fear that computers will replace them. An underlying theory holds that counseling is based on the counselor-client interaction. A computer- client interaction cannot be considered vocational counseling. Counseling has five basic aims: prevention, assistance, education and development, service of diverse groups and research. The most relevant trends in computer-based counseling are: tests and questionnaires based on computers, adaptive development, computarized information, vocational counseling systems and research. Basic aims and the potential role of computers in achieving them are discussed. Present vocational counselors can use the technology of computers to link the past of our profession to its promising future. In view of these premises we have developed two computer systems that assist the vocational counseling process: "Professional Interests Questionnaire, Computer Version", and "Computer-based System of Vocational Counseling".

Vanos ruidos de la lengua : La construcción del lenguaje poético en Eurípides

El análisis retórico tradicional del lenguaje poético de las tragedias de Eurípides ofrece frecuentemente el recuento de una variedad de recursos de estilo. Sin embargo, Eurípides propone una reflexión meta-discursiva acerca de la relación entre el objeto denominado y el nombre con el que se lo denomina, reintroduciendo de esta manera una autoconciencia de su quehacer literario. La cabal comprensión de este planteo meta-discursivo del trágico nos dará una clave que nos permitirá profundizar el sentido de sus usos retóricos. Intentaremos analizar este lenguaje poético euripideo en sus seis tragedias de tema bélico -Heraclidas, Hécuba, Troyanas, Helena, Suplicantes e Ifigenia en Áulide-, como una construcción intelectual autónoma que, en su complejidad retórica, intenta servir de herramienta y espejo (y, por tanto, de aproximación cognitiva) a la nueva contemplación del mundo que el final del siglo V propone