Al-Jazeera's discourse of 'Arabness' : an examination of the discursive construction of identity in talk show programming

Al-Jazeera asserted itself in the global media scene shortly after the attacks of September 11th, 2001 in the United States. The station's regional prominence had already been entrenched in the new Arab media environment before it was overshadowed by the station's newfound global fame. Subsequently, al-Jazeera was considered an Arab media ambassador and the "voice of the Arab world." This dissertation provides an analysis of al-Jazeera's programming in Arabic that is lacking in the burgeoning English language academic literature. The dissertation furthermore highlights the way treatment of global current affairs informs a sense of Arab identification on a regional level. Moreover, it argues that, apart from competitive broadcast journalists, al-Jazeera offers an oppositional discourse of identification that does not necessarily challenge the hegemony of Western media discourses. By employing an oppositional stance expressed in typical anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist terms, it constructs an overarching notion of "Arabness" that is predominately discursive.The dissertation analyzes three live talk shows: al-Ittijah al-Mu'akis (The Opposite Direction), Bila Hudoud (Without Boundaries), and Li-Nisa' Faqat (For Women Only). These talk shows are ideal sites for examining this oppositional discourse because they constitute important forums in which perceptions of identity are cultivated in the discussion of current affairs. In my analysis, each episode is treated as a media "text" that contributes to the formation of a discourse of "Arabness." The objective of the analysis is to identify the recurrent discursive patterns and strategies in providing the basis for this discursive category of identification across Arab state borders. In constructing an oppositional discourse, the United States and Israel are employed as necessary rhetorical references; Islam is infused into "Arabness" as a homogenizing constituent in identity formation; and finally, a culturally-threatened "Arabness" converges upon a context in which the world is marked by globalization. The dissertation concludes by indicating that al-Jazeera offers merely a representation of "Arabness" that, despite its power to influence, remains one way of perceiving Arab identity

Učinak prevalencije i težine molarno-incizalne hipomineralizacije na kvalitetu života povezanu s oralnim zdravljem: sistematizirani pregled i metaanaliza

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the association between the MIH presence as well as the severity and OHRQoL in children. Material and methods: Relevant studies were identified in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Google Scholar. Studies involving MIH and OHRQoL in children were included. A methodological quality assessment of included studies was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and its adapted version for cross-sectional studies. Random effects models were used to estimate summary effect measures for the association between MIH presence (presence vs. absence) as well as severity (moderate/severe MIH vs. no MIH) and OHRQoL using generic inverse variance meta-analyses. Tests for heterogeneity, publication bias and sensitivity of results were also performed. Results: Out of 1696 identified publications 11 studies reporting on 5,017 children were included in the meta-analysis assessing the impact of MIH presence. There was no statistically significant association between the presence of MIH and lower OHRQoL in affected children (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 0.99–2.98). Concerning MIH severity and its impact on OHRQoL, a sum of 6 studies were included in the meta-analysis involving a total of 2,595 children. There was a significant association between moderate/severe MIH and lower OHRQoL in affected children (OR = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.69–6.98). Conclusion: Moderate/Severe MIH has a significant and clinically relevant negative impact on OHRQoL, and it should therefore be addressed adequately. Future research should also consider the impact of a uniform MIH diagnosis and precise severity criteria.Svrha istraživanja: Cilj ovog sistematiziranog pregleda i metaanalize bio je procijeniti povezanost između MIH-a i OHRQoL-a u djece. Materijali i metode: Pronađena su relevantna istraživanja u bazama PubMed, Embase, Cochrane i Google Scholar. Uključena su istraživanja koja su obrađivala MIH i OHRQoL u djece. Metodološka procjena kvalitete tih istraživanja obavljena je s pomoću ljestvice Newcastle-Ottawa (NOS) i njezine prilagođene verzije za presječne studije. Za procjenu sažetih mjera učinka za povezanost između prisutnosti MIH-a (prisutnost prema odsutnosti) upotrijebljeni su modeli slučajnih učinaka, a za težinu (umjereni/teški MIH prema odsutnosti MIH-a) i OHRQoL upotrijebljena je generička metaanaliza inverzne varijance. Obavljeni su i testovi heterogenosti, pristranosti objave i osjetljivosti rezultata. Rezultati: Od 1696 identificiranih časopisa, u metaanalizu procjene utjecaja prisutnosti MIH-a uključeno je 11 istraživanja koja su izvještavala o 5017 djece. Nije bilo statistički značajne povezanosti između prisutnosti MIH-a i nižega OHRQoL-a u pogođene djece (OR = 1,72, 95 % IP = 0,99–2,98). Kad je riječ o težini MIH-a i njegova utjecaja na OHRQoL, zbroj od 6 istraživanja uključen je u metaanalizu koja obuhvaća ukupno 2595 djece. Postojala je značajna povezanost između umjerenoga/teškoga MIH-a i nižega OHRQoL-a u pogođene djece (OR = 3,43, 95 % IP = 1,69 – 6,98)

Exile from within the homelandself-representation and cultural identity in Arabic film

Bibliography: p. 119-126

Atypical presentation of a locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: Extensive workup of an incidental finding on computed tomography performed for planning of transcatheter aortic valve implantation

This case report presents the diagnostic workup of liver malignancy incidentally detected in a 72-year-old male patient on routine body computed tomography angiography (CTA) performed for planning transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The patient initially presented to an outside hospital with chest discomfort, where routine diagnostic procedures in the emergency room revealed grade III aortic valve stenosis. Routine CTA for TAVI planning in our department then revealed tumor thrombosis of the portal vein suspicious for hepatic malignancy. In contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) only the left hepatic lobe was inhomogeneously transformed with early arterial contrast enhancement. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed a primary hepatic malignancy involving the left liver. Transcutaneous biopsy with ultrasound guidance established the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Incidental findings may be of prognostic relevance for the patient and in a number of cases, TAVI can be a prerequisite for the appropriate therapy

Cryopreservation and mycophenolate therapy are detrimental to hematopoietic progenitor cells

The aim of the present study was to determine whether certain components of nonmyeloablative regimens for hematopoietic cell transplantation might compromise the growth of hematopoietic progenitors

Decitabine cytotoxicity is promoted by dCMP deaminase DCTD and mitigated by SUMO-dependent E3 ligase TOPORS.

The nucleoside analogue decitabine (or 5-aza-dC) is used to treat several haematological cancers. Upon its triphosphorylation and incorporation into DNA, 5-aza-dC induces covalent DNA methyltransferase 1 DNA-protein crosslinks (DNMT1-DPCs), leading to DNA hypomethylation. However, 5-aza-dC's clinical outcomes vary, and relapse is common. Using genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 screens, we map factors determining 5-aza-dC sensitivity. Unexpectedly, we find that loss of the dCMP deaminase DCTD causes 5-aza-dC resistance, suggesting that 5-aza-dUMP generation is cytotoxic. Combining results from a subsequent genetic screen in DCTD-deficient cells with the identification of the DNMT1-DPC-proximal proteome, we uncover the ubiquitin and SUMO1 E3 ligase, TOPORS, as a new DPC repair factor. TOPORS is recruited to SUMOylated DNMT1-DPCs and promotes their degradation. Our study suggests that 5-aza-dC-induced DPCs cause cytotoxicity when DPC repair is compromised, while cytotoxicity in wild-type cells arises from perturbed nucleotide metabolism, potentially laying the foundations for future identification of predictive biomarkers for decitabine treatment

Decitabine cytotoxicity is promoted by dCMP deaminase DCTD and mitigated by SUMO-dependent E3 ligase TOPORS

Funder: Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung (Krupp-Stiftung); doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100005306The nucleoside analogue decitabine (or 5-aza-dC) is used to treat several haematological cancers. Upon its triphosphorylation and incorporation into DNA, 5-aza-dC induces covalent DNA methyltransferase 1 DNA–protein crosslinks (DNMT1-DPCs), leading to DNA hypomethylation. However, 5-aza-dC’s clinical outcomes vary, and relapse is common. Using genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 screens, we map factors determining 5-aza-dC sensitivity. Unexpectedly, we find that loss of the dCMP deaminase DCTD causes 5-aza-dC resistance, suggesting that 5-aza-dUMP generation is cytotoxic. Combining results from a subsequent genetic screen in DCTD-deficient cells with the identification of the DNMT1-DPC-proximal proteome, we uncover the ubiquitin and SUMO1 E3 ligase, TOPORS, as a new DPC repair factor. TOPORS is recruited to SUMOylated DNMT1-DPCs and promotes their degradation. Our study suggests that 5-aza-dC-induced DPCs cause cytotoxicity when DPC repair is compromised, while cytotoxicity in wild-type cells arises from perturbed nucleotide metabolism, potentially laying the foundations for future identification of predictive biomarkers for decitabine treatment