Extending the theory of Owicki and Gries with a logic of progress

This paper describes a logic of progress for concurrent programs. The logic is based on that of UNITY, molded to fit a sequential programming model. Integration of the two is achieved by using auxiliary variables in a systematic way that incorporates program counters into the program text. The rules for progress in UNITY are then modified to suit this new system. This modification is however subtle enough to allow the theory of Owicki and Gries to be used without change

Smart Textiles Production

The research field of smart textiles is currently witnessing a rapidly growing number of applications integrating intelligent functions in textile substrates. With an increasing amount of new developed product prototypes, the number of materials used and that of specially designed production technologies are also growing. This book is intended to provide an overview of materials, production technologies, and product concepts to different groups concerned with smart textiles. It will help designers to understand the possibilities of smart textile production, so that they are enabled to design this type of products. It will also help textile and electronics manufacturers to understand which production technologies are suitable to meet certain product requirements

Nível de aceitação de diferentes reforços alimentares em doentes oncológicos hospitalizados

Background: 80.00 % of oncologic patients are malnourished, yet only 30.00 % receive early nutritional interventions. Objective: Compare the general acceptability index (GAI) of different snacks consumed by patients with a diagnosis of oncologic disease during at least one week of hospitalization in a public hospital in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires between February and June 2023. Methods: The design was observa- tional, descriptive, cross-sectional and prospective. Two snacks were developed according to the preferences reported by oncologic patients. Acceptability was evaluated by means of a self-developed semi-structured survey comparing three snacks: multi-fruit smoothie, orange and vanilla dessert, and commercial oral nutri- tional supplement. Results: The sample consisted of 55 patients, 52.00 % male, mean age 55.09 years (±12.96 SD), of whom 98.00 % had moderate malnutrition risk according to Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (SP-SGA). The GAI was > 70.00 % for all the snacks. The multi-fruit smoothie had the highest score [97 (RIQ ±21.85)] and no differences were reported according to tumour location. Although the referred symptomatology did not in- fluence the GAI of the different snacks, a lower acceptability index specific to flavor and aroma was observed. Conclusions: All snacks offered obtai- ned a GAI greater than 70.00 %, without as- sociation with tumor location or symptoms. The present study shows the importance of early personalized dietary intervention to increase treatment adherence.Introducción: el 80,00 % de los pacientes oncológicos presenta desnutrición; sin embargo, solo el 30,00 % recibe interven- ciones nutricionales oportunas. Objetivo: comparar el índice de acepta- bilidad general (IAG) de distintos refuerzos alimentarios consumidos por pacientes con diagnóstico de enfermedad oncológica durante al menos una semana de inter- nación en un hospital público de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires entre febrero y junio de 2023. Métodos: el diseño fue observacional, descriptivo y longitudinal. Se desarrolla- ron dos refuerzos alimentarios según las preferencias reportadas por los pacientes oncológicos. La aceptabilidad fue evaluada mediante una encuesta semiestructu- rada de elaboración propia comparando tres refuerzos alimentarios: licuado multi- fruta, postre de naranja y vainilla, y suple- mento nutricional oral comercial. Resultados: la muestra quedó confor- mada por 55 pacientes, el 52,00 % de sexo masculino, con una edad media de 55,09 años (desviación estándar [DE]: ±12,96). El 98,00 % presentó riesgo de desnutrición moderada según la valoración global sub- jetiva-generada por el paciente (VGS-GP). El IAG fue mayor del 70,00 % para todos los refuerzos alimentarios. El licuado mul- tifruta fue el de mayor puntaje (97; rango intercuartílico [RIC]: + 21,85) y no se reportaron diferencias según la localización del tumor. Aunque la sintomatología referida no influyó en el IAG de los distintos RA, se pudo apreciar un menor índice de aceptabilidad específico del sabor y del aroma. Conclusiones: todos los refuerzos ali- mentarios ofrecidos obtuvieron un IAG superior al 70,00 %, sin asociación con la locación tumoral ni la sintomatología. El presente estudio muestra la importancia de la intervención dietética personalizada temprana para incrementar la adherencia al tratamiento.Introdução: 80,00 % dos pacientes oncológicos estão desnutridos, mas apenas 30,00 % recebem intervenções nutricio- nais precoces. Objetivo: comparar o índice de aceita- bilidade geral (IAG) de diferentes lanches consumidos por pacientes com diag- nóstico de doença oncológica durante pelo menos uma semana em um hospital público da Cidade Autônoma de Buenos Aires entre fevereiro a junho 2023. Métodos: o delineamento foi observa- cional, descritivo, transversal e prospec- tivo. Dois lanches foram desenvolvidos de acordo com as preferências relatadas pelos pacientes oncológicos. A aceitabi- lidade foi avaliada por meio de uma pes- quisa semiestruturada autodesenvolvida comparando três lanches: smoothie mul- tifrutas, sobremesa de laranja e baunilha e suplemento nutricional oral comercial. Resultados: a amostra foi constituída por 55 pacientes, com idade média de 55,09 anos (±12,96 DP), dos quais 98,00 % apresentavam risco de desnutrição mo- derada de acordo com a Avaliação Global Subjetiva Gerada pelo Paciente (SP-SGA). O IAG foi > 70,00 % para todos os lanches. O smoothie multifrutas teve a pontuação mais alta [97 (RIQ +/-21,85)], sem dife- renças relatadas de acordo com a locali- zação do tumor. Embora a sintomatologia referida não tenha influenciado o IAG dos diferentes lanches, observou-se menor índice de aceitabilidade específico de sabor e aroma. Conclusões: toda as lanches oferecidas obtiveram IAG superior a 70,00 %, sem associação com localização ou sintomas tumorais. O presente estudo mostra a importância da intervenção dietética personalizada precoce para aumentar a adesão ao tratamento

