\u3ci\u3eCivil Society, Conflict and Violence\u3c/i\u3e

Editors: Wolfgang Dörner and Regina A. List Chapter 6, The Law, Security and Civil Society Freedoms, co-authored by Brett Kyle, UNO faculty member. This book looks at the role that civil society organizations play in dealing with conflict and violence. The authors argue that in most of the prevalent conceptualizations the conflict dimension of civil society is either downplayed or inadequately addressed. They contend that the ability to deal with conflict is at the heart of organized civil society; in the political process, one of civil society\u27s key functions is to express and mediate between different interests, thus contributing to political decision-making. The chapters draw on detailed, empirical data from the CIVICUS Civil Society Index - a unique comparative data-set drawn from 25 countries, which has not previously been made publicly available. It examines the different ways violence has been manifested in civil societies, the meaning of violent protest and the impact of security legislation that might hinder the mediating efforts of civil society. The book offers a sophisticated comparison between conflict and post-conflict countries and an analysis of the role of civil society in conflict resolution, reconciliation and transitional justice.https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/facultybooks/1307/thumbnail.jp

Risks and benefits of optimised medical and revascularisation therapy in elderly patients with angina - on-treatment analysis of the TIME trial

Aim To assess treatment effects of optimised medical therapy and PCI or CABG surgery on one-year outcome in patients ⩾75 years old with chronic angina. Methods and Results On-treatment analysis of the TIME data: all re-vascularised patients (REVASC \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} $n=174$ \end{document}: 112 randomised to revascularisation and 62 to drugs with late revascularisation) were compared to all patients on continued drug therapy (MED \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} $n=127$ \end{document}: 86 randomised to drugs and 41 to revascularisation only). Baseline characteristics of both groups were similar (age 80±4 years). Risk of death at one year (adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=1.31; 95%-CI: 0.58-2.99; \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} $P=0.52$ \end{document}) and of death/infarction (adjusted hazard ratio=1.77; 95%-CI 0.91-3.41; \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} $P=0.09$ \end{document}) were comparable between REVASC and MED patients. Furthermore, the risk of death within 30 days was even slightly lower among REVASC patients (unadjusted hazard ratio=0.73; 95%-CI: 0.21-2.53; \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} $P=0.98)$ \end{document}. Overall, REVASC patients had greater improvements in symptoms and well-being than MED patients \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} $(P{<}0.01)$ \end{document}. Surgical patients had similar mortality rates as angioplasty patients, but they also had greater symptomatic improvements \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} $(P{<}0.01)$ \end{document}. Conclusion Treated medically, elderly patients with chronic angina have a similarly high 30-day and one-year mortality as patients of the same age being re-vascularised; however, they can expect lower improvements in symptoms and well bein

Seasonal and diurnal variability of sub-ice platelet layer thickness in McMurdo Sound from electromagnetic induction sounding

Here, we present observations of temporal variability of sub-ice platelet layer over seasonal and diurnal timescales under Ice Shelf Water-influenced fast ice in McMurdo Sound. Electromagnetic induction (EM) sounding time-series measurements of the thicknesses of fast ice and sub-ice platelet layer were made in winter and late spring of 2018. Winter objectives were to measure the seasonal growth of fast ice and sub-ice platelet layer near the McMurdo Ice Shelf in the east, while in late spring we assessed the diurnal variability of sub-ice platelet layer with coincident EM time-series and oceanographic measurements collected in the main outflow path of supercooled Ice Shelf Water in the west. During winter, we observed when the sub-ice platelet layer formed beneath consolidated ice. Episodes of rapid sub-ice platelet layer growth (∼ 0.5–1 m) coincided with strong southerly wind events and polynya activity, suggesting wind-enhanced Ice Shelf Water circulation from the McMurdo–Ross Ice Shelf cavity. In late spring, we investigated how the tides and ocean properties influenced the sub-ice platelet layer. Over a 2-week neap–spring tidal cycle, changes in sub-ice platelet layer thickness were observed to correlate with the tides, increasing more during neap than spring tide cycles, and on diurnal timescales, more on ebb than flood tides. Neap and ebb tides correspond with stronger northward circulation out of the cavity, indicating that sub-ice platelet layer growth was driven by tidally enhanced Ice Shelf Water outflow. The observed variability indicated that wind-driven circulation and the tides influence Ice Shelf Water outflow in McMurdo Sound and, consequently, sub-ice platelet layer evolution over a range of timescales

