Adaptive use of task assignment models in team-based mobile business processes

Most mobile business processes are executed under uncertain and dynamic working environments. This makes the traditional centralized approach for the management of mobile tasks inappropriate to respond to the changes in working environment quickly as collecting the changing information from geographically distributed workforces in real time is expensive if not impossible. This raises the need of a distributed approach in the management of mobile tasks. This paper proposes a distributed architecture for team-based coordination support for mobile task management. In this architecture, tasks are managed via peer-to-peer style coordination between team members who have better understanding on the changing working environment than a centralised system. The novelty of the design of the architecture is explained by applying it to a real business process in the UK

Hydrothermal synthesis of α-MnO<inf>2</inf> and β-MnO <inf>2</inf> nanorods as high capacity cathode materials for sodium ion batteries

Two types of MnO2 polymorphs, α-MnO2 and β-MnO2 nanorods, have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Their crystallographic phases, morphologies, and crystal structures were characterized by XRD, FESEM and TEM analysis. Different exposed crystal planes have been identified by TEM. The electrochemical properties of α-MnO 2 and β-MnO2 nanorods as cathode materials in Na-ion batteries were evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge testing. Both α-MnO2 and β-MnO2 nanorods achieved high initial sodium ion storage capacities of 278 mA h g-1 and 298 mA h g-1, respectively. β-MnO2 nanorods exhibited a better electrochemical performance such as good rate capability and cyclability than that of α-MnO2 nanorods, which could be ascribed to a more compact tunnel structure of β-MnO2 nanorods. Furthermore, the one-dimensional architecture of nanorods could also contribute to facile sodium ion diffusion in the charge and discharge process. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013

SnO<inf>2</inf>@graphene nanocomposites as anode materials for Na-ion batteries with superior electrochemical performance

An in situ hydrothermal synthesis approach has been developed to prepare SnO2@graphene nanocomposites. The nanocomposites exhibited a high reversible sodium storage capacity of above 700 mA h g-1 and excellent cyclability for Na-ion batteries. In particular, they also demonstrated a good high rate capability for reversible sodium storage. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry

Hydrothermal synthesis of I?-MnO2 and I?-MnO2 nanorods as high capacity cathode materials for sodium ion batteries

Two types of MnO2 polymorphs, I?-MnO2 and I?-MnO2 nanorods, have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Their crystallographic phases, morphologies, and crystal structures were characterized by XRD, FESEM and TEM analysis. Different exposed crystal planes have been identified by TEM. The electrochemical properties of I?-MnO2 and I?-MnO2 nanorods as cathode materials in Na-ion batteries were evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge testing. Both I?-MnO2 and I?-MnO2 nanorods achieved high initial sodium ion storage capacities of 278 mA h ga??1 and 298 mA h ga??1, respectively. I?-MnO2 nanorods exhibited a better electrochemical performance such as good rate capability and cyclability than that of I?-MnO2 nanorods, which could be ascribed to a more compact tunnel structure of I?-MnO2 nanorods. Furthermore, the one-dimensional architecture of nanorods could also contribute to facile sodium ion diffusion in the charge and discharge process

High capacity cathode materials for Li-S batteries

To enhance the stability of sulfur cathode for a high energy lithium-sulfur battery, sulfur-activated carbon (S-AC) composite was prepared by encapsulating sulfur into micropores of activated carbon using a solution-based processing technique. In the analysis using the prepared specimen of S-AC composite by the focused ion beam (FIB) technique, the elemental sulfur exists in a highly dispersed state inside the micropores of activated carbon, which has a large surface area and a narrow pore distribution. The S-AC composite was characterized through X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). A lithium-sulfur cell using the S-AC composite has a high first discharge capacity over 800 mA h g -1 S even at a high current density such as 2C (3200 mA g -1 S) and has good cycleability around 500 mA h g-1 S discharge capacity at the 50th cycle at the same current density. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry

Effect of liquid spreading due to nano/microstructures on the critical heat flux during pool boiling

It is well known that nanoparticles deposited on a heating surface during nanofluid boiling can change the characteristics of the heating surface and increase the critical heat flux (CHF) dramatically. We considered a new approach to investigate the nanoparticle surface effect on CHF enhancement using surfaces modified with artificial micro/nanostructures similar to deposited nanoparticle structures. We examined the effect of the surface wettability and liquid spreading ability on the CHF. The results demonstrated that the CHF enhancement on the modified surfaces was a consequence of both the improved surface wettability and the liquid spreading ability of the artificial micro/nanostructures. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.open11102116Nsciescopu

JAK2V617F mediates resistance to DNA damage-induced apoptosis by modulating FOXO3A localization and Bcl-xL deamidation.

