The picture of John Gray: with accompanying essay

This thesis consists of an original play script and an accompanying essay. The play, entitled The Picture of John Gray, is based loosely on a true story. The play’s protagonist is John Gray and, through the course of the play, the audience observes his journey from idealistic, young poet, to mature, world-wary priest. It also witnesses his relationship with Andre Raffalovich. Thematically, the play explores love and friendship under pressure, the necessity of marriage, the relationship between laws and morality, and the reality of life for homosexuals in a society that does not understand or accept them. The accompanying essay considers the process of writing this play, with particular attention paid to the creation of viable, dramatic characters from historical figures. It is divided into three sections. The first focuses on why I decided to write the story. The second section explores how I decided who the central characters of the play were and which characters the play could do without. The third section then explores the characters in the play, their relationships with each other and the differences between the characters and the historical figures on which they were based. The essay then concludes with an evaluation

Construcción de políticas públicas de salud en el marco de la Protección social para la generación de estilos de vida saludables en el ambiente laboral colombiano.¨tendencias hispano - americanas.¨

Los países Hispanoamericanos aspiran dentro del marco de sus políticas públicas a un crecimiento que incluya a todos sus ciudadanos. Con esta investigación de corte hermenéutico nos hemos propuesto contribuir al desarrollo de un sólido sistema de protección social. Este sistema es un mecanismo que permite generar condiciones que brinden seguridad a las personas durante toda su vida, garantizándoles derechos sociales para reducir los riesgos en empleo, salud, educación y previsión, creando condiciones de mayor igualdad y de oportunidades de progreso. Motivados por el requerimiento continuo de proveer información adecuada para la toma de decisiones, como resultado de esta investigación hemos formulado un modelo de gestión y/o política pública para Colombia que permita la generación de estilos de vida saludables en los lugares de trabajo bajo el marco conceptual de la Protección Social Hispano – Americana. Reconociendo que la salud presenta múltiples dimensiones y la necesidad de incorporar diversas miradas, ponemos a disposición de ustedes nuestra propuesta de modelo. Esperamos que este documento, y los que se entregarán a futuro, incentiven la participación de todos ustedes en el desarrollo e implementación de intervenciones que vayan en beneficio de mejorar la salud y calidad de vida de la población Hispano- Americana, en especial la Colombiana.The Hispanic countries inspire within their frame of their public politics a development where all the citizens are included. With this investigation of hermeneutic court we are proposing to contribute to a development of a solid system of Social Protection. This system is a mechanism that permits to generate conditions to give security to the people during all their lives, guarantying social rights to reduce the risks of jobs, health, education and forecast, creating conditions of mayor equality and opportunities to progress. Motivated by the continued requirement to provide adequate information to take decisions, like result of this investigation we formulated a model of gestation and or public politic for Colombia that permits the generation of healthy styles of life in places of work under the conceptual frame of The Social Protection Hispanic- American. Recognizing that the health presents multiple dimensions and the need to incorporate diverse ways of looking at it, putting to your disposition our proposal this model. We hope that this document, and the ones that will be given in the future, incentive The participation of all of us in the development and implementation of interventions that benefits the improvements of health and quality of life in the Hispanic-American population especially the Colombian

Coagulation factor XII protease domain crystal structure

Background: Coagulation factor XII is a serine protease that is important for kinin generation and blood coagulation, cleaving the substrates plasma kallikrein and FXI.Objective: To investigate FXII zymogen activation and substrate recognition by determining the crystal structure of the FXII protease domain.Methods and results: A series of recombinant FXII protease constructs were characterized by measurement of cleavage of chromogenic peptide and plasma kallikrein protein substrates. This revealed that the FXII protease construct spanning the light chain has unexpectedly weak proteolytic activity compared to β‐FXIIa, which has an additional nine amino acid remnant of the heavy chain present. Consistent with these data, the crystal structure of the light chain protease reveals a zymogen conformation for active site residues Gly193 and Ser195, where the oxyanion hole is absent. The Asp194 side chain salt bridge to Arg73 constitutes an atypical conformation of the 70‐loop. In one crystal form, the S1 pocket loops are partially flexible, which is typical of a zymogen. In a second crystal form of the deglycosylated light chain, the S1 pocket loops are ordered, and a short α‐helix in the 180‐loop of the structure results in an enlarged and distorted S1 pocket with a buried conformation of Asp189, which is critical for P1 Arg substrate recognition. The FXII structures define patches of negative charge surrounding the active site cleft that may be critical for interactions with inhibitors and substrates.Conclusions: These data provide the first structural basis for understanding FXII substrate recognition and zymogen activation

