| 1. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N, et al.
(författare)
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The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project
- 2017
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 7:1, s. 145-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.
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| 2. |
- Bianco, Federica B., et al.
(författare)
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Optimization of the Observing Cadence for the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time : A Pioneering Process of Community-focused Experimental Design
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0067-0049 .- 1538-4365. ; 258:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a ground-based astronomical facility under construction, a joint project of the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, designed to conduct a multipurpose 10 yr optical survey of the Southern Hemisphere sky: the Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Significant flexibility in survey strategy remains within the constraints imposed by the core science goals of probing dark energy and dark matter, cataloging the solar system, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. The survey's massive data throughput will be transformational for many other astrophysics domains and Rubin's data access policy sets the stage for a huge community of potential users. To ensure that the survey science potential is maximized while serving as broad a community as possible, Rubin Observatory has involved the scientific community at large in the process of setting and refining the details of the observing strategy. The motivation, history, and decision-making process of this strategy optimization are detailed in this paper, giving context to the science-driven proposals and recommendations for the survey strategy included in this Focus Issue.
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| 3. |
- Bianco, Federica B., et al.
(författare)
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Presto-Color : A Photometric Survey Cadence for Explosive Physics and Fast Transients
- 2019
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Ingår i: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. - : IOP Publishing. - 0004-6280 .- 1538-3873. ; 131:1000
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We identify minimal observing cadence requirements that enable photometric astronomical surveys to detect and recognize fast and explosive transients and fast transient features. Observations in two different filters within a short time window (e.g., g-and-i, or r-and-z, within <0.5 hr) and a repeat of one of those filters with a longer time window (e.g., >1.5 hr) are desirable for this purpose. Such an observing strategy delivers both the color and light curve evolution of transients on the same night. This allows the identification and initial characterization of fast transient-or fast features of longer timescale transients-such as rapidly declining supernovae, kilonovae, and the signatures of SN ejecta interacting with binary companion stars or circumstellar material. Some of these extragalactic transients are intrinsically rare and generally all hard to find, thus upcoming surveys like the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) could dramatically improve our understanding of their origin and properties. We colloquially refer to such a strategy implementation for the LSST as the Presto-Color strategy (rapid-color). This cadence's minimal requirements allow for overall optimization of a survey for other science goals.
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| 4. |
- Carraminana, Albert, et al.
(författare)
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Rationale and Study Design for an Individualized Perioperative Open Lung Ventilatory Strategy in Patients on One-Lung Ventilation (iPROVE-OLV)
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. - : W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC. - 1053-0770 .- 1532-8422. ; 33:9, s. 2492-2502
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The aim of this clinical trial is to examine whether it is possible to reduce postoperative complications using an individualized perioperative ventilatory strategy versus using a standard lung-protective ventilation strategy in patients scheduled for thoracic surgery requiring one-lung ventilation. Design: International, multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. Setting: A network of university hospitals. Participants: The study comprises 1,380 patients scheduled for thoracic surgery. Interventions: The individualized group will receive intraoperative recruitment maneuvers followed by individualized positive end-expiratory pressure (open lung approach) during the intraoperative period plus postoperative ventilatory support with high-flow nasal cannula, whereas the control group will be managed with conventional lung-protective ventilation. Measurements and Main Results: Individual and total number of postoperative complications, including atelectasis, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pneumonia, acute lung injury; unplanned readmission and reintubation; length of stay and death in the critical care unit and in the hospital will be analyzed for both groups. The authors hypothesize that the intraoperative application of an open lung approach followed by an individual indication of high-flow nasal cannula in the postoperative period will reduce pulmonary complications and length of hospital stay in high-risk surgical patients. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Inc.
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| 5. |
- de Oliveira, Tiago Elias Castelo, et al.
