Consistency and the core of multi-sided assignment markets

[cat] En aquest treball es demostra que en el domini dels jocs d’assignació equilibrats multisectorials (Quint, 1991), el core és l’única solució no buida que satisfà derived consistency i projection consistency. També es caracteritza el core en tota la classe dels jocs d’assignació multisectorials amb els axiomes de singleness best, individual antimonotonicity i derived consistency. Com a casos particulars, s’obtenen dues noves axiomàtiques del core per als jocs d’assignació bilaterals (Shapley and Shubik, 1972).

Investigation of interface between Multimedia IP Network and Call Processing Server in 3G IP Telephony Core Network

The thesis presents an overview of third generation of IP telephony. The architecture of 3G IP Telephony and its components are described. The main goal of the thesis is to investigate the interface between the Call Processing Server and Multimedia IP Networks. The interface functionality, proposed protocol stack and a general description are presented in the thesis. To provide useful services, 3G IP Telephony requires a set of control protocols for connection establishment, capabilities exchange and conference control. The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and the H.323 are two protocols that meet these needs. In the thesis these two protocols are investigated and compared in terms of Complexity, Extensibility, Scalability, Services, Resource Utilization and Management.

Two cilengitide regimens in combination with standard treatment for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma and unmethylated MGMT gene promoter: results of the open-label, controlled, randomized phase II CORE study.

BACKGROUND: Survival outcomes for patients with glioblastoma remain poor, particularly for patients with unmethylated O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter. This phase II, randomized, open-label, multicenter trial investigated the efficacy and safety of 2 dose regimens of the selective integrin inhibitor cilengitide combined with standard chemoradiotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma and an unmethylated MGMT promoter. METHODS: Overall, 265 patients were randomized (1:1:1) to standard cilengitide (2000 mg 2×/wk; n = 88), intensive cilengitide (2000 mg 5×/wk during wk 1-6, thereafter 2×/wk; n = 88), or a control arm (chemoradiotherapy alone; n = 89). Cilengitide was administered intravenously in combination with daily temozolomide (TMZ) and concomitant radiotherapy (RT; wk 1-6), followed by TMZ maintenance therapy (TMZ/RT→TMZ). The primary endpoint was overall survival; secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, pharmacokinetics, and safety and tolerability. RESULTS: Median overall survival was 16.3 months in the standard cilengitide arm (hazard ratio [HR], 0.686; 95% CI: 0.484, 0.972; P = .032) and 14.5 months in the intensive cilengitide arm (HR, 0.858; 95% CI: 0.612, 1.204; P = .3771) versus 13.4 months in the control arm. Median progression-free survival assessed per independent review committee was 5.6 months (HR, 0.822; 95% CI: 0.595, 1.134) and 5.9 months (HR, 0.794; 95% CI: 0.575, 1.096) in the standard and intensive cilengitide arms, respectively, versus 4.1 months in the control arm. Cilengitide was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Standard and intensive cilengitide dose regimens were well tolerated in combination with TMZ/RT→TMZ. Inconsistent overall survival and progression-free survival outcomes and a limited sample size did not allow firm conclusions regarding clinical efficacy in this exploratory phase II study.

Historical trends of organochlorine pesticides in a sediment core from the Gulf of Batabanó, Cuba.

Sediments can be natural archives to reconstruct the history of pollutant inputs into coastal areas. This is important to improve management strategies and evaluate the success of pollution control measurements. In this work, the vertical distribution of organochlorine pesticides (DDTs, Lindane, HCB, Heptachlor, Aldrin and Mirex) was determined in a sediment core collected from the Gulf of Batabanó, Cuba, which was dated by using the (210)Pb dating method and validated with the (239,240)Pu fallout peak. Results showed significant changes in sediment accumulation during the last 40 years: recent mass accumulation rates (0.321 g cm(-2) yr(-1)) double those estimated before 1970 (0.15 g cm(-2) yr(-1)). This change matches closely land use change in the region (intense deforestation and regulation of the Colon River in the late 1970s). Among pesticides, only DDTs isomers, Lindane and HCB were detected, and ranged from 0.029 to 0.374 ng g(-1) dw for DDTs, from<0.006 to 0.05 ng g(-1) dw for Lindane and from<0.04 to 0.134 ng g(-1) dw for HCB. Heptachlor, Aldrin and Mirex were below the detection limits (∼0.003 ng g(-1)), indicating that these compounds had a limited application in the Coloma watershed. Pesticide contamination was evident since the 1970s. DDTs and HCB records showed that management strategies, namely the banning the use of organochlorine contaminants, led to a concentration decline. However, Lindane, which was restricted in 1990, can still be found in the watershed. According to NOAA guidelines, pesticides concentrations encountered in these sediments are low and probably not having an adverse effect on sediment dwelling organisms.

