106 research outputs found
Border skirmishes and the question of belonging: An authoethnographic account of everyday exclusion in multicultural society
Transnational migration has transformed most European countries, making the problem of how to 'integrate' an increasingly popular topic in public debates and social policy. It is assumed that as long as the newcomer learns the language, adapts to the local customs and finds work, s/he will be integrated and welcomed with open arms as a full-fledged member of society. Based on an autoethnography of our experiences as US-born, long-term and fully 'integrated' residents of the Netherlands, one of Europe's most multicultural societies, we have explored some of the subtle, well-intentioned practices of distancing and exclusion that are part of the fabric of everyday life. We will show how, contrary to the official discourse of integration, 'Dutch-ness' as a white/ethnic national identity is continuously constructed as a 'we', which excludes all 'others'. And, indeed, we have discovered that, paradoxically, the closer the 'other' comes to being completely assimilated into Dutch society, the more the symbolic borders of national belonging may need to be policed and tightened. © The Author(s) 2011
Clinical use of biomarkers of survival in pulmonary fibrosis
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Biologic predictors or biomarkers of survival in pulmonary fibrosis with a worse prognosis, more specifically in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis would help the clinician in deciding whether or not to treat since treatment carries a potential risk for adverse events. These decisions are made easier if accurate and objective measurements of the patients' clinical status can predict the risk of progression to death.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>A literature review is given on different biomarkers of survival in interstitial lung disease, mainly in IPF, since this disease has the worst prognosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Serum biomarkers, and markers measured by medical imaging as HRCT, pertechnegas, DTPA en FDG-PET are not ready for clinical use to predict mortality in different forms of ILD. A baseline FVC, a change of FVC of more than 10%, and change in 6MWD are clinically helpful predictors of survival.</p
Downregulation of pyrophosphate: d-fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase activity in sugarcane culms enhances sucrose accumulation due to elevated hexose-phosphate levels
Analyses of transgenic sugarcane clones with 45–95% reduced cytosolic pyrophosphate: d-fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP, EC 2.7.1.90) activity displayed no visual phenotypical change, but significant changes were evident in in vivo metabolite levels and fluxes during internode development. In three independent transgenic lines, sucrose concentrations increased between three- and sixfold in immature internodes, compared to the levels in the wildtype control. There was an eightfold increase in the hexose-phosphate:triose-phosphate ratio in immature internodes, a significant restriction in the triose phosphate to hexose phosphate cycle and significant increase in sucrose cycling as monitored by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. This suggests that an increase in the hexose-phosphate concentrations resulting from a restriction in the conversion of hexose phosphates to triose phosphates drive sucrose synthesis in the young internodes. These effects became less pronounced as the tissue matured. Decreased expression of PFP also resulted in an increase of the ATP/ADP and UTP/UDP ratios, and an increase of the total uridine nucleotide and, at a later stage, the total adenine nucleotide pool, revealing strong interactions between PPi metabolism and general energy metabolism. Finally, decreased PFP leads to a reduction of PPi levels in older internodes indicating that in these developmental stages PFP acts in the gluconeogenic direction. The lowered PPi levels might also contribute to the absence of increases in sucrose contents in the more mature tissues of transgenic sugarcane with reduced PFP activity
Combined dark matter searches towards dwarf spheroidal galaxies with Fermi-LAT, HAWC, H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS
Cosmological and astrophysical observations suggest that 85% of the total matter of the Universe is made of Dark Matter (DM). However, its nature remains one of the most challenging and fundamental open questions of particle physics. Assuming particle DM, this exotic form of matter cannot consist of Standard Model (SM) particles. Many models have been developed to attempt unraveling the nature of DM such as Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), the most favored particle candidates. WIMP annihilations and decay could produce SM particles which in turn hadronize and decay to give SM secondaries such as high energy \u1d6fe rays. In the framework of indirect DM search, observations of promising targets are used to search for signatures of DM annihilation. Among these, the dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) are commonly favored owing to their expected high DM content and negligible astrophysical background. In this work, we present the very first combination of 20 dSph observations, performed by the Fermi-LAT, HAWC, H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS collaborations in order to maximize the sensitivity of DM searches and improve the current results. We use a joint maximum likelihood approach combining each experiment’s individual analysis to derive more constraining upper limits on the WIMP DM self-annihilation cross-section as a function of DM particle mass. We present new DM constraints over the widest mass range ever reported, extending from 5 GeV to 100 TeV thanks to the combination of these five different \u1d6fe-ray instruments
Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger
On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta
Multi-criteria ranking of corporate distress prediction models: empirical evaluation and methodological contributions
YesAlthough many modelling and prediction frameworks for corporate bankruptcy
and distress have been proposed, the relative performance evaluation of prediction models
is criticised due to the assessment exercise using a single measure of one criterion at
a time, which leads to reporting conflicting results. Mousavi et al. (Int Rev Financ Anal
42:64–75, 2015) proposed an orientation-free super-efficiency DEA-based framework to
overcome this methodological issue. However, within a super-efficiency DEA framework,
the reference benchmark changes from one prediction model evaluation to another, which
in some contexts might be viewed as “unfair” benchmarking. In this paper, we overcome
this issue by proposing a slacks-based context-dependent DEA (SBM-CDEA) framework
to evaluate competing distress prediction models. In addition, we propose a hybrid crossbenchmarking-
cross-efficiency framework as an alternative methodology for ranking DMUs
that are heterogeneous. Furthermore, using data on UK firms listed on London Stock
Exchange, we perform a comprehensive comparative analysis of the most popular corporate
distress prediction models; namely, statistical models, under both mono criterion and
multiple criteria frameworks considering several performance measures. Also, we propose
new statistical models using macroeconomic indicators as drivers of distress
Root-emitted volatile organic compounds: can they mediate belowground plant-plant interactions?
peer reviewedBackground
Aboveground, plants release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that act as chemical
signals between neighbouring plants. It is now well documented that VOCs emitted by
the roots in the plant rhizosphere also play important ecological roles in the soil
ecosystem, notably in plant defence because they are involved in interactions between
plants, phytophagous pests and organisms of the third trophic level. The roles played
by root-emitted VOCs in between- and within-plant signalling, however, are still poorly
documented in the scientific literature.
Scope
Given that (1) plants release volatile cues mediating plant-plant interactions
aboveground, (2) roots can detect the chemical signals originating from their
neighbours, and (3) roots release VOCs involved in biotic interactions belowground,
the aim of this paper is to discuss the roles of VOCs in between- and within-plant
signalling belowground. We also highlight the technical challenges associated with the
analysis of root-emitted VOCs and the design of experiments targeting volatile-mediated
root-root interactions.
Conclusions
We conclude that root-root interactions mediated by volatile cues deserve more
research attention and that both the analytical tools and methods developed to study
the ecological roles played by VOCs in interplant signalling aboveground can be
adapted to focus on the roles played by root-emitted VOCs in between- and within-plant
signalling
Chapitre 14: Phytopathogènes et stratégies de contrôle en aquaponie
peer reviewedAmong the diversity of plant diseases occurring in aquaponics, soil-borne
pathogens, such as Fusarium spp., Phytophthora spp. and Pythium spp., are the most
problematic due to their preference for humid/aquatic environment conditions.
Phytophthora spp. and Pythium spp. which belong to the Oomycetes pseudo-fungi
require special attention because of their mobile form of dispersion, the so-called
zoospores that can move freely and actively in liquid water. In coupled aquaponics,
curative methods are still limited because of the possible toxicity of pesticides and
chemical agents for fish and beneficial bacteria (e.g. nitrifying bacteria of the
biofilter). Furthermore, the development of biocontrol agents for aquaponic use is
still at its beginning. Consequently, ways to control the initial infection and the
progression of a disease are mainly based on preventive actions and water physical
treatments. However, suppressive action (suppression) could happen in aquaponic
environment considering recent papers and the suppressive activity already
highlighted in hydroponics. In addition, aquaponic water contains organic matter
that could promote establishment and growth of heterotrophic bacteria in the system
or even improve plant growth and viability directly. With regards to organic
hydroponics (i.e. use of organic fertilisation and organic plant media), these bacteria
could act as antagonist agents or as plant defence elicitors to protect plants from
diseases. In the future, research on the disease suppressive ability of the aquaponic
biotope must be increased, as well as isolation, characterisation and formulation of
microbial plant pathogen antagonists. Finally, a good knowledge in the rapid
identification of pathogens, combined with control methods and diseases monitoring,
as recommended in integrated plant pest management, is the key to an efficient
control of plant diseases in aquaponics.Cos
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