WAVELET ANALYSIS OF HUMAN PHOTORECEPTORAL RESPONSE

Feature detection of biomedical signals is crucial for deepening our knowledge of the physiological phenomena giving rise to them. To achieve this aim, even if many analytic approaches have been suggested only few are able to deal with signals whose features are time dependent, and to provide useful clinical information. In this work we use the wavelet analysis to extract peculiarities of the early response of the photoreceptoral human system, known as a-wave ERG-component. The analysis of the a-wave features is important since this component reflects the functional integrity of the two populations of photoreceptors, rods and cones whose activation dynamics are not well known. Moreover, in incipient photoreceptoral pathologies the eventual anomalies in a-wave are not always detectable with a naked eye analysis of the traces. We here propose the possibility to discriminate the pathologic from the healthy traces throughout the differentiation of their time-frequency characteristics, revealed by the wavelet analysis. The investigated pathologies are the Achromatopsia, a cone disease and the Congenital Stationary Night Blindness, a rod trouble. The results show that the number of stable frequencies present and their times of occurrence are indicative of the status of the retinal photoreceptors. In particular, in the pathological cases, the frequency components shift toward lower values and change their times of occurrence, with respect to healthy traces

Transculturality of the Alps: The Role of Image and Sound in a European “Multiple Bergfilm” of the 1930s

The discovery of the Alps in the specific genre of the mountain film was originally a German answer to the Westerns from the USA in the late 1920s. This brought a number of important personalities such as Fanck, Riefenstahl and Trenker onto the German film market, though the genre developed in different ways in other contexts, too. The mountain film Der Sohn der weißen Berge / Les Chevaliers de la Montagne by Trenker and Bonnard was coproduced as a German-French multiple version (MV) in 1930 and represents the beginning of a longer series of ‘multiple’ coproductions by Trenker. During the generalization of sound, MVs are meant to create the ‘same’ film for each country interested in it. In order to make the versions successful in their contexts, each of them is shaped according to early audio-visual techniques and adapting elements such as cast, fictional nationalities, music, dialogues or gestures. This article aims to approach the two MVs from a comparative, transcultural perspective in order to highlight their specificities. The aim is to investigate the transcultural character of the Alps arguing that, due to their semantic openness, the Alps provide an ideal setting for transcultural communication and for the nationalization process essential to the MVs. As a territory at the crossroad of several countries and cultures, the Alpine environment proves through Der Sohn der weißen Berge / Les Chevaliers de la Montagne to be a privileged territory for multiplecinematic cultural transfers that contribute to the establishment of European cinema

Beneficial effects of fermented vegetal beverages on human gastrointestinal microbial ecosystem in a simulator

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of four beverage formulations (prebiotic - fructooligosaccharide, probiotic - Lactobacillus casei Lc-01, synbiotic - fructooligosaccharide and L. casei Lc-01 and placebo) based on aqueous extracts of soy and quinoa, towards the human intestinal microbiota using the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME (R)), a dynamic model of the human gut. To monitor the effects on microbial community composition, plate counts on specific growth media and a PCR-DGGE analysis were performed on samples from all colon compartments - ascending, transverse and descending. To verify the effects on microbial metabolism, we analyzed the ammonium and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations. The synbiotic beverage showed the best microbiological results in the ascending colon compartment, stimulating the growth of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp., and reducing Clostridium spp., Bacteroides spp., enterobacteria and Enterococcus spp. populations in this compartment. A larger reduction (p < 0.05) of ammonia ions in the ascending colon was observed during the synbiotic beverage treatment. No statistical difference was observed in SCFA production among the treatments and the basal period. Plate count and DGGE analysis showed the survival of L. casei Lc-01 in the colon. DGGE analysis also showed higher richness and diversity of the Lactobacillus spp. community during the treatment with synbiotic beverage, with higher accentuation in the ascending colon. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

COVID-19 and regional differences in the timeliness of hip-fracture surgery: an interrupted time-series analysis

Background. It is of great importance to examine the impact of the healthcare reorganization adopted to confront the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of care provided to non-COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the COVID-19 national lockdown (March 9, 2020) on the quality of care provided to patients with hip fracture (HF) in Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna, two large regions of northern Italy severely hit by the pandemic.Methods. We calculated the percentage of HF patients undergoing surgery within 2 days of hospital admission. An interrupted time-series analysis was performed on weekly data from December 11, 2019 to June 9, 2020 (approximate to 6 months), interrupting the series in the 2nd week of March. The same data observed the year before were included as a control time series with no "intervention"(lockdown) in the middle of the observation period.Results. Before the lockdown, 2-day surgery was 69.9% in Piedmont and 79.2% in Emilia-Romagna; after the lockdown, these proportions were equal to 69.8% (-0.1%) and 69.3% (-9.9%), respectively. While Piedmont did not experience any drop in the amount of surgery, Emilia-Romagna exhibited a significant decline at a weekly rate of -1.29% (95% CI [-1.71 to -0.88]). Divergent trend patterns in the two study regions reflect local differences in pandemic timing as well as in healthcare services capacity, management, and emergency preparedness

Quick multiparametric hazard analysis for shallow landslides

This paper presents a quick and multiparametric method for shallow landslides susceptibility and hazard zoning, based on the principles of the Rock Engineering System (RES). The implementation of this methodology is achieved through the identification of the most sensitive triggering parameters and the study of their interrelationships. An interaction matrix is used to define a susceptibility index. The Geographical Information System is used for spatial data management so as to draw landslide susceptibility and hazard maps. The proposed approach is applied to the Municipality of Cellio (VC) located in the Valsesia area (northern Italy) using data updated to 2012. In order to validate the method, the hazard map obtained is compared with known landslides occurred in the last 7 years and with a deterministic method, the Stability Index Mapping (SINMAP). The results are found to be in good agreement. With respect to other hazard assessment approaches, the proposed method has the great advantage of providing reliable susceptibility and hazard maps at small scales in a short time and without requiring a high number of parameters. Therefore, it can be easily applied for preliminary hazard assessment, monitoring and territorial planning activities

