A Pedagogical Application Framework for Synchronous Collaboration

Designing successful collaborative learning activities is a new focus of research within the E-Learning community. The social dimension inside the traditional face-to-face collaborative learning is important and must be included in the online learning designs. In this thesis, we introduce the concept of Pedagogical Application Frameworks, and describe Beehive, a pedagogical application framework for synchronous collaborative learning. Beehive guides teachers in reusing online collaborative learning activities based on well-known pedagogical designs, to accomplish their educational objectives within a certain educational setting, and also simplifies the development of new pedagogical collaboration designs. Beehive’s conceptual model has four abstraction layers: Pedagogical Techniques, Collaboration Task patterns, CSCL Components, and CSCL script. By following the framework’s guidelines and specifications, developers will place the control of designing pedagogical collaboration tools in the teacher’s hand rather than in the software designer’s

Caenorhabditis elegans muscle Cys-loop receptors as novel targets of terpenoids with potential anthelmintic activity

The anthelmintic treatment of nematode infections remains the pillar of worm control in both human and veterinary medicine. Since control is threatened by the appearance of drug resistant nematodes, there is a need to develop novel compounds, among which phytochemicals constitute potential anthelmintic agents. Caenorhabditis elegans has been pivotal in anthelmintic drug discovery and in revealing mechanisms of drug action and resistance. By using C. elegans, we here revealed the anthelmintic actions of three plant terpenoids -thymol, carvacrol and eugenol- at the behavioral level. Terpenoids produce a rapid paralysis of worms with a potency rank order carvacrol > thymol > eugenol. In addition to their paralyzing activity, they also inhibit egg hatching, which would, in turn, lead to a broader anthelmintic spectrum of activity. To identify drug targets, we performed an in vivo screening of selected strains carrying mutations in receptors involved in worm locomotion for determining resistance to the paralyzing effect of terpenoids. The assays revealed that two Cys-loop receptors with key roles in worm locomotion -Levamisole sensitive nicotinic receptor (L-AChR) and GABA(A) (UNC-49) receptor- are involved in the paralyzing effects of terpenoids. To decipher the mechanism by which terpenoids affect these receptors, we performed electrophysiological studies using a primary culture of C. elegans L1 muscle cells. Whole cell recordings from L1 cells demonstrated that terpenoids decrease macroscopic responses of L-AChR and UNC-49 receptor to their endogenous agonists, thus acting as inhibitors. Single-channel recordings from L-AChR revealed that terpenoids decrease the frequency of opening events, probably by acting as negative allosteric modulators. The fact that terpenoids act at different receptors may have important advantages regarding efficacy and development of resistance. Thus, our findings give support to the use of terpenoids as either an alternative or a complementary anthelmintic strategy to overcome the ever-increasing resistance of parasites to classical anthelmintic drugs.Fil: Hernando, Guillermina Silvana. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca; ArgentinaFil: Turani, Ornella. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Bouzat, Cecilia Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentin

A Pedagogical Application Framework for Synchronous Collaboration

Designing successful collaborative learning activities is a new focus of research within the E-Learning community. The social dimension inside the traditional face-to-face collaborative learning is important and must be included in the online learning designs. In this thesis, we introduce the concept of Pedagogical Application Frameworks, and describe Beehive, a pedagogical application framework for synchronous collaborative learning. Beehive guides teachers in reusing online collaborative learning activities based on well-known pedagogical designs, to accomplish their educational objectives within a certain educational setting, and also simplifies the development of new pedagogical collaboration designs. Beehive’s conceptual model has four abstraction layers: Pedagogical Techniques, Collaboration Task patterns, CSCL Components, and CSCL script. By following the framework’s guidelines and specifications, developers will place the control of designing pedagogical collaboration tools in the teacher’s hand rather than in the software designer’s

Architecture and Hardware Solutions Symbolic Information Processing

The failure of some national projects AXES to expected results. According to experts one of the reasons is the lack of adequate theoretical apparatus for generating high-branching processes, unjustified detraction of opportunities enumerative models representative of AXES, which have their own laws paralleling computing, can not be reduced to algorithmic rules. This fact determines the need to develop innovative approaches to problem solving and organization of AXES interrelated levels of system design symbolic computation, from the linguistic level to the appropriate software and appropriate hardware level

E-Portfolio Effectiveness in Seeking IT Jobs

The fact that graduate students usually have no experience and similar backgrounds might cause job vacancy placement and applicant evaluation to be complicated and stressful tasks for employers. This research project focuses on the role of e-portfolios in facilitating the hiring process and assisting job seekers in finding IT jobs. By using e- portfolios, employers would be able to assess IT applicants during the evaluation process more efficiently than using conventional CVs. A hybrid method was used to assess the e-portfolio effectiveness involving HR/IT interviewees after the experimentation of using simulated e-portfolios. Accordingly, Interviewees previewed the results of compression between a CV and an e-portfolio conducted in a focus group experimentation to get their feedback. The findings of this research indicate a high probability of acceptance to use the e-portfolio for seeking jobs and evaluation purposes by both employers and job seekers

