Multi-Mobile Computing

With mobile systems evermore ubiquitous, individual users often own multiple mobile systems and groups of users often have many mobile systems at their disposal. As a result, there is a growing demand for multi-mobile computing, the ability to combine the functionality of multiple mobile systems into a more capable one. However, there are several key challenges. First, mobile systems are highly heterogeneous with different software and hardware, each with their own interfaces and data formats. Second, there are no effective ways to allow users to easily and dynamically compose together multiple mobile systems for the quick interactions that typically take place with mobile systems. Finally, there is a lack of system infrastructure to allow existing apps to make use of multiple mobile systems, or to enable developers to write new multi-mobile aware apps. My thesis is that higher-level abstractions of mobile operating systems can be reused to combine heterogeneous mobile systems into a more capable one and enable existing and new apps to provide new functionality across multiple mobile systems. First, we present M2, a system for multi-mobile computing that enables existing unmodified mobile apps to share and combine multiple devices, including cameras, displays, speakers, microphones, sensors, GPS, and input. To support heterogeneous devices, M2 introduces a new data-centric approach that leverages higher-level device abstractions and hardware acceleration to efficiently share device data, not API calls. M2 introduces device transformation, a new technique to mix and match heterogeneous devices, enabling, for example, existing apps to leverage a single larger display fused from multiple displays for better viewing, or use a Nintendo Wii-like gaming experience by translating accelerometer to touchscreen input. We have implemented M2 and show that it operates across heterogeneous systems, including multiple versions of Android and iOS, and can run existing apps across mobile systems with modest overhead and qualitative performance indistinguishable from using local device hardware. Second, we present Tap, a framework that leverages M2’s data-centric architecture to make it easy for users to dynamically compose collections of mobile systems and developers to write new multi-mobile apps that make use of those impromptu collections. Tap allows users to simply tap systems together to compose them into a collection without the need for users to register or connect to any cloud infrastructure. Tap makes it possible for apps to use existing mobile platform APIs across multiple mobile systems by virtualizing data sources so that local and remote data sources can be combined together upon tapping. Virtualized data sources can be hardware or software features, including media, clipboard, calendar events, and devices such as cameras and microphones. Leveraging existing mobile platform APIs make it easy for developers to write apps that use hard- ware and software features across dynamically composed collections of mobile systems. We have implemented Tap and show that it provides good usability for dynamically composing multiple mobile systems and good performance for sharing hardware devices and software features across multiple mobile systems. Finally, using M2 and Tap, we present various apps that show how existing apps can provide useful functionality across multiple mobile systems and how new apps can be easily developed to provide new multi-mobile functionality. Examples include panoramic video recording using cameras from multiple mobile systems, surround sound music player app that configures itself based on automatically detecting the location of multiple mobile systems, and an added feature to the Snapchat app that allows multiple users to share a live Snap, using their own cameras and filters. Our user studies with these apps show that multi-mobile computing offers a richer and more enhanced experience for users and a much simpler development effort for developers

Metastatic Malignant Melanoma Presenting as an Appendiceal Mucocele

Melanoma metastatic to the appendix is extremely rare. Here we describe a case of a 31-year-old female from Bolivia with a remote history of metastatic malignant melanoma first diagnosed as a cutaneous malignant melanoma ten years prior to this presentation. The patient was being followed for a mucocele which on resection was found to be metastatic melanoma. “Mucocele” is a generic diagnosis that warrants further characterization and treatment

Towards an open ambidextrous system : how organizations manage exploration and exploitation in open innovation environments

