Survey of Canadian homesharing agencies serving the elderly

Homesharing is a living arrangement in which two or more unrelated persons occupy a single dwelling, each having some private space but sharing common areas such as kitchen, bathroom and living room. This report describes findings from a study which examined the objectives, services, operational characteristics and clientele of 18 Canadian agencies which help older persons to make suitable homesharing arrangements

Dimensiones conceptuales para el estudio de clusters de alta tecnología

En el presente capítulo, a partir de los aportes de la literatura especializada en esta temática, nos proponemos avanzar en respuestas a estos interrogantes, con el propósito de delinear un marco conceptual que permita analizar la concentración espacial de actividades industriales y de servicios basadas en el conocimiento científico en países en desarrollo y, en particular, en Argentina. En esta dirección, se discuten algunos aspectos teóricos e históricos destacados por la literatura para la comprensión del surgimiento de clusters de alta tecnología, poniendo el acento en los sectores de la moderna biotecnología (MB) aplicada a salud humana, y en software y servicios informáticos (SSI) como uno de los subsectores de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación. El foco en estas tecnologías se vincula con el objetivo central de este libro, que es el análisis de casos de clusters (o proto-clusters) tecnológicos basados en estas tecnologías en Argentina. La revisión conceptual se centrará en las categorías de clusters tecnológicos y de sistemas locales, regionales y nacionales de innovación, con énfasis en las modalidades de articulación universidad/empresa2. Por último, se discute la pertinencia de estas propuestas para el análisis de estos procesos en países en desarrollo.Fil: Gutman, Graciela Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro de Estudios Urbanos y Regionales; ArgentinaFil: Gorenstein, Silvia Mirta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro de Estudios Urbanos y Regionales; ArgentinaFil: Robert, Veronica. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Economía y Negocios; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Aquisição da competência aquática em escolares: Uma intervenção pedagógica

Trabalho apresentado no 31º SEURS - Seminário de Extensão Universitária da Região Sul, realizado em Florianópolis, SC, no período de 04 a 07 de agosto de 2013 - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.Programas estruturados de natação podem fornecem informações sobre saúde e desenvolvimento das crianças. Quanto à aspectos metodológicos relacionados à atuação dos profissionais e ganhos motores dos praticantes os dados não são assim tão completos. Sabe-se que fatores orgânicos, biomecânicos e ambientais atuam de maneira complementar e são mecanismos que possivelmente estão por traz de transições comportamentais observadas no desempenho das crianças. Evidências a favor da uma relação positiva entre procedimentos pedagógicos e ganhos motores específicos nas atividades na água ainda carecem de maiores evidências experimentais. O Objetivo desse trabalho é relatar os resultados obtidos durante o período de intervenção do projeto de extensão A Escola Como Lócus de Formação e Aprendizagem Docente: Construindo Possibilidades de Intervenção para o Ensino da Educação Física na competência aquática das crianças e no conhecimento procedimental dos acadêmicos responsáveis pela condução da intervenção. Participaram do estudo 90 crianças com idade entre 10 e 11 anos matriculadas nas quintas séries do Colégio Estadual 11 de Outubro em Cambé e do Colégio de Aplicação da Universidade Estadual de Londrina e 12 estagiários do curso de Educação Física da UEL. Ao todo foram realizadas 30 sessões de prática de uma hora uma vez por semana nas piscinas do CEFE. Durante o período de intervenção formam desenvolvidos workshops para a o conhecimento das habilidades aquáticas, identificação e superação de problemas relacionados às práticas de ensino pelos estagiários do projeto. Ao final da intervenção as crianças foram avaliadas. Houve um aumento da competência aquática dos participantes e da confiança entre os alunos e os estagiários. Observou-se ainda um ganho generalizado de competência por parte dos acadêmicos envolvidos com as ações do programa acerca da habilidade nadar e dos procedimentos. Os resultados abrem novas perspectivas de investigação

Validation of artificial intelligence prediction models for skin cancer diagnosis using dermoscopy images: the 2019 International Skin Imaging Collaboration Grand Challenge

