Integration of Ligand- and Target-Based Virtual Screening for the Discovery of Cruzain Inhibitors

A myriad of methods are available for virtual screening of small organic compound databases. In this study we have successfully applied a quantitative model of consensus measurements, using a combination of 3D similarity searches (ROCS and EON), Hologram Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (HQSAR) and docking (FRED, FlexX, Glide and AutoDock Vina), to retrieve cruzain inhibitors from collected databases. All methods were assessed individually and then combined in a Ligand-Based Virtual Screening (LBVS) and Target-Based Virtual Screening (TBVS) consensus scoring, using Receiving Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to evaluate their performance. Three consensus strategies were used: scaled-rank-by-number, rank-by-rank and rank-by-vote, with the most thriving the scaled-rank-by-number strategy, considering that the stiff ROC curve appeared to be satisfactory in every way to indicate a higher enrichment power at early retrieval of active compounds from the database. The ligand-based method provided access to a robust and predictive HQSAR model that was developed to show superior discrimination between active and inactive compounds, which was also better than ROCS and EON procedures. Overall, the integration of fast computational techniques based on ligand and target structures resulted in a more efficient retrieval of cruzain inhibitors with desired pharmacological profiles that may be useful to advance the discovery of new trypanocidal agents.

Fabrication and integration of planar electrodes for contactless conductivity detection on polyester-toner electrophoresis microchips

In this report, we describe the microfabrication and integration of planar electrodes for contactless conductivity detection on polyester-toner (PT) electrophoresis microchips using toner masks. Planar electrodes were fabricated by three simple steps: (i) drawing and laser-printing the electrode geometry on polyester films, (ii) sputtering deposition onto substrates, and (iii) removal of toner layer by a lift-off process. The polyester film with anchored electrodes was integrated to PT electrophoresis microchannels by lamination at 120 degrees C in less than 1 min. The electrodes were designed in an antiparallel configuration with 750 mu m width and 750 gm gap between them. The best results were recorded with a frequency of 400 kHz and 10 V-PP using a sinusoidal wave. The analytical performance of the proposed microchip was evaluated by electrophoretic separation of potassium, sodium and lithium in 150 mu m wide x 6 mu m deep microchannels. Under an electric field of 250 V/cm the analytes were successfully separated in less than 90 s with efficiencies ranging from 7000 to 13 000 plates. The detection limits (S/N = 3) found for K+, Na+, and Li+ were 3.1, 4.3, and 7.2 mu mol/L, respectively. Besides the low-cost and instrumental simplicity, the integrated PT chip eliminates the problem of manual alignment and gluing of the electrodes, permitting more robustness and better reproducibility, therefore, more suitable for mass production of electrophoresis microchips.

Integration and Assessment of Information Literacy in an Undergraduate Biology Program: a Sustainable and Transferrable Model

This presentation was offered as part of the CUNY Library Assessment Conference, Reinventing Libraries: Reinventing Assessment, held at the City University of New York in June 2014.

Skolan och det mångkulturella mötet : Några gymnasielärares beskrivning av mötet med muslimska elever och arbetet med skolans värdegrund

Uppsatsen berör problemområdet med mångkulturella möten i gymnasieskolan. Det är ett lärarperspektiv där några yrkesverksamma lärare beskriver sin egen erfarenhet av mötet med muslimska elever. De positiva erfarenheterna dominerar lärarnas synsätt och beskrivning av de mångkulturella mötena. Men beskriver även islam i Sverige idag och hur religionen har anpassat sig till nya förhållanden de senaste 50 åren. Sverige har utvecklats från en enhetskultur till ett mångkulturellt samhälle vilket även påverkat skolan i samma utsträckning. Den litteratur som använts i uppsatsen är religionshistorisk, religionssociologisk och pedagogisk.

