Doctors in the making: Overcoming the challenges of transition

The PhD journey is, for many students, formative training into the world of academia. It is here that scholars gain a deeper understanding of the technical as well as the social aspects of their discipline, and where they gain the knowledge required to conduct sound research (Golde, 1998; Golde and Dore, 2001; Meschitti and Carassa, 2014). This pivotal educational phase is quite distinct from other stages in higher education. One of the main challenges at this level is the individualistic narrative of the PhD (McAlpine et al., 2012). Doctoral candidates often feel isolated as they navigate their new role as doctoral student and academic professional (Golde, 1998; Meschitti and Carassa, 2014). In order to promote successful socialisation, we advocate here for student-led transition support that is facilitated by the Higher Education Institution (HEI). Such an initiative should function not as formal induction, but as a peer-learning social space that fosters the development of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1999, 2010)

Assessment of the feasibility of an ultra-low power, wireless digital patch for the continuous ambulatory monitoring of vital signs.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Vital signs are usually recorded at 4–8 h intervals in hospital patients, and deterioration between measurements can have serious consequences. The primary study objective was to assess agreement between a new ultra-low power, wireless and wearable surveillance system for continuous ambulatory monitoring of vital signs and a widely used clinical vital signs monitor. The secondary objective was to examine the system's ability to automatically identify and reject invalid physiological data. SETTING: Single hospital centre. PARTICIPANTS: Heart and respiratory rate were recorded over 2 h in 20 patients undergoing elective surgery and a second group of 41 patients with comorbid conditions, in the general ward. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measures were limits of agreement and bias. The secondary outcome measure was proportion of data rejected. RESULTS: The digital patch provided reliable heart rate values in the majority of patients (about 80%) with normal sinus rhythm, and in the presence of abnormal ECG recordings (excluding aperiodic arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation). The mean difference between systems was less than ±1 bpm in all patient groups studied. Although respiratory data were more frequently rejected as invalid because of the high sensitivity of impedance pneumography to motion artefacts, valid rates were reported for 50% of recordings with a mean difference of less than ±1 brpm compared with the bedside monitor. Correlation between systems was statistically significant (p<0.0001) for heart and respiratory rate, apart from respiratory rate in patients with atrial fibrillation (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Overall agreement between digital patch and clinical monitor was satisfactory, as was the efficacy of the system for automatic rejection of invalid data. Wireless monitoring technologies, such as the one tested, may offer clinical value when implemented as part of wider hospital systems that integrate and support existing clinical protocols and workflows

Constriction size distributions of granular filters: a numerical study

The retention capability of granular filters is controlled by the narrow constrictions connecting the voids within the filter. The theoretical justification for empirical filter rules used in practice includes consideration of an idealised soil fabric in which constrictions form between co-planar combinations of spherical filter particles. This idealised fabric has not been confirmed by experimental or numerical observations of real constrictions. This paper reports the results of direct, particle-scale measurement of the constriction size distribution (CSD) within virtual samples of granular filters created using the discrete-element method (DEM). A previously proposed analytical method that predicts the full CSD using inscribed circles to estimate constriction sizes is found to poorly predict the CSD for widely graded filters due to an over-idealisation of the soil fabric. The DEM data generated are used to explore quantitatively the influence of the coefficient of uniformity, particle size distribution and relative density of the filter on the CSD. For a given relative density CSDs form a narrow band of similarly shaped curves when normalised by characteristic filter diameters. This lends support to the practical use of characteristic diameters to assess filter retention capability

Exogenous nitric oxide improves sugarcane growth and photosynthesis under water deficit

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Nitric oxide (NO)-mediated redox signaling plays a role in alleviating the negative impact of water stress in sugarcane plants by improving root growth and photosynthesis. Drought is an environmental limitation affecting sugarcane growth and yield. The redox-active molecule nitric oxide (NO) is known to modulate plant responses to stressful conditions. NO may react with glutathione (GSH) to form S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), which is considered the main reservoir of NO in cells. Here, we investigate the role of NO in alleviating the effects of water deficit on growth and photosynthesis of sugarcane plants. Well-hydrated plants were compared to plants under drought and sprayed with mock (water) or GSNO at concentrations ranging from 10 to 1000 mu M. Leaf GSNO sprayed plants showed significant improvement of relative water content and leaf and root dry matter under drought compared to mock-sprayed plants. Additionally, plants sprayed with GSNO (a parts per thousand yen 100 mu M) showed higher leaf gas exchange and photochemical activity as compared to mock-sprayed plants under water deficit and after rehydration. Surprisingly, a raise in the total S-nitrosothiols content was observed in leaves sprayed with GSH or GSNO, suggesting a long-term role of NO-mediated responses to water deficit. Experiments with leaf discs fumigated with NO gas also suggested a role of NO in drought tolerance of sugarcane plants. Overall, our data indicate that the NO-mediated redox signaling plays a role in alleviating the negative effects of water stress in sugarcane plants by protecting the photosynthetic apparatus and improving shoot and root growth.2441181190Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP, Brazil) [2008/57519-2]National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Brazil)[2012/19167-0][2015/00393-8]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Variabilidade genética entre acessos de espécies silvestres de manihot e cultivares de mandioca por meio de marcadores RAPD.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo realizar a caracterização molecular de acessos silvestres de Manihot e cultivares de mandioca com o intuito de avaliar a variabilidade genética disponível para ser explorada dentro do programa de melhoramento genético de mandioca da Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura. Foram caracterizados por meio de marcador molecular RAPD 20 acessos de espécies do gênero Manihot, oriundos da coleção de trabalho da Embrapa. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos à análise multivariada de agrupamento a partir da matriz de distância calculada pelo índice de dissimilaridade de Jaccard. Os agrupamentos hierárquicos foram obtidos pelo método UPGMA e a validação dos agrupamentos determinada pelo coeficiente de correlação cofenético. O marcador molecular RAPD mostrou-se eficiente na separação dos genótipos demonstrando existir variabilidade genética suficiente para ser explorada no melhoramento genético de mandioca

Caracterização molecular de genótipos do gênero Manihot Mill (Euphorbiaceae) por meio de marcadores RAPD.

Espécies silvestres do gênero Manihot são importantes reservatórios de alelos de interesse a serem transferidos para espécies cultivadas visando o desenvolvimento de variedades melhoradas que sejam mais resistentes a fatores bióticos e abióticos e que expressem maior produtividade.Em paralelo aconteceram também os seguintes eventos: V Seminário de Pesquisa do Recôncavo da Bahia; V Seminário Estudantil de Pesquisa da UFRB; V Seminário da Pós-Graduação da UFRB; II Seminário Regional de Pesquisa da EBDA; 5ª Jornada Científica da Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura; VIII Seminário Estudantil de Pesquisa e Extensão da FAMAM; Semana de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação no Agronegócio; Fórum de Gestores de Iniciação Científica e Tecnológica da Bahia; II Simpósio Baiano de Defesa Agropecuária; I Semana de Educação Tutorial da UFRB