Improved endothelial function after a modified harvesting technique of the internal thoracic artery

Objective: One of the most important factors in bypass surgery is the preservation of endothelial function in the arterial graft. It was of interest, therefore, whether a slightly modified preparation procedure during surgery could contribute to improved endothelial function of the graft. We compared the functional activity of internal thoracic arteries (ITA) prepared according to the traditional harvesting method with occlusion by a clip, dissection at the distal end and storage of the artery in papaverine until its implantation (CA) with the functional activity of arteries which were also prepared and wrapped in papaverine, but were left perfused and dissected immediately before their anastomoses (PA). Methods: Samples of ITA were obtained from a total number of 28 patients, undergoing bypass surgery, and randomly distributed into two groups. The arteries were cut into rings and suspended in organ baths, containing Krebs-Henseleit solution, for isometric tension recording. Cumulative concentration response curves were determined for the contractile agents endothelin-1 (ET-1), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), noradrenaline (NA) and potassium chloride (KCl) and the relaxant compounds acetylcholine (ACH) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) during active tone induced by 30 mM KCl. Results: ET-1 and 5-HT stimulated rings from both groups within the same concentration ranges but elicited significantly (P<0.05) higher contractile responses in CA compared to PA. By contrast, concentration response curves for KCl and NA where nearly superimposable. On the other hand, maximal endothelium-dependent relaxant responses to ACH proved to be significantly stronger in PA (0.84±0.20 g) as compared to CA (0.31±0.05 g, P<0.05) while endothelium independent relaxant responses to SNP where similar in both groups. Conclusion: These data suggest that leaving the ITA perfused during harvesting might improve considerably the endothelial function of the graf

A rifampicin-containing antibiotic treatment improves outcome of staphylococcal deep sternal wound infections

Background Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a severe complication after cardiac surgery, mostly caused by staphylococci. Little is known about the optimal antibiotic management. Methods A 10 year retrospective analysis of 100 patients with staphylococcal DSWI after cardiac surgery in a tertiary hospital. Treatment failure was defined as sternal wound dehiscence or fistula at the end of the prescribed antibiotic therapy, 12 months later, or DSWI-related death. Results Most patients were male (83%) and the median age was 72 years [interquartile range (IQR) 63-76]. Coronary artery bypass was the most frequent preceding procedure (93%). The median time to diagnosis of DSWI was 13 days (IQR 10-18) after surgery. Clinical presentation consisted of wound discharge in 77% of patients. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated in 54 and Staphylococcus aureus in 46 patients. All patients received antibiotics and 95% underwent surgical debridement. The median duration of antibiotic treatment was 47 days (IQR 41-78). During follow-up, 21 out of 100 patients experienced treatment failure. Of these, 8/21 patients (38%) died from DSWI after a median of 12 days (IQR 8-30). In the multivariate analysis, a rifampicin-containing antibiotic regimen was the only factor associated with lower risk of treatment failure (hazard ratio 0.26, 95% confidence interval 0.10-0.64, P = 0.004). Prolonged treatment (12 weeks instead of 6 weeks) did not alter outcome (P = 0.716) in patients without prosthetic valve endocarditis. Conclusions Treatment of rifampicin-susceptible staphylococcal DSWI with a rifampicin-containing antibiotic regimen may improve the outcome. After surgical debridement an antibiotic treatment of 6 weeks may be adequate for staphylococcal DSW

Rht18 semidwarfism in wheat is due to increased GA 2-oxidaseA9 expression and reduced GA content

