Children’s dialogue in the context of international research

In recent years, the study of religious diversity has become a significant educational issue in Europe and on the wider international scene. This is partly due to a recognition of the significance of religion as a factor in relation to issues of ethnic, national and cultural identity (Baumann, 1999), and as a factor in social divisiveness or social cohesion, for example as an indicator of what Modood calls ‘cultural racism’ (Modood, 1997).1 This development also reflects specific events such as the riots in some towns and cities in the north of England in 2001 (Home Office, 2001) and in Paris in 2005, and those of September 11, 2001 in the United States of America as well as their complex and ongoing consequences internationally (e.g. Beauchamp, 2002; Leganger-Krogstad, 2003). Such debates are especially relevant within states where migrants from a range of religious and cultural backgrounds have settled. The global and more local situations are related in a variety of ways, through the transnational identities of many families (Jackson and Nesbitt, 1993; Østberg, 2003) and the direct effects of international conflicts on community relations within particular states

Linear Rheological Response of a Series of Densely Branched Brush Polymers

We have examined the linear rheological responses of a series of welldefined, dense, regularly branched brush polymers. These narrow molecular weight distribution brush polymers had polynorobornene backbones with degrees of polymerization (DP) of 200, 400, and 800 and polylactide side chains with molecular weight of 1.4 kDa, 4.4 kDa, and 8.7 kDa. The master curves for these brush polymers were obtained by time temperature superposition (TTS) of the dynamic moduli over the range from the glassy region to the terminal flow region. Similar to other long chain branched polymers, these densely branched brush polymers show a sequence of relaxation. Subsequent to the glassy relaxation, two different relaxation processes can be observed for samples with the high molecular weight (4.4 and 8.7 kDa) side chains, corresponding to the relaxation of the side chains and the brush polymer backbone. Influenced by the large volume fraction of high molecular weight side chains, these brush polymers are unentangled. The lowest plateau observed in the dynamic response is not the rubbery entanglement plateau but is instead associated with the steady state recoverable compliance. Side chain properties affect the rheological responses of these densely branched brush polymers and determine their glassy behaviors

Bone Health and Nutrient Intake 2 to 5 years after Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch : Master Thesis in Clinical Nutrition

This report describes findings from anthropometric, bone mineral density, biochemical and dietary assessments in relation to bone health during follow-up consultations of biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch (BPD-DS) patients followed at the Department of Preventive Cardiology, Ullevål University Hospital from November 2006 to May 2007. The study population consisted of 65 BPD-DS patients, 55 women and 10 men, who had undergone surgery 2-5 years earlier. All patients had achieved satisfactory weight loss at the time of follow-up assessments. The study population had a mean weight loss of 62 kg, and an average of 76 % of excess weight was lost. Analyses showed a high incidence of increased bone turnover and fat soluble vitamin deficiency (vitamin A and D) after BPD-DS. Average bone mineral density (BMD) was within normal range, but 25-32 % had decreased levels (less than -1.0 SD of reference population) and men had significantly lower BMD than women. Patients with low BMD tended to be older, have lower BMI pre-surgery and lost less weight after the surgery. Reductions in BMI had the strongest correlation to BMD. Biochemical markers of bone turnover were increased in a large proportion with serum-PTH levels increased in 92 % and serum-I-CTP increased in 45 % of cases. We found that a greater reduction in BMI was associated with higher levels of the bone resorption marker I-CTP, which indicated that the high rate of weight loss post-surgery increases bone turnover. We found no relationship between nutrient intake and nutrient status or BMD. Several factors may have affected these findings. Most importantly, we only obtained dietary registration from 45 % of the study population. No relationship was detected between supplement compliance and nutrient status or BMD. This could indicate that absorption of supplement derived nutrients may be even poorer than initially anticipated. Nutritional monitoring over a longer time period, and for several years post-surgery, may be necessary to detect any relationship between such parameters. Our data is not sufficient to accept the H0 hypothesis which states that nutrient intake after BPD-DS is not associated with bone health. Further studies are needed to elucidate this, and we continue to emphasize the importance of ensuring patient compliance to post-surgery nutritional recommendations and follow-up procedures

