Current understanding of the mechanisms for clearance of apoptotic cells-a fine balance

Apoptosis is an important cell death mechanism by which multicellular organisms remove unwanted cells. It culminates in a rapid, controlled removal of cell corpses by neighboring or recruited viable cells. Whilst many of the molecular mechanisms that mediate corpse clearance are components of the innate immune system, clearance of apoptotic cells is an anti-inflammatory process. Control of cell death is dependent on competing pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic signals. Evidence now suggests a similar balance of competing signals is central to the effective removal of cells, through so called 'eat me' and 'don't eat me' signals. Competing signals are also important for the controlled recruitment of phagocytes to sites of cell death. Consequently recruitment of phagocytes to and from sites of cell death can underlie the resolution or inappropriate propagation of cell death and inflammation. This article highlights our understanding of mechanisms mediating clearance of dying cells and discusses those mechanisms controlling phagocyte migration and how inappropriate control may promote important pathologies. © the authors, publisher and licensee libertas academica limited.

A preliminary investigation of 4 to 11-year-old children's knowledge and understanding of stress

Objective. To examine children's knowledge, understanding and experience of stress from 4 to 11 years of age across four age groups (4–5, 6–7, 8–9, and 10–11 years old). Methods. A semi-structured interview format was used to elicit information from 50 children about their understanding and experience of stress. Results. Most children were able to define stress, with older children providing more complex responses. Many children had indirect and/or personal experience of stress. Younger children were more likely than older children to report that there was nothing people could do to stop stress; children reported using both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies to deal with stress. Conclusion. Some young children have a basic understanding of stress and many have experience of stress; both understanding and experience develop with age. Practice Implications. The research has potential implications for provider-patient communication, particularly within preventative health education and clinically within the field of childhood post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The perceptual basis of the understanding of some spatial adjectives in primary school children

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Measuring accounting disclosure in a period of complex changes:the case of Egypt

Significant changes in accounting disclosure are observed in periods of economic change such as those relating to emerging capital markets and programs of privatization. Measurement of the level of accounting disclosure should ideally be designed to capture the complexity of change in order to give insight and explanation to match the causes and consequences of change. This paper shows the added interpretive value in subdividing the disclosure checklist to reflect the requirements of national accounting regulations, the location of disclosure items in the annual report, and limitations on the availability of regulations in official translation to the local language. Defining targeted disclosure categories leads to significance testing of specific aspects of changes in accounting disclosure in the Egyptian capital market in the 1990s. Strong correlation of disclosure with the presence of majority government ownership of the company and the relative activity of share trading supports the applicability of political costs and capital need theories, respectively. The relation between International Accounting Standards (IASs) disclosure and the type of audit firm points to additional theoretical explanations, including relative familiarity with the legislation and compliance features identifiable with the emerging capital market. The approach described in this paper has the potential for enhancing understanding of the complexity of accounting change in other emerging capital markets and developing economies.

The Principles of Creation of Teaching Materials and Organization of Ukrainian Language Learning Process using Distance Support in Senior Classes

The article deals with the topicality and problems of using information and communication technologies in secondary education, conditions and methods for Ukrainian language learning with the distance support in senior classes. The article shows the principal similarity of distance learning to training one. The common and specific principles of creation of teaching materials for a distance learning course are described. It reveals the conditions of effective organization of Ukrainian language learning with distance support on the material of distance course “Business Ukrainian and Culture of Communication”.

Curriculum vita of Prof. Vasil Atanasov Popov

Our primary goal in this preamble is to highlight the best of Vasil Popov’s mathematical achievements and ideas. V. Popov showed his extraordinary talent for mathematics in his early papers in the (typically Bulgarian) area of approximation in the Hausdorff metric. His results in this area are very well presented in the monograph of his advisor Bl. Sendov, “Hausdorff Approximation”.

Institutional multilingualism in NGOs:Amnesty International's strategic understanding of multilingualism

Institutional multilingualism is most often associated with large intergovernmental institutions such as the European Union and the United Nations. Institutional multilingualism in non-governmental organisations (NGOs), however, has remained invisible to a large extent. Like international governmental organisations (IGOs), NGOs operate across linguistic borders. This raises the question whether NGOs use language and translation in the same way as IGOs. The present article takes Amnesty International as a case study, and explores what institutional multilingualism means for this organisation, how it is reflected in its language policy, and how it is put into practice. By gaining insight into the particular case of Amnesty International, this article aims to make a contribution to institutional translation studies.

