The Sociotechnical Alliance of Argentine Quality Wine: How Mendoza's Viticulture Functions Between the Local and the Global

Constructivist research in Science and Technology Studies (STS) is committed to revealing the heterogeneity of technological change and the fluid boundaries between the elements involved. Its major theories, the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) and Actor Network Theory (ANT), have however both been criticized for limiting themselves to the micro-level of cases, impeding a structural analysis of technological systems. This article seeks to bridge any such divides. We research the recent changes in the viticulture of Mendoza, Argentina, which underwent radical changes over the past decades: once governed by low-cost yield maximization, grape production now revolves around "quality". To show how the particular quality definition developed, we depart from a social-constructivist framework,following the sociotechnical shaping of problem-solution relationships across the wine production system. To include relevant social groups from different settings around the world, we gradually incorporate the ANT concepts of obligatory passage points, enrollment, convergence, delegation, and codes into the analysis. Combined into the concept of "sociotechnical alliance", our analysis follows the dual process of creating agreement while establishing heterogeneous practices across settings at different levels. It shows that functioning involves alliance building and highlights the hybridity and continuous dynamics of systems at large.Fil: Maclaine Pont, Polly C. A.. Virginia Tech University; Estados UnidosFil: Thomas, Hernan Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencias Sociales. Instituto de Estudios Sociales de la Ciencia y la Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Effects of Varying Wind Angles and Increasing Concentration on Air Pollutant Dispersion from Cooling Towers to Urban Area using Computational Fluid Dynamics Software

Managing and improving the air quality across urban areas can be achieved by studying the transport behaviour of air pollutants. In this work, the effects of varying wind angles and increasing concentration on air pollutant dispersion from cooling towers to urban area were investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software; OpenFOAM and the modified k-ω SST turbulence closure to acquire the steady-state flow field based on Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes Equation (RANS) approach. The results showed that varying the wind direction for the wind velocity profile from (1 0 0) to (Cos30 0 Sin30) and (Cos45 0 Sin45) affected the pollution dispersion across the urban area with the worst scenario being (1 0 0). In addition, reducing the diffusivity constant (Dt), thus increasing the pollution concentration, from 0.02 to 0.001 increased the pollution transport across the urban area considerably. This research shows the benefit of applying CFD approach toward managing the challenges of air pollution dispersion

From fish to frogs and beyond: Impact and host range of emergent ranaviruses

Ranaviruses are pathogens of ectothermic vertebrates, including amphibians. We reviewed patterns of host range and virulence of ranaviruses in the context of virus genotype and postulate that patterns reflect significant variation in the historical and current host range of three groups of Ranavirus: FV3-like, CMTV-like and ATV-like ranaviruses. Our synthesis supports previous hypotheses about host range and jumps: FV3s are amphibian specialists, while ATVs are predominantly fish specialists that switched once to caudate amphibians. The most recent common ancestor of CMTV-like ranaviruses and FV3-like forms appears to have infected amphibians but CMTV-like ranaviruses may circulate in both amphibian and fish communities independently. While these hypotheses are speculative, we hope that ongoing efforts to describe ranavirus genetics, increased surveillance of host species and targeted experimental assays of susceptibility to infection and/or disease will facilitate better tests of the importance of hypothetical evolutionary drivers of ranavirus virulence and host range

AMP-activated protein kinase inhibits NF-κB signaling and inflammation: impact on healthspan and lifespan

Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a crucial regulator of energy metabolic homeostasis and thus a major survival factor in a variety of metabolic stresses and also in the aging process. Metabolic syndrome is associated with a low-grade, chronic inflammation, primarily in adipose tissue. A low-level of inflammation is also present in the aging process. There are emerging results indicating that AMPK signaling can inhibit the inflammatory responses induced by the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) system. The NF-κB subunits are not direct phosphorylation targets of AMPK, but the inhibition of NF-κB signaling is mediated by several downstream targets of AMPK, e.g., SIRT1, PGC-1α, p53, and Forkhead box O (FoxO) factors. AMPK signaling seems to enhance energy metabolism while it can repress inflammatory responses linked to chronic stress, e.g., in nutritional overload and during the aging process. AMPK can inhibit endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stresses which are involved in metabolic disorders and the aging process. Interestingly, many target proteins of AMPK are so-called longevity factors, e.g., SIRT1, p53, and FoxOs, which not only can increase the stress resistance and extend the lifespan of many organisms but also inhibit the inflammatory responses. The activation capacity of AMPK declines in metabolic stress and with aging which could augment the metabolic diseases and accelerate the aging process. We will review the AMPK pathways involved in the inhibition of NF-κB signaling and suppression of inflammation. We also emphasize that the capacity of AMPK to repress inflammatory responses can have a significant impact on both healthspan and lifespan

Workforce experience of the implementation of an advanced clinical practice framework in England: a mixed methods evaluation

