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Selected AbstractsOpioids and the skin , where do we stand?EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Paul L. Bigliardi Abstract:, The common ectodermal origin of the skin and nervous systems can be expected to predict likely interactions in the adult. Over the last couple of decades much progress has been made to elucidate the nature of these interactions, which provide multidirectional controls between the centrally located brain and the peripherally located skin and immune system. The opioid system is an excellent example of such an interaction and there is growing evidence that opioid receptors (OR) and their endogenous opioid agonists are functional in different skin structures, including peripheral nerve fibres, keratinocytes, melanocytes, hair follicles and immune cells. Greater knowledge of these skin-associated opioid interactions will be important for the treatment of chronic and acute pain and pruritus. Topical treatment of the skin with opioid ligands is particularly attractive as they are active with few side effects, especially if they cannot cross the blood,brain barrier. Moreover, cutaneous activation of the opioid system (e.g. by peripheral nerves, cutaneous and immune cells, especially in inflamed and damaged skin) can influence cell differentiation and apoptosis, and thus may be important for the repair of damaged skin. While many of the pieces of this intriguing puzzle remain to be found, we attempt in this review to weave a thread around available data to discuss how the peripheral opioid system may impact on different key players in skin physiology and pathology. [source] The impact of problem size on decision processes: an experimental investigation on very large choice problems with support of decision support systemsEXPERT SYSTEMS, Issue 2 2004H. Wang Abstract: Choice problems as a class of decision problems have attracted great attention for the last couple of decades. Among the frameworks and supporting theories used in their study, two have had the greatest impact: bounded rationality and cost,benefit. Both theories could find support from past empirical studies under different conditions or problem environments. In the past studies, problem size has been shown to play an important role in decision-making. As problem size increases, a decision process may be detoured and the decision outcome may be different. In this paper we investigate the impact of problem size on three important aspects of the computer-aided decision process , strategy selection, decision time/effort, and decision quality , through very large choice problems. [source] Geothermal energy systems for major projects , design and construction / . Geothermieanlagen bei Großprojekten , Planung und UmsetzungGEOMECHANICS AND TUNNELLING, Issue 5 2010Dipl.-Ing. Geothermal energy - Geothermie Abstract The application of geothermal energy has increased in the last couple of years in order to provide the heating or cooling demands of major projects. Open systems using groundwater directly can be used for geothermal energy extraction as well as closed systems with absorber pipes installed in underground structures. An accurate design, which considers the requirements of the energy consumer in particular but also the subsoiland groundwater conditions, the foundation concept and the building structure, as well as project-specific technical, legal and economic conditions, is required for economically efficient application. Diligent supervision is necessary during the construction stage to avoid any damage to absorber pipes, which could result in loss of performance. Zur Deckung des Heiz- oder Kühlbedarfs bei Großprojekten wird in den letzten Jahren vermehrt auf eine Erdwärmenutzung gesetzt. Dabei kommen sowohl offene Systeme wie eine direkte Grundwassernutzung als auch geschlossene Systeme mit Absorberleitungen in erdberührten Bauteilen zur Anwendung. Für eine wirtschaftliche Umsetzung bedarf es zunächst einer sorgfältigen Planung, wobei insbesondere die Anforderungen des Nutzers, die Untergrund- und Grundwasserverhältnisse, das Gründungskonzept einschließlich der Gebäudestruktur sowie projektspezifische technische, rechtliche und wirtschaftliche Randbedingungen zu berücksichtigen sind. In der Bauphase ist für eine plangemäße Umsetzung mit besonderer Sorgfalt vorzugehen, um Beschädigungen der Absorberleitungen und somit Leistungsminderungen zu vermeiden. [source] In Vivo Function of a Differentiation Inhibitor, Id2IUBMB LIFE, Issue 4 2001Yoshifumi Yokota Abstract Cell differentiation is an essential process for the development of various cell types that constitute multicellular organisms. During development, the large family of factors bearing a helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif participates profoundly in this process and these factors serve as good experimental tools for investigating mechanisms underlying tissue-specific differentiation. The HLH family includes both positive and negative regulators of cell differentiation: basic HLH (bHLH)-type transcription factors and Id proteins, respectively. Following an exciting decade focusing on bHLH factors, advances achieved in studies of the inhibitory factors in the last couple of years have placed them in the front line of the research on differentiation and proliferation control. Here, we present and discuss recent results obtained using Id2 -deficient mice, which manifest intriguing phenotypes in various systems. [source] Inflammatory bowel disease: Established and evolving considerations on its etiopathogenesis and therapyJOURNAL OF DIGESTIVE DISEASES, Issue 5 2010Anja SCHIRBEL Modern studies of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis have been pursued for about four decades, a period of time where the pace of progress has been steadily increasing. This progress has occurred in parallel with and is largely due to developments in multiple basic scientific disciplines that range from population and social studies, genetics, microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, and DNA engineering. From this cumulative and constantly expanding knowledge base the fundamental pillars of IBD pathogenesis appear to have been identified and consolidated during the last couple of decades. Presently there is a general consensus among basic IBD investigators that both Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are the result of the combined effects of four basic components: global changes in the environment, the input of multiple genetic variations, alterations in the intestinal microbiota, and aberrations of innate and adaptive immune responses. There is also agreement on the conclusion that none of these four components can by itself trigger or maintain intestinal inflammation. A combination of various factors, and most likely of all four factors, is probably needed to bring about CD or UC in individual patients, but each patient or set of patients seems to have a different combination of alterations leading to the disease. This would imply that different causes and diverse