IGFBP-5 as a biomarker of de-differentiation in hepatocytes

Describes IGFBP-5 as a biomarker of de-differentiation in hepatocytes presented at the 47th Congress of the European-Societies-of-Toxicolog

Visual processing of words in a patient with visual form agnosia: A behavioural and fMRI study

Patient D.F. has a profound and enduring visual form agnosia due to a carbon monoxide poisoning episode suffered in 1988. Her inability to distinguish simple geometric shapes or single alphanumeric characters can be attributed to a bilateral loss of cortical area LO, a loss that has been well established through structural and functional fMRI. Yet despite this severe perceptual deficit, D.F. is able to “guess” remarkably well the identity of whole words. This paradoxical finding, which we were able to replicate more than 20 years following her initial testing, raises the question as to whether D.F. has retained specialized brain circuitry for word recognition that is able to function to some degree without the benefit of inputs from area LO. We used fMRI to investigate this, and found regions in the left fusiform gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, and left middle temporal cortex that responded selectively to words. A group of healthy control subjects showed similar activations. The left fusiform activations appear to coincide with the area commonly named the visual word form area (VWFA) in studies of healthy individuals, and appear to be quite separate from the fusiform face area. We hypothesize that there is a route to this area that lies outside area LO, and which remains relatively unscathed in D.F

The Effect Of Buyer-seller Relationships On The Buyer\u27s Evaluation And Choice

Sellers of technology-based capital equipment are often required to participate in a competitive bidding process prior to the buyer\u27s final evaluation and choice. Factors such as the competing sellers\u27 relative prices and relative functional benefits are certainly important to the buyer. However, the relative quality of the competing sellers\u27 buyer-seller (B-S) relationships, both before and during the bidding process, may also play an important role. Therefore, the management problem addressed by this dissertation, stated from the seller\u27s perspective, is how to manage B-S relationships to favourably affect the buyer\u27s choice in competitive bid situations.;A research model comprising eight constructs and sixteen hypotheses is derived from three fundamental propositions: (1) the buyer\u27s Choice from the short list of competing sellers is determined by the buyer\u27s overall expectation of Relative Value; (2) the buyer\u27s expectation of Relative Value is derived from a tradeoff of a set of interdependent Relative Expectations of the products\u27 benefits and costs; and (3) the buyer\u27s Relative Expectations of benefits and costs are affected by relative perceptions of the quality of the sellers\u27 B-S Relationships.;Each construct in the research model is operationalized with a series of questionnaire items. Of particular importance, the three B-S relationship constructs are operationalized with questions regarding the sellers\u27 relational behaviours, i.e., Attention, Collaboration, Intensity, and Reliability. The questionnaires were completed by 106 buyers of private branch exchange (PBX) telecommunications equipment, and the data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) program and Discriminant Analysis. The results demonstrate the research model\u27s ability to predict over 88% of buyer Choice, and show strong statistical support for thirteen of the sixteen hypotheses.;In conclusion, the three fundamental propositions are validated: buyer Choice of seller is determined by the buyer\u27s expectation of Relative Value; which is in turn derived from Relative Expectations of the products\u27 benefits and costs; and which are in turn affected by relative perceptions of the quality of the sellers\u27 B-S Relationships. Furthermore, the quality of an effective B-S Relationship can be defined by a set of four relational behaviours. Application of these findings may help sellers to favourably affect the buyer\u27s Choice in bid situations

A Review of Funding and Financing Models for Infrastructure Corridor Megaprojects, and Implications for the Canadian Northern Corridor

The University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy (SPP) is co-ordinating a national research program examining the feasibility of a proposed nation-building multi-use infrastructure corridor megaproject called the Canadian Northern Corridor (CNC).The objectives of this research paper are to contribute to the SPP’s research program by conducting an examination of the financing and funding models employed in similar megaprojects elsewhere in the world, and to extract knowledge that would be useful to help complete the feasibility analysis

Oxidative stress via hydrogen peroxide and menadione does not induce the secretion of IGFBP-5 in primary rat hepatocytes

Conference abstract describing how oxidative stress via hydrogen peroxide and menadione does not induce the secretion of IGFBP-5 in primary rat hepatocytes. Presented at the 2010 annual congress of the british toxicology societ

Capturing cultural differences between UK and Malaysian drivers to inform the design of in-vehicle navigation systems

