1,355,727 research outputs found
An application of the HMM Theory to optimal nonlinear Equlisation of Quantised-Output Digital ISI Channels
No full textStarting from some general results about Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) recently appeared in literature (Baccarelli and Cusani, 1996; Elliott et al., 1995), low-complexity decision-delay constrained symbol-by-symbol maximum-likelihood detectors
for data-transmission over noisy time-dispersive time-variant waveform channels with quantised demodulation are presented. The resulting equalisers are recursive and nonlinear, minimise the symbol error probability and their complexity grows only linearly (and not exponentially) with the value assumed by the decision-delay. A new family of Bhattacharyya-like upper bounds is also presented for the analytical evaluation of their performance
Instituto Baccarelli, Where Music Transforms: A Case Study of Music for Social Change
No full textThis study analyzed the Instituto Baccarelli and its impact on the lives of participants. The Instituto Baccarelli is a social program in São Paulo, Brazil that uses music as a means of social change. Instituto Baccarelli provides music education for children and youth from Heliópolis, the largest comunidade––popularly known by the pejorative term of favela––in the country. The purpose of this study was (a) to document Instituto’s Baccarelli educational approach; (b) to document Instituto Baccarelli’s impact on the lives of its students; and (c) to identify the ways that Instituto Baccarelli promotes social change. Data were collected through interviews, observations in the field, and the analysis of program documents and other artifacts. The theoretical framework used for this study was Mezirow’s (1978) Transformative Learning Theory, an educational process in which students’ previous perspectives change because of learning and developing new understandings of the world through reflection, discussion, and critical thinking. Findings suggest Instituto Baccarelli has developed unique musical practices that facilitate the development of students beyond music skills and provides for the Heliópolis community. The impacts of Baccarelli on the lives of its students are many and varied. These impacts include: (a) the development of lifelong relationships, (b) networks of care and support, (c) opportunities to learn, (d) to experience and discover a world beyond the limitations of Heliópolis, and (e) the acquisition of skills and abilities that support student growth and improvement through life, allowing them to break the cycle of poverty. All students and staff members reported being transformed, and extending these transformations to their families and community, enabling a ripple effect that has resulted in social change.</p
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Instituto Baccarelli, Where Music Transforms: A Case Study of Music for Social Change
No full textThis study analyzed the Instituto Baccarelli and its impact on the lives of participants. The Instituto Baccarelli is a social program in São Paulo, Brazil that uses music as a means of social change. Instituto Baccarelli provides music education for children and youth from Heliópolis, the largest comunidade––popularly known by the pejorative term of favela––in the country. The purpose of this study was (a) to document Instituto’s Baccarelli educational approach; (b) to document Instituto Baccarelli’s impact on the lives of its students; and (c) to identify the ways that Instituto Baccarelli promotes social change. Data were collected through interviews, observations in the field, and the analysis of program documents and other artifacts. The theoretical framework used for this study was Mezirow’s (1978) Transformative Learning Theory, an educational process in which students’ previous perspectives change because of learning and developing new understandings of the world through reflection, discussion, and critical thinking. Findings suggest Instituto Baccarelli has developed unique musical practices that facilitate the development of students beyond music skills and provides for the Heliópolis community. The impacts of Baccarelli on the lives of its students are many and varied. These impacts include: (a) the development of lifelong relationships, (b) networks of care and support, (c) opportunities to learn, (d) to experience and discover a world beyond the limitations of Heliópolis, and (e) the acquisition of skills and abilities that support student growth and improvement through life, allowing them to break the cycle of poverty. All students and staff members reported being transformed, and extending these transformations to their families and community, enabling a ripple effect that has resulted in social change.</p
Environmental epigenetics
No full textEpigenetics investigates heritable changes in gene expression that occur without changes in DNA sequence. Several epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, can change genome function under exogenous influence. We review current evidence indicating that epigenetic alterations mediate effects caused by exposure to environmental toxicants. Results obtained from animal models indicate that in utero or early-life environmental exposures produce effects that can be inherited transgenerationally and are accompanied by epigenetic alterations. The search for human equivalents of the epigenetic mechanisms identified in animal models is under way. Recent investigations have identified a number of environmental toxicants that cause altered methylation of human repetitive elements or genes. Some exposures can alter epigenetic states and the same and/or similar epigenetic alterations can be found in patients with the disease of concern. On the basis of current evidence, we propose possible models for the interplay between environmental exposures and the human epigenome. Several investigations have examined the relationship between exposure to environmental chemicals and epigenetics, and have identified toxicants that modify epigenetic states. Whether environmental exposures have transgenerational epigenetic effects in humans remains to be elucidated. In spite of the current limitations, available evidence supports the concept that epigenetics holds substantial potential for furthering our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of environmental toxicants, as well as for predicting health-related risks due to conditions of environmental exposure and individual susceptibility
Epigenetics and environmental chemicals