Islam och hinduism ur ett genusperspektiv : En granskning av ett urval religions läroböcker på grundskole- och gymnasienivå

Syftet med vårat examensarbete har varit att göra en läromedelsanalys ur ett genusperspektiv i ämnet religion. Vi har studerat två läromedel som riktar sig till grundskolans senare år och två läromedel som riktar sig till gymnasiet. I analyserna har vi kommit fram till att det i läromedlen för grundskolan finns en stor avsaknad av genusmedvetenhet. Även om genusmedvetenheten är större i läromedlen för gymnasiet uppnår det inte den genusmedvetenhet som vore önskvärt.

Integration av webbaserat analysprogram och kartprogram : Integration of web based analysis-software andmap-software

I takt med att GIS (Grafiska InformationsSystem) blir allt vanligare och mer användarvänligt har WM-data sett att kunder skulle ha intresse i att kunna koppla information från sin verksamhet till en kartbild. Detta för att lättare kunna ta till sig informationen om hur den geografiskt finns utspridd över ett område för att t.ex. ordna effektivare tranporter. WM-data, som det här arbetet är utfört åt, avser att ta fram en prototyp som sedan kan visas upp för att påvisa för kunder och andra intressenter att detta är möjligt att genomföra genom att skapa en integration mellan redan befintliga system. I det här arbetet har prototypen tagits fram med skogsindustrin och dess lager som inriktning. Befintliga program som integrationen ska skapas mellan är båda webbaserade och körs i en webbläsare. Analysprogrammet som ska användas heter Insikt och är utvecklat av företaget Trimma, kartprogrammet heter GIMS som är WM-datas egna program. Det ska vara möjligt att i Insikt analysera data och skapa en rapport. Den ska sedan skickas till GIMS där informationen skrivs ut på kartan på den plats som respektive information hör till. Det ska även gå att välja ut ett eller flera områden i kartan och skicka till Insikt för att analysera information från enbart de utvalda områdena. En prototyp med önskad funktionalitet har under arbetets gång tagits fram, men för att ha en säljbar produkt är en del arbeta kvar. Prototypen har visats för ett antal intresserade som tyckte det var intressant och tror att det är något som skulle kunna användas flitigt inom många områden.

Do Different Models of Integration Affect Actual Integration? The Cases of France and Great Britain Revisited

Britain and France adapted two different integration models, namely assimilationist and multiculturalism to integrate their immigrants. These two big models of integration have distinctive characteristics to integrate immigrants. There is a general claim that multiculturalism model is the best for integrating immigrants in terms of actual integration, however, some argue the opposite, that French assimilationist model is ‘better off.’ This study examines these controversial claims by looking at the level to which immigrants are integrated in economic, social, political, cultural dimensions of integration and attitudes towards immigrants in Britain and France. Within a given theoretical framework, this study compares the overall competency level of immigrants’ integration in terms of actual integration between British multiculturalism model and French assimilationist model and validate that both these two big models of integration have reached a comparable level of integration and they do not have any decisive impact on actual integration.

Från ord till (e-)handling : - Integration av e-handelssystemi SiteVision

The client, Senselogic, had noticed an increased demand for an e-commerce system integrated into its product, SiteVision, something that did not previously exist. Senselogic wanted to integrate a third-party system to manage e-commerce. The problem was that there were very many e-commerce solutions to choose from. In order to select the best system it was necessary to evaluate the e-commerce systems and compare them to each other. To identify the elements that has to be included in an e-commerce system a study of literature was conducted. From the parts identified in the study of literature, a number of criteria were presented. Those criteria were then supplemented with additional criteria that Senselogic required of an e-commerce system before integrating it with SiteVision. Before the evaluation a number of test cases were created to test whether the ecommerce systems fulfilled to the criteria developed. These test cases were then used in the evaluation of the e-commerce systems while a test score was filled in. Then the evaluations of the different systems were compiled and compared in order to see which system best fulfilled the criteria. There was one system that scored higher than the others in the evaluation created. That was the system chosen to integrate with SiteVision.

