465 research outputs found

    Internet Society: The pioneers in internet and network science for building digital society and Information Age—A Case Study.

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    Internet is a network of networks and more clearly a global system which interconnected millions of computers based on several protocols and standards. Internet does not have centralized Governance whether in implementation or policies; there are many foundations and associations and institutions which play a lead role in the development and standardization of internet and similar system. Among the foundations and associations ‘Internet Society (ISOC)’ play an important and valuable role. Officially ISOC formed in 1992 and now actively working worldwide with several internet related affiliations. This is affiliated with the public internet registry. This paper talks about the ‘Internet Society’; their role and activities and other assignments. The paper is also highlighted the emerging role of the foundation and extension services

    Biomarkers of idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) - a systematic review

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    Introduction: Idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an unpredictable event, and there are no specific biomarkers that can distinguish DILI from alternative explanations or predict its clinical outcomes. Areas covered: This systematic review summarizes the available evidence for all biomarkers proposed to have a role in the diagnosis or prognosis of DILI. Following a comprehensive search, we included all types of studies in humans. We included DILI cases based on any threshold criteria but excluded intrinsic DILI, commonly caused by paracetamol overdose. We classified studies into diagnostic and prognostic categories and assessed their methodological quality. After reviewing the literature, 14 studies were eligible. Expert Opinion: Diagnostic studies were heterogeneous with regard to the study population and outcomes measured. Prognostic models were developed by integrating novel biomarkers, risk scores, and traditional biomarkers, which increased their prognostic ability to predict death or transplantation by 6 months. This systematic review highlights the case of need for non-genetic biomarkers that distinguish DILI from acute liver injury related to alternative etiology. Biomarkers with the potential to identify serious adverse outcomes from acute DILI should be validated in independent prospective cohorts with a substantial number of cases.This paper was funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No 821283 (www.imi.europa.eu). This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and EFPIA. Translational Safety Biomarker Pipeline (TransBioLine): Enabling develop- ment and implementation of novel safety biomarkers in clinical trials and diagnosis of disease’ — ‘TransBioLine’ (‘action’). Grant Number: 821283

    Evaluation of Xylazine, Acepromazine and Medetomidine with Ketamine for General Anaesthesia in Rabbits

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    A randomized, prospective, blinded experimental study was conducted in 32 rabbits of either sex to compare  the anaesthetic and physiological effects of ketamine with different pre-anaesthetics. Rabbits were  randomly divided into 4 equal groups. Xylazine 6 mg/kg in animals of group xylazine-ketamine (XK), acepromazine  2 mg/kg in animals of group acepromazine-ketamine (AK), medetomidine 125 Όg/kg in group  medetomidine-ketamine 1 (MK1) or medetomidine 250 Όg/kg in group medetomidine-ketamine 2 (MK2)  were administered by intramuscular injection (IM). Five minutes later, ketamine 60 mg/kg was administered  intramuscularly to all the groups. The rabbits were observed for the onset of weak time, down time,  the time to loss of righting reflex, pedal reflexes and response to surgical stimuli. Heart rate, respiratory  rate and rectal temperature and arterial oxygen saturation of haemoglobin (SpO2) were recorded up to 60  min. Weak time, down time and time to loss of righting reflex were the shortest in animals of group MK2  as compared to the other groups. Pedal reflexes remained intact in all the animals of XK group, but were  abolished in 50% of the AK group, 75% of the MK1 group and 100% of animals in the MK2 group. Pain  was evinced during surgery by all the animals in group XK, 5 animals in group AK and 4 animals in group  MK1. The best analgesia was achieved in the animals of group MK2, where none of the animals showed  pain on surgical stimulation. Heart rate and SpO2 decreased significantly (P<0.01) in the animals of groups  XK, MK1 and MK2 but respiratory rate and rectal temperature decreased significantly (P<0.01) in all the  groups. However, all the animals recovered from anaesthesia without complications. It was concluded that  medetomidine 250 ”g/kg and ketamine 60 mg/kg produced excellent anaesthesia to allow pain free surgery  and may be considered suitable for anaesthesia in New Zealand White rabbits.

