Measurements and determinants of children's exposure to background gamma radiation in Switzerland.

Epidemiological studies of children's cancer risks associated with background gamma radiation exposure have used geographic exposure models to estimate exposure at their locations of residence. We measured personal exposure to background gamma radiation, and we investigated the extent to which it was associated with children's whereabouts. We collected data on whereabouts and exposure to background gamma radiation over a 5-day period among children aged 4-15 years in Switzerland. We used D-Shuttle dosimeters to measure children's exposure, and we asked parents to write their children's activities in diaries. We used Poisson mixed-effects and linear regression models to investigate the association of hourly and overall doses, respectively, with children's reported whereabouts. During the observed time, 149 participating children spent 66% indoors at home; 19% indoors away from home; and 15% outdoors. The mean personal exposure was 85.7 nSv/h (range 52.3 nSv/h-145 nSv/h). Exposure was 1.077 (95% CI 1.067, 1.087) times higher indoors than outdoors and varied by building material and (predicted) outdoor dose rates. Our study provides detailed information about children's patterns of exposure to background gamma radiation in Switzerland. Dwelling building materials and outdoor dose rates are important determinants of children's exposure. Future epidemiological studies may benefit from including information about building materials

Recombinant Interleukin-24 Lacks Apoptosis-Inducing Properties in Melanoma Cells

IL-24, also known as melanoma differentiation antigen 7 (mda-7), is a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines and is mainly produced by Th2 cells as well as by activated monocytes. Binding of IL-24 to either of its two possible heterodimeric receptors IL-20R1/IL-20R2 and IL-22R/IL-20R2 activates STAT3 and/or STAT1 in target tissues such as lung, testis, ovary, keratinocytes and skin. To date, the physiological properties of IL-24 are still not well understood but available data suggest that IL-24 affects epidermal functions by increasing proliferation of dermal cells. In stark contrast to its “normal” and physiological behaviour, IL-24 has been reported to selectively and efficiently kill a vast variety of cancer cells, especially melanoma cells, independent of receptor expression and Jak-STAT signalling. These intriguing properties have led to the development of adenovirally-expressed IL-24, which is currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Using three different methods, we have analysed a large panel of melanoma cell lines with respect to IL-24 and IL-24 receptor expression and found that none of the investigated cell lines expressed sufficient amounts of functional receptor pairs and therefore did not react to IL-24 stimulation with Jak/STAT activation. Results for three cell lines contrasted with previous studies, which reported presence of IL-24 receptors and activation of STAT3 following IL-24 stimulation. Furthermore, evaluating four different sources and modes of IL-24 administration (commercial recombinant IL-24, bacterially expressed GST-IL-24 fusion protein, IL-24 produced from transfected Hek cells, transiently over-expressed IL-24) no induction or increase in cell death was detected when compared to appropriate control treatments. Thus, we conclude that the cytokine IL-24 itself has no cancer-specific apoptosis-inducing properties in melanoma cells

Bayesian spatial modelling of terrestrial radiation in Switzerland

The geographic variation of terrestrial radiation can be exploited in epidemiological studies of the health effects of protracted low-dose exposure. Various methods have been applied to derive maps of this variation. We aimed to construct a map of terrestrial radiation for Switzerland. We used airborne $\gamma$-spectrometry measurements to model the ambient dose rates from terrestrial radiation through a Bayesian mixed-effects model and conducted inference using Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA). We predicted higher levels of ambient dose rates in the alpine regions and Ticino compared with the western and northern parts of Switzerland. We provide a map that can be used for exposure assessment in epidemiological studies and as a baseline map for assessing potential contamination.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figure

PIAF : développer la Pensée Informatique et Algorithmique dans l'enseignement Fondamental

Version étendue d'un article présenté au colloque Didapro8.Dans cet article, nous présentons les objectifs et premières réalisations du projet PIAF soutenu par l'Union Européenne et visant à développer l'apprentissage de la pensée informatique et algorithmique dans l'enseignement fondamental. Ce projet rassemble des chercheur·e·s en sciences de l'éducation et en informatique, provenant de quatre pays (Allemagne, Belgique, France et Luxembourg), autour du thème de la formation des enseignant·e·s. Plus concrètement, il s'agit de dénir un cadre (référentiel de compétences, scénarios pédagogiques) permettant aux enseignant·e·s de (i) s'approprier le concept de pensée informatique et algorithmique et de (ii) mettre en ÷uvre des activités d'apprentissage favorisant le développement de cette pensée chez l'enfant

