Pengembangan Lembar Kerja Siswa Berbasis Inkuiri Terbimbing Pada Materi Garam Hidrolisis

The research and development was aimed to develop and describe validity, practicality, and effectiveness of student worksheets based guided inquiry on content salt hydrolysis. Validation gave an assessment to the aspects of construction, readability, suitability of content of worksheets in high category and the worksheets was declared valid. Teacher feedback on aspects of the suitability of the content, readability, the attractiveness of the worksheets were very high categorized; student responses to aspects of legibility and attractiveness was very high categorized; students\u27 response positive of the learning to use the worksheets; and the results of observation by using the worksheets was very high categorized. The worksheets was said practically to the used. Penelitian dan pengembangan ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan dan mendeskripsikan kevalidan, kepraktisan, serta keefektifan lembar kerja siswa berbasis inkuiri terbimbing pada materi garam hidrolisis. Validator memberikan penilaian pada aspek konstruksi, keterbacaan, kesesuaian isi LKS dikatagorikan tinggi dan LKS dinyata­kan valid. Tanggapan guru pada aspek kesesuaian isi, keterbacaan, kemenarikan LKS dikategorikan sangat tinggi; tanggapan siswa terhadap aspek keterbacaan dan kemenarikan dikatagorikan sangat tinggi respon siswa terhadap pembelajaran menggunakan LKS positif dan hasil observasi pembelajaran menggunakan LKS dikategorikan sangat tinggi. LKS dapat dikatakan praktis untuk digunakan

Direct synthesis of 2-(cycloalkylamino)-3,4-substituted thiophenes via selective deprotonation-cyclization of aroyl ketene N,S-acetals

Acyclic and cyclic aroyl ketene N,S-acetals undergo regioselective deprotonation-cyclization via dipole stabilized carbanion in the presence of LDA/THF to afford the corresponding 2-(cycloalkylamino)-4-aryl or 3,4-annelated thiophenes in moderate to good yields

Fast and Accurate Camera Covariance Computation for Large 3D Reconstruction

Estimating uncertainty of camera parameters computed in Structure from Motion (SfM) is an important tool for evaluating the quality of the reconstruction and guiding the reconstruction process. Yet, the quality of the estimated parameters of large reconstructions has been rarely evaluated due to the computational challenges. We present a new algorithm which employs the sparsity of the uncertainty propagation and speeds the computation up about ten times \wrt previous approaches. Our computation is accurate and does not use any approximations. We can compute uncertainties of thousands of cameras in tens of seconds on a standard PC. We also demonstrate that our approach can be effectively used for reconstructions of any size by applying it to smaller sub-reconstructions.Comment: ECCV 201

Investigation of reconfiguration effect on makespan with social network method for flexible job shop scheduling problem

This paper presents a novel social network analysis based method (SNAM) to evaluate the reconfiguration effect i.e., identification of key machines and their influence on the system performance in the context of Flexible job shop scheduling problem (FJSSP). This research formulates a mathematical model along with the constraints by incorporating the total completion time of jobs as an objective function. The proposed SNAM has been applied to generate the collaboration networks by transforming the input data and presenting them in the form of an affiliation matrix to the network analysis software. Thereafter, to analyze the collaboration networks various SNA measures that have been calculated and different functional properties are evaluated. Finally, to investigate the reconfiguration effect on makespan integration of process planning and scheduling (IPPS) has been implemented with adopted effective game theory based hybrid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) algorithm. The validation of the proposed approach and its effectiveness is conducted through comparisons with benchmark instances and results confirm the efficiency of the proposed approach.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Ras/MAPK Pathway Is Required for Generation of iNKT Cells

iNKT cells derive from CD4+CD8+ DP thymocytes, and are selected by thymocyte-thymocyte interactions through signals from their invariant Vα14-Jα18 TCR and from the costimulatory molecules SLAMF1 and SLAMF6. Genetic studies have demonstrated the contribution of different signaling pathways to this process. Surprisingly, current models imply that the Ras/MAPK pathway, one of the critical mediators of conventional αβ T cell positive selection, is not necessary for iNKT cell development. Using mice defective at different levels of this pathway our results refute this paradigm, and demonstrate that Ras, and its downstream effectors Egr-1 and Egr-2 are required for positive selection of iNKT cells. Interestingly our results also show that there are differences in the contributions of several of these molecules to the development of iNKT and conventional αβ T cells

