Why girls play: results of a qualitative interview study with female video game players

"Qualitative interviews with 7 female players were conducted to gather information on the motives and attitudes of female users of video and computer games. Participants were asked about the importance of different gratifications of game play, critical incidents that initiated their interest in games and their perceived competence in the use of computer technology. Special attention was paid to potential shortcomings of contemporary video and computer games in addressing female players specific needs and the question whether female users can identify with in-game characters of today's computer games. The results indicate that the motive to win is of minor importance for female players. Additionally, many interviewees reported a lack of support for their hobby, especially from same-sex friends. Identification with the avatar is an important component of the gaming experience for the female players in this study. At the same time, contemporary computer games that are often situated in primarily masculine contexts (e.g. war, competition) make it difficult for female users to identify with in-game characters." (author's abstract

Contributos para um ecossistema urbano smart e sustentável: Análise dinâmica de desafios e iniciativas

Face aos desafios impostos pela atualidade (e.g., crescimento exponencial da população e urbanização, crises pandémicas), as cidades têm vindo a expor fragilidades e dificuldades em responder a estas problemáticas. Em paralelo, assiste-se a uma crescente preocupação em realizar intervenções nas cidades que favoreçam a qualidade de vida atual e futura dos cidadãos. Neste sentido, torna-se necessário reconsiderar as cidades como catalisadores de desenvolvimento económico, social e prosperidade, que integram tecnologias em prol da construção de ecossistemas urbanos smart e sustentáveis. Porém, devido à sua natureza peculiar e multifacetada, estes ecossistemas são interpretados como algo complexo, sendo o seu estudo uma tarefa difícil e que requer grande reflexão. Neste contexto, a presente dissertação visa propor um modelo multicritério de apoio à tomada de decisão, fundamentado por uma lógica construtivista e de complementaridade. Recorrendo a um painel de especialistas na problemática em estudo, o processo seguido integra o mapeamento cognitivo com a técnica DEcision MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) em contexto neutrosófico, com o intuito de ultrapassar algumas das falhas identificadas em estudos anteriores. Todo o processo está assente numa lógica de aprendizagem e de participação, pretendendo não só estruturar o problema em análise, como também identificar e priorizar os fatores/determinantes de smartness e sustentabilidade urbana. Desta forma, o modelo contempla uma visão holística, sólida e transparente que potencia a tomada de decisões aquando da criação e avaliação de ecossistemas urbanos smart e sustentáveis.Cites have been exposing weaknesses and difficulties in responding to the challenges imposed by the present days (e.g., population and urbanization exponential growth, pandemic crises). Thus, there is a growing concern to carry out interventions in cities that favor the current and future quality of life. In this context, it is necessary to reconsider cities as enablers of economic, social and prosperity development, which integrate technologies in favor of building smart and sustainable urban ecosystems. However, due to their peculiar and multifaceted nature, these ecosystems are interpreted as complex, which makes their study a difficult endeavor. Hence, this study aims to propose a multicriteria model to support decisionmaking, based on a constructivist and complementarity logic. A panel of experts was assembled to create an analysis system based on the combined use of cognitive mapping and the Decision MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique in neutrosophical context, thus allowing to overcome some flaws identified in previous studies. The entire process is based on a logic of learning and participation that aims not only to structure the problem under analysis, but also to identify and prioritize the factors/determinants of smartness and urban sustainability. Therefore, the model contemplates a holistic, solid and clear vision that encourages adequate decision making when creating and evaluating smart and sustainable urban ecosystems

Studies on Dictyocaulus filaria. III. The migration of the immature stages applied to an anthelmintic test

The larvae of Dictyocaulus filaria (Rudolphi, 1809) develop to the 5th stage in the mesenteric lymph nodes within 6 to 8 days of infestation. The migration of the 5th stage to the lungs commences on the 7th or 8th day and is almost complete by the 13th day. The adult females start laying eggs in the bronchi from the 28th day. Controlled anthelmintic tests on two groups of sheep are described. Levamisole was dosed intraruminally at 7,5 mg/kg. It was tested against the 3rd and 4th stage larvae in the lymph nodes in the 1st group and against the 5th stages in the lungs in the 2nd group of animals. In both cases data assessed by the non-parametric statistical method showed that levamisole could be classified in Class B, i.e. it was more than 60 per cent effective in more than 60 per cent of the treated flock.The journals have been scanned in colour with a HP 5590 scanner; 600 dpi. Adobe Acrobat v.11 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

Studies on Haemonchus contortus. II. The effect of abomasal nematodes on subsequent challenge with H. contortus

Fifty-thousand infective larvae of Trichostrongylus axei dosed to 7-9-month-old Merinos protected them against a subsequent challenge with 50 000 infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus. Protection varied with the period between an initial dosages of T. axei and challenge with H. contortus as follows: After 90 days it was more than 80% effective in more than 80% of sheep; at 119 and 180 days there was still a significant reduction in the numbers of H. contortus recovered (P<0,05 and P<0,001, respectively). Prior infestation with either Ostertagia circumcincta or with Haemonchus placei was ineffective against challenge with H. contortus.This article has been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 300dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-Format

Ações integradas de economia solidária no município de Itajaí/SC: Relato de experiência

