Specific detection of enterovirus 71 directly from clinical specimens using real-time RT-PCR hybridization probe assay

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is one of the main causative agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in young children. Infections caused by EV71 could lead to many complications, ranging from brainstem encephalitis to pulmonary oedema, resulting in high mortality. Thus, rapid detection of the virus is required to enable measures to be implemented in preventing widespread transmission. Based on primers and probes targeting at the VP1 region, a real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) hybridization probe assay was developed for specific detection of EV71 from clinical specimens. Quantitative analysis showed that the assay was able to detect as low as 5 EV71 viral copies and EV71 was detected from 46 of the 55 clinical specimens obtained from pediatric patients suffering from HFMD during the period from 2000 to 2003 in Singapore. This study showed that the single tube real-time RT-PCR assay developed in this study can be applied as a rapid and sensitive method for specific detection of EV71 directly from clinical specimens. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

News framing in different language versions of state-sponsored international media : A case of Russian and English versions in RT and Radio Liberty

The current paper examines the dissimilarities that have occurred in news framing by state-sponsored news outlets in their different language versions. The comparative framing analysis is conducted on the news coverage of the Russian intervention in Syria (2016) in RT and Radio Liberty in Russian and English languages. The certain discrepancies in framing of this event are found in both news outlets. The strongest distinction between Russian and English versions occurred in framing of responsibility and humanitarian crisis in Syria. The study attempts to explain the identified differences in a framework of public diplomacy and propaganda studies. The existing theories explain that political ideology and foreign policy orientation influences principles of state propaganda and state-sponsored international broadcasting. However, the current findings suggest that other influence factors may exist in the field – such as the local news discourse and the journalistic principles. This conclusion is preliminary, as there are not many studies with the comparable research design, which could support the current discussion. The studies of localized strategies of the international media (whether private networks or state-funded channels) can refine the current conclusions and bring a new perspective to global media studies.

RT-PCR for the pseudogene-free amplification of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (gapd)

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is an enzyme which catalyses the conversion of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate to 1,3 diphosphoglycerate. It is considered to be constitutively expressed in all cells, and as such the gene for GAPDH (gapd) is commonly used as a benchmark reference in expression studies. However, previous investigations have demonstrated that gapd may show altered gene expression in a number of disease states and under certain experimental conditions, suggesting that results of experiments using gapd as a control should be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, consideration must be given to the potential co-amplification of pseudogenes of gapd during RT-PCR. Here, we describe a method to avoid the amplification of contaminating pseudogenes through the design of primers that bind only to genuine gapd mRNA transcript. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

„A gyári üzemnek évszázados fejlődésből leszűrt breviáriuma” A magyar vezetés- és szervezéstudományi gondolkodás kezdetei: Vitasorozat a Taylor-rendszerről 1912-ben

Magyarország társadalmi és gazdasági változásai kapcsán gyakran merül fel a kérdés, hogy egyes új fejlemények vajon a nemzetközi folyamatok hatására bontakoztak-e ki, és ha igen, azokkal egyidejűleg vagy bizonyos idővel később került-e sor rájuk? Egyidejűség vagy fáziskésés? Külföldi minták szolgai másolása vagy hazai viszonyokra történő alkalmazása, esetleg egy speciális „harmadik út” megfogalmazása volt-e jellemző az időszerűvé vált problémákra adott „magyar válaszra”?

Model Development Guidelines for UML-RT: Conventions, Patterns and Antipatterns

Software development guidelines are a set of rules which can help improve the quality of software. These rules are defined on the basis of experience gained by the software development community over time. This paper discusses a set of design guidelines for model-based development of complex real-time embedded software systems. To be precise, we propose nine design conventions, three design patterns and thirteen antipatterns for developing UML-RT models. These guidelines have been identified based on our analysis of around 100 UML-RT models from industry and academia. Most of the guidelines are explained with the help of examples, and standard templates from the current state of the art are used for documenting the design rules.