The JAK2V617F mutation is found in most patients with a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN). This gain-of-function mutation dysregulates cytokine signaling and is associated with increased accumulation of DNA damage, a process likely to drive disease evolution. JAK2V617F inhibits NHE-1 upregulation in response to DNA damage and consequently represses Bcl-xL deamidation and apoptosis, thus giving rise to inappropriate cell survival. However, the mechanism whereby NHE-1 expression is inhibited by JAK2V617F is unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells expressing JAK2V617F compromises the NHE-1/Bcl-xL deamidation pathway by repressing NHE-1 upregulation in response to DNA damage. In JAK2V617F-positive cells, increased ROS levels results from aberrant PI3K signaling, which decreases nuclear localization of FOXO3A and decreases catalase expression. Furthermore, when compared with autologous control erythroblasts, clonally derived JAK2V617F-positive erythroblasts from MPN patients displayed increased ROS levels and reduced nuclear FOXO3A. However, in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), FOXO3A is largely localized within the nuclei despite the presence of JAK2V617F mutation, suggesting that JAK2-FOXO signaling has a different effect on progenitors compared with stem cells. Inactivation of FOXO proteins and elevation of intracellular ROS are characteristics common to many cancers, and hence these findings are likely to be of relevance beyond the MPN field.Work in the Green lab is supported by Leukemia and Lymphoma Research, Cancer Research UK, the Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund, the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, the Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America. DGK was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Ottawa, ON), and a Lady Tata Memorial Trust International Award for Research in Leukaemia (London, UK). HJP was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Human Frontier Science Program.This is the accepted manuscript. The final version is available at http://www.nature.com/onc/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/onc2015285a.html

A rapid, efficient, and facile solution for dental hypersensitivity: The tannin–iron complex

Dental hypersensitivity due to exposure of dentinal tubules under the enamel layer to saliva is a very popular and highly elusive technology priority in dentistry. Blocking water flow within exposed dentinal tubules is a key principle for curing dental hypersensitivity. Some salts used in "at home" solutions remineralize the tubules inside by concentrating saliva ingredients. An "in-office" option of applying dense resin sealants on the tubule entrance has only localized effects on well-defined sore spots. We report a self-assembled film that was formed by facile, rapid (4 min), and efficient (approximately 0.5 g/L concentration) dip-coating of teeth in an aqueous solution containing a tannic acid-iron(III) complex. It quickly and effectively occluded the dentinal tubules of human teeth. It withstood intense tooth brushing and induced hydroxyapatite remineralisation within the dentinal tubules. This strategy holds great promise for future applications as an effective and user-friendly desensitizer for managing dental hypersensitivity.111310Ysciescopu

AROS Is a Significant Biomarker for Tumor Aggressiveness in Non-cirrhotic Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Despite a low risk of liver failure and preserved liver function, non-cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis. In the current study, we evaluated an active regulator of SIRT1 (AROS) as a prognostic biomarker in non-cirrhotic HCC. mRNA levels of AROS were measured in tumor and non-tumor tissues obtained from 283 non-cirrhotic HCC patients. AROS expression was exclusively up-regulated in recurrent tissues from the non-cirrhotic HCC patients (P = 0.015) and also in tumor tissues irrespective of tumor stage (P < 0.001) or BCLC stage (P < 0.001). High mRNA levels of AROS were statistically significantly associated with tumor stage (P < 0.001), BCLC stage (P = 0.007), alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level (P = 0.013), microvascular invasion (P = 0.001), tumor size (P = 0.036), and portal vein invasion (P = 0.005). Kaplan-Meir curve analysis demonstrated that HCC patients with higher AROS levels had shorter disease-free survival (DFS) in both the short-term (P < 0.001) and long-term (P = 0.005) compared to those with low AROS. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that AROS is a significant predictor for DFS along with large tumor size, tumor multiplicity, vascular invasion, and poor tumor differentiation, which are the known prognostic factors. In conclusion, AROS is a significant biomarker for tumor aggressiveness in non-cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma.1122Ysciescopu