This research examines the telecommunication industry and uses it as an example in order to present a general model of how ambidexterity is carried out in the context of open innovation. This emerging approach to ambidexterity has been particularly evident in the telecommunication industry where exploration and exploitation activities are established on information technology structures. Ambidexterity is the idea that successful firms simultaneously explore new ideas while exploiting existing ones in order to sustain profitability, especially in dynamic environments. Few studies have discussed ambidexterity that is carried out in contexts of open innovation. For this reason, this doctoral thesis addresses this gap in our understanding of ambidexterity, and contributes to it by examining the question: "How do ambidextrous organizations carry out exploration and exploitation in open innovation environments?" A new form of ambidexterity has been identified in this study; it is an open ambidextrous system. It exists in a particularly transparent form around organizations whose innovation activities are focused on information technology infrastructure, specifically networking technologies, as has been evident in the telecommunication industry. This presents important implications for the management information systems (MIS) literature. Open ambidextrous systems are established by organizations when they manage exploration and exploitation in open innovation environments. From that understanding ambidexterity has been identified as open. This offers important insight for the ambidexterity and open innovation literatures. As a result, organizations that adopt an open ambidextrous system are recognized as performing open exploration and open exploitation, where the two activities are perceived as two complementing systems identified as the open exploration system, and the open exploitation system. Therefore, this research combines insights from the ambidexterity, open innovation, and management information systems literatures, and contributes to them by offering a new and alternative view to ambidexterity that is based on the open innovation notion

Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a 213Bi-Labeled 2556 Antibody to HIV-1 gp41 Glycoprotein in HIV-1 Mouse Models as a Reagent for HIV Eradication

Any strategy for curing HIV infection must include a method to eliminate viral-infected cells. Based on our earlier proof-of-principle results targeting HIV-1 infected cells with radiolabeled antibody (mAb) to gp41 viral antigen, we embarked on identifying a suitable candidate mAb for preclinical development.Among the several human mAbs to gp41 tested, mAb 2556 was found to have high affinity, reactivity with multimeric forms of gp41 present on both the surface of virus particles and cells expressing HIV-1 Env, and recognition of a highly conserved epitope of gp41 shared by all HIV-1 subtypes. Also, mAb 2556 was the best in competition with HIV-1+ serum antibodies, which is an extremely important consideration for efficacy in the treatment of HIV patients. When radiolabeled with alpha-emitting radionuclide 213-Bismuth ((213)Bi) - (213)Bi-2556 efficiently and specifically killed ACH-2 human lymphocytes chronically infected with HIV-1, and HIV-1 infected human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs). The number of binding sites for (213)Bi-2556 on the surface of the infected cells was >10(6). The in vivo experiments were performed in two HIV-1 mouse models--splenic and intraperitoneal. In both models, the decrease in HIV-1 infected hPBMCs from the spleens and peritoneum, respectively, was dose-dependent with the most pronounced killing of hPBMCs observed in the 100 µCi (213)Bi-2556 group (P = 0.01). Measurement of the blood platelet counts and gross pathology of the treated mice demonstrated the lack of toxicity for (213)Bi-2556.We describe the preclinical development of a novel radiolabeled mAb reagent that could potentially be part of an HIV eradication strategy that is ready for translation into the clinic as the next step in its development. As viral antigens are very different from "self" human antigens - this approach promises high selectivity, increased efficacy and low toxicity, especially in comparison to immunotoxins

The development of a novel antagonist for the treatment of cardiovascular disease

The binding of VWF to GpIb-α is a critical step for maintaining normal haemostasis. The interaction between VWF with GpIb initiates the adhesion and aggregation of platelets at an injury site in the blood vessel wall. This binding is specific to high shear conditions that are typically found in small arterioles where the shear rates vary between 500-5000 s-1 . However, excessive binding of GpIb-α and VWF under normal conditions can cause stroke or myocardial infarction (MI). The purpose behind blocking GpIb is to stop the initial adhesion and stimulation of platelets under high shear conditions. There have been several attempts to generate GpIb-α inhibitors, such as the monoclonal antibody H6B4, OS-1 peptide, and the snake venom anfibatide. However, only anfibatide has successfully reached the clinical trials. In this project, we aimed to design a novel GpIb inhibitor for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. We performed both high-throughput docking as well as pharmacophore based screening to identify lead compounds for development. We then performed platelet aggregation assays, high shear flow experiments to assess their function ex vivo, and ELISA assays to investigate the binding interaction between the tested compounds and GpIb. A pharmacophore was generated based on GpIb-α crystal structure and published mutagenic data. The cyclic peptide GKYFG from the pharmacophore screening inhibited the interaction between VWF and GpIb-α under high shear conditions at a concentration of 0.1 mM (

