Business Communication Skills

Business Communication Skills is a text book published in 2013 by Maria Esther Rodriguez Gil and Daniela Cecic as authors. The book was envisioned to be used in Business related subjects and as a self- study book. The book offers 6 chapters about Business English: application forms, e-mails, negotiations, CV and cover letter and presentations. It contains readings, exercises and keys. Each chapter has an original reading text adapted for the B1- B2 level purposes. In 2018 it was decided to change and update the information due to some feedback received by the readers. Instead of application forms, we are going to introduce how to make a video CVs and one subchapter related to the use of social media such as LinkedIn in order to find a job. The changes are in process and will be presented at this conference for the first time. This work is licensed under a&nbsp;Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</p

Business Communication Skills

Business Communication Skills is a text book published in 2013 by Maria Esther Rodriguez Gil and Daniela Cecic as authors. The book was envisioned to be used in Business related subjects and as a self- study book. The book offers 6 chapters about Business English: application forms, e-mails, negotiations, CV and cover letter and presentations. It contains readings, exercises and keys. Each chapter has an original reading text adapted for the B1- B2 level purposes. In 2018 it was decided to change and update the information due to some feedback received by the readers. Instead of application forms, we are going to introduce how to make a video CVs and one subchapter related to the use of social media such as LinkedIn in order to find a job. The changes are in process and will be presented at this conference for the first time. This work is licensed under a&nbsp;Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</p

LA ENSEÑANZA/APRENDIZAJE REFLEXIVO CRÍTICO: EL CASO DEL IDIOMA DESCONOCIDO

-En los últimos 20 años el término de enseñanza reflexiva está de moda en la formación del profesorado. Los profesores noveles necesitan perfeccionar sus habilidades reflexivas y críticas para apoyar su aprendizaje y desarrollo. La enseñanza reflexiva es un enfoque educativo y pedagógico esencial para aumentar la conciencia de su papel como profesores. Además, no se trata solamente de pensar sobre la enseñanza sino de explorar suposiciones subyacentes de una manera crítica. Se ha llevado un experimento en la Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria en 2011 con 25 estudiantes de la carrera en Filología Inglesa en su cuarto año de estudio. A estos estudiantes se les dieron 4 horas del idioma desconocido. Este artículo analiza la primera clase, específicamente, dos preguntas sobre la clase en la sesión de retroalimentación y dos entradas en los diarios. El objetivo principal fue enseñarles a los alumnos que no es necesario utilizar su idioma materno para poder seguir y participar en la clase. También, hacerles entender cuales son las estrategias apropiadasy enfoques metodológicos que se deberían utilizar cuando se enseña el idioma extranjero. Los estudiantes fueron abrumados con la experiencia, aunque algunos de ellos, exactamente 6, utilizaron las palabras: asustado, confuso y petrificado, para describir sus sentimientos al mismo principio de la clase. Las primeras impresiones de asombro desaparecieron inmediatamente gracias al enfoque comunicativo utilizado por el profesor. En gran medida todos ellos confirmaron que utilizarían las mismas estrategias y los métodos en sus futuras clases. Además, todos destacaron lo mucho que habían aprendido en solamente una hora.--In the last 20 years the term reflection in teacher training is in vogue. Teacher trainees need to master their reflective and critical skills during their initial teaching practices to support professional learning and development. Reflective teaching is an educational and pedagogical approach essential to raise the awareness of their roles as teachers. Moreover, it is not only about thinking about teaching, it is also about the exploration of more critical underlying assumptions. An experiment was done at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 2011 with 25 students studying the fourth and last year of their degree in English Language and Literature.These students were given 4 lessons in an unknown language. This article analyses the first lesson, exactly two questions randomly chosen (from their feedback session) and two diary entries. The main objective was to show the students that it is not necessary to use their mother tongue in order to follow and participate in a lesson.Likewise, to direct their attention to suitable strategies and approaches that should be used when teaching any foreign language. The students were overwhelmed with the experience, although some of them, exactly 6, used the words scared, confused and petrified, at the very beginning of the lesson. These first impressions of being shocked went immediately away, thanks to the communicative approach used by the teacher and more importantly all of them stated that they would use the very same strategies and methods. Moreover, they confirm that they learnt very much in only one hour

