The migration of Ascaris suum larvae, and the associated pulmonary inflammatory response in susceptible C57BL/6j and resistant CBA/Ca mice

Ascariasis is an important infection in humans (Ascaris lumbricoides) and pigs (Ascaris suum) and individuals appear to be predisposed to either heavy or light worm burdens. These extremes of susceptibility and resistance are represented in a mouse model by 2 strains of mice, CBA mice showing high resistance to infection and C57BL/6 which are highly susceptible, as reflected in worm burdens in the lungs 6–7 days after infection. In an attempt to identify the point at which the difference between these 2 strains is first manifested, we quantified worm burdens at key stages during infection leading up to the pulmonary stage of development. Thus mice were inoculated with fully embryonated A. suum eggs and larval burdens were enumerated in the large intestine and rectum, liver and lungs of the 2 strains at 6 h post-inoculation (p.i.) and on each of days 1–8 p.i. inclusively. A higher percentage of the total inoculum was recovered from the intestine/rectum of C57BL/6j mice in contrast to CBA/Ca mice at 6 h p.i. Larvae were recovered from the intestinal contents and also whilst actively migrating through the large intestinal wall. The number of larvae recovered was significantly reduced in CBA/Ca mice in contrast to C57BL/6j mice between the phase of migration from the liver and arrival in the lungs. The combined results of the inoculation of mice with corticosteroids and the examination of the change in profile and number of leukocytes present in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid suggested that the pulmonary inflammatory immune response was not prominently involved in primary protection of mice to A. suum infection in the latter days of infection in the lungs. The susceptible C57BL/6j mice produced a BAL response almost twice as intense as that of resistant CBA/Ca mice with stronger neutrophil, lymphocyte and eosinophil but not macrophage components, suggesting that the difference in worm burdens between the strains was generated earlier in the course of infection. These results were further corroborated by a histological examination of the lung tissues which showed that the passage of the larval stages of A. suum through the mouse lungs was associated with a marked inflammatory response in both strains. Again, C57BL/6j mice exhibited increased inflammation relative to CBA/Ca mice. Hence some hepatic/post-hepatic factor that varies between the 2 strains, but exerts its effect before the lung phase plays a critical role in determining the success of larvae through the host tissues. The possible sites of this host defence are reviewed

Muscle metabolic response to track exercise in Standardbred trotters

This study was undertaken to investigate if measurement of plasma lactate concentration and certain muscle characteristics following a track test can provide important information about a horse's performance capacity. In Standardbred trotters, marked individual differences are evident in plasma lactate concentration and muscle metabolic responses to maximal and submaximal work performed on a race-course. A negative correlation was found between plasma lactate concentration to a submaximal test, and the horse's maximal trotting speed over 1600 m, and a more marked anaerobic glycolysis and ATP breakdown during maximal exercise, than had slower horses.Inverse correlations were found between stance time and both plasma lactate and percentage oftype IIB fibres, indicating that locomotion pattern may be partly dependent on both fibre type composition and metabolic profile in muscle. Neither fibre type composition, enzyme activities, nor plasma lactate or ammonia concentration after a race showed any correlation with performance potential, expressed as individual performance index (DPI).The results of this study also show that adenine nucleotide breakdown in muscle is of great importance for energy release during racing and that ATP and IMP concentrations can vary markedly among individual fibres after a race. Thus, metabolite determinations in whole muscle must be evaluated with caution as they are no more than mean values for metabolic response in different fibres during racing.​​​​​​​Tactical driving is important in racing; running against time in a track test or an exercise test on a treadmill is therefore more standardized than racing proper. It is evident that measurement ofplasma lactate and certain muscle characteristics after a standardized track test in 2-year-old Standardbred trotters can provide important information about a horse’s performance capacity. This type of information can be useful for trainers when subjecting a young horse to more individual training. However, further research is required before specific, detailed recommendations can be made regarding optimal training methods

Analysis and Improvement of Automated Test Cases

The purpose of this thesis is to provide an overview of the automated test procedures and environment in general, and in particular as they relate to the Common Service Interface (CSI) of the Carescape series patient monitors manufactured by GE HealthCare. It also demonstrates the process of executing and creating Automated Test Cases (ATC) with the Robot Framework test automation framework and Selenium library. Additionally, it aims to provide improvement suggestions for existing automated test cases based on analysis and consultation with verification engineering colleagues, with the intention of creating maintainable, and more consistent ATCs