Genome wide expression profiling of two accession of G. herbaceum L. in response to drought

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genome-wide gene expression profiling and detailed physiological investigation were used for understanding the molecular mechanism and physiological response of <it>Gossypium herbaceum</it>, which governs the adaptability of plants in drought conditions. Recently, microarray-based gene expression analysis is commonly used to decipher genes and genetic networks controlling the traits of interest. However, the results of such an analysis are often plagued due to a limited number of genes (probe sets) on microarrays. On the other hand, pyrosequencing of a transcriptome has the potential to detect rare as well as a large number of transcripts in the samples quantitatively. We used Affymetrix microarray as well as Roche's GS-FLX transcriptome sequencing for a comparative analysis of cotton transcriptome in leaf tissues under drought conditions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fourteen accessions of <it>Gossypium herbaceum </it>were subjected to mannitol stress for preliminary screening; two accessions, namely Vagad and RAHS-14, were selected as being the most tolerant and most sensitive to osmotic stress, respectively. Affymetrix cotton arrays containing 24,045 probe sets and Roche's GS-FLX transcriptome sequencing of leaf tissue were used to analyze the gene expression profiling of Vagad and RAHS-14 under drought conditions. The analysis of physiological measurements and gene expression profiling showed that Vagad has the inherent ability to sense drought at a much earlier stage and to respond to it in a much more efficient manner than does RAHS-14. Gene Ontology (GO) studies showed that the phenyl propanoid pathway, pigment biosynthesis, polyketide biosynthesis, and other secondary metabolite pathways were enriched in Vagad under control and drought conditions as compared with RAHS-14. Similarly, GO analysis of transcriptome sequencing showed that the GO terms <it>responses to various abiotic stresses </it>were significantly higher in Vagad. Among the classes of transcription factors (TFs) uniquely expressed in both accessions, RAHS-14 showed the expression of ERF and WRKY families. The unique expression of ERFs in response to drought conditions reveals that RAHS-14 responds to drought by inducing senescence. This was further supported by transcriptome analysis which revealed that RAHS-14 responds to drought by inducing many transcripts related to senescence and cell death.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The comparative genome-wide gene expression profiling study of two accessions of <it>G.herbaceum </it>under drought stress deciphers the differential patterns of gene expression, including TFs and physiologically relevant processes. Our results indicate that drought tolerance observed in Vagad is not because of a single molecular reason but is rather due to several unique mechanisms which Vagad has developed as an adaptation strategy.</p

Temporal trends (1977-2007) and ethnic inequity in child mortality in rural villages of southern Guinea Bissau

Background Guinea Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world, with one of the highest under-5 mortality rate. Despite its importance for policy planning, data on child mortality are often not available or of poor quality in low-income countries like Guinea Bissau. Our aim in this study was to use the baseline survey to estimate child mortality in rural villages in southern Guinea Bissau for a 30 years period prior to a planned cluster randomised intervention. We aimed to investigate temporal trends with emphasis on historical events and the effect of ethnicity, polygyny and distance to the health centre on child mortality. Methods A baseline survey was conducted prior to a planned cluster randomised intervention to estimate child mortality in 241 rural villages in southern Guinea Bissau between 1977 and 2007. Crude child mortality rates were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method from birth history of 7854 women. Cox regression models were used to investigate the effects of birth periods with emphasis on historical events, ethnicity, polygyny and distance to the health centre on child mortality. Results High levels of child mortality were found at all ages under five with a significant reduction in child mortality over the time periods of birth except for 1997-2001. That period comprises the 1998/99 civil war interval, when child mortality was 1.5% higher than in the previous period. Children of Balanta ethnic group had higher hazard of dying under five years of age than children from other groups until 2001. Between 2002 and 2007, Fula children showed the highest mortality. Increasing walking distance to the nearest health centre increased the hazard, though not substantially, and polygyny had a negligible and statistically not significant effect on the hazard. Conclusion Child mortality is strongly associated with ethnicity and it should be considered in health policy planning. Child mortality, though considerably decreased during the past 30 years, remains high in rural Guinea Bissau. Temporal trends also suggest that civil wars have detrimental effects on child mortality. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN5243333

Regulation of RasGRP1 Function in T Cell Development and Activation by Its Unique Tail Domain

