Challenges in Offshore Outsourcing Relationship Management – A Peruvian Perspective

In this paper, we examine challenges related with offshore outsourcing to Peru and their effect on relationship quality and outsourcing success. In three case studies, we interviewed clients and providers about their experiences with software development outsourcing from Anglo-American countries (U.S., Canada, Scotland) to Peru. We identified particular challenges which have at least a minor negative impact on relationship quality and outsourcing success, however, are manageable – the related management actions were extracted from the cases, as well. We argue that Peru becomes an interesting player in the global offshoring market and which particularities practitioners should be aware of when considering outsourcing to Peru

In-medium omega-meson broadening and S-wave pion annihilation into e^+e^- pairs

An $\omega$-meson in motion with respect to a nuclear medium can couple to a $\sigma$-meson through a particle-hole excitation. This coupling is large. We investigate its consequences for the width of $\omega$-mesons in matter and for the s-wave annihilation of pions into lepton pairs which can take place in relativistic heavy ion collisions. We find that the two pion decay of $\omega$-mesons, resulting from the $\omega-\sigma$ transition and the subsequent $2\pi$ decay of the $\sigma$-meson, leads to a substantial broadening of $\omega$-mesons in matter and possibly to an observable effect in experiments measuring the $e^+e^-$ decay of vector mesons produced in nuclei and in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The inverse process, the s-wave annihilation of pions into $\omega$-mesons decaying into $e^+e^-$ pairs, has in general a much smaller cross section than the corresponding p-wave annihilation through $\rho$-mesons and is expected to contribute rather little to the total $e^+e^-$ pair production in relativistic heavy ion collisions.Comment: 18 pages Latex, 5 figures, final version to appear in Nucl. Phys. A. (Section 4 is rewritten and few references are added

Der Quotient aus Lungen- und Ganzkörpervolumen als Prognoseparameter für die Entwicklung einer chronischen Lungenerkrankung bei Feten mit angeborener Zwerchfellhernie

Das Krankheitsbild der kongenitalen Zwerchfellhernie (CDH) zeichnet sich durch einen angeborenen Defekt im Zwerchfell aus, welcher eine Hernierung von Abdominalorganen nach intrathorakal bedingt. Das Ausmaß der resultierenden Lungenhypoplasie ist bei isoliertem Krankheitsbild neben der sich konsekutiv entwickelnden pulmonalen Hypertonie maßgeblicher Prognosefaktor für Überleben und klinischen Verlauf der Patienten. Es existieren hinsichtlich Mortalität und dem Bedarf einer extrakorporalen Membranoxygenierung (ECMO) verschiedene bildgebungsbasierte fetale Prognoseparameter, die sich meist einer Quantifizierung der Lungenhypoplasie, also der beispielsweise mittels MR-Volumetrie ermittelten Lungengröße, bedienen. Hier sind vor allem das relative fetale Lungenvolumen (rFLV), berechnet aus dem absoluten FLV in Relation zum erwarteten FLV eines bezüglich Gestationsalter vergleichbaren Normalkollektivs, und der Quotient aus FLV und FBV (fetales Ganzkörpervolumen) als valide Beispiele zu nennen. Letzterer dient der individuellen Prognoseabschätzung, da die Notwendigkeit der Normierung auf eine Kontrollgruppe entfällt und macht so auch für Feten mit einer Wachstumskurve außerhalb der Norm eine präzisere prognostische Aussage möglich. Hinsichtlich der Morbidität sind vor allem pulmonale Folgeerkrankungen, in bis zu 50% die Entwicklung einer CLD, von Bedeutung. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die prognostische Wertigkeit des individuellen MRT-basierten Quotienten aus FLV und FBV im Hinblick auf die Entwicklung einer CLD untersucht. Von insgesamt 157 Feten, deren fetales Lungen- und Ganzkörpervolumen durch fetale MRT-Diagnostik mit Volumetrie ermittelt wurde, um anschließend den individuellen FLV/FBV-Quotienten zu berechnen, überlebten 132 Kinder, bei denen eine Evaluation hinsichtlich der Entwicklung einer CLD erfolgte. Diese ist definiert als kontinuierlicher Sauerstoffbedarf des Neonaten an Lebenstag 28; eine Graduierung der CLD in die Subgruppen mild, moderat und schwer erfolgte anhand der benötigten Sauerstoffkonzentration an Lebenstag 56. Mittels logistischer Regressionsanalyse wurde die Wahrscheinlichkeit der postnatalen Entwicklung und Graduierung einer CLD in Abhängigkeit vom Quotienten sowie vom rFLV zum Vergleich errechnet. Zusätzlich erfolgte die Beurteilung der prognostischen Wertigkeit durch Berechnung der ROC-Kurven (receiver operater characteristic) und AUC-Werte (area under the curve). 46,2% (61/132) der eingeschlossenen Feten entwickelten eine CLD und wiesen einen signifikant erniedrigten Quotienten FLV/FBV auf (p=0,0008, AUC 0,743) als die Feten, die postnatal keine CLD entwickelten. Die Entwicklung einer CLD korrelierte darüberhinaus signifikant mit dem Vorhandensein intrathorakaler Leberanteile (p<0,0001) sowie mit den perinatalen Parametern niedriges Gestationsalter (p=0,0052) und ECMO-Bedarf (p<0,0001). In der vorliegenden Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass der Quotient aus FLV und FBV ein hochwertiger prognostischer Parameter zur Vorhersage der Entwicklung einer CLD bei Feten mit isolierter CDH ist. Er weist eine vergleichbare prognostische Wertigkeit wie das rFLV auf, ermöglicht jedoch eine individuelle Prognoseabschätzung und kann so frühe therapeutische Entscheidungen unterstützen. Die prognostische Wertigkeit kann durch Berücksichtigung der perinatalen Parameter ECMO-Bedarf und Gestationsalter bei Geburt zusätzlich verbessert werden

