We develop a conceptual framework based on a systematic and comprehensive literature review on urban sustainability analytics. Building our argument by drawing on data collected from ESI ThoughtLab, ...KPMG, McKinsey, and Osborne Clarke, we performed analyses and made estimates regarding most needed changes to improve smart cities’ living environment (%), the return on, and the economic benefits of, investments in smart city pillars by maturity stage (%), and how smart city applications can contribute to a safer urban environment (%). The data for this research were gathered via an online survey questionnaire and were analyzed through structural equation modeling on a sample of 3,800 respondents.
Despite the relevance of the relationship between governance networks, real-time data sustainability, and the Cognitive Internet of Things, only limited research has been conducted on this topic. ...Using and replicating data from BI Intelligence, Black & Veatch, Bloomberg Intelligence, ESI ThoughtLab, Frost & Sullivan, and UBS, we performed analyses and made estimates regarding smart city addressable market by segment in 2025 (%), the primary driver for smart city projects in the U.S. (%), the top three most important systems a smart city program should invest in first (%), and digital technologies cities currently actively use to support operations (%). Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the collected data.
The topic of discussion on the suitability of applying foreign financial health prediction models is whether the model formed on the basis of specific data characterizing businesses in one country ...can successfully be used to predict the financial situation of businesses in other countries. In the authors’ opinion, there are many limitations and differences not only between different countries but also between different sectors within a single country as the models change over the course of time, i.e., in a sense, old prediction models are no longer able to provide a quality prediction of the upcoming default of the business.The topic of discussion on the suitability of applying foreign financial health prediction models is whether the model formed on the basis of specific data characterizing businesses in one country can successfully be used to predict the financial situation of businesses in other countries. In the authors’ opinion, there are many limitations and differences not only between different countries but also between different sectors within a single country as the models change over the course of time, i.e., in a sense, old prediction models are no longer able to provide a quality prediction of the upcoming default of the business.
We inspect the relevant literature on the gender politics of masculinity, providing both quantitative evidence on trends and numerous in-depth empirical examples. Using data from ESA, Ipsos, McKinsey ...Quarterly, ONS, Pew Research Center, and Statista, we perform analyses and make estimates regarding the constitution and preservation of gender bias in the workplace.
The antiradical activity, protective effect against lipid peroxidation of liposomal membrane, and inhibitory effect on whole blood reactive oxygen species (ROS) liberation of Glycyrrhiza glabra crude ...extract and glycyrrhizin, its major compound, were assessed. The liquorice extract showed significant activity in all the three assay systems used in a dose dependent manner. It displayed remarkable reactivity with free stable 1,1′-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, inhibitory efficacy in peroxidatively damaged unilamellar dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) liposomes, and inhibition of ROS chemiluminescence, generated by whole blood, induced by both receptor-bypassing stimuli (PMA) and receptor operating stimuli (Opz) in the ranking order of stimuli PMA> Opz. These activities may be attributed to phenolic antioxidants involving isoflavan derivatives, coumarins and chalcones. Nonetheless, triterpene saponin glycyrrhizin exhibited no efficacy in the system of DPPH reaction and peroxidation of liposomal membrane, and negligible inhibition of chemiluminescence generated by inflammatory cells. These results indicate that the mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect of glycyrrhizin most probably does not involve ROS and this major constituent is not responsible for the inhibition effects of liquorice extract on neutrophil functions.
The addition of heteroatoms to pristine carbon quantum dots (CQDs) change their structure and optical properties. In this study, fluorine (F)- and chlorine (Cl)-doped CQDs are prepared by the ...one-step green hydrothermal route from sodium fluoride, sodium chloride, urea, and citric acid as the starting precursors. Microscopy analysis reveals that the average size of these quantum dots is 5 ± 2 nm, whereas the chemical study shows the existence of C–F and C–Cl bonds. The produced F- and Cl-doped CQDs have fluorescence quantum yields of 0.151 and 0.284, respectively, at an excitation wavelength of 450 nm. Charge transfer resistance of F- and Cl-doped CQDs films is 2 orders of magnitude higher than in the pristine CQD films. Transport band gap of the doped CQDs is 2 eV bigger than that of pristine CQDs. Radical scavenging activity shows very good antioxidant activity of doped CQDs. Antibacterial testing reveals poor antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The F- and Cl-doped CQDs are successfully used as fluorescent probes for cell imaging as shown by confocal microscopy.
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US">The brewer <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; ...font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"> ¢ <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US">s yeast was used for preparation of concentrate with content of β-glucan. Hot water extraction (100 <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"> ° <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US">C, 5 hours) and subsequently an alkaline extraction of sediment using 1 M NaOH at 90 <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;" lang="EN-US"> ° <span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US">C for 1 hour were used. β-glucan concentrate containing 59,15 % of β-glucan had good functional properties (water binding capacity 13,34 g water/1 g concentrate, fat binding capacity 6,86 g fat/1 g concentrate) and indicated biological action too. At concentration of 2 mg/ml DMSO (dimethylsulfoxid) was viability of murine L1210 leukemic cells reduced to 76.15 %. When observing the antioxidant activity it was identified, that the lipid peroxidation in linoleic acid samples was decreased during the presence of β-glucan concentrate. These results and good sensory properties like a bright colour and the pleasant taste and smell indicate, that prepared β-glucan concentrate has a potential to be used to improve the health – beneficial substances in the foods.
doi:10.5219/258
Human kinesin 14 (KIF14) is one of the 70 prognostic marker genes (so-called Amsterdam profile) previously identified by the microarray of breast carcinomas, and its high transcript expression in ...tumor specimens indicates a poor prognosis for patients. We performed a pilot study to explore the prognostic and predictive meaning of KIF14 germline genetic variability in breast cancer patients.
KIF14 coding sequence, including 5' and 3' untranslated regions and overlaps to introns for identification of splicing sites, was analyzed using next-generation sequencing in the testing set of blood DNA samples from 105 breast cancer patients with clinical follow-up. After rigorous evaluation of major allele frequency, haplotype blocks, in silico predicted functional aspects, expression quantitative trait loci, and clinical associations, eight single nucleotide variants were subsequently validated in the evaluation set of 808 patients.
Carriers of minor alleles G (rs17448931) or T (rs3806362) had significantly shorter overall survival than wild type homozygotes (p = 0.010 and p = 0.023, respectively) thus successfully replicating the results of the testing set. Both associations remained significant in the multivariate Cox regression analysis, including molecular subtype and stage as covariates (hazard ratio, HR = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-2.8 for rs17448931 and HR = 1.9, CI 1.2-3.0 for rs3806362).
In conclusion, our preliminary data suggest that minor alleles in rs17448931 and rs3806362 of KIF14 represent candidate biomarkers of poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. After pending validation in independent populations and eventual functional characterization, these candidates might become useful biomarkers in the clinics.
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