Global Software Innovators Strengthening the Software Innovation Capacity of Europe and Korea

Global entrepreneurial talent management is a key challenge for the software sector internationally where competition for high-end skills is intense. SMEs are at a significant disadvantage when competing with major multinationals to access these skills. The Information and Communications Technology sector accounts for 5% of all employment in the EU and there are 900,000 vacancies in this sector in 2017 [1], however over 50% of senior ICT managers believe graduates lack the necessary combination of technical, business and interpersonal skills [2]. In addition, only 4 in 1000 women work in the ICT sector [3]. To address these challenges, HubLinked, an EU-funded Knowledge Alliance partnership of 11 industry and HE partners in the EU and Korea, is developing an integrated curriculum for industry-oriented, internationalised, innovation focused and interdisciplinary Computer Science degrees (“CSI4”). CSI4 features Global Labs, where teams of students work across timezones to prototype software, an internationalization-at-home experience which mimics working in a global ICT campany

Adiposity induces lethal cytokine storm after systemic administration of stimulatory immunotherapy regimens in aged mice.

Aging is a contributing factor in cancer occurrence. We recently demonstrated that systemic immunotherapy (IT) administration in aged, but not young, mice resulted in induction of rapid and lethal cytokine storm. We found that aging was accompanied by increases in visceral fat similar to that seen in young obese (ob/ob or diet-induced obese [DIO]) mice. Yet, the effects of aging and obesity on inflammatory responses to immunotherapeutics are not well defined. We determine the effects of adiposity on systemic IT tolerance in aged compared with young obese mice. Both young ob/ob- and DIO-generated proinflammatory cytokine levels and organ pathologies are comparable to those in aged ad libitum mice after IT, culminating in lethality. Young obese mice exhibited greater ratios of M1/M2 macrophages within the peritoneal and visceral adipose tissues and higher percentages of TNF(+) macrophages in response to αCD40/IL-2 as compared with young lean mice. Macrophage depletion or TNF blockade in conjunction with αCD40/IL-2 prevented cytokine storms in young obese mice and protected from lethality. Calorie-restricted aged mice contain less visceral fat and displayed reduced cytokine levels, protection from organ pathology, and protection from lethality upon αCD40/IL-2 administration. Our data demonstrate that adiposity is a critical factor in the age-associated pathological responses to systemic anti-cancer IT

Age-Related Changes to Human Tear Composition.

Purpose We characterize age-associated alterations in the expression of inflammatory mediators and tissue remodeling factors in human tears. Methods A total of 75 consecutive volunteers (32 male/44 female; 19-93 years) underwent clinical assessment of ocular surface status, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) grading and tear sampling. The volunteers were categorized into three groups: young (18-40 years), middle-aged (41-60 years), and old (>60 years). Total protein profiles and chip-based protein array evaluations were conducted to investigate the expression of 60 potential candidates, including pro-/anti-inflammatory mediators and tissue remodeling factors. Appropriate validations were performed using conventional assays. Multiple comparisons for regression between potential candidates and age were performed, as well as statistical analyses among the three age groups. Nonpooled samples were used for quantifications. Results Pearson analysis of chip-arrays identified 9 of 60 potential candidates. Specifically, IL-8, IL-6, and regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES; P < 0.0083) protein as well as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, IL-3, and TNF-α (P < 0.05) correlated positively with aging. MIP-3β showed an opposite tendency. Western blot and ELISA analysis corroborated the array data. OSDI grading did not correlate with aging. Conclusions Dynamic changes to tear protein profiles occur with aging. Our study identifies the expression of IL-8, IL-6, RANTES, MMP-1, and MIP-3β as increasing with age. These select inflammatory and matrix remodeling factors may be relevant to the development of novel diagnostic tools and therapeutics in the context of age-related ocular surface disease

Immunologic and Hematopoietic Effects of CD40 Stimulation after Syngeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation in Mice

CD40 is a molecule present on multiple cell types including B lymphocyte lineage cells. CD40 has been shown to play an important role in B cell differentiation and activation in vitro, although little is known concerning the effects of CD40 stimulation in vivo. We therefore examined the effects of CD40 stimulation in mice using a syngeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) model in an effort to augment B cell recovery after high dose therapy with hematopoietic reconstitution. After the BMT, mice were treated with or without 2-6 μg of a soluble recombinant murine CD40 ligand (srmCD40L) given intraperitoneally twice a week. A significant increase in B cell progenitors (B220 +/surface IgM -) was observed in the bone marrow of mice receiving the srmCD40L. The treated recipients also demonstrated improved B-cell function with increases in total serum immunoglobulin and increased splenic mitogen responsiveness to LPS being noted. Additionally, srmCD40L treatment promoted secondary lymphoid organ repopulation, accelerating germinal center formation in the lymph nodes. Total B cell numbers in the periphery were not significantly affected even with continuous srmCD40L administration. Lymphocytes obtained from mice treated with the ligand also had increases in T cell mitogen and anti-CD3 mAb responsiveness and acquired the capability to produce IL-4. Surprisingly, treatment with srmCD40L also produced hematopoietic effects in mice, resulting in an increase of BM and splenic hematopoietic progenitor cells in the mice after BMT. Treatment with srmCD40L significantly increased granulocyte and platelet recovery in the peripheral blood. Incubation of BMC with srmCD40L in vitro also resulted in increased progenitor proliferation, demonstrating that the hematopoietic effects of the ligand may be direct. Thus, stimulation of CD40 by its ligand may he beneficial in accelerating both immune and hematopoietic recovery in the setting of bone marrow transplantation