Effects of a salsa dance training on balance and strength performance in older adults

Deficits in static and particularly dynamic postural control and force production have frequently been associated with an increased risk of falling in older adults.; The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of salsa dancing on measures of static/dynamic postural control and leg extensor power in seniors.; Twenty-eight healthy older adults were randomly assigned to an intervention group (INT, n = 14, age 71.6 ± 5.3 years) to conduct an 8-week progressive salsa dancing programme or a control group (CON, n = 14, age 68.9 ± 4.7 years). Static postural control was measured during one-legged stance on a balance platform and dynamic postural control was obtained while walking on an instrumented walkway. Leg extensor power was assessed during a countermovement jump on a force plate.; Programme compliance was excellent with participants of the INT group completing 92.5% of the dancing sessions. A tendency towards an improvement in the selected measures of static postural control was observed in the INT group as compared to the CON group. Significant group × test interactions were found for stride velocity, length and time. Post hoc analyses revealed significant increases in stride velocity and length, and concomitant decreases in stride time. However, salsa dancing did not have significant effects on various measures of gait variability and leg extensor power.; Salsa proved to be a safe and feasible exercise programme for older adults accompanied with a high adherence rate. Age-related deficits in measures of static and particularly dynamic postural control can be mitigated by salsa dancing in older adults. High physical activity and fitness/mobility levels of our participants could be responsible for the nonsignificant findings in gait variability and leg extensor power

Photoproduction of vector mesons off nucleons near threshold

We propose a simple meson-exchange model of the photoproduction of $\rho$- and $\omega$-mesons off protons near threshold ($E_\gamma$ less than 2 GeV). This model provides a good description of the available data and implies a large $\rho$-nucleon interaction in the scalar channel ($\sigma$-exchange). We use this phenomenological interaction to estimate the leading contribution to the self-energy of $\rho$-mesons in matter. The implications of our calculation for experimental studies of the $\rho$-meson mass in nuclei are discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 11 Postscript figures, uses elsart.sty, epsfig.sty, to appear in Nucl. Phys.