(författare)
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The Concept of Dynamic Hosting Capacity for Distributed Energy Resources : Analytics and Practical Considerations
- 2019
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Ingår i: Energies. - : MDPI. - 1996-1073. ; 12:13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The hosting capacity approach is presented as a planning, improving, and communication tool for electrical distribution systems operating under specific uncertainties, such as power quality issues, power stabilities, and reliability, among others. In other words, it is an important technique, when renewable sources are present, to answer the amount of power that is possible to supply to the system without trespassing power performance limits. However, the power flow in a distribution system, for instance, can change throughout time due to the penetration of distributed generation, as well as load consumption. Based on the dynamic nature existing in distribution grids nowadays, it is important to highlight that the hosting capacity should not be calculated in a specifically chosen time only, but must be analyzed throughout a period of time. Thus, this paper introduces an extended concept of hosting capacity in relation to an integrated impact of harmonic voltage distortion and voltage rise as a function of time for daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly periods. This extended concept is named as Dynamic Hosting Capacity (DHC(t)). General aspects of DHC(t) are demonstrated via measured data on a photovoltaic system (PV) connected at a low-voltage (LV) side of a university building.
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| 6. |
- Deshmuck, Amol, et al.
(författare)
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Towards Empathic Artificial Tutors
- 2013
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 8th ACM/IEEE international conference on Human-robot interaction, HRI 13. Tokyo, Japan — March 03 - 06, 2013. - : ACM/IEEE. - 9781467330558
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper we discuss how the EMOTE project will design, develop and evaluate a new generation of artificial embodied tutors that have perceptive capabilities to engage in empathic interactions with learners in a shared physical space.
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| 7. |
- Deshmukh, Amol, et al.
(författare)
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An Empathic Robotic Tutor in a Map Application
- 2015
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 2015 international conference on autonomous agents & multiagent systems (AAMAS'15). - New York : Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). - 9781450334136 ; , s. 1923-1924
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this demonstration, we describe a scenario developed in the EMOTE project [2]. The overall goal of the EMOTE project is to develop an empathic robot tutor for 11-13 year old school students in an educational setting. The pedagogical domain we demonstrate here is to assist students in learning and testing their map-reading skills typically learned as part of the geography curriculum in schools. We demonstrate this scenario with a NAO robot interacting with the students whilst performing map-reading tasks in the form of a game on a touch-screen device.
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| 8. |
- Dias, N., et al.
(författare)
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Outcomes of Elective and Non-elective Fenestrated-branched Endovascular Aortic Repair for Treatment of Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms
- 2023
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Ingår i: Annals of Surgery. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 0003-4932 .- 1528-1140. ; 278:4, s. 568-577, s. 568-577
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To describe outcomes after elective and non-elective fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (FB-EVAR) for thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs).Background: FB-EVAR has been increasingly utilized to treat TAAAs; however, outcomes after non-elective versus elective repair are not well described.Methods: Clinical data of consecutive patients undergoing FB-EVAR for TAAAs at 24 centers (2006-2021) were reviewed. Endpoints including early mortality and major adverse events (MAEs), all-cause mortality, and aortic-related mortality (ARM), were analyzed and compared in patients who had non-elective versus elective repair.Results: A total of 2603 patients (69% males; mean age 72 +/- 10 year old) underwent FB-EVAR for TAAAs. Elective repair was performed in 2187 patients (84%) and non-elective repair in 416 patients [16%; 268 (64%) symptomatic, 148 (36%) ruptured]. Non-elective FB-EVAR was associated with higher early mortality (17% vs 5%, P < 0.001) and rates of MAEs (34% vs 20%, P < 0.001). Median follow-up was 15 months ( interquartile range, 7-37 months). Survival and cumulative incidence of ARM at 3 years were both lower for non-elective versus elective patients (50 +/- 4% vs 70 +/- 1% and 21 +/- 3% vs 7 +/- 1%, P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, non-elective repair was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality ( hazard ratio, 1.92; 95% CI] 1.50-2.44; P < 0.001) and ARM (hazard ratio, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.63-3.62; P < 0.001).Conclusions: Non-elective FB-EVAR of symptomatic or ruptured TAAAs is feasible, but carries higher incidence of early MAEs and increased all-cause mortality and ARM than elective repair. Long-term follow-up is warranted to justify the treatment.
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| 9. |
- Dias-Neto, Marina, et al.
