Dermatophytes’ identification by Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. (MALDI-TOF MS) - the experience of a clinical laboratory

Objectives: Dermatophytes are a challenging group of fungi that infect the keratinized tissues. The taxonomy of these fungi has changed recently with the reclassification of some species and description of new ones. However, many clinical laboratories still base the identification of dermatophytes on their phenotype. Since dermatophytes are very pleomorphic, macro and micromorphology are often insufficient to reach a correct classification and may lead to misidentifications. The identification based on MALDI-TOF relies on the protein profile of the microorganism. Thus, this study aims to summarize our current laboratorial experience of dermatophyte identification using MALDI-TOF MS. Methods: From january to april 2018, 95 dermatophytes isolates, collected from human keratinized samples and also from quality control programs were characterized by phenotypic analysis, and by VITEK MS V3.2 bioMerieux. Before identification procedure, isolates were inoculated on Sabouraud Dextrose agar plates and incubated at 27°C during 5 to 10 days. Species were identified taking into account clinical features, as well as cultural, microscopic and physiological characteristics. Prior to MALDI-TOF MS analysis, the samples were pre-treated according to the manufacturer’s protocol for filamentous fungi. Molecular identification by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) was performed in 34 of those isolates Results: Through phenotypic analysis eight different species were identified (54 Trichophyton rubrum; 4 T.soudanense; 22 T.interdigitale; 1 T.mentagrophytes; 3 T.tonsurans; 7 Microsporum canis; 3 M.audouinii; 1 Microsporum spp.- (non canis or audouinii). MALDI-TOF analysis showed an identification agreement in 80 cases (84,2%) with a confidence level of 99,9%. Eight isolates showed divergent identification results: three T.rubrum were identified as T.violaceum, three T.soudanense were identified as T.rubrum, one T.mentagrophytes was identified as T.interdigitale and one T.tonsurans was identified as T.rubrum. In four cases MALDI-TOF analysis did not get a profile. The ITS sequencing analysis of discrepant results corroborated the MALDI-TOF identification in five of them. On the other hand, T.soudanense was only identified by phenotypic analysis since MALDI-TOF and ITS sequencing result was T.rubrum. MALDITOF identification of T.violaceum was not confirmed by ITS sequencing that identified T. rubrum instead, in accordance with the phenotypic identification. Conclusion: Correct identification of dermatophytes to species level requires sequencing of the ITS, LSU, and/or betatubulin regions. The implementation of this methodology in a clinical laboratory is expensive and time consuming. MALDI-TOF identification is a good option for dermatophytes’ identification performed in laboratory routine, since costs of consumables as well as time of sample preparation are lower than for PCR analysis and doesn’t require long training period as phenotypic identification does. In this study, however, both methods failed to identify some species variants like Trichophyton soudanense or T. violaceum. The combined use of both MALDI-TOF and phenotypic methods seems to be the better approach for dermatophytes’ identification since some species show significant phenotypic and clinical differences.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Education-growth Nexus Across OECD Countries: Schooling Levels and Parameter Heterogeneity

More education is good for growth but what kind of education? This paper tries to contribute to this discussion along two dimensions. We try to disentangle the relative growth returns of primary, secondary and tertiary education, while at the same time accounting for heterogeneity in the relationship among OECD countries. To achieve our goal we estimate a convergence regression derived from a human capital-augmented exogenous growth model using the Pooled Mean Group estimator proposed by Pesaran, Shin and Smith (1999) that imposes common long-run relationships across countries while allowing for heterogeneity in the short run responses and intercepts. The use of estimators that allow for a greater degree of parameter heterogeneity than is common in empirical growth studies improves the results of the estimation of the education-schooling levels-growth link: we detect a positive and significant relationship not only between higher education and growth but also between growth and either secondary or primary education. Thus, the evidence analyzed here points to the need to develop empirical growth studies that consider the existence of a higher degree of heterogeneity in cross-country studies, provided there are enough time series observations.schooling levels, education, economic growth, dynamic heterogeneous panels

Fitness professionals’ pedagogical intervention

It is recognised the importance of fitness professionals’ intervention for fitness centres’ quality and participants’ satisfaction and retention. The objective of this article is to present several studies that show some particular aspects of pedagogical intervention which must be taken into account for participants’ satisfaction and retention, namely encouragement, instruction and pay attention to participants. Some implications for the practice of fitness professionals’ pedagogical intervention are presented.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Language and identity in multimodal text: case study of Tailand´s Bank Pamphlet

