CABLE-SUSPENDED CPR-D TYPE PARALLEL ROBOT

This paper deals with the analysis and synthesis of a newly selected Cable-suspended Parallel Robot configuration, named CPR-D system. The camera carrier workspace has the shape of a parallelepiped. The CPR-D system has a unique Jacobian matrix that maps the relationship between internal and external coordinates. This geometric relationship is a key solution for the definition of the system kinematic and dynamic models. Because of the CPR-D system complexity, the Lagrange principle of virtual work has been adapted. Two significant Examples have been used for the CPR-D system analysis and validation

The relationship between debt and profitability of stock companies in Montenegro

Financial structure of the company refers to the structure of financing of business assets and concerns the relationship between their own and borrowed sources of financing. One of the company’s financial goals is to provide optimal financial structure that has the purpose of maximizing business performance in the sense of maximizing profitability and return on equity. The aim of this paper is to determine the degree of correlation between financial structure (debt) and profitability (measured by rates of return on equity). This paper seeks to answer the question of cause and effect in the context of financial structure and profitability of the company: whether a certain financial structure (higher or lower indebtedness) causes more or less profitability. The research used the methodology of simple linear regression between those variables. Empirical research is conducted in the case of joint stock companies in Montenegro, which according to the Law on Accounting and Auditing of Montenegro, have the obligation to draw up quarterly financial statements. It should also be noted that the legal form of companies is one of the factors of their financial structure, and consequently, this research can be the basis for further analysis in the case of other legal forms of enterprises

Una aproximación crítica a la educación intercultural y el aprendizaje y enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras: las ideologías de género neoliberales en los libros de texto de E/LE

In line with the understanding of the role of critical pedagogy in intercultural language education, in this paper we focus on critical discourse and sociolinguistic analysis of contemporary textbooks of Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL). We search for neoliberal gender ideologies in educational discourses targeting international audience of students of SFL. Even though new textbooks are said to promote the “feminization” of educational contexts (Gray 2010), we interpret them as sources of latent hegemonic influences favoring highly regulated and standardized neoliberal capitalist worldviews toward gender. Based on previous research of textbooks of SFL (Bori 2018; Kuzmanović Jovanović 2016), we herein present results of an instrumental qualitative case study (emancipatory focus group research) taking a critical stand toward neoliberal gender ideologies among predominantly female university students of Spanish at the Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade who are exposed to the above outlined teaching and learning materials. Our objective is to create a new educational space in our SFL classrooms in which contextualized knowledge construction takes place leading to the maturation of SFL users and teachers, who are “capable of changing their reality in ways related to formal and informal educational settings” (Filipović 2015: 105).En línea con el entendimiento del papel de la pedagogía crítica en la educación intercultural de lenguas, en este trabajo nos centramos en el análisis del discurso crítico y sociolingüístico de los libros de texto contemporáneos del español como lengua extranjera (ELE). Buscamos ideologías de género capitalistas neoliberales en discursos educativos dirigidos a la audiencia internacional de estudiantes de ELE. Aunque se ha dicho que dichos textos promueven la “feminización” de los contextos educativos (Gray 2010), en esta investigación los interpretamos como fuentes de influencias hegemónicas latentes que favorecen los puntos de vista neoliberales capitalistas altamente reguladas y estandarizadas hacia el género. Basándonos en las investigaciones previas de libros de texto de ELE (Bori 2018; Kuzmanović Jovanović 2016), en este trabajo llevamos a cabo un estudio de caso instrumental cualitativo (en forma de un grupo focal emancipatorio), con el objetivo de desarrollar una visión crítica de las ideologías neoliberales de género entre estudiantes universitarias de ELE en la Facultad de Filología de la Universidad de Belgrado, que están expuestas a los materiales de enseñanza y aprendizaje descritos. Nuestro objetivo es crear un nuevo espacio educativo en nuestras aulas de ELE en el que tenga lugar una construcción del conocimiento contextualizada que conduzca a la maduración de las usuarias y maestras de ELE, “capacitadas para cambiar la realidad didáctica en contextos educativos formales e informales” (Filipović 2015, p. 105)

