The inhibitory effect of progesterone on lactogenesis during pregnancy is already evident by mid- to late gestation in rodents

Lactogenesis is a very complex process highly dependent on hormonal regulation. In the present study the time-course of the inhibitory actions of progesterone on prolactin secretion, mammary gland morphology and lactogenesis from mid- to late gestation in rodents was investigated. Groups of pregnant rats were luteectomised or administered with mifepristone on Day 10, 13, 15 or 17 of gestation and decapitated 28 or 48h later. Whole-blood samples and the inguinal mammary glands were taken for determinations of hormone levels and for measurement of mammary content of casein and lactose and for tissue morphology analyses, respectively. Luteectomy or mifepristone evoked prolactin increases only after Day 17 of gestation. Mammary content of casein was increased by both treatments regardless of timing or duration. Mifepristone was less effective than luteectomy in inducing lactose production and the effect was only observed after Day 15 of gestation. Analysis of mammary gland morphology confirmed the observed effect of progesterone on lactogenesis. Both treatments triggered remarkable secretory activity in the mammary gland, even without a parallel epithelial proliferation, demonstrating that the mammary epithelium is able to synthesise milk compounds long before its full lobulo-alveolar development is achieved, provided that progesterone action is abolished. Thus, the present study demonstrates that progesterone is a potent hormonal switch for the prolactin and prolactin-like effects on mammary gland development and its milk-synthesising capacity during pregnancy, and that its inhibitory action is already evident by mid-pregnancy in rodents.Fil: López Fontana, Constanza Matilde. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Maselli, María Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Salicioni, Ana M.. University Of Massachusetts Amherst; Estados UnidosFil: Caron, Ruben Walter. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentin

Los docentes de nivel secundario de jóvenes y adultos frente a la inclusión educativa / Young people and Adults´ Secondary School Teachers facing Educational Inclusion

The article aims to analyze the social representations of teachers about the processes of educational inclusion in secondary education for youth and adults. This approach is built on the basis of the inclusion of sectors that were excluded from the possibility of exercising the right to education. The ways in which teachers give meaning to inclusion is what we want to know, through the conceptual framework provided by the theory of social representations. The methodology combined qualitative and quantitative data collection strategies. The findings lead to affirm that social representations of teachers are complex and are traversed by contradictory conceptions. There is confidence in the possibilities of transforming and improving life opportunities offered by education, while underlying characteristics of a school closer to reproductivism positioning notions and meritocratic perspective.El artículo se plantea el objetivo de analizar las representaciones sociales de los docentes acerca de los procesos de inclusión educativa en el nivel secundario de jóvenes y adultos. Esta modalidad se ha construido sobre la base de la inclusión de sectores que fueron excluidos de la posibilidad de ejercermel derecho a educarse. Los modos en que los docentes significan la inclusión es lo que se desea conocer, a través del marco conceptual que ofrece la teoría de las representaciones sociales. La metodología combinó estrategias cualitativas y cuantitativas de recolección de datos. Los hallazgos conducen a afirmar que las representaciones sociales de los docentes son complejas y se encuentran atravesadas por concepciones contradictorias. Existe confianza en las posibilidades de transformación y mejoramiento de las oportunidades de vida que ofrece la educación, al tiempo que subyacen nociones propias de un posicionamiento más cercano al reproductivismo escolar y la perspectiva meritocrática

