Sulfation pathways:Insights into steroid sulfation and desulfation pathways

Sulfation and desulfation pathways represent highly dynamic ways of shuttling, repressing and re-activating steroid hormones, thus controlling their immense biological potency at the very heart of endocrinology. This theme currently experiences growing research interest from various sides, including, but not limited to, novel insights about phospho-adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate synthase and sulfotransferase function and regulation, novel analytics for steroid conjugate detection and quantification. Within this review, we will also define how sulfation pathways are ripe for drug development strategies, which have translational potential to treat a number of conditions, including chronic inflammatory diseases and steroid-dependent cancers.</jats:p

Swiss Democracy

This open access book provides an updated and fully revised 4th edition of this authoritative analysis of Swiss democracy. It particularly explains the institutions of federalism and consensus government through political power sharing. In this new edition, the authors also address several important changes and challenges that have affected Swiss democracy, including the country's relationship with the EU, fiscal equalisation, direct democracy and the legitimacy of national referendums, territorial conflict, as well as the polarisation of party politics

Business, Human Rights, and Corporate Social Responsibility

This presentation is a review of the literature on business and human rights and Corporate Social Responsibility. Globalization has lead to human rights and business being a combined topic. The United Nations and other countries have began to recognize human rights with labor regulations due to the misconduct in applied legislation. Our research focuses on the country of Myanmar also known as Burma. The United States in particular has had a long history working with Myanmar. During the 2000\u27s American companies have been developing strict labor policies. Through research, companies discovered that implementing business policies and labor regulations programs increase the community\u27s development. A case study shows how Coca-Cola worked in Myanmar to form a strategic plan assisting Myanmar\u27s community. Through corporate responsibility and labor solidarity, companies can work in high-risk environments and achieve positive outcomes

Gene Deletion by Fluorescence-Reported Allelic Exchange Mutagenesis in \u3cem\u3eChlamydia trachomatis\u3c/em\u3e

Although progress in Chlamydia genetics has been rapid, genomic modification has previously been limited to point mutations and group II intron insertions which truncate protein products. The bacterium has thus far been intractable to gene deletion or more-complex genomic integrations such as allelic exchange. Herein, we present a novel suicide vector dependent on inducible expression of a chlamydial gene that renders Chlamydia trachomatis fully genetically tractable and permits rapid reverse genetics by fluorescence-reported allelic exchange mutagenesis (FRAEM). We describe the first available system of targeting chlamydial genes for deletion or allelic exchange as well as curing plasmids from C. trachomatis serovar L2. Furthermore, this approach permits the monitoring of mutagenesis by fluorescence microscopy without disturbing bacterial growth, a significant asset when manipulating obligate intracellular organisms. As proof of principle, trpA was successfully deleted and replaced with a sequence encoding both green fluorescent protein (GFP) and β-lactamase. The trpA-deficient strain was unable to grow in indole-containing medium, and this phenotype was reversed by complementation with trpA expressed in trans. To assess reproducibility at alternate sites, FRAEM was repeated for genes encoding type III secretion effectors CTL0063, CTL0064, and CTL0065. In all four cases, stable mutants were recovered one passage after the observation of transformants, and allelic exchange was limited to the specific target gene, as confirmed by whole-genome sequencing. Deleted sequences were not detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) from isogenic mutant populations. We demonstrate that utilization of the chlamydial suicide vector with FRAEM renders C. trachomatis highly amenable to versatile and efficient genetic manipulation

Benefits Quantification in IT Projects

The probability of IT project failures can be mitigated more successfully when discovered early. To support an early detection, transparency regarding a project’s cash flows shall be increased. Therefore, an appropriate analysis and calculation of a project’s costs, benefits, risks and interdependencies is inevitable. Until today, however, a method that appropriately considers these factors when estimating the ex ante project business case does not yet exist. Using the Action Design Research approach, we designed, applied and tested a practicable and integrated method of determining the monetary value of IT projects to generate generalized insights to benefits management. This method was conjointly developed by practice and academia, to ensure practical applicability while upholding scientific rigor. Furthermore, to support understandability of the method, we provide an application example

Dansk søfartshistorie fra et numisnautisk synspunkt

På Handels- og Søfartsmuseets særudstilling „Maritime Hobbies" 1975 vistes en del danske og udenlandske mønter, medaljer og pengesedler med skibsmotiver. Blandt museumsgæsterne var en tysk mønthistoriker, der lod sig inspirere af udstillingen til ud fra egne studier at skrive den følgende artikel. Han har i flere år udgivet det numisnautiske tidsskrift „Flaschenpost" og har forfattet en håndbog i dette emne. Numisnautik definerer han som en særlig gren af den maritime historieforskning bestående af samling, beskrivelse, tydning og ordning af mønter og medaljer med maritime motiver

Critical properties of the double exchange ferromagnet Nd0.4Pb0.4MnO3

Results of a study of dc-magnetization M(T, H), performed on a Nd0.6Pb0.4MnO3 single crystal in the temperature range around T_C (Curie temperature) which embraces the critical region | epsilon | = |T -T_C |/T_C <= 0.05 are reported. The magnetic data analyzed in the critical region using the Kouvel-Fisher method give the values for the T_C =156.47 +/- 0.06 K and the critical exponents, beta = 0.374 +/- 0.006 (from the temperature dependence of magnetization), and gamma = 1.329 +/- 0.003 (from the temperature dependence of initial susceptibility). The critical isotherm M(T_C, H) gives delta = 4.547 +/- 0.1. Thus the scaling law gamma+beta=delta beta is fulfilled. The critical exponents obey the single scaling-equation of state M(H, epsilon) = epsilon^b f_+/- (H/epsilon^(beta + gamma)) where, f_+ for T > T_C and f_- for T< T_C. The exponent values are very close to those expected for the universality class of 3D Heisenberg ferromagnets with short-range interactions.Comment: 19 pages, including 6 figure