IT service management for campus environment - practical concerns in implementation

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Adoption of business continuity planning processes in IT service management

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Ultrasound speckle noise reduction by radio-frequency data filtering

Ultrasound is a commonly used imaging modality for the examination of several pathologies due to its non-invasiveness, affordability and easiness of use. However, ultrasound images are degraded by an intrinsic artefact called 'speckle', which is the result of the constructive and destructive coherent summation of the ultrasound echoes. This paper aims to generate B-mode images out of radio-frequency (RF) data following standard procedures, a series of steps such as envelope detection, log-compression and scan conversion. Some low pass filters will be applied to RF data in order to achieve B-mode images with high quality by speckle noise reduction.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antibacterial Potential of Cashew Apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) Juice Against Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans

The aim of the present study was to determine antibacterial potential of cashew apple juice against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. Agar well diffusion assay was employed to screen the antibacterial efficacy of the condensed cashew apple juice. Clinical isolates of S. aureus were more susceptible than that of S. mutans isolates. It is  concluded that cashew apple juice contain antibacterial principles having  potential to inhibit human pathogens. Further studies are under progress to isolate bioactive components and determine their antibacterial activity

The human initiator is a distinct and abundant element that is precisely positioned in focused core promoters.

DNA sequence signals in the core promoter, such as the initiator (Inr), direct transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II. Here we show that the human Inr has the consensus of BBCA+1BW at focused promoters in which transcription initiates at a single site or a narrow cluster of sites. The analysis of 7678 focused transcription start sites revealed 40% with a perfect match to the Inr and 16% with a single mismatch outside of the CA+1 core. TATA-like sequences are underrepresented in Inr promoters. This consensus is a key component of the DNA sequence rules that specify transcription initiation in humans

Spike propagation through the dorsal root ganglia in an unmyelinated sensory neuron: a modeling study

Unmyelinated C-fibers are a major type of sensory neurons conveying pain information. Action potential conduction is regulated by the bifurcation (T-junction) of sensory neuron axons within the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Understanding how C-fiber signaling is influenced by the morphology of the T-junction and the local expression of ion channels is important for understanding pain signaling. In this study we used biophysical computer modeling to investigate the influence of axon morphology within the DRG and various membrane conductances on the reliability of spike propagation. As expected, calculated input impedance and the amplitude of propagating action potentials were both lowest at the T-junction. Propagation reliability for single spikes was highly sensitive to the diameter of the stem axon and the density of voltage-gated Na+ channels. A model containing only fast voltage-gated Na+ and delayed-rectifier K+ channels conducted trains of spikes up to frequencies of 110 Hz. The addition of slowly activating KCNQ channels (i.e., KV7 or M-channels) to the model reduced the following frequency to 30 Hz. Hyperpolarization produced by addition of a much slower conductance, such as a Ca²+-dependent K+ current, was needed to reduce the following frequency to 6 Hz. Attenuation of driving force due to ion accumulation or hyperpolarization produced by a Na+-K+ pump had no effect on following frequency but could influence the reliability of spike propagation mutually with the voltage shift generated by a Ca²+-dependent K+ current. These simulations suggest how specific ion channels within the DRG may contribute toward therapeutic treatments for chronic pain

Distributed local energy: Assessing the determinants of domestic-scale solar photovoltaic uptake at the local level across England and Wales

This is the final version. Available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record. Data availability: Data will be made available on request.The withdrawal of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) by the UK Government at the end of March 2019, which rewarded low carbon electricity generators with subsidy payments, has led to doubts over the future of small-scale generation in the country's energy system. This study contributes to navigating this post-subsidy uncertainty by identifying the factors associated with the uptake of a domestic-scale technology, solar photovoltaics (PV), in England and Wales, and exploring its spatial distribution. It uses FiT installation data from Ofgem, available at a fine-grained spatial resolution for the period April 2010–September 2019, to test the effect of social, housing, political, energy and environmental factors. It is shown that population demographics, housing density, size, type and tenure, and energy consumption practices are important factors influencing the uptake of domestic PV at the local level. The South West and East of England are identified as regions of unexpectedly high uptake, controlling for the other factors. This is, at the time of writing, the first attempt to model PV uptake at a fine-grained spatial level across England and Wales.Economic and Social Research Counci

Using keystroke logging to understand writers’ processes on a reading-into-writing test

Background Integrated reading-into-writing tasks are increasingly used in large-scale language proficiency tests. Such tasks are said to possess higher authenticity as they reflect real-life writing conditions better than independent, writing-only tasks. However, to effectively define the reading-into-writing construct, more empirical evidence regarding how writers compose from sources both in real-life and under test conditions is urgently needed. Most previous process studies used think aloud or questionnaire to collect evidence. These methods rely on participants’ perceptions of their processes, as well as their ability to report them. Findings This paper reports on a small-scale experimental study to explore writers’ processes on a reading-into-writing test by employing keystroke logging. Two L2 postgraduates completed an argumentative essay on computer. Their text production processes were captured by a keystroke logging programme. Students were also interviewed to provide additional information. Keystroke logging like most computing tools provides a range of measures. The study examined the students’ reading-into-writing processes by analysing a selection of the keystroke logging measures in conjunction with students’ final texts and interview protocols. Conclusions The results suggest that the nature of the writers’ reading-into-writing processes might have a major influence on the writer’s final performance. Recommendations for future process studies are provided

Desenvolvimento de estrutura de Kartcross

A estrutura de um kartcross é um dos elementos com maior importância neste tipo de veículos, pois para além de agregar e suportar os restantes componentes, é o componente que permite a proteção do ocupante do veículo. Nesta tese foi concebida uma estrutura para um veículo kartcross, de acordo com o regulamento da Federação Internacional do Automóvel (FIA). Foram tidos em consideração os principais requisitos regulamentares para o desenvolvimento de uma estrutura homologável. Foi efetuado um estudo de simulação estrutural por elementos finitos, para avaliar o seu desempenho mecânico e verificar se a estrutura cumpre com os requisitos de segurança, em particular a célula de sobrevivência, de acordo com as condições definidas no regulamento da FIA. Foi também efetuado um estudo simplificado de otimização estrutural com vista a melhorar o seu desempenho no que respeita à resistência e à rigidez à torção.The structure of a kartcross is one of the most important elements in this type of vehicle, because besides adding and supporting the other components, it is the component that allows the protection of the occupant of the vehicle. In this thesis a structure for a kartcross vehicle was conceived, according to the regulation of the International Automobile Federation (FIA). The main regulatory requirements for the development of an approvable have been taken into account. A finite element structural simulation study was carried out to assess its mechanical performance and to verify that it meets the safety conditions of the survival cell according to the conditions defined in the FIA regulation. A simplified structural optimization study has also been carried out to improve its performance, in particular with regard to strength and torsional stiffness.