This article discusses the importance of recognising students' technology-enhanced informal learning experiences and develop pedagogies to connect students' formal and informal learning experiences, ...in order to meet the demands of the knowledge society. The Mobile-Blended Collaborative Learning model is proposed as a framework to bridge the gap between formal and informal learning and blend them together to form a portable, flexible, collaborative and creative learning environment. Using this model, three categories of mobile application tools, namely tools for collaboration, tools for coordination and tools for communication, have been identified as pertinent in blending formal and informal learning, and they can be connected seamlessly to provide an effective learning mechanism to support the learning process. Author abstract, ed
This paper proposes a multiple criteria group decision making with individual preferences (MCGDM-IP) to address the robot selection problem (RSP). Four objective criteria elicitation approaches, ...namely, Shannon entropy approach, CRITIC approach, distance-based approach, and ideal-point approach, are proposed to indicate individual decision makers. A preliminary group decision matrix is therefore formulated. Both preferential differences representing the preference degrees among different robots, and preferential priorities representing the favorite ranking of robots for each individual decision maker, are analyzed to propose a revised group decision matrix. A satisfaction index is developed to manifest the merits of the proposed MCGDM-IP. An illustrative example using the data drawn from previous literature is conducted to indicate the effectiveness and validity of MCGDM-IP. The results demonstrate that the MCGDM-IP could generate a more satisfactory scheme to evaluate and select industrial robots, with an improvement of group satisfactory level as 2.12%.
Implicit Social Cognition Greenwald, Anthony G; Lai, Calvin K
Annual review of psychology,
01/2020, Letnik:
71, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
In the last 20 years, research on implicit social cognition has established that social judgments and behavior are guided by attitudes and stereotypes of which the actor may lack awareness. Research ...using the methods of implicit social cognition has produced the concept of implicit bias, which has generated wide attention not only in social, clinical, and developmental psychology, but also in disciplines outside of psychology, including business, law, criminal justice, medicine, education, and political science. Although this rapidly growing body of research offers prospects of useful societal applications, the theory needed to confidently guide those applications remains insufficiently developed. This article describes the methods that have been developed, the findings that have been obtained, and the theoretical questions that remain to be answered.
The modification of protein and nanoparticle therapeutics with polyethylene glycol (PEG), a flexible, uncharged, and highly hydrophilic polymer, is a widely adopted approach to reduce RES clearance, ...extend circulation time, and improve drug efficacy. Nevertheless, an emerging body of literature, generated by numerous research groups, demonstrates that the immune system can produce antibodies that specifically bind PEG, which can lead to the ‘accelerated blood clearance’ of PEGylated therapeutics. In animals, anti‐PEG immunity is typically robust but short‐lived and consists of a predominantly anti‐PEG IgM response. Rodent studies suggest that the induction of anti‐PEG antibodies (α‐PEG Abs) primarily occurs through a type 2 T‐cell independent mechanism. Although anti‐PEG immunity is less well‐studied in humans, the presence of α‐PEG Abs has been correlated with reduced efficacy of PEGylated therapeutics in clinical trials. The prevalence of anti‐PEG IgG and reports of memory immune responses, as well as the existence of α‐PEG Abs in healthy untreated individuals, suggests that the mechanism(s) and features of human anti‐PEG immune responses may differ from those of animal models. Many questions, including the incidence rate of pre‐existing α‐PEG Abs and immunological mechanism(s) of α‐PEG Ab formation in humans, must be answered in order to fully address the potential complications of anti‐PEG immunity. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2015, 7:655–677. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1339
This article is categorized under:
Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Toxicology of Nanomaterials
Advances in genomics technology have provided the means to probe myriad chromatin interactions at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. This has led to a profound understanding of nucleosome ...organization within the genome, revealing that nucleosomes are highly dynamic. Nucleosome dynamics are governed by a complex interplay of histone composition, histone post-translational modifications, nucleosome occupancy and positioning within chromatin, which are influenced by numerous regulatory factors, including general regulatory factors, chromatin remodellers, chaperones and polymerases. It is now known that these dynamics regulate diverse cellular processes ranging from gene transcription to DNA replication and repair.
Plasma free fatty acids levels are increased in subjects with obesity and type 2 diabetes, playing detrimental roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Increasing ...evidence showing that dysfunction of the vascular endothelium, the inner lining of the blood vessels, is the key player in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this review, we aimed to summarize the roles and the underlying mechanisms using the evidence collected from clinical and experimental studies about free fatty acid-mediated endothelial dysfunction. Because of the multifaceted roles of plasma free fatty acids in mediating endothelial dysfunction, elevated free fatty acid level is now considered as an important link in the onset of endothelial dysfunction due to metabolic syndromes such as diabetes and obesity. Free fatty acid-mediated endothelial dysfunction involves several mechanisms including impaired insulin signaling and nitric oxide production, oxidative stress, inflammation and the activation of the renin-angiotensin system and apoptosis in the endothelial cells. Therefore, targeting the signaling pathways involved in free fatty acid-induced endothelial dysfunction could serve as a preventive approach to protect against the occurrence of endothelial dysfunction and the subsequent complications such as atherosclerosis.
•From 1200 telephone interviews, the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate was 37.2%.•Acceptance rate was the highest in adults aged 18–24 years then increased with age.•Government recommendation was the ...strongest predictive factor of vaccine acceptance.•A key obstacle of acceptance included lack of confidence on vaccine manufacturers.•These predictors provide evidence-based formulation of vaccination strategies.