Potentiation of photodynamic therapy of cancer by complement: the effect of γ-inulin

Host response elicited by photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancerous lesions is a critical contributor to the clinical outcome, and complement system has emerged as its important element. Amplification of complement action was shown to improve tumour PDT response. In search of a clinically relevant complement activator for use as a PDT adjuvant, this study focused on γ-inulin and examined its effects on PDT response of mouse tumours. Intralesional γ-inulin (0.1 mg mouse−1) delivered immediately after PDT rivaled zymosan (potent classical complement activator) in delaying the recurrence of B16BL6 melanomas. This effect of γ-inulin was further enhanced by IFN-γ pretreatment. Tumour C3 protein levels, already elevated after individual PDT or γ-inulin treatments, increased much higher after their combination. With fibrosarcomas MCA205 and FsaR, adjuvant γ-inulin proved highly effective in reducing recurrence rates following PDT using four different photosensitisers (BPD, ce6, Photofrin, and mTHPC). At 3 days after PDT plus γ-inulin treatment, over 50% of cells found at the tumour site were CTLs engaged in killing specific targets via perforin–granzyme pathway. This study demonstrates that γ-inulin is highly effective PDT adjuvant and suggests that by amplifying the activation of complement system, this agent potentiates the development of CTL-mediated immunity against PDT-treated tumours

Un nuevo concepto en escáner adaptativo de bajo costo para robots móviles

El problema fundamental en las aplicaciones de robots móviles, es la necesidad de conocer con exactitud la posición del vehículo, para poder localizarse en el espacio y evitar obstáculos en su camino. En la búsqueda de una solución, los investigadores e ingenieros han desarrollado diferentes sensores, sistemas y técnicas.Los robots móviles modernos se basan en la información obtenida de diferentes sensores y en sofisticados algoritmos de fusión de datos. Por tal razón, en este artículo se propone un nuevo concepto de escáner de adaptación a bajo costo, basándose en patrones de luz proyectados. La ventaja principal del sistema propuesto es: su adaptabilidad, que permite en los robots el escaneo rápido de los alrededores durante la búsqueda de obstáculos y una exploración más detallada de un objeto determinado, para poder recu-perar así, su configuración de la superficie y realizar algunos análisis limitados.El artículo aborda el concepto de un escáner de este tipo, donde se logró la prueba del concepto utilizando un proyector de oficina DLP. Durante las mediciones, la exactitud del sistema propuesto se puso a prueba, usando obstáculos con objetos de configuraciones conocidas. De esta manera, los resultados obtenidos son presentados, analizados y se discuten las conclusiones sobre el desempeño del sistema para generar posibles mejoramientos.A fundamental problem in mobile robot applications is the need for accurate knowledge of the position of a vehicle for localizing itself and for avoiding obstacles in its path. In the search for a solution to this problem, researchers and engineers have developed different sensors, systems and techniques. Modern mobile robots relay information obtained from a variety of sensors and sophisticated data fusion algorithms. In this paper, a novel concept for a low-cost adaptive scanner based on a projected light pattern is proposed. The main advantage of the proposed system is its adaptivity, which enables the rapid scanning of the robot’s surroundings in search of obstacles and a more detailed scan of a single object to retrieve its surface configuration and perform some limited analyses. This paper addresses the concept behind such a scanner, where a proof-of-concept is achieved using an office DLP projector. During the measurements, the accuracy of the proposed system was tested on obstacles and objects with known configurations. The obtained results are presented and analyzed, and conclusions about the system’s performance and possible improvements are discussed

Photodynamic Therapy of Tumors Can Lead to Development of Systemic Antigen-Specific Immune Response

