Diversity is not the enemy

In today’s globalized world with dynamic processes of political, social, and societal change (Mergner et al., 2019) the university should be a place of encounter between people with different (cultural) backgrounds. The learning arrangement presented here therefore initiates intercultural exchange and aims to help students see diversity as an asset rather than a challenge (Roos, 2019). To this end, an intercultural project was initiated at TU Dortmund in Germany in 2017. In the context of different learning environments future teachers were invited to have encounters with young newcomers through a nearly completely self‐managed learning arrangement. The students were prepared for the encounters in focused courses dealing with theoretical backgrounds and didactic concepts. They would then prepare the lessons with the newcomers. In the context of this learning arrangement the following questions were important: What did the university students expect with regard to the encounter with newcomer students from schools? How did they prepare the lessons? What did students and newcomers think about the encounters later? What have they learned? And what do these reflections mean for inclusive and intercultural teacher education at universities? In the project we could observe that the didactic approach supports the students’ level of sensitivity towards differences and encourages future teachers to train the education of newcomers in a non‐judgmental framework (Bartz & Bartz, 2018). Based on a selection of qualitative empirical findings (ethnographic approach during six lessons in a period of two years and 147 interviews including the students’ and newcomers’ points of view about their learning encounters at TU Dortmund), this article discusses opportunities to create more innovative spaces for inclusive practices and cultures under the restricted terms of a mass university

Chronic alcohol abuse is implicated in the oxidative stress and the changes in the neurotrophic factor receptor expression in the human CNS

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism induce brain damage, and, in some cases, neurodegeneration. The pathogenesis of the alcohol-induced injury of the CNS is a complex process in which oxidative stress plays an essential role. Alcohol increases the formation of reactive oxygen species and affects the antioxidant defense system of the brain. It is well known that oxidative stress induces apoptosis in neurons, as well as in other cell types. Neurotropins and their receptors have a crucial role in neural regulation. The aim of this study is an overall analysis of the CNS neuronal and glial cell death and the oxidative status by the use of immunohistochemical methods. Three different CNS regions – cortical, subventricular and basal ganglia were analyzed in the autopsy samples obtained from 10 chronic alcohol abused patients. The immunohistochemical detection of oxidative damage was performed using anti-Cu/Zn SOD monoclonal antibody, neural activity – anti-NGFR (p75<sup>NTR</sup>) antibody, apoptosis – the TUNEL reaction. Both, quantitative and semiquantitative estimations were used for the evaluation of results. The subventricular zone was characterized by a negative (75%) and a moderate (25%) astroglial SOD1 expression, the basal ganglia region – by strong (43%), moderate (43%), and low (14%) neuronal and moderate (71%) and low (29%) astroglial SOD1 expression, whereas, the cortex – by strong (33%) and moderate (66%) neuronal and moderate (67%), low (17%) and negative (17%) astroglial expression. The SOD1 expression was not detected in oligodendroglia and ependymocytes. Brain regions showed variability in the apoptotic cell death rates. Neuronal TUNEL-positive staining in basal ganglia was higher than in the cerebral cortex. TUNEL-positive astrocytes were detected in the white matter, more frequently in the basal ganglia region when compared to the cortex. The apoptosis marker was nearly absent in ependymal and oligodendroglial cells. The rate of TUNEL-positive cortex endothelial cells was detected at 7.9% level in the case of chronic alcohol abuse. Neuronal processes showed heterogeneous NGFR expression: in the cortex, basal ganglia and the subventricular zone (negative/low), whereas the subcortex and the white matter – moderate and moderate/strong, accordingly. Alcohol-induced CNS vulnerability is related to the increase in oxidative stress; furthermore, it suggests an increased risk of neurodegeneration for neuronal and glial cells

The Importance of Cyclin D1, P53, Cd56 Antigen Expression in Plasma Cells and its Correlation with Serological and Clinical Parameters in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Jurijs Nazarovs et al.CD56, p53, and Cyclin D1 detection in plasma cells (PC) can help to predict prognosis of multiple myeloma (MM). Clinical and biochemical prognostic parameters were analysed in a group of 122 patients with primary diagnosed MM in the period 2011-2015. Bone marrow biopsies were analysed with Cyclin D1, p53, CD56 antibodies. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2010 and Graph Pad Prism 5. Lack of CD56 expression and p53-positivity were significantly correlated with a low glomerular filtration rate (GFR), low platelet count and haemoglobin level, as well as with high serum creatinine levels. Patients with Cyclin D1 expression in PC had a significantly higher serum calcium level and more common osteolytic lesion in bones. CD56-negative as well as p53, Cyclin D1-positive groups had advanced Salmon-Durie MM stages by and significantly higher ß2-microglobulin. Expression of p53, Cyclin D1 and lack of CD56 antigen in PC are negative predictive factors in cases of MM, as these patients were diagnosed as having late Salmon-Durie stage and higher ß2-microglobulin level. Expression of p53 and lack of CD56 antigen in PC is associated with an increased creatinine level in blood and decreased GFR; therefore, these are criteria for chronic renal failure progression and poorer prognosis of MM.publishersversionPeer reviewe

2L of Polyethylene Glycol as the Main Small Bowel Cleansing Regimen Component Prior to Video Capsule Endoscopy : Interim Analysis

Capsule Enteroscopy (CE) is a fundamentally new method in diagnostic endoscopy. However, there are several factors influencing the quality of this procedure, including impermeable fluids, food remains etc. The aim of the study was to assess one of the most popular currently used bowel preparation methods and evaluate possible effects of various factors. 136 CE examinations were analysed. Each patient was prepared using 2 litres of polyethylene glycol (PEG) one day prior to examination. There was a special form filled in for each patient, which included relevant parameters (anamnesis, CE data etc.). Of 136 CE cases, 84 (61.8%) were female patients and 52 (38.2%) were male. The small bowel (SB) transit time in 112 patients varied from 39 to 502 minutes, but in 24 cases the capsule did not reach caecum. The degree of bowel cleanliness was as follows: very good - 30 (22.1%) patients, satisfactory - 97 (71.3%), and poor - 9 (6.6%). A positive correlation was observed between the degree of SB cleanliness and the SB transit time (p = 0.015). A longer SB transits time was associated with poor SB cleanliness. The results obtained in this study showed that the quality of SB cleanliness is affected by SB transit time. A relatively large percentage of cases rated as satisfactory bowel cleanliness and comparatively small percentage of bowel cleanliness cases rated as "very good" were observed when 2 litres of PEG were used prior to CE, indicating an important issues in preparation of the bowel prior to CE.publishersversionPeer reviewe

The analysis of undiagnosed malignancies

Among the pathology methods autopsy is also a valuable tool in evaluating diagnostic accuracy in oncology. Malignancies are undiagnosed due to the lack of some laboratory investigations, the absence of specific symptoms of cancers and the delayed treatment of them. The aim is to analyze the reasons and the structure of undiagnosed malignancies in order to review the failure of their detection during the person’s life and the hyper diagnosis of tumours in some hospitals of Riga (Latvia) in adults and children

O método de pontos interiores aplicado ao problema do despacho hidrotérmico

Resum

Sensitividade fluvial na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Sagrado (Morretes/PR)

Orientadora : Prof. Dr. Leonardo José Cordeiro SantosDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Terra, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geografia. Defesa: Curitiba, 15/04/2016Inclui referências : fls. 103-108Área de concentração : Espaço, sociedade e ambienteResumo: Estudos que abordam a rede de drenagem proporcionam um maior entendimento da evolução da paisagem, sua estabilidade e seu comportamento frente a possíveis alterações. A sensitividade fluvial procura identificar os pontos que estão sujeitos a estas mudanças, que superam as resistências do sistema e são geradas por meio das forças de perturbação. As forças de perturbação são aplicações de energia no sistema, como clima e tectônica, além de interferências bióticas e antrópicas. Desta forma, o objetivo do trabalho foi mapear a sensitividade fluvial nos principais rios que compõem a bacia hidrográfica do rio Sagrado (Morretes/PR), partindo do método denominado de Estilos Fluviais. Para tanto, foi necessário o desenvolvimento de algumas etapas, que consistiam na identificação dos ajustes fluviais, fluxo acumulado, concentração de erosão e conectividade fluvial, além da evolução do uso do solo da bacia. Os dados foram sobrepostos e confrontados, podendo-se apontar os locais de maiores resistências e perturbações nas drenagens. Os resultados evidenciaram que os maiores distúrbios estão localizados nas áreas de planície dos rios Sagrado e Sambaqui, com grandes possibilidades de alterações, como demostram os ajustes fluviais e a concentração de erosão, e por isso, foram classificados como alta sensitividade. Ao contrário, nas altas declividades da Serra do Mar, recobertas por vegetação em estágio médio/avançado, situam-se locais de probabilidade de mudanças pouco significativas, sendo denominadas como baixa sensitividade. Assim conclui-se que a bacia encontra-se em degradação nas planícies, com alterações no uso do solo e grande potencial de crescimento da agropecuária. A elevada quantidade de feições deposicionais e significativas alterações das formas fluviais caracterizam a alta sensitividade, enquanto que em altas declividades, em vales confinados e parcialmente confinados, a sensitividade apresenta-se baixa. A conectividade indica que um pequeno distúrbio gerado a montante na bacia poderá provocar alterações significativas em qualquer outro local do sistema fluvial. Palavras-chave: Resistências, Perturbações, Uso do solo, Estilos fluviais.Abstract: Studies about drainage network provide a greater understanding of the landscape evolution, its stability and behavior to possible changes. The river sensitivity aims to identify the points that are subject to these changes, which overcome the system resistance and are generated by the disturbance forces. Disturbances forces are applications of energy in the system, such as climate and tectonics, as well as biotic and anthropic interference. Thus, the research's objective was to map the river sensitivity in the major rivers that compose the Sagrado River basin (Morretes/PR), based on the method named River Styles. However, it was required the development of some stages, consisting in identifying the river adjustments accumulated flow, erosion concentration and river connectivity, besides the land use evolution in the basin. The data were overlaid and compared, being able to point out theplaces of greatest resistance and disturbances in drainages. The results showed that the major disorders are located in lowland areas of the Sagrado and Sambaqui rivers, with great possibilities of changes, as demonstrate the river adjustments and the erosion concentration, and therefore were classified as high sensitivity. In contrast, in the high slopes of the Serra do Mar, covered with vegetation in medium/advanced stage, are situated places of probability of minor changes, being named as low sensitivity. So it is concluded that the basin is in degradation in lowland, with changes in land use and great potential for agricultural growth. The high amount of depositional features and significant changes of the river forms characterize high sensitivity, whereas in high slopes in valleys confined and partially confined, the sensitivity appears low. Connectivity indicates that a small disturbance generated upstream in the basin may cause significant changes in any other place of the river system. Keywords: Resistance, Disturbance, Land Use, River Styles

FATAL PERITONITIS — CAUSES, CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGES : AN AUTOPSY CASES STUDY

Delayed diagnosis of stomach, intestines, pancreas, and gallbladder diseases plays a significant role in the complicated non-traumatic peritonitis. The aim of the study was to analyse the causes of fatal peritonitis, and contributing factors to mortality and diagnostic discrepancies. A retrospective study of 52 peritonitis cases from selected 1350 autopsy records in three years was done. We analysed age, sex, length of hospital stays, clinical and pathological diagnosis, complications, comorbidities, laboratory values and diagnostic discrepancies. The results were statistically assessed by Excel and IBM SPSS® Statistics version 26. The most common causes of fatal peritonitis were non-oncological gastrointestinal pathologies (26%), malignancies (23%), pancreas and gallbladder (16%), HIV related (10%), vascular (7%) and other diseases (18%). Mean age of patients at death was 65 years. 61.4% were males. Median hospitalisation time was two days. Six patients died outside the hospital. In 17.4% cases misdiagnoses were found. Common situations when misdiagnoses had occurred were intestinal ischaemia, malignancies of various origins and perforation of peptic ulcer. Fatal peritonitis was determined by the patient’s delayed hospitalisation with untreated oncological and non-oncological diseases of organs of the abdominal cavity and multiple concomitant diseases. Other contributing factors included not visiting general practitioners and lack of adherence to patients themselvesPeer reviewe