A deformable model for the reconstruction of the neonatal cortex

We present a method based on deformable meshes for the reconstruction of the cortical surfaces of the developing human brain at the neonatal period. It employs a brain segmentation for the reconstruction of an initial inner cortical surface mesh. Errors in the segmentation resulting from poor tissue contrast in neonatal MRI and partial volume effects are subsequently accounted for by a local edge-based refinement. We show that the obtained surface models define the cortical boundaries more accurately than the segmentation. The surface meshes are further guaranteed to not intersect and subdivide the brain volume into disjoint regions. The proposed method generates topologically correct surfaces which facilitate both a flattening and spherical mapping of the cortex

Student Satisfaction and Performance in an Online Teacher Certification Program

The article presents a study which demonstrates the effectiveness of an online post baccalaureate teacher certification program developed by a Wisconsin university. The case method approach employing multiple methods and multiple data sources were used to investigate the degree to which pre-service teachers were prepared to teach. It was concluded that the study supports online delivery as an effective means of teacher preparation, but it was limited in the number of students followed into their first year of teaching

Financial value-chain analysis : tuna, shrimp, soy and beef

This study is a detailed analysis of which parts of the tuna, shrimp, soy and beef supply chains are most open to constructive engagement through financial vehicles and mechanisms. The study indentifies the largest market shares in the various supply chains. For the retail sector, the objective was to analyse the openness of the retail sector to financial influence taking into account the latest sector trends

A Brechtian theatre pedagogy for intercultural education research

The following article explores the potential of Bertolt Brecht's theatre pedagogy for intercultural education research. It is argued that Brecht's pedagogical views on theatre connect to those interculturalists who prioritise the embodied dimensions of intercultural encounters over a competence-driven orientation. Both share a love for aesthetic experimentation as the basis for learning and critical engagement with a complex world. The article outlines how a Brechtian theatre pedagogy was enacted as part of four drama-based research workshops, which were designed to explore international students’ intercultural ‘strangeness’ experiences. It is described how a participant account of an intercultural encounter was turned into a Brechtian playscript by the author and then performed by participants. The analysis is based on the author's as well as the performers’ reflections on the scripting process and their performance experiences. It is argued that a Brechtian pedagogy can lead to collective learning experiences, critical reflection and an embodied understanding of intercultural experience in research. The data produced by a Brechtian research pedagogy is considered ‘slippery’ (aesthetic) data. It is full of metaphoric gaps and suitably resonates the affective dimensions and subjective positionings that constitute intercultural encounters

The Developing Human Connectome Project: a minimal processing pipeline for neonatal cortical surface reconstruction

The Developing Human Connectome Project (dHCP) seeks to create the first 4-dimensional connectome of early life. Understanding this connectome in detail may provide insights into normal as well as abnormal patterns of brain development. Following established best practices adopted by the WU-MINN Human Connectome Project (HCP), and pioneered by FreeSurfer, the project utilises cortical surface-based processing pipelines. In this paper, we propose a fully automated processing pipeline for the structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the developing neonatal brain. This proposed pipeline consists of a refined framework for cortical and sub-cortical volume segmentation, cortical surface extraction, and cortical surface inflation, which has been specifically designed to address considerable differences between adult and neonatal brains, as imaged using MRI. Using the proposed pipeline our results demonstrate that images collected from 465 subjects ranging from 28 to 45 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA) can be processed fully automatically; generating cortical surface models that are topologically correct, and correspond well with manual evaluations of tissue boundaries in 85% of cases. Results improve on state-of-the-art neonatal tissue segmentation models and significant errors were found in only 2% of cases, where these corresponded to subjects with high motion. Downstream, these surfaces will enhance comparisons of functional and diffusion MRI datasets, supporting the modelling of emerging patterns of brain connectivity

Teager–Kaiser energy operator signal conditioning improves EMG onset detection

Accurate identification of the onset of muscle activity is an important element in the biomechanical analysis of human movement. The purpose of this study was to determine if inclusion of the Teager–Kaiser energy operator (TKEO) in signal conditioning would increase the accuracy of popular electromyography (EMG) onset detection methods. Three methods, visual determination, threshold-based method, and approximated generalized likelihood ratio were used to estimate the onset of EMG burst with and without TKEO conditioning. Reference signals, with known onset times, were constructed from EMG signals collected during isometric contraction of the vastus lateralis (n = 17). Additionally, vastus lateralis EMG signals (n = 255) recorded during gait were used to evaluate a clinical application of the TKEO conditioning. Inclusion of TKEO in signal conditioning significantly reduced mean detection error of all three methods compared with signal conditioning without TKEO, using artificially generated reference data (13 vs. 98 ms, p < 0.001) and also compared with experimental data collected during gait (55 vs. 124 ms, p < 0.001). In conclusion, addition of TKEO as a step in conditioning surface EMG signals increases the detection accuracy of EMG burst boundaries

Comparative genomics of the bacterial genus Listeria: Genome evolution is characterized by limited gene acquisition and limited gene loss

