Unsupervised Bayesian reconstruction of individual life histories from otolith signatures : case study of Sr : Ca transects of eel (Anguilla anguilla) otoliths

International audienc

Are hake otolith macrostructures randomly deposited ? Insights from an unsupervised statistical and quantitative approach applied to Meditteranean hake otoliths

International audienceIndividual fish age data are crucial to fish stock assessment, so their accuracy and precision are vital. The acquisition of age data most often relies on interpreting fish otoliths, a complex task in which expert subjectivity increases with the complexity of the structural patterns of the otoliths. The question arises for certain fish species (e.g. hake, Merluccius merluccius) whether the deposition of otolith macrostructures is meaningful for age estimation. A quantitative method based on the evaluation of otolith similarity in terms of structural patterns is presented to investigate this issue. It relies on the determination of a typology of otolith macrostructures from an unsupervised statistical analysis of the distributions of their characteristics. This typology provides a basis for analysing and comparing structural patterns of otoliths through evaluation of structural otolith similarities. Application to a set of Mediterranean hake otoliths discriminates three types of macrostructure, one likely associated with fish responses to environmental or endogenous factors, and the other two meaningful at a population or group level. Comparisons of structural patterns based on the proposed structural similarity measure over two successive years support the assumption that otolith patterns are stable over time, although male and female otoliths differ significantly in structural pattern. The results bring new evidence that hake otolith patterns are not random and may be relevant to age estimation

Exposition au mercure via la chaîne alimentaire au Nunavik : tendances géographiques et temporelles chez les femmes enceintes