Young people and Adults´ Secondary School Teachers facing Educational Inclusion

El artículo se plantea el objetivo de analizar las representaciones sociales de los docentes acerca de los procesos de inclusión educativa en el nivel secundario de jóvenes y adultos. Esta modalidad se ha construido sobre la base de la inclusión de sectores que fueron excluidos de la posibilidad de ejercer el derecho a educarse. Los modos en que los docentes significan la inclusión es lo que se desea conocer, a través del marco conceptual que ofrece la teoría de las representaciones sociales. La metodología combinó estrategias cualitativas y cuantitativas de recolección de datos. Los hallazgos conducen a afirmar que las representaciones sociales de los docentes son complejas y se encuentran atravesadas por concepciones contradictorias. Existe confianza en las posibilidades de transformación y mejoramiento de las oportunidades de vida que ofrece la educación, al tiempo que subyacen nociones propias de un posicionamiento más cercano al reproductivismo escolar y la perspectiva meritocrática.The article aims to analyze the social representations of teachers about the processes of educational inclusion in secondary education for youth and adults. This approach is built on the basis of the inclusion of sectors that were excluded from the possibility of exercising the right to education. The ways in which teachers give meaning to inclusion is what we want to know, through the conceptual framework provided by the theory of social representations. The methodology combined qualitative and quantitative data collection strategies. The findings lead to affirm that social representations of teachers are complex and are traversed by contradictory conceptions. There is confidence in the possibilities of transforming and improving life opportunities offered by education, while underlying characteristics of a school closer to reproductivism positioning notions and meritocratic perspective.Fil: Maselli, María Angelina. Universidad del Aconcagua; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Molina, Maria Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Pimenides, Ana Cecilia. Universidad del Aconcagua; Argentin

Effect of fluoride, chlorhexidine or Nd:YAG on the progression of root dentin demineralization after removal of the demineralized organic matrix

Quantification of collagen degradation is an important parameter to evaluate dentin caries for preventive aid. Objectives: Evaluate preventive methods against root collagen degradation by the hydroxyproline assay (HYP) and microradiography technique (MRT). Methodology: Five bovine root dentin blocks were obtained and subjected to an artificial demineralization process by acetate buffer (pH 5) to induce carious lesion formation. Samples were subjected to the following therapeutic treatments: 1) 0.12% chlorhexidine for 1 min, 2) 2% fluoride for 1 min, 3) Nd:YAG Laser (400 μm diameter optical fiber, 10 Hz frequency, 60 mJ/pulse energy, 48 J/cm2 energy density, in noncontact mode for 10 s), 4) deionized water (control) for 1 min, 5) MRT control group (without treatment and removal of collagen). Samples were exposed to degradation by a collagenase enzyme for five days. The enzyme solution was collected, by colorimetry in a spectrophotometer, from the collagen matrix for the hydroxyproline release analysis. The same samples were subjected to an additional two days of demineralization to induce the progression of mineral loss. Samples were analyzed by MRT for the visualization of their degraded areas (estimation of lesion depth and mineral loss). ANOVA was applied to compare hydroxyproline release rates. MRT data were subjected to the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by the Dunn’s test. Comparisons between the initial five-day and the subsequent two-day demineralization processes were performed by repeated t-test or Wilcoxon (p<0.05) measurements. Results: The amount of HYP released from the dentin samples failed to show significant differences among the groups (p=0.09). Fluoride and chlorhexidine were able to interact with the samples, reducing the progression of dentin caries after removal of the demineralized organic matrix. CHX was the only treatment able to show significant lower lesion depth than the negative control. Conclusion: Chlorhexidine and fluoride were effective in reducing root caries progression