The Ras-guanyl nucleotide exchange factor RasGRP1 plays a critical role in T cell receptor-mediated Erk activation. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of RasGRP1 in the positive selection of thymocytes, activation of T cells, and control of autoimmunity. RasGRP1 consists of a number of well-characterized domains, which it shares with its other family members; however, RasGRP1 also contains an ∼200 residue-long tail domain, the function of which is unknown. To elucidate the physiological role of this domain, we generated knock-in mice expressing RasGRP1 without the tail domain. Further analysis of these knock-in mice showed that thymocytes lacking the tail domain of RasGRP1 underwent aberrant thymic selection and, following TCR stimulation, were unable to activate Erk. Furthermore, the deletion of the tail domain led to enhanced CD4+ T cell expansion in aged mice, as well as the production of autoantibodies. Mechanistically, the tail-deleted form of RasGRP1 was not able to traffic to the cell membrane following stimulation, indicating a potential reason for its inability to activate Erk. While the DAG-binding C1 domain of RasGRP1 has long been recognized as an important factor mediating Erk activation, we have revealed the physiological relevance of the tail domain in RasGRP1 function and control of Erk signaling

STAT5 Is an Ambivalent Regulator of Neutrophil Homeostasis

BACKGROUND: Although STAT5 promotes survival of hematopoietic progenitors, STAT5-/- mice develop mild neutrophilia. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we show that in STAT5-/- mice, liver endothelial cells (LECs) autonomously secrete high amounts of G-CSF, allowing myeloid progenitors to overcompensate for their intrinsic survival defect. However, when injected with pro-inflammatory cytokines, mutant mice cannot further increase neutrophil production, display a severe deficiency in peripheral neutrophil survival, and are therefore unable to maintain neutrophil homeostasis. In wild-type mice, inflammatory stimulation induces rapid STAT5 degradation in LECs, G-CSF production by LECs and other cell types, and then sustained mobilization and expansion of long-lived neutrophils. CONCLUSION: We conclude that STAT5 is an ambivalent factor. In cells of the granulocytic lineage, it exerts an antiapoptotic function that is required for maintenance of neutrophil homeostasis, especially during the inflammatory response. In LECs, STAT5 negatively regulates granulopoiesis by directly or indirectly repressing G-CSF expression. Removal of this STAT5-imposed brake contributes to induction of emergency granulopoiesis.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Generation of a Novel Regulatory NK Cell Subset from Peripheral Blood CD34+ Progenitors Promoted by Membrane-Bound IL-15

BACKGROUND: NK cells have been long time considered as cytotoxic lymphocytes competent in killing virus-infected cells and tumors. However, NK cells may also play essential immuno-regulatory functions. In this context, the real existence of a defined NK subset with negative regulatory properties has been hypothesized but never clearly demonstrated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Herein, we show the in vitro generation from human peripheral blood haematopoietic progenitors (PB-HP), of a novel subset of non-cytolytic NK cells displaying a mature phenotype and remarkable immuno-regulatory functions (NK-ireg). The main functional hallmark of these NK-ireg cells is represented by the surface expression/release of HLA-G, a major immunosuppressive molecule. In addition, NK-ireg cells secrete two powerful immuno-regulatory factors: IL-10 and IL-21. Through these factors, NK-ireg cells act as effectors of the down-regulation of the immune response: reconverting mature myeloid DC (mDC) into immature/tolerogenic DC, blocking cytolytic functions on conventional NK cells and inducing HLA-G membrane expression on PB-derived monocytes. The generation of "NK-ireg" cells is obtained, by default, in culture conditions favouring cell-to-cell contacts, and it is strictly dependent on reciprocal trans-presentation of membrane-bound IL-15 forms constitutively and selectively expressed by human CD34(+) PB-HP. Finally, a small subset of NKp46(+) HLA-G(+) IL-10(+) is detected within freshly isolated decidual NK cells, suggesting that these cells could represent an in vivo counterpart of the NK-ireg cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In conclusion, NK-ireg cells represent a novel truly differentiated non-cytolytic NK subset with a self-sustainable phenotype (CD56(+) CD16(+) NKp30(+) NKp44(+) NKp46(+) CD94(+) CD69(+) CCR7(+)) generated from specific pSTAT6(+) GATA3(+) precursors. NK-ireg cells could be employed to develop new immuno-suppressive strategies in autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection or graft versus host diseases. In addition, NK-ireg cells can be easily derived from peripheral blood of the patients and could constitute an autologous biotherapic tool to be used combined or in alternative to other immuno-regulatory cells