Suchergebnisse

In this Paper, an account is given of some observational studies of young visually impaired children interacting with micro computer programs designed to encourage their 'looking' behaviour and their language skills. The use of control devices such as touch screens and concept keyboards is illustrated and discussed. The role of the teacher/parent in this interaction is examined with the intention of demonstrating that the software should not be seen as totally self- sufficient but should be regarded, rather, as a flexible and open-ended means of optimising the teaching/learning situation, providing immediate feedback and 'knowledge of results' to the child and presenting opportunities for the teacher/ parent to explore and capitalise upon unexpected responses by the child.

This paper presents the development of a questionnaire for measuring the quality of the work of the PR department (office, sector) in organizations. For this purpose, the necessary research was carried out with experts in the field of public relations, and the statistical methods of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used. The research was conducted in Serbia. As a result of these procedures and analysis, a questionnaire was prepared for measuring the quality of the work of the PR department in organizations. The questionnaire consists of 5 dimensions and 16 items. The dimensions are as follows: ethical and responsible action, proactive and quality action, strategic and effective action, media relations and internal public relations. The questionnaire can be widely applied, both in practical terms and in a theoretical (scientific) sense. The basic practical application of the questionnaire involves evaluating PR department according to the set items and dimensions. In a scientific sense, the questionnaire can be used to examine the impact of various aspects of organizational behaviour on the quality of the work of the PR department, as well as the impact of the quality of the work of the PR department on different aspects of financial and organizational performance.

2019 debattierten in Berlin Naturschutz-Experten das Thema "Fauna, Flora und Finanzen - Welchen Wert hat die Natur?" Die Inwertsetzung der Ökosystemleistungen ist derzeit ein lebhaft diskutiertes Mittel, um Naturschutzmaßnahmen gerade auch in der Landwirtschaft besser steuern zu können und um Unterhemen für Maßnahmen zum Schutz der Artenvielfalt zu motivieren. Aber wirkt das ökonomische Argument wirklich gegen Naturzerstörung oder reduziert es die Wunder der Natur auf Euro und Cent? Was sagen Philosophie und Religion dazu? Gehen Flora und Fauna bereits in die Bilanz von Unternehmen ein? Ist der Schutz der Natur kostenträchtige Verpflichtung oder zu honorierende Dienstleistung? Können ökonomische Inwertsetzung und ethisch begründeter Respekt vor der Natur koexistieren?

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to the progression of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), which is present in proximal tubular epithelium, is a glutamate receptor that acts as a calcium channel. Activation of NMDAR induces actin rearrangement in cells of the central nervous system, but whether it helps maintain the epithelial phenotype of the proximal tubule is unknown. Here, knockdown of NMDAR1 in a proximal tubule cell line (HK-2) induced changes in cell morphology, reduced E-cadherin expression, and increased -SMA expression. Induction of EMT with TGF- 1 led to downregulation of both E-cadherin and membrane-associated -catenin, reorganization of F-actin, expression of mesenchymal markers de novo, upregulation of Snail1, and increased cell migration; co-treatment with NMDA attenuated all of these changes. Furthermore, NMDA reduced TGF- 1–induced phosphorylation of Erk1/2 and Akt and the activation of Ras, suggesting that NMDA antagonizes TGF- 1–induced EMT by inhibiting the Ras-MEK pathway. In the unilateral ureteral obstruction model, treatment with NMDA blunted obstruction-induced upregulation of -SMA, FSP1, and collagen I and downregulation of E-cadherin. Taken together, these results suggest that NMDAR plays a critical role in preserving the normal epithelial phenotype and modulating tubular EMT ; This work was supported by Grants FIS, PI07/0427, and REDINREN (16/06). M.B. is supported by the studentship of the Catalan Government.

Internet access has provided new ways to trade goods. Unlike conventional legal sale sites, cryptomarkets facilitate exchanges in a context where the anonymity of participants is warranted. The aim of this article was to obtain a better understanding of the trafficking of prescription drugs and medicine on the AlphaBay cryptomarket. The results showed that alprazolam, oxycodone, and Adderall were the most offered prescription drugs while alprazolam, diazepam, and oxycodone were the most sold substances. The sale was dominated by North America, Australia, and Western European countries. The revenue of prescription drugs was estimated to be more than US$65 million since the creation of AlphaBay, a small market in comparison with the worldwide legal pharmaceutical market's estimate of US$1.3 trillion in 2020. Digital traces offer a complementary way to understand the trafficking of prescription drugs and medicine and to identify the most prolific vendors and their implication in this trafficking.