(författare)
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Comparison of single- and multistage strategies during fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Journal of Vascular Surgery. - : MOSBY-ELSEVIER. - 0741-5214 .- 1097-6809. ; 77:6, s. 1588-1597
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The aim of this study was to compare outcomes of single or multistage approach during fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (FB-EVAR) of extensive thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs).Methods: We reviewed the clinical data of consecutive patients treated by FB-EVAR for extent I to III TAAAs in 24 centers (2006-2021). All patients received a single brand manufactured patient-specific or off-the-shelf fenestrated-branched stent grafts. Staging strategies included proximal thoracic aortic repair, minimally invasive segmental artery coil embolization, temporary aneurysm sac perfusion and combinations of these techniques. Endpoints were analyzed for elective repair in patients who had a single-or multistage approach before and after propensity score adjustment for baseline differences, including the composite 30-day/in-hospital mortality and/or permanent paraplegia, major adverse event, patient survival, and freedom from aortic-related mortality.Results: A total of 1947 patients (65% male; mean age, 71 +/- 8 years) underwent FB-EVAR of 155 extent I (10%), 729 extent II (46%), and 713 extent III TAAAs (44%). A single-stage approach was used in 939 patients (48%) and a multistage approach in 1008 patients (52%). A multistage approach was more frequently used in patients undergoing elective compared with non-elective repair (55% vs 35%; P < .001). Staging strategies were proximal thoracic aortic repair in 743 patients (74%), temporary aneurysm sac perfusion in 128 (13%), minimally invasive segmental artery coil embolization in 10 (1%), and combinations in 127 (12%). Among patients undergoing elective repair (n = 1597), the composite endpoint of 30-day/in-hospital mortality and/or permanent paraplegia rate occurred in 14% of single-stage and 6% of multistage approach patients (P < .001). After adjustment with a propensity score, multistage approach was associated with lower rates of 30-day/in-hospital mortality and/or permanent paraplegia (odds ratio, 0.466; 95% confidence interval, 0.271-0.801; P = .006) and higher patient survival at 1 year (86.9 +/- 1.3% vs 79.6 +/- 1.7%) and 3 years (72.7 +/- 2.1% vs 64.2 +/- 2.3%; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.714; 95% confidence interval, 0.528-0.966; P = .029), compared with a single stage approach.Conclusions: Staging elective FB-EVAR of extent I to III TAAAs was associated with decreased risk of mortality and/or permanent paraplegia at 30 days or within hospital stay, and with higher patient survival at 1 and 3 years.
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| 10. |
- Dominguez-Perez, Dany, et al.
(författare)
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Proteomic Analyses of the Unexplored Sea Anemone Bunodactis verrucosa
- 2018
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Ingår i: Marine Drugs. - : MDPI. - 1660-3397. ; 16:2
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cnidarian toxic products, particularly peptide toxins, constitute a promising target for biomedicine research. Indeed, cnidarians are considered as the largest phylum of generally toxic animals. However, research on peptides and toxins of sea anemones is still limited. Moreover, most of the toxins from sea anemones have been discovered by classical purification approaches. Recently, high-throughput methodologies have been used for this purpose but in other Phyla. Hence, the present work was focused on the proteomic analyses of whole-body extract from the unexplored sea anemone Bunodactis verrucosa. The proteomic analyses applied were based on two methods: two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF/TOF and shotgun proteomic approach. In total, 413 proteins were identified, but only eight proteins were identified from gel-based analyses. Such proteins are mainly involved in basal metabolism and biosynthesis of antibiotics as the most relevant pathways. In addition, some putative toxins including metalloproteinases and neurotoxins were also identified. These findings reinforce the significance of the production of antimicrobial compounds and toxins by sea anemones, which play a significant role in defense and feeding. In general, the present study provides the first proteome map of the sea anemone B. verrucosa stablishing a reference for future studies in the discovery of new compounds.
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| 11. |
- Hall, Lynne, et al.
(författare)
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Map reading with an empathic robot tutor
- 2016
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Ingår i: ACMIEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction. - Piscataway, NJ : IEEE. - 2167-2121. - 9781467383707
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)
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| 12. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N., et al.
(författare)
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The PREDICTS database : a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts
- 2014
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 4:24, s. 4701-4735
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species' threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project - and avert - future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups - including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems - ). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015.
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| 13. |
- Jones, Benedict C, et al.