Comparação entre fragmentos obtidos com agulhas de calibres 14 e 12 em "core biopsy" estereotáxica de lesões mamárias impalpáveis: diferenças entre o tamanho dos fragmentos e freqüência dos tipos de lesões diagnosticadas

Com o objetivo de avaliar o desempenho das agulhas de calibres 14 e 12 na obtenção de "core biopsies" da mama sob controle estereotáxico, os autores compararam biópsias de lesões mamárias impalpáveis obtidas com agulhas desses calibres quanto ao tamanho dos fragmentos e freqüência dos tipos de lesões diagnosticadas. De um total de 1.009 biópsias, os autores analisaram 900 obtidas por agulhas 14 e 109 obtidas por agulhas 12, para análise da freqüência das lesões. Os tamanhos dos fragmentos foram analisados nos 700 primeiros casos para os espécimes obtidos por agulhas 14. A utilização de agulhas 12 resultou em maior tamanho dos fragmentos (p < 0,001), ausência de material insatisfatório, redução na proporção das lesões benignas não-neoplásicas (p = 0,03) e aumento na freqüência de carcinomas (p < 0,001), tanto in situ como invasivos. Tais achados podem refletir aumento da acurácia do diagnóstico, em virtude da maior quantidade de material e/ou melhor seleção radiológica das biópsias obtidas por agulhas 12, pela utilização coincidente da mamografia digital em campo limitado (estereotaxia digital).

Estudo prospectivo de 100 casos de "core" biópsia dirigida por ultra-som e revisão da literatura

OBJETIVO: Mostrar a eficácia do método para evitar biópsias excisionais, verificar suas dificuldades técnicas, definir entre seguimento e biópsia excisional nos nódulos categoria IV do BI-RADS™ e agilizar o procedimento cirúrgico nos casos de nódulos altamente suspeitos de malignidade (categoria V). MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: As pacientes foram submetidas a exame clínico de rotina, mamografia e ultra-som. A "core" foi feita com pistola automática e agulha número 14, e foram colhidas de quatro a oito amostras. RESULTADOS: Das 100 lesões estudadas, 47 foram submetidas à cirurgia, além da "core", e diagnosticaram-se 34 carcinomas (34,0%). Das 23 lesões classificadas como categoria III, identificou-se apenas um carcinoma (4,34%); das 43 classificadas como categoria IV, sete (16,28%); e das 34 classificadas como categoria V, 26 (76,47%). Evitou-se a biópsia excisional em 53 casos (53,0%). Identificou-se dificuldade no método da "core" em sete casos (7,0%), devido a material insuficiente, risco para malignidade envolvendo lesões esclerosantes complexas e discordância entre imagem e histologia. As 33 lesões com resultados de malignidade à punção biópsia por agulha grossa foram confirmadas após a biópsia cirúrgica. Em um caso o diagnóstico pela "core" foi de hiperplasia ductal atípica e após a biópsia cirúrgica da peça diagnosticou-se carcinoma, correspondendo a um resultado falso-negativo. Não houve nenhum resultado falso-positivo.

Transnational private authority, regulatory space and workers' collective competences: Bringing local contexts and worker agency back in

The impact of transnational private regulation on labour standards remains in dispute. While studies have provided some limited evidence of positive effects on 'outcome standards' such as wages or occupational health and safety, the literature gives little reason to believe that there has been any significant effect on 'process rights' relating primarily to collective workers' voice and social dialogue. This paper probes this assumption by bringing local contexts and worker agency more fully into the picture. It outlines an analytical framework that emphasizes workers' potential to act collectively for change in the regulatory space surrounding the employment relationship. It argues that while transnational private regulation on labour standards may marginally improve workers access to regulatory spaces and their capacity to require the inclusion of enterprises in them, it does little to increase union leverage. The findings are based on empirical research work conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Osaamisen johtaminen ja sen toteutuminen Case elintarvikeyritys

Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli ymmärtää, miten kohdeyrityksen työntekijöiden osaamisen johtaminen toteutuu. Tutkimus oli luonteeltaan kvalitatiivinen, ja sen empiirinen aineisto koostui kohdeyrityksen kahdeksan esimiehen teemahaastattelusta. Tulosten perusteella voidaan vahvistaa toiminnon osaamisen johtamisen ja osaamisen tunnistamisen toteutuneen toisen kehitysvaiheen mukaisesti. Esimiehet olivat ymmärtäneet työntekijöiden osaamisen merkityksen liiketoimintaa edistävänä tekijänä. Tärkeäksi kehittämisen kohteeksi nousi nykyinen kehityskeskustelukäytäntö, joka tulee muuttaa toiminnon liiketoimintaa ja työntekijöiden osaamista tukevampaan muotoon. Lisäksi esimiehillä oli työntekijöiden osaamisen johtamista varten käytössään erilaisia toimintatapoja ja työvälineitä, joita tulee jatkossa kehittää ja yhtenäistää.

Students competences in Business Administration subjects

The evaluation of the competences acquired by the students in the context of a university education system is needed to enable professors to develop teaching-learning processes tailored to students" needs. The main goal of this paper is to analyze in depth the profile of the acquired competences of the bachelor students in Business Administration subjects. In that sense, this paper explains an experience in assessing bachelor student"s competences by applying an ICT-based digital platform designed for the selfassessment of personal and social competences. In particular, we apply an evaluation tool which was specifically designed for self-evaluating the project managers" generic and specific competences. The authors of this research have previous experience in implementing this evaluation tool in the subjects of Business Administration, Operations Management and Strategic Management taught in the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Barcelona. In this paper, the results show that there exist significant differences in the self-evaluation of competences depending on the respondent gender. This kind of tools benefits the three parties involved: students, university managers and organizations, and should be applied along the Bachelor as a transversal project and adapt the programs to achieve graduate students with higher levels of social and personal competences, as demanded by the labour market.

Differential regulation of horizontally acquired and core genome genes by the bacterial modulator H-NS

Horizontal acquisition of DNA by bacteria dramatically increases genetic diversity and hence successful bacterial colonization of several niches, including the human host. A relevant issue is how this newly acquired DNA interacts and integrates in the regulatory networks of the bacterial cell. The global modulator H-NS targets both core genome and HGT genes and silences gene expression in response to external stimuli such as osmolarity and temperature. Here we provide evidence that H-NS discriminates and differentially modulates core and HGT DNA. As an example of this, plasmid R27-encoded H-NS protein has evolved to selectively silence HGT genes and does not interfere with core genome regulation. In turn, differential regulation of both gene lineages by resident chromosomal H-NS requires a helper protein: the Hha protein. Tight silencing of HGT DNA is accomplished by H-NS-Hha complexes. In contrast, core genes are modulated by H-NS homoligomers. Remarkably, the presence of Hha-like proteins is restricted to the Enterobacteriaceae. In addition, conjugative plasmids encoding H-NS variants have hitherto been isolated only from members of the family. Thus, the H-NS system in enteric bacteria presents unique evolutionary features. The capacity to selectively discriminate between core and HGT DNA may help to maintain horizontally transmitted DNA in silent form and may give these bacteria a competitive advantage in adapting to new environments, including host colonization.

Differential regulation of horizontally acquired and core genome genes by the bacterial modulator H-NS

Horizontal acquisition of DNA by bacteria dramatically increases genetic diversity and hence successful bacterial colonization of several niches, including the human host. A relevant issue is how this newly acquired DNA interacts and integrates in the regulatory networks of the bacterial cell. The global modulator H-NS targets both core genome and HGT genes and silences gene expression in response to external stimuli such as osmolarity and temperature. Here we provide evidence that H-NS discriminates and differentially modulates core and HGT DNA. As an example of this, plasmid R27-encoded H-NS protein has evolved to selectively silence HGT genes and does not interfere with core genome regulation. In turn, differential regulation of both gene lineages by resident chromosomal H-NS requires a helper protein: the Hha protein. Tight silencing of HGT DNA is accomplished by H-NS-Hha complexes. In contrast, core genes are modulated by H-NS homoligomers. Remarkably, the presence of Hha-like proteins is restricted to the Enterobacteriaceae. In addition, conjugative plasmids encoding H-NS variants have hitherto been isolated only from members of the family. Thus, the H-NS system in enteric bacteria presents unique evolutionary features. The capacity to selectively discriminate between core and HGT DNA may help to maintain horizontally transmitted DNA in silent form and may give these bacteria a competitive advantage in adapting to new environments, including host colonization.