PIAF: Developing Computational and Algorithmic Thinking in Fundamental Education

Full text available at http://www.learntechlib.org/p/217317/International audienceIn this article, we present the objectives and first achievements of the PIAF project supported by the European Union and aiming at developing computational and algorithmic thinking in basic education. This project brings together researchers in educational sciences and computer science from four countries (Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg) around the theme of teacher training. More concretely, the aim is to define a framework (competency framework, pedagogical scenarios) enabling teachers to (i) appropriate the concept of computational and algorithmic thinking and (ii) implement learning activities that promote the development of this kind of thinking in children

PIAF : développer la Pensée Informatique et Algorithmique dans l'enseignement Fondamental

Version étendue d'un article présenté au colloque Didapro8.Dans cet article, nous présentons les objectifs et premières réalisations du projet PIAF soutenu par l'Union Européenne et visant à développer l'apprentissage de la pensée informatique et algorithmique dans l'enseignement fondamental. Ce projet rassemble des chercheur·e·s en sciences de l'éducation et en informatique, provenant de quatre pays (Allemagne, Belgique, France et Luxembourg), autour du thème de la formation des enseignant·e·s. Plus concrètement, il s'agit de dénir un cadre (référentiel de compétences, scénarios pédagogiques) permettant aux enseignant·e·s de (i) s'approprier le concept de pensée informatique et algorithmique et de (ii) mettre en ÷uvre des activités d'apprentissage favorisant le développement de cette pensée chez l'enfant

PIAF : développer la Pensée Informatique et Algorithmique dans l'enseignement Fondamental

International audienceDans cet article, nous présentons les objectifs et premières réalisations du projet PIAF soutenu par l'Union Européenne et visant à développer l'apprentissage de la pensée informatique et algorithmique dans l'enseignement fondamental. Ce projet rassemble des chercheur·e·s en sciences de l'éducation et en informatique, provenant de quatre pays (Allemagne, Belgique, France et Luxembourg), autour du thème de la formation des enseignant·e·s. Plus concrètement, il s'agit de dénir un cadre (référentiel de compétences, scénarios pédagogiques) permettant aux enseignant·e·s de (i) s'approprier le concept de pensée informatique et algorithmique et de (ii) mettre en ÷uvre des activités d'apprentissage favorisant le développement de cette pensée chez l'enfant

PIAF : développer la Pensée Informatique et Algorithmique dans l'enseignement Fondamental

International audienceDans cet article, nous présentons les objectifs et premières réalisations du projet PIAF soutenu par l'Union Européenne et visant à développer l'apprentissage de la pensée informatique et algorithmique dans l'enseignement fondamental. Ce projet rassemble des chercheur·e·s en sciences de l'éducation et en informatique, provenant de quatre pays (Allemagne, Belgique, France et Luxembourg), autour du thème de la formation des enseignant·e·s. Plus concrètement, il s'agit de dénir un cadre (référentiel de compétences, scénarios pédagogiques) permettant aux enseignant·e·s de (i) s'approprier le concept de pensée informatique et algorithmique et de (ii) mettre en ÷uvre des activités d'apprentissage favorisant le développement de cette pensée chez l'enfant

Characterization of cDNA clones of the family of trypsin/α-amylase inhibitors (CM-proteins) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Recombinants encoding members of the trypsin/-amylase inhibitors family (also designated CM-proteins) were selected from a cDNA library prepared from developing barley endosperm. Inserts in two of the clones, pUP-13 and pUP-38, were sequenced and found to encode proteins which clearly belong to this family, as judged from the extensive homology of the deduced sequences with that of the barley trypsin inhibitor CMe, the only member of the group for which a complete amino acid sequence has been obtained by direct protein sequencing. These results, together with previously obtained N-terminal sequences of purified CM-proteins, imply that there are at least six different members of this dispersed gene family in barley. The relationship of this protein family to the B-3 hordein and to reserve prolamins from related species is discussed in terms of their genome structure and evolution