(författare)
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To which world regions does the valence-dominance model of social perception apply?
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature Human Behaviour. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-3374. ; 5:1, s. 159-169
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Over the past 10 years, Oosterhof and Todorov's valence-dominance model has emerged as the most prominent account of how people evaluate faces on social dimensions. In this model, two dimensions (valence and dominance) underpin social judgements of faces. Because this model has primarily been developed and tested in Western regions, it is unclear whether these findings apply to other regions. We addressed this question by replicating Oosterhof and Todorov's methodology across 11 world regions, 41 countries and 11,570 participants. When we used Oosterhof and Todorov's original analysis strategy, the valence-dominance model generalized across regions. When we used an alternative methodology to allow for correlated dimensions, we observed much less generalization. Collectively, these results suggest that, while the valence-dominance model generalizes very well across regions when dimensions are forced to be orthogonal, regional differences are revealed when we use different extraction methods and correlate and rotate the dimension reduction solution. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 5 November 2018. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7611443.v1 .
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| 14. |
- Jugend, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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The role of cross-functional integration in new product development : Differences between incremental and radical innovation projects
- 2018
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Ingår i: Innovation: Organization & Management. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1447-9338 .- 2204-0226. ; 20:1, s. 42-60
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The literature on new product development (NPD) contains several studies of management practices involved in different types of innovation. However, few studies focus on how cross-functional integration affects incremental and radical innovation product projects. The purpose of this study is to explore this aspect, from a qualitative perspective, through case studies of four high-tech firms in Brazil. Eight NPD projects were studied. The findings suggest that radical and incremental innovation NPD projects require different management practices in the studied cases. In incremental NPD projects, greater integration efforts may not be necessary. However, the following practices should be adopted in projects involving radical innovation product projects: intense involvement of technical teams, flexibility in the early stages of NPD, and geographical separation between the development team and other departments of the firm. Moreover, the application of these same practices in projects of incremental innovation in NPD may not bring positive results.
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| 15. |
- Mayor, Tiago, et al.
(författare)
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An interlaboratory study on measurements of clothing evaporative resistance with thermal manikins
- 2012
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Ingår i: ; , s. 1-4
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract in UndeterminedAn interlaboratory study on measurement of evaporative resistance (Ret) with thermal manikins has been conducted in order to assess the repeatability and reproducibility limits as a function of mean resistance values, when using similar test protocols (ASTM F2370). Three independent laboratories tested seven clothing ensembles, with Ret ranging from very low to very high values (20-325 m2∙Pa/W). The repeatability and the reproducibility limits were found to vary in the ranges 3-15% and 12-24%, respectively, for ensembles with a Ret value up to 60 m2∙Pa/W. These parameters escalated to 21-27% and 51-53%, for ensembles with higher Ret (110-325 m2∙Pa/W). The high relative error in the measurements of local manikin heat losses was found to play a relevant role, particularly for the most impermeable samples.
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| 16. |
- Neves, Ana Luisa, et al.
(författare)
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Determinants of the Use of Health and Fitness Mobile Apps by Patients With Asthma : Secondary Analysis of Observational Studies
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Internet Research. - : JMIR Publications. - 1438-8871. ; 23:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Health and fitness apps have potential benefits to improve self-management and disease control among patients with asthma. However, inconsistent use rates have been reported across studies, regions, and health systems. A better understanding of the characteristics of users and nonusers is critical to design solutions that are effectively integrated in patients' daily lives, and to ensure that these equitably reach out to different groups of patients, thus improving rather than entrenching health inequities. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the use of general health and fitness apps by patients with asthma and to identify determinants of usage. Methods: A secondary analysis of the INSPIRERS observational studies was conducted using data from face-to-face visits. Patients with a diagnosis of asthma were included between November 2017 and August 2020. Individual-level data were collected, including age, gender, marital status, educational level, health status, presence of anxiety and depression, postcode, socioeconomic level, digital literacy, use of health services, and use of health and fitness apps. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the probability of being a health and fitness app user. Statistical analysis was performed in R. Results: A total of 526 patients attended a face-to-face visit in the 49 recruiting centers and 514 had complete data. Most participants were <= 40 years old (66.4%), had at least 10 years of education (57.4%), and were in the 3 higher quintiles of the socioeconomic deprivation index (70.1%). The majority reported an overall good health status (visual analogue scale [VAS] score>70 in 93.1%) and the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 34.3% and 11.9%, respectively. The proportion of participants who reported using health and fitness mobile apps was 41.1% (n=211). Multivariate models revealed that single individuals and those with more than 10 years of education are more likely to use health and fitness mobile apps (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.22, 95%CI 1.05-4.75 and aOR 1.95, 95%CI 1.12-3.45, respectively). Higher digital literacy scores were also associated with higher odds of being a user of health and fitness apps, with participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles reporting aORs of 6.74 (95%CI 2.90-17.40), 10.30 (95%CI 4.28-27.56), and 11.52 (95%CI 4.78-30.87), respectively. Participants with depression symptoms had lower odds of using health and fitness apps (aOR 0.32, 95%CI 0.12-0.83). Conclusions: A better understanding of the barriers and enhancers of app use among patients with lower education, lower digital literacy, or depressive symptoms is key to design tailored interventions to ensure a sustained and equitable use of these technologies. Future studies should also assess users' general health-seeking behavior and their interest and concerns specifically about digital tools. These factors may impact both initial engagement and sustained use.