mechanisms underlie IBD, and this could also explain why every patient displays his or her own clinical manifestations and a personalized response to therapy, and requires tailored approaches with different medications. While we are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of this individual variability, we have only a superficial notion of the reasons why this occurs, as hinted by the uniqueness of the genetic background and of the gut flora in each person. So, we are apparently facing the paradox of having to deal with the tremendous complexity of the mechanisms responsible for chronic intestinal inflammation in the setting of each patient's individuality in the response to this biological complexity. This obviously poses considerable challenges to reaching a full understanding of IBD pathogenesis, but being aware of the difficulties is the first step in finding answers to them. [source] Tribological interactions between DLC coatings and lubricantsLUBRICATION SCIENCE, Issue 2 2008B. Podgornik Abstract In the last couple of years a tremendous research work has been done in the field of development and characterization of hard coatings, mainly to boost their use in machine component applications working under normal and extreme operating conditions. Generally, hard coatings improve tribological properties of contact surfaces under dry sliding, while under lubricated conditions their inertness hinder the possibility of boundary film formation. The aim of this paper is to elaborate on the interactions between diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings and lubricants, and possible tribofilm formation in different tribological contacts. Therefore, relationships between surface properties (i.e. surface tension, surface free energy, contact angle) and tribological properties of the lubricated DLC coated contact, as well as the influence of oil additive type and concentration and contact conditions will be presented. It is believed that this type of knowledge will lead to further coatings modification in terms of improved tribological properties under boundary lubrication. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Managing and reporting intangible assets in research technology organisationsR & D MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2005Karl-Heinz Leitner In the last couple of years, new instruments and methods for measuring, valuing and managing different forms of intangible assets have been proposed. Firms started to implement comprehensive management techniques to identify and value different forms of intangible assets based on an integrative framework, incorporating different forms of intangible assets such as R&D and human capital. Research Technology Organisations (RTOs) present an interesting case for studying different forms of intangible assets, their interdependencies and their impact on outputs. The main business of these organisations is R&D; thus, nearly all forms of investments are related to the R&D process. Their outputs are knowledge-intensive products, services and public goods with the aim of improving the innovation output of their various customers. Some European RTOs have started to introduce new instruments for measuring and managing their intangible assets more explicitly. The paper investigates the general background, a specific model and empirical experiences of an Austrian RTO, which introduced an intellectual capital management system. [source] Recent Developments in Kidney Transplantation,A Critical AssessmentAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 6 2009K. L. Womer Rapid advances have been made in decreasing acute rejection rates and improving short-term graft survival in kidney transplant recipients. Whether these advances ultimately will lead to a commensurate improvement in long-term survival is not yet known. In recent years, greater attention has been placed on defining the precise etiology of graft loss, determining how far and with what agents we can minimize immunosuppression, and delineating the nature of both T-cell-mediated as well as antibody-mediated rejection. In addition, with the growing disparity of available organs and patients in need of a transplant, greater attention has been placed on optimizing allocation. In this minireview, we will focus on developments over the last couple of years, paying particular attention to insights, studies and observations that may attempt to elucidate some of these open questions. [source] Structuring Strategies for Complex GeometriesARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Issue 4 2010Wolf Mangelsdorf Abstract Over the last couple of decades, computation has proved a great facilitator for design, allowing far greater scope for analysis and generative design. Intelligent engineering, though, can only be truly set apart by the pursuit of the right design strategy, as outlined here by Wolf Mangelsdorf of Buro Happold. Mangelsdorf highlights four different models that enable the generation and engineering of geometrically complex forms and describes how they have been applied by Buro Happold in four very diverse projects with different architect collaborators. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Women, Federalism and Women Friendly PoliciesAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 1 2006Gwen Gray Australian women activists have never been enthusiastic about federalism because of its reputation as a system that restricts the scope of government and obstructs the path of progressive social change. Like their sisters in other countries, women's groups have sought collectivist solutions to economic and social problems. In the last couple of decades, however, orthodox ideas about the restrictive impact of federalism have been questioned. A revisionist view has emerged, which holds that the system sometimes facilitates the adoption of innovative policies and may lead to an expansion of the role of government. The revisionist perspective raises the question of whether women's groups have been wise to oppose federalism. This article examines relevant Canadian and Australian studies in order to test the validity of orthodox and revisionist perspectives and to draw conclusions about appropriate feminist approaches to federalism. The evidence is mixed. The main argument of this article is that, to the extent that we can distinguish its independent effect, federalism sometimes obstructs policy development and sometimes facilitates it. There are serious methodological problems involved in trying to isolate the impact of the federal variable from the many factors that influence policy, making generalisations precarious. Experience, therefore, offers little guidance to women's groups seeking to decide whether to support centralised or decentralised decision-making structures. However, this study concludes that in the context of present Australian federal arrangements, women are more likely to achieve their aims when the Commonwealth government takes action, either alone or in cooperation with sub-national jurisdictions. [source] | ||||||||||||||||