Learning Power from the Margins: Analyzing Action and Reflection in a Social Movement

In this paper, I apply the notion of praxis, the dynamic interaction of action and reflection needed for social change, to empirical analysis of a defining moment in the Chilean women’s movement

Sharp and fuzzy observables on effect algebras

Observables on effect algebras and their fuzzy versions obtained by means of confidence measures (Markov kernels) are studied. It is shown that, on effect algebras with the (E)-property, given an observable and a confidence measure, there exists a fuzzy version of the observable. Ordering of observables according to their fuzzy properties is introduced, and some minimality conditions with respect to this ordering are found. Applications of some results of classical theory of experiments are considered.Comment: 23 page

A representation theorem for MV-algebras

An {\em MV-pair} is a pair $(B,G)$ where $B$ is a Boolean algebra and $G$ is a subgroup of the automorphism group of $B$ satisfying certain conditions. Let $\sim_G$ be the equivalence relation on $B$ naturally associated with $G$. We prove that for every MV-pair $(B,G)$, the effect algebra $B/\sim_G$ is an MV- effect algebra. Moreover, for every MV-effect algebra $M$ there is an MV-pair $(B,G)$ such that $M$ is isomorphic to $B/\sim_G$

Formative, Restorative and Transformative Learning: Insights into the Critical Consciousness of Social Activists

Based on our research with diverse social activists in North and South America, we explore the central importance of critical consciousness and how it develops. We analyze the formation, restoration and transformation of critical consciousness in social activists and discuss implications for adult education

Philosophy-in-Action in University Teaching

Fourteen professors expressed their "traditional," "humanist," and "critical" philosophies about teaching and learning when they engaged in dialogue with us and each other. The relationship between their philosophy of teaching and their practice in the classroom is the research question. Four themes that elaborate these philosophies-in-action emerged from a grounded-theory approach to data analysis. One theme, "Expert vs. Co-learner" describes these professors' views of themselves as teachers. A second theme, "The Relationship of Comfort to Critique, " outlines some of the tensions that arise from attempting to create a comfortable classroom environment while also encouraging critical thought. "Learning for Change, " the third theme, is about the differing forms of change in the learner that these professors seek as evidence that learning is taking place. Finally, in the section called "Coping with Constraints, " our study participants identify institutional issues that have made it difficult for them to enact their particular teaching-learning philosophies in university classes.Quatorze professeurs commentent leur approche pédagogique de type "traditionnelle", "humaniste" ou "critique" et le lien entre leur philosophie d'enseignement et la pratique dans la salle de cours. Quatre thèmes essentiels issus de ces philosophies-en-action relient la conceptualisation théorique du problème à l'analyse des données. Le premier thème portant sur le rôle "d'expert vs celui de co-disciple" décrit les perceptions qu'ont les professeurs d'eux-même en tant qu'enseignants. Un second thème portant sur la relation entre "Bien-être et Pensée critique" décrit certaines des tensions engendrées par la volonté qu'ont les professeurs de créer un climat d'apprentissage favorable au bien-être tout en encourageant la pensée critique. Le troisième thème portant sur la notion de "Progression dans l'apprentissage" reflète la problématique d'évaluation du progrès des étudiants à travers ses diverses manifestations. Enfin, dans la section portant sur "Les Contraintes à l'action", les participants relèvent les difficultés rencontrées dans leur établissement respectif par rapport à la pratique dans la salle de cours de leur philosophie d'enseignement

Assessing the conservation value of waterbodies: the example of the Loire floodplain (France)