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| 17. |
- Pocas, Juliana, et al.
(författare)
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Syndecan-4 is a maestro of gastric cancer cell invasion and communication that underscores poor survival
- 2023
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 120:20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gastric cancer is a dominating cause of cancer-associated mortality with limited therapeutic options. Here, we show that syndecan-4 (SDC4), a transmembrane pro-teoglycan, is highly expressed in intestinal subtype gastric tumors and that this sig -nature associates with patient poor survival. Further, we mechanistically demonstrate that SDC4 is a master regulator of gastric cancer cell motility and invasion. We also find that SDC4 decorated with heparan sulfate is efficiently sorted in extracellular vesicles (EVs). Interestingly, SDC4 in EVs regulates gastric cancer cell-derived EV organ distribution, uptake, and functional effects in recipient cells. Specifically, we show that SDC4 knockout disrupts the tropism of EVs for the common gastric cancer metastatic sites. Our findings set the basis for the molecular implications of SDC4 expression in gastric cancer cells and provide broader perspectives on the development of therapeutic strategies targeting the glycan-EV axis to limit tumor progression.
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| 18. |
- Ribeiro-Barros, Ana I., et al.
(författare)
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An integrated approach to understand the mechanisms underlying salt stress tolerance in Casuarina glauca and its relation with nitrogen-fixing Frankia Thr
- 2016
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Ingår i: Symbiosis. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0334-5114 .- 1878-7665. ; 70:1, s. 111-116
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Salinity is one of the most wide spread abiotic stresses affecting agricultural productivity, with an impact on more than 800 million hectares worldwide. A promising solution for the recovery of saline soils encompasses the use of actinorhizal plants, a group of perennial dicotyledonous angiosperms including species highly resilient to extreme environmental conditions. These plants are able to establish root-nodule symbiosis with N-2-fixing actinobacteria of the genus Frankia. In this review, we discuss the main physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying salt tolerance in the model Casuarina glauca supplemented with chemical nitrogen or obtaining it from symbiotic Frankia. In the first part, an overview of the impact of increasing NaCl concentrations in photosynthesis, antioxidative system and membrane integrity is presented. The second part addresses the effect of salt stress in the symbiosis between C. glauca and Frankia strain Thr. Preliminary results from analyses of the branchlets proteome and nodule metabolome are presented as well.
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| 19. |
- Ribeiro, Tiago, et al.