Impact of reduced complexity inverse Volterra series transfer function-based nonlinear equalizer in coherent OFDM systems for next-generation core networks

A modern electronic nonlinearity equalizer (NLE) based on inverse Volterra series transfer function (IVSTF) with reduced complexity is applied on coherent optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (CO-OFDM) signals for next-generation long- and ultra-long-haul applications. The OFDM inter-subcarrier crosstalk effects are explored thoroughly using the IVSTF-NLE and compared with the case of linear equalization (LE) for transmission distances of up to 7000 km. © 2013 IEEE.

Redefining 'media' using a 'media-as-a-constitutional-component' concept:an evaluation of the need for the European Court of Human Rights to alter its understanding of 'media' within a new media landscape

This paper considers the impact of new media on freedom of expression and media freedom within the context of the European Convention on Human Rights and European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence. Through comparative analysis of US jurisprudence and scholarship, this paper deals with the following three issues. First, it explores the traditional purpose of the media, and how media freedom, as opposed to freedom of expression, has been subject to privileged protection, within an ECHR context at least. Secondly, it considers the emergence of new media, and how it can be differentiated from the traditional media. Finally, it analyses the philosophical justifications for freedom of expression, and how they enable a workable definition of the media based upon the concept of the media-as-a-constitutional-component.

Conceptualizing leadership perceptions as attitudes:using attitude theory to further the understanding of the relation between leadership and outcomes

Leadership is one of the most examined factors in relation to understanding employee wellbeing and performance. While there are disparate approaches to studying leadership, they share a common assumption that perceptions of a leader's behavior determine reactions to the leader. The concept of leadership perception is poorly understood in most theoretical approaches. To address this, we propose that there are many benefits from examining leadership perceptions as an attitude towards the leader. In this review, we show how research examining a number of aspects of attitudes (content, structure and function) can advance understanding of leadership perceptions and how these affect work-related outcomes. Such a perspective provides a more multi-faceted understanding of leadership perceptions than previously envisaged and this can provide a more detailed understanding of how such perceptions affect outcomes. In addition, we examine some of the main theoretical and methodological implications of viewing leadership perceptions as attitudes to the wider leadership area. The cross-fertilization of research from the attitudes literature to understanding leadership perceptions provides new insights into leadership processes and potential avenues for further research. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Motivations for servitization:the impact of product complexity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the commonalities and differences in manufacturers’ motivations to servitise. Design/methodology/approach – UK study based on interviews with 40 managers in 25 companies in 12 sectors. Using the concept of product complexity, sectors were grouped using the Complex Products and Systems (CoPS) typology: non-complex products, complex products and systems. Findings – Motivations to servitise were categorised as competitive, demand based (i.e. derived from the customer) or economic. Motivations to servitise vary according to product complexity, although cost savings and improved service quality appear important demand-based motivations for all manufacturers. Non-complex product manufacturers also focus on services to help product differentiation. For CoPS manufacturers, both risk reduction and developing a new revenue stream were important motivations. For uniquely complex product manufacturers, stabilising revenue and increased profitability were strong motivations. For uniquely systems manufacturers, customers sought business transformation, whilst new service business models were also identified. Research limitations/implications – Using the CoPS typology, this study delineates motivations to servitise by sector. The findings show varying motivations to servitise as product complexity increases, although some motivational commonality existed across all groups. Manufacturers may have products of differing complexity within their portfolio. To overcome this limitation the unit of analysis was the strategic business unit. Practical implications – Managers can reflect on and benchmark their motivation for, and opportunities from, servitisation, by considering product complexity. Originality/value – The first study to categorise servitisation motivations by product complexity. Identifying that some customers of systems manufacturers seek business transformation through outsourcing.

