Opening the Regulatory Black Box of Clinical Cancer Research: Transnational Expertise Networks and “Disruptive” Technologies     

Alberto Cambrosio  Pascale Bourret  Peter Keating  Nicole Nelson 《Minerva》2017,55(2):161-185

Building on previous work on “regulatory objectivity,” the paper examines recent translational research and cancer genomics to explore the bundle of scientific and regulatory activities that generate and manage the platforms at the core of clinical trials, the “gold standard” of clinical research and evidence-based medicine. In particular, the paper explores the activities of a chain of mediators within a seamless regulatory web characterized by the interaction of endogenous and hybrid regulatory activities that are neither hierarchical nor linear. We contend that a full understanding of the dynamics of regulation in the biomedical domain ought to consider this chain of mediations; that their analysis necessitates understanding the content of the practices they regulate; and that in addition to examining the interactions between different regulatory modalities, we need to pay attention to their development insofar as regulation, far from being mere routine, leads to the emergence of novelty by coproducing the entities it regulates. These activities include not only setting out the conditions that must be respected in order to produce reliable test results, but also the conditions that define the relations (within a clinical context) between the different components of diagnosis as well as the consequences of such relations on clinical judgment. This is why we cannot treat organizational practices as distinct from the content of bio-clinical activities.  相似文献   

Recumbent vs. upright bicycles: 3D trajectory of body centre of mass,limb mechanical work,and operative range of propulsive muscles     

Riccardo Telli  Gaspare Pavei  Alberto Enrico Minetti 《Journal of sports sciences》2017,35(5):491-499

Recumbent bicycles (RB) are high performance, human-powered vehicles. In comparison to normal/upright bicycles (NB) the RB may allow individuals to reach higher speeds due to aerodynamic advantages. The purpose of this investigation was to compare the non-aerodynamic factors that may potentially influence the performance of the two bicycles. 3D body centre of mass (BCoM) trajectory, its symmetries, and the components of the total mechanical work necessary to sustain cycling were assessed through 3D kinematics and computer simulations. Data collected at 50, 70, 90 110 rpm during stationary cycling were used to drive musculoskeletal modelling simulation and estimate muscle-tendon length. Results demonstrated that BCoM trajectory, confined in a 15-mm side cube, changed its orientation, maintaining a similar pattern across all cadences in both bicycles. RB displayed a reduced additional mechanical external power (16.1 ± 9.7 W on RB vs. 20.3 ± 8.8 W on NB), a greater symmetry on the progression axis, and no differences in the internal mechanical power compared to NB. Simulated muscle activity revealed small significant differences for only selected muscles. On the RB, quadriceps and gluteus demonstrated greater shortening, while biceps femoris, iliacus, and psoas exhibited greater stretch; however, aerodynamics still remains the principal benefit.  相似文献   

Mechanical and EMG responses of the vastus lateralis and changes in biochemical variables to isokinetic exercise in endurance and power athletes     

Rainoldi A  Gazzoni M  Merletti R  Minetto MA 《Journal of sports sciences》2008,26(3):321-331

Twelve endurance athletes and six power athletes performed fatiguing isokinetic knee flexions/extensions. Isokinetic torque was recorded during the exercise. Isometric torque, cortisol and lactate responses, electromyographic (EMG) mean power frequency, average rectified value, and conduction velocity were analysed before and after the isokinetic exercise to determine correlations between electrophysiological variables and mechanical performances and/or blood concentrations of biomarkers in the two groups of athletes. The EMG variables were estimated from signals recorded from the vastus lateralis in both voluntary and electrically elicited isometric contractions. Power athletes recorded higher values than endurance athletes for the following variables: pre-exercise isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), isokinetic MVC, rate of mechanical fatigue during isokinetic contractions, pre - post exercise variations and recovery times of conduction velocity and mean power frequency, and lactate concentrations. Moreover, conduction velocity overshooting was observed in endurance athletes during the recovery phase after exercise. The correlation analyses showed that the higher the rate of mechanical fatigue, the higher the lactate production and the reduction in conduction velocity due to the exercise.  相似文献   

The free-electron laser     

Alberto Renieri 《Endeavour》1984,8(1):35-43

The generation of coherent synchrotron radiation using beams of relativistic electrons passed through magnetic undulators opens up tremendous scope for photochemistry in general and isotopic separation by laser in particular. Applications for plasma heating in Tokamak-type installations to trigger off the controlled nuclear fusion process are also conceivable.  相似文献   

Private Higher Education and Diversity: An Exploratory Survey     

Pedro Teixeira  & Alberto Amaral 《Higher Education Quarterly》2001,55(4):359-395

In this preliminary review, the authors analyse the effects of privatisation on diversity in higher education (HE) systems by exploring the consequences of the establishment of HE Institutions by non-public organisations. The rising importance of privatisation in Europe (Western and transitional economies), Latin America, and Southeast Asia is analysed. Then follows detailed examinations of private-sector HE in countries representative of all these geographical areas to determine how far privatisation has stimulated diversity. The preliminary results indicate that in each case the private sub-sector has promoted limited and partial diversification. In general, though, the more recent private establishments, created to satisfy increasing demand for HE, have nonetheless focused predominately on teaching, have undertaken little, or no, research and appear to be of lower quality than the older institutions. The private sub-sector is characterised mostly by its low-risk behaviour, and a concentration on low-cost and/or safer initiatives. Public authorities must share at least a partial responsibility for some of the negative side effects of the development of private higher education.  相似文献   

In Pursuit of a Filipino Counselor Development Model: A Life-Span Approach     

Nino Jose Mateo  Jose Alberto S. Reyes 《International journal for the advancement of counseling》2015,37(3):262-278

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Global Citizenship and Global Universities. The Age of Global Interdependence and Cosmopolitanism     

Carlos Alberto Torres 《European Journal of Education》2015,50(3):262-279

This article focuses on the role of global universities and globalisations in an age of global interdependence and cosmopolitanism. Competing agendas that result from actions and reactions to multiple globalisations are considered in relation to global citizenship education. These agendas are crucial in understanding dilemmas of the local and the global in relation to education. Key emerging agendas are highlighted, including those of the hyperglobalisers, skeptics and transformationists. Three themes are central for this conversation, namely a) how multiple globalisations are impacting global life and academics, b) how networks have become privileged sites for global education, and c) the implications of globalisation and networks for global citizenship and global universities.  相似文献   

The questionable inventions of the clever Dr. Einstein     

Alberto A. Martínez 《Metascience》2014,23(1):49-55

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Learning Documentations in VET Systems: An Analysis of Current Swiss Practices     

Valentina Caruso  Alberto Cattaneo  Jean-Luc Gurtner 《Vocations and Learning》2016,9(2):227-256

Swiss vocational education and training (VET) is defined as a dual-track system where apprentices weekly alternate between vocational school and a (real) workplace. At the workplace, they have to keep a learning documentation throughout their training, in which they are expected to regularly document their professional development. The actual use of this documentation remains limited, however, and its potential for learning is clearly underexploited. The study presented in this paper sheds light on the current practices and issues related to the use of such a learning documentation in the Swiss VET system. Semi-structured interviews (N?=?29) were conducted with representatives of all the main actors of the Swiss VET system for various professional domains (Industrial & Handicraft, Commerce, and Health & Social Care). The study shows that although they all tend to see the potential of the learning documentation, the different actors of VET do not share a same conception of the aims and functions, both within and across professions. Based on their answers, possible improvements for this tool are discussed, and suggestions are made to enhance its use as a boundary object throughout the training.  相似文献   

Assessing Fit in Structural Equation Models: A Monte-Carlo Evaluation of RMSEA Versus SRMR Confidence Intervals and Tests of Close Fit     

Alberto Maydeu-Olivares  Dexin Shi  Yves Rosseel 《Structural equation modeling》2018,25(3):389-402

We compare the accuracy of confidence intervals (CIs) and tests of close fit based on the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) with those based on the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR). Investigations used normal and nonnormal data with models ranging from p = 10 to 60 observed variables. CIs and tests of close fit based on the SRMR are generally accurate across all conditions (even at p = 60 with nonnormal data). In contrast, CIs and tests of close fit based on the RMSEA are only accurate in small models. In larger models (p ≥ 30), they incorrectly suggest that models do not fit closely, particularly if sample size is less than 500.  相似文献