Lansbury MicroMuseum in Urban Rooms: Civic Schools & City Learning. Past, Present and Future

Our contribution formed part of an exhibition exploring the past, present and future of urban rooms and civic schools in the UK to inform the vision for UCL’s Urban Room at UCL's new campus in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford. The event brought together practitioners and thinkers of different generations who have worked to engage people with their surroundings in order to discuss further action, and to uncover their history, discuss current iterations and explore future possibilities

Detecting expressed genes in cell populations at the single-cell level with scGeneXpress.

peer reviewedDetermining whether genes are expressed or not remains a challenge in single-cell RNAseq experiments due to their different expression spectra, which are influenced by genetics, the microenvironment and gene length. Current approaches for addressing this issue fail to provide a comprehensive landscape of expressed genes, since they neglect the inherent differences in the expression ranges and distributions of genes. Here, we present scGeneXpress, a method for detecting expressed genes in cell populations of single-cell RNAseq samples based on gene-specific reference distributions. We demonstrate that scGeneXpress accurately detects expressed cell markers and identity genes in 34 human and mouse tissues and can be employed to improve differential expression analysis of single-cell RNAseq data

La imagen y la narrativa como herramientas para el abordaje psicosocial en escenarios de violencia. Departamento Cesar y Huila.

La imagen y la narrativa como herramientas para el abordaje psicosocial en escenarios de violencia. Departamento Cesar y Huila.El siguiente documento evidencia la realización de la ultima fase del diplomado de profundización de acompañamiento psicosocial en escenarios de violencia, teniendo como referencia teórica las unidades propuestas en el diplomado, los cuales permiten potenciar los conocimientos y brindan herramientas para llevar a cabo en el campo de la psicología. En este se aborda el relato de Angélica, el cual fue tomado del libro voces: Historias de violencia y esperanza en Colombia, donde se evidencia una mujer que fue protagonista de hechos violentos, sufriendo desplazamiento forzado, inestabilidad económica, angustia, miedos, ruptura de vínculos afectivos y duelo por seres queridos; pero a pesar de estas dificultades y retos aprendió a potenciar sus habilidades permitiéndole tener la capacidad de adaptarse a las necesidades del contexto logrando una estabilidad económica y emocional al lado de su familia. Seguidamente se realiza una propuesta de atención psicosocial, para el caso de la comunidad de Cacarica, la cual vivencio el impacto de la violencia, dejando como resultado; pérdidas materiales, humanas. Problemas mentales, hipervigilancia, desplazamiento, y estigmatismo, que llevaron al planteamiento de estrategias enfocadas al afrontamiento, resiliencia y apoyo social, como mecanismos para fortalecer redes de apoyo, entre los miembros de la comunidad, contribuyendo en el empoderamiento de las personas para generar un cambio donde aflore las habilidades individuales y sociales.The following document evidences the accomplishment of the last phase of the diploma of deepening of psychosocial accompaniment in scenarios of violence, having as theoretical reference the units proposed in the diploma, which allow to harness the knowledge and offer tools to carry out in the field of psychology. This is the story of Angélica, which was taken from the book Voices: Stories of Violence and Hope in Colombia, which shows a woman who was the protagonist of violent acts, suffering forced displacement, economic instability, anguish, fears, breaking of emotional ties and mourning for loved ones, but despite these difficulties and challenges learned to enhance their skills allowing them to have the ability to adapt to the needs of the context achieving economic and emotional stability alongside their family. Next, a proposal is made for psychosocial attention, for the case of the community of Cacarica, which lived the impact of the violence, leaving as a result; material, human losses. Mental problems, hypervigilance, displacement, and stigmatism, which led to the proposal of strategies focused on coping, resilience and social support, as mechanisms to strengthen support networks among community members, contributing to the empowerment of people to generate change where individual and social skills emerge