En Arctique, les populations autochtones vivent de la consommation de mammifères marins et de poissons et peuvent être exposées à des doses élevées de méthylmercure (MeHg). Par ailleurs, puisque la disponibilité des espèces concernées varie au fil des mois, tout porte à croire que l’exposition au MeHg change aussi d’un mois à l’autre. Il existe encore d’importantes lacunes dans les connaissances quant aux variations géographiques et temporelles de l’exposition au MeHg et quant aux aliments responsables de celles-ci, surtout pour ce qui est de l’exposition chronique et à de plus faibles doses chez les femmes enceintes au Nunavik. Plusieurs résultats de l’Étude sur le développement de l’enfant au Nunavik (EDEN) montrent que la vie fœtale est un moment crucial pour prévenir l’exposition au MeHg afin d’éviter plusieurs effets neurologiques qui se répercutent jusque tard dans l’enfance. En conséquence, en 2011, la Régie régionale de la santé et des services sociaux du Nunavik (RRSSSN) a publié et diffusé un message recommandant aux femmes enceintes et en âge de procréer de réduire leur consommation de viande de béluga. L’objectif de la présente étude était de caractériser les variations géographiques et temporelles de l’exposition au MeHg chez les femmes Inuit durant la grossesse et mieux identifier les aliments traditionnels responsables de ces variations. Cette étude transversale réalisée d’octobre 2016 à mars 2017 visait les femmes enceintes âgées de 16 ans et plus au Nunavik. Les femmes ont été recrutées sur une base volontaire et des échantillons sanguins et de cheveux ont été collectés. Un questionnaire administré lors d’un entretien a été utilisé pour recueillir des informations sur la grossesse, la fréquence de consommation des aliments traditionnels par saison et la sensibilisation aux messages de santé publique. Le Hg total dans le sang a été mesuré par spectrométrie de masse avec plasma à couplage inductif (ICP-MS). Dans les cheveux, le Hg total a été analysé par spectrométrie d’absorption atomique à vapeur froide (CV-AAS), ceci par centimètre (cm) pour évaluer l’exposition mensuelle et rétrospective au mercure (Hg). Des analyses de régressions multiples ont été effectuées afin d’évaluer la variation saisonnière et régionale des niveaux de Hg. Une analyse de classes latentes a été réalisée afin d’identifier les femmes enceintes présentant des trajectoires mensuelles similaires des variations de niveaux de Hg dans les cheveux au fil du temps. Basé sur les concentrations de MeHg dans les aliments traditionnels et la fréquence de consommation de ces aliments, l’apport moyen en MeHg par saison a été estimé. Au final, 97 femmes enceintes de 13 des 14 communautés du Nunavik ont été recrutées. Plus de 23% des participants avaient des concentrations sanguines de Hg supérieures à la recommandation de Santé Canada (≥ 8 µg/L) au moment du recrutement (automne 2016 - hiver 2017). Alors qu’aucune différence régionale des concentrations de Hg dans le sang et dans les cheveux n’a été constatée pendant cette période, les analyses séquentielles de Hg dans les cheveux ont révélé d’importantes variations mensuelles de l’exposition au Hg : les concentrations de Hg étaient plus élevées durant les mois d’été (p < 0.05) et plus basses durant ceux de l’hiver (p < 0.001). Trois classes latentes (groupes) de femmes enceintes avec des trajectoires similaires de variations mensuelles de Hg dans les cheveux ont été identifiées : variation élevée (n = 20; 22%), variation modérée (n = 38; 41%) et faible variation au fil des mois (n = 35; 38%). La viande de béluga était l’aliment traditionnel contribuant globalement à la plus grande proportion de l’apport quotidien en MeHg au sein de chaque groupe de femmes enceintes et durant chaque saison, mais principalement en été. La consommation de viande de béluga était également le seul aliment traditionnel associé au risque d’être classifié dans les groupes de variations mensuelles de Hg modérées et élevées (OR = 1,19 [1,01-1,39] d’être dans le groupe modéré par rapport au faible; OR = 1,25 [1,04 -1,50] d’être dans le groupe élevé par rapport au faible). Un peu plus du tiers (35%) des femmes enceintes avait déjà entendu le message de santé publique recommandant de réduire leur consommation de viande de béluga durant leur grossesse. Notre étude montre une exposition élevée au MeHg chez les femmes enceintes du Nunavik, particulièrement en été, et que la consommation de viande de béluga est la principale source d’exposition au MeHg chez ces femmes. Nos résultats soulignent également l’importance de documenter les variations saisonnières de la consommation d’aliments traditionnels avant de mener des études de biosurveillance pour évaluer de manière plus adéquate l’exposition au MeHg sur une base annuelle. Compte tenu de la prévalence élevée d’insécurité alimentaire au Nunavik et du rôle central que jouent les aliments traditionnels dans la culture et pour le statut nutritionnel des Inuit, une approche plus consolidée avec les professionnels de la santé locaux et des conseils alimentaires ciblés à l’approche de l’été et dans les villages où la viande de béluga est souvent consommée peuvent être des avenues prometteuses pour prévenir l’exposition au MeHg tout en faisant la promotion des aliments traditionnels pour des grossesses et des enfants en santé au Nunavik.In the Arctic, indigenous populations living off marine mammals and fish consumption may be exposed to high doses of methylmercury (MeHg). Furthermore, since their availability varies over months, there is every reason to believe that exposure to MeHg also varies from month to month. There are still significant knowledge gaps with respect to geographic and temporal variations in MeHg exposure and about country foods responsible for MeHg exposure, particularly for pregnant women in Nunavik. Several findings from the Nunavik Child Development Study highlight that fetal life is a critical moment to prevent MeHg exposure in order to avoid neurodevelopmental outcomes later in childhood. Accordingly, in 2011, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS) released and disseminated a dietary recommendation for pregnant and childbearing age women to reduce their consumption of beluga meat. The aim of the present study was to characterize the geographic and temporal variations in MeHg exposure among Inuit women during pregnancy and to better identify country foods responsible for these variations. This cross-sectional study was carried out with pregnant women aged 16 and over in Nunavik between October 2016 and March 2017. Pregnant women were recruited on a voluntary basis and blood and hair samples were collected. An interview-administered questionnaire was used to gather information on pregnancy, country food frequencies of consumption by season and awareness of public health messages. Blood total Hg was measured using Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Hair total Hg was measured by centimeter as a surrogate for monthly exposure using Cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS). Multiple regressions analyses were done to assess the seasonal variation and the regional difference of mercury (Hg) levels. A latent class growth analysis was conducted to identify pregnant women with similar monthly trajectories in hair Hg levels over time. Based on the MeHg concentrations in country foods and consumption frequencies, their seasonal daily intake of MeHg was estimated. In total, 97 pregnant women from the 13 of the 14 Nunavik communities were recruited. Up to 23% of participants had blood Hg levels above the Health Canada guideline (≥ 8 µg/L) at the recruitment time (Oct 2016 – March 2017). While no regional difference in hair and blood Hg were observed in this period, sequential Hg hair analyses show important monthly variations in Hg exposure over the past year as Hg hair concentrations were significantly higher in summer (< 0.05) and lower in winter (p < 0.001) Three latent classes (groups) of pregnant women with similar trajectories of Hg hair monthly variations were identified: high variation (n=20, 22%), moderate variation (n=38, 41%) and low variation over time (n=35, 38%). Beluga meat was the country food generally contributing to most of daily MeHg intake within each group of pregnant women for all seasons, but primarily in the summer. Beluga meat intake was also the only country food associated to the odd of being classified into moderate and high hair Hg monthly variations groups (OR = 1.19 [1.01-1.39] for moderate versus low; OR = 1.25 [1.04 -1.50] for high versus low). Only one-third (35%) of pregnant women were aware of the public health message recommending to reduce their consumption of beluga meat. Our study shows a high MeHg exposure among Nunavik pregnant women, particularly in the summer, and that beluga meat consumption was the primary source of exposure to MeHg among these women. This study also highlight the importance of documenting the seasonality in country foods consumption before conducting biomonitoring studies in order to more adequately assess MeHg exposure on an annual basis. Given the high prevalence of food insecurity in Nunavik and the central role that country foods play in the culture and nutritional status of Inuit, a more consolidated approach together with local health professionals and targeted dietary counselling as summer is coming and in villages where beluga meat is often consumed may be promising avenues for preventing MeHg exposure while promoting traditional foods for healthy pregnancies and children in Nunavik

