25 research outputs found
Code Flows: Visualizing Structural Evolution of Source Code
No full textUnderstanding detailed changes done to source code is of great importance in software maintenance. We present Code Flows, a method to visualize the evolution of source code geared to the understanding of fine and mid-level scale changes across several file versions. We enhance an existing visual metaphor to depict software structure changes with techniques that emphasize both following unchanged code as well as detecting and highlighting important events such as code drift, splits, merges, insertions and deletions. The method is illustrated with the analysis of a real-world C++ code system.
Novel method to investigate thermal exchange rates in small, terrestrial ectotherms: A proof-of-concept on the gecko Tarentola mauritanica.
No full textThermoregulating ectotherms may resort to different external heat sources to modulate their body temperature through an array of behavioural and physiological adaptations which modulate heat exchange with the environment and its distribution across the animal's body. Even small-bodied animals are capable of fine control over such rates and the subsequent re-allocation of heat across the body. Such thermal exchanges with the environment usually happen through two non-mutually exclusive modes: heliothermy (radiant heat gain from the sun) or thigmothermy (heat gained or lost via conduction). Classically, the study of these phenomena has relied on invasive methodologies which often disregard the effect of stress, behaviour and regional heterothermy on the rates and patterns of thermal exchange across the body of the animal. This study proposes a novel experimental methodology, capitalising on thermography, to provide an alternative method to less invasively obtain reliable body temperatures of thermoregulating ectotherms, while allowing behaviour and heating mode to be considered when quantifying thermal exchange rates. This methodology was tested in the gecko Tarentola mauritanica, where twenty males were allowed to heat up and cool down under a novel experimental set-up which isolates heliothermic and thigmothermic processes, while being recorded with a thermal camera. The study revealed differences in the heating and cooling rates of several body parts per treatment suggesting that thermal exchanges are complex even in small ectotherms. Ultimately, the described set-up provides the opportunity to revisit classical questions with a less invasive and more flexible experimental approach, enabling heliothermic and thigmothermic processes to be disentangled. The described methodology also better integrates behaviour and physiology while obtaining higher temporal and spatial resolution of body temperatures in a thermoregulating ectotherm
Thermal exchange rate graphs per body part
No full textHeating (left column) and cooling (right column) profiles for the different body parts, under heliothermic (full line, full points) and thigmothermic (dashed line, empty points) treatments. 2nd order polynomial fitted to demonstrate the trend in the data.Peer reviewe
Graphical representation of the OLS regression lines (and 95% CI’s in grey shade) for the maximum rates of cooling (blue) and heating (red)
No full textAbsolute rates are plotted in order to facilitate the comparison between the magnitude of the slope between the heating and cooling processes.Peer reviewe
Telea: Teaching of the English language to Asian students
No full textIncludes bibliographical references (pages 63-67)The purpose of the project was to present a case for the development of a more effective, modified, multi -faceted approach to teach English to students from Taiwan, Hongkong, japan, and Korea, including the development of a set of components for curriculum design to be used in conjunction with this approach. Review of literature and approaches to teaching English ???as-a-second language and the general concepts and strategies of ESL and those being used for East Asian students were discussed. Comparisons were made of the language and cultural backgrounds of these East Asian students. The experiences of the author as a teacher to speakers of Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and American English were reviewed. A field trip to the Far East by the author was undertaken to validate observations and experiments used in the development of a new technique to teach East Asian students. Through comparisons of linguistic differences between English and Chinese, the parent language of East Asian languages, the components of the instructional program, teaching of the English Language to East Asians, were developed, utilizing the receptive and productive skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. A more complete professional preparation program for teachers of East Asians was recommended. Experimental studies and related research directed toward improvement of instructional strategies in this area was also encouraged
Telea: Teaching of the English language to Asian students
No full textThe purpose of the project was to present a case for the development of a more effective, modified, multi -faceted approach to teach English to students from Taiwan, Hongkong, japan, and Korea, including the development of a set of components for curriculum design to be used in conjunction with this approach. Review of literature and approaches to teaching English –as-a-second language and the general concepts and strategies of ESL and those being used for East Asian students were discussed. Comparisons were made of the language and cultural backgrounds of these East Asian students. The experiences of the author as a teacher to speakers of Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and American English were reviewed. A field trip to the Far East by the author was undertaken to validate observations and experiments used in the development of a new technique to teach East Asian students. Through comparisons of linguistic differences between English and Chinese, the parent language of East Asian languages, the components of the instructional program, teaching of the English Language to East Asians, were developed, utilizing the receptive and productive skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. A more complete professional preparation program for teachers of East Asians was recommended. Experimental studies and related research directed toward improvement of instructional strategies in this area was also encouraged.Includes bibliographical references (pages 63-67)California State University, Northridge. Department of Education