    How mobile technologies support business models: Case study-based empirical analysis

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    [Otros] Les technologies mobiles ont poussĂ© la connectivitĂ© des systĂšmes informatiques Ă  la limite, permettant aux personnes et aux objets de se connecter les uns aux autres Ă  tout moment. La quantitĂ© d'informations dont disposent les entreprises a augmentĂ© de façon exponentielle, en grande partie grĂące Ă  la gĂ©olocalisation et Ă  la vaste gamme de capteurs intĂ©grĂ©s dans les appareils mobiles. Ces informations peuvent ĂȘtre utilisĂ©es pour amĂ©liorer les activitĂ©s et les processus mĂ©tier, mais Ă©galement pour crĂ©er de nouveaux modĂšles d'affaires. En nous concentrant sur les modĂšles d'affaires, nous analysons les technologies mobiles comme catalyseurs des changements d'activitĂ©. Nous examinons les caractĂ©ristiques distinctives des technologies mobiles et examinons comment cellesÂżci peuvent supporter diffĂ©rentes fonctions de l'entreprise. Une Ă©tude basĂ©e sur une analyse qualitative comparĂ©e d'ensemble floue (fsQCA) de 30 cas, de diffĂ©rents secteurs, a permis d'identifier les facteurs de succĂšs de la technologie mobile pour diffĂ©rentes activitĂ©s du cƓur de mĂ©tier des firmes. Les rĂ©sultats montrent que plusieurs combinaisons de technologie mobile procurent un avantage concurrentiel lorsqu'elles correspondent au modĂšle d'affaire.[EN] Mobile technologies have pushed the connectivity of IT systems to the limit, enabling people and things to connect to one another at all times. The amount of information companies have at their disposal has increased exponentially, thanks largely to geolocation and to the vast array of sensors that have been integrated into mobile devices. This information can be used to enhance business activities and processes, but it can also be used to create new business models. Focusing on business models, we analyze mobile technologies as enablers of activity changes. We consider the differentiating characteristics of mobile technologies and examine how these can support different business functions. A study based on fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 30 cases across different industries allows us to identify mobile technology success factors for different core activities. The results show that several combinations of mobile technology initiatives provide a competitive advantage when these initiatives match the business model.Peris-Ortiz, M.; Devece Carañana, CA.; Hikkerova, L. (2020). How mobile technologies support business models: Case study-based empirical analysis. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences / Revue Canadienne des Sciences de l Administration. 37(1):95-105. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1550S95105371Al-Debei, M. M., & Avison, D. (2010). Developing a unified framework of the business model concept. 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Information Technology and Management, 9(3), 215-232. doi:10.1007/s10799-008-0040-3Liang, T., Huang, C., Yeh, Y., & Lin, B. (2007). Adoption of mobile technology in business: a fit‐viability model. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 107(8), 1154-1169. doi:10.1108/02635570710822796Martinez-Simarro, D., Devece, C., & Llopis-Albert, C. (2015). How information systems strategy moderates the relationship between business strategy and performance. Journal of Business Research, 68(7), 1592-1594. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.01.057Mello P.A.(2012).A critical review of applications in QCA and fuzzy‐set analysis and a ‘toolbox' of proven solutions to frequently encountered problems APSA Annual Meeting Paper. Retrieved fromhttps://ssrn.com/abstract=2105539Melville, Kraemer, & Gurbaxani. (2004). Review: Information Technology and Organizational Performance: An Integrative Model of IT Business Value. MIS Quarterly, 28(2), 283. doi:10.2307/25148636Ngai, E. W. T., & Gunasekaran, A. (2007). Mobile commerce: Strategies, technologies, and applications. Decision Support Systems, 43(1), 1-2. doi:10.1016/j.dss.2005.05.002Palattella, M. R., Dohler, M., Grieco, A., Rizzo, G., Torsner, J., Engel, T., & Ladid, L. (2016). Internet of Things in the 5G Era: Enablers, Architecture, and Business Models. IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, 34(3), 510-527. doi:10.1109/jsac.2016.2525418Pateli, A. G., & Giaglis, G. M. (2005). Technology innovation‐induced business model change: a contingency approach. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 18(2), 167-183. doi:10.1108/09534810510589589Piccoli, & Ives. (2005). Review: IT-Dependent Strategic Initiatives and Sustained Competitive Advantage: A Review and Synthesis of the Literature. MIS Quarterly, 29(4), 747. doi:10.2307/25148708Porter M. E.(2001).Strategy and the Internet. Harvard Business Review March 63–78.Ragin C. C.(2008).User's Guide to Fuzzy‐Set/Qualitative Comparative Analysis. Working Paper University of Arizona Arizona.Ray, G., Barney, J. B., & Muhanna, W. A. (2003). Capabilities, business processes, and competitive advantage: choosing the dependent variable in empirical tests of the resource-based view. Strategic Management Journal, 25(1), 23-37. doi:10.1002/smj.366Richter, C., Kraus, S., & SyrjĂ€, P. (2015). The shareconomy as a precursor for digital entrepreneurship business models. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 25(1), 18. doi:10.1504/ijesb.2015.068773Schneider, M. R., Schulze-Bentrop, C., & Paunescu, M. (2009). Mapping the institutional capital of high-tech firms: A fuzzy-set analysis of capitalist variety and export performance. Journal of International Business Studies, 41(2), 246-266. doi:10.1057/jibs.2009.36Sheng, H., Nah, F. F.-H., & Siau, K. (2005). Strategic implications of mobile technology: A case study using Value-Focused Thinking. 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    The Evaluation and Use of a Food Frequency Questionnaire Among the Population in Trivandrum, South Kerala, India

