Loop Advertisement: Corporate Interior Design Proposal

Loop Advertising is a marketing agency whose goal is to bring equity, diversity, and inclusivity to advertisements. They offer a wide range of services and primarily work with some representative banks in Canada such as TD, to assist them in embracing diversity in their advertisements. The design concept for Loop Advertising is centered around the progress flag. This flag is a reinterpretation of the 6 colour pride flag to include people of colour. Our design goal was to celebrate marginalized communities who are typically underrepresented in the media. Each colour of the flag along with its meaning is incorporated it into specific spaces within the office

The Effect of Mock Code Blue Simulations and Dedicated Advanced Cardiac Life Support Didactics on Resident Perceived Competency.

In-hospital cardiac or pulmonary arrest is associated with high mortality. In the USA, approximately 200,000 of these events occur and are associated with overall survival rates of 18%-20%. Despite advances in resuscitative methods, the probability of intact survival also remains unfavorable. Though many factors play a role, we believe a large portion of a patient\u27s survival is dependent on the competency of the leader of the code blue or resuscitative team\u27s efforts. Newly minted physicians who enter medical training in their respective residencies are equipped with a wide range of clinical competency in regards to hands-on experience and aptitude with handling code blue scenarios. Through the use of mock code blue simulations along with dedicated didactics over a seven-month time span, we were able to demonstrate success in improving clinical competency and patient survival outcomes

ConservationBots: Autonomous Aerial Robot for Fast Robust Wildlife Tracking in Complex Terrains

Today, the most widespread, widely applicable technology for gathering data relies on experienced scientists armed with handheld radio telemetry equipment to locate low-power radio transmitters attached to wildlife from the ground. Although aerial robots can transform labor-intensive conservation tasks, the realization of autonomous systems for tackling task complexities under real-world conditions remains a challenge. We developed ConservationBots-small aerial robots for tracking multiple, dynamic, radio-tagged wildlife. The aerial robot achieves robust localization performance and fast task completion times -- significant for energy-limited aerial systems while avoiding close encounters with potential, counter-productive disturbances to wildlife. Our approach overcomes the technical and practical problems posed by combining a lightweight sensor with new concepts: i) planning to determine both trajectory and measurement actions guided by an information-theoretic objective, which allows the robot to strategically select near-instantaneous range-only measurements to achieve faster localization, and time-consuming sensor rotation actions to acquire bearing measurements and achieve robust tracking performance; ii) a bearing detector more robust to noise and iii) a tracking algorithm formulation robust to missed and false detections experienced in real-world conditions. We conducted extensive studies: simulations built upon complex signal propagation over high-resolution elevation data on diverse geographical terrains; field testing; studies with wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons; nocturnal, vulnerable species dwelling in underground warrens) and tracking comparisons with a highly experienced biologist to validate the effectiveness of our aerial robot and demonstrate the significant advantages over the manual method.Comment: 33 pages, 21 figure

Implementation of the Rural Development Programme of the Czech Republic

Import 05/08/2014Politika rozvoje venkova prostřednictvím Evropského zemědělského fondu rozvoje venkova přispívá ke zvyšování konkurenceschopnosti venkovského prostoru a atraktivity venkovských oblastí EU. Diplomová práce se zabývá problematikou implementace Programu rozvoje venkova v ČR v programovacím období 2007–2013. Cílem práce je zhodnotit realizaci Programu rozvoje venkova v letech 2007–2013 na základě analýzy finančního a věcného pokroku. Z výsledků analýzy vyplývá, že k 31. 1. 2014 bylo vyčerpáno 81 % finanční alokace na Program a 92 % bylo smluvně potvrzeno příjemcům dotací. V letech 2007–2012 se realizovalo celkem 21 335 projektů v celkové hodnotě 1 032 710 tis. EUR v rámci projektových opatření, zejména v oblasti modernizace zemědělských podniků a obnovy vesnic a v případě nárokových opatření bylo podpořeno celkem 101 866 zemědělských subjektů. Značný pokrok byl zaznamenán k 31. 8. 2013, kdy bylo v rámci projektových opatření realizováno celkem 31 272 (1 579 mil. EUR) projektů a v rámci nárokových opatření bylo podpořeno 178 700 zemědělských podniků (1 631,8 mil. EUR).The Rural Development Policy through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development contributes to the growth of rural areas competitiveness and atractiveness of the EU countries. The diploma thesis deals with a problem of the implementation of Rural Development Programme for Czech Republic in the period 2007 to 2013. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the realization of the Programme using the analysis of the financial and factual progress in years 2007–2013. The analysis shows that 81 % of the financial allocation was withdrawn by 31st January 2014 and 92 % was agreeted to be given to the recievers of the dotation. In the years 2007–2012 overall 21 335 projects were realized in amount of 1 032 710 thousand Euros in total. All together 101 866 agricultural subjects were supported within the project arrangements, especially those in the sphere of the modernization of the agricultural companies, revitalization of villages and claimed arrangements. Considerable progress was visible by 31st of August 2013, when 31 272 (1 579 ml. Euros) projects were realized within of the project arrangements and 178 700 agricultural subjects (1 631, 8 ml. Euros) were supported in the claimed arrangements.120 - Katedra evropské integracevýborn

Energy Status Differentially Modifies Feeding Behavior and POMCARC Neuron Activity After Acute Treadmill Exercise in Untrained Mice

