Bridge helix bending promotes RNA polymerase II backtracking through a critical and conserved threonine residue.

The dynamics of the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) backtracking process is poorly understood. We built a Markov State Model from extensive molecular dynamics simulations to identify metastable intermediate states and the dynamics of backtracking at atomistic detail. Our results reveal that Pol II backtracking occurs in a stepwise mode where two intermediate states are involved. We find that the continuous bending motion of the Bridge helix (BH) serves as a critical checkpoint, using the highly conserved BH residue T831 as a sensing probe for the 3'-terminal base paring of RNA:DNA hybrid. If the base pair is mismatched, BH bending can promote the RNA 3'-end nucleotide into a frayed state that further leads to the backtracked state. These computational observations are validated by site-directed mutagenesis and transcript cleavage assays, and provide insights into the key factors that regulate the preferences of the backward translocation

Building Contrastive Summaries of Subjective Text Via Opinion Ranking

This article investigates methods to automatically compare entities from opinionated text to help users to obtain important information from a large amount of data, a task known as “contrastive opinion summarization”. The task aims at generating contrastive summaries that highlight differences between entities given opinionated text (written about each entity individually) where opinions have been previously identified. These summaries are made by selecting sentences from the input data. The core of the problem is to find out how to choose these more relevant sentences in an appropriate manner. The proposed method uses a heuristic that makesdecisions according to the opinions found in the input text and to traits that a summary is expected to present. The evaluation is made by measuring three characteristics that contrastive summaries are expected to have: representativity (presence of opinions that are frequent in the input), contrastivity (presence of opinions that highlight differences between entities) and diversity (presence of different opinions to avoid redundancy). The novel method is compared to methods previously published and performs significantly better than them according to the measures used. The main contributions of this work are: a comparative analysis of methods of contrastive opinion summarization, the proposal of a systematic way to evaluate summaries, the development of a new method that performs better than others previously known and the creation of a dataset for the task

Cross view from a transdisciplinary critical perspective to poverty

O objetivo do artigo é articular, desde uma perspectiva transdiciplinária, concepções teóricas que permitem discutir a questão social da pobreza com base em estudos críticos do discurso (ECD), sobretudo, os que relacionam a noção cognitiva de contexto com propriedades de gêneros discursivos, registros, estilos e retórica (van Dijk, 2007, 2008; Fairclough, 2003). Essas propriedades, vinculadas ao discurso como prática social, contribuem para a análise de eventos comunicativos que emergem de ‘contextos de situação’ e refletem ‘contextos de cultura’. _______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe aim of this paper is to articulate, from a transdisciplinary perspective, theoretical conceptions that allow us to discuss the social question of poverty based on critical studies of discourse (ECD) that comprise cognitive dimension of context associated with properties of discursive genre, as well as register, style and rhetoric (van Dijk, 2007, 2008; Fairclough, 2003). These discourse properties as social practice contribute to the analysis of communicative events that emerge from ‘situational contexts’ and reflect ‘cultural contexts’

Personal data broker instead of blockchain for students’ data privacy assurance

Data logs about learning activities are being recorded at a growing pace due to the adoption and evolution of educational technologies (Edtech). Data analytics has entered the field of education under the name of learning analytics. Data analytics can provide insights that can be used to enhance learning activities for educational stakeholders, as well as helping online learning applications providers to enhance their services. However, despite the goodwill in the use of Edtech, some service providers use it as a means to collect private data about the students for their own interests and benefits. This is showcased in recent cases seen in media of bad use of students’ personal information. This growth in cases is due to the recent tightening in data privacy regulations, especially in the EU. The students or their parents should be the owners of the information about them and their learning activities online. Thus they should have the right tools to control how their information is accessed and for what purposes. Currently, there is no technological solution to prevent leaks or the misuse of data about the students or their activity. It seems appropriate to try to solve it from an automation technology perspective. In this paper, we consider the use of Blockchain technologies as a possible basis for a solution to this problem. Our analysis indicates that the Blockchain is not a suitable solution. Finally, we propose a cloud-based solution with a central personal point of management that we have called Personal Data Broker.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

