464 research outputs found

    Body descriptions in biohacking and their overlaps and origins : a Swedish case study

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    This article researches what body descriptions are present within Swedish biohacking, what roots they have, and what overlaps they create between biohacking and other philosophical, political, and scientific discourses. As biohacking has become an increasingly popular subcultural influence incontemporary culture, not least when it comes to individual responsibility for ones health, the aim of the article is to show what other discourses are imported into the health discourse via the use of body descriptions. The study focuses on the most well known and influential Swedish biohacker, and the analysis is based on her use of body descriptions when communicating to her followers. Her use of body descriptions leads to transhumanism where the biological body is seen as a computer, libertarianism where the body is a stage for health entrepreneurism, and synthetic biology where the biological body is placed within a post genomic culture

    Is There a Paradigm Shift for On-Board Computing and Processing?

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    Today we see the need for increased processing performance, driven by increased digitalization and new services such as Software Defined Radio, real-time Image Processing and enhanced Compression techniques, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Visual Navigation & Autonomous Control, Debris Removal etc. This, in combination with the bandwidth limitation in downlink channels present, the payload data needs to be processed and compressed on board before downlinked to the user on ground. Historically image processing in orbit has been performed using dedicated hardware and to certain extends software processing. These have been often, costly and in-flexible solutions, either using customized FPGAs or ASICs in order to achieve needed performance

    Euploidy in somatic cells from R6/2 transgenic Huntington's disease mice

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    BACKGROUND: Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the HD gene. The huntingtin protein expressed from HD has an unknown function but is suggested to interact with proteins involved in the cell division machinery. The R6/2 transgenic mouse is the most widely used model to study HD. In R6/2 fibroblast cultures, a reduced mitotic index and high frequencies of multiple centrosomes and aneuploid cells have recently been reported. Aneuploidy is normally a feature closely connected to neoplastic disease. To further explore this unexpected aspect of HD, we studied cultures derived from 6- and 12-week-old R6/2 fibroblasts, skeletal muscle cells, and liver cells. RESULTS: Cytogenetic analyses revealed a high frequency of polyploid cells in cultures from both R6/2 and wild-type mice with the greatest proportions of polyploid cells in cultures derived from skeletal muscle cells of both genotypes. The presence of polyploid cells in skeletal muscle in vivo was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridisation with centromeric probes. Enlarged and supernumerary centrosomes were found in cultures from both R6/2 and wild-type mice. However, no aneuploid cells could be found in any of the tissues. CONCLUSION: We conclude that polyploid cells are found in fibroblast and skeletal muscle cultures derived from both R6/2 and wild-type littermate mice and that aneuploidy is unlikely to be a hallmark of HD

    RÀttsskyddet som idrottare - RÀtten att fÄ ett uteslutningsbeslut prövat i domstol

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    Det finns vĂ€ldigt mĂ„nga ideella föreningar vars verksamheter skiljer sig Ă„t markant. Eftersom det inte finns nĂ„gon speciallag rörande dessa, Ă€r rĂ€ttstillĂ€mpningen rörande mĂ„nga frĂ„gor vĂ€ldig rĂ€ttsosĂ€ker. Som en naturlig följd hĂ€rav, har domstolarna Ă„tskiljt och kategoriserat de ideella föreningarna. Vid denna uppdelning har idrottsföreningar jĂ€mstĂ€llts med sĂ€llskapsföreningar och Ă„tskiljts frĂ„n fackliga organisationer. FrĂ„gan Ă€r om samhĂ€llsutvecklingen har gjort att denna kategorisering inte lĂ€ngre kan anses tjĂ€nlig. Sigeman har ifrĂ„gasatt uppdelningen och poĂ€ngterar likheterna mellan idrottsföreningar och fackliga organisationer, vilket inte har uppmĂ€rksammats av nĂ„gon annan i doktrinen. Enligt min Ă„sikt finns det anledning att utveckla Sigemans instĂ€llning, synnerligen eftersom han sjĂ€lv i princip inte har angett nĂ„gra grunder för sin uppfattning. Det Ă€r omöjligt att till fullo likstĂ€lla dessa i mĂ„nga avseenden relativt olika typer av ideella föreningar. IstĂ€llet Ă€r det legitimt att se de fackliga organisationerna som en utgĂ„ngspunkt nĂ€r idrottsföreningarna Ă€r föremĂ„l för rĂ€ttstillĂ€mpningen.There are many non-profit associations, whose activity differ considerably. Since there is no applicable law for these associations, the adjudication process implies legal uncertainty in many cases. Therefore, the courts have seperated and categorized the non-profit associations. The sports associations and organizations for recreational activities have been qonsidered equal, and the sport associations have been seperated from the unions and bransch organisations. The question is if the development of society has made this categorization inappropriate. Sigeman has challenged the categorization and stresses the similarities between sports associations, unions and bransch organisations, wich have not been emphasized in the doctine before. In my opinion it is relevant to develop Sigeman’s approach, especially since he himself has failed to provide proof for his thesis. I also believe that it is impossible to completely equalize sports associations with unions and bransch organisations, since they vary significantly in some areas. Instead it is suitable to see the jurisdiction regardning unions as an example for the sports associations