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The bacterial genus <it>Listeria </it>contains pathogenic and non-pathogenic species, including the pathogens <it>L. monocytogenes </it>and <it>L. ivanovii</it>, both of which carry homologous virulence gene clusters such as the <it>prfA </it>cluster and clusters of internalin genes. Initial evidence for multiple deletions of the <it>prfA </it>cluster during the evolution of <it>Listeria </it>indicates that this genus provides an interesting model for studying the evolution of virulence and also presents practical challenges with regard to definition of pathogenic strains.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To better understand genome evolution and evolution of virulence characteristics in <it>Listeria</it>, we used a next generation sequencing approach to generate draft genomes for seven strains representing <it>Listeria </it>species or clades for which genome sequences were not available. Comparative analyses of these draft genomes and six publicly available genomes, which together represent the main <it>Listeria </it>species, showed evidence for (i) a pangenome with 2,032 core and 2,918 accessory genes identified to date, (ii) a critical role of gene loss events in transition of <it>Listeria </it>species from facultative pathogen to saprotroph, even though a consistent pattern of gene loss seemed to be absent, and a number of isolates representing non-pathogenic species still carried some virulence associated genes, and (iii) divergence of modern pathogenic and non-pathogenic <it>Listeria </it>species and strains, most likely circa 47 million years ago, from a pathogenic common ancestor that contained key virulence genes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Genome evolution in <it>Listeria </it>involved limited gene loss and acquisition as supported by (i) a relatively high coverage of the predicted pan-genome by the observed pan-genome, (ii) conserved genome size (between 2.8 and 3.2 Mb), and (iii) a highly syntenic genome. Limited gene loss in <it>Listeria </it>did include loss of virulence associated genes, likely associated with multiple transitions to a saprotrophic lifestyle. The genus <it>Listeria </it>thus provides an example of a group of bacteria that appears to evolve through a loss of virulence rather than acquisition of virulence characteristics. While <it>Listeria </it>includes a number of species-like clades, many of these putative species include clades or strains with atypical virulence associated characteristics. This information will allow for the development of genetic and genomic criteria for pathogenic strains, including development of assays that specifically detect pathogenic <it>Listeria </it>strains.</p

Pesan Moral Islami Dalam Film Le Grand Voyage Karya Ismael Ferroukhi: Sebuah Tinjauan Struktural

Kata kunci : Film, sastra, struktural, pesan moral, Islam.Film merupakan produk budaya yang tidak hanya menjadi hiburan di masyarakat, tetapi juga sebagai sarana penyampaian pesan moral yang mengarifkan. Salah satufilm Perancis yang dianggap menginspirasi adalah film berjudul Le grand voyageyang ditulis dan disutradarai oleh Ismaël Ferroukhi. Film ini bercerita tentang perjalanan seorang muslim keturunan Maroko dan anaknya yang bernama Reda.Mereka menempuh jarak ribuan mil dari Perancis menuju ke kota Makah untukmelaksanakan haji hanya dengan mengendarai sebuah mobil tua. Penelitian inibertujuan untuk mengetahui pesan moral islami apa saja yang terkandung dalamfilm Le grand voyage dan bagaimana pesan tersebut dimunculkan dalam film.Penelitian ini menggunakan teori Struktural untuk menjawab rumusan masalah.Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif dengan menggunakan teknik studipustaka serta dokumentasi sebagai metode pengumpulan data, dan teknikdeskriptif dalam proses analisis data.Berdasarkan hasil penelitian ini, terdapat 13 pesan moral islami yang terkandungdalam film Le grand voyage. Semua pesan moral tersebut mengacu pada sebuahproses perbaikan moral dan spiritual antara manusia dengan manusia dan alam,serta antara manusia dengan TuhanPenulis menyarankan pada penelitian selanjutnya untuk meneliti film Le grandvoyage menggunakan pendekatan sosiologi sastra yang nantinya dapat mengupashal apa saja yang melatarbelakangi pembuatan film ini dan tujuan sebenarnyayang ingin dicapai oleh pembuat film Le grand voyage

Plant-plant competition influences temporal dynamism of soil microbial enzyme activity.

Root-derived compounds can change rates of soil organic matter decomposition (rhizosphere priming effects) through microbial production of extracellular enzymes. Such soil priming can be affected by plant identity and soil nutrient status. However, the effect of plant-plant competition on the temporal dynamics of soil organic matter turnover processes is not well understood. This study used zymography to detect the spatial and temporal pattern of cellulase and leucine aminopeptidase activity, two enzyme classes involved in soil organic matter turnover. The effect of plant-plant competition on enzyme activity was examined using barley (Hordeum vulgare) plants grown in i) isolation, ii) intra- and iii) inter-cultivar competition. The enzyme activities of leucine aminopeptidase and cellulase were measured from portions of the root system at 18, 25 and 33 days after planting, both along the root axis and in the root associated area with detectable enzyme activity. The activities of cellulase and leucine aminopeptidase were both strongly associated with plant roots, and increased over time. An increase in the area of cellulase activity around roots was delayed when plants were in competition compared to in isolation. A similar response was found for leucine aminopeptidase activity, but only when in intra-cultivar competition, and not when in inter-cultivar competition. Therefore, plant-plant competition had a differential effect on enzyme classes, which was potentially mediated through root exudate composition. This study demonstrates the influence of plant-plant competition on soil microbial activity and provides a potential mechanism by which temporal dynamism in plant resource capture can be mediated