Synen på jämställdhet i barnböcker – utifrån förändringar i tiden

I den här uppsatsen har ett urval av den litteratur som är en del av barns vardag undersökts utifrån ett genusperspektiv. Genom intervjuer med förskollärare och barnbibliotekarie har ett urval av böcker barnen möter på förskolan samt de som lånas hem tillsammans med vårdnadshavare tagits fram. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka pedagogers val av böcker, samt barnbibliotekariers uppfattning om hur barn i förskoleåldern och deras föräldrars val av barnböcker ser ut i dag och om/hur det förändrats över tid. Genom en textanalys och intervjuer synliggörs de normer och förväntningar dessa böcker förmedlar samt om/hur det förändrats över tid. Genom att undersöka hur jämställdhetsfrågan behandlas i bilderböcker från fyra olika årtionden har den förskjutning som skett över tid synliggjorts. Då böcker återspeglar samhället med de politiska, kulturella och ekonomiska processer som pågår har det diskursanalytiska perspektivet, som framhåller hur det som vi tror är rätt och sant under en viss tid är föränderliga, tillämpats. På de 65 åren som gått mellan den första och den sista boken i undersökningen går det att urskilja en skillnad i hur flickor respektive pojkar framställs. Den rådande barnsynen under olika tider är även den tydlig och föränderlig. Detta tyder på att den diskursiva makten styr vilka beteenden som är önskvärda. Undersökningen visar att språket har en viktig funktion där den kan antingen begränsa eller öppna upp möjligheter. Vidare krävs en medvetenhet där den vuxna synliggör och utmanar de normer som finns och det är den vuxne förebildens ansvar att vara medveten om de strukturer som bidrar till barns identitetsskapande

Comparison of Fennel and Chamomile extract and placebo in treatment of premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrheal

Introduction: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrheal are experienced by majority of women in reproductive age and in 1% of the women it is severe enough to interfere with social interaction and work performance. Many investigations on treatment of this problem, in particular on treatment with chemical drugs, have been carried out. The aim in this study is to find whether or not herbaceous drugs such as Fennel and Chamomile, which are generally used in traditional medicine, are effective in treatment of dysmenorrheal and PMS. Methods: In this clinical trial study, 60 women over 16 years of age with a convincing history of premenstrual syndrome were randomly selected and their PMS and dysmenorrheal experiences were investigated in 5 menstruation cycles. During the 1st cycle, they didn’t take any medication, during the 2nd and 3rd cycles they took Fennel extract and during 4th and 5th cycles, they took Chamomile extract. After each cycle they completed a questionnaire containing 16 PMS symptoms. Friedman statistical test was used to compare the results from different cycles. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Based on the results, there was a significant difference between severity of symptoms in the control cycle, and other cycles in 3 of the 16 PMS symptoms (p<0.05). These three symptoms were pelvic and abdominal pains, fatigue and lethargy, depression and anger. As for other symptoms, the severity in the Fennel and Chamomile herbal drugs cycles was less than that of the control cycle, but this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: According to this study, Fennel and Chamomile are effective in reducing some PMS disorders. Fennel is more effective in pelvic and abdominal pain and depression but Chamomile is more effective in fatigue and letharg

Linking microbial communities and macrofauna functional diversity with benthic ecosystem functioning in shallow coastal sediments, with an emphasis on nitrifiers and denitrifiers

Shallow coastal habitats represent some of the most valued ecosystems supporting complex communities of benthic organisms, delivering diverse ecosystem services. Cumulative activities of the benthic fauna affect the physical and chemical conditions of their environment and determine the rate of processes and benthic ecosystem functioning in coastal areas. However, excessive human use of the coastal zone puts extensive pressure on coastal ecosystems leading to biodiversity loss and habitat destruction. Therefore, it is essential to implement Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) to ensure the protection of coastal resources whilst increasing the efficiency of their uses. Such EBM needs to be based on solid scientific evidence, including a detailed understanding of the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.Macrofaunal assemblages have been shown to impact microbial-mediated nitrogen cycling processes in marine sediments through their role in affecting the physical and chemical conditions as they affect the exchange processes across the sediment-water interface. However, how the functional traits of macro-organisms, through the interactions with micro-organisms, affect microbial-mediated ecosystem functioning is still not fully understood. This PhD thesis aims to investigate the effect of macrofauna (at the community and species level) on benthic microbial communities (total bacterial and archaeal communities and specific functional groups, nitrifiers and denitrifiers) and the N-cycle processes mediated by them (nitrification and denitrification). The nitrogen cycle is one of the most important biogeochemical cycles in ecosystems. It provides nitrogen as an important component for all living cells and for primary production. It also counteracts eutrophication in the coastal marine area; it also releases back the biologically useful nitrogen into the atmosphere by converting it into gaseous compounds in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems (Canfield et al., 2005)