Vaccines for COVID-19 are anticipated to be available by 2021. Vaccine uptake rate is a crucial determinant for herd immunity. We examined factors associated with acceptance of vaccine based on (1). constructs of the Health Belief Model (HBM), (2). trust in the healthcare system, new vaccine platforms and manufacturers, and (3). self-reported health outcomes.
A population-based, random telephone survey was performed during the peak of the third wave of COVID-19 outbreak (27/07/2020 to 27/08/2020) in Hong Kong. All adults aged ≥ 18 years were eligible. The survey included sociodemographic details; self-report health conditions; trust scales; and self-reported health outcomes. Multivariable regression analyses were applied to examine independent associations. The primary outcome is the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.
We conducted 1200 successful telephone interviews (response rate 55%). The overall vaccine acceptance rate after adjustment for population distribution was 37.2% (95% C.I. 34.5–39.9%). The projected acceptance rates exhibited a “J-shaped” pattern with age, with higher rates among young adults (18–24 years), then increased linearly with age. Multivariable regression analyses revealed that perceived severity, perceived benefits of the vaccine, cues to action, self-reported health outcomes, and trust in healthcare system or vaccine manufacturers were positive correlates of acceptance; whilst perceived access barriers and harm were negative correlates. Remarkably, perceived susceptibility to infection carried no significant association, whereas recommendation from Government (aOR = 10.2, 95% C.I. 6.54 to 15.9, p < 0.001) was as the strongest driving factor for acceptance. Other key obstacles of acceptance included lack of confidence on newer vaccine platforms (43.4%) and manufacturers without track record (52.2%), which are of particular relevance to the current context.
Governmental recommendation is an important driver, whereas perceived susceptibility is not associated with acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine. These HBM constructs and independent predictors inform evidence-based formulation and implementation of vaccination strategies.
Far-UVC irradiation (222 nm) is considered an emerging and sustainable solution for future infection and pandemic challenges. We examined the disinfection performance of a krypton-chloride lamp, with ...a quasi-monochromatic UVC peak at 222 nm, for inactivating airborne microorganisms in a full-scale ventilation duct system. Single-pass disinfection efficacy of far-UVC was determined and compared with that of a conventional mercury-type UVC (254 nm) lamp. Four bacteria,
(
),
(
),
, and
(
), as well as bacteriophage P22, were tested under UV exposure with different velocities of duct flows. The data revealed that as the air velocity increased from 0.7 to 4 m/s, the far-UVC disinfection efficacies would decrease by 42, 47, 35, 39, and 33% for these five microorganisms, respectively. The inactivation rate constants to far-UVC light were 4.9, 7.5, 3.3, 6.3, and 3.0 cm
/mJ for aerosolized
,
,
,
, and bacteriophage P22, respectively. Far-UVC irradiation showed a comparable disinfection ability on airborne microorganisms compared with the 254 nm UV irradiation. This first study of far-UVC in real duct applications provides a better understanding of the disinfection performance of this solution in bioaerosol inactivation. It offers a valuable database in the sizing and design of excimer lamps for novel portable air purifiers or in-duct disinfection units.
Preserving residual renal function has always been the primary clinical goal for every nephrologist managing patients with chronic kidney disease. There is no reason why this important goal should ...not extend to patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease receiving dialysis. Indeed, there is now clear evidence that preserving residual renal function remains important after the commencement of dialysis. Residual renal function contributes significantly to the overall health and well-being of dialysis patients. It not only provides small solute clearance but also plays an important role in maintaining fluid balance, phosphorus control, and removal of middle molecular uremic toxins, and shows strong inverse relationships with valvular calcification and cardiac hypertrophy in dialysis patients. Decline of residual renal function also contributes significantly to anemia, inflammation, and malnutrition in patients on dialysis. More importantly, the loss of residual renal function, especially in patients on peritoneal dialysis, is a powerful predictor of mortality. In addition, there is increasing evidence that residual renal and peritoneal dialysis clearance cannot be assumed to be equivalent qualitatively, thus indicating the need to preserve residual renal function in patients on dialysis. In this article, we will review evidence that residual renal function is important in dialysis patients (especially peritoneal dialysis) and outline potential strategies that may better preserve residual renal function in dialysis patients.
Discovery and development of clinically useful biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias have been the focus of recent research efforts. While cerebrospinal fluid and positron ...emission tomography or MRI-based neuroimaging markers have made the in vivo detection of AD pathology and its consequences possible, the high cost and invasiveness have limited their widespread use in the clinical setting. On the other hand, advances in potentially more accessible blood-based biomarkers had been impeded by lack of sensitivity in detecting changes in markers of the hallmarks of AD, including amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and phosphorylated tau (P-tau). More recently, however, emerging technologies with superior sensitivity and specificity for measuring Aβ and P-tau have reported high concordances with AD severity. In this focused review, we describe several emerging technologies, including immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS), single molecule array and Meso Scale Discovery immunoassay platforms, and appraise the current literature arising from their use to identify plaques, tangles and other AD-associated pathology. While there is potential clinical utility in adopting these technologies, we also highlight the further studies needed to establish Aβ and P-tau as blood-based biomarkers for AD, including validation with existing large sample sets, new independent cohorts from diverse backgrounds as well as population-based longitudinal studies. In conclusion, the availability of sensitive and reliable measurements of Aβ peptides and P-tau species in blood holds promise for the diagnosis, prognosis and outcome assessments in clinical trials for AD.
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