Background This study aims to understand how the implementation of the Advanced Clinical Practice framework in England (2017) was experienced by the workforce to check assumptions for a national workforce modelling project. The Advanced Clinical Practice framework was introduced in England in 2017 by Health Education England to clarify the role of advanced practice in the National Health Service. Methods: As part of a large-scale workforce modelling project, a self-completed questionnaire was distributed via the Association of Advanced Practice Educators UK aimed at those studying to be an Advanced Clinical Practitioner or who are practicing at this level in order to check assumptions. Semi-structured phone interviews were carried out with this same group. Questionnaires were summarised using descriptive statistics in Excel for categorical responses and interviews and survey free-text were analysed using thematic analysis in NVivo 10. Results: The questionnaire received over 500 respondents (ten times that expected) and 15 interviews were carried out. Advanced Clinical Practice was considered by many respondents the only viable clinical career progression. Respondents felt that employers were not clear about what practicing at this level involved or its future direction. 54% (287) thought that ‘ACP’ was the right job title for them. 19% (98) of respondents wanted their origin registered profession to be included in their title. Balancing Advanced Clinical Practice education concurrently with a full-time role was challenging, participants underestimated the workload and expectations of employer’s training. There is an apparent dichotomy that has developed from the implementation of the 2017 framework: that of Advanced Clinical Practice as an advanced level of practice within a profession, and that of Advanced Clinical Practitioner as a new generic role in the medical model. Conclusions: Efforts to establish further clarity and structure around advanced clinical practice are needed for both the individuals practising at this level and their employers. A robust evaluation of the introduction of this role should take place

Immortalisation of Normal Human Urothelial Cells Compromises Differentiation Capacity.

BACKGROUND: The development of urothelial malignancy is not solely a consequence of loss of proliferation constraints but also involves loss of cellular differentiation, defined histopathologically as grade. Although tumour grade is an independent prognostic marker for urothelial carcinoma (UC), the molecular events underpinning the loss of urothelial differentiation are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of gene alterations implicated in UC development on the ability of human urothelial cells to undergo molecular differentiation and form a functional urothelial barrier. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Laboratory study. INTERVENTION: Normal human urothelial (NHU) cell cultures were transduced with recombinant retroviruses to produce stable sublines overexpressing wild-type or oncogenic mutated fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 or human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Previously generated NHU sublines carrying dominant-negative CDK4 and p53 mutant genes or immortalised with the human papillomavirus 16 E6 oncoprotein were included. MEASUREMENTS: The activity of introduced transgenes was demonstrated by comparing phenotypes of transgene-expressing and isogenic control NHU cells. Modified and control sublines were compared for changes in generational potential (life span) and capacity to respond to differentiation-inducing signals by transcript expression of uroplakins 2 and 3. The ability to form a barrier epithelium was assessed by measuring the transepithelial electrical resistance. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: By contrast to tumour suppressor loss of function or oncogene overactivation, hTERT overexpression alone led to life span extension and immortalisation. The hTERT immortalised cells carried no gross genomic alterations but became progressively insensitive to differentiation signals and lost the ability to form an epithelial barrier. Further characterisation of hTERT cells revealed a downregulation of p16 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor expression and loss of responsiveness to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, providing mechanistic explanations for the subjugation of senescence constraints and the abrogation of differentiation capability, respectively. Although immortalised urothelial cell lines without karyotypic aberrations may be generated, such cell lines are compromised in terms of differentiation and functional capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of hTERT promotes development of an immortalised differentiation-insensitive urothelial cell phenotype. Although such cells offer a useful insight into the grade/stage paradigm of UC, they have limited value for investigating normal urothelial cell/tissue biology and physiology

Variation in job titles within the nursing workforce.

Aims and Objectives/Background The work of specialist nursing has been under scrutiny for many years in the UK due to a perception that it is not cost effective. A common issue is the lack of consistency of job titles which causes confusion to the public, employing organisations, colleagues and commissioners of services. Lack of consistency has implications for the wider perception of advanced specialist practice in the worldwide community and the workforce more generally. This study aims to understand the variation in job titles in the UK population. Methods A pre-existing data set of accrued studies into the work of nurses working in specialisms was mined for insight (N=17,960). This study used knowledge discovery through data and descriptive statistics to perform secondary analysis. Results Mining these data revealed 595 job titles in use in 17,960 specialist posts once the specialism had been removed. The most commonly used titles were Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse specialist/specialist nurse, Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Practitioner. There were three other primary groupings. These were variants with a specialist or technical prefix of suffix for example nurse endoscopist, variants of seniority such as trainee, senior nurse for [specialism] or variants of function such as Nurse prescriber. The clustering was driven primarily by pay band. 323 posts were recorded as holding titles such as Advanced Nurse Practitioner or specialist nurse who were not registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council. Relevance to Clinical practice In this dataset there is a large array of titles which appear to have little relationship with other factors like education. This is confusing to the public, employers and those commissioning services. It also demonstrates that the previous assumptions by Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence that advanced practice labels are associated with career progression are unsound and should be addressed by the regulator