Inclusive Innovation Based on ICT: Lessons from the Maker Movement in Brazil

This research explores the concept of inclusive innovation based on ICT, examining collective practices and creations from the Maker Movement (MM) in Brazil. The research results show that this Movement, which exists as a network of overlapping practices based on the principle of \u27making\u27, tries to break through the black box around manufacturing items and open it up to look at innovation differently. However, although the main actors promote inclusiveness to the public, who, due to maker spaces, now have access to endless creative options, other actors, who have historically been ignored when discussing innovation, are still excluded from this Movement. Therefore, the very concept of inclusive innovation needs to be reconsidered

An Efficient Randomized Algorithm for Higher-Order Abstract Voronoi Diagrams

Given a set of n sites in the plane, the order-k Voronoi diagram is a planar subdivision such that all points in a region share the same k nearest sites. The order-k Voronoi diagram arises for the k-nearest-neighbor problem, and there has been a lot of work for point sites in the Euclidean metric. In this paper, we study order-k Voronoi diagrams defined by an abstract bisecting curve system that satisfies several practical axioms, and thus our study covers many concrete order-k Voronoi diagrams. We propose a randomized incremental construction algorithm that runs in O(k(n-k) log^2 n +n log^3 n) steps, where O(k(n-k)) is the number of faces in the worst case. Due to those axioms, this result applies to disjoint line segments in the L_p norm, convex polygons of constant size, points in the Karlsruhe metric, and so on. In fact, this kind of run time with a polylog factor to the number of faces was only achieved for point sites in the L_1 or Euclidean metric before

La experiencia transgénica y la precarización de la vida en el campo: El costo humano de los agrotóxicos de Piovano y Distancia de rescate de Schweblin

En este artículo se propone analizar, comparativamente, la novela Distancia de rescate (2014) de Samanta Schweblin y la serie fotográfica El costo humano de los agrotóxicos (2017) de Pablo Piovano. Ambas propuestas tematizan el impacto de las actividades vinculadas al agronegocio y, específicamente, abordan el cultivo extendido de la soja, el uso de agrotóxicos y su impacto negativo en la salud de las formas vivientes de las comunidades rurales. Las obras de Schweblin (2014) y Piovano (2017) coinciden en que, en el contexto de la actual crisis ecológica, dan cuenta de zonas de sacrificio, regiones sujetas a daño medioambiental, pero mientras que la novela construye un relato ficcional, poético e incluso por momentos mágico, la serie de fotografías nos presenta el tema desde una construcción de corte documental. Es decir, construyen diferentes formas de llegar a la crítica, al orden actual de cosas en relación con el ambiente y a la búsqueda de un proceso de reflexión. En suma, hay en las obras una voluntad de mostrar el impacto que el modo de producción está causando en el entorno de vida y en los cuerpos que lo habitan. Apuntan sobre la experiencia transgénica: la normalización de la precarización de la vida.This article proposes to analyze, comparatively, the novel Distancia de rescate(2014) by Samanta Schweblin and the photographic series El costo humano de los agrotóxicos (2017) by Pablo Piovano. The theme of the works is the impact of activities linked to agribusiness. Specifically, the widespread cultivation of soybeans, the use of agrochemicals and their negative impact on the health of living forms in rural communities. The works of Schweblin (2014) and Piovano (2017) coincidein the context of the current ecological crisis, in accounting for sacrifice zones: regions subject to environmental damage. While the novel builds a fictional, poetic and even at times magical story, the series of photographs presents a documentary construction. They build different ways of criticizing the current order of things in relation to the environment and the search for a process of reflection. In short, they show the impact that the modeof production is having on the living environment and on the bodies that inhabit it. They point to the transgenic experience: the normalization of the precariousness of life.Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociale

Opposing Activities of Notch and Wnt Signaling Regulate Intestinal Stem Cells and Gut Homeostasis

SummaryProper organ homeostasis requires tight control of adult stem cells and differentiation through the integration of multiple inputs. In the mouse small intestine, Notch and Wnt signaling are required both for stem cell maintenance and for a proper balance of differentiation between secretory and absorptive cell lineages. In the absence of Notch signaling, stem cells preferentially generate secretory cells at the expense of absorptive cells. Here, we use function-blocking antibodies against Notch receptors to demonstrate that Notch blockade perturbs intestinal stem cell function by causing a derepression of the Wnt signaling pathway, leading to misexpression of prosecretory genes. Importantly, attenuation of the Wnt pathway rescued the phenotype associated with Notch blockade. These studies bring to light a negative regulatory mechanism that maintains stem cell activity and balanced differentiation, and we propose that the interaction between Wnt and Notch signaling described here represents a common theme in adult stem cell biology

The effect of generic market entry on antibiotic prescriptions in the United States