Emerging evidence identifies a potent role for aerobic exercise to modulate activity of neurons involved in regulating appetite; however, these studies produce conflicting results. These discrepancies may be, in part, due to methodological differences, including differences in exercise intensity and pre-exercise energy status. Consequently, the current study utilized a translational, well-controlled, within-subject, treadmill exercise protocol to investigate the differential effects of energy status and exercise intensity on post-exercise feeding behavior and appetite-controlling neurons in the hypothalamus. Mature, untrained male mice were exposed to acute sedentary, low (10m/min), moderate (14m/min), and high (18m/min) intensity treadmill exercise in a randomized crossover design. Fed and 10-hour-fasted mice were used, and food intake was monitored 48h. post-exercise. Immunohistochemical detection of cFOS was performed 1-hour post-exercise to determine changes in hypothalamic NPY/AgRP, POMC, tyrosine hydroxylase, and SIM1-expressing neuron activity concurrent with changes in food intake. Additionally, stains for pSTAT3tyr705 and pERKthr202/tyr204 were performed to detect exercise-mediated changes in intracellular signaling. Results demonstrated that fasted high intensity exercise suppressed food intake compared to sedentary trials, which was concurrent with increased anorexigenic POMC neuron activity. Conversely, fed mice experienced augmented post-exercise food intake, with no effects on POMC neuron activity. Regardless of pre-exercise energy status, tyrosine hydroxylase and SIM1 neuron activity in the paraventricular nucleus was elevated, as well as NPY/AgRP neuron activity in the arcuate nucleus. Notably, these neuronal changes were independent from changes in pSTAT3tyr705 and pERKthr202/tyr204 signaling. Overall, these results suggest fasted high intensity exercise may be beneficial for suppressing food intake, possibly due to hypothalamic POMC neuron excitation. Furthermore, this study identifies a novel role for pre-exercise energy status to differentially modify post-exercise feeding behavior and hypothalamic neuron activity, which may explain the inconsistent results from studies investigating exercise as a weight loss intervention

Cyclic peptide-poly(HPMA) nanotubes as drug delivery vectors : in vitro assessment, pharmacokinetics and biodistribution

Size and shape have progressively appeared as some of the key factors influencing the properties of nanosized drug delivery systems. In particular, elongated materials are thought to interact differently with cells and therefore may allow alterations of in vivo fate without changes in chemical composition. A challenge, however, remains the creation of stable self-assembled materials with anisotropic shape for delivery applications that still feature the ability to disassemble, avoiding organ accumulation and facilitating clearance from the system. In this context, we report on cyclic peptide-polymer conjugates that self-assemble into supramolecular nanotubes, as confirmed by SANS and SLS. Their behaviour ex and in vivo was studied: the nanostructures are non-toxic up to a concentration of 0.5 g L and cell uptake studies revealed that the pathway of entry was energy-dependent. Pharmacokinetic studies following intravenous injection of the peptide-polymer conjugates and a control polymer to rats showed that the larger size of the nanotubes formed by the conjugates reduced renal clearance and elongated systemic circulation. Importantly, the ability to slowly disassemble into small units allowed effective clearance of the conjugates and reduced organ accumulation, making these materials interesting candidates in the search for effective drug carriers

Neuraminidase Inhibitor Susceptibility Testing in Human Influenza Viruses: A Laboratory Surveillance Perspective

Neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) are vital in managing seasonal and pandemic influenza infections. NAI susceptibilities of virus isolates (n = 5540) collected during the 2008–2009 influenza season were assessed in the chemiluminescent neuraminidase inhibition (NI) assay. Box-and-whisker plot analyses of log-transformed IC50s were performed for each virus type/subtype and NAI to identify outliers which were characterized based on a statistical cutoff of IC50 >3 interquartile ranges (IQR) from the 75th percentile. Among 1533 seasonal H1N1 viruses tested, 1431 (93.3%) were outliers for oseltamivir; they all harbored the H275Y mutation in the neuraminidase (NA) and were reported as oseltamivir-resistant. Only 15 (0.7%) of pandemic 2009 H1N1 viruses tested (n = 2259) were resistant to oseltamivir. All influenza A(H3N2) (n = 834) and B (n = 914) viruses were sensitive to oseltamivir, except for one A(H3N2) and one B virus, with D151V and D197E (D198E in N2 numbering) mutations in the NA, respectively. All viruses tested were sensitive to zanamivir, except for six seasonal A(H1N1) and several A(H3N2) outliers (n = 22) which exhibited cell culture induced mutations at residue D151 of the NA. A subset of viruses (n = 1058) tested for peramivir were sensitive to the drug, with exception of H275Y variants that exhibited reduced susceptibility to this NAI. This study summarizes baseline susceptibility patterns of seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses, and seeks to contribute towards criteria for defining NAI resistance

The influence of membrane physical properties on microvesicle release in human erythrocytes

Exposure of human erythrocytes to elevated intracellular calcium causes fragments of the cell membrane to be shed as microvesicles. This study tested the hypothesis that microvesicle release depends on microscopic membrane physical properties such as lipid order, fluidity, and composition. Membrane properties were manipulated by varying the experimental temperature, membrane cholesterol content, and the activity of the trans-membrane phospholipid transporter, scramblase. Microvesicle release was enhanced by increasing the experimental temperature. Reduction in membrane cholesterol content by treatment with methyl-β-cyclodextrin also facilitated vesicle shedding. Inhibition of scramblase with R5421 impaired vesicle release. These data were interpreted in the context of membrane characteristics assessed previously by fluorescence spectroscopy with environment-sensitive probes such as laurdan, diphenylhexatriene, and merocyanine 540. The observations supported the following conclusions: 1) calcium-induced microvesicle shedding in erythrocytes relates more to membrane properties detected by diphenylhexatriene than by the other probes; 2) loss of trans-membrane phospholipid asymmetry is required for microvesicle release