With the main objective of presenting a linguistic model for the analysis of identity construction in multimodal texts, particularly in advertising, this article attempts to integrate three theoretical frameworks, namely the types of discourse of the Socio-Discursive Interactionism, Greimas’ actantial roles and the symbolic processes of the Grammar of Visual Design proposed by Kress & van Leeuwen. The first two theories are used to analyze verbal language form whereas the third is exclusively for images in advertising. The data sample is a Thai bank pamphlet of Siam Commercial Bank, collected in Bangkok, Thailand, in June, 2015. According to the data analysis, the theoretical frameworks employed here proves that identity, the psychological product, exists in the human mind and can be indexed by language in interaction. Also, the analysis found that identity could be projected as multimodally as language manifestation, of which forms are not only verbal but also pictorial.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Enacting the multiple spaces and times of portuguese migration to France in YouTube humor: chronotopic analysis of Ro et Cut’s Vamos a Portugal

We examine the production and contested reception of a YouTube comedic performance by France-based comedic duo, Ro et Cut, involving Portuguese migrants in France. Specifically, we analyze Vamos a Portugal, a video which depicts one Portuguese migrant family’s preparation for their annual summer return trip from France to the Portuguese “homeland.” We use Bakhtin’s notion of chronotope, i.e., discursive formulations of space, time, and person mobilizable in interaction, to analyze how performers and commenters construct spatiotemporally situated images of Portuguese migrants, while simultaneously positioning themselves spatio-temporally in relation to these images. In particular, we compare how France-based Lusodescendant and nonmigrant Portuguese commenters construct and react to the video. Many Lusodescendant commenters embrace the video as evoking a nostalgic personal, familial, and Portuguese past, from the perspective of an urban French present. However, nonmigrant Portuguese viewers in Portugal reject the video as evoking an outmoded and illegitimate version of Portuguese culture, from the perspective of a contemporary Portuguese present. Our comparison of the chronotopes through which differently positioned commenters interpret the video illuminates the contested politics surrounding performances of Portuguese migrant and national culture in the diaspora in France versus in Portugal.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Collaborative E-learning Methodologies: an Experience of Active Knowledge in ICT Classrooms

In the present study we highlight a specific environment that makes use of collaborative technological tools, like wikis and forums within an e-learning platform. Both of these approaches convey a lot of responsibility from the teacher to the students and the hoping, as backed up by the literature, is to promote deeper learning and reasoning skills at a higher level. The general goal of this paper is to contribute for the theoretical discussion on how active and collaborative experiences in ICT classrooms play a role on the construction of knowledge in HEIs. Based on the pointed outlines, we intend to: (1) understand how collaborative e-learning environments get students actively involved in the learning process;(2) perspective the role of collaborative tools at the level of group work and (3) find out how students assess their performance within a working group. Data was collected through questionnaires available on the e-learning platform Moodle. Descriptive statistical techniques were used to analyze quantitative data. Within the research questions proposed, the study, points towards some understanding of how a collaborative learning environment seems to get students actively involved in the learning process mainly if the tasks to be perform have an empirical component. The study also has shown that students seem to identify themselves with the need to be involved in simulations of their future professional activity, as well as with the need to regulate their own learning and to promote discussion not only between peers but also with the teacher

Constructing knowledge: an experience of active and collaborative learning in an ICT classroom

This paper reports on the impact of the implementation of active and collaborative practices in ICT (information and communication technologies) classrooms. Both of these approaches convey a lot of responsibility from the teacher to the students and the hoping, as backed up by the literature, is to promote deeper learning and reasoning skills at a higher level. The question is: how do you do all that? This research describes a specific environment that makes use of collaborative tools, like wikis and forums within an e-learning platform and of specific CRM (customer relationship management) software. In order to analyze how this learning environment gets learners actively involved in learning and working together in productive ways, students were surveyed by responding to questionnaires. Several cause-effect relations underlying the teaching-learning methodology and the students’ performance are discussed

Landscape Urban Structure Design - S. Romão Sportive Park, Leiria Polis, Portugal

It is due to the modern movement the loss of both landscape and open spaces multifunctionality. Consequently, it merges the term of “green spaces” amorphous and residual, often void and without any appropriation, so characteristic of the contemporary city. This study is a reflexion about and a practice result of the return to these spaces multifunctionality through a landscape structure on the urban space. We want this structure to be continuous, structuring and assuring biologic processes and fluxes that occur in the landscape systems. We present the casestudy of S. Romão Sportive Park included in Polis Program of Leiria City, in Portugal. It is a system of open spaces that constitutes itself as a landscape structure, continuous and multifunctional