Estudo do polimorfismo dos genes IL4, IL13 e PDCD1 e investigaçăo de possíveis interaçőes gęnicas no pęnfigo foliáceo endęmico /

Orientadora: Maria Luiza Petzl-ErlerTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciencias Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduaçao em Genética. Defesa: Curitiba, 21/06/2006.Inclui bibliografia e anexosÁrea de concentraçăo: Genétic

„Aus Gründen der Verständlichkeit ...“: Der Einfluss generisch maskuliner und alternativer Personenbezeichnungen auf die kognitive Verarbeitung von Texten

Gegen geschlechtergerechte Sprache wird häufig eingewandt, dass sie die Qualität und die kognitive Verarbeitung von Texten beeinträchtige. Um diese Annahme zu testen, lasen 86 deutschsprachige Teilnehmende drei verschiedene Versionen einer fiktiven Packungsbeilage eines Medikaments, die hinsichtlich der Form der Personenbezeichnung - generisches Maskulinum, Beidnennung mit Neutralisierung, Binnen-I - variierten. Es wurde erhoben, wie gut sich die Teilnehmenden an die Inhalte des Textes erinnerten und wie sie den Text im Hinblick auf verschiedene Merkmale der Textqualität bewerteten, d.h. Verständlichkeit, Güte der Formulierungen und Lesbarkeit. Weibliche Teilnehmende zeigten bei allen drei Textversionen eine ähnlich gute Erinnerungsleistung und bewerteten die verschiedenen Textversionen als gleichermaßen verständlich. Die männlichen Teilnehmenden unterschieden sich ebenfalls nicht bedeutsam in der Erinnerungsleistung für die drei Textfassungen, bewerteten die generisch maskuline Textfassung jedoch am besten. It is frequently argued that gender-fair language impairs processing of textual information. To test this assumption, 86 native speakers of German read three versions of a fictitious package leaflet that varied with regard to the personal nouns used: a generic masculine version and two gender-fair ones. Subsequently, participants answered questions about the content of the text and evaluated the text with regard to various criteria of textual quality. Female participants recalled a similar amount of details when answering questions on the generic masculine text and the gender-fair versions and they rated the intelligibility of all versions similarly. Male participants also recalled a similar amount of details in all three versions. However, concerning intelligibility they preferred the masculine generic text over the gender-fair versions

Grenzen und Dysfunktionalitäten des Kassenwettbewerbs in der GKV: Theorie und Empirie der Risikolektion in Deutschland

Eine Funktionsbedingung für Kassenwettbewerb ist, dass Risikoselektion unterbunden wird. Denn Gegenstand des Kassenwettbewerbs sollen nicht bestimmte Merkmale von Versicherten sein (z.B. der Gesundheitszustand), vielmehr sollen die Anreize zur Verbesserung der Qualität und Effizienz der medizinischen Versorgung verstärkt werden. In einem wettbewerblichen Krankenversicherungssystem mit Risikoselektion werder die Interessen schlechter Risiken unzureichend berücksichtigt. Risikoselektion in der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung (GKV) soll durch den Risikostrukturausgleich (RSA) verhindert werden. Seine Ausgestaltung muss bisher als unzureichend bezeichnet werden. Die Versichertenmerkmale Einkommen und Morbidität werder nicht hinreichend ausgeglichen. Theoretisch bestehen für die Krankenkassen also deutliche Anreize, Risikoselektion zu betreiben, was sich in der Empirie durch zahlreiche Beispiele belegen lässt. -- One of the requirements for the good functioning of competition among sickness funds is the absence of risk selection. Selection by funds has adverse effects which counter the positive effects of competition, to name the improvement of quality and efficiency of medical care. The interests of insured persons with high risks are inadequately accounted for in a competitive health insurance market with risk selection. Risk selection in the German statutory health insurance market is to be preserved by a system of risk equalization payments among German Statutory Sickness Funds. This risk compensation scheme is so far incomplete. The compensation for morbidity and income is inadequate. In theory, there are strong incentives for the sichness funds to select good risks, which can be affirmed by many examples.