Epidemiology of Pig Tuberculosis in Argentina

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a disease caused mainly by the Mycobacterium bovis and that is endemic to livestock populations in most Latin American countries. Traditionally, bTB control programs are costly and targeted to cattle, largely disregarding other species such as swine and wildlife. According to official services, in Argentina disease prevalence in pigs is comparable to that observed in cattle, suggesting the need for efficient control programs to manage the disease in both species. Additionally, extensive farming systems, which are commonly practiced in Argentina, allow the interaction between livestock and wildlife such as wild boar (Sus scrofa), which is considered a natural host of the disease. Here, we evaluated the bTB pigs- cattle interface, studying the dynamics of M. bovis isolates in the pig population and identifying farm-level epidemiological variables associated with the disease confirmation at slaughterhouses. Additionally, to assess the potential multi-host systems in the transmission of bTB, the molecular characterization of wild boar mycobacterial strains was included in the study, as this interaction has not been previously evaluated in this region. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between farm-level epidemiological variables (location, farm size, and co-existence with cattle and goats) and bTB confirmation in pig tuberculosis-like lesions samples. Results showed that when cattle were present, the odds of bTB in pigs decreased 0.3 or 0.6% for every additional sow when cattle were present or absent in the farm, respectively. Pigs shared 60% (18/30) of the genotypes with cattle and wild boar, suggesting transmission at the interface between pigs and cattle and highlighting the potential role of wild boar in bTB maintenance. These results provide novel information about the molecular diversity of M. bovis strains in pigs in Argentina and proposes the potential relevance of a multi-host system in the epidemiology of bTB in the region. The statistical models presented here may be used in the design of a low cost, abattoir-based surveillance program for bTB in the pig industry in Argentina, with potential extension to other settings with similar epidemiological conditions.Instituto de BiotecnologíaFil: Barandiaran, Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal; ArgentinaFil: Barandiaran, Soledad. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Marfil, Maria Jimena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Capobianco, Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Matemática de Bahía Blanca; ArgentinaFil: Capobianco, Guillermo. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Matemática. Instituto de Matemática de Bahía Blanca; ArgentinaFil: Perez Aguirreburualde, María Sol. University of Minnesota. College of Veterinary Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Zumarraga, Martin Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Zumarraga, Martin Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Eirin, Maria Emilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Eirin, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cuerda, Maria Ximena. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Cuerda, Maria Ximena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Winter, Marina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Río Negro; ArgentinaFil: Martinez Vivot, Marcela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Andrés Maximiliano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Andrés Maximiliano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: La Sala, Luciano Francisco. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur; ArgentinaFil: La Sala, Luciano Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur; Argentin

PhD Research Projects 2024

The eighteenth annual PhD conference and exhibition is an interdisciplinary exploration of the developing research of students in Architectural Design MPhil/PhD and Architectural and Urban History and Theory MPhil/PhD programmes at The Bartlett School of Architecture. It includes contributions from the school's Architectural Space & Computation MPhil/PhD and Architecture & Digital Theory MPhil/PhD. There will also be participating students from The Bartlett Development Planning Unit and The Bartlett School of Planning MPhil/PhD programmes. This year’s conference and exhibition are dedicated to the memory of Professor Jonathan Hill (1958–2023). It is a modest tribute to the lasting legacy of the founding, long-standing Director of the MPhil/PhD Architectural Design programme

Regulation of Fn14 Receptor and NF-κB Underlies Inflammation in Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s disease (MD) is a rare disorder characterized by episodic vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. It is associated with a fluid imbalance between the secretion of endolymph in the cochlear duct and its reabsorption into the subarachnoid space, leading to an accumulation of endolymph in the inner ear. Epidemiological evidence, including familial aggregation, indicates a genetic contribution and a consistent association with autoimmune diseases (AD). We conducted a case–control study in two phases using an immune genotyping array in a total of 420 patients with bilateral MD and 1,630 controls. We have identified the first locus, at 6p21.33, suggesting an association with bilateral MD [meta-analysis leading signal rs4947296, OR = 2.089 (1.661–2.627); p = 1.39 × 10−09]. Gene expression profiles of homozygous genotype-selected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) demonstrated that this region is a trans-expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) in PBMCs. Signaling analysis predicted several tumor necrosis factor-related pathways, the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway being the top candidate (p = 2.42 × 10−11). This pathway is involved in the modulation of inflammation in several human AD, including multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or rheumatoid arthritis. In vitro studies with genotype-selected lymphoblastoid cells from patients with MD suggest that this trans-eQTL may regulate cellular proliferation in lymphoid cells through the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway by increasing the translation of NF-κB. Taken together; these findings suggest that the carriers of the risk genotype may develop an NF-κB-mediated inflammatory response in MD

