Apolipoprotein E4, inhibitory network dysfunction, and Alzheimer's disease.

Apolipoprotein (apo) E4 is the major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), increasing risk and decreasing age of disease onset. Many studies have demonstrated the detrimental effects of apoE4 in varying cellular contexts. However, the underlying mechanisms explaining how apoE4 leads to cognitive decline are not fully understood. Recently, the combination of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) modeling of neurological diseases in vitro and electrophysiological studies in vivo have begun to unravel the intersection between apoE4, neuronal subtype dysfunction or loss, subsequent network deficits, and eventual cognitive decline. In this review, we provide an overview of the literature describing apoE4's detrimental effects in the central nervous system (CNS), specifically focusing on its contribution to neuronal subtype dysfunction or loss. We focus on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-expressing interneurons in the hippocampus, which are selectively vulnerable to apoE4-mediated neurotoxicity. Additionally, we discuss the importance of the GABAergic inhibitory network to proper cognitive function and how dysfunction of this network manifests in AD. Finally, we examine how apoE4-mediated GABAergic interneuron loss can lead to inhibitory network deficits and how this deficit results in cognitive decline. We propose the following working model: Aging and/or stress induces neuronal expression of apoE. GABAergic interneurons are selectively vulnerable to intracellularly produced apoE4, through a tau dependent mechanism, which leads to their dysfunction and eventual death. In turn, GABAergic interneuron loss causes hyperexcitability and dysregulation of neural networks in the hippocampus and cortex. This dysfunction results in learning, memory, and other cognitive deficits that are the central features of AD

Impact of Change Management Dimensions on Performance Criteria at Greater Amman Municipality (GAM)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible impact of change management and its five dimensions (leadership, organizational dimension of change management, change culture, technological dimension , employee involvement ), on organizational performance and represented in the six selected criteria (overall performance, customer satisfaction, obtaining quality and excellence awards, implementing  the organization plans, improving relationships  with stakeholders and realizing quality of e-government services) in Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). The study sample consisted of 162 respondents from top, middle and lower management. Results of the study showed that there is a positive effect of the five dimensions of change management on all performance criteria. These results confirm that the change management can contribute to improve organizational performance in government institutions such as the Greater Amman Municipality in the same way in which businesses achieve these improvements. Key terms: Change, Change Management, Performance Criteria

Organizational Intelligence and Market Expansion in Jordanian Pharmaceutical Companies

There are many studies that have focused on the Albrecht model of organizational intelligence (OI) and its seven dimensions (strategic vision, shared fate, appetite for change, heart, alignment and congruence, knowledge deployment, and performance pressure), but the current study presents a new attempt to study OI using the Yolles model in its three dimensions (self-reference, self-regulation, and self-organization) (2005). This study sought to determine the effect of organizational intelligence on market expansion (new markets and new product) in the Jordanian pharmaceutical industry, and it examined the effect of transformational leadership as a mediating variable on the relationship between organizational intelligence and market expansion. The study sample consisted of 231 respondents taken from six pharmaceutical companies divided into three categories according to their size as small, medium and large companies. The results confirmed that there is a significant positive effect of the two dimensions (self-regulation and self-organization) on new markets, while three dimensions of OI have a significant effect on new products in the pharmaceutical companies

Impact of Leadership Intelligence on Competitive Benchmarking in Sample of Jordanian Pharmaceutical Companies

In knowledge and network based economy and unprecedented competition coming from unconventional environments, leadership Intelligence has increasingly, become a new source of value creation and an indicator of inimitable ability of effective leaders. This paper aims to explore the impact of leadership intelligence and its five dimensions (strategic vision of leadership, ability to work in deferent contexts, ability to influence stakeholders, ability to solve problems, and Ethical intelligence of leadership) on competitive benchmarking and its three selected criteria (corporate market share, profitability, and corporate product development) in Jordanian pharmaceutical industry. A research sample of 167 workers from three companies were taken randomly. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the sample. The main results of the study showed that emotional intelligence has a positive impact on competitive benchmarking. Keywords: intelligence, leadership intelligence, competitive benchmarking

Power Estimation Technique for DSP Architectures.

The main goal of power estimation is to optimize the power consumption of a electronic design. Power is a strongly pattern dependent function. Input statistics greatly influence on average power. We solve the pattern dependence problem for intellectual property (IP) designs. In this paper, we present a power macro-modeling technique for digital signal processing (DSP) architectures in terms of the statistical knowledge of their primary inputs. During the power estimation procedure, the sequence of an input stream is generated by a genetic algorithm using input metrics. Then, a Monte Carlo zero delay simulation is performed and a power dissipation macro-model function is built from power dissipation results. From then on, this macro-model function can be used to estimate power dissipation of the system just by using the statistics of the macro-block’s primary in puts. In experiments with the DSP system, the average error is 26%

Off-pump coronary revascularization: A potential benefit for female patients?

AbstractCoronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of illness for both men and women. However, women are 3 times more likely to die for coronary artery disease as they are of breast cancer. There are an increasing prevalence of coronary artery disease in women and thus facing the need for surgical revascularization. It has long being accepted that women carry a high risk of coronary surgery than men. Many investigators have suggested that female itself is predictive of poor outcome after on pump coronary surgery. We thought to search the litlature to investigate whether women who undergo off-pump surgery receive any benefits compared with women undergoing on-pump surgery

Numerical Investigation of Forced Convection Heat Transfer from Longitudinal Perforated Fins in a Horizontal Rectangular Channel

The present paper reports a numerical study to investigate the heat transfer enhancement over horizontal channel with longitudinal rectangular fin arrays   by laminar forced convection heat transfer. Fins are perforated with two types of holes, square and circular with different diameters. Three-dimensional steady-state continuity, momentum and energy equations along with the Boussinesq approximation were solved by finite volume method with commercial available software ANSYS FLUENT 15.1. The bottom finned wall of the channel was supplied with constant heat flux, while the other sides are insulated. Data used in performance analysis were obtained numerically for fin arrays of material aluminum, by varying geometry, diameter and number of perforation (12, 16 and 20) mm, (10-22) respectively. In addition at different channel inclinations ( 150?"> , 1590?"> and 15 180?"> ), as well as by varying Reynolds number from 1800 to 2300, at modified Grashof number Gr* 5 15?108"> .   The results show that the Reynolds number and size perforation have a larger impact on average heat transfer coefficients for the both type of Perforations. Also the channel inclination increases the removal heat from the channel. Keywords: Force convection, heat transfer, perforated fin arrays, square holes, notch fins, ordination angle. DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-16-05 Publication date: August 31st 201

Evidence based medical use of aloe vera extracts, short review of literature

The use of aloe vera is being promoted for a large variety of conditions. The aim of this review was to summarize all available research papers on aloe vera preparations with a view to providing evidence for or against its clinical effectiveness. Independent literature searches were conducted in PubMed. All studies of controlled clinical trials, observational studies and case series were included. There were no restrictions on the language of publication. All studies were read by all authors and data were extracted in a standardized, pre-defined manner. Even though there are some promising results, clinical effectiveness of oral or topical aloe vera is not sufficiently defined at present

Clarity and Visual Ratios of the Vibrant Place Making

One of the most important components of the city is the place, which generates interest in it being the city’s basic urban structure, This concern has led to the emergence of a new concept, the placemaking, where the concept of placemaking is not based on the dimensions of physical space, but also focuses on social dimensionsand the satisfaction of the population and their wishes and needs, And emerged several trends for the urban placemaking, and because the center of the city of Diwaniya suffers from neglect and deterioration and the migration of activities to the outskirts of the city, Where it is necessary to find a trend that reinvigorates thecenter, which is the orientation of the vibrant placemaking, which deals exclusively with the centers of cities and combines within it several other directions for the placemaking, The problem of research is reflected in the lack of clarity of the relationship between urban planning and urban design and the assumption that the relationship between design and urban planning is produced through the vibrant placemaking, and in order to determine the relationship and build indicators from the relationship between urban planning and urban design for the vibrant placemaking, The main vocabulary, which has been tested with the tasks and objectives of urban planning and urban design standards to extract the final indicators, which interact as a system and integrated unit, Two quantitative indicators, which are directly measurable and qualitative indicators, measured by the questionnaire, And the most important conclusions and recommendations increase the amount of diversity in activities and intensities and exclusion of inappropriate uses and attention to individuals and buildings heritage and the positive interaction resulting from the establishment of rituals, which creates perception and memory Assembly, Enhancing the spatial character through the human scale, adopting a clear methodology for urban development, preparing detailed plans, raising the functional efficiency of the planningstaff, and attracting large investments for the purpose of the vibrant placemaking in the city center of Diwaniyah city