Between old broadcast media and new networked media: materiality and media consumption practices

Past tensions between content and materiality have prevented communication researchers from forming a deeper conceptualization of the role played by the material character of communication technologies in shaping social arrangements and cultural forms of expression. Drawing on the findings of a comparative research project on European audiences, we examine the interrelation between material facets of media technologies and the practices they afford on the audience side. Relations between "old" mass media, such as television, and "new" networked and individualized media, such as the Internet, are discussed, focusing on the transitions between different media technologies and the processes of substitution or supplementation occurring in these transitions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Novel mag variant causes cerebellar ataxia with oculomotor apraxia: Molecular basis and expanded clinical phenotype

Homozygous variants in MAG, encoding myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), have been associated with complicated forms of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). MAG is a glycoprotein member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, expressed by myelination cells. In this study, we identified a novel homozygous missense variant in MAG (c.124T>C; p.Cys42Arg) in a Portuguese family with early-onset autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and oculomotor apraxia. We used homozygosity mapping and exome sequencing to identify the MAG variant, and cellular studies to confirm its detrimental effect. Our results showed that this variant reduces protein stability and impairs the post-translational processing (N-linked glycosylation) and subcellular localization of MAG, thereby associating a loss of protein function with the phenotype. Therefore, MAG variants should be considered in the diagnosis of hereditary cerebellar ataxia with oculomotor apraxia, in addition to spastic paraplegia.This work was funded by National Funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project UIDB/04293/2020. It was also funded by FEDER funds through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade—COMPETE 2020 and by Nacional funds through the FCT [COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007440]. This work was also funded in part by the FCT grant FCT-ANR/BEX-GMG/0008/2013 and the Porto Neurosciences and Neurologic Disease Research Initiative at the i3S (Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000008), supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020) under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, also through FEDER. The authors also acknowledge the support of the i3S Scientific Platform Advanced Light Microscopy, member of the PPBI (PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122) and GenomePT (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184). MS was the recipient of a fellowship (SFRH/BPD/116046/2016) from the FCT supported by POPH/MCTES funding

Assessing coastal vulnerability at the village level using a robust framework, the example of Canacona in South Goa, India

Nigam, R., Luis, A. J., Gagnon, A. S., Vaz, E., Damásio, B., & Kotha, M. (2024). Assessing coastal vulnerability at the village level using a robust framework, the example of Canacona in South Goa, India. ISCIENCE, Article 109129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.109129 --- The first author Mr. Ritwik Nigam, a Ph.D student acknowledges the financial support provided by the University Grant Commission (UGC), Govt. of India, New Delhi, to conduct this research. The authors also thank all the administrative authorities of their respective institutions for their support during field surveys. Bruno Damásio acknowledges the financial support provided by Fundac̨ão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal (FCT) under the project UIDB/04152/2020 Centro de Investigação em Gestão de Informação (MagIC).Climate change poses a significant threat to coastal regions worldwide. This study presents and applies a modified CVI to assess coastal vulnerability at the village level, focusing on Canacona, a taluka in South Goa, India. It adapts the existing CVI methodology by incorporating additional variables to represent the various dimensions of vulnerability better, resulting in 21 variables split into a Physical Vulnerability Index (PVI) and a Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI). The results show spatial variability in coastal vulnerability across the studied villages, with Agonda and Nagercem-Chaudi found to be highly vulnerable and Loliem to be the least vulnerable. A hydrological modeling approach is also used to compare the CVI of every village with their susceptibility to inundation due to rising sea levels. The result demonstrates the influence of local factors on vulnerability, challenging previous taluka-level assessments given the typical scale upon which adaptation typically takes place.publishersversionpublishe

Monozygotic twin sisters discordant for familial hemiplegic migraine

Background: The high concordance rate of migraine in monozygotic twin pairs has long been recognised. In the current study, we present a monozygotic twin pair discordant for familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM). Case presentations: We evaluated 12 adult family members in 2012. The twin pair was separately examined by neurologists at different time points. Mutation screening was performed for known FHM-related genes. The monozygosity of the twins was verified. Eleven individuals had a history of migraine or paroxysmal neurological symptoms, including four patients with motor aura. No mutations were detected in the CACNA1A, ATP1A2, SCN1A, PRRT2 or NOTCH3 genes. The monozygotic twin sisters, aged 52, were discordant for age of onset, motor aura and neuropsychological aura (forced thinking). Overall, the family members presented a wide range of phenotypical features. Conclusions: Familial hemiplegic migraine is a monogenic disorder that is distinct from migraine with typical aura. However, in certain families with motor aura, such as this one, it is possible that the most severe phenotype is caused by an unlikely combination of polygenic traits and non-genetic factors. In these kindreds, we propose that hemiplegic aura is only a severe and complex form of typical aura

Abcesso Hepático por Streptococcus Anginosus e Eikenella Corrodens, Secundário a Perfuração Gástrica por Espinha de Peixe

Introduction: Foreign-body ingestion is a common event, but in only less than 1% of the cases complications occur. Hepatic abscesses induced by foreign-body penetration are rare. To date, there are only 62 reported cases of hepatic abscess secondary to fish bone perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. Case presentation: A 78-year-old male patient was admitted due to high fever and vomiting for 2 days, along with frequent eructations for the past 3 months. Abdominal ultrasound showed a liver abscess in the left lobe, and computed tomography revealed a hyperdense linear image that crossed the superior wall of the gastric antrum, contacting the liver lesion, suggestive of a foreign body, probably a fish bone. Blood cultures were positive with isolation of Streptococcus anginosus and Eikenella corrodens. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage of the abscess was done, and S. anginosus was isolated in the pus. Surgical debridement and fish bone removal were performed; the patient completed 21 days of antibiotic therapy, with a favorable evolution. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of liver abscess caused by fish bone penetration with isolation of S. anginosus and E. corrodens. Bacterial coaggregation is one of the mechanisms that can explain their ability for causing invasive infections away from the oral cavity, by increasing their resistance to the innate immune system and survival of both species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Rare Variation of the Extensor Indicis Proprius Tendon With Important Clinical Implications

Introduction: Anatomical variations of the extensor tendons to the fingers are of great clinical interest, due to the relatively high frequency of tendon injury in clinical practice. Material and methods: During routine dissection of the right upper limb of a 67-year-old female preserved corpse, the extensor indicis proprius (EIP) muscle belly originated 3 independent tendons, each with a separate fascial sheath, forming a triple EIP tendon. There was a larger tendon, which occupied a central position, that represented the usual single EIP tendon. In addition, there were two thinner radial and ulnar accessory EIP tendons. The radial-EIP tendon crossed deep to the extensor digitorum communis (EDC) tendon to the index finger in the distal half of the dorsum of the hand to reach the radial side of the extensor expansion hood of the index finger. Discussion: According to the literature, the frequency of a triple EIP tendon ranges from 0%, to as high as 7%, although most authors do not acknowledge the presence of this variant in their series. This variant of the EIP tendon, in which the radial-EIP terminated laterally to the termination of the tendon of the EDC to the index finger, may be a source of confusion intraoperatively, as the EIP tendon has traditionally been identified on the basis of its ulnar location with respect to the EDC tendon. Conclusion: The possibility of a triple EIP tendon should certainly be born in mind by all surgeons when performing tendon repairs, tenoplasties or tendon transfers

Did Covid-19 lockdown positively affect the urban environment and UN- Sustainable Development Goals?

Nigam, R., Tripathi, G., Priya, T., Luis, A. J., Vaz, E., Kumar, S., Shakya, A., Damásio, B., Kotha, M., & Yu, B. (Ed.) (2022). Did Covid-19 lockdown positively affect the urban environment and UN- Sustainable Development Goals? PLoS ONE, 17(9), 1-21. [e0274621]. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274621This work quantifies the impact of pre-, during- and post-lockdown periods of 2020 and 2019 imposed due to COVID-19, with regards to a set of satellite-based environmental parameters (greenness using Normalized Difference Vegetation and water indices, land surface temperature, night-time light, and energy consumption) in five alpha cities (Kuala Lumpur, Mexico, greater Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Toronto). We have inferenced our results with an extensive questionnaire-based survey of expert opinions about the environment-related UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Results showed considerable variation due to the lockdown on environment-related SDGs. The growth in the urban environmental variables during lockdown phase 2020 relative to a similar period in 2019 varied from 13.92% for Toronto to 13.76% for greater Mumbai to 21.55% for Kuala Lumpur; it dropped to −10.56% for Mexico and −1.23% for Sao Paulo city. The total lockdown was more effective in revitalizing the urban environment than partial lockdown. Our results also indicated that Greater Mumbai and Toronto, which were under a total lockdown, had observed positive influence on cumulative urban environment. While in other cities (Mexico City, Sao Paulo) where partial lockdown was implemented, cumulative lockdown effects were found to be in deficit for a similar period in 2019, mainly due to partial restrictions on transportation and shopping activities. The only exception was Kuala Lumpur which observed surplus growth while having partial lockdown because the restrictions were only partial during the festival of Ramadan. Cumulatively, COVID-19 lockdown has contributed significantly towards actions to reduce degradation of natural habitat (fulfilling SDG-15, target 15.5), increment in available water content in Sao Paulo urban area(SDG-6, target 6.6), reduction in NTL resulting in reducied per capita energy consumption (SDG–13, target 13.3).publishersversionpublishe