En SOA utvärderingsmall med fokus på integration, arkitektur och tjänster : Ett praktikfall på Logica

Today, there are no standardized ways to characterize SOA, many are talking about SOA and many say they are using SOA. One way that we have chosen to characterize this phenomenon is through an evaluation that will indicate whether SOA have been used in the development. Basedon a Service Oriented Architecture literature study, we have created an evaluation pattern resulting SOA principles of integration, architecture and services. This evaluation was applied to Logica's own integration system AgrCom through an empirical study to result in a response indicating whether AgrCom is SOA based. The results of the evaluation show that AgrCom is part of an SOA solution but not an SOA as a whole concept. The study shows that it takes morethan just systems in an activity to be referred to as the SOA-based, hence the architecture of anactivity must be taken into account.

Facade integration of polymeric solar collectors

The present paper examines building integrated solar collectors with absorbers of polymeric materials. Efficiency measurements of façade-integrated collectors with non-selective black and spectrally selective coloured absorbers are carried out. The performance of the polymeric absorber was compared with solar glass and polycarbonate twin-wall sheets as collector cover. Simulations demonstrate a high solar fraction for a solar combisystem with façade collectors for a well-insulated house in a Nordic climate. Two examples of house concepts with façade collectors are presented which address a new type of customer than the solar enthusiasts with special interest in renewable energy

Metoder och verktyg för motivation till och integration av arbetsmiljöarbete

Rapporten utgår från forskningsområdet "Hur kan och bör arbetsmiljöarbete bedrivas och integreras i organisationers kärnverksamhet?" vid tema SMARTA, Arbetslivsinstitutet. I ett tidigare arbete har ett antal egenskaper identifierats som viktiga för motivation och engagemang för arbetsmiljöarbete, sk Moveit-egenskaper. Dessa egenskaper och deras roll i arbetsmiljöarbetet ställs här i relation till perspektivet integrerat arbetsmiljöarbete, där arbetsmiljön ingår i styrsystemet och arbetsmiljöarbete betraktas som en del av styrningen av produktion och verksamhet. Syftet är att utveckla förståelsen för viktiga aspekter i arbetsmiljöarbetet utifrån en målsättning att metoder ska bidra till ett integrerat och kontinuerligt fungerande arbetsmiljöarbete. Den metodansats som rapporten utgår från bygger till stor del på interaktion med företagshälsovårdcentraler, konsulter och ergonomer samt på tidigare forskning. Ett viktigt steg i interaktionen har varit workshops som arrangerats vid tre tillfällen och vid olika platser - Borlänge, Göteborg och Umeå. Rapporten beskriver ett underlag för att bedöma metoders motivationskraft, erfarenheter från workshops med aktörer inom arbetsmiljöområdet, en fristående konsults tillämpning av metoden Visit samt olika former av förutsättningar för arbetsmiljöarbete, såsom företags mognad och hur metoder introduceras på arbetsplatser. Aspekter som identifieras som viktiga för ett integrerat arbetsmiljöarbete är: delegering av ansvar och befogenheter i arbetsmiljöfrågor, bred delaktighet och samverkan mellan anställda och ledning, hanterbara men ändå utmanande krav på arbetsmiljöarbetet, processfokusering och dynamik, samt utrymme för reflektion. Flera av dessa aspekter uppvisar överensstämmelser med egenskaper hos metoder som bidrar till att skapa motivation för arbetsmiljöarbete.

Al-Mahdi - Gestalt och budskap : En litteraturstudie jämförande sudanesisk Mahdi och indisk Mahdi inom islam