Needs Assessment and Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ People Experiencing Houselessness along the I-5 Corridor in Oregon

Most studies suggest that LGBTQ+ young adults make up between 20 and 40 percent of the houseless young adult population (Edidin, Ganim, Hunter, and Karnik 2011; Nolan 2006). However, LGBTQ+ young adults compose only 1.3–3.8% of the general young adult population (Rosario, Schrimshaw, and Hunter 2012). Thus LGBTQ+ young adults are overrepresented in the houseless population. By using a methodology based on previous community needs assessment studies conducted in Oregon regarding rural houselessness (Edwards, Torgerson, and Sattem 2009), I (1) identify current services for the LGBTQ+ houseless population and (2) examine the experiences of LGBTQ+ young adults in accessing those services. This paper uses Schneider and Ingram's social construction theory to understand the advantages and disadvantages conferred on this unique population, encompassing the intersection of the experienced identities of youth, LGBTQ+, and houseless. I provide a best practices guide

Towards an understanding of social networks among organizational self-initiated expatriates: a qualitative case study of a professional services firm

Drawing on a qualitative case study of 51 organizational self-initiated expatriates (OSIEs) in a professional services firm, this article investigates the role of networks during expatriation and, specifically, in the development of learning that is beneficial to both the individual expatriate and the global operations of the firm. First, we investigate the extent to which individual motivations to engage in OSIE impact on the development of networks. Second, we investigate individual’s experiences of network development. Third, we investigate individual perceptions of the benefits of networks for both organizations and individual actors. The paper will report that professionals initiating their own expatriation develop continually expanding and composite networks such that mobility and networks evolve in a seemingly symbiotic relationship. In doing so, it contributes to our understanding of the role of agency in network development and extends our understanding of organizational self-initiated expatriation as a relatively under-researched phenomenon

Liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC): Capabilities and limitations for polymer analysis

This paper investigates liquid chromatography at critical condition (LCCC) for polymer analysis. Based on controversial claims on the separation of cyclic polymers from linear analogues in the literature, the efficiency of LCCC for separation and purity analysis is questioned. Polyisobutylene (PIB) and poly(3,6-dioxa-1,8-octanedithiols) (polyDODT) were used for the study. The structure of low molecular weight cyclic and linear polyDODT was demonstrated by MALDI-ToF. NMR did not show the presence of thiol end groups in higher molecular weight PIB-disulfide and polyDODT samples, so they were considered cyclic polymers. When a low molecular weight polyDODT oligomer with only traces of cycles, as demonstrated by MALDI-ToF, was mixed with an M_n = 27 K g/mol cyclic sample, LCCC did not detect the presence of linear oligomers at 6 wt%. Based on the data presented here, it can be concluded that the LCCC method is not capable of measuring <6 wt% linear contamination so earlier claims for cyclic polystyrene (PS) samples purified by LCCC having <3% linear contaminants are questioned

Liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC): Capabilities and limitations for polymer analysis

This paper investigates liquid chromatography at critical condition (LCCC) for polymer analysis. Based on controversial claims on the separation of cyclic polymers from linear analogues in the literature, the efficiency of LCCC for separation and purity analysis is questioned. Polyisobutylene (PIB) and poly(3,6-dioxa-1,8-octanedithiols) (polyDODT) were used for the study. The structure of low molecular weight cyclic and linear polyDODT was demonstrated by MALDI-ToF. NMR did not show the presence of thiol end groups in higher molecular weight PIB-disulfide and polyDODT samples, so they were considered cyclic polymers. When a low molecular weight polyDODT oligomer with only traces of cycles, as demonstrated by MALDI-ToF, was mixed with an M_n = 27 K g/mol cyclic sample, LCCC did not detect the presence of linear oligomers at 6 wt%. Based on the data presented here, it can be concluded that the LCCC method is not capable of measuring <6 wt% linear contamination so earlier claims for cyclic polystyrene (PS) samples purified by LCCC having <3% linear contaminants are questioned

Characterization of the GBoV1 Capsid and Its Antibody Interactions

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) has gained attention as a gene delivery vector with its ability to infect polarized human airway epithelia and 5.5 kb genome packaging capacity. Gorilla bocavirus 1 (GBoV1) VP3 shares 86% amino acid sequence identity with HBoV1 but has better transduction efficiency in several human cell types. Here, we report the capsid structure of GBoV1 determined to 2.76 Å resolution using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and its interaction with mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and human sera. GBoV1 shares capsid surface morphologies with other parvoviruses, with a channel at the 5-fold symmetry axis, protrusions surrounding the 3-fold axis and a depression at the 2-fold axis. A 2/5-fold wall separates the 2-fold and 5-fold axes. Compared to HBoV1, differences are localized to the 3-fold protrusions. Consistently, native dot immunoblots and cryo-EM showed cross-reactivity and binding, respectively, by a 5-fold targeted HBoV1 mAb, 15C6. Surprisingly, recognition was observed for one out of three 3-fold targeted mAbs, 12C1, indicating some structural similarity at this region. In addition, GBoV1, tested against 40 human sera, showed the similar rates of seropositivity as HBoV1. Immunogenic reactivity against parvoviral vectors is a significant barrier to efficient gene delivery. This study is a step towards optimizing bocaparvovirus vectors with antibody escape properties

Impact of Natural or Synthetic Singletons in the Capsid of Human Bocavirus 1 on Particle Infectivity and Immunoreactivity

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) is a parvovirus that gathers increasing attention due to its pleiotropic role as a pathogen and emerging vector for human gene therapy. Curiously, albeit a large variety of HBoV1 capsid variants has been isolated from human samples, only one has been studied as a gene transfer vector to date. Here, we analyzed a cohort of HBoV1-positive samples and managed to PCR amplify and sequence 29 distinct HBoV1 capsid variants. These differed from the originally reported HBoV1 reference strain in 32 nucleotides or four amino acids, including a frequent change of threonine to serine at position 590. Interestingly, this T590S mutation was associated with lower viral loads in infected patients. Analysis of the time course of infection in two patients for up to 15 weeks revealed a gradual accumulation of T590S, concurrent with drops in viral loads. Surprisingly, in a recombinant vector context, T590S was beneficial and significantly increased titers compared to that of T590 variants but had no major impact on their transduction ability or immunoreactivity. Additional targeted mutations in the HBoV1 capsid identified several residues that are critical for transduction, capsid assembly, or DNA packaging. Our new findings on the phylogeny, infectivity, and immunoreactivity of HBoV1 capsid variants improve our understanding of bocaviral biology and suggest strategies to enhance HBoV1 gene transfer vectors. IMPORTANCE The family of Parvoviridae comprises a wide variety of members that exhibit a unique biology and that are concurrently highly interesting as a scaffold for the development of human gene therapy vectors. A most notable example is human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1), which we and others have recently harnessed to cross-package and deliver recombinant genomes derived from another parvovirus, the adeno-associated virus (AAV). Here, we expanded the repertoire of known HBoV1 variants by cloning 29 distinct HBoV1 capsid sequences from primary human samples and by analyzing their properties as AAV/HBoV1 gene transfer vectors. This led to our discovery of a mutational hot spot at HBoV1 capsid position 590 that accumulated in two patients during natural infection and that lowers viral loads but increases vector yields. Thereby, our study expands our current understanding of HBoV1 biology in infected human subjects and concomitantly provides avenues to improve AAV/HBoV1 gene transfer vectors.Peer reviewe