A Generic Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Exposome Method for the Determination of Xenoestrogens in Biological Matrices.

We are constantly exposed to a variety of environmental contaminants and hormones, including those mimicking endogenous estrogens. These highly heterogeneous molecules are collectively referred to as xenoestrogens and hold the potential to affect and alter the delicate hormonal balance of the human body. To monitor exposure and investigate potential health implications, comprehensive analytical methods covering all major xenoestrogen classes are needed but not available to date. Herein, we describe a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of multiple classes of endogenous as well as exogenous estrogens in human urine, serum, and breast milk to enable proper exposure and risk assessment. In total, 75 analytes were included, whereof a majority was successfully in-house validated in the three matrices. Extraction recoveries of validated analytes ranged from 71% to 110% and limits of quantification from 0.015 to 5 μg/L, 0.03 to 14 μg/L, and 0.03 to 4.6 μg/L in urine, serum, and breast milk, respectively. The applicability of the novel method was demonstrated in proof-of-principle experiments by analyzing urine from Austrian individuals and breast milk from Austrian and Nigerian individuals. Thereby, we proved the methods' feasibility to identify and quantify different classes of xenoestrogens simultaneously. The results illustrate the general importance of multiclass exposure assessment in the context of the exposome paradigm. Specifically, they highlight the need for estimating total estrogenic burden rather than single analyte or chemical class measurements and its potential impact in endocrine disruption and hormone related diseases including cancers

The solubilisation of boar sperm membranes by different detergents - a microscopic, MALDI-TOF MS, 31P NMR and PAGE study on membrane lysis, extraction efficiency, lipid and protein composition

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Detergents are often used to isolate proteins, lipids as well as "detergent-resistant membrane domains" (DRMs) from cells. Different detergents affect different membrane structures according to their physico-chemical properties. However, the effects of different detergents on membrane lysis of boar spermatozoa and the lipid composition of DRMs prepared from the affected sperm membranes have not been investigated so far.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Spermatozoa were treated with the selected detergents Pluronic F-127, sodium cholate, CHAPS, Tween 20, Triton X-100 and Brij 96V. Different patterns of membrane disintegration were observed by light and electron microscopy. In accordance with microscopic data, different amounts of lipids and proteins were released from the cells by the different detergents. The biochemical methods to assay the phosphorus and cholesterol contents as well as ³¹P NMR to determine the phospholipids were not influenced by the presence of detergents since comparable amounts of lipids were detected in the organic extracts from whole cell suspensions after exposure to each detergent. However, matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry applied to identify phospholipids was essentially disturbed by the presence of detergents which exerted particular suppression effects on signal intensities. After separation of the membrane fractions released by detergents on a sucrose gradient only Triton X-100 and sodium cholate produced sharp turbid DRM bands. Only membrane solubilisation by Triton X-100 leads to an enrichment of cholesterol, sphingomyelin, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine in a visible DRM band accompanied by a selective accumulation of proteins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The boar sperm membranes are solubilised to a different extent by the used detergents. Particularly, the very unique DRMs isolated after Triton X-100 exposure are interesting candidates for further studies regarding the architecture of sperm.</p

Fitting the need

A compendium of advice from the National Board of Employment, Education and Training to the federal government in 1992 in regards to the appropriate balance of growth between the education and training sectors. It provides a holistic look of the trends in education and training systems in Australia in the early 1990s, and the recommendations presented to the Department of Employment, Education and Training

Individual Factors Contributing to Nausea in First-Time Chemotherapy Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objective: The expectation of developing side effects can enhance the likelihood to develop them – a phenomenon referred to as nocebo effect. Whether nocebo effects can be reduced by lowering negative expectancies, is not clear. The aim of this prospective study was to learn more about the factors contributing to nausea expectancy and their potential role in actual occurrence of nausea in patients undergoing chemotherapy for the first time in their life. Methods: Patients scheduled for moderately emetogenic chemotherapeutic regimens filled in questionnaires to assess state anxiety and quality of life and to rate the expectancy of nausea as a side effect of chemotherapy. Patient diaries were used to monitor the severity of post-chemotherapy nausea in the 4 days following chemotherapy administration. Bivariate analyses complemented by multiple regression analyses were performed to identify the relationship between nausea expectation and nausea occurrence. Results: 121 female patients (mean age 53 years) with completed questionnaires were included in the analyses. The majority of the patients had a diagnosis of breast cancer (86%). The two main sources for nausea expectancy were positive history of nausea in other situations and state anxiety. Patients with high expectancy levels (first quartile) experienced greater nausea than those with lower expectancy levels. Bivariate analyses revealed a weak but non-significant association between nausea expectation and post-chemotherapy nausea. When controlling for age, type of cancer, history of nausea, state and trait anxiety, and global quality of life, positive history of nausea (OR = 2.592; 95% CI, 1.0 to 6.67; p < 0.05), younger age (OR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92 to 0.99; p < 0.05), and a lower quality of life (OR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.0; p < 0.05), but not nausea expectancy (OR = 1.014; 95% CI, 0.51 to 2.02; p = 0.969), predicted the occurrence of post-chemotherapy nausea. Conclusion: In this female cohort, younger patients with lower initial quality of life and a positive history of nausea were at higher risk to develop nausea after first time chemotherapy. These patients may benefit from psychological co-interventions that aim to enhance quality of life

Induction of angiotensin converting enzyme after miR-143/145 deletion is critical for impaired smooth muscle contractility.

MicroRNAs have emerged as regulators of smooth muscle cell phenotype with a role in smooth muscle-related disease. Studies have shown that miR-143 and miR-145 are the most highly expressed microRNAs in smooth muscle cells, controlling differentiation and function. The effect of miR-143/145 knockout has been established in the vasculature but not in smooth muscle from other organs. Using knockout mice we found that maximal contraction induced by either depolarization or phosphatase inhibition was reduced in vascular and airway smooth muscle but maintained in the urinary bladder. Furthermore, a reduction of media thickness and reduced expression of differentiation markers was seen in the aorta but not in the bladder. Supporting the view that phenotype switching depends on a tissue-specific target of miR-143/145, we found induction of angiotensin converting enzyme in the aorta but not in the bladder where angiotensin converting enzyme was expressed at a low level. Chronic treatment with angiotensin type-1 receptor antagonist restored contractility in miR-143/145-deficient aorta while leaving bladder contractility unaffected. This shows that tissue-specific targets are critical for the effects of miR-143/145 on smooth muscle differentiation and that angiotensin converting enzyme is one such target

Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2_2 by Highly Efficient Homogeneous FeII^{II} Catalyst based on 2,6‐Bis(1’,2’,3’‐triazolyl‐methyl)pyridine - Comparison with Analogues

Fully earth-abundant and highly efficient systems for producing syngas CO/H$_2$ through photocatalytic reduction from CO$_2$ are essential to approach a sustainable way of closing the carbon cycle. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of a new iron complex, Fe$^{II}$L(NCS)$_2$py, coordinated to an N,N,N-pincer ligand 2,6-bis(4’-phenyl-1’,2’,3’-triazol-1’-yl-methyl)pyridine (L), two isothiocyanate groups (NCS) and one pyridine is reported. Its catalytic activity in the photo-driven reduction of carbon dioxide has been investigated and compared with its Co$^{II}$ analogue (CoL(NCS)$_2$py) and their homoleptic complexes ML$_2$. In this work, the catalysts are used in combination with the heteroleptic complex [Cu$^I$(dmp)(DPEphos)], where dmp is 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and DPEPhos is bis[(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl] ether, to reach entirely earth-abundant systems. The new iron heteroleptic complex Fe$^{II}$L(NCS)$_2$py showed considerable activity with a TON$_{CO}$ of 576 obtained after 4 h (TOF=144 h$^{−1}$) through visible light (λ=420 nm) and a quantum yield of 7.1 %