Information and communication technology is changing the way in which cities organise policymaking and urban growth. Smart Cities base their strategy on the use of information and communication ...technologies in several fields such as economy, environment, mobility and governance to transform the city infrastructure and services. This paper draws on the city of Barcelona and intends to analyse its transformation from a traditional agglomeration to a twenty-first century metropolis. The case of Barcelona is of special interest due to its apparent desire, reflected by its current policies regarding urban planning, to be considered as a leading metropolis in Europe. Hence, an assessment of the Smart City initiative will cast light on the current status of Barcelona’s urban policy and its urban policy of Barcelona and its future directions. This article analyses Barcelona’s transformation in the areas of Smart City management; drivers, bottlenecks, conditions and assets. First, it presents the existing literature on Barcelona’s Smart City initiative. Then, the case study analysis is presented with the Barcelona Smart City model. After describing this model, we further explore the main components of the Smart City strategy of Barcelona in terms of Smart districts, living labs, initiatives, e-Services, infrastructures and Open Data. This paper also reveals certain benefits and challenges related to this initiative and its future directions. The results of the case study analysis indicate that Barcelona has been effectively implementing the Smart City strategy with an aim to be a Smart City model for the world.
Purpose
Dermal open flow microperfusion (dOFM) has previously demonstrated its utility to assess the bioequivalence (BE) of topical drug products in a clinical study. We aimed to characterize the ...sources of variability in the dermal pharmacokinetic data from that study.
Methods
Exploratory statistical analyses were performed with multivariate data from a clinical dOFM-study in 20 healthy adults evaluating the BE, or lack thereof, of Austrian test (T) and U.S. reference (R) acyclovir cream, 5% products.
Results
The overall variability of logAUC values (CV: 39% for R and 45% for T) was dominated by inter-subject variability (R: 82%, T: 91%) which correlated best with the subject’s skin conductance. Intra-subject variability was 18% (R) and 9% (T) of the overall variability; skin treatment sites or methodological factors did not significantly contribute to that variability.
Conclusions
Inter-subject variability was the major component of overall variability for acyclovir, and treatment site location did not significantly influence intra-subject variability. These results support a dOFM BE study design with T and R products assessed simultaneously on the same subject, where T and R treatment sites do not necessarily need to be next to each other. Localized variation in skin microstructure may be primarily responsible for intra-subject variability.
Purpose
To examine the potential of stratum corneum (SC) sampling via tape-stripping in humans to assess bioequivalence of topical acyclovir drug products, and to explore the potential value of ...alternative metrics of local skin bioavailability calculable from SC sampling experiments.
Methods
Three acyclovir creams were considered in two separate studies in which drug amounts in the SC after uptake and clearance periods were measured and used to assess bioequivalence. In each study, a “reference” formulation (evaluated twice) was compared to the “test” in 10 subjects. Each application site was replicated to achieve greater statistical power with fewer volunteers.
Results
SC sampling revealed similarities and differences between products consistent with results from other surrogate bioequivalence measures, including dermal open-flow microperfusion experiments. Further analysis of the tape-stripping data permitted acyclovir flux into the viable skin to be deduced and drug concentration in that ‘compartment’ to be estimated.
Conclusions
Acyclovir quantities determined in the SC, following a single-time point uptake and clearance protocol, can be judiciously used both to objectively compare product performance in vivo and to assess delivery of the active into skin tissue below the barrier, thereby permitting local concentrations at or near to the site of action to be determined.
Purpose
The
in vitro
permeation test (IVPT) with a new statistical approach was investigated to evaluate the utility of an IVPT methodology as a sensitive tool to support a demonstration of ...bioequivalence (BE) for topical dermatological drug products.
Methods
IVPT experiments were performed utilizing
ex vivo
human skin. The initial screening tests involved four differently formulated acyclovir 5% creams: the U.S. Zovirax® as the reference product and the U.K. Zovirax®, Aciclovir 1A Pharma® and Aciclostad® as test products. Subsequently, a pivotal BE study was conducted comparing the two Zovirax® creams. The resulting data was used to evaluate BE of test (T) versus reference (R), T versus T, and R versus R, with an adaption of scaled average BE approach to address high variability in IVPT data.