Elementos básicos para a construção de modelo de gestão da informação para engenharia de software: estudo de caso para atividade de requisitos no SERPRO

A ciência da informação tem ampliado suas áreas de atuação, como parte da influência de suas características interdisciplinares. Uma das disciplinas correlatas em que ela tem atuado é na ciência da computação, com o uso de modelos de gestão da informação para engenharia de software. O desenvolvimento de sistemas de informação tornou-se uma atividade crítica para boa parte das organizações, em função de sua dependência dos sistemas para suas atividades operacionais e gerenciais. A dificuldade das empresas de desenvolvimento de software em entregar no prazo sistemas que atendam as exigências dos usuários, levou a adoção de técnicas de engenharia e modelos de maturidade, com objetivo de tornar a atividade mais previsível, em termos de prazos de entrega e qualidade dos sistemas. Entretanto, apenas as soluções técnicas não atenderam as expectativas dos clientes, e uma das alternativas avaliadas foi a associação entre engenharia de software e conceitos e modelos de gestão da informação e conhecimento. Esta pesquisa avaliou modelos de gestão da informação utilizados em processos de desenvolvimento de software, e identificou os elementos chave para a construção de um modelo de gestão da informação para ser integrado ao processo do Serpro de desenvolvimento de software (Processo Serpro de Desenvolvimento de Soluções - PSDS). O objetivo é que a futura utilização destes elementos em um modelo de gestão da informação para o PSDS melhore aspectos relacionados ao reuso de informações em projetos de software, e permita a redução de prazos e melhoria da qualidade dos sistemas de informação desenvolvidos pelo Serpro

Inovação e transferência tecnológica na área de informática em institutos governamentais de P&D

