Training to the phenomenological attitude. Experience and innovation of the “University Group-interactive didactics” D.U.G.I. at the University of Bari

Introduction This work refers to the university experience in teaching at the Specialist Degree Course in editorial, public and social Information Science at the University of Bari and to the research work within C.I.R.La.G.E.* on the phenomenological prerequisite which make recognisable the communication phenomenon in the constitutive terms of communicative relationship. Objective Training to the phenomenological attitude through the “University Group-interactive teching” allows: - To recognise the constitutive process of relationship subtending the communication - To detect, on each occasion, the risks of automatisms intrinsic to the standard models of communications. Method The “University Group-interactive teching” takes roots in Jane Abercrombie’s innovative “Reticular interactive teching”. Professor at the University College in London in the 50s, Jane Abercrombie borrows the group-analytic new paradigm developed by Sigmund Foulkes, from the psychological filed to the training-educational one. This new teaching approach was introduced in 1992 to the University of Bari at the Faculty of Educational Sciences by Professor of Philosophy and Epistemology of Human Sciences Maria Giordano. Results and Conclusion This work introduces the phenomenological analysis of constitutive and relational elements of the communication subtending training and learning in the university field and the outcomes concerning the operational repercussions on methodological innovation

EggLib: processing, analysis and simulation tools for population genetics and genomics

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>With the considerable growth of available nucleotide sequence data over the last decade, integrated and flexible analytical tools have become a necessity. In particular, in the field of population genetics, there is a strong need for automated and reliable procedures to conduct repeatable and rapid polymorphism analyses, coalescent simulations, data manipulation and estimation of demographic parameters under a variety of scenarios.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this context, we present EggLib (Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics Library), a flexible and powerful C++/Python software package providing efficient and easy to use computational tools for sequence data management and extensive population genetic analyses on nucleotide sequence data. EggLib is a multifaceted project involving several integrated modules: an underlying computationally efficient C++ library (which can be used independently in pure C++ applications); two C++ programs; a Python package providing, among other features, a high level Python interface to the C++ library; and the <monospace>egglib </monospace>script which provides direct access to pre-programmed Python applications.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>EggLib has been designed aiming to be both efficient and easy to use. A wide array of methods are implemented, including file format conversion, sequence alignment edition, coalescent simulations, neutrality tests and estimation of demographic parameters by Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC). Classes implementing different demographic scenarios for ABC analyses can easily be developed by the user and included to the package. EggLib source code is distributed freely under the GNU General Public License (GPL) from its website <url>http://egglib.sourceforge.net/</url> where a full documentation and a manual can also be found and downloaded.</p

Discovery of a second SALMFamide gene in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus reveals that L-type and F-type SALMFamide neuropeptides coexist in an echinoderm species

NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in MARINE GENOMICS. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in MARINE GENOMICS, [VOL 3, ISSUE 2, (2010)] DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2010.08.00

Prise en charge domiciliaire d'une personne atteinte de démence de type d'Alzheimer: comment l'infirmière pourrait-elle accompagner le proche aidant dans l'acquisition et le développement de compétences : travail de Bachelor

Contexte : Aujourd’hui, les proches aidants sont en première ligne dans la prise en charge de personnes âgées atteintes de la maladie d’Alzheimer et vivant à domicile. Cette situation peut engendrer des difficultés pour les proches aidants (fardeau, problèmes de santé) qui vivent un changement de rôle tout au long de leur vie. La théorie des transitions d’Afaf Ibrahim Meleis peut être indiquée comme une philosophie de soin pour l’infirmière dans l’accompagnement d’un proche aidant vivant une transition. Question de recherche : Quelles seraient les interventions nfirmières possibles afin d’accompagner les proches aidants dans l’acquisition et le développement de compétences, en vue de diminuer l’impact de cette prise en charge

Adaptive evolution of the symbiotic gene NORK is not correlated with shifts of rhizobial specificity in the genus Medicago

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>NODULATION RECEPTOR KINASE </it>(<it>NORK</it>) gene encodes a Leucine-Rich Repeat (LRR)-containing receptor-like protein and controls the infection by symbiotic rhizobia and endomycorrhizal fungi in Legumes. The occurrence of numerous amino acid changes driven by directional selection has been reported in this gene, using a limited number of messenger RNA sequences, but the functional reason of these changes remains obscure. The <it>Medicago </it>genus, where changes in rhizobial associations have been previously examined, is a good model to test whether the evolution of <it>NORK </it>is influenced by rhizobial interactions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We sequenced a region of 3610 nucleotides (encoding a 392 amino acid-long region of the NORK protein) in 32 <it>Medicago </it>species. We confirm that positive selection in <it>NORK </it>has occurred within the <it>Medicago </it>genus and find that the amino acid positions targeted by selection occur in sites outside of solvent-exposed regions in LRRs, and other sites in the N-terminal region of the protein. We tested if branches of the <it>Medicago </it>phylogeny where changes of rhizobial symbionts occurred displayed accelerated rates of amino acid substitutions. Only one branch out of five tested, leading to <it>M. noeana</it>, displays such a pattern. Among other branches, the most likely for having undergone positive selection is not associated with documented shift of rhizobial specificity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Adaptive changes in the sequence of the NORK receptor have involved the LRRs, but targeted different sites than in most previous studies of LRR proteins evolution. The fact that positive selection in <it>NORK </it>tends not to be associated to changes in rhizobial specificity indicates that this gene was probably not involved in evolving rhizobial preferences. Other explanations (<it>e.g</it>. coevolutionary arms race) must be tested to explain the adaptive evolution of <it>NORK</it>.</p

An Approach to Detect the Region of Interest of Expressive Face Images

AbstractOn human face, non-rigid facial movements due to facial expressions cause noticeable alterations in their usual shapes, which sometimes create occlusions in facial feature areas making face recognition as a difficult problem. The paper presents an automatic Region of Interest (ROI) detection technique of six universal expressive face images. The proposed technique is a facial geometric based hybrid approach. The localization accuracy was evaluated by rectangular error measure and was tested on Japanese Female Facial Expression (JAFFE) database. The average localization accuracy of all detected facial regions is 94%

In Vitro Adventitious Regeneration of Artemisia annua L. Influencing Artemisinin Metabolism

Artemisia annua L. is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, known for producing, although at low levels, the sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin (AN), which is highly effective against malaria. In this study, an in vitro regeneration process of A. annua L. using 'Artemis' progeny was established and the potential of tissue culture for inducing new variability in terms of AN metabolism of in vitro regenerated plants was investigated. Among the plant growth regulators tested, the cytokinin 6-benzyladenine (BA) at 4.4 μM in combination with the auxin indole-butyric acid (IBA) at 0.35 μM yielded the greatest frequency of shoot induction. The optimal multiplication medium contained BA at 0.9 μM and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at 0.05 μM. Regenerated plants (RPs), after transferring to the greenhouse and subsequently to the field, were analyzed during the growth cycle at different sampling times, showing a peak of AN content 20 days before blossom. Variability among different RPs and sampling times, in terms of AN and its precursors dihydroartemisinic acid (DHAA) and artemisinic acid (AA) was observed. This suggests that adventitious shoot induction could provide a useful strategy to induce variability influencing artemisinin metabolism as a consequence of in vitro manipulation