FAIRE-seq data analysis of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under carbon deprivation

For the genome-wide identification of nucleosome depleted regions under carbon deprivation, we analyze an available set of data from an assay of formaldehyde-assisted isolation of regulatory elements followed by sequencing (FAIRE-seq). Mapping to the sequenced nuclear genome of C.reinhardtii, followed by the identification of the enrichment-sequenced fragments was performed. We examined the location of these fragments relative to annotated genes. The related genes were associated to the corresponding Gene-Ontology (GO), for an evaluation of over-representate GO categories. Some genes, link with functions or locations, that have been previous described, indicating the success of the method finding carbon-metabolism related fragments

Obstructive sleep apnea representations, self-efficacy and family coping regarding APAP adherence: a longitudinal study

Adherence is still an important issue considering new advances in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) treatment, as automatic positive airway pressure (APAP). The aim of the present study was to identify and explore relationships between identified predictors of adherence, over time. After overnight sleep study and OSA diagnosis and during a six-month APAP treatment period, a total of 153 patients underwent a three time psychological protocol evaluation. Generalized estimating equations were applied to analyzed repeated measurements in the same individuals. Results show that 40% of patients were poorly adherent and 60% were adherent after six months of treatment. The results confirmed a predictive value of age, self-efficacy, decisional balance index and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in APAP adherence. Furthermore, the results revealed an interaction between time and illness cognitive representations, and self-efficacy and family coping, in explaining adherence patterns over time. Therefore, understanding the causality of theoretically derived constructs is crucial to predict the continuity of APAP adherence.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT

A Data-driven Approach Towards Human-robot Collaborative Problem Solving in a Shared Space

We are developing a system for human-robot communication that enables people to communicate with robots in a natural way and is focused on solving problems in a shared space. Our strategy for developing this system is fundamentally data-driven: we use data from multiple input sources and train key components with various machine learning techniques. We developed a web application that is collecting data on how two humans communicate to accomplish a task, as well as a mobile laboratory that is instrumented to collect data on how two humans communicate to accomplish a task in a physically shared space. The data from these systems will be used to train and fine-tune the second stage of our system, in which the robot will be simulated through software. A physical robot will be used in the final stage of our project. We describe these instruments, a test-suite and performance metrics designed to evaluate and automate the data gathering process as well as evaluate an initial data set.Comment: 2017 AAAI Fall Symposium on Natural Communication for Human-Robot Collaboratio

Centro de Línguas de Relações Internacionais e Integração (CELIRII): autonomia e dodiscência

O CONGRESSO DE INTERNACIONALIZAÇÃO DA EDUCAÇÃO SUPERIOR – CIES 2019 é um evento in- ternacional, que reúne professores, pesquisadores e estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação para divulgar a produção científica no campo da Internacionalização do Ensino Superior e fortalecer a cooperação internacional entre diferentes instituições de ensino e grupos de pesquisa no âmbito do MERCOSUL. A iniciativa é fruto de uma parceria entre pesquisadores da Universidade Federal da Integra- ção Latino-Americana (UNILA - Brasil), a Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL - Argentina), a Uni- versidad Nacional de Asunción (UNA - Paraguay) e a Universidad de la República (UDeLaR - Uru- guay), que atuam em projetos vinculados ao Setor Educacional do MERCOSUL, no Núcleo de Estudos e Investigações em Educação Superior. O evento será realizado nos dias 4, 5 e 6 de Setembro de 2019 no campus PTI da UNILA, dentro do Parque Tecnológico da Usina Hidrelétrica de Itaipu, na cidade de Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brasil. A UNILA, sede do evento, é uma universidade temática criada em 2010 pelo governo federal do Brasil com a missão institucional de formar recursos humanos aptos a contribuir com a integra- ção latino-americana, com o desenvolvimento regional e com o intercâmbio cultural, científico e educacional da América Latina, especialmente no MERCOSUL. Sua finalidade, portanto, é conver- ter-se em um espaço de encontros, de trocas e de aprendizagem mútua, que reforçam o compro- misso em prol da pertinência, da excelência e da construção sustentável de um mundo melhor.O Centro de Línguas de Relações Internacionais e Integração é uma iniciativa independente que tem por fim o ensino gratuito de línguas estrangeiras. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar o CELIRII como projeto pedagógico antihegemônico de caráter autônomo, baseada em uma lógica democrática e emancipatória da educação e uma formulação horizontal dos conteúdos programáticos. Sua particularidade consiste no fato de ser composto e gerido por estudantes – em sua maioria, do curso de Relações Internacionais e Integração da Universidade Federal da Integração Latino Americana – como uma célula independente.Núcleo de Estudios e Investigaciones en Educación Superior del Mercosur - NUCLEO Grupo Interdisciplinar de Pesquisa em Educação na América Latina – EducAL/UNILA Instituto Mercosul de Estudos Avançados – IMEA/UNILA Pró-Reitoria de Relações Institucionais e Internacionais – PROINT/UNIL

