Using visualization for visualization : an ecological interface design approach to inputting data

Visualization is experiencing growing use by a diverse community, with continuing improvements in the availability and usability of systems. In spite of these developments the problem of how first to get the data in has received scant attention: the established approach of pre-defined readers and programming aids has changed little in the last two decades. This paper proposes a novel way of inputting data for scientific visualization that employs rapid interaction and visual feedback in order to understand how the data is stored. The approach draws on ideas from the discipline of ecological interface design to extract and control important parameters describing the data, at the same time harnessing our innate human ability to recognize patterns. Crucially, the emphasis is on file format discovery rather than file format description, so the method can therefore still work when nothing is known initially of how the file was originally written, as is often the case with legacy binary data. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Sources of total, non-milk extrinsic, and intrinsic and milk sugars in the diets of older adults living in sheltered accommodation

The WHO recommends limiting non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES) consumption to ≤ 10 % energy to reduce the risk of unhealthy weight gain and dental caries, and to restrict frequency of intake to ≤ 4 times/d to reduce risk of dental caries. Older adults, especially those from low-income backgrounds, are at increased risk of dental caries, yet there is little information on sugars intake (frequency of intake and food sources) in this age group. The aim of this report is to present baseline data from a community-based dietary intervention study of older adults from socially deprived areas of North East England, on the quantity and sources of total sugars, NMES, and intrinsic and milk sugars, and on frequency of NMES intake. Dietary intake was assessed using two 3-d estimated food diaries, completed by 201 participants (170 female, thirty-one male) aged 65–85 years (mean 76·7 (sd 5·5) years) recruited from sheltered housing schemes. Total sugars represented 19·6 %, NMES 9·3 %, and intrinsic and milk sugars 10·3 % of daily energy intake. Eighty-one (40·3 %) exceeded the NMES intake recommendation. Mean frequency of NMES intake was 3·4 times/d. The fifty-three participants (26·4 %) who exceeded the frequency recommendation ( ≤ 4 times/d) obtained a significantly greater percentage of energy from NMES compared with those participants who met the recommendation. The food groups ‘biscuits and cakes’ (18·9 %), ‘soft drinks’ (13·1 %) and ‘table sugar’ (11·1 %) made the greatest contributions to intakes of NMES. Interventions to reduce NMES intake should focus on limiting quantity and frequency of intake of these food groups

Aged disability and community care in Australia: issues for southern Africa

Disability among the aged is an issue of growing importance to southern Africa as it is throughout the world. New methods and debates about disability and ageing are illustrated by a discussion of the Australian situation. First, trends in mortality and life expectancy are outlined, and the debate about the compression of mortality critically examined. Second, the same techniques of analysis are applied to disability and handicap rates derived from national surveys. The hypothesis of compression of morbidity or illness is also critically examined. Third, the impact on the community of disability is discussed, and expectations of life "free of community services" and ''free of institutionalization" are calculated. Finally, trends in health-risk factors and the contributions of various diseases to health expectations are outlined. Southern African countries are also part of the movement to measure quality-of-life years-not only quantity - and need to develop their population monitoring of disability and demands for community care. The development will facilitate policy planning to improve the management of community services provided for the elderly by families, the community and formal providers

Progress report for SRDCP on the Atlantic-wide study on the age and growth of shortfin mako shark

The ICCAT Shark Research and Data Collection Program (SRDCP) aims to develop and coordinate science and science-related activities needed to support provision of sound scientific advice for the conservation and management of pelagic sharks in the Atlantic. This Program was developed in 2013-2014 by the Sharks Species Group, and framed within the 2015-2020 SCRS Strategic Plan. Within this Program, a specific study on the age and growth of shortfin mako in the Atlantic was developed, with the purpose of contributing to the 2017 ICCAT SMA stock assessment. In the paper, we provide an update of the project, including preliminary growth models for the North Atlantic Ocean.Project "LL-Sharks: Mitigação das capturas de tubarões na pescaria de palangre de superfície (Ref: 31-03-05-FEP-44, funded by PROMAR)", Project "MAKO-WIDE - "A wide scale inter-hemispheric and inter-disciplinary study aiming the conservation of the shortfin mako shark in the Atlantic Ocean (Ref: FAPESP/19740/2014)", funded by FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) and FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation, Brazil), and Project SAFEWATERS SC7 (The provision of advice on the conservation of pelagic sharks associated to fishing activity under EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements in the Atlantic Ocean) under the Framework Contract MARE/2012/21, funded by the European Commission. Additional satellite tags were acquired by NOAA in US-Uruguay and US-Portugal-Uruguay collaboration initiatives. Rui Coelho is supported by an Investigador-FCT contract from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) supported by the EU European Social Fund and the Programa Operacional Potencial Humano (Ref: IF/00253/2014). Catarina C. Santos is supported by an FCT Doctoral grant (Ref: SFRH/BD/139187/2018).info:eu-repo/semantics/draf

DNA methylation of ESR-1 and N-33 in colorectal mucosa of patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

Introduction: Epigenetic marking such as DNA methylation influence gene transcription and chromosomal stability and may also be affected by environmental exposures. Few studies exist on alteration in DNA methylation profiles (genomic and gene specific methylation) in patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and none assessing its relationship with lifestyle exposures. Aims & Methods: To assess genomic methylation and promoter methylation of the ESR-1 (oestrogen receptor - 1) and N-33 (tumour suppressor candidate-3) genes in the macroscopically normal mucosa of UC patients as well as to investigate effects of anthropometric and lifestyle exposures on DNA methylation. Sixty eight subjects were recruited (24 UC and 44 age and sex matched controls). Colorectal mucosal biopsies were obtained and DNA was extracted. Genomic DNA methylation was quantified using the tritium-labelled cytosine extension assay (3[H] dCTP) whilst gene specific methylation was quantified using the COBRA method. Results: The methylation level of both ESR-1 and N-33 genes were significantly higher in UC subjects compared with controls (7.9% vs 5.9%; p = 0.015 and 66% vs 9.3%; p < 0.001 respectively). There was no detectable difference in global DNA methylation between patients with UC and age and sex matched controls. No associations between indices of DNA methylation and anthropometric measures or smoking patterns were detected. Conclusions: For the first time, we have shown increased methylation in the promoter regions of the putative tumour suppressor gene N-33 in macroscopically normal mucosa of patients with UC. In addition, we have confirmed that methylation of ESR-1 promoter is higher in UC patients compared with age and sex matched controls. These findings suggests that, inactivation through methylation of the putative tumour suppressor genes N-33 and ESR-1, may not be associated with colorectal carcinogenesis in UC

Café Culture: Promoting Empowerment and Pleasure in Adolescent Literacy Learning

The 160 third, seventh, and eleventh-graders involved in this study agreed, almost unanimously, that reading was“important.” Participants cited the empowering benefits of reading as they justified this opinion. However, with regards to the enjoyment of reading, fewer middle and high school participants reported “liking” reading than their elementary counterparts and fewer reported reading in their free time. One solution to this dilemma involves providing adolescent students with a context devoted solely to pleasure reading. In doing so, educators can look to an institution that boasts both an historical link to literate culture and current-day pop culture appeal: the coffeehouse. When combined with more traditional forms of literacy instruction, the coffeehouse provides a viable model for promoting both empowerment and pleasure in adolescent literacy learning

WHO and Global Health Monitoring: The Way Forward

Ties Boerma and colleagues from WHO describe the agency's work and future in health indicator monitoring, as part of a cluster of PLoS Medicine articles on global health estimates

“Can’t Put my Finger on It”: A Research Report on the Non-Existence and Meaninglessness of Sin

This paper presents findings from an exploratory study of sin. Based on nine in-depth interviews with self-identified religious people, we demonstrate that respondents define sin as (1) nonconformity, (2) relative to other social realities, and (3) taught by moral authorities. In so doing, respondents’ definitions reveal that sin, despite its use to justify all types of social policies, is a social construction that has no established concrete meaning in daily life. In conclusion, we argue that social scientists would benefit greatly from systematic analyses of the meaning (lessness) and significance of sin in people’s lives as well as within existing social scientific literature, and propose avenues for research concerning this term