Photoproduction of mesons off nuclei

Recent results for the photoproduction of mesons off nuclei are reviewed. These experiments have been performed for two major lines of research related to the properties of the strong interaction. The investigation of nucleon resonances requires light nuclei as targets for the extraction of the isospin composition of the electromagnetic excitations. This is done with quasi-free meson photoproduction off the bound neutron and supplemented with the measurement of coherent photoproduction reactions, serving as spin and/or isospin filters. Furthermore, photoproduction from light and heavy nuclei is a very efficient tool for the study of the interactions of mesons with nuclear matter and the in-medium properties of hadrons. Experiments are currently rapidly developing due to the combination of high quality tagged (and polarized) photon beams with state-of-the-art 4pi detectors and polarized targets

Affective Guide with Attitude

The Affective Guide System is a mobile context-aware and spatial-aware system, offering the user with an affective multimodal interaction interface. The system takes advantage of the current mobile and wireless technologies. It includes an ‘affective guide with attitude’ that links its memories and visitor’s interest to the spatial location so that stories are relevant to what can be immediately seen. This paper presents a review of related work, the system in detail, challenges and the future work to be carried out

Multiomic profiling identifies predictors of survival in African American patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Genomic profiles and prognostic biomarkers in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) from ancestry-diverse populations are underexplored. We analyzed the exomes and transcriptomes of 100 patients with AML with genomically confirmed African ancestry (Black; Alliance) and compared their somatic mutation frequencies with those of 323 self-reported white patients with AML, 55% of whom had genomically confirmed European ancestry (white; BeatAML). Here we find that 73% of 162 gene mutations recurrent in Black patients, including a hitherto unreported PHIP alteration detected in 7% of patients, were found in one white patient or not detected. Black patients with myelodysplasia-related AML were younger than white patients suggesting intrinsic and/or extrinsic dysplasia-causing stressors. On multivariable analyses of Black patients, NPM1 and NRAS mutations were associated with inferior disease-free and IDH1 and IDH2 mutations with reduced overall survival. Inflammatory profiles, cell type distributions and transcriptional profiles differed between Black and white patients with NPM1 mutations. Incorporation of ancestry-specific risk markers into the 2022 European LeukemiaNet genetic risk stratification changed risk group assignment for one-third of Black patients and improved their outcome prediction.</p

Integrating attention, working memory, and word learning in a dynamic field theory of executive function development : Moving beyond the ‘component’ view of executive function

Executive functions (EFs) are core cognitive abilities that enable self-control and flexibility. EFs undergo transformational changes between 3 to 5 years of age; critically, individual differences in these abilities are predictive of longer-term outcomes. Thus, a key question is how EFs change in early development. This question is complicated by evidence that EFs are supported by attentional, inhibitory, working memory, and task switching processes, ‘component’ abilities which themselves change over time. Thus, understanding the early development of EFs requires a framework for understanding how attention, working memory, and other abilities develop and how they are integrated to enable new EF skills. Here, we take a theory-based approach to this problem, building a neural process model that integrates multiple neurocognitive processes together and grounds these processes in perception–action dynamics. We then explore how EFs emerge from these integrated processes over development. In particular, we extend prior work showing how the concepts of dynamic field theory explain the emergence of EFs in the dimensional change card sort (DCCS) task by integrating our theory of EF with a new model of visual exploration and word learning (WOLVES). This integration (WOLVES 2.0) specifies how visual-spatial attention, visual working memory, auditory-visual word representations, and top-down attention mechanisms come together to enable EFs from 3 to 5 years. Our central hypothesis is that children learn autonomous self-control by using language to guide attention to key features of the world in context. We demonstrate this, showing how, for example, children’s learning of individual colour words and the associations among colour words and the word ‘colour’ gradually enable dimensional attention. More generally, we use WOLVES 2.0 as a concrete framework to explore how the concept of executive functions can be moved beyond the ‘component’ view towards a developmental systems perspective

An Evolutionary Approach to Improve Connectivity Prediction in Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