The relationship teaching/research/extension can generate new knowledge resulting from the connection of scientific knowledge with those produced culturally by society. In this context, there are initiatives that seek to train academics and citizens able and mobilized to tackle the conditions imposed by society, where individualism and competition prevail. The article aims to make a reflection on technological incubators of Cooperatives Popular - 1.0’s as an opportunity to promote the articulation of teaching, research and extension courses, presenting the experience of Federal University of Fronteira Sul Campus Cerro Largo. Using the methodology of bibliographic and documental research, we sought to point out the experience of Incubator Tecnossocial of enterprises of the Solidary Economy - ITCEES, by means of the various activities carried out since its creation until the incubation process of two joint ventures. From the study it was established that the incubator of the Campus Cerro Largo provides the integration of different areas of knowledge, if characterizing as a venture which promotes the exchange of knowledge between the academic community, in addition to meet the demands of the regional community.O Projeto “Ações integradas de economia solidária no município de Itajaí” está sendo desenvolvido pela Prefeitura Municipal de Itajaí, por meio da Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico, Emprego e Renda, em parceria com o Conselho Municipal de Economia Solidária e executado pela UNIVALI. Tem como objetivo apoiar à implantação e complementação de ações integradas de economia solidária, como a estratégia de promoção do desenvolvimento local e territorial sustentável, visando à superação da extrema pobreza por meio da geração de trabalho e renda em iniciativas econômicas solidárias, em articulação com as dinâmicas municipais já constituídas. A metodologia no desenvolvimento do projeto pauta-se nas Tecnologias Sociais, destacando-se os princípios de autonomia, participação e cooperação permeando permanentemente os sujeitos envolvidos na execução do projeto, possibilitando os processos de autogestão. Dessa forma, espera-se como resultado a organização de três territórios do município, e também o fortalecimento do Centro Público de Economia Solidária, apoiando os Empreendimentos Econômicos Solidários - EES na comercialização de produtos e serviços, bem como no fortalecimento das bases de serviço; acompanhamento sob a forma da assistência técnica, incubação e formação dos EES, proporcionando formação e assessoria técnica, e ampliação do acesso a crédito para consolidar os processos continuados de articulação dos sujeitos envolvidos

Robust, reproducible and quantitative analysis of thousands of proteomes by micro-flow LC-MS/MS

Nano-flow liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (nano-flow LC-MS/MS) is the mainstay in proteome research because of its excellent sensitivity but often comes at the expense of robustness. Here we show that micro-flow LC-MS/MS using a 1x150 mm column shows excellent reproducibility of chromatographic retention time (2000 samples of human cell lines, tissues and body fluids. Deep proteome analysis identifies >9000 proteins and >120,000 peptides in 16 h and sample multiplexing using tandem mass tags increases throughput to 11 proteomes in 16 h. The system identifies >30,000 phosphopeptides in 12 h and protein-protein or protein-drug interaction experiments can be analyzed in 20 min per sample. We show that the same column can be used to analyze >7500 samples without apparent loss of performance. This study demonstrates that micro-flow LC-MS/MS is suitable for a broad range of proteomic applications

SARS-CoV-2 Infects Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes, Impairing Electrical and Mechanical Function

COVID-19 patients often develop severe cardiovascular complications, but it remains unclear if these are caused directly by viral infection or are secondary to a systemic response. Here, we examine the cardiac tropism of SARS-CoV-2 in human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) and smooth muscle cells (hPSC-SMCs). We find that that SARS-CoV-2 selectively infects hPSC-CMs through the viral receptor ACE2, whereas in hPSC-SMCs there is minimal viral entry or replication. After entry into cardiomyocytes, SARS-CoV-2 is assembled in lysosome-like vesicles and egresses via bulk exocytosis. The viral transcripts become a large fraction of cellular mRNA while host gene expression shifts from oxidative to glycolytic metabolism and upregulates chromatin modification and RNA splicing pathways. Most importantly, viral infection of hPSC-CMs progressively impairs both their electrophysiological and contractile function, and causes widespread cell death. These data support the hypothesis that COVID-19-related cardiac symptoms can result from a direct cardiotoxic effect of SARS-CoV-2

Artificial-intelligence-based molecular classification of diffuse gliomas using rapid, label-free optical imaging

Molecular classification has transformed the management of brain tumors by enabling more accurate prognostication and personalized treatment. However, timely molecular diagnostic testing for patients with brain tumors is limited, complicating surgical and adjuvant treatment and obstructing clinical trial enrollment. In this study, we developed DeepGlioma, a rapid ($< 90$ seconds), artificial-intelligence-based diagnostic screening system to streamline the molecular diagnosis of diffuse gliomas. DeepGlioma is trained using a multimodal dataset that includes stimulated Raman histology (SRH); a rapid, label-free, non-consumptive, optical imaging method; and large-scale, public genomic data. In a prospective, multicenter, international testing cohort of patients with diffuse glioma ($n=153$) who underwent real-time SRH imaging, we demonstrate that DeepGlioma can predict the molecular alterations used by the World Health Organization to define the adult-type diffuse glioma taxonomy (IDH mutation, 1p19q co-deletion and ATRX mutation), achieving a mean molecular classification accuracy of $93.3\pm 1.6\%$. Our results represent how artificial intelligence and optical histology can be used to provide a rapid and scalable adjunct to wet lab methods for the molecular screening of patients with diffuse glioma.Comment: Paper published in Nature Medicin