Design efficacy at a distance: Collaboration between remote design teams

[EN] Design problems in the best instances are intensely complex and very demanding. Given that most buildings are unique -- that is, not mass-produced -- each design project must be considered as a precedent-setting experiment. While we learn from successes and failures, building projects remain distinct and demanding. Added to the conventional complexities is the distributed nature of design production in a globalized world. The present paper addresses several key queries: What are best practices in facilitating collaboration between remote design teams? What are the implications of working from home for design team members? While the practice of design has become increasingly digital, there are inherent tensions between the principals’ insistence to work in the tangibility of the physical studio and the younger practitioners’ preference to optimize flexibility via remote delivery. More significantly, what are the barriers and challenges to working on collaborative design projects globally, including but not limited to being overwhelmed by multi-tasking, power imbalances, different cultural dispositions, technical challenges, different time zones, data privacy and proprietary concerns, shifting from studio-based practice to online work, physical model making, communication pitfalls, screen burnout, and loss of personal/leisure time? Such important yet perplexing questions loom large. The research involves literature reviews exploring the ways that design teams collaborate remotely. Building from this analysis, the paper delineates a number of familiar challenges and proffers solutions tackling design practice using remote teams. The research considers administration (design leaders and project managers) on one hand, and production (interdisciplinary design teams) on the other. Drawing upon organizational and human development theories, and utilizing the reflective practitioner’s approach, the paper situates discussion within broader topics of human dignity, workplace psychology, career mentorship, and continuing education. Also examined are architects’ persona, culture, practices and mindsets - crucial factors shaping the conduct of distributed design. Further, this paper elaborates on Zoom virtual collaboration platform with respect to suitability and effectiveness. In the end, a conceptual model and a setup for satellite studios for distributed design are proposed that aim improve communication, heighten collaboration and strengthen design in an increasingly complicated and interconnected ethos.Mortezaee, F.; Sinclair, B. (2023). Design efficacy at a distance: Collaboration between remote design teams. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 546-557. https://doi.org/10.4995/VIBRArch2022.2022.1522554655

A DEA-based approach for the multi-criteria assignment problem

This paper proposes a DEA model for evaluating arc efficiency in the presence of multiple weights on arcs in a network. Thereafter, a multi-criteria assignment problem is formulated based on the efficiency of the arcs. Appraisal is given to some parts of the proposed DEA-model used for solving multi-criteria network flow problems and provide some examples. Finally, a numerical example is used to illustrate the applicability of the approach

Delay presentation of congenital diaphragmatic hernia with gastrointestinal manifestations: A case report

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is usually accompanied by pulmonary hypoplasia, pulmonary hypertension, and other associated anomalies which result in high mortality rates in these cases. This condition occurs when there is a defect in the diaphragm (mostly to the left and posterolateral) from which herniation of the abdominal contents into the thorax can take place. Morgagni hernia is a less common CDH (only 5-10% of CDH cases), in which congenital herniation of the abdominal content through the triangular parasternal gaps of the anterior diaphragm happen. Morgagni hernia usually affects the right side, and the patients are usually asymptomatic. Herein, we present the case of a 15-month-old male infant with large Morgagni hernia resulting in poor weight gain. The presentation was unique due to its huge orifice, its gastrointestinal obstruction presentation and also its unremarkable radiologic findings. The patient was monitored by the follow up team for 12 months. The follow-up revealed no recurrence, and the patient had favorable weight gain without any gastrointestinal symptoms

Lack of Association between ESR1 and CYP1A1 Gene Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Uterine Leiomyoma in Female Patients of Iranian Descent

Uterine leiomyonna (UL) is the most common benign smooth muscle cell tumor with as yet unknown etiology and pathogenesis. This study was carried out to investigate the association of ESR1-351 A>G, ESR1 -397 T>C and CYP1A1 (IIe462Val) polymorphisms with UL in female patients of Iranian origin. In this case-control study, 276 patients with UL and 156 healthy women were recruited. The genetic polymorphisms ESR1-351 A>G, ESR1-397 T>C and CYP1A1 (IIe462Val) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). No significant difference were found in frequencies of both genotypes and alleles of ESR1-351 A>G, ESR1-397 T>C and CYP1A1 (IIe462Val) polymorphisms between the two groups (p>0.05). Our findings indicated that these ESR1 and CYP1A1 polymorphisms were not associated with the development of UL in the cases reported here

The role of melatonin on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity: A systematic review