Adding Run-Time Monitoring to UML-RT by Modifying the Papyrus-RT Code Generator

In Model-Driven Engineering (MDE), the developer creates a model using a language such as Unified Modeling Language (UML) or UML for Real-Time (UML-RT) and uses tools such as Papyrus or Papyrus-RT that generate code for them based on the model they create. Tracing allows developers to get insights such as which events occur and timing information into their own application as it runs. We try to add monitoring capabilities using Linux Trace Toolkit: next generation (LTTng) to models created in UML-RT using Papyrus-RT. The implementation requires changing the code generator to add tracing statements for the events that the user wants to monitor to the generated code. We also change the makefile to automate the build process and we create an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file that allows developers to view their traces visually using Trace Compass, an Eclipse-based trace viewing tool. Finally, we validate our results using three models we create and trace.

Supporting Run-time Monitoring of UML-RT through Customizable Monitoring Configurations in PapyrusRT

Model Driven Engineering uses the principle that code can automatically be generated from software models which would potentially save time and cost of development. By this methodology, a systems structure and behaviour can be expressed in more abstract, high level terms without some of the accidental complexity that the use of a general purpose language can bring. Models are the actual implementation of the system unlike in traditional software development where models are often used for documentation purposes only. However once the code is generated from the model, testing and debugging activities tend to happen on the code level and the model is not updated. We believe that monitoring on the model level could potentially facilitate quality assurance activities as the errors are detected in the early phase of development. In this thesis, we create a Monitoring Configuration for an open source model driven engineering tool called PapyrusRT in Eclipse. We support the run-time monitoring of UML-RT elements with a tracing tool called LTTng. We annotate the model with monitoring information to be used by the code generator for adding tracepoint statements for the corresponding elements. We provide the option of a timing specification to discover latency errors on the model. We validate the results by creating and tracing real time models in PapyrusRT.

Exercit@rt mobile : monitorização da reabilitação respiratória na DPOC

A prevalência estimada da Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crónica (DPOC) em Portugal é de 14,2% para indivíduos com idade superior a 45 anos (cerca de 800.000 indivíduos), sendo mais prevalente no sexo masculino (Observatório Nacional das Doenças Respiratórias, 2014). Com o aparecimento de soluções baseadas em novas modalidades de eHealth e mHealth surgiram novas formas de acompanhamento e monitorização das doenças crónicas, nomeadamente da DPOC. É neste contexto que foi desenvolvida a aplicação mobile Exercit@rt, em parceria com a Escola Superior de Saúde da Universidade de Aveiro e em continuidade com outros estudos do MCMM anteriormente desenvolvidos. A aplicação permite monitorizar, em tempo real, através da utilização de um oxímetro Bluetooth, os níveis de batimento cardíaco e saturação de oxigénio dos pacientes com DPOC. Com esta aplicação os pacientes podem realizar diversos exercícios de fisioterapia respiratória assim como atividades físicas de vida diária que podem ser monitorizadas, georreferenciadas e avaliadas. Para além do desenvolvimento da aplicação mobile, a presente investigação integrou ainda uma etapa de validação que contou com a participação de dez pacientes com doenças do foro respiratório – cinco utilizadores que utilizam/têm smartphone (UTS) e cinco utilizadores não utilizam/não têm smartphone (NUNTS). A cada um destes foram propostas tarefas a realizar na aplicação mobile, estando previsto que a aplicação estivesse apta para qualquer participante. A totalidade dos participantes reconheceu a utilidade da aplicação no controlo da sua doença.

3531: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) combined with capecitabine (Cape) and sorafenib (Sor) in patients (pts) with locally advanced, k-ras-mutated rectal cancer (LARC): A phase I/II trial SAKK 41/08

