The human macrophage galactose‐type lectin (MGL) is a key physiological receptor for the carcinoma‐associated Tn antigen (GalNAc‐α‐1‐O‐Ser/Thr) in mucins. NMR and modeling‐based data on the molecular ...recognition features of synthetic Tn‐bearing glycopeptides by MGL are presented. Cognate epitopes on the sugar and matching key amino acids involved in the interaction were identified by saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy. Only the amino acids close to the glycosylation site in the peptides are involved in lectin contact. Moreover, control experiments with non‐glycosylated MUC1 peptides unequivocally showed that the sugar residue is essential for MGL binding, as is Ca2+. NMR data were complemented with molecular dynamics simulations and Corcema‐ST to establish a 3D view on the molecular recognition process between Gal, GalNAc, and the Tn‐presenting glycopeptides and MGL. Gal and GalNAc have a dual binding mode with opposite trend of the main interaction pattern and the differences in affinity can be explained by additional hydrogen bonds and CH–π contacts involving exclusively the NHAc moiety.
The fine structural features of the molecular recognition process between GalNAc and carcinoma‐associated Tn‐glycopeptides with hMGL were deciphered by saturation transfer difference NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling. The epitope mapping on the sugar, as well as the key amino acids involved in the interaction, were deduced. Molecular dynamics simulations and CORCEMA‐ST allow a 3D view of the recognition event to be deduced.
Hospitals that perform emergency surgery during the night (e.g., from 11:00 pm to 7:30 am) face decisions on optimal operating room (OR) staffing. Emergency patients need to be operated on within a ...predefined safety window to decrease morbidity and improve their chances of full recovery. We developed a process to determine the optimal OR team composition during the night, such that staffing costs are minimized, while providing adequate resources to start surgery within the safety interval.
A discrete event simulation in combination with modeling of safety intervals was applied. Emergency surgery was allowed to be postponed safely. The model was tested using data from the main OR of Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC). Two outcome measures were calculated: violation of safety intervals and frequency with which OR and anesthesia nurses were called in from home. We used the following input data from Erasmus MC to estimate distributions of all relevant parameters in our model: arrival times of emergency patients, durations of surgical cases, length of stay in the postanesthesia care unit, and transportation times. In addition, surgeons and OR staff of Erasmus MC specified safety intervals.
Reducing in-house team members from 9 to 5 increased the fraction of patients treated too late by 2.5% as compared to the baseline scenario. Substantially more OR and anesthesia nurses were called in from home when needed.
The use of safety intervals benefits OR management during nights. Modeling of safety intervals substantially influences the number of emergency patients treated on time. Our case study showed that by modeling safety intervals and applying computer simulation, an OR can reduce its staff on call without jeopardizing patient safety.
Measuring the Suitability of Rooms for Higher Education Vrielink, R. A. Oude; Nijhuis-Boer, V. M.; Hans, E. W. ...
Proceedings of the 2019 8th International Conference on Educational and Information Technology,
03/2019
Conference Proceeding
This paper studies the suitability of classrooms for higher education. We propose a model to quantify the suitability, which allows measuring and optimizing the fit of classrooms for a given ...curriculum event. This model is unique, as there is no such model yet in literature that provides insight into the variables and interrelationships that are relevant when assessing classrooms and their allocation in the timetables. We also present a case study in which we apply the model to the timetable allocations at the University of Twente, for both assessing the suitability of its classrooms, and assessing to what extent its timetables take the classroom suitability into account. We compared the measurements of the suitability to the perceptions that both teachers and the support services have towards the allocations of suitability, as a reference of the extent to which the measurements are recognizable in practice. There are two main contributions of the research in this paper. First, we make the suitability of classrooms for education quantifiable and measurable, enabling the allocation of suitability to be transparent, to improve it and to optimize it as a performance indicator of the timetables. Second, this research goes beyond the current dominant way of timetabling which tries to fit class sizes to room capacities, by introducing the maximization of value adding as a new way for optimizing the allocation of classroom-based education. The research in this paper describes a method with which the suitability of classrooms can be made measurable. By using this method, insight will be gained into the performance of timetables on the aspect of suitability.
Background and Objectives
Assays for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) face two challenges: the emergence of sensitive techniques for detection of hepatitis B virus DNA and the ...existence of HBsAg mutant hepatitis B viruses. We studied the sensitivity of five modern assays for detection of HBsAg.
Materials and Methods
The sensitivity of two mini robot‐based assays – IMx HBsAg V2 and Vidas HBsAg – and three enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) with microtitre plate format – Hepanostika Uni‐Form II v1.2, Monolisa Ag HBs Plus and HBsAg Test System 3 – was compared testing 11 HBsAg seroconversion series, serial dilutions prepared from three HBsAg standards and nine HBsAg mutant samples.
Results and Conclusion
Overall, the IMx HBsAg V2 assay showed the highest sensitivity. It outperformed the Vidas HBsAg in analytical sensitivity and in detection of HBsAg mutants. Among the microtitre plate ELISAs, the Monolisa Ag HBs Plus outperformed the HBsAg Test System 3 in detection of HBsAg mutants and it surpassed the Hepanostika Uni‐Form II v1.2 in analytical sensitivity.
Electrical design of industrial facilities addresses basic design considerations such as reliability, flexibility, cost and safety. In Europe, arc flash hazards are not always dealt with in great ...detail beyond reliance on intrinsic equipment safety. Reality is, however, that even with the best equipment design, arc flash accidents still occur, often as a result of human error during work activities. IEEE Standard 1584 has been published as a result of many years of research and empirical testing of the arc flash phenomenon. The standard provides guidance in calculating the arc flash incident energy, taking into account multiple design factors. Incident energy calculations require relatively accurate assessment of the short circuit levels and the characteristics of the protective devices. Such input is conveniently provided by conventional short-circuit and protective device coordination studies. The combination of factors influences incident energy levels rendering some common estimation techniques useless, perhaps even dangerous. For example, a lower short-circuit current can lead to higher incident energy levels because some types of protective devices take longer time to trip for lower current. This paper presents some typical scenarios in industrial facilities that are prone to yield high incident energy levels. The information presented is based on authors' practical experience with arc flash hazard assessments.