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    © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Dietary record tools such as food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and food diaries (FD) are the most commonly used choices for assessing dietary intakes in most large-scale epidemiological studies. The authors developed a self-administered 360-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess dietary intakes amongst a population-based cohort in South Kerala. In the validation study (n = 460), the data were collected using FFQs that were administered on three different occasions which were then compared to 7-day food records. The intake of foods and nutrients was higher as determined by the FFQ than that assessed using food records. Spearman correlations for macro-nutrients ranged from 0.72 for protein to 0.61 for carbohydrates and for micronutrients, from 0.71 for vitamin B6 to 0.34 for magnesium. The correlation was improved with energy-adjusted nutrient intakes. On average, the exact agreement for the macronutrients ranged from 48.2% to 57.1%, and that for micronutrients ranged from 66.7% to 41.9%, with the median percentage of 49.58%. The authors conclude that the FFQ has an acceptable reproducibility, however, there was a systematic trend towards higher estimates with the FFQ for most nutrients compared to the FD records

    In severe alcoholic hepatitis, serum keratin-18 fragments are diagnostic, prognostic, and theragnostic biomarkers.

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    INTRODUCTION: Up to 40% of patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) die within 6 months of presentation, making prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment essential. We determined the associations between serum keratin-18 (K18) and histological features, prognosis, and differential response to prednisolone in patients with severe AH. METHODS: Total (K18-M65) and caspase-cleaved K18 (K18-M30) were quantified in pretreatment sera from 824 patients enrolled in the Steroids or Pentoxifylline for Alcoholic Hepatitis trial (87 with suitable histological samples) and disease controls. RESULTS: K18 fragments were markedly elevated in severe AH and strongly predicted steatohepatitis (alcoholic steatohepatitis) on biopsy (area under receiver operating characteristics: 0.787 and 0.807). Application of published thresholds to predict alcoholic steatohepatitis would have rendered biopsy unnecessary in 84% of all AH cases. K18-M30 and M65 were associated with 90-day mortality, independent of age and Model for End-stage Liver Disease score in untreated patients. The association for K18-M65 was independent of both age and Model for End-stage Liver Disease in prednisolone-treated patients. Modelling of the effect of prednisolone on 90-day mortality as a function of pretreatment serum K18 levels indicated benefit in those with high serum levels of K18-M30. At low pretreatment serum K18 levels, prednisolone was potentially harmful. A threshold of K18-M30 5 kIU/L predicted therapeutic benefit from prednisolone above this level (odds ratio: 0.433, 95% confidence interval: 0.19-0.95, P = 0.0398), but not below (odds ratio: 1.271, 95% confidence interval: 0.88-1.84, P = 0.199). Restricting prednisolone usage to the former group would have reduced exposure by 87%. DISCUSSION: In a large cohort of patients with severe AH, serum K18 strongly correlated with histological severity, independently associated with 90-day mortality, and predicted response to prednisolone therapy. Quantification of serum K18 levels could assist in clinical decision-making