Psychological morbidity, illness representations, and quality of life in female and male patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a sleep-related breathing disorder that affects both women and men. The aim of this study was to characterize and investigate the differences in terms of anxiety, depression, illness perception, and quality of life between female and male OSAS patients from a total of 111 patients (33 women and 78 men) who were recently diagnosed with OSAS in an outpatient clinic of a University Hospital in Portugal. They underwent a standardized protocol that included evaluation to assess of psychological morbidity (anxiety and depression – Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), illness representations (Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire), and quality of life (Sleep Apnea Quality of Life Index). The most significant differences between female and male OSAS patients result of apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), after controlling for body mass index (p 5 0.05); anxiety (p ¼ 0.000) and depression (p 5 0.005); consequences (p 5 0.005), identity (p ¼ 0.000), coherence (p 5 0.01), and emotional representation (p 5 0.005) of OSAS; and for daily functioning (p ¼ 0.000), emotional (p ¼ 0.001), and symptoms (p 5 0.05) domains of quality of life. Data suggest that women revealed more psychological morbidity associated with OSAS. Therefore, it seems extremely important to look at women as potential patients for sleep apnea and avoid looking up for a pattern of symptoms that rely on men as a norm to which women are compared.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

A Fauna de Morcegos Fósseis como Ferramenta na Caracterização de Paleoambientes Quaternários.

This study proposes to reconstruct the paleoenvironment from Quaternary sites of the caves in the sertão baiano and Lagoa Santa region during the Pleistocene. The paleofauna of bats from these sites were compared to the extant fauna of 25 localities, representing most important Neotropical biome. This study was possible because all bat fossil species from both sites were elements of the extant Neotropical fauna, excepting Desmodus draculae. Because bats are considered goodenvironmental definers, the association of extant and fossil fauna permits the recognition of similar environments. The similarity between faunas was analyzed by Jaccard index with a posterior grouping analysis by UPGMA. The paleofauna of Lagoa Santa matched to Caatinga fauna, suggesting a dry and open environment adjacent to the Lagoa Santa cavesduring the Pleistocene. The paleofauna of sertão baiano caves matched to neither of the analyzed faunas. Most authorssuggest that fossil record of the sertão baiano caves represents a faunal mixture. The dissimilarity between the paleofaunaof bats from the sertão baiano caves and the other analyzed faunas resulted of this study is in agreement to the argumentof a faunal mixture represented by the former

Advances in Ambulatory Oxygen workshop and Longterm Oxygen therapy in real-life practice.

The practical workshop presented recent advances in the field of ambulatory oxygen (AO), with experts discussing identification of patients who would benefit from AO, as well as current trials to measure specific benefits of AO in chronic patients. In particular, AO prescription in clinical practice and developments in pulsed-dose delivery of AO as a more efficient method of oxygen delivery were extensively discussed. After audience questions, the attendees had the opportunity to handle the AO systems on display in order to gain greater insight into their functionality and wearability, which should assist them in providing the most appropriate device for each patient. The symposium addressed considerations required when prescribing long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). Dr Kampelmacher reviewed current indications for LTOT, emphasising the importance of accurate assessment of patients for LTOT, optimisation of oxygen dose, and patient education. Dr Vivodtzev discussed the evidence for LTOT in patients with exercise-induced desaturation, the role of portable oxygen concentrators, and the optimisation necessary to benefit from their use. The symposium concluded with a health economic study presented by Dr Little, demonstrating the cost benefits of a reform of the Scottish healthcare oxygen supply service

Amused teachers and public readers : empathy and derision in student blooper collections.

This dissertation examines the long-standing tradition in education of sharing and publishing students’ unintentionally amusing mistakes. Often called “bloopers,” “boners,” and “howlers,” students’ writing mistakes have been published in print since at least the early 20th century and more recently online. Using theories of reading student writing, academic discourse, ethics, and humor, this project analyzes the misconceptions that teachers and public audiences have of students, re-reads student writing for its potential, and explores the ethical implications of sharing student work with public audiences. The first two chapters ground the reader in the historical, social, and cultural contexts in which teachers share or publish student writing. The culture of remediation, persistent in K-12 and higher education contexts, shapes readings of student writing that prioritize correctness. Collections of student “bloopers” imply aspects of teacher-student relationships; thus these relationships can be re-thought not only in terms of broader models like remediation, but also through the practices that help define those relationships, such as methods of reading and assessing student writing. The third chapter reviews several frameworks related to ethical uses of student writing, such as those embraced by professional organizations and institutional guidelines. Through a closer look at the value of student writing from a research perspective, this chapter explores the tension between the treatment of student writing in research and the treatment of student writing in teaching. Meanwhile, the fourth chapter provides an extensive re-reading of several published student excerpts on the website Shit My Students Write. Through the application of humor theory, we can acknowledge the aspects of student error that prompt teachers to be humored while also interrogating the assumptions and misconceptions about error that inform why we are humored. This dissertation concludes with recommendations for engaging with representations of students and student writing. Teacher education is an important site that can foster changes in the teaching profession. Further recommendations for advocacy through public rhetoric are provided

Mechanical cough augmentation techniques in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease

© 2016 The Cochrane Collaboration.This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of mechanical insufflator/exsufflator (MI-E) and the breath-stacking technique for reducing morbidity and mortality and enhancing quality of life in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND)