Community as 'Learnt Capacity': the lived experience of Filipino and Indian residents in masterplanned estates

This thesis investigates the experience of community by migrants living in Masterplanned Estates (MPEs) in Australia. These planned social environments draw on specific conceptualisations of community that differ considerably to the social meanings and practices associated with community in other cultures. The research is based on a case study focusing on residents from a Filipino or Indian background living in MPEs located in Wyndham on the urban fringe of Melbourne. Masterplanned Estates have become an established way to develop new residential land in Australia. This thesis argues that the premise of community-building underpinning MPEs needs to be critically assessed as it may have restrictive outcomes and compete with diverging aspirations of residents, particularly migrants. Findings show that for participants the MPE is not necessarily the primary locality for socialising; rather, home-centred activities or those related to Filipino or Indian groups in Wyndham have more importance. Nevertheless, as emerging places MPEs are perceived to be more accommodating of cultural diversity, enabling migrants to be part of shaping the local community. In their acculturation to this planned social environment participants are modifying their aspirations towards community with strategies and outcomes varying individually. The findings emphasise that adaptation is a process that imposes challenges and behavioural shifts to other conceptualisations of community. Yet, having experienced previously more socially interactive environments can be empowering for migrants to enable diverse forms of community to evolve. By drawing-on these multiple perspectives on community participants are enhancing the social fabric of MPEs and shaping these developing places specifically. The thesis concludes that community is a learning process and previous experiences create a capacity to be involved in a particular social environment. This understanding of community as a ‘learnt capacity’ can enable social environments to unfold the potential of communities in socially inclusive ways

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to the extracellular domain of PO

Seven monoclonal antibodies were raised against the immunoglobulin-like extracellular domain of PO (POED), the major protein of peripheral nervous system myelin. Mice were immunized with purified recombinant rat PO-ED. After fusion, 7 clones (POI-P07) recognizing either recombinant, rat, mouse, or human PO-ED were selected by ELlS A and were characterized by Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and a competition assay. Antibodies belonged to the IgG or IgM class, and P04-P07, reacted with PO in fresh-frozen and paraffin-embedded sections of human or rat peripheral nerve, but not with myelin proteins of the central nervous system of either species. Epitope specificity of the antibodies was determined by a competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a direct ELlS A using short synthetic peptides spanning the entire extracellular domain of PO. These assays showed that POl and P02 exhibiting the same reaction pattern in Western blot and immunohistochemistry reacted with different distant epitopes of PO. Furthermore, the monoclonal antibodies P05 and P06 recognized 2 different epitopes in close proximity within the neuritogenic extracellular sequence of PO. This panel of monoclonal antibodies, each binding to a different epitope of the extracellular domain of PO, will be useful for in vitro and in vivo studies designed to explore the role of PO during myelination and in demyelinating diseases of the peripheral nervous system

Radiation-hard ASICs for optical data transmission in the ATLAS pixel detector

We have developed two radiation-hard ASICs for optical data transmission in the ATLAS pixel detector at the LHC at CERN: a driver chip for a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) diode for 80 Mbit/s data transmission from the detector, and a Bi-Phase Mark decoder chip to recover the control data and 40 MHz clock received optically by a PIN diode. We have successfully implemented both ASICs in 0.25 um CMOS technology using enclosed layout transistors and guard rings for increased radiation hardness. We present results from prototype circuits and from irradiation studies with 24 GeV protons up to 57 Mrad (1.9 x 10e15 p/cm2).Comment: 8th Tropical Seminar on Innovative Particle and Radiation Detectors, Siena, Italy (2002

Experimental station with continuous electron beam for investigation of various mechanisms of EM radiation generation

In this report we describe a new facility designed, manufactured and commissioned at Belgorod National Research University. It is a compact and cost-efficient low energy continuous electron beam installation developed to underpin research and education foundation of the University group. We present the measurements of the beam size, emittance, position and trajectory. A THz detection beam line has also been constructed and tested. The status of the THz radiation generation programme, future upgrades and experimental plans have been describe

Evidence for a nuclear compartment of transcription and splicing located at chromosome domain boundaries

The nuclear topography of splicing snRNPs, mRNA transcripts and chromosome domains in various mammalian cell types are described. The visualization of splicing snRNPs, defined by the Sm antigen, and coiled bodies, revealed distinctly different distribution patterns in these cell types. Heat shock experiments confirmed that the distribution patterns also depend on physiological parameters. Using a combination of fluorescencein situ hybridization and immunodetection protocols, individual chromosome domains were visualized simultaneously with the Sm antigen or the transcript of an integrated human papilloma virus genome. Three-dimensional analysis of fluorescence-stained target regions was performed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. RNA transcripts and components of the splicing machinery were found to be generally excluded from the interior of the territories occupied by the individual chromosomes. Based on these findings we present a model for the functional compartmentalization of the cell nucleus. According to this model the space between chromosome domains, including the surface areas of these domains, defines a three-dimensional network-like compartment, termed the interchromosome domain (ICD) compartment, in which transcription and splicing of mRNA occurs

ATLAS Pixel Opto-Electronics

We have developed two radiation-hard ASICs for optical data transmission in the ATLAS pixel detector at the LHC at CERN: a driver chip for a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) diode for 80 Mbit/s data transmission from the detector, and a Bi-Phase Mark decoder chip to recover the control data and 40 MHz clock received optically by a PIN diode. We have successfully implemented both ASICs in 0.25 micron CMOS technology using enclosed layout transistors and guard rings for increased radiation hardness. We present results of the performance of these chips, including irradiation with 24 GeV protons up to 61 Mrad (2.3 x 10e15 p/cm^2).Comment: 17 pages, 23 figures, submitted to NIM Added references. Added figure 15. Moved sec. IV to sec. I

Current status of the IAG working group 4.3.7 on geodetic GNSS-R

Presentación realizada online en el Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Geodesy (2021) celebrado del 28 de junio al 2 de julio en Beijing

Mucosal Autoimmunity to Cell-Bound GP2 Isoforms Is a Sensitive Marker in PSC and Associated With the Clinical Phenotype

Introduction: Zymogen granule glycoprotein 2 (GP2) was demonstrated as first autoimmune mucosal target in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) associated with disease severity. Autoantibodies to four GP2 isoforms (aGP21−4) were found in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases but reactivity against specific GP2 epitopes has not been investigated in PSC yet. Hence, the prevalence of aGP21−4 and their association with the PSC phenotype for risk prediction were examined.Methods: GP2 isoforms were stably expressed as glycosylphosphatidyl - inositol-anchored molecules in the membrane of HEp-2 cells and used as autoantigenic targets in indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). aGP21−4 IgA and IgG were detected by IFA in 212 PSC patients of four European university hospitals and 145 controls comprising 95 patients with cystic fibrosis and 50 healthy subjects.Results: Combined aGP21 and aGP24 IgA testing with a sensitivity of 66.0% and a specificity of 97.9% resulted in the best diagnostic performance (Youden index: 0.64) regarding all aGP2 and combinations thereof. aGP24 IgA positivity is significantly associated with the presence of cirrhosis in PSC (p = 0.0056). Logistic regression revealed the occurrence of aGP21 IgA (odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.86) and aGP24 IgA (OR 1.52, 95%CI: 1.07–2.15) along with male gender (OR 0.51, 95%CI: 0.27–0.97) and older age (OR 1.03 95%CI: 1.01–1.05) as significant risks for the concomitant presence of cirrhosis in PSC.Conclusions: Combined aGP21 and aGP24 IgA analysis is preferred to single aGP2 isoform analysis for sensitive PSC autoantibody testing. Positivity for aGP21 and aGP24 IgA is associated with cirrhosis in PSC and could be used for risk stratification

Predictive genetic testing for motor neuron disease : time for a guideline?

Predictive (presymptomatic) testing refers to the situation where a person at risk of inheriting a specific condition requests a genetic test to clarify their status. This most commonly occurs in familial cancer, cardiac and neurodegenerative disorders. People seek predictive testing for a variety of reasons including to reduce uncertainty, enable financial planning or access reproductive medicine option