Systemic immunosuppression depletes peripheral blood regulatory B cells in patients with immune thrombocytopenia

Regulatory B (Breg) cells are potentially implicated in the pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). We analysed a prospective cohort of newly diagnosed steroid naïve ITP patients enrolled in the multicentre FLIGHT trial and found that the numbers of Bregs in their peripheral blood were similar to healthy controls. In contrast, Breg numbers were significantly reduced in ITP patients treated with systemic immunosuppression (glucocorticoids or mycophenolate mofetil). We also demonstrate that glucocorticoid treatment impairs Breg interleukin-10 production via an indirect T-cell-mediated mechanism

Identification of a Spike-Specific CD8⁺ T-Cell Epitope Following Vaccination Against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in Humans

Licensed vaccines against the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), an emerging pathogen of concern, are lacking. The modified vaccinia virus Ankara vector-based vaccine MVA-MERS-S, expressing the MERS-CoV-spike glycoprotein (MERS-S), is one of 3 candidate vaccines in clinical development and elicits robust humoral and cellular immunity. Here, we identified for the first time a MERS-S-specific CD8+ T-cell epitope in an HLA-A∗03:01/HLA-B∗35:01-positive vaccinee using a screening assay, intracellular cytokine staining, and in silico epitope prediction. As evidence from MERS-CoV infection suggests a protective role of long-lasting CD8+ T-cell responses, the identification of epitopes will facilitate longitudinal analyses of vaccine-induced T-cell immunity.</p

Effects of total sleep deprivation on performance in a manual spacecraft docking task

Sleep deprivation and circadian rhythm disruptions are highly prevalent in shift workers, and also among astronauts. Resulting sleepiness can reduce cognitive performance, lead to catastrophic occupational events, and jeopardize space missions. We investigated whether 24 hours of total sleep deprivation would affect performance not only in the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), but also in a complex operational task, i.e. simulated manual spacecraft docking. Sixty-two healthy participants completed the manual docking simulation 6df and the PVT once after a night of total sleep deprivation and once after eight hours of scheduled sleep in a counterbalanced order. We assessed the impact of sleep deprivation on docking as well as PVT performance and investigated if sustained attention is an essential component of operational performance after sleep loss. The results showed that docking accuracy decreased significantly after sleep deprivation in comparison to the control condition, but only at difficult task levels. PVT performance deteriorated under sleep deprivation. Participants with larger impairments in PVT response speed after sleep deprivation also showed larger impairments in docking accuracy. In conclusion, sleep deprivation led to impaired 6df performance, which was partly explained by impairments in sustained attention. Elevated motivation levels due to the novelty and attractiveness of the task may have helped participants to compensate for the effects of sleepiness at easier task levels. Continued testing of manual docking skills could be a useful tool both to detect sleep loss-related impairments and assess astronauts’ readiness for duty during long-duration missions

Visual Attention Relates to Operator Performance in Spacecraft Docking Training

BACKGROUND: Manually controlled docking of a spacecraft to a space station is an operational task that poses high demands on cognitive and perceptual functioning. Effective processing of visual information is crucial for success. Eye tracking can reveal the operator’s attentional focus unobtrusively and objectively. Therefore, our aim was to test the feasibility of eye tracking during a simulation of manual docking and to identify links between visual information processing and performance. METHODS: We hypothesized that duration and number of gazes to specific regions of interest of the simulation (total dwell time and number of dwells) would be associated with docking accuracy. Eye movements were recorded in 10 subjects (30% women, M = 33.4 yr old) during the 6° head-down tilt bed rest study AGBRESA during 20 training sessions with the 6df learning program for spacecraft docking. RESULTS: Subjects’ gaze was directed most frequently and longest to the vizor (185 dwells and 22,355 ms per task) followed by the two instrument displays (together 75 dwells and 4048 ms per task). We observed a significant positive relationship between number and duration of visual checks of speed and distance to the docking point and the accuracy of the docking maneuver. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, eye tracking provides valuable information related to docking accuracy that might prospectively offer the opportunity to improve docking training effectiveness