165 research outputs found

    Nationalisme et terrorisme en Macédoine vers 1900

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    Vers 1900, la Macédoine était l’un des derniers territoires de la péninsule balkanique qui n’avait pas encore réussi à obtenir l’autonomie ou l’indépendance de la part des Ottomans. Accompagnant le déclin de l’empire ottoman, l’idée de combattre le “joug” du sultan pour construire un État-nation libre et indépendant selon l’un des principes de la révolution de 1848, le droit des peuples à disposer d’eux-mêmes, avait déjà fait son chemin parmi les mentalités balkaniques. Dès cette époque, la M..

    Administration of Vitamin D Metabolites Affects RNA Expression of Xenobiotic Metabolising Enzymes and Function of ABC Transporters in Rats

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    From studies on different species and in cell culture systems, it has been suggested that vitamin D metabolites might affect themetabolism and elimination of xenobiotics. Although most studies performed on rodents and cell cultures report an upregulationof respective enzymes and transporters, data from the literature are inconsistent. Especially results obtained with sheep differ fromthese observations. As vitamin D metabolites are widely used as feed additives or therapeutics in livestock animals, we aimed toassess whether these differences indicate species-specific responses or occurred due to the very high dosages used in the rodentstudies. -erefore, we applied treatment protocols to rats that had been used previously in sheep or cattle. Forty-eight female ratswere divided into three treatment and corresponding placebo groups: (1) a single intraperitoneal injection of 1,25-(OH)2D3 orplacebo 12 h before sacrifice; (2) daily supplementation with 25-OHD3 by oral gavage or placebo for 10 days; and (3) a singleintramuscular injection of vitamin D3 10 days before sacrifice. In contrast to a previous study using sheep, treatment of rats with1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 did not result in an upregulation of cytochrome P450 3A isoenzymes (CYP3A), but a decrease wasfound in hepatic and intestinal expressions. In addition, a downregulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistanceprotein was found in the brain. Taken together, the stimulating effects of vitamin D metabolites on the expression of genesinvolved in the metabolism and elimination of xenobiotics reported previously for rodents and sheep could not be reproduced. Incontrast, we even observed a negative impact on the expression of CYP3A enzymes and their most important regulator, thepregnane X receptor. Most interestingly, we could demonstrate an effect of treatment with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and vitamin D3on the functional activity of ileal P-glycoprotein (P-gp) using the Ussing chamber technique.Fil: Klumpp, Karoline. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Lange, Frauke. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Muscher-Banse, Alexandra S.. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Schnepel, Nadine. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Hansen, Kathrin. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Lifschitz, Adrian Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Maté, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Wilkens, Mirja. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; Alemani

    Parameter-Free Binarization and Skeletonization of Fiber Networks from Confocal Image Stacks

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    We present a method to reconstruct a disordered network of thin biopolymers, such as collagen gels, from three-dimensional (3D) image stacks recorded with a confocal microscope. The method is based on a template matching algorithm that simultaneously performs a binarization and skeletonization of the network. The size and intensity pattern of the template is automatically adapted to the input data so that the method is scale invariant and generic. Furthermore, the template matching threshold is iteratively optimized to ensure that the final skeletonized network obeys a universal property of voxelized random line networks, namely, solid-phase voxels have most likely three solid-phase neighbors in a neighborhood. This optimization criterion makes our method free of user-defined parameters and the output exceptionally robust against imaging noise

    Traumatic extremity arterial injury in children: Epidemiology, diagnostics, treatment and prognostic value of Mangled Extremity Severity Score

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Traumatic paediatric arterial injuries are a great challenge due to low incidence and specific characteristics of paediatric anatomy and physiology. The aim of the present study was to investigate their epidemiology, diagnostic and therapeutic options and complications. Furthermore, the prognostic value of the Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) was evaluated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a retrospective clinical study 44 children aged 9.0 ± 3.2 years treated for traumatic extremity arterial lesions in our Level I trauma center between 1971 and 2006 were enrolled. Exclusion criteria were age > 14, venous and iatrogenic vascular injury. Demographic data, mechanism of injury, severity of arterial lesions (by Vollmar and MESS), diagnostic and therapeutic management, complications and outcome were evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The most commonly injured vessel was the femoral artery (25%) followed by the brachial artery (22.7%). The mechanism of injury was penetrating (31.8%), isolated severe blunt extremity trauma (29.6%), multiple trauma (25%) and humeral supracondylar fractures (13.6%). In 63.6% no specific vascular diagnostic procedure was performed in favour of emergency surgery. Surgical reconstructive strategies were preferred (68.2%). A MESS < 7 was associated with initial (p < 0.05) and definite limb salvage (p < 0.001) of the lower extremity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Traumatic paediatric vascular injuries are very rare. The most common situations of vascular lesions in childhood were penetrating injuries and fractures of the extremities either as isolated injuries or in multiply injured patients. In paediatric patients, the MESS could serve as a basis for decision making for limb salvage or amputation.</p

    What Type of Collegiate Pilot is Likely to Experience Imposter Phenomenon?

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    Background: Imposter Syndrome (IS), also called Imposter Phenomenon (IP), has been studied in a variety of paradigms over the past few decades. However, IP is not a well-researched concept in the field of aviation, and no studies that we know of have examined this phenomenon with student pilots. Method: Two hundred and forty-one student pilots were interviewed from two southeastern universities with flight schools. Participants were asked a series of questions about demographics, flight training, personality measures, self-efficacy, self-handicapping, and perceived organizational support. In addition, they responded to the Clance IP scale. Results: A regression equation was created from the first dataset and tested for model fit with a second dataset. Four factors were found to be significant, including measures of self-handicapping, measures of self-efficacy, income, and the type of flight school, accounting for approximately 40% of the variance in the data. Model fit was strong, providing future researchers with a predictive model of IP for student pilots. Conclusion: These findings show that IP is prevalent in student pilots and correlates with self-handicapping. This is a concern that should be addressed in aviation programs

    Functional Characterization of the Eukaryotic Cysteine Desulfurase Nfs1p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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    Previous studies have indicated that the essential protein Nfs1 performs a crucial role in cellular iron-sulfur (Fe/S) protein maturation. The protein is located predominantly in mitochondria, yet low amounts are present in cytosol and nucleus. Here we examined several aspects concerning the molecular function of yeast Nfs1p as a model protein. First, we demonstrated that purified Nfs1p facilitates the in vitro assembly of Fe/S proteins by using cysteine as its specific substrate. Thus, eukaryotic Nfs1 is a functional orthologue of the bacterial cysteine desulfurase IscS. Second, we showed that only the mitochondrial version but not the extramitochondrial version of Nfs1p is functional in generating cytosolic and nuclear Fe/S proteins. Mutation of the nuclear targeting signal of Nfs1p did not affect the maturation of cytosolic and nuclear Fe/S proteins, despite a severe growth defect under this condition. Nfs1p could not assemble an Fe/S cluster on the Isu scaffold proteins when they were located in the yeast cytosol. The lack of function of these central Fe/S cluster assembly components suggests that the maturation of extramitochondrial Fe/S protein does not involve functional copies of the mitochondrial Fe/S cluster assembly machinery in the yeast cytosol. Third, the extramitochondrial version of Nfs1p was shown to play a direct role in the thiomodification of tRNAs. Finally, we identified a highly conserved N-terminal {beta}-sheet of Nfs1p as a functionally essential part of the protein. The implication of these findings for the structural stability of Nfs1p and for its targeting mechanism to mitochondria and cytosol/nucleus will be discussed

    Return on investment for mangrove and reef flood protection

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    There is a growing need for coastal and marine restoration, but it is not clear how to pay for it given that environmental funding is low, and national budgets are stretched in response to natural hazards. We use risk-industry methods and find that coral reef and mangrove restoration could yield strong Return on Investment (ROI) for flood risk reduction on shorelines across more than 20 Caribbean countries. These results are robust to changes in discount rates and the timing of restoration benefits. Data on restoration costs are sparse, but the Present Value (PV) of restored natural infrastructure shows that ROI would be positive in many locations even if restoration costs are in the hundreds of thousand per hectare for mangroves and millions per km for reefs. Based on these benefits, we identify significant sources of funding for restoring these natural defenses.This work was supported in part by the Kingfisher Foundation, the World Bank, AXA XL, AXA Research Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. We thank Chris Lowrie for help with the figures

    pT3 colorectal cancer revisited: a multicentric study on the histological depth of invasion in more than 1000 pT3 carcinomas—proposal for a new pT3a/pT3b subclassification

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    BACKGROUND: Pathological TNM staging (pTNM) is the strongest prognosticator in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and the foundation of its post-operative clinical management. Tumours that invade pericolic/perirectal adipose tissue generally fall into the pT3 category without further subdivision. METHODS: The histological depth of invasion into the pericolic/perirectal fat was digitally and conventionally measured in a training cohort of 950 CRCs (Munich). We biostatistically calculated the optimal cut-off to stratify pT3 CRCs into novel pT3a (≤3 mm)/pT3b (>3 mm) subgroups, which were then validated in two independent cohorts (447 CRCs, Bayreuth/542 CRCs, Mainz). RESULTS: Compared to pT3a tumours, pT3b CRCs showed significantly worse disease-specific survival, including in pN0 vs pN+ and colonic vs. rectal cancers (DSS: P < 0.001, respectively, pooled analysis of all cohorts). Furthermore, the pT3a/pT3b subclassification remained an independent predictor of survival in multivariate analyses (e.g. DSS: P < 0.001, hazard ratio: 4.41 for pT3b, pooled analysis of all cohorts). While pT2/pT3a CRCs showed similar survival characteristics, pT3b cancers remained a distinct subgroup with dismal survival. DISCUSSION: The delineation of pT3a/pT3b subcategories of CRC based on the histological depth of adipose tissue invasion adds valuable prognostic information to the current pT3 classification and implementation into current staging practices of CRC should be considered

    PROJETO DIREITO E CÁRCERE: REMIÇÃO PELA LEITURA

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    O projeto de extensão da Unoesc Xanxerê - Direito e Cárcere - Remição pela Leitura - objetiva contribuir com uma possível ressocialização dos apenados do Presídio Regional de Xanxerê pela leitura de obras clássicas da literatura universal que apresentam experiências humanas e suscitam reflexões acerca da responsabilidade pessoal,  da possibilidade de superação de situações difíceis, da busca de sentido na vida, da escala de valores morais e religiosos e da redenção pelo arrependimento sincero. Os acadêmicos de Direito, individualmente ou em duplas,  entrevistam o apenado que previamente tenha efetuado a leitura do mesmo livro que a dupla de acadêmicos leu. Durante a entrevista com os reeducandos participantes do projeto, os acadêmicos observam se o entrevistado demonstra compreensão do conteúdo lido, respeitada a capacidade intelectual dele e, em relatório escrito em duas vias - uma entregue à Coordenação do Curso e outra ao Presídio Regional de Xanxerê -, sugerem se o reeducando poderá ou não ser beneficiado com a remição de dias da pena. Almeja-se, com esta atividade, contribuir tanto com acadêmicos quanto com privados de liberdade, pois, das leituras emergem marcas de humanidade presentes nas clássicas obras da literatura universal. Também, por meio da participação efetiva deste Projeto, os acadêmicos  conhecem a realidade de um sistema prisional, objeto de estudo no curso de Direito
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