No full textPURPOSE OF REVIEW: Epigenetics investigates heritable changes in gene expression occurring without changes in DNA sequence. Several epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA expression, can change genome function under exogenous influence. Here, we review current evidence indicating that epigenetic alterations mediate toxicity from environmental chemicals. RECENT FINDINGS: In-vitro, animal, and human investigations have identified several classes of environmental chemicals that modify epigenetic marks, including metals (cadmium, arsenic, nickel, chromium, and methylmercury), peroxisome proliferators (trichloroethylene, dichloroacetic acid, and TCA), air pollutants (particulate matter, black carbon, and benzene), and endocrine-disrupting/reproductive toxicants (diethylstilbestrol, bisphenol A, persistent organic pollutants, and dioxin). Most studies conducted so far have been centered on DNA methylation, whereas only a few investigations have studied environmental chemicals in relation to histone modifications and microRNA. SUMMARY: For several exposures, it has been proved that chemicals can alter epigenetic marks, and that the same or similar epigenetic alterations can be found in patients with the disease of concern or in diseased tissues. Future prospective investigations are needed to determine whether exposed individuals develop epigenetic alterations over time and, in turn, which such alterations increase the risk of disease. Also, further research is needed to determine whether environmental epigenetic changes are transmitted transgenerationally
Collaboration between centres of the World Health Organization : Italy supports a Mexican university
No full textBACKGROUND: Mexico is the third most populous country in America. A sizeable percentage of Mexicans live under unfavorable conditions such as malnutrition, marginalization and overcrowding. Environmental injustice includes: indigenous exposed to wood smoke, families living in mining zones, children working and living in garbage dumps and brick factories. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, electronic waste and heavy metals exposure represent a health risk. These pollutants can induce biochemical lesions as DNA damage and epigenetic changes which could modif the gene expression profile of each individual. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work is to create an Italy-Mexico collaboration (within the context of WHO collaborating centres) between the Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, University of Milan and the University of San Luis Potosi, will allow molecular approaches to develop early indicators of susceptibility to adult disease and cancer
Didactic actions applied in the collective teaching of bowed-strings: an experience at the Baccarelli Institute
No full textEsta pesquisa investiga ações didáticas no ensino coletivo de cordas friccionadas com foco na experiência aplicada no Instituto Baccarelli. O objetivo principal é analisar, no processo de ensino coletivo de cordas friccionadas do Instituto Baccarelli, as ações didáticas que estão diretamente relacionadas ao uso do corpo (postura), qualidade da emissão do som (sonoridade), afinação, ritmo e fluência (musicalidade) dos alunos. A abordagem metodológica adotada foi revisão de literatura, por meio de publicações em Anais de congressos, artigos de periódicos, livros e materiais audiovisuais relevantes para o tema, a exemplo de Suzuki (1983), Kreitman (1998), Cruvinel (2003), Ying (2007, 2012), Galindo (2000), Ilari (2012), Scoggin (1993, 2003), Oliveira (1998) e Tourinho (2007). As etapas da metodologia constituem-se nos seguintes procedimentos: discussão do material impresso e audiovisual utilizado para o ensino de cordas friccionadas no Brasil, identificação de como se dá a metodologia de ensino utilizado no ensino coletivo de cordas friccionadas no Instituto Baccarelli e sua relação com o método Suzuki, além de elencar ações didáticas que estão diretamente relacionadas ao uso do corpo, à qualidade da emissão do som, à afinação, ao ritmo e à fluência dos alunos. O trabalho está estruturado em cinco seções: 1. Introdução; 2. Revisão de literatura; 3. Metodologia de ensino utilizada no ensino coletivo de cordas friccionadas no Instituto Baccarelli; 4. As ações didáticas aplicadas no Instituto Baccarelli; 5. Considerações Finais. As conclusões apontam para a confirmação de que, ao adotar as prioridades propostas por Suzuki, como referência para o ensino do instrumento, desenvolveu-se no Instituto Baccarelli uma metodologia baseada no método Suzuki, que possibilita trabalhar com alunos de diferentes níveis em uma mesma aula de ensino coletivo de cordas friccionadas.This research investigates didactic actions applied in the collective teaching of bowedstrings focusing on the experiences of this kind of teaching at the Baccarelli Institute. The main goal of this research is to identify, in the process of collective teaching of bowed-string instruments at the Baccarelli Institute, the didactic actions that are directly related to the use of body, sound emission quality, pitch, rhythm, and fluency of the students as proposed by Shinichi Suzuki. The methodological approach applied here was the review of literature published in conference proceedings, journal articles, books, and relevant audiovisual material on the research subject; for example, Suzuki (1983,1996), Kreitman (1998), Cruvinel (2003), Ying (2007, 2012) and Galindo (2000), Ilari (2012), Borges-Scoggin (1993), Scoggin (2003), Oliveira (1998) and Tourinho (2007). The methodological stages are constituted of the following procedures: discussion about the print and audiovisual material used for bowed-string instruments teaching in Brazil, identification of how the teaching methodology used in the collective teaching of bowed-string instruments at the Baccarelli Institute and its relation with the Suzuki Method, besides listing the didactic actions directly related to the use of body, sound emission quality, pitch, rhythm and fluency of the students. The structure of the present work consists of three chapters: 1. Literature review, 2. Teaching methodology used in the collective teaching of bowed-string instruments at BI, 3. Didactic actions applied at BI. The concluding remarks point towards the confirmation of the hypothesis that, when adopting the priorities proposed by Suzuki as reference for the instrument teaching, a methodology based on Suzuki Method was developed at the Baccarelli Institute that allows working with students from different levels in a collective classroom of bowed-string instruments
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