The effect of bio-irrigation by the polychaete Lanice conchilega on active denitrifiers : distribution, diversity and composition of nosZ gene

The presence of large densities of the piston-pumping polychaete Lanice conchilega can have important consequences for the functioning of marine sediments. It is considered both an allogenic and an autogenic ecosystem engineer, affecting spatial and temporal biogeochemical gradients (oxygen concentrations, oxygen penetration depth and nutrient concentrations) and physical properties (grain size) of marine sediments, which could affect functional properties of sediment-inhabiting microbial communities. Here we investigated whether density-dependent effects of L. conchilega affected horizontal (m-scale) and vertical (cm-scale) patterns in the distribution, diversity and composition of the typical nosZgene in the active denitrifying organisms. This gene plays a major role in N2O reduction in coastal ecosystems as the last step completing the denitrification pathway. We showed that both vertical and horizontal composition and richness of nosZgene were indeed significantly affected when large densities of the bio-irrigator were present. This could be directly related to allogenic ecosystem engineering effects on the environment, reflected in increased oxygen penetration depth and oxygen concentrations in the upper cm of the sediment in high densities of L. conchilega. A higher diversity (Shannon diversity and inverse Simpson) of nosZobserved in patches with high L. conchilega densities (3,185-3,440 ind. m(-2)) at deeper sediment layers could suggest a downward transport of NO3- to deeper layers resulting from bio-irrigation as well. Hence, our results show the effect of L. conchilega bio-irrigation activity on denitrifying organisms in L. conchilega reefs

Comparative histological and histochemical inter-species investigation of mammalian sub mandibular salivary glands

The major and accessory sub mandibular glands were obtained from different species of rodents belong to families Muridae (Meriones lybicus, Mus musculs, Cricetulus migraturus, Nesokia indica, Laboratory hamster and Apodemus sp.)? Dipodidae (Alactage elater and Jucullus blanfordi) and Sciuridae (Funambulus pennanti). The skulls of these species were separated immediately after death and fixed in buin with decalcification. Five um sections were stained with hematoxilen-eosin and tetrachrom. Periodic acid shiff and alcian blue (pH 1) were performed for sulfated natural mucins. Microscopic histological features, including existence of mucus and serous acini, presence of different kinds of tubules and different types of ducts as well as the histochemical characteristic features including histochemistry of different tubules and ducts in 2 different pH levels in the major and accessory sub mandibular glands in different rodents showed that the studied species proved to be different and the histological and histochemical study of sub mandibular salivary glands proved practicable with good discriminatory potential in evaluating the inter-species differences

Vitreous Prolapse Following Choroidal Effusion after Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Surgery: A Case Report

Vitreous prolapse is a condition in which the vitreous gel is displaced into the anterior chamber, typically caused by a ruptured posterior lens capsule or a zonular defect. Choroidal effusion, characterized by fluid accumulation in the suprachoroidal space, is a common complication of glaucoma surgery and ocular hypotonia. We present a case of a 53-year-old male who developed vitreous prolapse following choroidal effusion and hypotonia after Ahmed glaucoma valve surgery

Identifikation von Ziel-mRNAs der microRNA miR-142

In den 1990er Jahren wurde die posttranskriptionelle Regulation der Genexpression durch nicht-kodierende RNA-Moleküle beschrieben. Diese sogenannten microRNAs (miRNAs) sind seitdem Gegenstand intensiver Forschung, insbesondere im Zusammenhang mit menschlichen (Tumor-) Erkrankungen und können als Onkogene und Tumorsuppressoren agieren. Der miRNA precursor von ca. 80 Nukleotiden (nt) wird zu zwei funktionellen reifen 3p- und 5p-Fragmenten prozessiert, die mit ihrer „Seed“-Sequenz an die 3‘ untranslatierte Region (3’UTR) ihrer Ziel messenger RNA (mRNA) binden und hierdurch die Proteinsynthese verringern. Anhand mehrerer Publikationen war ersichtlich, dass die miR-142 in vielen malignen Erkrankungen erniedrigt ist. Weiterhin war bekannt, dass das miR-142 Gen in diffus großzelligen B-Zell Lymphomen (DLBCL= diffuse large B cell lymphoma) sowie in akuten myeloischen Leukämien (AML) von Mutationen betroffen ist, die u.a. die „Seed“-Sequenz von miR-142-3p und -5p betreffen. Ziel dieser Dissertation war es Targets der miR-142-3p und miR-142-5p, welche über die PAR-CLIP-Methode identifiziert worden waren, experimentell zu bestätigen. Zu diesen Targets gehörten MORF4L2, AKT1S1 sowie TSPAN3, welche mit verschiedenen malignen Erkrankungen in Verbindung gebracht werden können. Die Amplifikation dieser Targets erfolgte initial aus Testis cDNA, abschließend erfolgte die Klonierung in den pMIR-Vektor, mithilfe dessen mRNA/miR-142-Interaktionen anhand von Luciferase-Assays bestätigt werden konnten. Neben der miR-142 wurden miR-142 Mutanten, welche durch ihre Mutation in der 3p oder 5p „Seed“-Sequenz ihre Fähigkeit zur spezifischen Interaktion verloren haben, verwendet. Hierdurch sollte bestätigt werden, dass eine Aussage über die mRNA/miRNA-Interaktion möglich ist, ohne vorher die Bindestelle in der 3´UTR zu mutieren. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit erfolgte die Mutation der Bindestellen im Target, sowohl MORF4L2 als auch AKT1S1 stellten sich als Target für die miR-142-3p dar. Eine Interaktion mit MORF4L2 war, nach Mutation der Bindestelle in der 3´UTR, nicht mehr nachweisbar. Bei AKT1S1, welche zwei potentielle Bindestellen aufwies, konnte nach Mutation der Bindestelle mit der höheren Affinität zur miRNA, keine Interaktion mehr nachgewiesen werden. Eine Besonderheit stellte das TSPAN3 dar, welches als einziges ein 5p-Target darstellte. Hier konnte trotz Mutation der vorhergesagten Bindestelle eine anhaltende Interaktion dargestellt werden. Innerhalb eines Fragments von 270 nt konnte auch nach Mutation der potentiellen 5p-Bindestelle eine Interaktion weiterhin nachgewiesen werden. Dieses Ergebnis lässt sich nur durch das Vorhandensein einer weiteren nicht identifizierten 5p- Bindestelle erklären.Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by so-called microRNAs was identified in the early 1990’s. Since their discovery, the function of miRNAs has been the subject of intense research, in particular in respect to their role in human disease. MiRNAs have been assigned various functions in biological processes; in particular, some are considered to represent either tumour suppressors or oncogenes. The miRNA precursor of about 80nt is further processed into a 3’ and a 5’ miRNA which target with their "seed"-sequence the 3’ untranslated region (“3’UTR”) of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and down-regulate their protein synthesis. Specific miRNAs have been implicated in the formation of certain malignant tumours. Various publications have shown that miRNA miR-142 is down-regulated in a variety of different tumours. Further, the miR-142 gene has been shown to harbour mutations in diffuse B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) which affects the mature 3’ and 5’ miRNAs and most likely inactivate their functionality. The goal of this dissertation was the experimental confirmation of targets of miR-142-3p and miR-142-5p that were predicted by the “PAR-CLIP” method. The targets that were analysed in detail were the mRNAs of the MORF4L2, AKT1S1 and TSPAN3 genes which had been found to be associated with various human diseases. The amplification of the target sequences within the 3’ untranslated regions (“3’UTR”) was carried out using human testis cDNA libraries. The PCR products were inserted into the reporter vector pMIR. The regulation of the different 3’UTRs within pMIR were then assayed by co-transfection of expression vectors for miR-142-wt or different miR-142 mutants that harbour mutations in their so-called “seed-sequence”. The idea of this procedure was to show that the use of these mutants abolished the need to mutate the respective target sequence within the mRNA. In addition, the target sequences were mutated in the cloned 3’UTRs to demonstrate that they are valid targets for miR-142. It was demonstrated that MORF4L2 and AKT1S1 were indeed targets for miR-142-3p. We found that MORF4L2 had one binding site for miR-142-3p, while only one of two potential binding sites in the AKT1S1 3’UTR was a target for miR-142-3p. For the TSPAN3 mRNA, which is a potential target of miR-142-5p, the results were ambiguous. After mutation of the predicted target sequence within a fragment of 270 nt, the reporter was still responsive to miR-142. The results could be explained by the presence of an additional non-identified miR-142-5p binding site