Purpose: Doxorubicin, as an effective chemotherapeutic drug, is commonly used for combating various solid and hematological tumors. However, doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is considered as a serious adverse effect, and it limits the clinical use of this chemotherapeutic drug. The use of melatonin can lead to a decrease in the cardiotoxic effect induced by doxorubicin. The aim of this review was to evaluate the potential role of melatonin in the prevention of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Methods: This review was conducted by a full systematic search strategy based on PRISMA guidelines for the identification of relevant literature in the electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus up to January 2019 using search terms in the titles and abstracts. 286 articles were screened in accordance with our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally, 28 articles were selected in this systematic review. Results: The findings demonstrated that doxorubicin-treated groups had increased mortality, decreased body weight and heart weight, and increased ascites compared to the control groups; the co-administration of melatonin revealed an opposite pattern compared to the doxorubicin-treated groups. Also, this chemotherapeutic agent can lead to biochemical and histopathological changes; as for most of the cases, these alterations were reversed near to normal levels (control groups) by melatonin co-administration. Melatonin exerts these protection effects through mechanisms of anti-oxidant, anti-apoptosis, anti-inflammatory, and mitochondrial function. Conclusion: The results of this systematic review indicated that co-administration of melatonin ameliorates the doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. © 2019 Elsevier Inc

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) in cancer progression and therapy

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are self-renewable cell types that are identified in most types of liquid and solid cancers and contributed to tumor onset, expansion, resistance, recurrence, and metastasis after therapy. CSCs are identified from the expression of cell surface markers, which is tumor-type dependent. The transition between CSCs with cancer cells and other non-CSCs occurs in cancers, which is possibly under the control of signals from CSCs and tumor microenvironment (TME), including CSC niche. Cancer-associated fibroblasts are among the most influential cells for promoting both differentiation of CSCs and dedifferentiation of non-CSCs toward attaining a CSC-like phenotype. WNT/β-catenin, transforming growth factor-β, Hedgehog, and Notch are important signals for maintaining self-renewal in CSCs. An effective therapeutic strategy relies on targeting both CSCs and non-CSCs to remove a possible chance of tumor relapse. There are multiple ways to target CSCs, including immunotherapy, hormone therapy, (mi)siRNA delivery, and gene knockout. Such approaches can be designed for suppressing CSC stemness, tumorigenic cues from TME, CSC extrinsic and/or intrinsic signaling, hypoxia or for promoting differentiation in the cells. Because of sharing a range of characteristics to normal stem/progenitor cells, CSCs must be targeted based on their unique markers and their preferential expression of antigens. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Disruption of the redox balance with either oxidative or anti-oxidative overloading as a promising target for cancer therapy

Abstract Oxidative stress acts as a double edged sword by being both a promoter and a suppressor of cancer. Moderate oxidative stress is beneficial for cancer cell proliferative and invasiveness features, while overexposure of the cells to oxidative insults could induce cancer cell apoptosis and reduce hypoxia along with modulating the immune system for regression of tumor. Cancer cells and cancer stem cells have highly efficient redox systems that make them resistant to oxidative insults. The redox disruptive approach is an area of current research and key for oxidative targeted cancer therapies. This disruption is applicable by using either oxidative or anti oxidative overloading strategies, specifically on cancer cells without influencing normal cells or tissues around tumor. The activity of tumor suppressor cells within tumor microenvironment is needed to be maintained in patients receiving such approaches. KEYWORDS: cancer, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS), redo

Interleukin-1 β gene polymorphisms in Iranian patients with uterine fibroid, a case-control study

Uterine leiomyoma (UL) or fibroid is the most common estrogen- dependent tumor of the reproductive system. Almost a quarter of women at reproductive age are affected with this benign tumor. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible association of IL-1β-511and IL-1β 3954 polymorphisms with UL in the women of Charmahal & Bakhtiari province of Iran. Totally, 276 patients with UL and 157 healthy control women were studied. The genetic polymorphisms for IL-1β-511and IL-1β 3954 were analyzed by PCR-RFLP method. The results were analyzed with SPSS software using χ2 test. The TC genotypes of the IL-1β -511C/T polymorphism showed a decreased risk of UL (OR = 0.232, P = 0.01, 95 % CI = 0.11 - 0.48). A significant difference was found for the C allele frequencies of the IL-1 β -511 C>T polymorphism between the two groups (OR = 0.232, P = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.11 - 0.48). However, no significant difference was found for the IL-1 â -3954 polymorphism between the two groups. Our findings indicated that IL-1 â -511C>T promoter polymorphism affects the risk of UL in the women of our study and this polymorphism might be involved in the pathogens of this disease

Boosting immune system against cancer by melatonin: A mechanistic viewpoint

Cancer is a disease of high complexity. Resistance to therapy is a major challenge in cancer targeted therapies. Overcoming this resistance requires a deep knowledge of the cellular interactions within tumor. Natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are the main anti-cancer immune cells, while T regulatory cells (Tregs) and cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) facilitate immune escape of cancer cells. Melatonin is a natural agent with anti-cancer functions that has also been suggested as an adjuvant in combination with cancer therapy modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and tumor vaccination. One of the main effects of melatonin is regulation of immune responses against cancer cells. Melatonin has been shown to potentiate the activities of anti-cancer immune cells, as well as attenuating the activities of Tregs and CAFs. It also has a potent effect on the mitochondria, which may change immune responses against cancer. In this review, we explain the mechanisms of immune regulation by melatonin involved in its anti-cancer effects. © 2019 Elsevier Inc