Change and Persistence, Proceedings of the International Conference, Tunis, 12-13 November 2013

This publication is based on the proceedings of an international conference entitled ‘Arab Revolutions and Beyond: Change and Persistence’, which was held in the framework of a multilateral project called ‘Challenges and Transformations in the Wake of the Arab Spring’ (2012-2014). The project is funded by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and based upon the longstanding partnership between Cairo University in Egypt and Freie Universität Berlin in Germany, specifically between the EuroMed Study Program at the Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences (FEPS) and the Centre for Middle Eastern and North African Politics at Otto-Suhr-Institute, Department for Political and Social Sciences. Dieser Sammelband ist ein Ergebnis der internationalen Tunis-Konferenz "Arab Revolutions and Beyond: Change and Persistence", die im Rahmen des multinationalen DAAD-Projekts "Challenges and Transformations in the Wake of the Arab Spring" im November 2013 stattfand. Neben Kolleg_innen der Universität Kairo, mit der bereits eine langjährige Partnerschaft besteht, sind auch Nachwuchsforscher_innen aus Tunesien, Libyen, Jordanien und weiteren Arabischen Staaten beteiligt. Das Projekt stellt sich den Herausforderungen, welche sich durch die politischen und sozialen Umbrüche in der Region für die akademische Bildung, v.a. in den Sozialwissenschaften ergeben haben. Hieraus soll ein produktiver Dialog über theoretische, methodische und thematische Felder der Sozialwissenschaften eröffnet werden, um die Strukturen von Forschung und Lehre dauerhaft zu verbessern.This publication is based on the proceedings of an international conference entitled ‘Arab Revolutions and Beyond: Change and Persistence’, which was held in the framework of a multilateral project called ‘Challenges and Transformations in the Wake of the Arab Spring’ (2012-2014). The project is funded by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and based upon the longstanding partnership between Cairo University in Egypt and Freie Universität Berlin in Germany, specifically between the EuroMed Study Program at the Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences (FEPS) and the Centre for Middle Eastern and North African Politics at Otto-Suhr-Institute, Department for Political and Social Sciences. The project addresses the challenges of current political and social transformations and their ramifications for higher education and the social sciences in Egypt and the region. The overarching objective of the project is to enter a productive dialogue on theories, methodologies and topics in social science research among Arab and German researchers. At the same time, we aim to improve teaching and research structures in the social sciences in a sustainable and efficient way. This will build students’ and teachers’ capacities on both shores of the Mediterranean and at the same time strengthen institutional efforts to promote the role of social sciences in the current transformations

Radioprotective Effects of Quercetin and Ethanolic Extract of Propolis in Gamma-Irradiated Mice

The aim of this study was to assess radioprotective effects of quercetin and the ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) in CBA mice exposed to a single radiation dose 4 Gy (60Co). The mice were treated with 100 mg kg-1 quercetin or EEP a day for three consecutive days either before (pre-treatment) or after gamma-irradiation (therapy). Leukocyte count was determined in blood drawn from the tail vein, and DNA damage in leukocytes was assessed using the alkaline comet assay. Genotoxic effects of the test compunds were also evaluated in non-irradiated mice. The levels of radioprotection provided by both test compounds were compared with those established in mice that were given chemical radioprotector S-(2-Aminoethyl)isothiouronium bromide hydrobromide (AET). Mice that received pre-treatment were less sensitive to irradiation. Mice given the post-irradiation therapy showed a slight but not significant increase in total leukocyte count over irradiated negative control. Quercetin showed better protective properties than EEP in both pre-treatment and therapy, and activated a higher number of leukocytes in non-irradiated mice. The alkaline comet assay suggests that both natural compounds, especially when given as pre-treatment, protect against primary leukocyte DNA damage in mice. At tested concentrations, EEP and quercetin were not genotoxic to non-irradiated mice. AET, however, caused a slight but not significant increase in DNA damage. Although the results of this study show the radioprotective potential of the test compounds, further investigation is needed to clarify the underlying protection mechanisms.Na miševima soja CBA istraženi su radioprotektivni učinci alkoholnog ekstrakta propolisa (AEP) i flavonoida kvercetina primijenjenih u obliku predtretmana i terapije usporedo s izlaganjem gama-zračenju iz izvora 60Co, doze 4 Gy. Testirane tvari injicirane su miševima intraperitonealno u dozi od 100 mg kg-1 tijekom tri uzastopna dana. Nakon završetka pokusa u uzorcima krvi ozračenih miševa utvrđen je ukupni broj leukocita, a razina primarnih oštećenja u DNA izmjerena je primjenom alkalnog kometnog testa. Usporedo su istraženi i mogući genotoksični učinci testiranih tvari na neozračenim miševima. Razine radioprotekcije koju pružaju propolis i kvercetin uspoređene su sa sintetskim radioprotektorom AET-om (S-(2-aminoetil)izotiouronij bromid hidrobromid). Predtretman miševa bilo kojim oblikom radioprotektora pridonosi boljem odgovoru na zračenje. U miševa koji su primili radioprotektore u obliku terapije uočen je mali porast ukupnog broja leukocita u odnosu na ozračenu negativnu kontrolu. Kvercetin je pružio bolju zaštitu od zračenja nego AEP, i u predtretmanu i terapiji, a u neozračenih miševa potaknuo je oslobađanje većeg broja leukocita u odnosu na negativnu kontrolu. Rezultati istraživanja upućuju na to da propolis i njegove fl avonoidne sastavnice, osobito ako su primijenjene prije ozračivanja, mogu učinkovito zaštititi miševe od štetnih učinaka ionizirajućeg zračenja i smanjiti razinu primarnih oštećenja DNA u leukocitima. AEP i kvercetin u testiranim dozama nisu bili genotoksični, za razliku od AET-a koji je izazvao mali porast razine oštećenja DNA u leukocitima neozračenih miševa. Iako rezultati istraživanja upućuju na radioprotektivne učinke testiranih prirodnih spojeva, radi pojašnjenja pretpostavljenih mehanizama radioprotekcije potrebna su daljnja istraživanja