Results
More acyclovir permeated into and through the skin from the two Zovirax® creams compared to the two non-Zovirax® creams. The U.S. Zovirax® cream showed a significantly higher J
max
and total amount permeated over 48 h, compared to the U.K. Zovirax® cream. The statistical analysis indicated that the test and reference products were not bioequivalent, whereas each product tested against itself was shown to be bioequivalent.
Conclusions
The current study demonstrated that the IVPT method, with an appropriate statistical analysis of the results, is a sensitive and discriminating test that can detect differences in the rate and extent of acyclovir bioavailability in the skin from differently formulated cream products.
The COVID-19 (novel coronavirus disease 2019) has become a worldwide disaster. This pandemic not only affected the world economy but also the family economy. Good financial literacy will help ...individuals avoid financial problems, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial literacy can facilitate individuals to manage their income well even in demanding situations. This study aims to analyse how financial literacy helps in the depression condition of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study takes a sample of 396 household heads. This study uses partial least square (PLS) analysis to analyse the data. Results show that all financial attitudes, behaviour and literacy variables positively affect financial literacy and wellbeing. The implication of this research is that financial literacy, which is reflected by financial attitudes and behaviour plays a key role in public financial welfare.
Still on the Map? Thomas Hochradner
Muzikološki zbornik,
12/2020, Volume:
56, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
The paper aims to re-evaluate regionality as a key concept in musicology. After a short introduction to the topic, a case study on Salzburg is presented, followed by critical remarks on relevant ...literature and a summary that attempts to redefine the significance of regional and local developments within the discipline.
Findings from this study include a summary of best practices in terms of Academic staff development programme (ASDP) to support the implementation of the Research modules to enhance the university ...teacher’s research competence. Mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) approach and the case study were used to explore the problem, to find out the result of Research modules implementing into the practical space where university teachers had the opportunity to engage in active training. The authors highlighted general principles of active/ research-based learning in practical space training environments, focused specifically on the content of Research modules for lectures – Early-Stage Researchers, Doctoral candidates (Gr. A, the RM I); for PhDholders, professors, doctoral degree holders (Gr. B, the RM II). The teaching and learning strategies used in the modules were a combination of workshops, case studies, small group discussions, pair peer review and independent study including a literature review of relevant research. The research has shown that competency enhancement programme with Research modules is effective and crucial for developing Academic staff research competence at universities. The evaluation of competence research components has revealed the positive changes and confirmed the effectiveness of the Research modules. The programs of the Modules have effectively contributed to the development of Academic staff research competence. The proposed ASDP can be applied to other universities. Some recommendations for Academic staff developers, Curriculum development managers, coaches are suggested for consideration and using to support the professional development of academic and research staff.
Starting from the analysis of the legislation regulating the education system in the Republic of Serbia, and through the prism of the theoretical review of the project-based teaching as a model of ...interactive and innovative teaching, as well as the fundamental principles set out in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, this paper aims to explore what opportunities the project-based teaching provides for the purpose of strengthening students' language skills in the context of learning English for Specific Purposes, particularly English for Medical Profession at secondary level. Theoretical assumptions were tested empirically using a case study. The qualitative analysis showed that project-based teaching, a model placing students and their needs in the centre of the teaching process, is an effective didactic system that teachers can use in organising and implementing instruction that encourages the development of all language skills.
Nowadays, achieving the objectives of sustainable development (SD) within a manufacturing company, through introducing and integrating sustainability into a development strategy, is a key parameter ...in gaining a competitive advantage in the market. The objective of this study was to develop a decision-tree based methodology to facilitate SD assessment in a manufacturing company, which consists of five main components: (1) Determination of SD indicators based on literature analysis, (2) Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method which determines the priority of the SD criteria, (3) Collecting data to determine the values of the key objectives SD, (4) Using a decision tree to build scenarios of possible actions to increase the level of SD, (5) Indicating recommended actions for continuous monitoring of progress towards reaching SD objectives. In the proposed approach, the use of the AHP method allowed for indicating the most important SD indicators, which made it possible to limit the number of queries to manufacturers on data from real companies regarding the values of SD indicators. Finally, the methodology was applied and verified within a real manufacturing company in order to assist the Management Board in making projections about future actions regarding an increase in SD level.
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