Semidwarfing genes have improved crop yield by reducing height, improving lodging resistance, and allowing plants to allocate more assimilates to grain growth. In wheat (Triticum aestivum), the Rht18 semidwarfing gene was identified and deployed in durum wheat before it was transferred into bread wheat, where it was shown to have agronomic potential. Rht18, a dominant and gibberellin (GA) responsive mutant, is genetically and functionally distinct from the widely used GA-insensitive semidwarfing genes Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b. In this study, the Rht18 gene was identified by mutagenizing the semidwarf durum cultivar Icaro (Rht18) and generating mutants with a range of tall phenotypes. Isolating and sequencing chromosome 6A of these "overgrowth"mutants showed that they contained independent mutations in the coding region of GA2oxA9. GA2oxA9 is predicted to encode a GA 2-oxidase that metabolizes GA biosynthetic intermediates into inactive products, effectively reducing the amount of bioactive GA (GA1). Functional analysis of the GA2oxA9 protein demonstrated that GA2oxA9 converts the intermediate GA12 to the inactive metabolite GA110. Furthermore, Rht18 showed higher expression of GA2oxA9 and lower GA content compared with its tall parent. These data indicate that the increased expression of GA2oxA9 in Rht18 results in a reduction of both bioactive GA content and plant height. This study describes a height-reducing mechanism that can generate new genetic diversity for semidwarfism in wheat by combining increased expression with mutations of specific amino acid residues in GA2oxA9

Multi-element isotopic analysis of hot particles from Chornobyl

Microscopic fuel fragments, so-called “hot particles”, were released during the 1986 accident at the Chornobyl nuclear powerplant and continue to contaminate the exclusion zone in northern Ukraine. Isotopic analysis can provide vital information about sample origin, history and contamination of the environment, though it has been underutilized due to the destructive nature of most mass spectrometric techniques, and inability to remove isobaric interference. Recent developments have diversified the range of elements that can be investigated through resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS), notably in the fission products. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the application of multi-element analysis on hot particles as relates to their burnup, particle formation in the accident, and weathering. The particles were analysed with two RIMS instruments: resonant-laser secondary neutral mass spectrometry (rL-SNMS) at the Institute for Radiation Protection and Radioecology (IRS) in Hannover, Germany, and laser ionization of neutrals (LION) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, USA. Comparable results across instruments show a range of burnup dependent isotope ratios for U and Pu and Cs, characteristic of RBMK-type reactors. Results for Rb, Ba and Sr show the influence of the environment, retention of Cs in the particles and time passed since fuel discharge

A succinate/SUCNR1-brush cell defense program in the tracheal epithelium

Host-derived succinate accumulates in the airways during bacterial infection. Here, we show that luminal succinate activates murine tracheal brush (tuft) cells through a signaling cascade involving the succinate receptor 1 (SUCNR1), phospholipase Cβ2, and the cation channel transient receptor potential channel subfamily M member 5 (TRPM5). Stimulated brush cells then trigger a long-range Ca2+ wave spreading radially over the tracheal epithelium through a sequential signaling process. First, brush cells release acetylcholine, which excites nearby cells via muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. From there, the Ca2+ wave propagates through gap junction signaling, reaching also distant ciliated and secretory cells. These effector cells translate activation into enhanced ciliary activity and Cl− secretion, which are synergistic in boosting mucociliary clearance, the major innate defense mechanism of the airways. Our data establish tracheal brush cells as a central hub in triggering a global epithelial defense program in response to a danger-associated metabolite

Vitamin C supplement use may protect against gallstones: an observational study on a randomly selected population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Animal experiments have shown a protective effect of vitamin C on the formation of gallstones. Few data in humans suggest an association between reduced vitamin C intake and increased prevalence of gallstone disease. The aim of this study was to assess the possible association of regular vitamin C supplementation with gallstone prevalence.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An observational, population-based study of 2129 subjects aged 18-65 years randomly selected from the general population in southern Germany was conducted. Abdominal ultrasound examination, completion of a standardized questionnaire, compilation of anthropometric data and blood tests were used. Data were collected in November and December 2002. Data analysis was conducted between December 2005 and January 2006.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Prevalence of gallstones in the study population was 7.8% (167/2129). Subjects reporting vitamin C supplementation showed a prevalence of 4.7% (11/232), whereas in subjects not reporting regular vitamin C supplementation, the prevalence was 8.2% (156/1897). Female gender, hereditary predisposition, increasing age and body-mass index (BMI) were associated with increased prevalence of gallstones. Logistic regression with backward elimination adjusted for these factors showed reduced gallstone prevalence for vitamin C supplementation (odds ratio, OR 0.34; 95% confidence interval, CI 0.14 to 0.81; P = 0.01), increased physical activity (OR 0.62; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.94; P = 0.02), and higher total cholesterol (OR 0.65; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.79; P < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Regular vitamin C supplementation and, to a lesser extent, increased physical activity and total cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced prevalence of gallstones. Regular vitamin C supplementation might exert a protective effect on the development of gallstones.</p