Previous studies of artificial intelligence (AI) applied to dermatology have shown AI to have higher diagnostic classification accuracy than expert dermatologists; however, these studies did not adequately assess clinically realistic scenarios, such as how AI systems behave when presented with images of disease categories that are not included in the training dataset or images drawn from statistical distributions with significant shifts from training distributions. We aimed to simulate these real-world scenarios and evaluate the effects of image source institution, diagnoses outside of the training set, and other image artifacts on classification accuracy, with the goal of informing clinicians and regulatory agencies about safety and real-world accuracy.We designed a large dermoscopic image classification challenge to quantify the performance of machine learning algorithms for the task of skin cancer classification from dermoscopic images, and how this performance is affected by shifts in statistical distributions of data, disease categories not represented in training datasets, and imaging or lesion artifacts. Factors that might be beneficial to performance, such as clinical metadata and external training data collected by challenge participants, were also evaluated. 25?331 training images collected from two datasets (in Vienna [HAM10000] and Barcelona [BCN20000]) between Jan 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2018, across eight skin diseases, were provided to challenge participants to design appropriate algorithms. The trained algorithms were then tested for balanced accuracy against the HAM10000 and BCN20000 test datasets and data from countries not included in the training dataset (Turkey, New Zealand, Sweden, and Argentina). Test datasets contained images of all diagnostic categories available in training plus other diagnoses not included in training data (not trained category). We compared the performance of the algorithms against that of 18 dermatologists in a simulated setting that reflected intended clinical use.64 teams submitted 129 state-of-the-art algorithm predictions on a test set of 8238 images. The best performing algorithm achieved 58·8% balanced accuracy on the BCN20000 data, which was designed to better reflect realistic clinical scenarios, compared with 82·0% balanced accuracy on HAM10000, which was used in a previously published benchmark. Shifted statistical distributions and disease categories not included in training data contributed to decreases in accuracy. Image artifacts, including hair, pen markings, ulceration, and imaging source institution, decreased accuracy in a complex manner that varied based on the underlying diagnosis. When comparing algorithms to expert dermatologists (2460 ratings on 1269 images), algorithms performed better than experts in most categories, except for actinic keratoses (similar accuracy on average) and images from categories not included in training data (26% correct for experts vs 6% correct for algorithms, p<0·0001). For the top 25 submitted algorithms, 47·1% of the images from categories not included in training data were misclassified as malignant diagnoses, which would lead to a substantial number of unnecessary biopsies if current state-of-the-art AI technologies were clinically deployed.We have identified specific deficiencies and safety issues in AI diagnostic systems for skin cancer that should be addressed in future diagnostic evaluation protocols to improve safety and reliability in clinical practice

Molecular and Electrophysiological Characterization of a Novel Cation Channel of Trypanosoma cruzi

We report the identification, functional expression, purification, reconstitution and electrophysiological characterization of a novel cation channel (TcCat) from Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. This channel is potassium permeable and shows inward rectification in the presence of magnesium. Western blot analyses with specific antibodies indicated that the protein is expressed in the three main life cycle stages of the parasite. Surprisingly, the parasites have the unprecedented ability to rapidly change the localization of the channel when they are exposed to different environmental stresses. TcCat rapidly translocates to the tip of the flagellum when trypomastigotes are submitted to acidic pH, to the plasma membrane when epimastigotes are submitted to hyperosmotic stress, and to the cell surface when amastigotes are released to the extracellular medium. Pharmacological block of TcCat activity also resulted in alterations in the trypomastigotes ability to respond to hyperosmotic stress. We also demonstrate the feasibility of purifying and reconstituting a functional ion channel from T. cruzi after recombinant expression in bacteria. The peculiar characteristics of TcCat could be important for the development of specific inhibitors with therapeutic potential against trypanosomes

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Reflexiones finales:¿Son posibles los clusters de alta tecnología en Argentina?

Las experiencias de los clusters de alta tecnología de países industrializados no son directamente replicables en los países en desarrollo. Sin embargo, su análisis así como el de los clusters en países industrializados y países de industrialización tardía proporciona un conjunto de evidencias que son de interés para la consideración de aglomerados territoriales de este tipo en Argentina. La clusterización es, indudablemente, una condición necesaria pero no suficiente para el desarrollo de la innovación y, tal vez, ni siquiera una condición necesaria en las diferentes etapas de evolución del sector. Del mismo modo, el rol central y estratégico de las universidades en las etapas iniciales de un CAT puede verse considerablemente atenuado con la maduración de las tecnologías y el establecimiento de redes globales de innovación. Estas y otras características de la evolución de los CAT en países industrializados tienen importantes implicaciones de política para los países en desarrollo, tanto en relación a las precondiciones para el surgimiento de un cluster de alta tecnología como en lo que concierne a las políticas de desarrollo de los mismos, su necesaria articulación con las políticas a nivel nacional de C y T y el desarrollo de adecuadas competencias tecnológicas, y las políticas industriales, de salud pública, y de compra pública.Fil: Gutman, Graciela Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro de Estudios Urbanos y Regionales; ArgentinaFil: Gorenstein, Silvia Mirta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro de Estudios Urbanos y Regionales; ArgentinaFil: Robert, Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin