Shares in the EMCA : the time is ripe for true no par value shares in the EU, and the 2nd directive is not an obstacle

The most interesting proposal in the draft European Model Companies Act ( EMCA) concerning shares and the focus of this Article is the recommendation to introduce true no par value shares, as they have been in use in the US for many years and were introduced in Australia, New Zealand but also Finland more recently. Contrary to what has often been assumed, the 2nd EU Company Law Directive does not preclude no par value shares. There is nothing in the wording of the Directive to suggest otherwise, and the reference in the Directive to shares without a nominal value is a reference to Belgian law, which has allowed true no par value shares in all but name since at least 1913. EU member states could therefore introduce such shares even for public companies. True no par value shares offer a far more flexible framework in case of capital increases or mergers, but since under a no par value system there is no link between par value and shareholder rights, additional disclosure about these rights might be warranted under a no par value system. Traditional par value shares offer no protection to creditors, shareholders or other stakeholders, so that their abolition should not be mourned. The threat of new share issues at an unacceptably high discount is more efficiently countered by disclosure and shareholder decision rights

Study of the Anti-Proliferative Activity of 5-Substituted 4,7-Dimethoxy-1,3-Benzodioxole Derivatives of SY-1 from Antrodia camphorata on Human COLO 205 Colon Cancer Cells

A set of 10 4,7-dimethoxy-1,3-benzodioxole derivatives based on a lead compound previously discovered by our group, SY-1, which was isolated from Antrodia camphorata, were evaluated for their in vitro inhibitory activity on human colorectal carcinoma cells (COLO 205). Structure-activity relationship studies of the 10 compounds indicated the importance of the chain length of the alkyl group at the 5-position, and the 2-propenyl substituent named “apiole” exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity. In the present study, we demonstrate that the SY-1 analogue “apiole” decreased the proliferation of COLO 205 cells, but not that of normal human colonic epithelial cells (FHC). The G0/G1 cell cycle arrest induced by apiole (75–225 μM) was associated with significantly increased levels of p53, p21 and p27 and decreased levels of cyclin D1. Concerning COLO 205 cell apoptosis, apiole (>150 μM) treatment significantly increased the levels of cleaved caspases 3, 8, 9 and bax/bcl-2 ratio and induced ladder formation in DNA fragmentation assay and sub-G1 peak in flow cytometry analysis. These findings suggest that apiole can suppress COLO 205 cell growth; however, the detailed mechanisms of these processes require further investigation

Analysis of the cardiovascular risk factors in military above 35 years old

Introduction The increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is mainly due to habits acquired during one’s life. However, military training has physical aptitude as one of its main objectives. The objective of the data analysis was to analyze the practiced physical activity, which is the most active age group and if the intensity of the physical activity influences the various parameters being analyzed. Methodology This evaluation focuses on some cardiovascular parameters like the incidence of family history, medication, smoking habits and blood pressure/heart frequency measurements; data from blood tests to examine the biochemistry; body composition through weight, height, abdominal perimeter and, through DXA, body fat; and with accelerometry the physical activity level has been determined. Results Sedentary physical activity is significantly greater during weekends instead of moderate and intense levels, which occur mainly during work-days. People who are between 45 and 54 years old are the ones who takes more anticholesterolemic medicine and also the one who show the best HDL values. The sedentary level of physical activity is positively and directly related with weight, which presents an inverse correlation with moderate physical activity, and also body fat parameters and abdominal perimeter. The highest prothrombin time levels and sedimentation speed are associated with sedentary physical activity. However, even though HDL levels are significantly greater when intense physical activity is practiced, this also creates higher values of INR. Intense physical activity is also responsible for some ischemic heart disease, reflecting an increase in CK-MB values. Discussion The abdominal perimeter proved to be a better predictor of intra-abdominal fat than the BMI. The youngest age group showed really high values of PCR, protein being a contributing factor for heart disease risk (Albert, Glynn & Ridker, 2003). The relation between physical activity and fat was inverse (Cederberg et al, 2011), while HDL results were better as physical activity increased (Gordon-Larsen et al, 2009). Physical activity intensity above average show little to no benefits (AAdahl, KJæer & Jørgensen, 2007), just like the increase of circulation CK-MB however, sedentary ones showed more changes when it came to coagulation. Balanced physical activity was moderate when it came to benefits/disadvantages

Altered NCAM expression associated with the cholinergic system in Alzheimer's disease

Neurotransmitter system dysfunction and synapse loss have been recognized as hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our hypothesis is that specific neurochemical populations of neurons might be more vulnerable to degeneration in AD due to particular deficits in synaptic plasticity. We have studied, in postmortem brain tissue, the relationship between levels of synaptic markers (NCAM and BDNF), neurochemical measurements (cholinacetyltransferase activity, serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glutamate levels), and clinical data (cognitive status measured as MMSE score). NCAM levels in frontal and temporal cortex from AD patients were significantly lower than control patients. Interestingly, these reductions in NCAM levels were associated to an ApoE4 genotype. Levels of BDNF were also significantly reduced in both frontal and temporal regions in AD patients. The ratio between plasticity markers and neurochemical measurements was used to study which of the neurochemical populations was particularly associated to plasticity changes. In both the frontal and temporal cortex, there was a significant reduction in the ChAT/NCAM ratio in AD samples compared to controls. None of the ratios to BDNF were different between control and AD samples. Furthermore, Pearson's product moment showed a significant positive correlation between MMSE score and the ChAT/NCAM ratio in frontal cortex (n=19; r=0.526*; p=0.037) as well as in temporal cortex (n=19; r=0.601*; p=0.018) in AD patients. Altogether, these data suggest a potential involvement of NCAM expressing neurons in the cognitive deficits in AD

