L’eau à Damas et dans son environnement rural au xviiie siècle

Le système hydraulique qui alimente la ville de Damas et son environnement rural est très ancien. Mais il est en constante évolution et l’on peut difficilement accréditer l’idée de son caractère immuable. À partir de diverses sources juridiques, cet article s’interroge sur les règles, les pratiques et les procédures administratives et juridiques qui sont en vigueur dans le domaine de la distribution de l’eau à Damas et dans sa campagne au xviiie siècle. Il montre le rôle des autorités juridiques et politiques dans l’entretien du système hydraulique et examine leurs interventions dans les conflits qui opposent les divers ayants droit.The hydraulic systems that supplied the city of Damascus and its rural hinterland are obviously ancient, they are however constant evolutions. Therefore it seems difficult to assume that water supply system immutability. Based on a variety of juridical sources, the aim of this article is to clarify the rules, practices and the administrative/juridical procedures that structured the water distribution in Damascus and its dependent countryside during the 18th century. The enquiry sheds light on the role of the judicial and political authorities in the maintenance of the hydraulic systems and examines how they intervened in various conflicts that involved different parties.إن النظام المائي الذي يغذّي مدينة دمشق ومحيطها الريفي قديم جًّدا. إلا أنه في تطور مستمر ومن الصعوبة تأكيد فكرة كونه ثابتاً لا يتغيّر. انطلاقاً من مصادر فقهية متنوعة، تطرح هذه المقالة تساؤلاتٍ عن القواعد والممارسات والإجراءات الإدارية والفقهية المَرعية في مجال توزيع المياه في دمشق وريفها في القرن الثامن عشر. تبين هذه المقالة دور السلطات القانونية والسياسية في الاعتناء بالنظام المائي وتدرس بإمعان تدخلاتها في النزاعات الناشئة بين أصحاب الحق في الماء

Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation: Using the CyberKnife as the Radiation Delivery Platform in the Treatment of Early Breast Cancer

We evaluate the CyberKnife (Accuray Incorporated, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for non-invasive delivery of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in early breast cancer patients. Between 6/2009 and 5/2011, nine patients were treated with CyberKnife APBI. Normal tissue constraints were imposed as outlined in the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-39/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0413 (NSABP/RTOG) Protocol (Vicini and White, 2007). Patients received a total dose of 30 Gy in five fractions (group 1, n = 2) or 34 Gy in 10 fractions (group 2, n = 7) delivered to the planning treatment volume (PTV) defined as the clinical target volume (CTV) +2 mm. The CTV was defined as either the lumpectomy cavity plus 10 mm (n = 2) or 15 mm (n = 7). The cavity was defined by a T2-weighted non-contrast breast MRI fused to a planning non-contrast thoracic CT. The CyberKnife Synchrony system tracked gold fiducials sutured into the cavity wall during lumpectomy. Treatments started 4–5 weeks after lumpectomy. The mean PTV was 100 cm3 (range, 92–108 cm3) and 105 cm3 (range, 49–241 cm3) and the mean PTV isodose prescription line was 70% for groups 1 and 2, respectively. The mean percent of whole breast reference volume receiving 100 and 50% of the dose (V100 and V50) for group 1 was 11% (range, 8–13%) and 23% (range, 16–30%) and for group 2 was 11% (range, 7–14%) and 26% (range, 21–35.0%), respectively. At a median 7 months follow-up (range, 4–26 months), no acute toxicities were seen. Acute cosmetic outcomes were excellent or good in all patients; for those patients with more than 12 months follow-up the late cosmesis outcomes were excellent or good. In conclusion, the lack of observable acute side effects and current excellent/good cosmetic outcomes is promising. We believe this suggests the CyberKnife is a suitable non-invasive radiation platform for delivering APBI with achievable normal tissue constraints

Islamische Stiftungen zwischen juristischer Norm und sozialer Praxis

Die Bedeutung von Stiftungen für die islamisch geprägten Gesellschaften der Vormoderne lässt sich kaum überschätzen. Stiftungen finanzierten an vielen Orten Einrichtungen der Armen- und Krankenfürsorge, religiöse Institutionen und Aufgaben der kommunalen Infrastruktur, sie dienten aber auch als Grundlage für den Zusammenhalt unterschiedlicher sozialer Gruppen. Heute werden Stiftungen im Rahmen der Debatten zu genuin islamischen Finanzinstrumenten wieder stark diskutiert. In den Beiträgen des Bandes wird die islamische Stiftung nicht als eine statische und unflexible Institution islamischen Rechts verstanden. Vielmehr werden einzelne Stiftungsgeschichten untersucht und in ihrem zeitlichen und regionalen Kontext gesehen. Damit stellen die Autoren die soziale Praxis und die Anpassungsfähigkeit des islamischen Stiftungswesens in den Vordergrund

Single-Cell Approach to Monitor the Unfolded Protein Response During Biotechnological Processes With Pichia pastoris

Pichia pastoris (Komagataella sp.) is broadly used for the production of secreted recombinant proteins. Due to the high rate of protein production, incorrectly folded proteins may accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To restore their proper folding, the cell triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR); however, if the proteins cannot be repaired, they are degraded, which impairs process productivity. Moreover, a non-producing/non-secreting subpopulation of cells might occur, which also decreases overall productivity. Therefore, an in depth understanding of intracellular protein fluxes and population heterogeneity is needed to improve productivity. Under industrially relevant cultivation conditions in bioreactors, we cultured P. pastoris strains producing three different recombinant proteins: penicillin G acylase from Escherichia coli (EcPGA), lipase B from Candida antarctica (CaLB) and xylanase A from Thermomyces lanuginosus (TlXynA). Extracellular and intracellular product concentrations were determined, along with flow cytometry-based single-cell measurements of cell viability and the up-regulation of UPR. The cell population was distributed into four clusters, two of which were viable cells with no UPR up-regulation, differing in cell size and complexity. The other two clusters were cells with impaired viability, and cells with up-regulated UPR. Over the time course of cultivation, the distribution of the population into these four clusters changed. After 30 h of production, 60% of the cells producing EcPGA, which accumulated in the cells (50–70% of the product), had up-regulated UPR, but only 13% of the cells had impaired viability. A higher proportion of cells with decreased viability was observed in strains producing CaLB (20%) and TlXynA (27%). The proportion of cells with up-regulated UPR in CaLB-producing (35%) and TlXynA-producing (30%) strains was lower in comparison to the EcPGA-producing strain, and a smaller proportion of CaLB and TlXynA (<10%) accumulated in the cells. These data provide an insight into the development of heterogeneity in a recombinant P. pastoris population during a biotechnological process. A deeper understanding of the relationship between protein production/secretion and the regulation of the UPR might be utilized in bioprocess control and optimization with respect to secretion and population heterogeneity

The impact of frozen sections on final surgical margins in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and lips: a retrospective analysis over an 11 years period

Taking intraoperative frozen sections (FS) is a widely used procedure in oncologic surgery. However so far no evidence of an association of FS analysis and premalignant changes in the surgical margin exists. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of FS on different categories of the final margins of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity and lips

The \u3cem\u3eChlamydomonas\u3c/em\u3e Genome Reveals the Evolution of Key Animal and Plant Functions

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a unicellular green alga whose lineage diverged from land plants over 1 billion years ago. It is a model system for studying chloroplast-based photosynthesis, as well as the structure, assembly, and function of eukaryotic flagella (cilia), which were inherited from the common ancestor of plants and animals, but lost in land plants. We sequenced the ∼120-megabase nuclear genome of Chlamydomonas and performed comparative phylogenomic analyses, identifying genes encoding uncharacterized proteins that are likely associated with the function and biogenesis of chloroplasts or eukaryotic flagella. Analyses of the Chlamydomonas genome advance our understanding of the ancestral eukaryotic cell, reveal previously unknown genes associated with photosynthetic and flagellar functions, and establish links between ciliopathy and the composition and function of flagella

Risk factors for bacterial catheter colonization in regional anaesthesia

BACKGROUND: Although several potential risk factors have been discussed, risk factors associated with bacterial colonization or even infection of catheters used for regional anaesthesia are not very well investigated. METHODS: In this prospective observational trial, 198 catheters at several anatomical sites where placed using a standardized technique. The site of insertion was then monitored daily for signs of infection (secretion at the insertion site, redness, swelling, or local pain). The catheters were removed when clinically indicated (no or moderate postoperative pain) or when signs of potential infection occurred. After sterile removal they were prospectively analyzed for colonization, defined as > 15 colony forming units. RESULTS: 33 (16.7%) of all catheters were colonized, and 18 (9.1%) of these with additional signs of local inflammation. Two of these patients required antibiotic treatment due to superficial infections. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with catheter colonization. Out of 26 potential factors, three came out as statistically significant. Catheter placement in the groin (odds-ratio and 95%-confidence interval: 3.4; 1.5–7.8), and repeated changing of the catheter dressing (odds-ratio: 2.1; 1.4–3.3 per removal) increased the risk for colonization, whereas systemic antibiotics administered postoperatively decreased it (odds ratio: 0.41; 0.12–1.0). CONCLUSION: Colonization of peripheral and epidural nerve catheter can only in part be predicted at the time of catheter insertion since two out of three relevant variables that significantly influence the risk can only be recorded postoperatively. Catheter localisation in the groin, removal of the dressing and omission of postoperative antibiotics were associated with, but were not necessarily causal for bacterial colonization. These factors might help to identify patients who are at increased risk for catheter colonization