(författare)
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Cytotoxicity of portoamides in human cancer cells and analysis of the molecular mechanisms of action
- 2017
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE. - 1932-6203. ; 12:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Portoamides are cyclic peptides produced and released by the cyanobacterial strain Phormidium sp. presumably to interfere with other organisms in their ecosystems (" allelopathy"). Portoamides were previously demonstrated to have an antiproliferative effect on human lung carcinoma cells, but the underlying mechanism of this activity has not been described. In the present work, the effects of portoamides on proliferation were examined in eight human cancer cell lines and two non-carcinogenic cell lines, and major differences in sensitivities were observed. To generate hypotheses with regard to molecular mechanisms of action, quantitative proteomics using 2D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/ TOF were performed on the colon carcinoma cell line HT-29. The expression of proteins involved in energy metabolism (mitochondrial respiratory chain and pentose phosphate pathway) was found to be affected. The hypothesis of altered energy metabolism was tested in further experiments. Exposure to portoamides resulted in reduced cellular ATP content, likely due to decreased mitochondrial energy production. Mitochondrial hyperpolarization and reduced mitochondrial reductive capacity was observed in treated cells. Furthermore, alterations in the expression of peroxiredoxins (PRDX4, PRDX6) and components of proteasome subunits (PSB4, PSA6) were observed in portoamide-treated cells, but these alterations were not associated with detectable increases in oxidative stress. We conclude that the cytotoxic activity of portoamides is associated with disturbance of energy metabolism, and alterations in mitochondrial structure and function.
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| 20. |
- Ribeiro, Tânia M., et al.
(författare)
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CARINA : A near-Earth D-type asteroid sample return mission
- 2023
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Ingår i: Acta Astronautica. - : Elsevier. - 0094-5765 .- 1879-2030. ; 212, s. 213-225
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- D-type asteroids are among the most primitive small bodies of the solar system. Believed to be formed in the outer solar system, a minor fraction of these faint objects can be found in the near-Earth region. Some were suspected to be extinct comets disguised as asteroids. If D-type near-Earth asteroids could represent extinct comets, they would offer us a unique opportunity to investigate the relationship between two classes of minor bodies in our solar system. To provide new insights into D-type asteroids' composition and dynamical evolution and the possible relation with comets, we introduce the mission concept CARINA (Comet Asteroid Relation INvestigation and Analysis). CARINA will visit and collect a sample from the asteroid 2002 AT4 and address key scientific questions related to our understanding of the early solar system evolution, and the origins of water and life on the early Earth. This paper outlines the scientific motivation and the means for the sample return. The spacecraft is equipped with a sampling ring to perform in-situ analysis and to collect, in a "touch and go"manner, samples from the surface and subsurface of the asteroid. A capsule is expected to return the samples to Earth in pristine conditions for detailed and extended analysis. These would represent a rare contribution to our meteorite collection since it would be the first time that material from a D class asteroid would be collected.
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| 21. |
- Santos, Tiago, et al.
(författare)
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A system reconfiguration architecture for hybrid automation systems based in agents and programmable logic controllers
- 2016
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Ingår i: 2016 IEEE 14TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDUSTRIAL INFORMATICS (INDIN). - : IEEE. - 9781509028702 ; , s. 98-103
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- As web related technologies continue to find their way into production related activities, their true potential can only be explored with a shop floor that is cyber-physically agile. This means the ability to quickly reconfigure a production system during production changeovers while significantly reducing setup times and non value-adding activities keeping the overall performance of the control system. Currently, system reconfiguration in mainly supported by reprogramming. However, reprogramming of large complex systems is often a time consuming and risky activity since it has a non negligible potential for introducing errors which normally result in long debugging times. In this context, this paper details an agent-based system architecture that enables quick system reconfiguration and minimizes the reprogramming effort. For this purpose a production system is abstracted as a multiagent system that dynamically interacts with a native, programmable-logic-controller-based control system and is able to re-parametrize it. The focus on re-parametrization means that the native system can still operate in the absence of the agent system which improves the overall robustness of the solution, using readily available equipment and enables its integration with legacy systems.
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| 22. |
- Sequeira, Pedro, et al.
(författare)
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Discovering social interaction strategies for robots from restricted-perception Wizard-of-Oz studies
- 2016
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Ingår i: Proc. 11th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human Robot Interaction. - Piscataway, NJ : IEEE Press. - 9781467383707 - 9781467383691 ; , s. 197-204
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper we propose a methodology for the creation of social interaction strategies for human-robot interaction based on restricted-perception Wizard-of-Oz studies (WoZ). This novel experimental technique involves restricting the wizard's perceptions over the environment and the behaviors it controls according to the robot's inherent perceptual and acting limitations. Within our methodology, the robot's design lifecycle is divided into three consecutive phases, namely data collection, where we perform interaction studies to extract expert knowledge and interaction data; strategy extraction, where a hybrid strategy controller for the robot is learned based on the gathered data; strategy refinement, where the controller is iteratively evaluated and adjusted. We developed a fully-autonomous robotic tutor based on the proposed approach in the context of a collaborative learning scenario. The results of the evaluation study show that, by performing restricted-perception WoZ studies, our robots are able to engage in very natural and socially-aware interactions.
