Teaching computer language handling - From compiler theory to meta-modelling

Most universities teach computer language handling by mainly focussing on compiler theory, although MDA (model-driven architecture) and meta-modelling are increasingly important in the software industry as well as in computer science. In this article, we investigate how traditional compiler theory compares to meta-modelling with regard to formally defining the different aspects of a language, and how we can expand the focus in computer language handling courses to also include meta-model-based approaches. We give an outline of a computer language handling course that covers both paradigms, and share some experiences from running a course based on this outline at the University of Agder

Pursuing resilience in architectural design through international experimental projects: exploring new boundaries in the design studio pedagogy.

In response to the current global crisis, there is a growing demand for responsible behaviour in designing and building that can accommodate user needs through the design process. This chapter describes an innovative approach to the design process aiming to generate a model adopted by an international collaboration who are reconsidering the traditional design process and addressing a new paradigm of the thinking process. The project is experimental in nature and discusses the educational frameworks in architecture. It optimises a model, which demonstrates breakthroughs and trend-setting educational approaches and is potentially transferable to a range of other professions. The chapter argues that the educational ethos of ‘ethic of resilience’ should be pursued by pushing the boundaries of the conventional Design Studio towards the formation of adaptive system settings. All the participants at the various stages of the innovative educational framework, named Build Our Nation (BON) and its first application Taifa Letu Tujenge (TLT), have already demonstrated, on one hand to be able to learn from the experience achieved from various stages undertaken in the past, and, on the contrary, to be flexible enough to proceed with changes reflecting on the external conditions. The vision is that the Higher Educational Institutions and, especially, universities must become more co-productive actors in society. It can be useful to think of a university as a manufacturer; and subsequently, a manufacturing company as an advanced workshop; a workshop as a real-world project; therefore, a real-world project connoted back to the meaning of university. This vicious cycle of pedagogy embedded in learning and teaching should be central to any higher education focusing on design and research aiming to inform each other through the values of social capital

Ovarian cancer molecular pathology.

Peer reviewe

Energy and information in Hodgkin-Huxley neurons

The generation of spikes by neurons is energetically a costly process and the evaluation of the metabolic energy required to maintain the signalling activity of neurons a challenge of practical interest. Neuron models are frequently used to represent the dynamics of real neurons but hardly ever to evaluate the electrochemical energy required to maintain that dynamics. This paper discusses the interpretation of a Hodgkin-Huxley circuit as an energy model for real biological neurons and uses it to evaluate the consumption of metabolic energy in the transmission of information between neurons coupled by electrical synapses, i.e. gap junctions. We show that for a single postsynaptic neuron maximum energy efficiency, measured in bits of mutual information per ATP molecule consumed, requires maximum energy consumption. On the contrary, for groups of parallel postsynaptic neurons we determine values of the synaptic conductance at which the energy efficiency of the transmission presents clear maxima at relatively very low values of metabolic energy consumption. Contrary to what it could be expected best performance occurs at low energy cost.Comment: This paper has been withdrawn by the author due to technical issue

The Multi-Leu Peptide Inhibitor Discriminates Between PACE4 and Furin And Exhibits Antiproliferative Effects On Prostate Cancer Cells

The proprotein convertases (PCs) play an important role in protein precursor activation through processing at paired basic residues. However, significant substrate cleavage redundancy has been reported between PCs. The question remains whether specific PC inhibitors can be designed. This study describes the identification of the sequence LLLLRVKR, named Multi-Leu (ML)-peptide, that displayed a 20-fold selectivity on PACE4 over furin, two enzymes with similar structural characteristics. We have previously demonstrated that PACE4 plays an important role in prostate cancer and could be a druggable target. The present study demonstrates that the ML-peptide significantly reduced the proliferation of DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer-derived cell lines and induced G₀/G₁ cell cycle arrest. However, the ML-peptide must enter the cell to inhibit proliferation. It is concluded that peptide-based inhibitors can yield specific PC inhibitors and that the ML-peptide is an important lead compound that could potentially have applications in prostate cancer

What welfare principles do Europeans prefer?:An analysis of their attitudes towards old age pensions and unemployment benefits

Although European welfare states receive high levels of public support, insights into what kind of general redistributive principles Europeans would prefer to be applied in welfare provisions—equity, equality or need—is scarce and fragmented. Analysing the 2008 wave of the European Social Survey, we find that most European populations share a preference for applying the equality principle to unemployment benefits. But they are divided over applying equity and equality for pension schemes. Individual determinants of preferences confirm that the ‘haves’ generally prefer equity over equality, while the ‘have-nots’ prefer the need principle more. At the country level, cross-national variation in redistribution preferences is low for unemployment benefits and cannot be explained by relevant context factors; preferences for pension redistribution depends upon its institutional design and social expenditure: welfare generosity curbs the preference for equity