Driven by a Stranger : UberPOP and the Creation of Peer-to-Peer Trust

During the last couple of years, the global taxi industry has been somewhat overwhelmed as well-established taxi companies all over the world currently are experiencing severe competition from a new actor on the market. This company is named Uber and was founded in San Francisco in 2009. After only being around for six years, Uber is currently operating in 55 countries and over 200 cities worldwide and has an estimated worth of 40 billion USD without owning a single vehicle. However, the thing that has drawn the most attention to Uber is that the company also offers a an additional super-low cost service called “UberPOP”. This service lets ‘regular people’, without taxi licenses operate as ‘taxi drivers’ and pick up passengers via the company’s app in their own cars and wearing their own clothes with neither a taxi registration plate nor any taxi stickers on the car. UberPOP works on the premise that anyone can apply on its website to become a driver, without having to undergo any formal taxi driver’s education or possess a taxi license. Uber simply demands that the person has to be at least 21 years old, do not have a criminal record, have an insured 4-door vehicle that cannot be older than five years, and a driver’s license. UberPOP is an example of a phenomenon called “peer-to-peer”, which means that private individuals can connect and conduct business with each other via a digital platform such as a website or a mobile application. A peer-to-peer system is a sort of online “consumer-to-consumer” network where regular people can do business with each other. Peer-to-peer is a direct contrast to business-to-consumer networks when people purchase services and goods from a company.   When engaging in commerce via a “traditional” peer-to-peer system that connects people online, one quickly realizes that there is an importance for consumers to be able to trust each other. Current research states that trust between customers becomes highly important in online peer-to-peer systems as the technique is characterized by a very high level of anonymity and low levels of scrutiny, due to the fact that the peers never meet in person (Yu et al, 2004; Scharf, 2011). Uber has in a highly innovative way managed transfer this online phenomenon in the establishment of UberPOP. However, with the most vital difference that the peers in the case of UberPOP, actually meet each other in a physical setting when the passenger enters an unknown person’s car. The simple fact that the peers in UberPOP’s peer-to-peer system physically encounter with each other face-to-face is a significant element that has not yet been covered in previous research on peer-to- peer trust.

Driven by a Stranger : UberPOP and the Creation of Peer-to-Peer Trust

During the last couple of years, the global taxi industry has been somewhat overwhelmed as well-established taxi companies all over the world currently are experiencing severe competition from a new actor on the market. This company is named Uber and was founded in San Francisco in 2009. After only being around for six years, Uber is currently operating in 55 countries and over 200 cities worldwide and has an estimated worth of 40 billion USD without owning a single vehicle. However, the thing that has drawn the most attention to Uber is that the company also offers a an additional super-low cost service called “UberPOP”. This service lets ‘regular people’, without taxi licenses operate as ‘taxi drivers’ and pick up passengers via the company’s app in their own cars and wearing their own clothes with neither a taxi registration plate nor any taxi stickers on the car. UberPOP works on the premise that anyone can apply on its website to become a driver, without having to undergo any formal taxi driver’s education or possess a taxi license. Uber simply demands that the person has to be at least 21 years old, do not have a criminal record, have an insured 4-door vehicle that cannot be older than five years, and a driver’s license. UberPOP is an example of a phenomenon called “peer-to-peer”, which means that private individuals can connect and conduct business with each other via a digital platform such as a website or a mobile application. A peer-to-peer system is a sort of online “consumer-to-consumer” network where regular people can do business with each other. Peer-to-peer is a direct contrast to business-to-consumer networks when people purchase services and goods from a company.   When engaging in commerce via a “traditional” peer-to-peer system that connects people online, one quickly realizes that there is an importance for consumers to be able to trust each other. Current research states that trust between customers becomes highly important in online peer-to-peer systems as the technique is characterized by a very high level of anonymity and low levels of scrutiny, due to the fact that the peers never meet in person (Yu et al, 2004; Scharf, 2011). Uber has in a highly innovative way managed transfer this online phenomenon in the establishment of UberPOP. However, with the most vital difference that the peers in the case of UberPOP, actually meet each other in a physical setting when the passenger enters an unknown person’s car. The simple fact that the peers in UberPOP’s peer-to-peer system physically encounter with each other face-to-face is a significant element that has not yet been covered in previous research on peer-to- peer trust.