Contribuir para o desenvolvimento das estratégias de coping das pessoas com doença mental grave através da implementação de um programa de promoção de estilos de vida saudáveis

Mestrado em Enfermagem, Especialização Saúde Mental e Psiquiátrica, 2011, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de LisboaO desenvolvimento de competências resulta de um aumento de conhecimentos científicos, técnicos e éticos e da sua aplicação à prática profissional, através de um processo de experimentação, treino e reflexão, conjugando características pessoais e profissionais na acção. Este processo organizou-se em torno de dois contextos, ambulatório e internamento do DPSM, do H. S. Francisco Xavier. O primeiro decorreu nas Equipas Comunitárias de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental de Cascais e da Parede e no Fórum Sócio-ocupacional de Cascais; o segundo na Unidade de Internamento de Psiquiatria de doentes agudos do sexo masculino. O principal alvo dos cuidados foi as PDMG, às quais foi identificada uma necessidade de cuidados de enfermagem visando a promoção da saúde física e mental. A evidência comprova que as PDMG, designadamente os portadores de esquizofrenia, apresentam uma taxa de mortalidade precoce, cerca 10 a 15 anos menos do que a população em geral, assim como uma elevada prevalência de co-morbilidades físicas fortemente condicionada pelos estilos de vida não saudáveis e estratégias de coping ineficazes. Como resposta a esta necessidade de cuidados de enfermagem foi construído e implementado o programa “ SER + saudável”, desenvolvido com três grupos distintos de clientes e tendo por base, três objectivos principais: Promover estilos de vida saudáveis nas PDMG; Incentivar o desenvolvimento de estratégias de coping eficazes nas PDMG; e Promover o desenvolvimento de competências básicas de comunicação nas PDMG. Na implementação do programa segundo os contextos, constatou-se que os clientes atribuíram um enfoque diferente aos conteúdos abordados. Assim, o grupo comunitário valorizou aspectos relacionados com a saúde física e vida em sociedade, enquanto o grupo do internamento se centrou na gestão dos sintomas e na prevenção da recaída. O Programa “ SER + saudável” foi avaliado na sua globalidade pelos clientes, como tendo um impacto positivo no seu bem-estar, pelos benefícios na interacção social e pelo aumento dos conhecimentos adquiridos. Estes resultados parecem indicar que o programa contribuiu para o desenvolvimento das estratégias de Coping das PDMG

Involvement of an altered 5-HT -{6} receptor function in behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease

We studied the hypothesis that disturbances in 5-HT_{6} receptor function in the temporal cortex may contribute to clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). 5-HT_{6} density and 5-HT levels were significantly decreased in a cohort of AD patients prospectively assessed for cognitive/behavioral symptoms. cAMP formation after stimulation with the selective 5-HT_{6} receptor agonist E-6801 was significantly lower (p<0.01) in AD (170.02 +/- 27.53 pmol/mg prot.) compared to controls (823.33 +/-196.67). In addition, the ratio cAMP formation after stimulation with E-6801/5-HT_{6} receptor density was significantly lower (p< 0.01) in AD (6.67 +/- 0.83) compared to controls (16.67 +/- 3.33). Splitting these results by sex, 5-HT_{6} receptor activation was significantly lower (p< 0.01) in AD females compared to males (121.67 +/- 30.02 vs. 231.67 +/- 34.17 pmol/mg prot). 5-HT_{6} density and 5-HT levels were significantly correlated (p < or = 0.01) in both controls and AD patients, although in AD, this correlation was lost in females. Psychosis factor was the best predictor of reduced 5-HT levels or adenylate cyclase activity after E-6801 stimulation, the former result being due to females. It may be suggested that psychotic symptoms may be related to a dysregulation of 5-HT_{6} activation by 5-HT in the temporal cortex. These results are discussed in terms of purported influence of sex and therapeutical approaches to psychosis in AD

Wave Propagation in Gravitational Systems: Completeness of Quasinormal Modes

The dynamics of relativistic stars and black holes are often studied in terms of the quasinormal modes (QNM's) of the Klein-Gordon (KG) equation with different effective potentials $V(x)$. In this paper we present a systematic study of the relation between the structure of the QNM's of the KG equation and the form of $V(x)$. In particular, we determine the requirements on $V(x)$ in order for the QNM's to form complete sets, and discuss in what sense they form complete sets. Among other implications, this study opens up the possibility of using QNM expansions to analyse the behavior of waves in relativistic systems, even for systems whose QNM's do {\it not} form a complete set. For such systems, we show that a complete set of QNM's can often be obtained by introducing an infinitesimal change in the effective potential

Multiorder coherent Raman scattering of a quantum probe field

We study the multiorder coherent Raman scattering of a quantum probe field in a far-off-resonance medium with a prepared coherence. Under the conditions of negligible dispersion and limited bandwidth, we derive a Bessel-function solution for the sideband field operators. We analytically and numerically calculate various quantum statistical characteristics of the sideband fields. We show that the multiorder coherent Raman process can replicate the statistical properties of a single-mode quantum probe field into a broad comb of generated Raman sidebands. We also study the mixing and modulation of photon statistical properties in the case of two-mode input. We show that the prepared Raman coherence and the medium length can be used as control parameters to switch a sideband field from one type of photon statistics to another type, or from a non-squeezed state to a squeezed state and vice versa.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.