USE OF BLOOD PRODUCTS IN ONCOLOGICAL PATIENTS TREATED WITH RADIO AND CHEMOTHERAPY

Retrospectively, we analyzed the use of blood products in Oncological Clinic of Clinical Center Nis in the period November 1st 2007-November 1st 2008, and also the influence of the treatment on degree of anemia and thrombocytopenia and use of blood products. None of the patients received the whole blood. In this period, 324 patients received the transfusion of blood components, 302 patients received 983 units of red cells (red blood cell concentrate, resuspended, washed, filtered), 17 patients received 5050 ml of platelets (single-donor concentrate or pooled platelet concentrate) and 5 patients received 2200 ml of fresh frozen plasma. An average use of red cell transfusion is 3,26 units, platelet concentrate 5,54, fresh frozen plasma 2 units per oncological patient who receives transfusion. The use of red cell units and platelet concentrate transfusion was adequate (91,85% of patients received transfusion of red cells when Hgb<70g/l, 89,2% of patients received platelet concentrate transfusion when platelet count was less than 20 x109/l). During radio and chemotherapy we noticed a decrease of hematological parameter values, whereas the experimental group patients were dependent on blood product transfusion. Statistically, a significant decrease of hemoglobin level and platelet count was observed in the patients treated only with radiotherapy, who are the greatest consumers of blood products

The Reconfigurable Machinery Efficient Workspace Analysis Based on the Twist Angles

A novel methodology for the calculation, visualisation and analysis of the Reconfigurable Machinery Efficient Workspace (RMEW), based on the twist angles, is presented in this paper. The machinery\u27s kinematic parameters are used for calculating the workspace, while the efficient workspace is associated with the machinery\u27s path and includes the end-effector position and orientation. To analyse and visualise many different machinery efficient workspaces at the same time, the calculation is based on the previously developed and validated complex reconfigurable machinery\u27s kinematic structure named n-DOF Global Kinematic Model (n-GKM). An industrial robot is used as an example to demonstrate an application of n-GKM model. It is calculated only for the tool\u27s perpendicular orientation relative to the floor. Four different kinematic configurations based on twist angles (αi) were selected to demonstrate the outcomes. Their graphical representations show how the twist angles significantly affect the shape and size of the efficient workspace. RMEW can be used as a design tool for new machinery\u27s kinematic structure and layout design. This methodology can be applied for any tool orientation

Targeting the superoxide/nitric oxide ratio by L-arginine and SOD mimic in diabetic rat skin

AbstractSetting the correct ratio of superoxide anion (O2•-) and nitric oxide (•NO) radicals seems to be crucial in restoring disrupted redox signaling in diabetic skin and improvement of •NO physiological action for prevention and treatment of skin injuries in diabetes. In this study we examined the effects of L-arginine and manganese(II)-pentaazamacrocyclic superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimic – M40403 in diabetic rat skin. Following induction of diabetes by alloxan (blood glucose level ≥12 mMol l −1) non-diabetic and diabetic male Mill Hill hybrid hooded rats were divided into three subgroups: (i) control, and receiving: (ii) L-arginine, (iii) M40403. Treatment of diabetic animals started after diabetes induction and lasted for 7 days. Compared to control, lower cutaneous immuno-expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), heme oxygenase 1 (HO1), manganese SOD (MnSOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), in parallel with increased NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nitrotyrosine levels characterized diabeti..

Effects of Chronic Psychosocial Stress on Reduction of Basal Glucocorticoid Levels and Suppression of Glucocorticoid Levels Following Dexamethasone Administration in Animal Model of PTSD

Aim: To further examine the neurobiological mechanisms and their outcomes responsible for the PTSD sequelae induced by laboratory animal model and to explore the effects of chronic psychosocial paradigm. We tested the hypothesis that our animal model of PTSD would display abnormalities in glucocorticoid levels that are manifest in people with PTSD and that psychosocially stressed rats exhibit a significantly greater suppression of corticosterone levels than control rats following the administration of dexamethasone.Methods: Animals were divided into two groups. The experimental group was scheduled to exposure to two types of stressors: double exposure to acute immobilization stress, and combined predator-threat stress and daily social stress. There was also administration of dexamethasone in combination with stress exposure.Results: There was a statistical difference between masses of thymus in the stress group and stress group with dexamethasone appliance (p=0.024). We found statistical significance between baseline cortisol and stress induced levels of cortisol and between stress induced group and return to baseline group.Conclusion: Significant changes in HPA activity, reductions in basal glucocorticoid levels and enhanced dexamethasone induced inhibition of glucocorticoid levels have been manifested. All of this is manifested in PTSD patients also as many other stress induces changes