Spatial proteomics finds CD155 and Endophilin-A1 as mediators of growth and invasion in medulloblastoma

The composition of the plasma membrane (PM)-associated proteome of tumor cells determines cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and the response to environmental cues. Whether the PM-associated proteome impacts the phenotype of Medulloblastoma (MB) tumor cells and how it adapts in response to growth factor cues is poorly understood. Using a spatial proteomics approach, we observed that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase c-MET in MB cells changes the abundance of transmembrane and membrane-associated proteins. The depletion of MAP4K4, a pro-migratory effector kinase downstream of c-MET, leads to a specific decrease of the adhesion and immunomodulatory receptor CD155 and of components of the fast-endophilin-mediated endocytosis (FEME) machinery in the PM-associated proteome of HGF-activated MB cells. The decreased surface expression of CD155 or of the fast-endophilin-mediated endocytosis effector endophilin-A1 reduces growth and invasiveness of MB tumor cells in the tissue context. These data thus describe a novel function of MAP4K4 in the control of the PM-associated proteome of tumor cells and identified two downstream effector mechanisms controlling proliferation and invasiveness of MB cells

The historical development of zoo elephant survivorship

In the discussion about zoo elephant husbandry, the report of Clubb et al. (2008, Science 322: 1649) that zoo elephants had a “compromised survivorship” compared to certain non-zoo populations is a grave argument, and was possibly one of the triggers of a large variety of investigations into zoo elephant welfare, and changes in zoo elephant management. A side observation of that report was that whereas survivorship in African elephants (Loxodonta africana) improved since 1960, this was not the case in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). We used historical data (based on the Species360 database) to revisit this aspect, including recent developments since 2008. Assessing the North American and European populations from 1910 until today, there were significant improvements of adult (≥10 years) survivorship in both species. For the period from 1960 until today, survivorship improvement was significant for African elephants and close to a significant improvement in Asian elephants; Asian elephants generally had a higher survivorship than Africans. Juvenile (<10 years) survivorship did not change significantly since 1960 and was higher in African elephants, most likely due to the effect of elephant herpes virus on Asian elephants. Current zoo elephant survivorship is higher than some, and lower than some other non-zoo populations. We discuss that in our view, the shape of the survivorship curve, and its change over time, are more relevant than comparisons with specific populations. Zoo elephant survivorship should be monitored continuously, and the expectation of a continuous trend towards improvement should be met

Long-term ecological research in a human-dominated world

Author Posting. © American Institute of Biological Sciences, 2012. This article is posted here by permission of American Institute of Biological Sciences for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in BioScience 62 (2012): 342-253, doi:10.1525/bio.2012.62.4.6.The US Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network enters its fourth decade with a distinguished record of achievement in ecological science. The value of long-term observations and experiments has never been more important for testing ecological theory and for addressing today's most difficult environmental challenges. The network's potential for tackling emergent continent-scale questions such as cryosphere loss and landscape change is becoming increasingly apparent on the basis of a capacity to combine long-term observations and experimental results with new observatory-based measurements, to study socioecological systems, to advance the use of environmental cyberinfrastructure, to promote environmental science literacy, and to engage with decisionmakers in framing major directions for research. The long-term context of network science, from understanding the past to forecasting the future, provides a valuable perspective for helping to solve many of the crucial environmental problems facing society today.2012-10-0

Facilitating and Improving Environmental Research Data Repository Interoperability

Environmental research data repositories provide much needed services for data preservation and data dissemination to diverse communities with domain specific or programmatic data needs and standards. Due to independent development these repositories serve their communities well, but were developed with different technologies, data models and using different ontologies. Hence, the effectiveness and efficiency of these services can be vastly improved if repositories work together adhering to a shared community platform that focuses on the implementation of agreed upon standards and best practices for curation and dissemination of data. Such a community platform drives forward the convergence of technologies and practices that will advance cross-domain interoperability. It will also facilitate contributions from investigators through standardized and streamlined workflows and provide increased visibility for the role of data managers and the curation services provided by data repositories, beyond preservation infrastructure. Ten specific suggestions for such standardizations are outlined without any suggestions for priority or technical implementation. Although the recommendations are for repositories to implement, they have been chosen specifically with the data provider/data curator and synthesis scientist in mind