Putin\u27s Pivot: Understanding the Evolution of Russia\u27s Anti-Western Stance

Nicole Fernandez is a first-generation student who majors in political science and minors in criminal justice. She aspires to become an attorney who practices immigration law. During her senior thesis class, the topic of Russian-American relations immediately captured her interest, as she watched a documentary detailing Putin\u27s evolving interactions with the last five American presidents the summer before. Witnessing the dynamic shifts in these relationships over time piqued her curiosity about Russia\u27s increasingly anti-Western stance. This interest was further fueled by ongoing geopolitical conflicts. Although her research interests lie in Latin American relations with the US, delving into an unchartered area of politics for her thesis presented a deeper understanding of global power dynamics and their ramifications on international affairs

An evaluation of hiv/aids incidence reduction and awareness-raising interventions inspired by the sonagachi project and the 100% condom use program

In the past thirty years, HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) transformed from a mysteriously lethal disease affecting limited portions of the population to a true global pandemic. Although HIV/AIDS is responsible for the deaths of approximately 30 million people worldwide, prevalence rates are now increasing significantly due to increasing survival rates. However, overall increasing incidence rates now serve as a primary concern for researchers. Avert (2011) suggests that there is a lack of behavioral interventions and prevention programs aimed at decreasing the number of newly affected individuals. This is problematic as it may create not only physical and mental stress upon patients but also a source of financial and resource stress upon service organizations. In Asia, HIV/AIDS is primarily apparent in three high-risk groups: sex workers, men who have sex with men, and intravenous drug users (Avert, 2011). Service organizations target these high-risk groups with prevention programs in order to decrease infection rates and raise general awareness of the disease. This study aims to evaluate two HIV/AIDS prevention program theories(the Sonagachi Project and the 100% Condom Use Program) and the studies that implement them. This proposed evaluation assesses the effectiveness of these HIV/AIDS prevention programs in reducing infection rates and raising awareness of the disease. Due to the widespread use and apparent effectiveness of the 100% Condom Use Program and The Sonagachi Project, this study aims to assess the interventions in lessening HIV infection rates and critique the methods outlined by both. This thesis also employs a systemic review of the literature by using the program theories of The 100% Condom Use Program and The Sonagachi Project

Efectividad del ácido hialurónico en el tratamiento de enfermedades degenerativas de la articulación temporomandibular. Revisión de Literatura.

Background: The degenerative diseases of the tempo-romandibular joint (TMJ) are characterized by a progressive destruction of the articular tissues of the condyle and the glenoid fossa. The main aim of this review is to describe the effectiveness of the hyaluronic acid (HA) in the treatment of degenerative diseases of the TMJ in accordance with the available scientific evidence. Material and Methods: A literature search was made in the following databases EBSCO, Pubmed, Cochrane and Trip Database, using the keywords hyaluronic, hyaluronan, NaH, hyaluronate, tmj, tmd, cmd, craniomandibular, orofacial pain and temporomandibular. There were no date or language restrictions applied. Results: After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 studies were included in this review (11 randomized controlled clinical trials and 3 non-randomized clinical trials). Conclusion: The studies reported a decrease in pain and improvement in functional parameters after treatment of TMJ osteoarthritis with HA. The use of arthrocentesis associated with the administration of HA provides effects synergistic, reaching a superiority the protocols with multiple injections with respect to those of a single session. The adverse effects related to the injection of HA with or without associated arthrocentesis were minor and transitory.Resumen: Objetivo: Las enfermedades degenerativas de la articulación temporomandibular (ATM) se caracterizan por una destrucción progresiva de tejidos articulares en el cóndilo y la fosa glenoidea. El objetivo principal de esta revisión es describir la efectividad del uso de ácido hialurónico en el tratamiento de enfermedades degenerativas de la articulación temporomandibular de acuerdo con la evidencia científica disponible. Material y Métodos: Se realizó una búsqueda de la literatura en las bases de datos electrónicas EBSCO, PubMed, Cochrane y Trip Database, utilizando las palabras claves hyaluronic, hyaluronan, NaH, hyaluronate, tmj, tmd, cmd, craniomandibular, orofacial pain y temporomandibular, sin límite de fecha ni de idioma hasta Mayo del año 2020, complementada con una búsqueda retrógrada. Resultados: Con base en los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, 14 estudios fueron incluidos en esta revisión (11 ensayos clínicos controlados aleatorizados y 3 ensayos clínicos controlados no aleatorizados). Conclusión: Los estudios reportaron una disminución del dolor y mejora en los parámetros funcionales luego del tratamiento de osteoartritis de la ATM con AH. El uso de artrocentesis asociada a la administración del AH provee efectos sinérgicos, alcanzando una superioridad los protocolos con múltiples inyecciones con respecto a aquellos de una sola sesión. Los efectos adversos relacionados con la inyección de AH con o sin artrocentesis asociada fueron menores y transitorios

Implementation and evaluation of a high-throughput siRNA screening system for suspension CHO cells

Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells are the most frequently used mammalian cell factory for the production of human-like recombinant proteins. Due to existing limitations in growth and protein production, genetic optimization of CHO cell lines may significantly enhance bioprocess productivities. Knockdown of genes by siRNAs is a standard method to identify genes involved in a desirable phenotype, either because their knockdown improves or degenerates the property. As at least 13000 different transcripts are present in a cell at any time, it is of interest to develop a method that is able to efficiently test the effect of gene knockdown at an appropriate throughput and scale. Here we describe the implementation of a high-throughput and small scale siRNA screening assay for suspension CHO cells that produce a secreted fluorescent protein. First, growth of CHO cells in 384 well plates was optimized. Second, a suitable method to deliver siRNAs into CHO cells was implemented and optimized. The optimization procedure was conducted by varying initial cell number, lipofection reagent concentration, media composition and incubation time with the help of several control siRNAs. Laser cytometry was used to detect the number of cells, the amount of fluorescent protein per cell and the total fluorescence per well. In addition, cell viability was determined afterwards by the CellTiter Glo® Luminescent Cell Viability Assay. The screening system was evaluated by a pilot screen, consisting of a set of kinome-targeting siRNAs (n=2112). For assessment of reproducibility, this entire screen was conducted twice. While the viability assay shows bad reproducibility, questioning its suitability, the cell number, amount of fluorescent protein per cell, and the total fluorescence per well show a good correlation between the two screens. Target genes, capable of enhancing the phenotype of CHO cells towards a higher growth and/or productivity upon their siRNA-induced knockdown were identified. This indicates the suitability of this high-throughput siRNA screening system to identify genes that are involved in the enhancement of growth and/or productivity in CHO cells

Vegetative compatibility of Verticillium dahlia isolated from olive trees (Olea europea L.) in Algeria

25 isolates of Verticillium dahliae obtained from olive trees: 18 of them originating from two regions of Algeria (Nord-ouest and Kabylie), 4 isolates from France and 3 from Syria. They were investigated using complementation tests with nitrate-nonutilizing (Nit) mutants to know their vegetative compatibility. Among 250 chlorate-resistant sectors obtained, only 187 were Nit mutants. Three types of Nit mutants were obtained (Nit1, Nit3 and NitM) on the basis of the fungal phenotype. Nit1 mutants were the most frequent (71.6%), followed by NitM (16.6%) and Nit3 (11.8%). Based on their ability to formheterokaryons, all olive pathogenic isolates were grouped into a single vegetative compatibility groups (VCG). This is a good indication of the homogeneity of the Algerian V. dahliae population. The results also suggest the absence of a relationship between geographical origin of strains and VCG

Effets de regrouper les soins sur la stabilité physiologique des nouveau-nés prématurés hospitalisés à l’unité de soins intensifs néonatals

Le but de cette étude expérimentale à devis croisé avec randomisation était de comparer la stabilité́ physiologique de nouveau-nés prématurés âgés entre 24 à 316/7 semaines de gestation pendant et après une période incluant un regroupement de soins comparativement à une période où ils reçoivent des soins standards non regroupés à l’unité néonatale. Nous avons recruté dix nouveau-nés prématurés âgés entre 24,2 et 29,6 semaines de gestation à la naissance. Les analyses de covariance à mesures répétées contrôlant pour le bruit montrent qu’il n’y a pas de différence significative entre les scores SCRIP calculés lors de la période de regroupement de soins comparativement à celle du contrôle. À la lumière des résultats obtenus, les nouveau-nés prématurés devraient bénéficier d’un regroupement de soins lorsqu’ils séjournent à l’unité néonatale afin de diminuer la fréquence des manipulations auxquelles ils sont exposés, afin de leur offrir des périodes de sommeil plus longues et limiter leur dépense d’énergie.The purpose of this study was to compare the physiological stability during and after clustered care of preterm infants between born between 24 and 316/7 weeks of gestational age and hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) versus a non-clustered standard care. Ten preterm infants, between 24.2 and 29.6 weeks of gestational age at birth, were recruited for the study. The analysis of covariance with repeated measures controlling for noise showed no significant difference in SCRIP scores between the periods of clustered care and control. In light of these results, preterm infants should benefit from this intervention when hospitalized in the NICU, in order to reduce the frequency of manipulations, offer longer periods of sleep and limit their energy expenditure

The type of land we want:Exploring the Limits of Community Forestry in Tanzania and Bolivia

We explore local people’s perspectives of community forest (CF) on their land in Tanzania and Bolivia. Community forest management is known to improve ecological conditions of forests, but is more variable in its social outcomes. Understanding communities’ experience of community forestry and the potential benefits and burdens its formation may place on a community will likely help in predicting its sustainability as a forest and land management model. Six villages, two in Tanzania and four in Bolivia, were selected based on the presence of community forestry in varying stages. We found that communities were generally supportive of existing community forests but cautious of their expansion. Deeper explorations of this response using ethnographic research methods reveal that an increase in community forest area is associated with increasing opportunity costs and constraints on agricultural land use, but not an increase in benefits. Furthermore, community forests give rise to a series of intra- and inter-community conflicts, often pertaining to the financial benefits stemming from the forests (distribution issues), perceived unfairness and weakness in decision–making processes (procedure/participation), and also tensions over cultural identity issues (recognition). Our findings suggest that communities’ willingness to accept community forests requires a broader consideration of the multifunctional landscape in which it is embedded, as well as an engagement with the justice tensions such an intervention inevitably creates

Genetic diversity of Verticillium dahliae isolates from olive trees in Algeria

Verticillium wilt of olive trees (Olea europaea L.), a wilt caused by the soil-borne fungus Verticillium dahliae (Kleb), is one of the most serious diseases in Algerian olive groves. To assess the pathogenic and genetic diversity of olive-infecting V. dahliae populations in Algeria, orchards from the two main olive-producing regions (north-western Algeria and Kabylia) were sampled and 27 V. dahliae isolates were recovered. For purposes of comparison, V. dahliae strains from France and Syria were added to the analysis. By means of PCR primers that specifically discriminate between defoliating (D) and non-defoliating (ND) V. dahliae pathotypes it was shown that all V. dahliae isolates belonged to the ND pathotype. The amount of genetic variation between the 43 isolates was assessed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). A total of 16 RAPD haplotypes were found on the basis of the presence or absence of 25 polymorphic DNA fragments. Genotypic diversity between the 27 Algerian isolates was low, with two RAPD haplotypes accounting for 70% of all isolates. Genotypic diversity was however greater between isolates from Kabylia than between isolates from north-western Algeria. Cluster analysis showed that most of the Algerian V. dahliae isolates grouped together with the French and Syrian isolates. On the basis of their ability to form heterokaryons with each other, a subset of 25 olive-pathogenic isolates was grouped into a single vegetative compatibility group (VCG). These results suggest that the olive-infecting V. dahliae populations in Algeria show limited diversity and that caution should be taken to prevent introduction of the D pathotype

Upgrade of HyCost methodology and tool to support LCC estimation of reusable access to space vehicles

This paper aims at presenting the latest upgrades to HyCost Methodology and Tool, developed by Politecnico di Torino under funding and supervision of the European Space Agency (ESA), to support Life Cycle Cost (LCC) estimation of reusable access to space vehicles. The main idea is to support the designer in cost estimation activity during conceptual and preliminary design phases, allowing the evaluation of Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDTE) Costs, Production Costs, as well as Direct and Indirect Operating Costs (DOC and IOC), for a wide set of aerospace systems, from supersonic civil aircraft to hypersonic and, in general, high speed vehicles. Politecnico di Torino has already proposed a LCC methodology and tool called “HyCost 1.0” specifically tailored to air-breathing high-speed transportation systems. This paper discloses the upgrades of HyCost 1.0, i.e. “HyCost 2.0” methodology, to extend the methodology and tool capability to future Reusable Access to Space Vehicles. The main goal of this research activity is to evaluate the applicability of already existing parametric cost estimation relationships (CERs) to the peculiarities of Reusable Access to Space Vehicles and if necessary, to define new equations. Specifically, this new set of equations shall be able to capture the impact of different vehicle configurations (e.g. staging strategy, staging Mach number, parallel or series configuration, etc…) onto costs, as well as the impact of the most promising propulsive solutions, ranging from scramjet and combined cycle engines to rocket engines. Ultimately, this new methodology and implemented routines are applied and validated using the SpaceX Starship case study