The US Economic, political and geostrategic response to China's presence in Africa

Master International Development and CooperationAfrica has recently become a region of strategic importance for both the U.S. and China, which has resulted in what some have called The third scramble for Africa. Both countries are actively competing for Africa's natural resources, for markets and for political influence, using several strategies and tactics to ensure and expand their interests. This dissertation aims to analyse the main actions and reactions taken by the U.S. in Africa, regarding China's presence on the continent. It examines the two countries cooperation policy and their interests in Africa as well as the measures that have been taken by the U.S. to strengthen its strategic policy in Africa. It concludes that, even though the U.S. is using diplomatic, military and economic instruments to counter China's influence on the continent, it doesn't intend to attack China directly. Instead, the U.S. is employing a "smart power" policy characterized by cautiousness.A África tornou-se mais recentemente uma região de grande importância estratégica para os EUA e a China, resultando, na visão de alguns autores, numa nova corrida pela África. Ambos os países estão activamente a competir por recursos naturais, por mercados económicos e por influência política, no continente Africano, utilizando várias estratégias para assegurar e expandir os seus interesses. A presente dissertação tem como principal objectivo apresentar as principais acções e reacções desenvolvidas pelos EUA no continente africano, assumindo a presença cada vez mais forte da China em África. A dissertação analisa a política de cooperação dos dois países e os seus interesses no continente, bem como as medidas tomadas pelos EUA para reforçar a sua política estratégica no continente, como resposta às acções desenvolvidas pela China. A partir da analise realizada pode-se concluir que, apesar dos EUA utilizarem vários instrumentos diplomáticos, militares e económicos para conter a influência da China no continente, a intenção de Washington não é atacar a China directamente. Em vez disso, os EUA estão a empregar uma política de "smart power" caracterizada essencialmente pela cautela e prudência

Pengaruh pemberian cuka mandai terhadap kadar kolesterol total, lipoprotein dan trigliserida pada mencit (Mus musculus) dengan induksi kuning telur

Mandai merupakan produk pangan fungsional sebagai upaya pemanfaatan limbah dari konsumsi buah cempedak, seperti dengan cara fermentasi yang merupakan salah satu bagian dari upaya pengawetan makanan agar tersedia dalam waktu yang lama. Cuka mandai merupakan produk olahan lanjutan dari mandai yang diproyeksikan bernilai tinggi adalah menjadi pangan fungsional yang memiliki antioksidan yang dapat menurunkan kadar kolesterol. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu mengetahui pengaruh pemberian cuka mandai terhadap kadar kolesterol total, HDL (High-density lipoprotein), LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) dan TG (Trigliserida) pada mencit (Mus musculus) jantan yang diinduksi kuning telur. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode quasi-eksperimen dengan pre-test and pos-test with control design dengan 6 perlakuan dan setiap perlakuan diulang 5 kali. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis menggunakan sidik ragam dilanjutkan dengan uji Beda Nyata Terkecil pada taraf a 5%. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pada 14 hari setelah pemberian cuka mandai kadar kolesterol total pada mencit yang diinduksi dengan kuning telur mengalami penurunan yang nyata (p 0,05) pada semua perlakuan, tetapi menunjukkan kenaikan. Trigliserida pada perlakuan kuning telur dan asam askorbat mengalami penurunan

TOWARDS A FARMER-GOVERNED APPROACH TO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT: LESSONS FROM INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES WITH LOCAL INNOVATION SUPPORT FUNDS