Gait Analysis using Wearable Sensors with Multiple Sclerosis Patients

In this study we investigated gait measurement with wearable sensor for subjects with and without multiple sclerosis (MS) and evaluation gait function.The gait function was measured with Avatar sensors system in 3 patients with MS and in 3 healthy subjects without MS. The system consists of a main sensor node and three additional fixtures. Each sensor node is wearing three-axial accelerometer and two-axis gyroscope. Cross-correlation analysis with the walk signal was applied.Coefficient values from cross-correlation are determined for all 6 subjects. Then for a new unknown subject the cross-correlation was applied and the mean value cross-correlation for healthy subjects was 0.0477, while in MS subjects this value was 0.0207. A proven validation for this small training system has shown the evidence for different gait analysis for MS and healthy subjects.This small study opens a new avenue for clinical diagnosis of potential MS subjects while wearable sensor can provide an objective framework for assessing gait abnormality. The measured data can provide better understanding on the progression of the disease and response to treatment

Activity to Breast Cancer Cell Lines of Different Malignancy and Predicted Interaction with Protein Kinase C Isoforms of Royleanones

Plants have been used for centuries to treat several illnesses. The Plectranthus genus has a vast variety of species that has allowed the isolation of cytotoxic compounds with notable activities. The abietane diterpenes 6, 7-dehydroroyleanone (DeRoy, 1), 7α-acetoxy-6β-hydroxyroyleanone (Roy, 2), and Parvifloron D (ParvD, 3) were obtained from Plectranthus spp. and showed promising biological activities, such as cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of the different natural abietanes (1-3) were compared in MFC7, SkBr3, and SUM159 cell lines, as well as SUM159 grown in cancer stem cell-inducing conditions. Based on the royleanones’ bioactivity, the derivatives RoyBz (4), RoyBzCl (5), RoyPr2 (6), and DihydroxyRoy (7), previously obtained from 2, were selected for further studies. Protein kinases C (PKCs) are involved in several carcinogenic processes. Thus, PKCs are potential targets for cancer therapy. To date, the portfolio of available PKC modulators remains very limited due to the difficulty of designing isozyme-selective PKC modulators. As such, molecular docking was used to evaluate royleanones 1-6 as predicted isozyme-selective PKC binders. Subtle changes in the binding site of each PKC isoform change the predicted interaction profiles of the ligands. Subtle changes in royleanone substitution patterns, such as a double substitution only with non-substituted phenyls, or hydroxybenzoate at position four that flips the binding mode of ParvD (3), can increase the predicted interactions in certain PKC subtype

multicentre analysis, I-MOVE-COVID-19 and ECDC networks, July to August 2021

Funding Information: This project received funding from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) under the contract ECD.11486. Funding Information: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101003673. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). All rights reserved.Introduction: In July and August 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant dominated in Europe. Aim: Using a multicentre test-negative study, we measured COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic infection. Methods: Individuals with COVID-19 or acute respiratory symptoms at primary care/community level in 10 European countries were tested for SARS-CoV-2. We measured complete primary course overall VE by vaccine brand and by time since vaccination. Results: Overall VE was 74% (95% CI: 69-79), 76% (95% CI: 71-80), 63% (95% CI: 48-75) and 63% (95% CI: 16-83) among those aged 30-44, 45-59, 60-74 and ≥ 75 years, respectively. VE among those aged 30-59 years was 78% (95% CI: 75-81), 66% (95% CI: 58-73), 91% (95% CI: 87-94) and 52% (95% CI: 40-61), for Comirnaty, Vaxzevria, Spikevax and COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen, respectively. VE among people 60 years and older was 67% (95% CI: 52-77), 65% (95% CI: 48-76) and 83% (95% CI: 64-92) for Comirnaty, Vaxzevria and Spikevax, respectively. Comirnaty VE among those aged 30-59 years was 87% (95% CI: 83-89) at 14-29 days and 65% (95% CI: 56-71%) at ≥ 90 days between vaccination and onset of symptoms. Conclusions: VE against symptomatic infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant varied among brands, ranging from 52% to 91%. While some waning of the vaccine effect may be present (sample size limited this analysis to only Comirnaty), protection was 65% at 90 days or more between vaccination and onset.publishersversionpublishe