    Plasma Sphingoid Base Profiles of Patients Diagnosed with Intrinsic or Idiosyncratic Drug-induced Liver Injury

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    Sphingolipids are exceptionally diverse, comprising hundreds of unique species. The bulk of circulating sphingolipids are synthesized in the liver, thereby plasma sphingolipid profiles represent reliable surrogates of hepatic sphingolipid metabolism and content. As changes in plasma sphingolipid content have been associated to exposure to drugs inducing hepatotoxicity both in vitro and in rodents, in the present study the translatability of the preclinical data was assessed by analyzing the plasma of patients with suspected drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and control subjects. DILI patients, whether intrinsic or idiosyncratic cases, had no alterations in total sphingoid base levels and profile composition compared to controls, whereby cardiovascular disease (CVD) was a confounding factor. Upon exclusion of CVD individuals, elevation of 1-deoxysphingosine (1-deoxySO) in the DILI group emerged. Notably, 1-deoxySO values did not correlate with ALT values. While 1-deoxySO was elevated in all DILI cases, only intrinsic DILI cases concomitantly displayed reduction of select shorter chain sphingoid bases. Significant perturbation of the sphingolipid metabolism observed in this small exploratory clinical study is discussed and put into context, in the consideration that sphingolipids might contribute to the onset and progression of DILI, and that circulating sphingoid bases may function as mechanistic markers to study DILI pathophysiology

    Effect of exercise intensity on circulating hepatokine concentrations in healthy men

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    Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), follistatin and leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) are novel hepatokines which are modulated by metabolic stresses. This study investigated whether exercise intensity modulates the hepatokine response to acute exercise. Ten young, healthy men undertook three 8-h experimental trials: moderate-intensity exercise (MOD; 55% V̇O2 peak), high-intensity exercise (HIGH; 75% V̇O2 peak) and control (CON; rest), in a randomised, counterbalanced order. Exercise trials commenced with a treadmill run of varied duration to match gross exercise energy expenditure between trials (MOD vs HIGH; 2475 ± 70 vs 2488 ± 58 kJ). Circulating FGF21, follistatin, LECT2, glucagon, insulin, glucose and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were measured before exercise and at 0, 1, 2, 4 and 7 h post-exercise. Plasma FGF21 concentrations were increased up to 4 h post-exercise compared to CON (P ≀ 0.022) with greater increases observed at 1, 2 and 4 h post-exercise during HIGH vs MOD (P ≀ 0.025). Irrespective of intensity (P ≄ 0.606), plasma follistatin concentrations were elevated at 4 and 7 h post-exercise (P ≀ 0.053). Plasma LECT2 concentrations were increased immediately post-exercise (P ≀ 0.046) but were not significant after correcting for plasma volume shifts. Plasma glucagon (1 h; P = 0.032) and NEFA (4 and 7 h; P ≀ 0.029) responses to exercise were accentuated in HIGH vs MOD. These findings demonstrate that acute exercise augments circulating FGF21 and follistatin. Exercise-induced changes in FGF21 are intensity-dependent and may support the greater metabolic benefit of high-intensity exercise
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