In recent decades, two of the main management tools used to stem biodiversity erosion have been biodiversity monitoring and the conservation of natural areas. However, socio-economic pressure means that it is not usually possible to preserve the entire landscape, and so the rational prioritisation of sites has become a crucial issue. In this context, and because floodplains are one of the most threatened ecosystems, we propose a statistical strategy for evaluating conservation value, and used it to prioritise 46 waterbodies in the Loire floodplain (France). We began by determining a synthetic conservation index of fish communities (Q) for each waterbody. This synthetic index includes a conservation status index, an origin index, a rarity index and a richness index. We divided the waterbodies into 6 clusters with distinct structures of the basic indices. One of these clusters, with high Q median value, indicated that 4 waterbodies are important for fish biodiversity conservation. Conversely, two clusters with low Q median values included 11 waterbodies where restoration is called for. The results picked out high connectivity levels and low abundance of aquatic vegetation as the two main environmental characteristics of waterbodies with high conservation value. In addition, assessing the biodiversity and conservation value of territories using our multi-index approach plus an a posteriori hierarchical classification methodology reveals two major interests: (i) a possible geographical extension and (ii) a multi-taxa adaptation

Disrupting the Hegemony of Choice: Community Service Learning in Activist Placements

In this paper, we share insights from a research project that investigated the effects of a service learning experience in a graduate adult education seminar with an explicitly critical pedagogical focus and activist placements. We analyze a subset of the findings related to the lack of “choice” through a critique of CSL as a market commodity and argue that disrupting the hegemony of choice had implications for reconstructing student identities

Glycan analysis as biomarkers for testicular cancer

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force does not recommend routine screening for testicular cancer (TC) in asymptomatic men, essentially because serological testicular cancer (TC) biomarkers are not reliable. The main reason is that two of the most important TC biomarkers, ?-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), are not produced solely due to TC. Moreover, up to 40% of patients with TC do not have elevated serological biomarkers, which is why serial imaging with CT is the chief means of monitoring progress. On the other hand, exposure to radiation can lead to an increased risk of secondary malignancies. This review provides the first comprehensive account of the applicability of protein glycoprofiling as a promising biomarker for TC with applications in disease diagnostics, monitoring and recurrence evaluation. The review first deals with the description and classification of TC. Secondly, the limitations of current TC biomarkers such as hCG, AFP and lactate dehydrogenase are provided together with an extensive overview of the glycosylation of hCG and AFP related to TC. The final part of the review summarises the potential of glycan changes on either hCG and AFP as TC biomarkers for diagnostics and prognostics purposes, and for disease recurrence evaluation. Finally, an analysis of glycans in serum and tissues as TC biomarkers is also provided. - 2019 by the authors.Funding: The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support received from the Slovak Research and Development Agency APVV 17-0300. This work was supported by the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic under project registration no. 2018/23-SAV-1. P.K. expresses thanks that this work was also made possible by NPRP grants NPRP 6-381-1-078 and NPRP-9-219-2-105 from the Qatar National Research Fund (A Member of The Qatar Foundation). The findings achieved herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.Scopu

Mgm101: A double-duty Rad52-like protein.

Mgm101 has well-characterized activity for the repair and replication of the mitochondrial genome. Recent work has demonstrated a further role for Mgm101 in nuclear DNA metabolism, contributing to an S-phase specific DNA interstrand cross-link repair pathway that acts redundantly with a pathway controlled by Pso2 exonuclease. Due to involvement of FANCM, FANCJ and FANCP homologues (Mph1, Chl1 and Slx4), this pathway has been described as a Fanconi anemia-like pathway. In this pathway, Mgm101 physically interacts with the DNA helicase Mph1 and the MutSα (Msh2/Msh6) heterodimer, but its precise role is yet to be elucidated. Data presented here suggests that Mgm101 functionally overlaps with Rad52, supporting previous suggestions that, based on protein structure and biochemical properties, Mgm101 and Rad52 belong to a family of proteins with similar function. In addition, our data shows that this overlap extends to the function of both proteins at telomeres, where Mgm101 is required for telomere elongation during chromosome replication in rad52 defective cells. We hypothesize that Mgm101 could, in Rad52-like manner, preferentially bind single-stranded DNAs (such as at stalled replication forks, broken chromosomes and natural chromosome ends), stabilize them and mediate single-strand annealing-like homologous recombination event to prevent them from converting into toxic structures