Evaluating the Impacts of Virtual Organization Absorption on the Quality of Urban Private Constructions; the System Dynamics Approach

Quality compliance checking of urban private constructions in Iran follows a fragmented pattern. By considering this fragmentation along with the inherent complexities of the quality compliance checking, it becomes urgent to look closer at this mechanism to find a way for making improvements. Since there is no determination to change the existing mechanism, this study discusses the use of virtual organizations as a strategy to enhance the level of quality. To this end, according to the intended approach for developing virtual organizations, this study identifies the capabilities of this type of systems in the first step. Then, this research evaluates the impacts of virtual organization absorption on the quality of urban private constructions. In this evaluation, the paper applies the system dynamics approach as the modeling tool due to its ability to address complexities and feedback structures. The resulted dynamic model needs initial values and requires functions to be able to run the simulation. In this case, the Delphi Technique is used to extract the functions and the values. After importing the resulted values and functions into the model, the focus group is used for the validation. The result of this analysis represents the positive impacts of the virtual organization absorption in the quality compliance checking mechanism. Fifty-percent improvement in the quality level of urban private constructions after a twenty-year period is one of the results, which could be considered as an indicator of virtual organization impacts.

     

伊朗伊斯法罕地区的步甲科（鞘翅目）记述

步行虫（鞘翅目：步甲科）作为强劲的捕食者,对农业害虫和森林害虫的生态学控制起着举足轻重的作用.本文研究了伊朗中部伊斯法罕地区的有益步行虫,共收集确定了42个种与亚种,来自7个亚科Broscinae、Carabinae、Cicindelinae、Harpalinae、Nebriinae和Pterostichinae.这其中有6种是伊朗区系的新记录种,分别是〖WTBX〗Cephalota 〖WTBZ〗(〖WTBX〗Taenidia〖WTBZ〗) 〖WTBX〗circumdata cappadocica 〖WTBZ〗Franzen,〖WTBX〗Lophyridia concolor concolor 〖WTBZ〗Dejean,〖WTBX〗Lophyridia littoralis mandli 〖WTBZ〗Mandl,〖WTBX〗Ophonus 〖WTBZ〗(s.str.) 〖WTBX〗cribricollis 〖WTBZ〗(Dejean),〖WTBX〗Pachycarus 〖WTBZ〗(〖WTBX〗Paramystropterus〖WTBZ〗)〖WTBX〗 bravipennis 〖WTBZ〗Chaudoir和 〖WTBX〗Cymindis 〖WTBZ〗(s.str.) 〖WTBX〗scapularis 〖WTBZ〗Schaum.     

The ubiquitin-proteasome system and chromosome 17 in cerebellar granule cells and medulloblastoma subgroups

Chromosome 17 abnormalities are often observed in medulloblastomas (MBs), particularly those classified in the consensus Groups 3 and 4. Herein we review MB signature genes associated with chromosome 17 and the relationship of these signature genes to the ubiquitin-proteasome system. While clinical investigators have not focused on the ubiquitin-proteasome system in relation to MB, a substantial amount of data on the topic has been hidden in the form of supplemental datasets of gene expression. A supplemental dataset associated with the Thompson classification of MBs shows that a subgroup of MB with 17p deletions is characterized by reduced expression of genes for several core particle subunits of the beta ring of the proteasome (β1, β4, β5, β7). One of these genes (PSMB6, the gene for the β1 subunit) is located on chromosome 17, near the telomeric end of 17p. By comparison, in the WNT group of MBs only one core proteasome subunit, β6, associated with loss of a gene (PSMB1) on chromosome 6, was down-regulated in this dataset. The MB subgroups with the worst prognosis have a significant association with chromosome 17 abnormalities and irregularities of APC/C cyclosome genes. We conclude that the expression of proteasome subunit genes and genes for ubiquitin ligases can contribute to prognostic classification of MBs. The therapeutic value of targeting proteasome subunits and ubiquitin ligases in the various subgroups of MB remains to be determined separately for each classification of MB.     

Prolactin inducible protein in cancer, fertility and immunoregulation: structure, function and its clinical implications

Prolactin inducible protein (PIP) is a 17- kDa single polypeptide chain, known by various names due to its versatile nature and function in human reproductive and immunological systems. It is expressed in several exocrine tissues such as the lacrimal, salivary, and sweat glands. Its expression is up regulated by prolactin and androgens, and estrogens down regulate it. Due to its over-expression in metastatic breast and prostate cancer, presently PIP is considered as a prognostic biomarker. Moreover, its aspartyl-proteinase nature suggests its role in tumor progression. PIP has unique features because it is small in size and plays multiple important functions. Its ability to bind potentially with CD4-T cell receptor, immunoglobulin G (IgG), actin, zinc α2-glycoprotein (ZAG), fibronectin and enamel pellicle, reveals its important biological functions. This is the first comprehensive review on the structure and functional analysis of PIP and its clinical applications. Received 04 August 2008; received after revision 09 September 2008; accepted 15 September 2008     

Persica qeshmensis gen. nov. sp. nov from the Persian Gulf (Platyhelminthes: Polycladida: Acotylea), with remarks on reproductive structures

A new genus of acotylean polyclad, Persica qeshmensis gen. nov. sp. nov. (Acotylea, Pleioplanidae), was collected from intertidal rocky shores of the Northern Persian Gulf, Iran. The genus Persica is established on the presence of small tentacles; tentacular and cerebral eyes; spermiducal bulbs; true seminal vesicle; prostatic vesicle of atomata-type; muscular coiled ejaculatory duct, provided with a stylet, absence of a vagina bulbosa or Lang’s vesicle. Persica qeshmensis is characterised by a sandy beige to light brown background colour, with pale brown microdots, light grey ventral body surface, coiled ejaculatory duct embedded in parenchymatous cell mass, elongated sigmoid stylet, a well-developed penis sheath located in a small male atrium, and with a non-muscular blind chamber extending anteriad from the vagina to the level of the genital sucker.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FAA7AA0A-6954-47D0-A5B2-1A2EC04050C3     

Structural basis for Duffy recognition by the malaria parasite Duffy-binding-like domain

Molecular processes that govern pathogenic features of erythrocyte invasion and cytoadherence in malaria are reliant on Plasmodium-specific Duffy-binding-like domains (DBLs). These cysteine-rich modules recognize diverse host cell-surface receptors during pathogenesis. DBLs of parasite erythrocyte-binding proteins mediate invasion, and those from the antigenically variant P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) have been implicated in cytoadherence. The simian and human malarial parasites, P. knowlesi and P. vivax, invade human erythrocytes exclusively through the host DARC receptor (Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines). Here we present the crystal structure of the P. knowlesi DBL domain (Pkalpha-DBL), which binds to DARC during invasion of human erythrocytes. Pkalpha-DBL retains the overall fold observed in DBLs from P. falciparum erythrocyte-binding antigen (EBA)-175 (ref. 4). Mapping the residues that have previously been implicated in binding highlights a fairly flat but exposed site for DARC recognition in subdomain 2 of Pkalpha-DBL; this is in sharp contrast to receptor recognition by EBA-175 (ref. 4). In Pkalpha-DBL, the residues that contact DARC and the clusters of residues under immune pressure map to opposite surfaces of the DBL, and suggest a possible mechanism for immune evasion by P. vivax. Our comparative structural analysis of Pkalpha-DBL and P. falciparum EBA-175 provides a framework for the understanding of malaria parasite DBLs, and may affect the development of new prophylactic and therapeutic strategies.