Followers of three world religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam are waiting for the Messiah. Muslims are even waiting for aspiritual leader al-Mahdi. Two different persons claimed the title of al-Mahdi, at the end of the nineteenth century. Theyappeared almost at the same time, at the totally different places of the earth, with a completely different message and underthe rule of the British colonial power. The aim of the study is to compare the both religious figures, Mirza Ghulam Ahmadfrom India and Muhammad Ahmad from Sudan regarding their different messages, to illustrate the social, political andreligious factors that lead to the entirely different profile and image of these two men and how their organizations havedeveloped after their death up till today. The result shows that the Sudanese Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad claimed hisMahdiship in the year 1881. He became a political leader in a time when Sudan was under the rule of a colonial power. Hetook advantage of the religion for personal purposes and tried to liberate his native country Sudan. The contemporaryMuslim clergy criticized him for his claim because the content of the Hadith traditions did not support his claim ofMahdiship. He maintained his sole right for the interpretation of religion and of the laws of Sharia. He made changes even inthe chief pillars of Islam by asserting that Jehad with sword was more imperative than the pilgrimage journey to Mecca. Heasserted that the Prophet Muhammad himself had entrusted him to launch the holy war against the non-believers. He hadimmense ambitions which were never fulfilled since he suddenly died four years after his claim for Mahdiship, in June 1885.This day his followers are organized as a political party in Sudan with a modest roll in the Sudanese politics. The IndianMahdi Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed in 1889 to be Mahdi, Mujaddid, Muhaddas, Messiah and a Prophet at a time of socialand political peace, though Islam as a religion was firmly pushed by the Hindu and Christian missionaries. He had no politicalambitions at all and was utterly loyal to the British colonial power. His mission was to crush the Cross and to demonstrateIslam’s excellence over all the religions of the world through overwhelming arguments. He proclaimed that Jesus was humanand a Prophet and not the son of God. Jesus survived from the cross and died a natural death after he had lived for manyyears. Ahmad claimed that God had commanded him to put stop to the religious wars. The contemporary Muslim clergyblamed him for being an imposter, melancholic and hypochondriac who had self invented the divine revelations. He died year1908, nineteen years after his claim and the communion he found is established today in more than hundred countries of theworld. Reasons for the breakdown of mission of the Sudanese Mahdi were that his objectives were political and he challengedthe colonial power with the sword. Another decisive factor was his sudden death merely four years after the beginning of hismission. Reasons for the success of Indian Mahdi were that his objectives were purely religious and he was wholly loyal to theforeign government. He survived nineteen years after the beginning of his mission which made it possible for him to create acommunion based on solid grounds. His followers continued on the same path and never engaged in local politics where everthey lived. For further studies it will be of great interest to study the life of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and objectively examine thearguments he presented in support of his divine appointment. Furthermore it is enriching to study the organization andactivities of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community to explore if they are in accordance with the basic principles of Ahmad.

New Meanings to Old Rituals : The Emergence of Mourning Rituals in Shiʿite Islam

This paper will discuss the emergence of Shiʿite mourning rituals around the grave of Husayn b. ʿAli. After the killing of Husayn at Karbala’ in 61/680, a number of men in Kufa feel deep regret for their neglect to come to the help of the grand­son of the Prophet. They gather and discuss how they can best make penitence for this crime. Eventually, they decide to take to arms and go against the Umayyad army – to kill those that killed Husayn, or be killed them­selves in the attempt to find revenge for him. Thus, they are called the Penitents (Ar. Tawwābūn). On their way to the battlefield they stop at Husayn’s tomb at Karbala’, dedicat­ing themselves to remorseful prayer, crying and wailing over the fate of Husayn and their own sin. When the Penitents perform certain ritual acts, such as weeping and wailing over the death of Husayn, visiting his grave, asking for God’s mercy upon him on the Day of Judgment, demand blood revenge for him etc., they enter into already existing rituals in the pre-Islamic Arab and early Muslim context. That is, they enter into rituals that were traditionally performed at the death of a person. What is new is that the rituals that the Penitents perform have partially received a new content. As described, the rituals are performed out of loyalty towards Husayn and the family of the Prophet. The lack of loyalty in connection with the death of Husayn is conceived of as a sin that has to be atoned. Blood revenge thus be­comes not only a pure action of revenge to restore honor, but equally an expression for true religious conversion and penitence. Humphrey and Laidlaw argue that ritual actions in themselves are not bearers of meaning, but that they are filled with mean­ing by the performer. Accord­ing to them, ritual actions are apprehensible, i.e. they can be, and should be filled with meaning, and the people who perform them try to do so within the context where the ritual is performed. The story of the Penitents is a clear example of mourning rituals as actions that survive from earlier times, but that are now filled with new meaning when they are performed in a new and developing move­ment with a different ideology. In later Shiʿism, these rituals are elaborated and become a main tenet of this form of Islam.