HcRed, a Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Binary Cross-Linking Agent for Cross-Linking of Mitochondrial ATP Synthase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Genetically encoded fluorescent cross-linking agents represent powerful tools useful both for visualising and modulating protein interactions in living cells. The far-red fluorescent protein HcRed, which is fluorescent only in a dimer form, can be used to promote the homo-dimerisation of target proteins, and thereby yield useful information about biological processes. We have in yeast cells expressed HcRed fused to a subunit of mitochondrial ATP synthase (mtATPase). This resulted in cross-linking of the large multi-subunit mtATPase complex within the inner-membrane of the mitochondrion. Fluorescence microscopy revealed aberrant mitochondrial morphology, and mtATPase complexes isolated from mitochondria were recovered as fluorescent dimers under conditions where complexes from control mitochondria were recovered as monomers. When viewed by electron microscopy normal cristae were absent from mitochondria in cells in which mATPase complexes were cross-linked. mtATPase dimers are believed to be the building blocks that are assembled into supramolecular mtATPase ribbons that promote the formation of mitochondrial cristae. We propose that HcRed cross-links mATPase complexes in the mitochondrial membrane hindering the normal assembly/disassembly of the supramolecular forms of mtATPase

A critical appraisal of the four systematic reviews and meta-analysis on stereotactic body radiation therapy versus external beam radiotherapy for painful bone metastases and where we go from here

Radiotherapy is an important treatment modality for pain control in patients with bone metastases. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), which allows delivering a much higher dose per fraction while sparing critical structures compared to conventional external beam radiotherapy (cEBRT), has become more widely used, especially in the oligometastatic setting. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the pain response rate of SBRT and cEBRT for bone metastases have shown conflicting results, as have four recent systematic reviews with meta-analyses of these trials. Possible reasons for the different outcomes between these reviews include differences in methodology, which trials were included, and the endpoints examined and how they were defined. We suggest ways to improve analysis of these RCTs, particularly performing an individual patient-level meta-analysis since the trials included heterogeneous populations. The results of such studies will help guide future investigations needed to validate patient selection criteria, optimize SBRT dose schedules, include additional endpoints (such as the time to onset of pain response, durability of pain response, quality of life (QOL), and side effects of SBRT), and better assess the cost-effectiveness and trade-offs of SBRT compared to cEBRT. An international Delphi consensus to guide selection of optimal candidates for SBRT is warranted before more prospective data is available

Private means to public space and order : the private policing of public space in Makati, Philippines

This study explores the private security industry in the Philippines through the private policing of mass private property (quasi-public space) in Makati. The study has also sought to ascertain which possible consequences the policing of mass private property has had on surrounding public space. Private policing of quasi-public space takes on a global character through its manifestation in malls, gated communities, office complexes, recreational parks, and country clubs. As a result, its commonality elicits further research on the matter. How did this trend emerge? Who does the policing? And what is private security’s relationship with private property? By first deconstructing what policing really means, this paper identifies, discusses, and investigates the role of each component constitutive and influential on policing activity. The paper then analyzes this sequential information from a private security perspective. The purpose for isolating the various components is to ensure transferability of established theory on the matter of private policing to a Filipino context. A descriptive chapter on relevant topics in Makati such as demographics, land use, crime, and the private security industry form the contextual backdrop. The case study on private policing activity in Forbes Park is then analyzed within the theoretical framework and contextual backdrop of Metro Manila

Mastergradsoppgave: "Tilspisset ishavsimperialisme og ressurskonflikt" - Ekspansive og økonomiske linjer i norsk og dansk ishavspolitikk.