Hot-Electron Noise Features in Silicon Crystals Operating Under Periodic signals

We study the intrinsic noise in n-type Si crystals operating under high-frequency periodic electric fields. To simulate the dy- namics of electrons in the bulk, by taking into account the main details of band structure, scattering processes, as well as heating effects, a Monte Carlo approach is used. The noise properties are investigated by computing the velocity fluctuations correlation function, its spectral density, and the total noise power for different values of the amplitude and frequency of the driving field. We show that the noise features are significantly affected by the electric field amplitude and frequency and discuss their peculiari- ties in comparison with those exhibited in the static field case. We find the integrated spectral density, i. e. the total noise power, monotonically reducing its value with the increase of the field frequency, for each amplitude of the applied field. These results can be considered a first step towards a full understanding of the physical characteristics of electronic noise in Si devices, driven by periodic electric fields, relevant, for example, for harmonic generation purpose

Open Inquiry based learning experiences to understand the Nature of Science

In this paper we address the question of the efficacy of an inquiry-based learning approach, with different levels of teacher’s guidance, to introduce the students to fundamental aspects of the Nature of Science (NoS). Explicit pedagogical approaches, in which specific instruction on the topic of NoS is provided in addition to the engagement in scientific inquiry, are generally considered more effective with respect to implicit methods, where NoS conceptions are expected to develop as a natural consequence of inquiry-based learning experiences alone. In our study, we further explore the connections between scientific inquiry and implicit development of NoS conceptions, by investigating the efficacy of different kinds of inquiry approaches. Our findings confirm limited gains in developing NoS views by following a guided inquiry approach and suggest a more efficient NoS instruction by applying integrated open-inquiry-based teaching strategie

To live and think beyond the margins: perspectives, agencing and mismatches in the field of public health

Neste ensaio os autores buscam expor ideias, críticas e reflexão ética ao destacarem questões complexas e que requerem a análise densa de estudiosos do campo interdisciplinar da saúde pública. A defesa do ponto de vista dos autores é pensar que a complexidade inerente ao campo requer aproximação mais conseqüente junto às necessidades sociais, criatividade dos agentes públicos, investigação e estudos inovadores que possibilitem uma saúde pública contemporânea e voltada para a realidade brasileira.In this essay, the authors seek to expose critical ideas and ethical reflection by highlighting complex issues that require a thorough analysis by scholars in the interdisciplinary field of public health. The defense of the authors' point of view is to think that the complexity inherent in the field requires a qualified approach to social needs, public officials' creativity, research studies and new ideas, so as to promote a contemporary public health based on the Brazilian reality

Platelet-Derived {miR}-126-3p Directly Targets {AKT}2 and Exerts Anti-Tumor Effects in Breast Cancer Cells: Further Insights in Platelet-Cancer Interplay

Among the surrounding cells influencing tumor biology, platelets are recognized as novel players as they release microvesicles (MVs) that, once delivered to cancer cells, modulate signaling pathways related to cell growth and dissemination. We have previously shown that physiological delivery of platelet MVs enriched in miR-126 exerted anti-tumor effects in different breast cancer (BC) cell lines. Here, we seek further insight by identifying AKT2 kinase as a novel miR-126-3p direct target, as assessed by bioinformatic analysis and validated by luciferase assay. Both ectopic expression and platelet MV-mediated delivery of miR-126-3p downregulated AKT2 expression, thus suppressing proliferating and invading properties, in either triple negative (BT549 cells) or less aggressive Luminal A (MCF-7 cells) BC subtypes. Accordingly, as shown by bioinformatic analysis, both high miR-126 and low AKT2 levels were associated with favorable long-term prognosis in BC patients. Our results, together with the literature data, indicate that miR-126-3p exerts suppressor activity by specifically targeting components of the PIK3/AKT signaling cascade. Therefore, management of platelet-derived MV production and selective delivery of miR-126-3p to tumor cells may represent a useful tool in multimodal therapeutic approaches in BC patients

Formação continuada de professores licenciados em matemática tematizando os conteúdos dos anos iniciais

Atuando como docente em cursos de formação continuada para licenciados em matemática responsáveis pelas salas de apoio- programa governamental destinado ao enfrentamento das dificuldades de alunos do 6° ano em relação à matemática -, percebemos que estes apresentavam dificuldades com relação a conteúdos matemáticos abordados nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental semelhantes àquelas que relatavam encontrar entre seus alunos. Isto nos motivou à realização de uma pesquisa, durante um curso de formação continuada para licenciados em matemática atuantes neste programa do núcleo regional de educação de maringá, que teve por objetivos: investigar o conhecimento desses licenciados sobre a matemática dos anos iniciais; verificar os efeitos, na sua prática pedagógica, de um processo de formação continuada realizado a partir dessas dificuldades. Os instrumentos para a coleta dos dados foram os diários de bordo das pesquisadoras, um questionário inicial com os participantes, o material produzido por eles durante o curso e uma entrevista coletiva ao final. A pesquisa mostrou que o conhecimento dos licenciados é essencialmente procedimental. No decorrer da investigação comprovamos uma mudança em crenças dos professores quanto aos conhecimentos matemáticos, à adequação das atividades propostas aos alunos nas salas de apoio às suas possibilidades cognitivas e aos objetivos do programa