Impact of Information Quality on Satisfaction with E-Learning Platforms: Moderating Role of Instructor and Learner Quality

Based on the information system success and situational strength theories, this study explores the moderating effect of learner quality and instructor quality on the relationship between information quality and student satisfaction with e-learning. Survey data were collected from 333 college students, and the proposed relationships were assessed using the SMARTPLS structural equation modeling tool. The direct relationship between information quality and student satisfaction is significant; however, the moderating effect of learner quality and instructor quality is insignificant. The moderating effects of learner and instructor quality have been less researched in the existing literature. This study contributes to uncovering the complex interactions between these variables and the relationship between information quality and satisfaction

Complete Remission of del(5q) Myelodysplastic Syndrome after 7 Days of Lenalidomide Therapy Gives an Alert!

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) refers to a group of haematological, monoclonal disorders. A 50-year-old woman was diagnosed with MDS 5q deletion syndrome [del(5q)], becoming dependent on blood transfusion after long-term treatment with cytotoxic drugs for chronic scleritis. Lenalidomide therapy (10 mg/day) led to profound pancytopaenia, followed by recovery of her blood cell counts. A cytogenetic study, repeated 4 months after lenalidomide treatment, revealed complete remission after only 1 week of lenalidomide therapy. Lenalidomide was approved for low- and intermediate-1-risk MDS, where it normalises platelet counts and induces haematological and cytogenetic remission. This patient has remained transfusion independent for 3 years by continuing on a minimal maintenance dose of lenalidomide. Starting MDS patients on lenalidomide has to be done cautiously or with only 5 mg/day because of the potentially high sensitivity of the stem cells to this immunomodulatory agent in MDS patients

Enhancement of Structural, Optical and Photoelectrochemical Properties of n−Cu₂O Thin Films with K Ions Doping toward Biosensor and Solar Cell Applications

n-type Cu2O thin films were grown on conductive FTO substrates using a low-cost electrodeposition method. The doping of the n−Cu2O thin films with K ions was well identified using XRD, Raman, SEM, EDX, UV-vis, PL, photocurrent, Mott–Schottky, and EIS measurements. The results of the XRD show the creation of cubic Cu2O polycrystalline and monoclinic CuO, with the crystallite sizes ranging from 55 to 25.2 nm. The Raman analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups corresponding to the Cu2O and CuO in the fabricated samples. Moreover, the samples’ crystallinity and morphology change with the doping concentrations which was confirmed by SEM. The PL results show two characteristic emission peaks at 520 and 690 nm which are due to the interband transitions in the Cu2O as well as the oxygen vacancies in the CuO, respectively. Moreover, the PL strength was quenched at higher doping concentrations which reveals that the dopant K limits e−/h+ pairs recombination by trapped electrons and holes. The optical results show that the absorption edge is positioned between 425 and 460 nm. The computed Eg for the undoped and K−doped n−Cu2O was observed to be between 2.39 and 2.21 eV. The photocurrent measurements displayed that the grown thin films have the characteristic behavior of n-type semiconductors. Furthermore, the photocurrent is enhanced by raising the doped concentration, where the maximum value was achieved with 0.1 M of K ions. The Mott–Schottky measurements revealed that the flat band potential and donor density vary with a doping concentration from −0.87 to −0.71 V and 1.3 × 1017 to 3.2 × 1017 cm−3, respectively. EIS shows that the lowest resistivity to charge transfer (Rct) was attained at a 0.1 M concentration of K ions. The outcomes indicate that doping n−Cu2O thin films are an excellent candidate for biosensor and photovoltaic applications