A ecologia de saberes e a escola como espaço de pluralidade de saberes e culturas

Neste artigo discutiremos os conceitos de “pensamento ortopédico”, “a douta ignorância” e a “ecologia de saberes” (SOUSA SANTOS, 2010), com o objetivo de analisar quais contribuições tais teorias apresentam para a Educação, sobretudo no ensino da língua inglesa, de forma que se considere diferentes formas de construção de sentido (KRESS, 2003), (Lankshear & Knobel, 2003), (GEE, 2004) em contextos de salas de aula pluriculturais e heterogêneas. Partindo deste pressuposto, através de uma perspectiva freiriana e ecoando os princípios do Letramento Crítico, discutiremos o papel da diversidade de saberes dos educandos como protagonistas do processo de ensino e aprendizagem de língua estrangeira, bem como suas habilidades, contextos, culturas, linguagens, conhecimentos e leitura de mundo, aspectos estes que denotam diferentes percepções da realidade, as quais muitas vezes passam despercebidas ou são ignoradas nos livros didáticos devido às condições de (re)produção de significados e narrativas, mantendo-se, então, a ordem política existente, o que resultaria no que Biesta (2011) define como a domesticação do cidadão. Abordaremos, sobretudo, as questões relacionadas ao caráter heterogêneo, ao multiculturalismo e à pluralidade de saberes dos alunos como alternativa ao “epistemicídio” (SOUSA SANTOS, 2010) de saberes e culturas.

A autoetnografia em pesquisas em Linguística Aplicada: reflexões do sujeito pesquisador/pesquisado

This paper aims to broaden the discussion on the implications of the use of autoethnography as a research method in Applied Linguistics since its framework is in accordance with a postmodern paradigm and challenges the positivist canonical scientific research. On the following pages, I seek to promote critical reflection through my personal experience as an autoethnographer during my doctoral research, in which I observed my own practices as an English teacher in a public elementary school, as well as to problematize the conflicts of identity that arise from the researcher/researched introspective experience in this methodology. I conclude that despite being criticized autoethnography has the potential to improve the teaching and learning practices in the contexts observed since it provides resources so that we can promote transformations in our performance as teachers/researchers through critical reflection.O objetivo deste artigo é ampliar a discussão acerca das implicações do uso da autoetnografia enquanto metodologia de pesquisa em Linguística Aplicada, uma vez que se inscreve num paradigma pós-moderno e desafia a pesquisa científica canônica de base positivista. Nas páginas a seguir, procuro promover a reflexão crítica a partir da minha experiência pessoal enquanto autoetnógrafo, durante a realização da minha pesquisa de doutorado, em que observei minhas próprias práticas enquanto professor de língua inglesa em uma escola pública de Ensino Fundamental-I, bem como busco problematizar os conflitos de identidade que surgem da experiência introspectiva do pesquisador/pesquisado nesta modalidade de investigação. Concluo que, apesar de ser alvo de críticas, a autoetnografia tem o potencial de promover o aprimoramento das práticas de ensino e aprendizagem realizadas nos próprios contextos observados, uma vez que nos fornece subsídios para que possamos promover transformações a partir da reflexão crítica acerca da nossa atuação enquanto professores/pesquisadores

Decoloniality and language teaching: perspectives and challenges for the construction of embodied knowledge in the current political scene