Attending to cultural diversity is important for products and technology intended for global placement, such as automobiles, yet many products (and associated interfaces) lack genuine cultural differentiation. For example, in-vehicle navigation systems are typically identical in form and function across world markets, differing only in the local language and map database. To capture and explore culturally-salient design factors, we utilised a scenario-based design methodology, involving 6 experienced drivers from the UK and Malaysia. Participants were asked to portray their ideal navigation system interface designs – by drawing pictograms and devising accompanying spoken messages – to direct drivers along 3 prescribed routes in the UK, Malaysia and Japan. Routes were presented using video and paper maps, with the order of presentation counterbalanced between groups; participants were not told in advance from which country each route was derived. Proposed designs highlight differences at a country level, which are consequently interpreted from a cultural perspective. For example, Malaysian drivers included a higher density of navigational elements in their designs, particularly in their home environment, compared to UK drivers. Malaysian drivers also created more incremental designs, particularly on the approach to a manoeuvre, suggesting a desire for greater navigational support at this point in the journey. Landmarks were consistently incorporated in designs, but differences were noted in cultural salience. Additionally, the phrasing of instructions (e.g. “go straight on”), nomenclature for road elements (e.g. ‘roundabout’) and distance declaration conventions (e.g. units) differed at a country level. The findings can be used to inform the design of culturally-attuned in-vehicle navigation systems

Stage dependent variability in tractive force distribution through a riffle–pool sequence

High resolution data on spatial and temporal variability in flow hydraulics and sediment transport within riffle–pool sequences are required to improve understanding of how fluvial processes maintain these meso-scale bedforms. This paper addresses this issue by providing Ž 3 y 1 . velocity and boundary shear stress data over a range of discharges from base flow 0.07 m s Ž 3 y 1 . to just over bankfull 8.52 m s , from a sequence of four pools and three riffles in the River w Rede, Northumberland. The data supports the reversal hypothesis of Keller Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. Ž. x 87 1971 753. as the primary explanation for the maintenance of the riffle–pool sequence, although they also indicate that spatial variability in tractive force is highly stage dependent and complex. Section-averaged velocity data indicate reversal to be evident at four out of six riffle–pool units. An equalisation in velocity was found for the other two riffle–pool units close to bankfull stage. The spatial patterns of tractive force exhibited in the study reach as a result of increased discharge demonstrate that riffle–pool units operate independently of one another. Shear stress reversals were observed in individual riffle–pool units at different river stages during a flood hydrograph, and in some instances, two occurred in the same riffle–pool unit during a single flow event. Pools were characterised by coarser bed sediments and narrower channel widths in comparison to riffles, increasing the likelihood of tractive force reversal in the River Rede. Areas of predicted bed sediment entrainment obtained from t y t , matched observed channel changes oc in the upper part of the study reach, but over-estimated change in the middle portion of the reach

Enhancing environmental engagement with natural language interfaces for in-vehicle navigation systems

Four on-road studies were conducted in the Clifton area of Nottingham, UK, aiming to explore the relationships between driver workload and environmental engagement associated with ‘active’ and ‘passive’ navigation systems. In a between-subjects design, a total of 61 experienced drivers completed two experimental drives comprising the same three routes (with overlapping sections), staged one week apart. Drivers were provided with the navigational support of a commercially-available navigation device (‘satnav’), an informed passenger (a stranger with expert route knowledge), a collaborative passenger (an individual with whom they had a close, personal relationship) or a novel interface employing conversational natural language NAV-NLI). The NAV-NLI was created by curating linguistic intercourse extracted from the earlier conditions, and delivering this using a Wizard-of-Oz technique. The different navigational methods were notable for their varying interactivity and the preponderance of environmental landmark information within route directions. Participants experienced the same guidance on each of the two drives to explore changes in reported and observed behaviour. Results show that participants who were more active in the navigation task (collaborative passenger or NAV-NLI) demonstrated enhanced environmental engagement (landmark recognition, route-learning and survey knowledge) allowing them to reconstruct the route more accurately post-drive, compared to drivers using more passive forms of navigational support (SatNav or informed passenger). Workload measures (TDT, NASA-TLX) indicated no differences between conditions, although satnav users and collaborative passenger drivers reported lower workload during their second drive. The research demonstrates clear benefits and potential for a navigation system employing two-way conversational language to deliver instructions. This could help support a long-term perspective in the development of spatial knowledge, enabling drivers to become less reliant on the technology and begin to re-establish associations between viewing an environmental feature and the related navigational manoeuvre