A video object generation tool allowing friendly user interaction

In this paper we describe an interactive video object segmentation tool developed in the framework of the ACTS-AC098 MOMUSYS project. The Video Object Generator with User Environment (VOGUE) combines three different sets of automatic and semi-automatic-tool (spatial segmentation, object tracking and temporal segmentation) with general purpose tools for user interaction. The result is an integrated environment allowing the user-assisted segmentation of any sort of video sequences in a friendly and efficient manner.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Futuros profesionales sanitarios: Actitudes, gravedad percibida y voluntad de intervención en casos de violencia de género

Background/objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem for which many victims attend to healthcare centers to alleviate the results of violence. The present study aimed to explore the relation between IPV attitudes and willingness to intervene in cases of IPV by future health professionals, considering the influence of perceived severity of IPV in this relation. Method: The sample was composed of 432 students (M = 22.89, SD = 6.36) of psychology (52.60%), nursing (26.20%), and medicine (21.20%). Sexism, IPV acceptance, perceived severity, and willingness to intervene in IPV cases were assessed. Results: The results displayed low sexism (M = 0.61, SD = 0.59) and acceptance of IPV (M = 1.05, SD = 0.06), high perceived severity (M = 9.62, SD = 0.60), and moderate willingness to intervene in cases of IPV (M = 5.20, SD = 1.16). Moreover, a conceptual model showed that more sexist attitudes were related to more acceptance of IPV, decreased perceived severity of IPV, and consequently, the willingness to intervene in cases of IPV. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of addressing the attitudinal and perceptive barriers of future healthcare professionals to detect and attend early to IPV from healthcare centers.Antecedentes/objetivos: La violencia de género (VG) es un problema de salud pública por el que muchas víctimas acuden a los centros de salud para aliviar las consecuencias de la violencia. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo explorar la relación entre las actitudes hacia la VG y la voluntad de intervención en casos de VG por parte de futuros profesionales sanitarios, considerando la influencia de la gravedad percibida de la VG en esta relación. Método: La muestra estuvo compuesta por 432 estudiantes (M = 22,89, DT = 6,36) de psicología (52,60%), enfermería (26,20%) y medicina (21,20%). Se evaluaron el sexismo, la aceptación de la VG, la gravedad percibida y la voluntad de intervención en casos de VG. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron bajo sexismo (M = 0,61, DT = 0,59) y aceptación de la VG (M = 1,05, DT = 0,06), así como alta percepción de gravedad (M = 9,62, DT = 0,60) y moderada voluntad de intervención en casos de VG (M = 5,20, DT = 1,16). Además, el modelo conceptual testado mostró que a más actitudes sexistas, mayor aceptación de la VG, menor percepción de la gravedad de la VG y, en consecuencia, menor voluntad de intervención en casos de VG. Conclusiones: Estos hallazgos destacan la importancia de abordar las barreras actitudinales y perceptivas de los futuros profesionales sanitarios para detectar y atender la VG precozmente desde los centros sanitarios.Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain (MICINN) Spanish Government FPU17/0127

Discriminación por género durante el proceso de socialización en niños y niñas de preparatoria.

El trabajo de investigación desarrolla el tema la discriminación por género durante el proceso de socialización de niños y niñas de preparatoria. Tiene un enfoque sociopedagógico, conjugando elementos sociológicos y pedagógicos. El objetivo general que se buscó alcanzar es analizar las prácticas de discriminación por género entre pares durante el proceso de socialización en niños y niñas del nivel de preparatoria. La problemática se origina al evidenciar cómo se reproduce la discriminación por género debido a las prácticas discriminatorias que observan los niños y niñas desde el primer agente socializador: la familia; y como éstas se llevan al ámbito escolar por parte de los niños y niñas de preparatoria. Esto hace que se transmitan prejuicios y estereotipos creados por la sociedad que se convierten en desigualdades de género durante el proceso de socialización dentro del contexto educativo. La metodología utilizada en el trabajo de investigación es cualitativa y el método es el etnográfico, porque se presentan relatadas las jornadas observadas durante las prácticas preprofesionales. Asimismo, se expone el análisis de los resultados obtenidos por medio de la utilización de los instrumentos: diario de campo y guión de entrevista que permitieron recolectar información relevante de los sujetos de la educación durante la jornada escolar. El trabajo de investigación está estructurado en tres partes: primero la contextualización de la unidad educativa, seguido del marco teórico donde se ubican las categorías principales: socialización, discriminación y género. Finalmente, los hallazgos encontrados, el análisis de los resultados obtenidos del estudio de caso y las conclusiones.The research work develops the theme of gender discrimination during the socialization process of boys and girls in high school. It has a socio-pedagogical approach, combining sociological and pedagogical elements. The general objective is to analyze the practices of gender discrimination among peers during the socialization process in high school boys and girls. The problem is originated by showing how gender discrimination is reproduced due to the discriminatory practices that children observe from the first socializing agent: the family; and how these are taken to the school environment by high school boys and girls. This leads to the transmission of prejudices and stereotypes created by society that become gender inequalities during the socialization process within the educational context. The methodology used in the research work is qualitative and the method is ethnographic, because the days observed during the pre-professional practices are presented. Likewise, the analysis of the results obtained through the use of the instruments: field diary and interview script, which allowed the collection of relevant information from the subjects of education during the school day, is presented. The research work is structured in three parts: first the contextualization of the educational unit, followed by the theoretical framework where the main categories are located: socialization, discrimination and gender. Finally, the findings, the analysis of the results obtained from the case study and the conclusions