Extracorporeal Blood Purification with the Oxiris Membrane in Septic Shock

Septic shock with AKI is associated with a high mortality. We evaluated whether continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) using a membrane (oXiris) with adsorbing properties could improve cardio-renal response and modulate endotoxin and cytokine levels. 105 patients requiring CRRT for septic shock-AKI received CRRT with an oXiris filter. The main cardio-renal parameters, SOFA total score, SOFA organ score, endotoxin and cytokine levels were measured at baseline (T0) and 72 h after the start of CRRT (T1). Norepinephrine infusion rate, blood lactate levels, and thromboelastographic parameters were monitored. At T1, the renal function improved (p < 0.01) urinary output increased ( p < 0,.01 ) with the cardiac response and the decrease of norepinephrine infusion. SOFA total decreased to 8.4 ± 3 from 12 ± 2 (p < 0.001). Endotoxin decreased also at T 1 ( p < 0.01) with a reduction of Il 6 and procalcitonin. Lactate level ranged from 3.37 ± 3.2mto 1.67 ± 1.8 mmol/l (p < 0.01). CRRT with the oxiris filter improves the cardio renal response response in septic patients with AKI. This is associated with a modulation of endo-toxemia, of cytokines and the stability of the coagulation parameters

Molecular phylogeny of the marine snail genus Haminoea (Gastropoda, Cephalaspidea): A framework to study marine diversity and speciation

Haminoea are herbivorous, coastal snails occurring in temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific oceans, with one species present in temperate South Africa (Indian Ocean). The genus is taxonomically difficult as several available nominal species were introduced based on shell descriptions alone, or described based on subtle differences in morpho-anatomical features, without a phylogenetic molecular framework. Fifteen species are currently accepted as valid in recent scientific literature and field guides (eight Eastern Atlantic, one temperate Indian Ocean, four Western Atlantic and three Eastern Pacific). Here we generate the first complete phylogeny (Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood) of this genus based on multilocus molecular data (COI, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, 28S rRNA) using a taxon set accumulated over a period of 15 years, coupled with species delimitation analyses methods (ABGD, ASAP, bPTP) and morpho-anatomical studies. The goal of this study is to provide insights into the taxonomy, phylogenetic relationships and geographical distributions of species while generating a framework for future systematic reviews of the genus, as well as to study speciation and historical biogeography. Our results rendered four possible hypotheses of species diversity: with 14, 15, 19 and 20 candidate species and point to the fact that several taxa presently regarded as valid might be conspecific (e.g. H. orteai–H. templadoi–H. exigua; and H. alfredensis–H. antillarum–H. orbignyana), while highlighting the existence of a complex of four or five species often identified as H. elegans. Pervasive nomenclatural problems in the genus, including with the type species H. hydatis, are highlighted and discussed.publishedVersio

Desenvolvimento de um curta animado a partir de uma adaptação literária

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão, Animação.Este artigo abordará o processo de adaptação de uma obra literária pré-existente (um conto) para uma obra audiovisual. Também irá abranger todo o processo criativo e de desenvolvimento da animação. O conto utilizado se chama “A porta no muro”, publicado no início do século XX, em 1906, escrito por Herbert George Wells.This article will address the process of adapting a pre-existing literature work (a short story) into an audiovisual piece. It will also include the entire creative and developmental process of the animation. The short story used is called "The Door in the Wall", published in the early 20th century, in 1906, written by Herbert George Wells

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy with the Adsorbing Filter oXiris in Septic Patients: A Case Series.

Background: Extracorporeal treatment may be useful during sepsis, but definitive recommendations are lacking. Aim of this study is to review retrospectively the medical records of septic patients submitted to continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) with the adsorbing membrane oXiris and evaluate (1) the safety of the device, (2) the cardiorenal response, and (3) the immunological response. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 60 septic patients submitted to CRRT with the membrane oXiris from April 2011 to December 2018 have been reviewed. The adsorbing membrane oXiris® (Baxter, IL, USA) was used through a Prisma plataform (Prismaflex – Baxter, IL, USA). At basal time (T0), at 24 h (T1), and at the end of the treatment (T2) were analyzed the clinical data, the cytokines, and the time course of endotoxin. Results: Sixty patients were included in the study. In total, 85% of patients had acute kidney injury (AKI). Every CRRT treatment was of 72 ± 13 h, with the consumption of 3.2 ± 1 filters. No AE events were reported. The main cardiorenal and respiratory parameters improved with a decrease of the noradrenaline dosage. Cytokines, procalcitonin, and endotoxin activity assay decreased too. SOFA total improved from 12.4 ± 2 to 9 ± 2. Conclusion: In sepsis/septic shock patients with AKI, CRRT with the adsorbing membrane oXiris may be safe and improves the cardiorenal – function and the clinical condition. The effect on cytokines and endotoxin may explain in part these results. A RCT is warranted to confirm these data