Background: The mechanism by which the immune system can effectively recognize and destroy tumors is dependent on recognition of tumor antigens. The molecular identity of a number of these antigens has recently been identified and several immunotherapies have explored them as targets. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an anti-cancer modality that uses a non-toxic photosensitizer and visible light to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species that destroy tumors. PDT has been shown to lead to local destruction of tumors as well as to induction of anti-tumor immune response. Methodology/Principal Findings: We used a pair of equally lethal BALB/c colon adenocarcinomas, CT26 wild-type (CT26WT) and CT26.CL25 that expressed a tumor antigen, β-galactosidase (β-gal), and we treated them with vascular PDT. All mice bearing antigen-positive, but not antigen-negative tumors were cured and resistant to rechallenge. T lymphocytes isolated from cured mice were able to specifically lyse antigen positive cells and recognize the epitope derived from beta-galactosidase antigen. PDT was capable of destroying distant, untreated, established, antigen-expressing tumors in 70% of the mice. The remaining 30% escaped destruction due to loss of expression of tumor antigen. The PDT anti-tumor effects were completely abrogated in the absence of the adaptive immune response. Conclusion: Understanding the role of antigen-expression in PDT immune response may allow application of PDT in metastatic as well as localized disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that PDT has been shown to lead to systemic, antigen- specific anti-tumor immunity.United States. National Cancer Institute (grant RO1CA/AI838801)United States. National Cancer Institute (grant R01AI050875

The 6 May 1976 Friuli earthquake: re-evaluating and consolidating

The aim of this paper is to propose the creation, in terms of European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98), of the entire macroseismic fi eld of the 6 May 1976 Friuli earthquake. Only forty odd years have passed, and nothwithsatnding that there is a huge quantity of existing data, it was still disturbing to fi nd that much of the original data are missing and probably lost forever Efforts have therefore been made to fi nd additional and still unknown primary data. For the majority of the collected national data sets, a reevaluation was then possible. This study presents the comprehensive macroseismic data set for 14 European countries. It is, to our knowledge, one of the largest European data sets, consisting of 3423 intensity data points (IDPs). The earthquake was felt from Rome to the Baltic Sea, and from Belgium to Warsaw. The maximum intensity 10 EMS-98 was reached in eight localities in Friuli (Italy). Compared to previous studies, the Imax values have changed from country to country, in some cases being lowered due to methodological differences, but in the case of three among the most hit countries, Imax is now higher than in the previous studies, mainly due to the new data.Published417-4444T. Sismicità dell'ItaliaJCR Journa

CD8+ T cell-mediated control of distant tumours following local photodynamic therapy is independent of CD4+ T cells and dependent on natural killer cells

Cancer survival rates decrease in the presence of disseminated disease. However, there are few therapies that are effective at eliminating the primary tumour while providing control of distant stage disease. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an FDA-approved modality that rapidly eliminates local tumours, resulting in cure of early disease and palliation of advanced disease. Numerous pre-clinical studies have shown that local PDT treatment of tumours enhances anti-tumour immunity. We hypothesised that enhancement of a systemic anti-tumour immune response might control the growth of tumours present outside the treatment field. To test this hypothesis we delivered PDT to subcutaneous (s.c.) tumours of mice bearing both s.c. and lung tumours and monitored the growth of the untreated lung tumours. Our results demonstrate that PDT of murine tumours provided durable inhibition of the growth of untreated lung tumours. The inhibition of the growth of tumours outside the treatment field was tumour-specific and dependent on the presence of CD8+ T cells. This inhibition was accompanied by an increase in splenic anti-tumour cytolytic activity and by an increase in CD8+ T cell infiltration into untreated tumours. Local PDT treatment led to enhanced anti-tumour immune memory that was evident 40 days after tumour treatment and was independent of CD4+ T cells. CD8+ T cell control of the growth of lung tumours present outside the treatment field following PDT was dependent upon the presence of natural killer (NK) cells. These results suggest that local PDT treatment of tumours lead to induction of an anti-tumour immune response capable of controlling the growth of tumours outside the treatment field and indicate that this modality has potential in the treatment of distant stage disease