Acknowledgements C.K. and C.Å. were funded by the DRIVE-AB Consortium. DRIVE-AB is supported by the IMI Joint Undertaking under the DRIVE-AB grant agreement number 115618, the resources of which are composed of financial contributions from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations companies’ in-kind contribution. C.K. and C.Å. were partly supported by the Research Council of Norway through the Global Health and Vaccination Programme (GLOBVAC), project number 234608. K.O. is supported by NOA 06-IDSET160030 from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the CARB-X award from the Wellcome Trust, but the views expressed herein are not necessarily those of CARB-X or any CARB-X funder. J.H. works for Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, and is core funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates. R.L. was supported by 16IPA16092427 from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The funder provided support in the form of salaries for authors, according to the statement above, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Estudio del comportamiento estructural de bóvedas y cúpula de la Estancia Jesuítica Santa Catalina, Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina

Fil: Gómez, José Luis. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Ruata, María Edel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Nicasio, Cecilia María. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Klein, Karin. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaEste trabajo muestra el estudio realizado para evaluar el comportamiento estructural de la cúpula de la Iglesia Jesuítica Santa Catalina, y su bóveda, así como las bóvedas del noviciado y de una habitación de la Estancia, con manifestación de fisuras. Se describen las tareas realizadas previas al análisis tensional, que incluyeron un relevamiento planialtimétrico general mediante estación total, a efectos de confeccionar los planos digitalizados y fundamentalmente, determinar los espesores de las bóvedas y cúpula. Se realizaron también dos pozos tangenciales para analizar las características del suelo y profundidad de las fundaciones. La verificación seccional se realizó con el software Algor, de análisis por elementos finitos, a partir de modelos sólidos de CAD. Los resultados de estos estudios, permitieron evaluar la seguridad de la estructura de bóvedas y cúpula, y proponer actuaciones para la preservación y mantenimiento de este edificio declarado patrimonio cultural de la humanidad por la Unesco.http://www.mda.cinvestav.mx/alconpat/revista/Inicio.phpinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionFil: Gómez, José Luis. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Ruata, María Edel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Nicasio, Cecilia María. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Klein, Karin. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño; ArgentinaIngeniería Arquitectónic

The Relationship between Visceral Adiposity and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Diagnosed by Controlled Attenuation Parameter in People with HIV: A Pilot Study

Background: Fat alterations are frequent in people with HIV (PWH) and predict worse cardiometabolic outcomes. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with ectopic fat accumulation in the liver. We aimed to investigate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) diagnosed by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) as a potential marker of visceral adiposity in PWH. Methods: We conducted a prospective pilot study of HIV mono-infected patients undergoing metabolic characterization and paired CAP measured by transient elastography with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. NAFLD was defined as CAP >= 285 dB/m, in absence of alcohol abuse. Excess visceral adiposity was defined as VAT > 1.32 Kg. Pairwise correlation, area under the curve (AUC) and logistic regression analysis were employed to study the association between VAT and CAP. Results: Thirty patients were included, of whom 50% had NAFLD. CAP was correlated with VAT (r = 0.650, p < 0.001) measured by DEXA scan. After adjusting for duration of HIV infection, body mass index and waist circumference, CAP remained the only independent predictor of excess VAT (adjusted odds ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.10). The AUC analysis determined CAP had excellent performance to diagnose excess VAT (AUC 0.92, 95% CI 0.81-1.00), higher than BMI and waist circumference. The optimized CAP cut-off to diagnose excess VAT was 266 dB/m, with a sensitivity of 88.3% and a specificity of 84.6%. Conclusions: NAFLD diagnosed by CAP is associated with VAT in PWH independently of anthropometric measures of obesity. CAP may be a potential diagnostic marker of visceral adiposity in the practice of HIV medicine

Enumeration of minimal stoichiometric precursor sets in metabolic networks

Background: What an organism needs at least from its environment to produce a set of metabolites, e.g. target(s) of interest and/or biomass, has been called a minimal precursor set. Early approaches to enumerate all minimal precursor sets took into account only the topology of the metabolic network (topological precursor sets). Due to cycles and the stoichiometric values of the reactions, it is often not possible to produce the target(s) from a topological precursor set in the sense that there is no feasible flux. Although considering the stoichiometry makes the problem harder, it enables to obtain biologically reasonable precursor sets that we call stoichiometric. Recently a method to enumerate all minimal stoichiometric precursor sets was proposed in the literature. The relationship between topological and stoichiometric precursor sets had however not yet been studied. Results: Such relationship between topological and stoichiometric precursor sets is highlighted. We also present two algorithms that enumerate all minimal stoichiometric precursor sets. The first one is of theoretical interest only and is based on the above mentioned relationship. The second approach solves a series of mixed integer linear programming problems. We compared the computed minimal precursor sets to experimentally obtained growth media of several Escherichia coli strains using genome-scale metabolic networks. Conclusions: The results show that the second approach efficiently enumerates minimal precursor sets taking stoichiometry into account, and allows for broad in silico studies of strains or species interactions that may help to understand e.g. pathotype and niche-specific metabolic capabilities. sasita is written in Java, uses cplex as LP solver and can be downloaded together with all networks and input files used in this paper at http://www.sasita.gforge.inria.fr