A role for antizyme inhibitor 2 in the biosynthesis and content of serotonin and histamine in mouse mast cells

Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine; PAs) are essential for the majority of living cells. Antizymes and antizyme inhibitors are key regulatory proteins of PA levels by affecting ornithine decarboxylase and PA uptake. In addition to PAs, mast cells (MC) synthesize and store in their granules histamine (Hia) and serotonin (5-HT), which are critical for their function. Our previous studies have indicated a metabolic interplay among PAs, Hia and 5-HT in this cell type. For instance, we showed that PAs affect Hia synthesis during early stages of IL-3-induced bone marrow cell differentiation into bone marrow derived MCs (BMMCs) and demonstrated that PAs are present in MC secretory granules and are important for granule homeostasis, including Hia storage and 5-HT levels. A few years ago, a novel antizyme inhibitor (AZIN2) was described whose expression is restricted to a few tissues and cell types including brain, testis and MCs. In MCs, it was recently proposed that AZIN2 could act as a local regulator of PA biosynthesis in association with 5-HT-containing granules and with 5-HT release following MC activation. To gain insight into the role of AZIN2 in the biosynthesis and storage of 5-HT and also Hia, we have generated BMMCs from both wild-type and transgenic mice with severe Azin2 hypomorphism, and have analyzed the content of PAs, 5-HT and Hia, and some elements of their metabolisms. Spermine and 5-HT levels were reduced in Azin2 hypomorphic BMMCs compared with wild-type controls, whereas the amount of Hia was increased. Accordingly, the level of tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (the key enzyme for 5-HT biosynthesis) was reduced and the amount of enzymatic activity of histidine decarboxylase (the enzyme responsible for Hia biosynthesis) was increased in Azin2 hypomorphic BMMCs. Taken together, our results show evidence that AZIN2 has an important role in the regulation of 5-HT and Hia biosynthesis and storage in MCsUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. This work was supported by SAF2011-26518 (MINECO, Spain) and P10-CVI-6585 and Bio-267 (Junta de Andalucia, Spain). CIBERER is an iniciative of Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)

Análisis y estudio de mundos virtuales 3D aplicados a la educación: implementación y desarrollo de un campus virtual 3D para la asignatura de realidad nacional de la carrera de ingeniería en sistemas computacionales

El desarrollo de las clases en mundos virtuales, permite que la enseñanza se integre a las nuevas tecnologías del e-Learning y por tanto que la educación esté más acorde con las expectativas y exigencias del mundo actual.El presente trabajo de investigación realiza un enlace de tres plataformas libres, cada una con sus respectivas características: Moodle, Second Life y Sloodle. Se aborda la siguiente temática: E-learning y Moodle como plataforma de etudio, Mundos Virtuales y Seconf Life, Educación en Mundos Virtuales y Sloodle. Se realiza la implementación del Aula virtual, para que los estudiantes al ingresar en un mundo tridimensional puedan acceder al conocimiento de la materia de Realidad Nacional de una manera más dinámica, atractiva, motivadora y flexible y mejorar su rendimiento académico

A role for antizyme inhibitor 2 in the biosynthesis and content of histamine and serotonin in mouse mast cells

Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine; PAs) are required for the survival of the majority of living cells. Antizymes and antizyme inhibitors are key regulatory proteins of PA levels by affecting ornithine decarboxylase, the rate-limiting biosynthetic enzyme, and PA uptake. In addition to PA, mast cells (MC) synthesize and store in their granules the biogenically active amines histamine (Hia) and serotonin (5-HT), which are of critical importance for their function. Previously, we have performed several studies in this cell type regarding the interplay between the metabolisms of PAs and Hia and 5-HT. Our results showed that PAs affect Hia synthesis during early stages of IL-3-induced bone marrow cell differentiation into bone marrow derived MCs (BMMCs) and demonstrated that PAs are present in MC secretory granules and are important for granule homeostasis, including Hia storage and 5-HT levels. A few years ago, a novel antizyme inhibitor (AZIN2) was described. In contrast to AZIN1, AZIN2 expression is restricted to a few tissues and cell types including brain, testis and MCs. In MCs, it was recently described that AZIN2 could act as a local regulator of PA biosynthesis in association with the 5-HT granule content and release. At present, our aim is to gain further insight into the role of AZIN2 in the biosynthesis, storage and release of both Hia and 5-HT. In this study, we have generated BMMCs from both wild-type and transgenic mice with severe Azin2 hypomorphism, and have analyzed the content of PAs, Hia and 5-HT, and some elements of their metabolisms. Both PAs and 5-HT levels were reduced in Azin2 hypomorphic BMMCs compared with wild-type controls, whereas the amount of Hia was increased. Accordingly, the level of tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (the key enzyme for 5-HT biosynthesis) was reduced and the amount of enzymatic activity of histidine decarboxylase (the enzyme responsible for histamine biosynthesis) was increased in Azin2 hypomorphic BMMCs. Taken together, our results show evidence that AZIN2 has an important role in the regulation of Hia and 5-HT biosynthesis and storage in MCs. Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBER-ER), Faculty of Sciences, University of Málaga, Málaga 29071, Spain. Corresponding author: I. Fajardo ([email protected]) This work was supported by SAF2011-26518 (MINECO, Spain) and P10-CVI-6585 and Bio-267 (Junta de Andalucia, Spain). CIBERER is an iniciative of Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía-Tech. SAF2011-26518 (MINECO, Spain) and P10-CVI-6585 and Bio-267 (Junta de Andalucia, Spain. CIBERER is an iniciative of Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)

Adaptación y Validación Española del Instrumento de Violencia Contra las Mujeres de la Organización Mundial de la Salud

The World Health Organization (WHO) developed an instrument to detect violence against women that has been widely used in several countries. Despite this instrument’s importance in identifying intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW), it has not been adapted for the Spanish population. The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the WHO violence against women instrument in a sample in Spain, facilitating the detection of IPVAW in this context and comparisons between countries. Method: After the instrument was translated and adapted into Spanish, 532 women from the general population in Spain completed it. The initial instrument consisted of 28 items. We deleted three items due to low internal consistency, resulting in 25 items in the final version. Results: Suitable internal consistency was obtained through Confirmatory Factorial Analysis for physical (α = .92), psychological (α = .91), sexual (α = .86), and control behaviors subscales (α = .91) as well as for the total scale (α = .95). The instrument revealed highly prevalent IPVAW in our sample (79.7%). Conclusions: The use of the Spanish version of the WHO violence against women instrument in Spain seems justified.La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) desarrolló un instrumento para detectar la violencia de género (VG) que ha sido ampliamente utilizado en varios países. A pesar de la importancia del instrumento para identificar la VG, éste no ha sido adaptado en población española. El objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar y validar el instrumento de VG de la OMS en España, facilitando la detección de la VG en este contexto y la comparación entre países. Método: 532 mujeres de la población general en España completaron el instrumento tras su traducción y adaptación al español. El instrumento inicial constaba de 28 ítems. Se eliminaron tres ítems debido a su baja consistencia interna, resultando un total de 25 ítems en la versión final. Resultados: Se obtuvo una adecuada consistencia interna mediante el análisis factorial confirmatorio para las subescalas de violencia física (α = .92), psicológica (α = .91), sexual (α = .86) y en conductas de control (α = .91), así como en la escala total (α = .95). El instrumento reveló alta prevalencia de VG (79,7%). Conclusiones: El uso de la versión española del instrumento de VG contra las mujeres de la OMS, justifican su uso en España

Português para estrangeiros em Foz do Iguaçu: Integração pela diversidade e interdisciplinaridade

O curso de extensão “Português Para Estrangeiros em Foz do Iguaçu: Integração pela diversidade e interdisciplinaridade” surgiu a partir da necessidade do ensino de português para os estrangeiros que residem na região, seja por questões de trabalho ou outras razões como estudo e que necessitam usar o português diariamente. Seguindo uma abordagem variacionista e integracionista, cada aula do curso possui um tema e a língua é ensinada em seu uso real, considerando as variações e a diversidade cultural. Sendo um dos fundamentos do curso a concepção de variação e interferência entre as línguas, o conceito de erro não faz parte desse trabalho, esse é visto como interferências ou desvios. Esse trabalho visa a refletir sobre o ensino tradicionalmente feito do português para estrangeiros e o ensino praticado nesse projeto, bem como refletir sobre o processo de integração do estrangeiro na comunidade local, a escolha dos temas e a elaboração dos materiais, partindo do conceito de que as maneiras de se ensinar uma língua seja algo construtivo para o discente e não se torne algo fossilizado