O acesso a "tecnologias sensíveis"

The authors expose the motivations and foundations of the technological restrictions practiced by leading countries and the Brazilian posture in confrontation. The authors also show the alternatives used by companies and countries to get around restrictive practices. While prepared to fulfill international treaties, Brazil, as yet, has no clear strategy for acquiring those technologies related to its military defense.Os autores expõem as motivações e as bases do cerceamento tecnológico praticado pelos países centrais e a postura brasileira diante dos mesmos. São também apresentadas alternativas utilizadas por empresas e países para contornar o cerceamento. O Brasil se preparou para cumprir tratados internacionais, mas não tem estratégia clara para contornar aquisições relacionadas à sua defesa militar

Leptophlebiidae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from Gorgona Island National Natural Park (Tropical Eastern Pacific, Colombia) with the description of two new species

Gorgona National Natural Park comprises Gorgona and Gorgonilla Islands, located in the Colombian Pacific at 35 km from mainland. A large-scale study was conducted in Gorgona including samples from benthos and aereal nets and traps during five fieldworks. We here focus on the family Leptophlebiidae, describing two new species and giving data of four additional species. Terpides iguapoga sp. n. is described and illustrated from nymphs and adults, and can be characterized by the following characters, in the nymph: fore trochanter and femur with row of strong spine-like setae on inner margin, gills with blackish tracheae, posterolateral projections present on terga VI and VIII–IX; in the adult: upper portion of eyes orangeish white, forewing membrane hyaline tinged with yellowish around crossveins and marginal intercalary veins, genitalia with penes abruptly narrowing on distal third. Thraulodes insular sp. n. is described from nymphs and adults and diagnosed as follows, in the nymph: abdominal gills with narrow lamellae, femora with black streak near apex; in the imago: forewing costal area basal to bulla without crossveins, a spot and a band on femora, terga II–VI translucent white, terga VII–X darker, posterior margin of subgenital plate triangular, penes spines short and robust. We give new geographic records for four additional species: Farrodes caribbianus, Farrodes roundsi, Hagenulopsis esmeralda and Hagenulopsis zunigae. Ecological data and distributional maps are provided. Leptophlebiidae presents a reduced diversity in relation to mainland; in general the species recorded show a geographic relation to the Chocoan-Caribbean and Andean mayfly faunas.Fil: Zuñiga, Maria del Carmen. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Molineri, Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Tucuman. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Dominguez, Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Tucuman. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Cardona, William. Universidad del Valle; Colombi

Making data flow for the climate risk market

In 2011, the U.K. government announced that the national meteorological agency would be releasing a significant volume of data as part of its Open Data policy agenda. This article explores the interrelationship between this announcement and efforts to boost the competitiveness of the United Kingdom’s weather derivatives industry. Primary qualitative data are analyzed to produce a genealogical account of these policy developments, and Braman’s concept of “informational power” is used to frame a critical narrative of the broader dynamics of power at play. We argue that although there have been significant tensions around efforts to open the United Kingdom’s weather data, these have largely been absorbed by and, ultimately, contained within the hegemonic structures of the United Kingdom’s neoliberal state. We conclude by arguing that this struggle needs to be broadened and externalized beyond the state so that critical questions about the deepening data-driven financialization of climate change can be addressed

Preparation of optically transparent electrodes

A simple experiment for the preparation of transparent conducting glass electrodes by deposition of pure and fluorine doped SnO2 films is described. This procedure was tested in the undergraduate inorganic course at IQ-UNICAMP. The success in achieving a conducting layer was easily checked using the standard probes of a volt-ohm meter. The optical transmittance and thickness were studied by UV-vis spectrophotometry. To discuss the experimental results we place significant emphasis on molecular orbital and energy band model theories. The undergraduate students can also discuss the concepts related to the electronic properties of solids and to interesting new materials, such as transparent conducting films, which are the subject of significant current research and technological applications.345349Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq