Swedes in barbary captivity: the political culture of human security, circa 1660-1760

"This article aims to present a specific form of 'Human Security' during the Early Modern era. As a case study, the relationship between Sweden and the North African states will be put forward. The Swedish maritime expansion in the Mediterranean during the 17th century resulted in insecurity for the men who manned the ships when they became targets for Muslim corsairs from North Africa. This article explores how the Swedish state responded to the threat towards its seamen during a period of 100 years (1660-1760). The Kingdom not only reacted militarily or diplomatically towards this threat. Intense attention was also paid to humanitarian aspects on the level of the individual. The state tried several preventative measures to reduce the risk of captivity and installed a nation-wide ransoming system. The article highlights the complex relationship between state security and human security and shows how cultural values, economy, institutions and international politics also give form and substance to the praxis of the 'Production of Human Security'." (author's abstract)"In diesem Artikel wird einer frühneuzeitlichen Form von 'Humaner Sicherheit' nachgegangen. Als Fallstudie dienen hierbei die Beziehungen zwischen Schweden und den nordafrikanischen Staaten. Die Ausdehnung der Schifffahrt Schwedens in das Mittelmeer während dem 17. Jahrhundert führte für die Schiffsbesatzungen zu einem höheren Risiko, von muslimischen Korsaren aufgebracht zu werden. In diesem Artikel sollen die Reaktionen des schwedischen Staates auf diese Bedrohung während eines Zeitraumes von etwa 100 Jahren (1660-1760) präsentiert werden. Das Königreich reagierte nicht nur auf der diplomatischen oder militärischen Ebene. 'Humanitäre' Aspekte spielten ebenfalls eine wichtige Rolle. Der Staat versuchte auf verschiedenste Weisen, das Risiko der Gefangenschaft zu reduzieren und errichtete zudem ein Freikaufssystem, welches das gesamte Königreich umfasste. Im Artikel soll insbesondere das komplexe Beziehungsgeflecht zwischen staatlicher und humaner Sicherheit herausgearbeitet werden, wie auch gezeigt werden, in wie weit kulturelle Werte, Mentalitäten und Wissen die Praxis der 'Produktion von humaner Sicherheit' beeinflussen." (Autorenreferat

Combined SEM-FIB-SPM-TOF-EDX-EBSD as a Multifunctional Tool

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, July 29 - August 2, 201

Dynamic constraints on CO2 uptake by an iron-fertilized Antarctic

The topics covered include the following: tracer distribution and dynamics in the Antarctic Ocean; a model of Antarctic and Non-Antarctic Oceans; effects on an anthropogenically affected atmosphere; effects of seasonal iron fertilization; and implications of the South Atlantic Ventilation Experiment C-14 results

Inhibition of the glucocorticoid‐activating enzyme 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 drives concurrent 11‐oxygenated androgen excess

Aldo‐keto reductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) is a key enzyme in the activation of both classic and 11‐oxygenated androgens. In adipose tissue, AKR1C3 is co‐expressed with 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1), which catalyzes not only the local activation of glucocorticoids but also the inactivation of 11‐oxygenated androgens, and thus has the potential to counteract AKR1C3. Using a combination of in vitro assays and in silico modeling we show that HSD11B1 attenuates the biosynthesis of the potent 11‐oxygenated androgen, 11‐ketotestosterone (11KT), by AKR1C3. Employing ex vivo incubations of human female adipose tissue samples we show that inhibition of HSD11B1 results in the increased peripheral biosynthesis of 11KT. Moreover, circulating 11KT increased 2–3 fold in individuals with type 2 diabetes after receiving the selective oral HSD11B1 inhibitor AZD4017 for 35 days, thus confirming that HSD11B1 inhibition results in systemic increases in 11KT concentrations. Our findings show that HSD11B1 protects against excess 11KT production by adipose tissue, a finding of particular significance when considering the evidence for adverse metabolic effects of androgens in women. Therefore, when targeting glucocorticoid activation by HSD11B1 inhibitor treatment in women, the consequently increased generation of 11KT may offset beneficial effects of decreased glucocorticoid activation

Atmospheric tritium

Research progress for the year 1979 to 1980 are reported. Concentrations of tritiated water vapor, tritium gas and tritiated hydrocarbons in the atmosphere at selected sampling points are presented. (ACR

The glucocorticoid-activating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 catalyzes the activation of testosterone

Testosterone biosynthesis from its precursor androstenedione is thought to be exclusively catalysed by the 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases-HSD17B3 in testes, and AKR1C3 in the ovary, adrenal and peripheral tissues. Here we show for the first time that the glucocorticoid activating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1) can also catalyse the 17β-reduction of androstenedione to testosterone, using a combination of in vitro enzyme kinetic assays, mathematical modelling, and molecular docking analysis. Furthermore, we show that co-expression of HSD11B1 and AKR1C3 increases testosterone production several-fold compared to the rate observed with AKR1C3 only, and that HSD11B1 is likely to contribute significantly to testosterone production in peripheral tissues