Establishing initial user requirements for PAM-AID: a mobility and support device to assist frail and elderly visually impaired persons

The PAM-AID project aims to build an intelligent, indoor mobility aid for frail and elderly visually impaired people which will provide both physical and navigational support for walking. The objective is to allow users to retain their personal autonomy and also to take independent exercise. The project involves ongoing user involvement and evaluations of the developing product. The project has five distinct phases: (1) user requirements elicitation, (2) rapid prototyping, (3) construction of a demonstrator, (4) user and carer training, and (5) system validation. This paper reports on the first two phases of the project

Mixotrophy in a Local Strain of Nannochloropsis granulata for Renewable High-Value Biomass Production on the West Coast of Sweden

A local strain of Nannochloropsis granulata (Ng) has been reported as the most productive microalgal strain in terms of both biomass yield and lipid content when cultivated in photobioreactors that simulate the light and temperature conditions during the summer on the west coast of Sweden. To further increase the biomass and the biotechnological potential of this strain in these conditions, mixotrophic growth (i.e., the simultaneous use of photosynthesis and respiration) with glycerol as an external carbon source was investigated in this study and compared with phototrophic growth that made use of air enriched with 1–2% CO2 . The addition of either glycerol or CO2-enriched air stimulated the growth of Ng and theproduction of high-value long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA) as well as the carotenoid canthaxanthin. Bioassays in human prostate cell lines indicated the highest antitumoral activity for Ng extracts and fractions from mixotrophic conditions. Metabolomics detected betaine lipids specifically in the bioactive fractions, suggesting their involvement in the observed antitumoral effect. Genes related to autophagy were found to be upregulated by the most bioactive fraction, suggesting a possible therapeutic target against prostate cancer progression. Taken together, our results suggest that the local Ng strain can be cultivated mixotrophically in summer conditions on the west coast of Sweden for the production of high-value biomass containing antiproliferative compounds, carotenoids, and EPA

Meeting report: the Leprosy Research Initiative Spring Meeting

Immunogenetics and cellular immunology of bacterial infectious disease

The Role of Experiment in Investigative Journalism: Case of "Aizliegtais paņēmiens"

Bakalaura darba tēma ir “Eksperimenta nozīme pētnieciskajā žurnālistikā. “Aizliegtā paņēmiena” gadījums”. Darba mērķis ir noskaidrot eksperimenta un slēptās novērošanas lomu un ētiskumu žurnālistikas raidījumā televīzijā, kā arī analizēt problēmas, kas saistāmas ar to lietojumu un meklēt tām risinājumu. Bakalaura darba teorētiskā pieeja ir mediju ētikas studijas, kā arī žurnālistu profesionālās identitātes teorija. Analizēti tiek divi raidījuma eksperimenti, kuros piedalījusies arī bakalaura darba autore - operācijas “Tokija” un “Zīdaiņu aukle”. Pētījuma veikšanai izmantotas gadījuma studijas, kuru ietvaros, savukārt, pašnovērojums un mediju, ētikas ekspertu, un raidījuma galvenā redaktora interviju analīze. Darba rezultātā ir apkopota un sistematizēta informācija par eksperimenta lomu informācijas ieguves procesā pētnieciskajā žurnālistikā, kā arī analizētas problēmas, kas var rasties tā laikā.Theme of this bachelor thesis is “The Role of Experiment in Investigative Journalism: Case of "Aizliegtais paņēmiens"”. The aim of the paper is to find out the role and ethics of the experiment method and hidden observation in television programme, also to analyse the problems associated with use of this methods. The theorethical framework is based on media ethics and self identity. Two cases of the program are analyzed - operations "Tokija" and "Zīdaiņu aukle". In both cases, the author of this bachelor's paper has participated in experiments. Case studies, self observation and interviews are used in study. The results of study are presented in empirical part. Most important information about the role of the experiment has been summarized and systematized, as well as analyzed the problems that may occur during journalistic experiment