    Hypothalamic overexpression of mutant huntingtin causes dysregulation of brown adipose tissue.

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    Expression of mutant huntingtin (htt) protein has been shown to cause metabolic imbalance in animal models of Huntington disease (HD). The pathways involved are not fully understood but dysfunction of both the hypothalamus and brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been implicated. Here we show that targeted expression of mutant HTT in the hypothalamus leads to loss of the A13 dopaminergic cell group located in the zona incerta and reduced mRNA expression of neuropeptide Y1 receptor in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, this is accompanied by downregulation of uncoupling protein 1 expression and PPARÎł coactivator-1 alpha in BAT and a rapid body weight gain. Taken together, our data might provide a mechanistic link between expression of mutant HTT, reduced activity of a hypothalamic dopaminergic pathway and dysfunction of BAT and in part explain the development of an obese phenotype in HD mouse models

    Informellt lĂ€rda systemutvecklare: Är sjĂ€lvlĂ€rande ett alternativ till formell utbildning?

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    Denna undersökning utforskar ett alternativ till formella utbildningar, en informell vÀg, till kunskap inom systemutveckling och programmering. Med hjÀlp av internet som primÀr kunskapskÀlla har dessa informellt lÀrda systemutvecklare lÀrt sig sjÀlva. Men Àr det gÄngbart att vara informellt lÀrd pÄ dagens arbetsmarknad och hur skiljer sig en informellt lÀrd systemutvecklare frÄn en formellt lÀrd? För att ta reda pÄ detta vi gjort en kvalitativ analys genom att intervjua tre stycken informellt lÀrda systemutvecklare, respektive tvÄ formellt lÀrda samt tre arbetsgivare. I vÄr slutsats presenterar vi fÀrdigheter som Àr typiska för informellt respektive formellt lÀrda systemutvecklare. I slutsatsen framgÄr det ocksÄ om och varför det Àr möjligt att vara informellt lÀrd pÄ dagens arbetsmarknad samt vilka faktorer som underlÀttar för att fÄ en första fot in pÄ arbetsmarknaden

    Att surfa pÄ den gröna vÄgen - Ett arbete om Corporate Social Responsibility, kundmedvetenhet och greenwashing inom turismbranschen