International audienceNovel mechanisms for funding agricultural research for development (ARD) are emerging which strive to give smallholders a central role in deciding what types of innovation they want to explore and develop and how to do this. This paper reports on international experiences with one such mechanism, the Local Innovation Support Fund (LISF), which is being piloted in eight countries across Asia and Africa under the umbrella of the PROLINNOVA international partnership programme. The ways of setting up the LISFs vary greatly between countries, in response to country-specific conditions, experiences and opportunities, but all share certain structural elements: ensuring farmers' effective control over fund governance; making calls for proposals that farmers can easily understand and respond to; developing and applying effective screening criteria; and monitoring and evaluating systematically how the funds are used, the outcomes of the work and the impacts on farmers' lives, including their ability to influence ARD decision-making. After presenting the general rationale for the LISF pilot, the paper examines the diverse results obtained across countries in terms of structure and process of grant administration; number, size and types of grants; thematic foci; monitoring and impact assessment. Some critical issues are discussed: the importance of understanding concepts and its implications for LISF implementation, the purposes for which farmers use the funds, the pros and cons of supporting farmers' own experimentation versus farmer-led joint experimentation, and the perspectives for sustainability and scaling-up of the LISF approach within and beyond the eight countries in which it has been piloted

Interplay of Epigenetics with Gynecological Cancer

Recent data on the cell deregulation that occurs during the progression to cancer underlines the cooperation between genetic and epigenetic alterations leading to a malignant phenotype. Unlike genetic alterations, the epigenetic changes do not affect the DNA sequence of the genes, but determine the regulation of gene expression acting upon the genome. Moreover, unlike genetic changes, epigenetic ones are reversible, making them therapeutic targets in various conditions in general and in cancer disease in particular. The term epigenetics includes a series of covalent modifications that regulate the methylation pattern of DNA and posttranslational modifications of histones. Gene expression can also be regulated at the posttranscriptional level by microRNAs (miRNAs), a family of small noncoding RNAs that inhibit the translation of mRNA to protein. miRNAs can act as ‘oncomiRs’, as tumor suppressors, or both. In this chapter, we will (1) summarize the current literature on the key processes responsible for epigenetic regulation: DNA methylation, histone modifications and posttranscriptional gene regulation by miRNAs; (2) evaluate aberrant epigenetic modifications as essential players in cancer progression; (3) establish the roles of microenvironment-mediated epigenetic perturbations in the development of gynecological neoplasia; (4) evaluate epigenetic factors involved in drug resistance

Magnetite nanoparticles for functionalized textile dressing to prevent fungal biofilms development

The purpose of this work was to investigate the potential of functionalized magnetite nanoparticles to improve the antibiofilm properties of textile dressing, tested in vitro against monospecific Candida albicans biofilms. Functionalized magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)/C(18)), with an average size not exceeding 20 nm, has been synthesized by precipitation of ferric and ferrous salts in aqueous solution of oleic acid (C(18)) and NaOH. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and differential thermal analysis coupled with thermo gravimetric analysis were used as characterization methods for the synthesized Fe(3)O(4)/C(18). Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the architecture of the fungal biofilm developed on the functionalized textile dressing samples and culture-based methods for the quantitative assay of the biofilm-embedded yeast cells. The optimized textile dressing samples proved to be more resistant to C. albicans colonization, as compared to the uncoated ones; these functionalized surfaces-based approaches are very useful in the prevention of wound microbial contamination and subsequent biofilm development on viable tissues or implanted devices

The hematologic profile of cattle with reproductive diseases

Investigations were conducted on the Bălțată Neagră Românească (BNR) breed dairy cows from the Dancu Research and Development Station for Cattle Breeding, Iaşi County. We have carried out hematologic profile investigations (red and white blood cells) in cattle having reproductive troubles and clinically healthy cattle, divided into groups of 10 animals: four experimental groups – cows with puerperal genital infections (E1), cows with chronic genital infections (E2), cows with postpartum anestrus (E3) and cows with repeated inseminations (E4), as well as three control groups, made of cows at different stages of lactation: early, 0-2 months (M1), advanced, 4-6 months (M2) and late, 6-7 months (M3). Hematologic analyzes have shown variations according to the type of reproductive troubles and to the stage of lactation: in cows having puerperal genital infections (E1 Group), compared to the control group (M1), lower values of red blood cells (5.74±0,2 x106/μl), hematocrit (Ht), (28.40±0.47%) and haemoglobin (Hb) (9.20±0.30 g/dl) were found and higher values of the total number of leucocytes (9.0±0.50 x103, compared to 7.7±0.30 x103, p<0.05), 7.7±0.30 x103, p<0.05), represented by neutrophils (56.0±0.60 %, compared to 34.2 ±0.6%, p<0.05). The cows with chronic genital infections (E2 Group) in comparison to the M2 Group had lower values of red blood cells, hematocrit and haemoglobin and higher values of the total number of leucocytes (8.2 ±2.12 x103/μl, vs. 7.26 ±1,04 x103/μl), with a high neutrophil number (39.5±0.67 %, vs. 35.66 ± 1.66%). In cows having postpartum anestrus (E3 Group), lower values of erythrocytes and haemoglobin and slightly higher values of leukocytes with a great proportion of neutrophils. In cows with repeated inseminations (E4 Group), there were diminutions in the erythrocyte number and increased number of neutrophils. Once with the lactation curve from early stage (M1 Group) to advanced stage (M2) healthy cows have recorded variations of erythrocyte indices, determined by the increasing level of the milk production, marked by the diminution of the number of erythrocytes and hematocrit and the moderate increase of haemoglobin

Research on the quality of milk production husbandry holdings for cattle breeding in Neamț county

In this paper, the quality of milk production was analyzed in dairy cattle herds from 7 farms in Neamț County. For this, data from accredited associations were used to perform their own performance control (CPP), respectively the Association of Animal Breeders "Operator IA" Neamț, the Association of Cattle Breeders from Mureș County, as well as the date from the Genealogical Register. The quality of milk was assessed according to the seven specific indicators, as follows: somatic cell number (NCS), fat percentage (G%), protein percentage (P%), lactose proportion (L%), proportion of urea (U%), proportion of casein (C%) and the pH of the milk.The average daily milk production produced by the cows on these farms was also calculated (kg/head/day). The breeds raised on these farms are:Bălțată cu Negru Românească (BNR), Holstein, Brună de Maramureș and Bălțată Românească (BR). The best results of milk quality were obtained in Brună de Maramureș cows from farm 5 or Secuieni Neamț Agricultural Research and Development Station, the average values of the specific indicators on milk quality were as follows: NCS thousand / ml - 157.64, fat (%) -4.64, protein (%) - 3.73, lactose (%) -4.84, urea (%)-23.37casein (%) -28.78, pH - 6.60

Impact of coastal protection systems on marine ecosystems

Various solutions, which consist of numerous techniques, technologies and planning measures, are testing for reduction shoreline erosion, precisely for protection shore against waves attack. These methods may affect the site's geology and geomorphology, involving changes of the habitats in the site. Coastal defense projects and ideas must take into account the structure and functions of protected natural areas and their conservation objectives in order to avoid threatening the species and/or habitats on the site. The ecological impacts expected from coast protection structures on short-term are mostly negative, may disturbance the birds from their habitat, and destruct the marine coastal habitats with their own flora and fauna. In this study, we are indicating the effects of coastal protection measures on the ecosystem. Therefore, we present a part of methods applied or which will be apply on the Romanian shoreline and the effects that have an impact on the species and/or habitats on the site. The methods referred to “hard” methods so to harder the shore with fixed structure (bulkhead, seawall, revetment, breakwaters, sills or groins) or “soft” methods like beach nourishment that is not a sustainable method in time. The protection structures like breakwaters and groins trap or add sand and will change the beach geometry this means that can introduce new artificial material, which is extensively and rapidly colonized by algae and marine animals. In the cases of beach nourishment, under water sand nourishment and mudflat recharge, there are impacts both at the borrow site (the sediment source) and the target site. In the zone of extraction of borrow, sediments appear a damage and mortality to the benthos. Finally, it can conclude that some of the effects are beneficial for socio-economic aspect, but it is important also, the environment, which can bring bad consequences for earth landscape and make the ecosystem, be unbalanced