Technological literacy reconsidered: a model for enactment

The final publication is available at: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10798-009-9108-6.This paper presents a model to describe technological literacy as enacted by individuals in the course of shaping their lives and the world around them. The model has two interrelated facets – the potential for and enactment of technological literacy – where enactment and potential mutually constitute each other. This potential is made up of knowledge of a particular situation, personal engagement with a situation, and social engagement in the world. Enactment requires a particular set of competencies in action, which together helps shape the situation: recognizing needs; articulating problems; contributing towards the technological process; and analysing consequences. The implications of this model for technological literacy in the context of the individual and society, and the role of technology education in developing technological literacy, are discussed

Discerning technological systems related to everyday objects: mapping the variation in pupils’ experience

Understanding technology today implies more than being able to use the technological objects present in our everyday lives. Our society is increasingly integrated with technological systems, of which technological objects, and their function, form a part. Technological literacy in that context implies understanding how knowledge is constituted in technology, and in particular how concrete (objects) and abstract levels (systems) are linked. This article has an educational focus concerning systems in technology education. Using a phenomenographic approach, the study explores pupils experiences of technological systems as embedded in four everyday objects. We identify five qualitatively different ways of understanding systems, ranging from a focus on using the particular objects, over-focussing on the function of objects, seeing objects as part of a process, and seeing objects as system components, to understanding objects as embedded in systems. As a conclusion, we suggest an educational strategy for teaching about systems in technology education.</p

The role of the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum contact sites in the development of the immune responses

Abstract Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contact sites (MERCs) are dynamic modules enriched in subset of lipids and specialized proteins that determine their structure and functions. The MERCs regulate lipid transfer, autophagosome formation, mitochondrial fission, Ca2+ homeostasis and apoptosis. Since these functions are essential for cell biology, it is therefore not surprising that MERCs also play a critical role in organ physiology among which the immune system stands by its critical host defense function. This defense system must discriminate and tolerate host cells and beneficial commensal microorganisms while eliminating pathogenic ones in order to preserve normal homeostasis. To meet this goal, the immune system has two lines of defense. First, the fast acting but unspecific innate immune system relies on anatomical physical barriers and subsets of hematopoietically derived cells expressing germline-encoded receptors called pattern recognition receptors (PRR) recognizing conserved motifs on the pathogens. Second, the slower but very specific adaptive immune response is added to complement innate immunity. Adaptive immunity relies on another set of specialized cells, the lymphocytes, harboring receptors requiring somatic recombination to be expressed. Both innate and adaptive immune cells must be activated to phagocytose and process pathogens, migrate, proliferate, release soluble factors and destroy infected cells. Some of these functions are strongly dependent on lipid transfer, autophagosome formation, mitochondrial fission, and Ca2+ flux; this indicates that MERCs could regulate immunity

Hereditary abnormality of platelet aggregation attributable to nucleotide storage pool deficiency

Abstract An abnormality of platelet aggregation has been detected in six family members with mild bleeding tendencies. In citrated platelet-rich plasma, primary aggregation induced by ADP or epinephrine and agglutination in response to ristocetin were present but second wave aggregation and aggregation in response to collagen suspension were absent or greatly reduced. Sodium arachidonate-induced aggregation was normal although aggregation in response to prostaglandin G2 was reduced and depended entirely on the presence of plasma or ADP. Further tests indicated that the platelets produced prostaglandins but did not release ATP in response to thrombin or sodium arachidonate. Platelets from the patients were found to contain reduced amounts of ADP and 5- hydroxytryptamine and to be unable to retain radioactivity during prolonged incubation at 37 degree C with radiolabeled 5- hydroxytryptamine. Although electron microscopy revealed an absence of very dense bodies, the platelets appeared otherwise normal. The findings are discussed in relation to previous studies of nucleotide storage pool deficiency and the light they shed on platelet physiology in general.</jats:p

Hereditary abnormality of platelet aggregation attributable to nucleotide storage pool deficiency

An abnormality of platelet aggregation has been detected in six family members with mild bleeding tendencies. In citrated platelet-rich plasma, primary aggregation induced by ADP or epinephrine and agglutination in response to ristocetin were present but second wave aggregation and aggregation in response to collagen suspension were absent or greatly reduced. Sodium arachidonate-induced aggregation was normal although aggregation in response to prostaglandin G2 was reduced and depended entirely on the presence of plasma or ADP. Further tests indicated that the platelets produced prostaglandins but did not release ATP in response to thrombin or sodium arachidonate. Platelets from the patients were found to contain reduced amounts of ADP and 5- hydroxytryptamine and to be unable to retain radioactivity during prolonged incubation at 37 degree C with radiolabeled 5- hydroxytryptamine. Although electron microscopy revealed an absence of very dense bodies, the platelets appeared otherwise normal. The findings are discussed in relation to previous studies of nucleotide storage pool deficiency and the light they shed on platelet physiology in general.</jats:p