Building communities for student success: facilitating student belonging through online inductions

In 2022, The Open University in Wales launched a series of online induction events for new students, aiming to develop students′ sense of belonging, provide an effective transition to the university, and ultimately, to support students to succeed. A theory of change (ToC) model informed the design and evaluation of the induction events. This article presents the initial evaluation, using qualitative and quantitative data to test the assumptions underpinning the ToC and explore questions such as: are online induction events effective for developing a sense of belonging? Which students attended the events? What do we know about the subsequent academic performance of students who attended compared to those who did not? The results suggest that well-designed online induction events can effectively foster a sense of belonging among students. However, when examining factors such as socio-demographic characteristics, certain groups of students appear less likely to participate. The authors emphasise the importance of using data to develop awareness of potential systemic barriers to engagement, and using these insights to remove barriers, address the specific needs of diverse student populations, and foster a more supportive and inclusive educational environment

Identification and functional characterization of cDNAs coding for hydroxybenzoate/hydroxycinnamate glucosyltransferases co-expressed with genes related to proanthocyanidin biosynthesis

Grape proanthocyanidins (PAs) play a major role in the organoleptic properties of wine. They are accumulated mainly in grape skin and seeds during the early stages of berry development. Despite the recent progress in the identification of genes involved in PA biosynthesis, the mechanisms involved in subunit condensation, galloylation, or fine regulation of the spatio-temporal composition of grape berries in PAs are still not elucidated. Two Myb transcription factors, VvMybPA1 and VvMybPA2, controlling the PA pathway have recently been identified and ectopically over-expressed in an homologous system. In addition to already known PA genes, three genes coding for glucosyltransferases were significantly differentially expressed between hairy roots over-expressing VvMybPA1 or VvMybPA2 and control lines. The involvement of these genes in PA biosynthesis metabolism is unclear. The three glucosyltransferases display high sequence similarities with other plant glucosyltransferases able to catalyse the formation of glucose esters, which are important intermediate actors for the synthesis of different phenolic compounds. Studies of the in vitro properties of these three enzymes (Km, Vmax, substrate specificity, pH sensitivity) were performed through production of recombinant proteins in E. coli and demonstrated that they are able to catalyse the formation of 1-O-acyl-Glc esters of phenolic acids but are not active on flavonoids and stilbenes. The transcripts are expressed in the early stages of grape berry development, mainly in the berry skins and seeds. The results presented here suggest that these enzymes could be involved in vivo in PA galloylation or in the synthesis of hydroxycinnamic esters

Transposable Elements Are a Major Cause of Somatic Polymorphism in Vitis vinifera L.

Through multiple vegetative propagation cycles, clones accumulate mutations in somatic cells that are at the origin of clonal phenotypic diversity in grape. Clonal diversity provided clones such as Cabernet-Sauvignon N°470, Chardonnay N° 548 and Pinot noir N° 777 which all produce wines of superior quality. The economic impact of clonal selection is therefore very high: since approx. 95% of the grapevines produced in French nurseries originate from the French clonal selection. In this study we provide the first broad description of polymorphism in different clones of a single grapevine cultivar, Pinot noir, in the context of vegetative propagation. Genome sequencing was performed using 454 GS-FLX methodology without a priori, in order to identify and quantify for the first time molecular polymorphisms responsible for clonal variability in grapevine. New generation sequencing (NGS) was used to compare a large portion of the genome of three Pinot noir clones selected for their phenotypic differences. Reads obtained with NGS and the sequence of Pinot noir ENTAV-INRA® 115 sequenced by Velasco et al., were aligned on the PN40024 reference sequence. We then searched for molecular polymorphism between clones. Three types of polymorphism (SNPs, Indels, mobile elements) were found but insertion polymorphism generated by mobile elements of many families displayed the highest mutational event with respect to clonal variation. Mobile elements inducing insertion polymorphism in the genome of Pinot noir were identified and classified and a list is presented in this study as potential markers for the study of clonal variation. Among these, the dynamic of four mobile elements with a high polymorphism level were analyzed and insertion polymorphism was confirmed in all the Pinot clones registered in France

Approche pour la conception de systèmes aéronautiques innovants en vue d'optimiser l'architecture. Application au système portes passager

This thesis lies at the crossroads of systems engineering and model-driven engineering. A set of requirements engineering and architectural design processes have been defined. We adapted MDA approach concepts to derive design and validation methods and define an information model. This information model has been implemented as a SysML profile, and allow formal verification of methodological rules and system properties. VHDL-AMS models have been used as a complementary mean for system validation purpose. A metamodel-based transformation between SysML model and VHDL-AMS has been defined and implemented.Les travaux de cette thèse se situent à l'intersection des domaines de l'ingénierie système et de l'ingénierie dirigée par les modèles. Un ensemble de processus d'ingénierie des exigences et de conception architecturale système a été proposé. Sur la base du standard MDA, des méthodes de conception et de validation ont été définies et mise en Suvre autour d'un modèle d'information. Celui-ci a été réalisé comme un profil du langage SysML, et permet la vérification formelle de règles et de propriétés systèmes au moyen de contraintes OCL. Afin de compléter la méthodologie sur le plan de la validation système, des modèles en langage VHDL-AMS ont été intégrés à la méthodologie. Cette approche nous a amené à étudier un certains nombre de transformations de modèles, pour lesquelles nous avons choisi de travailler au niveau des métamodèles

Approche pour la conception de systèmes aéronautiques innovants en vue d'optimiser l'architecture. Application au systèmes portes passagers

Les travaux de cette thèse se situent à l'intersection des domaines de l'ingénierie système et de l'ingénierie dirigée par les modèles. Un ensemble de processus d'ingénierie des exigences et de conception architecturale système a été proposé. Sur la base du standard MDA, des méthodes de conception et de validation ont été définies et mise en œuvre autour d'un modèle d'information. Celui-ci a été réalisé comme un profil du langage SysML, et permet la vérification formelle de règles et de propriétés systèmes au moyen de contraintes OCL. Afin de compléter la méthodologie sur le plan de la validation système, des modèles en langage VHDL-AMS ont été intégrés à la méthodologie. Cette approche nous a amené à étudier un certains nombre de transformations de modèles, pour lesquelles nous avons choisi de travailler au niveau des métamodèles.This thesis lies at the crossroads of systems engineering and model-driven engineering. A set of requirements engineering and architectural design processes have been defined. We adapted MDA approach concepts to derive design and validation methods and define an information model. This information model has been implemented as a SysML profile, and allow formal verification of methodological rules and system properties. VHDL-AMS models have been used as a complementary mean for system validation purpose. A metamodel-based transformation between SysML model and VHDL-AMS has been defined and implemented

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) promoter analysis by biolistic-mediated transient transformation of cell suspensions

International audienc

Cloning and characterization of vine-1, a LTR-retrotransposon-like element in Vitis vinifera L., and other Vitis species

International audienc

Analysis of Vitis vinifera alcohol dehydrogenase promoter regulation

International audienc