Characterization of Collagen Abnormalities in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening vascular disease, characterized by abnormal dilatation of the aorta and remodeling of the elastin and collagen components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). While elastin remodeling is well characterized and is understood to dictate the vessel wall's architecture and stability, little is known about microstructural changes regarding collagen remodeling. This study focuses on identifying characteristics of collagen remodeling in AAA which can eventually be applied to understand pathogenesis and therapeutic techniques in AAA. Studies were conducted on aortic tissue obtained from mouse models of AAA and clinical AAA tissue excised at the time of vascular surgery. Non-AAA control aortic samples from each species were also utilized. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), a high-resolution nanoscale imaging technique was used to observe the sample topography and characterize collagen fibrils. Tissues were also stained using collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP) and analyzed using fluorescent microscopy and second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy to locate regions of healthy and degraded collagen. Our results indicate that a significant fraction of collagen fibrils in AAA tissues departed from their native structure. These 'abnormal' fibrils had unresolvable D-period bands and a wavier, appearance. AFM analysis revealed a significant reduction in the depth of D-periods in these abnormal fibrils. Additionally, regions of abnormal collagen were located within the remodeled areas of AAA tissue and were distinct from healthy collagen regions as ascertained using CHP staining and SHG. Quantifying the amount of degraded collagen in AAA tissue and understanding the causes of abnormal collagen remodeling can provide novel insights into the ECM remodeling process in AAA and other cardiovascular diseases.No embargoAcademic Major: Materials Science and Engineerin

The lightcurve intrinsic variability in 47 Kepler contact binary stars

This work studies the significance of the lightcurve intrinsic variability in the numerical modeling of contact binaries. Using synthetic light curves we are showing that the starspot-based intrinsic variability increases the apparent mass ratio by $\Delta q=5$%. For systems with orbital period $P>0.3 d$ the effect of intrinsic variability averaged over long time cancels each other out with the Kepler Mission-like phase smearing. Further, we analyse 47 totally eclipsing Kepler Mission contact binaries. We found a sharp cutoff of the intrinsic variability at P = 0.45 d. With the light curve numerical modeling and observational relations we derive physical parameters of the 47 systems. At least 53% of binaries have a possible third companion. 21 binaries show the O`Connell effect in the averaged phase curve. 19 of them have a primary maximum lower than the secondary, suggesting a stationary dark region on the trailing side. Using the P = 0.45 d cutoff we propose a new approach on the Period-Color relation. The only parameter correlating with the magnitude of the intrinsic variability is the apparent effective temperature ratio. We conclude that instead of describing the system parameters, the A/W-subtype division should be applicable only to the lightcurves, as a tentative phenomenon.Comment: Accepted to the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

An effective multi-stakeholder strategy for environmental sustainability in oil and gas-producing areas.

Environmental sustainability dominates global discourse because of the increasing challenges of mitigation and adaptation to global warming. The aims and targets of ongoing international initiatives are proving insufficient, and are particularly difficult to implement in developing countries. As a result, stricter measures to prevent human exploitation of the environment are urgently needed. It has therefore become imperative for major stakeholders - identified as governments, the oil and gas industry, and host communities - to work collaboratively towards the common goal of environmental sustainability. This research also advocates a governance strategy for Nigeria to ensure the achievement of environmental sustainability. To achieve this aim, the research critically examines regional and global strategies/institutional frameworks for environmental sustainability, and analyses the strategies that major oil and gas companies have put in place to improve stakeholder engagement, before finally examining host community engagement in order to enhance environmental sustainability. The research concludes that, although environmental sustainability is vital for the identified stakeholders, it is impossible to achieve this goal without a more collaborative approach. Thus, it advocates a Multi-Stakeholder Strategy for environmental sustainability, through the establishment, by the government concerned, of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Commission for Environmental Sustainability. This Commission, through its agreed mandate, can facilitate partners with requisite stakeholders and endorse company policies aimed at securing this goal. The novel approach adopted by this research can, at the same time, point policymakers in Nigeria in the right direction, after previous unsuccessful efforts to enact CSR legislation. Concurrently, oil and gas companies can improve and centralise their goals for environmental sustainability through the research-proposed CSR Commission, which will also provide competency training and stakeholder engagement strategies. Finally, host communities will be empowered by the expertise of the CSR Commission to negotiate their agendas with oil and gas companies, guaranteeing the environmental sustainability of their precious heritage and natural environment

Civil Rights - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - Prohibition of Public Entity Discrimination against Qualified Individual with a Disability - Application to Inmates in State Prisons

The United States Supreme Court held that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits a public entity from discriminating against a qualified individual with a disability on account of that individual\u27s disability, applies to inmates in state prisons. Pa. Dep\u27t of Corrections v. Yeskey, 118 S.Ct. 1952 (1998)

Brazilian test - a microscopic point of view on tensile fracture generation

The tensile strength of solid materials is one of the most important parameter describing a behavior of the material under external mechanical loading and thus its knowledge is of great practical importance. However, the direct measurement of tensile strength especially for brittle materials is quite difficult and only limited results are available. To cope with this situation various methods of indirect measurements have been proposed among others the, so called Brazilian test is the most popular. The method relies on diametrically loading of disc-like sample of the brittle material until it splits apart due to a induced tensile stress. In this paper we report our effort of describing the fracturing process during the Brazilian test from the “microscopic”point of view. For this purpose we use an advanced implementation of the Discrete Element Method - the ESySParticle software. We represent rock specimen as a set of interacting spherical particles which mimic grains of real rock material. We have observed that the maximum loading force which sample can withstand almost linearly scales up with a ratio of maximum-tominimum particles diameters

Accompagner et apprendre par les pairs : une expérience de rédaction de CV

International audienc

Internet Use of Polish by Polish Melburnians: Implications for Maintenance and Teaching

The Internet has become an important communication medium and it is having a significant impact on language use. The present study takes a “snapshot” of how the Polish language is currently used with modern communications technologies by Polish-Australians living in Melbourne. Through a questionnaire, it surveys which communications technologies Polish-Melburnians are familiar with, how and when Polish and English are used for online communication, and which language they prefer to use in various circumstances. The study is based on the belief that investigations of the natural patterns of new technology use by ethnic communities will help us understand how technology could be involved in initiatives aimed at increasing the levels of language transmission and maintenance. The present study identifies several factors interacting with Internet use in the community language and makes recommendations for applications of modern technology in ethnic language schools and for home language maintenance

Gender and Corruption: A Reassessment

This paper analyzes the relationship between gender and corruption, controlling for country-specific heterogeneity in a panel framework. Using annual observations in a pooled setting (no country-fixed effects) confirms the positive link between the involvement of women in society and the absence of corruption. However, once country-fixed effects are acknowledged, only the share of female employers remains a positive and statistically meaningful correlate. Nevertheless, the derived magnitude is negligible in a global sample. Analyzing potential nonlinearities reveals that this effect is driven by African nations, where a one standard deviation increase in the share of female employers is related to a substantial decrease of corruption by 2.5 index points (scale from zero to ten). Surprisingly, the link between the share of women in the labor force and the absence of corruption becomes negative once country unobservables are accounted for. Taken together, these findings cast doubt on a general, global relationship between gender and corruption

Fossil Fuel Divestment: Implications For The Future Of Sustainability Discourse And Action Within Higher Education

This paper provides a critical overview and analysis of the student-led fossil fuel divestment (FFD) movement and its impact on sustainability discourse and actions within US higher education. Analysing higher education institutes’ (HEIs) divestment press releases and news reports shows how institutional alignment with cultures of sustainability and social justice efforts played key roles in HEIs’ decisions to divest from fossil fuels. Key stated reasons for rejection were: minimal or unknown impact of divestment, risk to the endowment, and fiduciary duty. Participant observation and interviews with protagonists reveal the intricate power structures and vested business interests that influence boardroom divestment decision-making. While some HEIs embrace transformative climate actions, we contend that higher education largely embraces a business-as-usual sustainability framework characterised by a reformist green-economy discourse and a reluctance to move beyond business interest responses to climate politics. Nonetheless, the FFD movement is pushing HEIs to move from compliance-oriented sustainability behaviour towards a more proactive and highly politicised focus on HEIs’ stance in the modern fossil fuel economy. We offer conceptual approaches and practical directions for reorienting sustainability within HEIs to prioritise the intergenerational equity of its students and recognise climate change as a social justice issue. Fully integrating sustainability into the core business of HEIs requires leadership to address fundamental moral questions of both equity and responsibility for endowment investments. We contend that HEIs must re-evaluate their role in averting catastrophic climate change, and extend their influence in catalysing public climate discourse and actions through a broader range of external channels, approaches, and actors