Melanism in the grass snake Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, Romania
No full textAnimal colouration has a significant ecological role in defence, reproduction, and thermoregulation. In the case of melanism, it is a complex topic. Besides potential disadvantages such as higher risk of predation, melanistic ectotherms may have certain physiological advantages such as more efficient thermoregulation in colder climates and thus, reduced basking time. The common grass snake (Natrix natrix) is a widespread species throughout Europe and Asia. It exhibits a wide range of colour polymorphisms, from olive to dark grey, even albinistic and melanistic. Between 2016 and 2021, we conducted fieldwork in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (DDBR) with the aim to document the geographic range of melanistic grass snakes. We categorised the melanistic expressions of N. natrix individuals as melanotic, completely melanistic, and partially melanistic. Melanistic snakes were encountered in all six localities visited, suggesting that the occurrence of melanistic grass snakes in the DDBR is geographically widespread. We observed both juveniles (n=2) and adults (n=11) with melanism, suggesting that individuals are born melanistic. However, the proportion of melanistic individuals in the general population of N. natrix from the DDBR is unknown. Only at Histria locality we studied the proportion of melanism in the grass snake population and 6.3% of the snakes caught were melanistic. Body size comparisons are not statistically significant because of the low sample size. The N. natrix melanistic morph's geographical distribution in the DDBR is most likely due to an interaction of climate and habitats, which offer a thermal advantage in the face of predation pressure
EXPERIMENTAL TRIES TO ESTABLISH THE PREIMPLANTATIONAL MAMMALIAN EMBRYOS VIABILITY THROUGHOUT STAINING
No full textPresently there are more methods to assess embryo quality but, still the wieldy usedremains the morphological criteria method. In this experiment were tested twostaining methods for embryos and oocytes. The embryos were recovered from mousefemale at 72 hours after mating. The recovered embryos were first evaluated aftermorphological criteria and than by Trypan blue exclusion and Neutral red staining.Using Trypan blue exclusion were evaluated 30 embryos from which 19 (63.3) wereclassified as viable and 11 (36.7) were classified as nonviable. By Neutral redstaining were evaluated 37 embryos from which 24 (64.8) were considered viableand 13 (35.2) were considered nonviable. The oocytes recovered were alsoevaluated using the two methods: using Trypan blue exclusion were stained 10oocytes from which 9 remained uncolored and were considered viable and 1 wasstained in blue and was considered nonviable and using Neutral red 13 oocytes werestained from which 9 were evaluated as viable and 4 as nonviable
STUDIES REGARDING THE CRIOPROTECTIVE PROPRIETIES OF THE VITRIFICATION MEDIA, WITH DMSO, SUCROSE, FICOLL 70 AND GALACTOSE USED IN EMBRYO CRYOPRESERVATION
No full textThe aim of our paper was to make a series of experiments in order to determine the
concentration at which four cryoprotectants (DMSO, sucrose, Ficoll 70 and
galactose) singly and in pairs would vitrify on plunging into liquid nitrogen and
remain vitreous when thawed in water bath. As penetrating cryoprotector we used
DMSO (MW=78.13 Da, Sigma D5879) and as nonpenetrating cryoprotectors we
used sucrose (MW=342.3 Da, Sigma S7903), Ficoll 70 (MW= 60,000-80,000 Da,
Sigma F4375) and Galactose (MW = 180,16 Da; Sigma G 6152). For DMSO there
were tested concentrations from 1M to 6.5M, with concentrations step of 0.5M. For
the nonpenetrating cryoprotectors there were tested concentrations of 5%, 10%,
15% and 20%. There were a total number of 168 solutions tested. The solutions
vitrification ability on freezing was tested by direct plunging into liquid nitrogen at -
196°C. Three thawing temperatures were tested 20°C, 25°C and 37°C. The
concentration at which DMSO solutions passed into vitreous state was 5M, but at
thawing none of them remained vitreous at thawing. When pairs of cryoprotectors
were tested 67 solutions vitrified at freezing (23 for DMSO-sucrose, 23 for DMSOFicoll 70 and 21 for DMSO-galactose) and 26 of them remained vitreous at
thawing. The DMSO and galacose pair give the best results on thawing (11 solution
remained vitreous on warming) at 37°C
STUDIES REGARDING THE VIABILITY OF MOUSE EMBRYOS RECOVERED IN EARLY DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
No full textIn order to evaluate the embryo viability we tested 2 cultivation media in three
combinations (M16, Nutrient mixture F- 12 HAM supplemented with BSA and
Nutrient mixture F- 12 HAM without BSA). In the third day of cultivation the
embryos viability was assessed by morphological criteria and randomly by staining
with fluorescents dyes (Fluorescein diacetate and Propidium iodide). It was
observed that both media used for in vitro cultivation assured embryo development
up to the expanded blastocyst stage (21.33% for M 16 and 4.34% respectively),
exception the Nutrient mixture F- 12 HAM without BSA in which after 3 days
cultivation all embryos were degenerated. The M16 medium assured the embryos
development up to the hatched blastocyst stage (5.33%). None of the media
supported the development of embryos under 8 cell stages and early blockage in
stage of 2 cells could not be prevented