AbstractConnectivity is the basic factor for the proper operation of any wireless network. In a mobile wireless sensor network it is a challenge for applications and protocols to deal with connectivity problems, as links might get up and down frequently. In these scenarios, having knowledge of the node remaining connectivity time could both improve the performance of the protocols (e.g. handoff mechanisms) and save possible scarce nodes resources (CPU, bandwidth, and energy) by preventing unfruitful transmissions. The current paper provides a solution called Genetic Machine Learning Algorithm (GMLA) to forecast the remainder connectivity time in mobile environments. It consists in combining Classifier Systems with a Markov chain model of the RF link quality. The main advantage of using an evolutionary approach is that the Markov model parameters can be discovered on-the-fly, making it possible to cope with unknown environments and mobility patterns. Simulation results show that the proposal is a very suitable solution, as it overcomes the performance obtained by similar approaches

Visão dos profissionais sobre seu trabalho no programa de internação domiciliar interdisciplinar oncológico:: uma realidade brasileira

Objective: To know views of professionals about their work in Interdisciplinary Home Hospitalization Program of Cancer. Methodology: This is a descriptive, qualitative approach, carried out in southern Brazil. The study included nine participants, belonging to nursing, nutrition, medicine, social work, theology, psychology and administration, encompassing technical and higher level. Data were collected through a participant observation y a focus group meeting, being treated by the thematic analysis. Results: It is noteworthy that the team’s experience with terminal patients to engage in solidarity networks for the exchange of affection, with emphasis on the host, which helped control the suffering of professionals. The workers revealed the search for additional training focused on interdisciplinarity, opposite the restricted approach offered in their under-graduate programs. Conclusion: Therefore, the results highlighted the need to train professionals with an interdisciplinary approach, especially, with regard to the challenges of terminal care.Objetivo: Conhecer a visão dos profissionais sobre o seu trabalho no programa de internação domiciliar interdisciplinar oncológico. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, de abordagem qualitativa, realizada na região sul do Brasil. O estudo contou com nove participantes, pertencentes à enfermagem, nutrição, medicina, serviço social, teologia, psicologia e administração, englobando nível técnico e superior. Os dados foram coletados, por meio de observação participante e um encontro de grupo focal, sendo tratados por análise temática. Resultados: Destaca-se que a experiência da equipe com a terminalidade dos pacientes envolve em uma rede solidária de troca de afetos, com ênfase no acolhimento, os quais auxiliam no controle do sofrimento dos profissionais. Os trabalhadores revelam a busca pela formação complementar focada na interdisciplinaridade, frente à restrita abordagem oferecida em seus cursos de formação. Diante dos resultados, salienta-se a necessidade de formar profissionais com uma abordagem interdisciplinar, principalmente, no que se refere aos desafios do cuidado à terminalidade. Conclusão: A vivência pautada na prática interdisciplinar indica lacunas na formação curricular, evidenciando a necessidade de mudança do paradigma vigente de ensino, para consequentemente, transformar as práticas de cuidado paliativo.Objetivo: Conocer las opiniones de los profesionales acerca de su trabajo en el Programa Interdisciplinario de Hospitalización a Domicilio del Cáncer. Metodología: Éste es un enfoque cualitativo y descriptivo, realizado en el sur de Brasil. El estudio incluyó nueve participantes pertenecientes a la enfermería, nutrición, medicina, trabajo social, teología, psicología y administración, que abarcan el nivel técnico y superior. Los datos fueron recolectados a través de observación participante y una reunión del grupo de enfoque, siendo tratada por el análisis temático. Resultados: Es de destacar que la experiencia del equipo con los pacientes terminales a participar en una red de solidaridad para el intercambio de afecto, con énfasis en la acogida, ayudaron a controlar el sufrimiento de los profesionales. Los trabajadores revelaron la búsqueda de la capacitación adicional centrada en la interdisciplinariedad, frente al enfoque restrictivo que se ofrece en los programas de pregrado. Los resultados demostraron que es notable la necesidad de formar profesionales con un enfoque interdisciplinario, especialmente, con respecto a los desafíos de la atención a enfermos terminales. Conclusión: La vivencia, a través de la práctica interdisciplinar, indica que existen lagunas en la formación curricular, mostrando la necesidad de cambio del paradigma vigente en la enseñanza, con el objetivo de transformar las prácticas de cuidado paliativo