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    Problem: Idag implementerar allt fler företag olika typer av samhÀllsansvar, sÄ kallat CSR-arbete, i sin verksamhet. Bredden i begreppet orsakar förvirring och problematik hos sÄvÀl företag som konsumenter. Detta i kombination med avsaknaden av en allmÀnt vedertagen definition och tydliga riktlinjer att följa i arbetet möjliggör för företag att Àgna sig Ät greenwashing. Syfte: Syftet med arbetet Àr att skapa större förstÄelse för den problematik som kan uppstÄ genom avsaknaden av en allmÀnt vedertagen definition av CSR, med fokus pÄ greenwashing. Vi Àmnar undersöka potentiella turismkonsumenters kunskap och medvetenhet i relation till termen CSR, samt huruvida denna medvetenhet pÄverkar deras resande och dÀrmed stÀller krav pÄ företagen. Arbetet syftar Àven till att undersöka hur tvÄ olika turismföretag kan vÀlja att arbeta med CSR, hur de förhÄller sig till problematiken med greenwashing samt vilka problem och möjligheter de möter i sitt ansvarstagande arbete. Metod: Abduktivt arbetssÀtt, enkÀtundersökning och mailintervjuer. Resultat: Arbetet indikerar att turismkonsumenters medvetenhet Àr bristfÀllig vad gÀller bland annat resandets pÄverkan, och problematiken med CSR, samtidigt som tilliten till företagen Àr hög. Dessa faktorer möjliggör greenwashing inom turismbranschen, men kan ocksÄ ses som resultatet av problematiken

    Outbreaks of Tularemia in a Boreal Forest Region Depends on Mosquito Prevalence

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    Background. We aimed to evaluate the potential association of mosquito prevalence in a boreal forest area with transmission of the bacterial disease tularemia to humans, and model the annual variation of disease using local weather data

    Investigating the Relationships Between Hypothalamic Volume and Measures of Circadian Rhythm and Habitual Sleep in Premanifest Huntington’s Disease

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    Objective: Pathological changes within the hypothalamus have been proposed to mediate circadian rhythm and habitual sleep disturbances in individuals with Huntington’s disease (HD). However, investigations examining the relationships between hypothalamic volume and circadian rhythm and habitual sleep in individuals with HD are sparse. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the relationships between hypothalamic pathology and circadian rhythm and habitual sleep disturbances in individuals with premanifest HD. Methods: Thirty-two individuals with premanifest HD and twenty-nine healthy age- and gender-matched controls participated in this dual-site, cross-sectional study. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed to evaluate hypothalamic volume. Circadian rhythm and habitual sleep were assessed via measurement of morning and evening cortisol and melatonin levels, wrist-worn actigraphy, the Consensus Sleep Diary and sleep questionnaires. Information on mood, physical activity levels and body composition were also collected. Results: Compared to healthy controls, individuals with premanifest HD displayed significantly reduced grey matter volume in the hypothalamus, decreased habitual sleep efficiency and increased awakenings; however, no alterations in morning cortisol or evening melatonin release were noted in individuals with premanifest HD. While differences in the associations between hypothalamic volume and cortisol and melatonin output existed in individuals with premanifest HD compared to healthy controls, no consistent associations were observed between hypothalamic volume and circadian rhythm or habitual sleep outcomes. Conclusion: While significant differences in associations between hypothalamic volume and cortisol and melatonin existed between individuals with premanifest HD and healthy controls, no differences in circadian markers were observed between the groups. This suggests that circadian regulation is maintained despite hypothalamic pathology, perhaps via neural compensation. Longitudinal studies are required to further understand the relationships between the hypothalamus and circadian rhythm and habitual sleep disturbances in HD as the disease course lengthens

    Genetic architecture of EEG power spectra in early life

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    We measured the electroencephalogram (EEG) in 209 5 year old monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs to estimate the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to EEG power spectra in early life. Data from same-sex and from opposite-sex twin pairs were used to test for sex differences in genetic influences. Results showed high concordance for EEGs of MZ twins for absolute and relative power in ÎŽ, Ξ, α1, α2, ÎČ1 and ÎČ2 bands. A model with additive genetic and unique environmental influences explained individual differences in both absolute and relative power in almost all bands and all electrode positions. Heritability of EEG power spectra was high. For absolute power the highest heritabilities were observed in Ξ, α1, α2 and ÎČ1 power bands (mean heritability 81, 81, 78, and 73%, respectively). Somewhat lower heritabilities were found in ÎŽ and ÎČ2 bands (mean heritability 55 and 64%, respectively). For relative power heritabilities were 63, 76, 71, 72, 68, and 65 for ÎŽ, Ξ, α1, α2, ÎČ1, and ÎČ2, respectively. Virtually no sex differences in heritability were found. These findings indicate that the background EEG is one of the most heritable characteristics in early life
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