A Composite Interface for Bioinformatics Applications (CIBA)

Bioinformatics, and more importantly the general use of computers in the field of Biology, has become a mainstream exercise for today\u27s biologist. So mainstream, that Bioinformatics classes are commonly offered to students in the standard Biology and Computer Science degree programs. This poses a problem for educators since some of the core Bioinformatics programs are still command-line based, requiring a deeper knowledge of computers than a standard biology student is expected to possess. The Composite Interface for Bioinformatics Applications, or CIBA for short, was created to address this issue and allow educators to focus on teaching how the algorithms work as opposed to teaching how the command line works

A systematic review of the associations between exposure to weaponized uranium and adverse health outcomes among the Iraqi population

Thesis. M.Sc. American University of Beirut. Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences 2019. W 4 S961s 2019; Advisor: Dr. Rima R. Habib, Chair and Professor, Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences ; Committee members: Dr. Elie Akl, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center ; Dr. Omar Al-Dewachi, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 215-226)Background. For decades, the literature has been wrought with disagreement over the health impacts of depleted uranium (DU) weapons. In a 2013 Lancet World Report, Paul C. Webster highlighted the need for a thorough review of the literature regarding the impact of war remnants – including DU – on the incidence of congenital birth defects in Iraq. To date, no systematic review on the topic has been undertaken. Thus, we aimed to critically appraise and systematically synthesize the evidence on adverse health outcomes associated with DU exposure among the Iraqi population. Methods. We searched eleven academic and grey literature databases, without language restrictions. We included human observational comparative studies published between 1990-2018 that measured association between exposure to weaponized uranium and health outcomes (such as cancer, birth defects, immune system function, and mortality) among the Iraqi population. Studies were excluded based on population (non-Iraqi), exposure (did not assess uranium exposure), control (did not include a comparator population), outcome (did not report health outcomes), and study-design (did not contain original data or analysis). Using the Navigation Guide’s risk of bias tool, internal validity was assessed for each included study. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42018108225. Findings. Our searches identified 2,009 records, of which 21 met our inclusion criteria. We identified 5 additional records from other sources. As four articles reported the results of multiple relevant studies, our final set included 26 articles reporting 31 studies. Most of our included studies (n=25, 80.6percent) reported finding a positive association between uranium exposure and adverse health outcomes. We found that the reviewed body of evidence suffers from a high risk of bias. Interpretation. The available body of evidence suggests that DU weapons have impacted public health in Iraq. We call on the international community to support Iraqi scientists, whos

Mistranslations of film titles: between fidelity and advertising

In the paper, the authors present and analyse examples of mistranslated film titles into the Polish language, selected from a database of over 1,100 titles and presented on the sample of the film genre comedy with all its subgenres. The authors discuss various film title translation strategies and procedures with reference to the literature on the subject. In the conclusions, the authors attempt to explain the reasons for the selection of certain translation procedures, with special focus on the free formulation of titles as the least transparent

Status naukowy ludologii. Przyczynek do dyskusji

Artykuł stanowi wprowadzenie do dyskusji o statusie naukowym ludologii jako dyscypliny zajmującej się badaniem gier. Przedstawia podsumowanie ważniejszych dotychczasowych badań w tym zakresie oraz nakreśla podstawowe różnice między postrzeganiem i obiektem badań ludologii w Polsce i na świecie.The article is an introduction to a discussion on the status of ludology as an academic discipline dealing with games research. It presents a summary of the most important research in this area and outlines the basic differences between the perception and scope of research of ludology in Poland and abroad

Using simple pseudo-3D hydrogeological modelling and a simplified agronomical representation to build a pertinent decision-making tool for local stakeholders: the Vivier karstic spring (France) case study

International audienceThe Syndicat des Eaux du Vivier (Vivier Water Agency-SEV) is a public agency monitoring the production, treatment, distribution and quality control of drinking water in Niort town in western France. The municipal drinking water supply mainly comes from a karstic resurgence, the Vivier spring, which is registered as a " Grenelle " priority water supply since 2013. There is a strong pressure from agriculture, which is illustrated since the 90' by nitrate concentration that exceed the European drinking water standards. There is also an increasing pressure on water quantity, mainly due to irrigation and drinking water demand, particularly in low water periods when the karst can be subject to collapses due to the low pressure in the karstic galleries. Modelling the hydrogeology of the area will help to optimize the effective quantitative and qualitative water resource management. Hydrogeological and agronomical modelling is done using the BICHE-MARTHE software chain, developed at the BRGM. Comparing observed and simulated groundwater levels, stream flows, springs flows and overflow at the Vivier spring gives satisfactory results considering the limited knowledge on the area. This part of the modelling has been strengthened by a comparison with a sensibility approach with GARDENIA regarding irrigation and with an approach using neural networks. The model integrates Agricultural practices observed in the catchments area to simulate nitrate transfers. The resulting nitrate concentrations are correct for the Vivier spring and its associated catchments (Gachet I and III) and stays within a reasonable range for other observation points on the catchments area. Modelling, together with the learnings of the measurements campaign analyses, allows us to better understand how the Vivier hydrosystem works. The spring has two supply methods: a short one-year-cycle, during which meteoric waters get through the karstic system and join the Vivier spring, and a multi-year cycle during which the effective rainfall slowly percolates through non-karstic rocks. Basic simulations are conducted to better identify the impact of agricultural and quantitative pressures on the water supply. They outline the karstic system sensibility to any * Intervenan

Klasyfikacja interakcji w grach typu role-playing games oraz relacje komunikacyjne i dydaktyczne w technice gier fabularnych

Celem artykułu jest nakreślenie możliwych kierunków badań w zakresie analizy dyskursu i szerzej pragmalingwistyki. Służy temu wyodrębnienie najważniejszych relacji komunikacyjnych zachodzących w klasycznych grach fabularnych (ang. Role-Playing Games), a także wskazanie zbieżności zachodzących pomiędzy relacjami uczestników techniki gier fabularnych jako komunikacyjnej techniki nauczania języków obcych a założeniami autonomizacji glottodydaktyki na poziomie akademickim, związanymi z ideą współpracy dydaktycznej i relacji wielopodmiotowej

Ludological research in glottodidactics and intercultural communication

This paper aims to introduce briefly the basic assumptions of ludology as an academic discipline dealing with games research (including educational linguistic and communicational games in teaching foreign languages) and to present the achievements of the Games Research Association of Poland (Pl. Polskie Towarzystwo Badania Gier) being the first ludological association in Poland, and closely cooperating with the Institute of Applied Linguistics at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. The paper also summarises that cooperation and outlines the traditions of ludological research in glottodidactics and intercultural communication in the institute resulting in the recent foundation of the Center for Ludological Studies in Glottodidactics and Intercultural Communication and the foundation of the association's official journal "Homo Ludens"