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| 23. |
- Serholt, Sofia, 1986, et al.
(författare)
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EMOTE: Embodied-perceptive tutors for empathy-based learning in a game environment
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Conference on Games Based Learning. - 9781909507661
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Significant work has been devoted to the design of artificial tutors with human capabilities with the aim of helping increase the efficiency achieved with a human instructor. Yet, these systems still lack the personal, empathic and human elements that characterise a traditional teacher and fail to engage and motivate students in the same way a human teacher does. The EU-funded project EMOTE (EMbOdied-perceptive Tutors for Empathy-based learning) has recently started, and will continue until the end of 2015. The project aims to design, develop and evaluate a new generation of virtual and robotic embodied tutors that have perceptive capabilities to engage in empathic interactions with learners in a shared physical space. In this paper we wish to discuss the approach we are taking in the project as well as how the project may contribute to knowledge relevant for the Games-Based Learning community.
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| 24. |
- Sousa, Maria Ligia, et al.
(författare)
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Portoamides A and B are mitochondrial toxins and induce cytotoxicity on the proliferative cell layer of in vitro microtumours
- 2020
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Ingår i: Toxicon. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0041-0101 .- 1879-3150. ; 175, s. 49-56
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cyanobacteria are known to produce many toxins and other secondary metabolites. The study of their specific mode of action may reveal the biotechnological potential of such compounds. Portoamides A and B (PAB) are cyclic peptides isolated from the cyanobacteria Phormidium sp. due to their growth repression effect on microalgae and were shown to be cytotoxic against certain cancer cell lines. In the present work, viability was assessed on HCT116 colon cancer cells grown as monolayer culture and as multicellular spheroids (MTS), non-carcinogenic cells and on zebrafish larvae. HCT116 cells and epithelial RPE-1(hTERT) cells showed very similar degrees of sensitivities to PAB. PAB were able to penetrate the MTS, showing a four-fold high IC50 compared to monolayer cultures. The toxicity of PAB was similar at 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C suggesting energy-independent uptake. PAB exposure decreased ATP production, mitochondrial maximal respiration rates and induced mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarization. PAB induced general organelle stress response, indicated by an increase of the mitochondrial damage sensor PINK-1, and of phosphorylation of eIF2 alpha, characteristic for endoplasmic reticulum stress. In summary, these findings show general toxicity of PAB on immortalized cells, cancer cells and zebrafish embryos, likely due to mitochondrial toxicity.
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| 25. |
- Vu Trung, Kien, et al.
(författare)
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Endoscopic papillectomy for ampullary lesions of minor papilla
- 2024
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Ingår i: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. - 0016-5107. ; 99:4, s. 587-595.e1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and Aims: Ampullary lesions (ALs) of the minor duodenal papilla are extremely rare. Endoscopic papillectomy (EP) is a routinely used treatment for AL of the major duodenal papilla, but the role of EP for minor AL has not been accurately studied. Methods: We identified 20 patients with ALs of minor duodenal papilla in the multicentric database from the Endoscopic Papillectomy vs Surgical Ampullectomy vs Pancreatitcoduodenectomy for Ampullary Neoplasm study, which included 1422 EPs. We used propensity score matching (nearest-neighbor method) to match these cases with ALs of the major duodenal papilla based on age, sex, histologic subtype, and size of the lesion in a 1:2 ratio. Cohorts were compared by means of chi-square or Fisher exact test as well as Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Propensity score–based matching identified a cohort of 60 (minor papilla 20, major papilla 40) patients with similar baseline characteristics. The most common histologic subtype of lesions of minor papilla was an ampullary adenoma in 12 patients (3 low-grade dysplasia and 9 high-grade dysplasia). Five patients revealed nonneoplastic lesions. Invasive cancer (T1a), adenomyoma, and neuroendocrine neoplasia were each found in 1 case. The rate of complete resection, en-bloc resection, and recurrences were similar between the groups. There were no severe adverse events after EP of lesions of minor papilla. One patient had delayed bleeding that could be treated by endoscopic hemostasis, and 2 patients showed a recurrence in surveillance endoscopy after a median follow-up of 21 months (interquartile range, 12-50 months). Conclusions: EP is safe and effective in ALs of the minor duodenal papilla. Such lesions could be managed according to guidelines for EP of major duodenal papilla.