Structural and functional interaction between polyamine related molecules and biological membranes

La comunicación describe el conocimiento actual sobre las interacciones de biomoléculas relacionadas con el metabolismo de poliaminas con las estructuras y funciones de las membranas biológicasChanges induced by PA on nucleic acid (NA) conformation and synthesis is proven to be a major reason for PA essentiality (1-3). However, PA interactions with other polyanions, for instance polyanionic membrane lipid bilayers and glyosaminoglycans have received less attention (3-4). The functional importance of these interactions still is an obscure but interesting area of cell and molecular biology, especially in mammalian cells for which specific PA transport systems are not fully characterized (5). In mammals, activity and turnover of the polyamine (PA) synthesis key enzyme is controlled by a set of proteins: Antizymes (OAZ1-3) and antizyme inhibitors (AZIN1 and 2). It is demonstrated that AOZ modulate polyamine uptake (6), and that PA transport to mitochondria is linked to the respiratory chain state and modulates mitochondrial permeability transition (7). Antizyme expression variants have been located in mitochondria, being proposed as a proapoptotic factor (7-8). AZIN 2 is only expressed in a reduced set of tissues that includes mast cells, where it is associated to mast cell granules membrane (9). This fact, together to the abnormalities observed in bone marrow derived mast cell granules when they are differentiated under restricted PA synthesis conditions (10 and unpublished results), point out to important roles of PA and their related proteins in structure and function of mast cell granules. We will also present novel biophysical results on tripartite interactions of PA that remark the interest of the characterization of PA interactions with lipid bilayers for biomedicine and biotechnology. Thus, the information reported in this paper integrates previously reported information with our still unpublished results, all indicating that PA and their related proteins also are important factors for structure and dynamics of biological membranes and their associated functions essential in human physiology; for instance, solute interchange with the environment (uptake and secretion), oxidative metabolism and apoptosis. The importance of these involved processes for human homeostasis claim for further research efforts. 1. Ruiz-Chica J, Medina MA, Sánchez-Jiménez F and Ramírez FJ (2001) Fourier Transform Raman study of the structural specificities on the interaction between DNA and biogenic polyamines. Biophysical J. 80:443-454. 2. Lightfoot HL, Hall J (2014) Endogenous polyamine function--the RNA perspective. Nucleic Acids Res. 42:11275-11290. 3. Igarashi K, Kashiwagi K (2010) Modulation of cellular function by polyamines. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 42:39-51. 4. Finger S, Schwieger C, Arouri A, Kerth A, Blume A (2014) Interaction of linear polyamines with negatively charged phospholipids: the effect of polyamine charge distance. Biol Chem. 395:769-778. 5. Poulin R, Casero RA, Soulet D. (2012) Recent advances in the molecular biology of metazoan polyamine transport. Amino Acids. 42:711-723. 6. Kahana C (2009) Regulation of cellular polyamine levels and cellular proliferation by antizyme and antizyme inhibitor. Essays Biochem. 4:47-61. 7. Agostinelli E, Marques MP, Calheiros R, Gil FP, Tempera G, Viceconte N, Battaglia V, Grancara S, Toninello A (2010) Polyamines: fundamental characters in chemistry and biology. Amino Acids 38:393-403. 8. Liu GY, Liao YF, Hsu PC, Chang WH, Hsieh MC, Lin CY, Hour TC, Kao MC, Tsay GJ, Hung HC (2006) Antizyme, a natural ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, induces apoptosis of haematopoietic cells through mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspases' cascade. Apoptosis 11:1773-1788. 9. Kanerva K, Lappalainen J, Mäkitie LT, Virolainen S, Kovanen PT, Andersson LC (2009). Expression of antizyme inhibitor 2 in mast cells and role of polyamines as selective regulators of serotonin secretion. PLoS One 31:e6858. 10. García-Faroldi G, Rodríguez CE, Urdiales JL, Pérez-Pomares JM, Dávila JC, Pejler G, Sánchez-Jiménez F, Fajardo I (2010) Polyamines are present in mast cell secretory granules and are important for granule homeostasis. PLoS One 30:e15071.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech