412 research outputs found

    Family policy and child well-being: The case of Montenegro in the European perspective

    Get PDF
    Family policies and family support measures have been identified as having major implications for child well-being, particularly through their role in influencing parental and family resources, circumstances and behaviour. The official approach to family policies focuses on opportunities for families to balance their work and family duties and care for their children. This paper analyses the type of policies available in Montenegro compared to the European Union. Potentially, Montenegro will become an EU member state, thus it is important to take a look at Montenegrin practice, as children should have equal life chances and protection of their well-being. Having a solid legal framework per se does not necessarily result in significant positive outcomes, and this paper analyses whether children in Montenegro have the same opportunities for development, in the context of family policies, as their counterparts in the rest of Europe. The focus of the paper will be on the criteria that define family rights and obligations, eligibility, availability and use of family policies in Montenegro. Based on the specific measures and datasets examined, the analysis considers the degree to which a period of family policy investment in Montenegro has been accompanied by improvements in child well-being and family resources, and undertakes comparisons in these regards with EU-wide family policy and child well-being trends. The paper uses a welfare state theoretical approach, with the focus on social investment and relevant data on children’s well-being obtained from the Eurostat, the OECD and the official national statistics

    RGS16, a novel p53 and pRb cross-talk candidate inhibits migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells

    Get PDF
    Data collected since the discovery of p53 and pRb/RB1 suggests these tumor suppressors cooperate to inhibit tumor progression. Patients who have mutations in both p53 and RB1 genes have increased tumor reoccurrence and decreased survival compared to patients with only one tumor suppressor gene inactivated. It remains unclear how p53 and pRb cooperate toward inhibiting tumorigenesis. Using RNA expression profiling we identified 179 p53 and pRb cross-talk candidates in normal lung fibroblasts (WI38) cells exogenously coexpressing p53 and pRb. Regulator of G protein signaling 16 (RGS16) was among the p53 and pRb cross-talk candidates and has been implicated in inhibiting activation of several oncogenic pathways associated with proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. RGS16 has been found to be downregulated in pancreatic cancer patients with metastases compared to patients without metastasis. Expression of RGS16 mRNA was decreased in the pancreatic cancer cell lines tested compared to control. Expression of RGS16 inhibited migration of the BxPC-3 and AsPC-1 but not PANC-1 cells and inhibited invasion of BxPC-3 and AsPC-1 cells with no impact on cell viability. We have identified for the first time p53 and pRb cross-talk candidates and a role for RGS16 to inhibit pancreatic cancer migration and invasion

    Development of Strength in Cements

    Get PDF
    Agreement No. 4 (PL 480)This report is divided into two parts: Portland and Sorel Cements. Portland Cement: The production of doped belite (dicalcium silicate) clinkers can be a prospective way of saving energy in cement production. Barium sulfate (BaSO sub-4), calcium tribasic phosphate (Ca sub-5 (PO sub-4) sub-3 (OH), and vanadium oxide (V sub-2 0 sub-5) stabilize Beta-, alpha' and alpha modifications of belite (C sub-2 S). The aplha' modification shows better strength development than the Beta-C sub-2 S. Strength develops more slowly in Ca sub-5 (PO sub-4) sub-3 OH than in BaSO sub-4, stabilized belites. Also, belite clinkers doped with BaSO sub-4 attain greater strength than belites without BaSO sub-4. Sorel Cement: The reaction products are dependent on the proportion of reactants (MgO, MgC1 sub-2, and H sub-2 O) and on MgO activity. Hardened cements achieve the best strength development and stability when phase 5 (5Mg (OH) sub-2 .MgC1 sub-2 .(H sub-2 O) is the main reaction product. Phosphate addition, especially soluble phosphates, which are more effective, improves the cement's resistance to the effects of water

    Auditory Event-Related P300 Potentials in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

    No full text
    The aim of the study was to assess P300 event-related potentials (ERPs) in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to the duration of illness, degree of disease activity, anatomical and functional stage of the disease, pain intensity, and pain unpleasantness. The cross-sectional study included 53 women with RA (RA group; mean age 50.58 ± 0.93 years) and 27 healthy women (control group, C; 49.41 ± 1.08 years). The intensity and unpleasantness of pain were determined using a visual analog scale (VAS); the functional status was assessed using HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire), and the disease activity was estimated using the disease activity scale (DAS28). The P300 waves initiated by auditory stimulations according to the oddball paradigm were recorded from leads Fz and Cz. There were no significant differences between the P300 latencies in both leads. At the same time, the average P300 amplitudes in both leads were found to be considerably lower (P < 0.05) in the RA group compared to the C group. Thus, there is a statistically significant amplitude difference between the P300 cognitive ERPs in RA patients and control subjects.Були досліджені параметри пов’язаних із подією потенціалів (ППП) P300 у пацієнтів, що страждають на ревматоїдний артрит (РА), та зв’язок цих параметрів із тривалістю та інтенсивністю захворювання, анатомічною та функціональною стадіями останнього, інтенсивністю та неприємністю відчуттів болю. У порівняльне дослідження були залучені 53 жінки з РА (група RA, середній вік 50.58 ± ± 0.94 року) та 27 здорових жінок (контрольна група C, 49.41 ± 1.08 року). Інтенсивність та рівень неприємності болю визначали за допомогою візуальної аналогової шкали (VAS), функціональний статус – згідно з опитувальником HAQ, а інтенсивність хвороби – за шкалою DAS28. Потенціали P300 ініціювали акустичною стимуляцією відповідно до oddball-парадигми та відводили від точок Fz та Cz. Усереднені значення латентних періодів хвилі P300 в групах RA та C не демонстрували якихось істотних відмінностей. У той же час усереднені амплітуди P300 в обох кортикальних зонах у групі RA були вірогідно нижчими (P < 0.05), ніж відповідні величини в групі C. Таким чином, існує статистично значуща різниця між характеристиками когнітивного ППП P300 у пацієнтів із ревматоїдним артритом та здорових суб’єктів, що вказує на негативні зміни сенсорного процесінга та уваги, а також когнітивні дисфункції, виниклі під впливом хронічного болю

    Uticaj minazela plus na proizvodne rezultate i ekonomicnost tova junica

    Get PDF
    This paper presents the effects of the Minazel Plus zeolite product on the production performance – body weight, feed consumption and feed conversion, and economic performance of heifers in a fattening trial. The trial involved 22 female domestic spotted Simmental calves allocated to two groups (control C - ration without zeolite, and experimental E-I – ration with 0.2% Minazel Plus), each containing 11 calves with an average body weight of 139.09 kg at the beginning of the trial. The length of the trial period was 283 days. Ration included meadow hay and complete feed. Minazel Plus supplementation was provided through the feed concentrate. The trial involved measurement of body weights of heifers and feed consumption across groups at 31, 61, 91, 121, 151 and 283 days of the trial. Results showed that, at the end of the trial, control heifers had an average body weight of 432.73 kg/calf and concentrate feed conversion of 5.234 kg/kg weight gain, whereas the respective values in E-I heifers were 435.91 kg/calf and 5.179 kg/kg weight gain. The cost of the weight gain produced was higher by 0.33% (0.31 RSD/kg) in C calves than in E-I heifers, whereas the economic performance of the experimental animals receiving diet with Minazel Plus (0.2%) was higher by 0.29%.U radu su prikazani efekti zeolitskog preparata Minazel Plus na proizvodne rezultate –telesnu masu, konzumaciju i konverziju hrane i ekonomičnost tova ženske junadi u tovu. U ogledu je bilo 22 ženske teladi domaće šarene rase u tipu simentalca, podeljih u dve grupe (K grupa, obrok bez zeolitskog preparata i O-I grupa hranjena obrokom sa 0,2% Minazela Plus) sa po 11 grla u grupi, prosečne telesne mase na početku ogleda 139,09kg. Ogled je trajao 283 dana. Obrok je bio sastavljen od livadskog sena i potpune smeše, a Minazel Plus je dodavan preko koncentrovanog dela obroka. U toku ogleda merene su telesne mase junica i konzumacija hrane po grupama 31-og, 61-og, 91-og, 121-og, 150-og i na kraju ogleda - 283 dana. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da su junice iz kontrolne grupe na kraju ogleda imale prosečnu masu 432,73 kg/grlu i konverziju koncentrovane hrane 5,234 kg/kg prirasta, a grla iz O-I grupe prosečnu masu 435,91 kg/grlu i konverziju koncentrovane hrane 5,179 kg/kg prirasta. Cena koštanja proizvedenog prirasta bila je veća za 0,33% (0,31din/kg) kod K grupe u odnosu na O-I grupu, a u pogledu ekonomičnosti proizvodnje, ogledna grupa koja je obrokom dobijala Minazel-Plus (0,2%) imala je ekonomičniju proizvodnju za 0,29%

    The Chicken Yolk Sac IgY Receptor, a Mammalian Mannose Receptor Family Member, Transcytoses IgY across Polarized Epithelial Cells

    Get PDF
    In mammals the transfer of passive immunity from mother to young is mediated by the MHC-related receptor FcRn, which transports maternal IgG across epithelial cell barriers. In birds, maternal IgY in egg yolk is transferred across the yolk sac to passively immunize chicks during gestation and early independent life. The chicken yolk sac IgY receptor (FcRY) is the ortholog of the mammalian phospholipase A2 receptor, a mannose receptor family member, rather than an FcRn or MHC homolog. FcRn and FcRY both exhibit ligand binding at the acidic pH of endosomes and ligand release at the slightly basic pH of blood. Here we show that FcRY expressed in polarized mammalian epithelial cells functioned in endocytosis, bidirectional transcytosis, and recycling of chicken FcY/IgY. Confocal immunofluorescence studies demonstrated that IgY binding and endocytosis occurred at acidic but not basic pH, mimicking pH-dependent uptake of IgG by FcRn. Colocalization studies showed FcRY-mediated internalization via clathrin-coated pits and transport involving early and recycling endosomes. Disruption of microtubules partially inhibited apical-to-basolateral and basolateral-to-apical transcytosis, but not recycling, suggesting the use of different trafficking machinery. Our results represent the first cell biological evidence of functional equivalence between FcRY and FcRn and provide an intriguing example of how evolution can give rise to systems in which similar biological requirements in different species are satisfied utilizing distinct protein folds

    Spin dynamics in molecular ring nanomagnets: Significant effect of acoustic phonons and magnetic anisotropies

    Full text link
    The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T_1_ is calculated for magnetic ring clusters by fully diagonalizing their microscopic spin Hamiltonians. Whether the nearest-neighbor exchange interaction J is ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic, 1/T_1_ versus temperature T in ring nanomagnets may be peaked at around k_B_T=|J| provided the lifetime broadening of discrete energy levels is in proportion to T^3^. Experimental findings for ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic Cu^II^ rings are reproduced with crucial contributions of magnetic anisotropies as well as acoustic phonons.Comment: 5 pages with 5 figures embedded, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 75, No. 10 (2006

    Rlim-Dependent and -Independent Pathways for X Chromosome Inactivation in Female ESCs

    Get PDF
    During female mouse embryogenesis, two forms of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) ensure dosage compensation from sex chromosomes. Beginning at the four-cell stage, imprinted XCI (iXCI) exclusively silences the paternal X (Xp), and this pattern is maintained in extraembryonic cell types. Epiblast cells, which give rise to the embryo proper, reactivate the Xp (XCR) and undergo a random form of XCI (rXCI) around implantation. Both iXCI and rXCI depend on the long non-coding RNA Xist. The ubiquitin ligase RLIM is required for iXCI in vivo and occupies a central role in current models of rXCI. Here, we demonstrate the existence of Rlim-dependent and Rlim-independent pathways for rXCI in differentiating female ESCs. Upon uncoupling these pathways, we find more efficient Rlim-independent XCI in ESCs cultured under physiological oxygen conditions. Our results revise current models of rXCI and suggest that caution must be taken when comparing XCI studies in ESCs and mice

    Materials characterisation and software tools as key enablers in Industry 5.0 and wider acceptance of new methods and products

    Get PDF
    Recently, the NMBP-35 Horizon 2020 projects -NanoMECommons, CHARISMA, and Easi-stress -organised a collaborative workshop to increase awareness of their contributions to the industry "commons" in terms of characterisation and digital transformation. They have established interoperability standards for knowledge management in characterisation and introduced new solutions for materials testing, aided by the standardisation of faster and more accurate assessment methods. The lessons learned from these projects and the discussions during the joint workshop emphasised the impact of recent developments and emerging needs in the field of characterisation. Specifically, the focus was on enhancing data quality through harmonisation and stand-ardisation, as well as making advanced technologies and instruments accessible to a broader community with the goal of fostering increased trust in new products and a more skilled society. Experts also highlighted how characterisation and the corresponding experimental data can drive future innovation agendas towards tech-nological breakthroughs. The focus of the discussion revolved around the characterisation and standardisation processes, along with the collection of modelling and characterisation tools, as well as protocols for data ex-change. The broader context of materials characterisation and modelling within the materials community was explored, drawing insights from the Materials 2030 Roadmap and the experiences gained from NMBP-35 pro-jects. This whitepaper has the objective of addressing common challenges encountered by the materials com-munity, illuminating emerging trends and evolving techniques, and presenting the industry's perspective on emerging requirements and past success stories. It accomplishes this by providing specific examples and high-lighting how these experiences can create fresh opportunities and strategies for newcomers entering the market. These advancements are anticipated to facilitate a more efficient transition from Industry 4.0 to 5.0 during the industrial revolution
    corecore