Oppsummering Hensikten med dette prosjektet var å gå i dybden på de økonomiske sidene ved Grønlandssaken, og hvordan økonomiske interessegrupper i Norge endte opp med å utgjøre en sentral del av pressgruppene som vokste frem i den aktuelle perioden. Den røde tråden gjennom prosjektet har altså vært «hvordan danske og norske økonomiske interesser formet konflikten om Grønland, og til hvilken grad de økonomiske spørsmålene også hadde en innvirkning på suverenitetsspørsmålet». De involverte partene, altså Danmark og Norge, fulgte to vidt forskjellige økonomiske linjer langs kysten av Øst-Grønland. Sekundærlitteratur har pekt på at Grønland i stor grad ble betraktet som «tilbakeliggende», i motsetning til de ellers industrialiserte landene langs kysten av Nord-Atlanteren. Disse landene var også i stor grad preget av en tidlig kapitalistisk fase, og sammen med industrialiseringen hadde dette først til fremveksten av en mer kommersiell fiskerisektor. Prosjektet har i stor grad blitt basert på materiale fra klipparkivet etter advokat Gustav Smedal, som også var en sentral skikkelse i de nasjonalistiske Grønlandslagene. Dette arkivet består av en rekke oppsamlede avisartikler, samlet i perioden mellom 1924 og 1940. Klipparkivet spilte en betydelig rolle i å kartlegge hvilke økonomiske interesser både Danmark og Norge hadde på Grønland, da arkivet også inneholder avisklipp fra utenlandske aviser. Artiklene bidro til å belyse at norske interesser omfattet mer enn fiskeri- og fangstvirksomhet. Også gruvedrift var aktuelt, i særlig grad etter oppdagelsen av enorme kullforekomster, så vel som gull og olje. Spørsmålet om de økonomiske interessene ledet videre til arkivene etter selskapet Arktisk Næringsdrift A/S. Selskapet ble stiftet på slutten av 1920-tallet, på mange måter som et resultat av den økende spenningen mellom Norge og Danmark. Arkivert korrespondanse mellom Arktisk Næringsdrift A/S og Norges Svalbard- og Ishavsundersøkelser (NSIU) styrket ytterligere vekten til de aktuelle mineralforekomstene som både Danmark og Norge ønsket å utnytte. Her kunne man igjen vitne de vidt forskjellige interessene landene fulgte. Der Norge kunne se for seg et kommersielt salg av verdifulle mineraler, hadde danskene en helt annen oppfatning om at dette kullet hadde lav verdi, og heller ville gjøre bedre nytte for seg i de lokale grønlandske kraftstasjonene. Det var også på slutten av 1920-tallet av det danske selskapet Østgrønlandske Fangstkompagni Nanok A/S ble stiftet. De videreførte driften etter Østgrønlandske Kompagni, som ikke hadde lyktes i å etablere et langvarig og profitabelt næringsliv på Øst-Grønland. Et videre aktuelt funn i sammenheng med disse selskapene var at stiftelsespapirene eksplisitt nevnte at selskapene ble etablert med den hensikt å anskaffe kontroll over ressursene på Øst-Grønland, da opprettelsen av et levedyktig næringsliv ville tilegne fremtidige krav mer troverdighet. Suverenitetsspørsmålet var heller ikke nødvendigvis av noen interesse for de økonomiske aktørene i Norge. Sekundærlitteratur har antydet at de økonomiske gruppene i Norge, deriblant Aalesund Skipperforening, i stor grad heller hadde økonomiske interesser, og at spørsmålet om nasjonal suverenitet ikke hadde noen spesifikk betydning for dem

Guiding agent-oriented requirements elicitation: HOMER

There has been a surge of interest in agent-oriented software engineering in recent years. The key area of requirements engineering for agent-based systems has received considerable attention. However, while notations and models for requirements have been discussed, there has been little attention focused on techniques for elicitation. This paper introduces HOMER, an approach for requirements elicitation that is explicitly agent-oriented. HOMER can be used with existing approaches for agent-oriented software engineering. In this paper, we show how HOMER may be integrated with a specific agent-oriented software engineering approach, ROADMAP. HOMER is aimed to increase the ease with which people may readily design and develop agent-based systems