Search results for "Computer Science Application"

Awareness and partitional information structures

1994

This is the first of two papers where we present a formal model of unawareness. We contrast unawareness with certainty and uncertainty. A subject is certain of something when he knows that thing; he is uncertain when he does not know it, but he knows he does not: he is consciously uncertain. On the other hand, he is unaware of something when he does not know it, and he does not know he does not know, and so on ad infinitum: he does not perceive, does not have in mind, the object of knowledge. The opposite of unawareness is awareness, which includes certainty and uncertainty. This paper has three main purposes. First, we formalize the concept of awareness, and introduce a symmetry axiom whic…

2019

Ultrasmall polyaminocarboxylate-coated gold nanoparticles (NPs), Au@DTDTPA and Au@TADOTAGA, that have been recently developed exhibit a promising potential for image-guided radiotherapy. In order to render the radiosensitizing effect of these gold nanoparticles even more efficient, the study of their localization in cells is required to better understand the relation between the radiosensitizing properties of the agents and their localization in cells and in tumors. To achieve this goal, post-functionalization of Au@DTDTPA nanoparticles by near-infrared (NIF) organic dyes (aminated derivative of cyanine 5, Cy5-NH2) was performed. The immobilization of organic Cy5-NH2 dyes onto the gold nano…

Ten Years’ Experience with an E-Learning Lecture Series on Cancer Biology and Pharmacology

2013

In life sciences, the internet is an indispensable medium for research, but has not yet realized its full potential for teaching. The concept of e-learning has been developed over the past decades for undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programs. We set up an e-learning lecture on cancer biology and pharmacology that was first offered in 2003 to students of Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Heidelberg and to students of Pharmacy at the University of Mainz, Germany. The present paper recapitulates the first decade of experiences with this e-learning lecture from both the students’ and the teachers’ perspectives. A total of 317 students during the past 10 years participated in…

2019

(1) Background: The high-grade neuroepithelial tumor of the central nervous system with BCOR alteration (HGNET-BCOR) is a highly malignant tumor. Preclinical models and molecular targets are urgently required for this cancer. Previous data suggest a potential role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling in HGNET-BCOR. (2) Methods: The primary HGNET-BCOR cells PhKh1 were characterized by western blot, copy number variation, and methylation analysis and by electron microscopy. The expression of IGF2 and IGF1R was assessed by qRT-PCR. The effect of chemotherapeutics and IGF1R inhibitors on PhKh1 proliferation was tested. The phosphorylation of IGF1R and downstream molecules was assessed …

Macrolides May Prevent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Entry into Cells: A Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship Study and Exp…

2021

The global pandemic caused by the emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is threatening the health and economic systems worldwide. Despite the enormous efforts of scientists and clinicians around the world, there is still no drug or vaccine available worldwide for the treatment and prevention of the infection. A rapid strategy for the identification of new treatments is based on repurposing existing clinically approved drugs that show antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, after developing a quantitative structure activity relationship analysis based on molecular topology, several macrolide antibiotics are identified as promising SARS-…

2019

Background Health apps for the screening and diagnosis of mental disorders have emerged in recent years on various levels (eg, patients, practitioners, and public health system). However, the diagnostic quality of these apps has not been (sufficiently) tested so far. Objective The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the diagnostic quality of a health app for a broad spectrum of mental disorders and its dependency on expert knowledge. Methods Two psychotherapists, two psychology students, and two laypersons each read 20 case vignettes with a broad spectrum of mental disorders. They used a health app (Ada—Your Health Guide) to get a diagnosis by entering the symptoms. Interrater…

2020

Background: ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein) and ABCG2 (breast cancer resistance protein) are co-localized at the blood-brain barrier (BBB), where they restrict the brain distribution of many different drugs. Moreover, ABCB1 and possibly ABCG2 play a role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by mediating the brain clearance of beta-amyloid (Aβ) across the BBB. This study aimed to compare the abundance and activity of ABCG2 in a commonly used β-amyloidosis mouse model (APP/PS1-21) with age-matched wild-type mice. Methods: The abundance of ABCG2 was assessed by semi-quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of brain slices of APP/PS1-21 and wild-type mice aged 6 months. Moreover, the brain distribution of two d…

Halogenated Anesthetics Determination in Urine by SPME/GC/MS and Urine Levels Relationship Evaluation with Surgical Theatres Contamination

2014

In this work, a new sensitive analytical method has been developed and evaluated for the determination of the most commonly used gaseous anesthetics, desflurane, sevoflurane, and this latter’s hepatic metabolite hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) in the urine. In addition, an evaluation of anesthetics exposition on the urine levels of a small population of surgical operators has been performed and results are briefly discussed.

Computational fluid dynamics simulation to evaluate aortic coarctation gradient with contrast-enhanced CT

2014

Coarctation of aorta (CoA) is a narrowing of the aorta leading to a pressure gradient (Delta P) across the coarctation, increased afterload and reduced peripheral perfusion pressures. Indication to invasive treatment is based on values of maximal (systolic) trans-coarctation Delta P. A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) approach is herein presented for the non-invasive haemodynamic assessment of Delta P across CoA. Patient-specific CFD simulations were created from contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and appropriate flow boundary conditions. Computed Delta P was validated with invasive intravascular trans-CoA pressure measurements. Haemodynamic indices, including pressure loss coeffic…

An Insight into the Role of Postmortem Immunohistochemistry in the Comprehension of the Inflammatory Pathophysiology of COVID-19 Disease and Vaccine-…

2021

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic due to the spread of COVID-19 from Wuhan, China, causing high mortality rates all over the world. The related disease, which mainly affects the lungs, is responsible for the onset of Diffuse Alveolar Damage (DAD) and a hypercoagulability state, frequently leading to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and multiorgan failure, particularly in old and severe-critically ill patients. In order to find effective therapeutic strategies, many efforts have been made aiming to shed light on the pathophysiology of COVID-19 disease. Moreover, following the late advent of vaccination campaigns, the need for the comprehension …