Este trabalho tem como objetivo refletir sobre as recentes políticas públicas e educacionais brasileiras e a tentativa de naturalização da ideologia dos grupos dominantes, em detrimento à legitimação da pluralidade epistemológica de grupos marginalizados e/ou contrários a tal pensamento uniformizador. A partir das teorias de decolonialidade (CASTRO-GÓMEZ; GROSFOGUEL, 2007; LANDER, 2005; MIGNOLO, 2009; MORENO, 2005; SOUSA SANTOS, 2010), discuto as relações de submissão, subordinação e exclusão promovidas pelas políticas educacionais recentes. Em seguida, busco problematizar o papel da educação para o desenvolvimento da criticidade e da construção do conhecimento corporificado, isto é, construído a partir de corpos atravessados por diferentes identidades culturais, sociais, linguísticas, de raça e de gênero, e concluo ressaltando a importância do ensino da língua inglesa como uma tarefa política que desenvolva o questionamento, o pensamento crítico e o respeito à diversidade epistemológica.This article looks at the recent Brazilian public educational policies and the attempt to naturalize the ideology of dominant groups that are opposed to the legitimization of the epistemological diversity of marginalized groups and/or opponents of their beliefs. Based on the Freirean approach and decolonial theories (CASTRO-GÓMEZ; GROSFOGUEL, 2007; LANDER, 2005; MIGNOLO, 2009; MORENO, 2005; SOUSA SANTOS, 2010), I discuss the relationships of submission, subordination, and exclusion promoted by the recent educational policies in Brazil. Furthermore, I seek to problematize the role of education to develop critique and the construction of embodied knowledge, i.e. knowledge built by bodies that have different political, cultural, social, linguistic, racial and gender identities. I conclude by emphasizing the importance of rethinking the role of English in our contemporary society as well as the ethos of teacher education and the teaching of English itself as a political task which promotes inquiry, critical thinking, and respect to the epistemological diversity

Propiedades psicométricas y estructura de los factores de la escala de Satisfacción con la Vida en una muestra de estudiantes mayores portugueses jubilados.

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) in a 363 retirees students sample from several Portuguese universities. The 70% were female (253) and 30% were male (110) with an average age of 67 years (SD = 7.59) and a range from 48 to 90 years. R commander was used for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Amos 18.0 module for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). One factor solution was the best-fitting model. The internal consistency of the SWLS was .769. Correlational analysis showed negative relationships with loneliness (UCLA Scale) and symptoms of depression (15-GDS), supporting concurrent validity. The SWLS can be used with confidence in future research among elderly students to measure their life satisfaction. Some limitations of the results and its applications in other samples are discussed.El objetivo principal de este estudio ha sido analizar las propiedades psicométricas de la escala de Satisfacción con la Vida (SWLS) en una muestra de 363 estudiantes jubilados pertenecientes a varias universidades portuguesas. El 70% de los participantes eran mujeres frente a un 30% de hombres, con una media de edad de 67 años (SD = 7.59) y un rango de edad comprendido entre 48 y 90 años. Se realizó un Análisis Factorial Exploratorio con R Commander y un Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio con Amos 18.0. El modelo que obtuvo un mejor ajuste estaba compuesto por un único factor. El índice de consistencia interna de la escala en su conjunto fue de .777. En cuanto a la validez concurrente, los análisis correlacionales mostraron una correlación negativa y significativa con la escala de soledad de UCLA y con la de depresión (GDS-15). El SWLS es una escala aplicable en futuras investigaciones sobre población mayor para medir su satisfacción con la vida. Algunas limitaciones y resultados de sus aplicaciones en otras muestras son discutidos.

Megacidades na governança climática: o caso do Rio de Janeiro

This paper shows the vital role of cities in climate governance, as places where the crisis is expressed in latent form, but also as emblematic spaces in terms of technological innovation and social empowerment. It discusses challenges of megacities like Rio de Janeiro, given their vulnerability, resilience and environmental risks to the transition of a more intelligent and sustainable patterns of urbanization, through its domestic policies and paradiplomacy networks.Este artigo mostra o papel vital das cidades na governança do clima, como lugares onde a crise se expressa de forma latente, mas também como espaços emblemáticos em termos de inovação tecnológica e empoderamento social. Discute os desafios de megacidades como Rio de Janeiro, considerando suas vulnerabilidades, riscos socioambientais e resiliências para a transição de modelos mais inteligentes e sustentáveis de urbanização, através de suas políticas domésticas e redes de paradiplomacia