Applicability of non-modular assessment in construction management and allied undergraduate programmes:perspective of the academics involved

Undergraduate programmes on construction management and other closely related built environment disciplines are currently taught and assessed on a modular basis. This is the case in the UK and in many other countries globally. However, it can be argued that professionally oriented programmes like these are better assessed on a non-modular basis, in order to produce graduates who can apply knowledge on different subject contents in cohesion to solve complex practical scenarios in their work environments. The examples of medical programmes where students are assessed on a non-modular basis can be cited as areas where this is already being done. A preliminary study was undertaken to explore the applicability of non-modular assessment within construction management undergraduate education. A selected sample of university academics was interviewed to gather their perspectives on applicability of non-modular assessment. General acceptance was observed among the academics involved that integrating non-modular assessment is applicable and will be beneficial. All academics stated that at least some form of non-modular assessment as being currently used in their programmes. Examples where cross-modular knowledge is assessed included comprehensive/multi-disciplinary project modules and creating larger modules to amalgamate a number of related subject areas. As opposed to a complete shift from modular to non-modular, an approach where non-modular assessment is integrated and its use further expanded within the current system is therefore suggested. This is due to the potential benefits associated with this form of assessment to professionally aligned built environment programmes

'Their tummys don't really suit that food':children and young teenagers understanding of food allergy

Background: Food allergy (FA) is aunique chronic condition as sufferers aregenerally well unless they accidentally ingest an allergen, whereupon symptoms can be life threatening. A good under-standing of the condition is essential forsuccessful self-management, however little is known about children and young teenagers' understanding. This study aimed toexplore understanding of FA in childrenwith and without FA and whether under-standing changes as children get older.Method: Participants aged 6–14 years (53with FA; 89 without), recruited from loc evidence of a prospective associationbetween maternal, perinatal or infant VDIand subsequent IgE-mediated FA schools and allergy clinics took part insemi-structured interviews; data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: Three themes were identified fromthe data across the different age groups andallergy statuses: food allergy as a sickness, food allergy as an illness and food allergy asintolerance to food. Children aged 6–8 years described FA as a sickness; you were not allowed the food because it makes youpoorly. Children aged 9–11 years also talked about FA as something that makesyou poorly, but many also described it as anillness and understood that symptoms were caused by food. Children aged 12–14 yearsdescribed it as an intolerance or that FA was your body's response to a particularfood. These age-related differences wereseen in children with and without FA. Conclusion: Although sophistication ofknowledge of FA increases with age, it is still a little understood condition by chil-dren and young teenagers. Clear, age-re-lated information about food allergy andhow it should be managed is needed forthose with and without allergy, to avoidmisunderstanding, and aid awareness andbetter self-management of the condition

Az üzleti kapcsolatok menedzsmentjének gondolati modellje. És ez miért lehet fontos a vállalati vezetők számára? (The conceptual model of management of business relations – and why it may be important for the corporate executives?)

A szerzők cikkükben az üzleti marketinget és a gazdaságszociológiai megközelítést ötvözve vizsgálják az üzleti kapcsolatok irányításának néhány problémáját. Gondolati modelljük figyelembe veszi a kapcsolatra vonatkozó külső és belső szabályokat, a kapcsolatban érintettek percepcióit és cselekvéseit. Az üzleti kapcsolat menedzsmentje alatt elsősorban tervező, szervező és ellenőrző tevékenységeket értenek, amelyek attól függően alakulnak, hogy egy kapcsolat létrehozása, fenntartása vagy változtatása-e a cél. Reményeik szerint az általuk javasolt gondolati modell alkalmazása a társadalmi összetevők világosabb felismerésében segítheti az üzleti élet résztvevőit. Dolgozatuk célja az üzleti kapcsolatok menedzsmentjét megkönnyítő gondolati modell felállítása. A modell operacionalizálása és empirikus tesztelése meghaladja jelen írásuk kereteit és egy esetleges jövőbeni kutatás témája lehet. ____________ The purpose of this article is to create and demonstrate such a conceptual model, which might assist in the more efficient management of business relationships. The peculiarity of the way of thinking proposed by the authors is that it takes into account the complexity of business relationships and its social embeddedness. Thus they make an attempt to systematize the key components of business relationships, their processes, economic and social characteristics. The authors would like to approach this from the point of view of the management of the business relationship, trusting that the deeper understanding of the complexity of business relationships and the consistent consideration of this complexity may contribute to the more successful management of relationships.