The mechanism of the addition reaction of trimethylaluminum with benzophenone

M.S.E. C. Ashb

POLYCISTRONIC HSV VECTORS FOR THE DIFFERENTIATION OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS TOWARD A CARDIAC LINEAGE

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in developed countries, but we lack the ability to regenerate cardiac tissue. Cell-based therapy holds promise to repopulate a damaged heart with functional cardiomyocytes. Developing technologies to produce cells for transplantation is key to the success of this approach. Pluripotent stem cells (PSC) are an ideal starting material for cell-based therapies because they can be expanded indefinitely in culture and their plasticity gives them the potential to regenerate any tissue or organ. The issue of teratoma formation in the host may be avoided by devising methods to differentiate PSC toward a desired lineage before transplantation. Because the heart is vital for life, and the biggest source of human morbidity and mortality, in vitro differentiation of PSC into cardiomyocytes for cell-based treatment of heart disease is an area of intense research. Exogenous expression of vital cardiogenic genes in PSC can be a powerful tool. Transduction of PSC with recombinant viral vectors can deliver genes to activate cardiac programming and drive differentiation toward a cardiac lineage. Replication defective HSV vectors efficiently transduce PSC and can be engineered to express genes that alter the cellular differentiation program. The goal of this research was to develop highly defective HSV vectors to express multiple cardiac transcription factors in embryonic stem cells to increase their cardiogenic potential. Vectors vββG4Nk, vG4Nk, and vGTM were engineered to express GATA4 and NKX2.5 or GATA4, TBX5, and MEF2c in PSC with high efficiency and low toxicity. Transduction of mESC with these vectors induced the expression of endogenous genes that are vital for cardiogenesis. Differentiation of mESC transduced with cardiogenic HSV vectors had a positive impact on terminal cardiomyocyte differentiation, producing many more embryoid bodies with beating cardiomyocytes than those transduced with control vectors. In addition, we found that delaying the drastic dilution of viral genomes that occurs over the time interval to terminal differentiation could enhance the outcome. Our results indicate that infection of mESC with cardiogenic HSV vectors has long reaching effects on mESC differentiation, supporting the suggestion that HSV vectors can be a useful tool for producing lineage related changes in differentiating PSC to generate specialized cell types

Rupturas e continuidades no discurso e prática de mulheres empresárias joinvilenses

Orientadora: Profª. Drª. Marlene TamaniniAutor não autorizou a divulgação do arquivo digitalDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Humanas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sociologia. Defesa: Curitiba, 27/03/2015Inclui referências : fls. 134-140Área de concentração: SociologiaResumo: Esta dissertação é fruto da pesquisa realizada entre 2013 e 2014 com mulheres empresárias na cidade de Joinville, visando compreender quais são os conteúdos das relações de gênero vividos por estas mulheres enquanto empreendedoras e quais são os princípios motivadores refletidos na decisão de empreender. Por meio do olhar sociológico e de perspectivas analíticas pertencentes ao campo dos estudos de gênero, coloca-se um olhar focado nas teorias sensíveis aos aspectos da divisão sexual do trabalho, dentro dos estudos de gênero, para pensar a reflexividade das entrevistadas, como são gendrificadas e como se expressam em sua experiência de mulheres empresárias no contexto da cidade de Joinville e do discurso de sua vocação para o trabalho. O campo dos estudos de gênero permite neste estudo a desnaturalização das relações e ampliação do horizonte para considerar o conjunto de relações sociais imbricadas nas decisões e nos investimentos pessoais e profissionais, na experiência e no fazer de mulheres empresárias, no que vincula gênero, trabalho e etnia. A pesquisa visa compreender como se dá a experiência de ser sujeito empresária e reflete sobre as possibilidades do reposicionamento feminino e empoderamento pessoal, financeiro e social. Também discute como há e como não há a produção de rupturas frente às estruturas tradicionais e desiguais na relação entre o trabalho feminino, masculino e doméstico, quando se pensa o empreendimento de negócios criados por mulheres. Palavras-chaves: Feminismos. Empreendedorismo. Empreendedorismo Feminino. Divisão Sexual do Trabalho. Joinville.Abstract: This dissertation is the result of the research conducted between 2013 and 2014 with women entrepreneurs in the city of Joinville, seeking to understand what are the contents of the gender relations experienced by these women as entrepreneurs and what are the motivating principles reflected in the decision to undertake. Through the sociological perspective and analytical perspectives belonging to the field of gender studies, we take a gaze focused on theories sensitive to aspects of sexual division of labor within the gender studies, looking to think the reflexivity of the respondents, how they are gendered and how they express themselves in their experience of women entrepreneurs in the context of the city of Joinville and on the speech of their vocation to work. The field of gender studies allows, in this study, the denaturalization of relations and expansion of the horizon to consider the set of social relations overlapping the decisions of both personal and professionals investments, in the experience and making of women entrepreneurs, linking gender, labor and ethnicity. The research aims to understand the experience of being subject businesswoman and reflects on the possibilities of female repositioning and personal, financial and social empowerment. Also discusses how there is and as there is not a production of disruptions in face of the traditional and unequal structures in the relationship between the female, male and domestic work, when thinking business enterprise created by women. Keywords: Feminisms. Enterprise. Female Enterprise. Sexual Division of Labor. Joinville

Effective Treatment of Advanced Colorectal Cancer by Rapamycin and 5-FU/Oxaliplatin Monitored by TIMP-1

Aim: The mTOR-inhibitor rapamycin has shown antitumor activity in various tumors. Bedside observations have suggested that rapamycin may be effective as a treatment for colorectal carcinomatosis. Methods: We established an orthotopic syngenic model by transplanting CT26 peritoneal tumors in Balb/C mice and an orthotopic xenograft model by transplanting SW620 peritoneal tumors in nu/nu mice. Expression levels of tissue inhibitor of matrix-metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) in the tumor and serum was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Rapamycin significantly suppressed growth of syngenic and xenografted peritoneal tumors. The effect was similar with intraperitoneal or oral rapamycin administration. Tumor suppression was further enhanced when rapamycin was combined with 5-fluorouracil and/or oxaliplatin. The combination treatment showed no acute toxicity. TIMP-1 serum levels correlated well (CC = 0.75; P < 0.01) with rapamycin treatment. Conclusions: Rapamycin suppressed advanced stage colorectal cancer, even with oral administration. Combining rapamycin with current chemotherapy regimens significantly increased antitumor efficacy without apparent toxicity. The treatment efficacy correlated with serum TIMP-1 levels, suggesting its potential as a surrogate marker in future clinical trial

Personal and reported partner pornography viewing by Australian women, and association with mental health and body image

Background: Personal and partner pornography viewing may affect health and wellbeing. This study aimed to improve understanding of the effects of pornography on mental health and body image, given emerging evidence of increasing use, particularly among young people. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was implemented, targeting people who had accessed health and fitness content via social media. Convenience sampling was used and participants were recruited via advertising on social media. Results: Overall, 76% (75/99) of women reported having ever viewed pornography, and 21% had viewed pornography frequently (monthly/weekly/daily) in the prior 12 months. The association between frequent viewing and higher-risk Kessler 10 Psychological Distress Scale scores lost significance once controlled for age (adjusted OR 2.30, 95%CI 0.82–6.49, P = 0.11). There was an association with frequent reported partner pornography use (monthly/weekly/daily) and increased Drive for Muscularity scores (adjusted OR 2.20, 95%CI 1.01–4.80, P = 0.048). There were no other associations found with pornography use (personal or partner) and body image or mental health, although this was limited by the small sample size. Most women (85%, 41/48) reported being happy with their partner’s pornography use, and in qualitative responses, indicated that pornography had minimal effect on their lives. Nevertheless, multiple qualitative responses indicated a multiplicity of perceived effects of pornography, including negative effects on body image. Conclusions: Pornography had a minor effect on mental health and body image in this study. Additional research is required to improve understanding of the effects of pornography on body image and mental health, particularly among vulnerable individuals