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| 26. |
- Wang, Faming, et al.
(författare)
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Localised boundary air layer and clothing evaporative resistances for individual body segments.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0014-0139 .- 1366-5847. ; 55:7, s. 799-812
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Evaporative resistance is an important parameter to characterise clothing thermal comfort. However, previous work has focused mainly on either total static or dynamic evaporative resistance. There is a lack of investigation of localised clothing evaporative resistance. The objective of this study was to study localised evaporative resistance using sweating thermal manikins. The individual and interaction effects of air and body movements on localised resultant evaporative resistance were examined in a strict protocol. The boundary air layer's localised evaporative resistance was investigated on nude sweating manikins at three different air velocity levels (0.18, 0.48 and 0.78 m/s) and three different walking speeds (0, 0.96 and 1.17 m/s). Similarly, localised clothing evaporative resistance was measured on sweating manikins at three different air velocities (0.13, 0.48 and 0.70 m/s) and three walking speeds (0, 0.96 and 1.17 m/s). Results showed that the wind speed has distinct effects on local body segments. In contrast, walking speed brought much more effect on the limbs, such as thigh and forearm, than on body torso, such as back and waist. In addition, the combined effect of body and air movement on localised evaporative resistance demonstrated that the walking effect has more influence on the extremities than on the torso. Therefore, localised evaporative resistance values should be provided when reporting test results in order to clearly describe clothing local moisture transfer characteristics. Practitioner Summary: Localised boundary air layer and clothing evaporative resistances are essential data for clothing design and assessment of thermal comfort. A comprehensive understanding of the effects of air and body movement on localised evaporative resistance is also necessary by both textile and apparel researchers and industry.
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
- Whitten, Devin D., et al.
(författare)
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The Photometric Metallicity and Carbon Distributions of the Milky Way's Halo and Solar Neighborhood from S-PLUS Observations of SDSS Stripe 82
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 912:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report photometric estimates of effective temperature, T (eff), metallicity, [Fe/H], carbonicity, [C/Fe], and absolute carbon abundances, A(C), for over 700,000 stars from the Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS) Data Release 2, covering a substantial fraction of the equatorial Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82. We present an analysis for two stellar populations: (1) halo main-sequence turnoff stars and (2) K-dwarf stars of mass 0.58 < M/M (circle dot) < 0.75 in the Solar Neighborhood. Application of the Stellar Photometric Index Network Explorer (SPHINX) to the mixed-bandwidth (narrow- plus wide-band) filter photometry from S-PLUS produces robust estimates of the metallicities and carbon abundances in stellar atmospheres over a wide range of temperatures, 4250 < T (eff)(K) < 7000. The use of multiple narrow-band S-PLUS filters enables SPHINX to achieve substantially lower levels of catastrophic failures (i.e., large offsets in metallicity estimates relative to spectroscopic determinations) than previous efforts using a single metallicity-sensitive narrow-band filter. We constrain the exponential slope of the Milky Way's K-dwarf halo metallicity distribution function (MDF), lambda (10,[Fe/H]) = 0.85 +/- 0.21, over the metallicity range -2.5 < [Fe/H] < -1.0; the MDF of our local-volume K-dwarf sample is well-represented by a gamma distribution with parameters alpha = 2.8 and beta = 4.2. S-PLUS photometry obtains absolute carbon abundances with a precision of similar to 0.35 dex for stars with T (eff) < 6500 K. We identify 364 candidate carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars, obtain assignments of these stars into the Yoon-Beers morphological groups in the A(C)-[Fe/H] space, and we derive the CEMP frequencies.
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