Background: K-ras mutation is found in up to 40% of LARC. Sor is a multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor including raf and VEGFR and has demonstrated radiosensitizing effects. Sor might improve outcome of standard preoperative radio-chemotherapy in patients with k-ras mutated LARC. Methods: Pts with k-ras mutated T3-4 and/or N+, M0 disease by MRI were included. Recommended doses from phase I part consisted of RT 1.8 Gy/day x25 with Cape 825mg/m2bid x 33 in combination with Sor 400mg/d. The primary endpoint for the phase II part was pathological complete response (pCR) prospectively defined as grade 3 (near complete regression) or 4 (complete regression) in the histological grading system according to Dworak (DC). A pCR rate of 8% or lower was considered uninteresting and of 22% or higher was promising. Secondary endpoints included sphincter preservation, R0 resection, downstaging and safety. Results: 54 pts were treated in 18 centers in Switzerland und Hungary, 40 pts were included into the single arm phase II part. Median dose intensity per day was 100.0% for RT, 98.6% for Cape and 100.0% for Sor respectively. pCR rate was 60.0% (95%CI: 43.3%, 75.1%) by central independent pathological review (15.0% DC grade 4; 45.0% DC grade 3). Sphincter preservation was achieved in 89.5%, R0 resection in 94.7% and downstaging in 81.6% of the pts. The most common grade 3 toxicities included diarrhea (15.0%), skin toxicity outside of the RT field (12.5%), pain (7.5%), skin toxicity in RT field, proctitis, fatigue and cardiac ischemia (each 5.0%). Laboratory AEs grade 3/4 were neutropenia (1 pt grade 4; 1 grade 3), creatinine elevation (1 pt grade 3). Conclusions: The combination of Sor to standard RCT with Cape in k-ras mutated LARC tumors is highly active with acceptable toxicity and deserves further investigation.

Urakoitsijan virhevastuusta rakennusalan vakiosopimusehtojen YSE 1998 (RT 16–10660) mukaan

Rakentamisen laatutasoon liittyvät kysymykset ovat nousseet viimeksi kuluneiden vuosikymmenten aikana Suomessa tasaisin väliajoin otsikoihin. Oman osansa kritiikistä ovat saaneet niin rakentajat, suunnittelutoimistot kuin rakennusalaa sääntelevät usein varsin tiukat ja yksityiskohtaiset viranomaismääräykset, -ohjeet ja standardit. Koska rakennuksissa havaittuihin laatuvirheisiin liittyy usein merkittävänä pidettäviä kansantaloudellisia ja -terveydellisiä haittoja, on tulevaisuudessa syytä kiinnittää enenevässä määrin huomiota korkealaatuisen rakennustoiminnan edistämiseen sekä rakennusvirheiden kustannustehokkaaseen ennaltaehkäisyyn. Em. tavoite korostuu erityisesti silloin, kun vaativat ilmasto-olosuhteet asettavat rakennusten kestolle ja käyttöiälle merkittävänä pidettäviä haasteita. Edelleen rakennustoiminnan tehokkaamman laadunvalvonnan ja rakennusprosessin kokonaisvaltaisen valvonnan kiristämisen puolesta puhuvina seikkoina voidaan mainita muun muassa rakennuksilta lähtökohtaisesti edellytettävä pitkä käyttöikä kestokulutushyödykkeeksi lueteltavien ominaisuuksiensa johdosta. Johdantokappaleen jälkeen tutkielmassa keskitytään tarkastelemaan rakennusurakan työnjaollisia periaatteita sekä urakoitsijan työntuloksen saavuttamisen kannalta keskeisimpinä pidettäviä velvollisuuksia. Rakennusaikaisen vastuun osalta merkittävässä asemassa ovat urakoitsijan selonotto-, huomautuksenteko- ja reklamaatiovelvollisuudet. Rakennusurakan kumpaakin sopijapuolta velvoittavista periaatteista voidaan mainita muun muassa lojaliteetti-, myötävaikuttamis- ja yhteistoimintaperiaatteet. Urakoitsijan virhevastuuta käsittelevässä kolmannessa luvussa esitetään urakoitsijan sopimusoikeudellisen vastuun pääkohdat sekä keskeisimmät tilaajan käytettävissä olevat oikeuskeinot, silloin kun urakoitsijan työntulosta on pidettävä virheellisenä. Tutkielman neljän-nessä luvussa tarkastellaan urakoitsijan virhevastuuta takuuaikana havaituista rakennusvirheistä. Urakoitsijan takuuajan jälkeistä vastuuta käsittelevässä viidennessä luvussa tutkitaan muun muassa urakoitsijan mahdollisuuksia rajoittaa virhevastuutaan sekä urakoitsijan vastuuta käyttämistään aliurakoitsijoista ja muista täytäntöönpanoapulaisistaan. Tutkielman päättävässä kuudennessa luvussa esitetään yleisiä huomioita rakentamisen laatuvirheiden ehkäisemiseksi.