Transcriptomic Coordination in the Human Metabolic Network Reveals Links between n-3 Fat Intake, Adipose Tissue Gene Expression and Metabolic Health

Understanding the molecular link between diet and health is a key goal in nutritional systems biology. As an alternative to pathway analysis, we have developed a joint multivariate and network-based approach to analysis of a dataset of habitual dietary records, adipose tissue transcriptomics and comprehensive plasma marker profiles from human volunteers with the Metabolic Syndrome. With this approach we identified prominent co-expressed sub-networks in the global metabolic network, which showed correlated expression with habitual n-3 PUFA intake and urinary levels of the oxidative stress marker 8-iso-PGF2α. These sub-networks illustrated inherent cross-talk between distinct metabolic pathways, such as between triglyceride metabolism and production of lipid signalling molecules. In a parallel promoter analysis, we identified several adipogenic transcription factors as potential transcriptional regulators associated with habitual n-3 PUFA intake. Our results illustrate advantages of network-based analysis, and generate novel hypotheses on the transcriptomic link between habitual n-3 PUFA intake, adipose tissue function and oxidative stress

Humanizing sociotechnical transitions through energy justice: an ethical framework for global transformative change

Poverty, climate change and energy security demand awareness about the interlinkages between energy systems and social justice. Amidst these challenges, energy justice has emerged to conceptualize a world where all individuals, across all areas, have safe, affordable and sustainable energy that is, essentially, socially just. Simultaneously, new social and technological solutions to energy problems continually evolve, and interest in the concept of sociotechnical transitions has grown. However, an element often missing from such transitions frameworks is explicit engagement with energy justice frameworks. Despite the development of an embryonic set of literature around these themes, an obvious research gap has emerged: can energy justice and transitions frameworks be combined? This paper argues that they can. It does so through an exploration of the multi-level perspective on sociotechnical systems and an integration of energy justice at the model’s niche, regime and landscape level. It presents the argument that it is within the overarching process of sociotechnical change that issues of energy justice emerge. Here, inattention to social justice issues can cause injustices, whereas attention to them can provide a means to examine and potential resolve them

Design concepts for the Cherenkov Telescope Array CTA: an advanced facility for ground-based high-energy gamma-ray astronomy

Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy has had a major breakthrough with the impressive results obtained using systems of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy has a huge potential in astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology. CTA is an international initiative to build the next generation instrument, with a factor of 5-10 improvement in sensitivity in the 100 GeV-10 TeV range and the extension to energies well below 100 GeV and above 100 TeV. CTA will consist of two arrays (one in the north, one in the south) for full sky coverage and will be operated as open observatory. The design of CTA is based on currently available technology. This document reports on the status and presents the major design concepts of CTA

Southern African Large Telescope Spectroscopy of BL Lacs for the CTA project

In the last two decades, very-high-energy gamma-ray astronomy has reached maturity: over 200 sources have been detected, both Galactic and extragalactic, by ground-based experiments. At present, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) make up about 40% of the more than 200 sources detected at very high energies with ground-based telescopes, the majority of which are blazars, i.e. their jets are closely aligned with the line of sight to Earth and three quarters of which are classified as high-frequency peaked BL Lac objects. One challenge to studies of the cosmological evolution of BL Lacs is the difficulty of obtaining redshifts from their nearly featureless, continuum-dominated spectra. It is expected that a significant fraction of the AGN to be detected with the future Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory will have no spectroscopic redshifts, compromising the reliability of BL Lac population studies, particularly of their cosmic evolution. We started an effort in 2019 to measure the redshifts of a large fraction of the AGN that are likely to be detected with CTA, using the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). In this contribution, we present two results from an on-going SALT program focused on the determination of BL Lac object redshifts that will be relevant for the CTA observatory