O estudo desenvolve um quadro referencial e a estrutura conceitual com o objetivo de discutir e analisar o desempenho da inovação e transferencia tecnológica em informática de nove institutos governamentais do Estado de São Paulo. Mostra a análise descritiva na avaliação das características de funcionalidade produtiva: recursos humanos, técnicos e equipamentos, programas de treinamento de pessoal, fornecimento de informação tecnológica e trocas de conhecimento no mercado tecnológico. O estudo visa a uma compreensão da contribuição da informática para o desenvolvimento da tecnologia de ponta naqueles institutos governamentais. Os resultados mostram uma forte dependência dos institutos e dos pesquisadores sob o aspecto internacional da transferência tecnológica (hardware e software) na área da ciência da computação. Limites no desenvolvimento de programas de softwares evidenciam falta de preparo gerencial e de capacitação de pessoal, de planejamento metodológico coerente e a escassez de recursos financeiros. Apesar de muitos gerentes possuírem cursos de pósgraduação em engenharia, a troca de informação ocorre freqüentemente por meio de canais informais. Mesmo com todos esses limites, os noves institutos governamentais analisados vêm tentando uma saída para o país na área da ciência da computação. Palavras-chave Informática. Inovação tecnológica. Transferência tecnológica. Canais de informação. Innovation and technological transfer in the informatics area of the governmental R & D institutes Abstract The study develops a referencial framework and conceptual structure in order to discuss and analyse the performance of technological innovation and transferin informatics of nine governmental institutes of São Paulo State, Brazil. lt shows the descriptive analysis in the measurement of the characteristics of funcionality of the production process: human and technical resources and equipment, personnel training programs, technological Information supporf and knowledge exchange in the technological market. The study attempts an understanding of the contribution of the informatics for the development of high technology in nine governmental institutes. The results show the strict dependence of the institutes and researchers on the international aspect of the technological transfer (hardware and software) in the computing science area. Constraints in the development of software show a lack of managerial and training of personnel, strategic planning and financial support. In spite of many managers have post graduate courses on engineering, the information exchange occurs frequently through informal channels. Even with all these constraints, the nine governmental institutes analysed have been seeking outlets successfully for Brazilin the computing science area. Keywords Informatics. Techological innovation.Technological transfer. Information channels

Comunicação e cultura organizacional como coadjuvantes na performance criativa em agências de design gráfico

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Comunicação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Comunicação, 2018.Nos últimos anos, foi possível observar a emergência de organizações cujos modelos de gestão promovem ambientes onde a informalidade, ao menos aparente, faz-se perceptível. Tais modelos estão fortemente difundidos entre as ditas empresas da Indústria Criativa e, dentre elas, as agências de design gráfico. Propomos, neste trabalho, verificar se tais modelos informais, em confronto com os modelos de gestão considerados tradicionais, resultam em uma mudança significativa nas performances criativas de suas equipes. Por meio de entrevistas episódicas realizadas junto às lideranças e às equipes criativas de duas agências com perfis heterogêneos, procuramos identificar e estabelecer as relações entre as culturas organizacionais, caracterizadas pela gestão formal e informal, e os possíveis elementos que proporcionam maior ou menor desempenho criativo dos profissionais que atuam em agências de design. Nossa abordagem se concentra em fundamentos teóricos da cultura e comunicação organizacional, com destaque para os trabalhos acerca das dimensões culturais de Geert Hofstede (1990), e por princípios da comunicação organizacional sob a perspectiva da Escola de Comunicação de Palo Alto, apontados por Claude Duterme (2008). Para a observação de fatores motivadores ou inibidores da criatividade, reunimos um substancial corpus composto por artigos publicados por pesquisadores destacados no campo dos estudos da criatividade. As características culturais das organizações, observadas por meio dos relatos de seus colaboradores, fornecem indicadores capazes de apontar fatores inibidores ou facilitadores da criatividade. O que poderia parecer, para o senso comum, como organização propícia para a fluência da criatividade a empresa na qual os modelos de gestão são mais informais, em contraste com a empresa gerida de forma sistemática, não se revelou notoriamente, levando-nos a questionar as possíveis causas de tais resultados.In recent years, it has been possible to observe the surge of organizations whose management promotes environments with noticeable informality. Such models are thoroughly used among companies of the so-called Creative Industry, which includes the graphic design studios. This work proposes to verify if these informal models, in comparison with the traditional models, result in a significant improvement in the creative performance of their teams. Interviews were done with creative teams and leaders of two contrasting agencies to identify the existence of a relation between the two types of organizational cultures, informal and traditional, with greater or lesser creative performance of professionals from the design studios. This study approach focuses on the theoretical foundations of the organizational communication culture, with emphasis on the cultural dimensions theory of Geert Hofstede (1990), and by principles of organizational communications by the perspective of the Palo Alto School of Communication, appointed by Claude Duterme (2008). To help the analysis of motivating or inhibiting factors of creativity, substantial bibliographical material was reviewed, published by leading researchers in the field of creativity studies. The cultural characteristics of the organizations, observed through the input of their collaborators, provided indicators capable to appoint creative inhibitor or facilitator factors. What might seem, by common sense that an informal workplace would be more favorable for creativity performance, in contrast to the traditionally managed firm, surprisingly was not confirmed by not performing well, leading us to question the possible causes of such results