Um novo ecossistema: florestas urbanas construídas pelo Estado e pelos ativistas

Historicamente, a expansão das cidades resultou na substituição da paisagem natural pela urbana, tendo como consequência a degradação ambiental por meio das mudanças na cobertura do solo, nos sistemas hidrológicos, nos ciclos biogeoquímicos, no clima e na biodiversidade, tornando as cidades especialmente vulneráveis às mudanças climáticas. A reversão desses processos é uma medida que visa a promoção da qualidade de vida nas cidades, na qual a arborização possui um papel fundamental por fornecer uma série de serviços ecossistêmicos valiosos para a promoção da biodiversidade, saúde e bem-estar social. Sendo direito de todos um meio ambiente equilibrado, saudável, de uso comum e essencial à qualidade de vida, o verde urbano é assunto interdisciplinar e de responsabilidade comum e generalizada. Cabe ao poder público a regularização, criação e manutenção dos plantios, promovendo o plantio de árvores a distâncias predeterminadas de acordo com o porte de cada espécie. Porém, os movimentos ativistas se desenvolveram no vácuo da morosidade do poder público seguindo, em geral, o método de adensamento de árvores pautado pelo conceito de sucessão ecológica. Ao promover a restauração dos serviços ecossistêmicos, as duas iniciativas de plantio arbóreo tendem a trazer grandes benefícios às grandes cidades, como São Paulo. Porém, a complexidade da paisagem urbana exige uma avaliação sistêmica dos plantios para definir a sua adequação espacial e otimizar os seus benefícios. O plantio das florestas urbanas não deve ter como objetivo recriar as condições naturais pré-urbanização, mas sim, desenvolver áreas verdes integradas à malha urbana que garantam um ambiente saudável e equilibrado, preservando as interações sociais. Ao visualizar o meio urbano como um ecossistema completo, é possível estabelecer critérios que otimizem os benefícios da arborização urbana. Estes critérios devem ser baseados em conhecimento técnico e científico, levando em conta necessidades sociais, para que o melhor método seja escolhido, caso a caso.Historically, the expansion of cities resulted in the replacement of natural landscape by urban environments, resulting in environmental degradation through changes in soil cover, hydrological systems, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, making cities particularly vulnerable to climate changes. Environmental restoration in cities is a measure to promote life quality, and urban forests play a key role in restoring the quality of the urban environment. They provide valuable ecosystem services for maintaining biodiversity, ensuring human health, and social well-being. As everyone has the right to live in a balanced, healthy and common use environment essential to suppor quality of life, urban green areas are an interdisciplinary issue of collective concern. It is the responsibility of the government to regulate, plant and manage urban trees in order to standardize urban afforestation by planting trees at predetermined distances according to the size of each species. However, the vacuum in the greening process left by the State is being filled by activists who, in general, use a different protocol that aims at higher tree density based on the notion of ecological succession. By promoting the restoration of ecosystem services, both initiatives tend to bring significant benefits to large cities such as São Paulo. However, the complexity of the urban landscape requires a systemic evaluation of tree planting to define spatial adequacy and optimize benefits. The planting of urban forests should not aim to recreate pre-urban natural conditions, but rather to develop green areas integrated to the urban network that guarantee a healthy and balanced environment while preserving social interactions. By perceiving the urban environment as a complete ecosystem, it is possible to establish criteria that optimize the benefits of urban afforestation. These criteria should be based on technical and scientific knowledge, and take into account social needs, so that the best method is chosen on a case-by-case basis

Severe Asthma Standard-of-Care Background Medication Reduction With Benralizumab: ANDHI in Practice Substudy

Background: The phase IIIb, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled ANDHI double-blind (DB) study extended understanding of the efficacy of benralizumab for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Patients from ANDHI DB could join the 56-week ANDHI in Practice (IP) single-arm, open-label extension substudy. Objective: Assess potential for standard-of-care background medication reductions while maintaining asthma control with benralizumab. Methods: Following ANDHI DB completion, eligible adults were enrolled in ANDHI IP. After an 8-week run-in with benralizumab, there were 5 visits to potentially reduce background asthma medications for patients achieving and maintaining protocol-defined asthma control with benralizumab. Main outcome measures for non-oral corticosteroid (OCS)-dependent patients were the proportions with at least 1 background medication reduction (ie, lower inhaled corticosteroid dose, background medication discontinuation) and the number of adapted Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) step reductions at end of treatment (EOT). Main outcomes for OCS-dependent patients were reductions in daily OCS dosage and proportion achieving OCS dosage of 5 mg or lower at EOT. Results: For non-OCS-dependent patients, 53.3% (n = 208 of 390) achieved at least 1 background medication reduction, increasing to 72.6% (n = 130 of 179) for patients who maintained protocol-defined asthma control at EOT. A total of 41.9% (n = 163 of 389) achieved at least 1 adapted GINA step reduction, increasing to 61.8% (n = 110 of 178) for patients with protocol-defined EOT asthma control. At ANDHI IP baseline, OCS dosages were 5 mg or lower for 40.4% (n = 40 of 99) of OCS-dependent patients. Of OCS-dependent patients, 50.5% (n = 50 of 99) eliminated OCS and 74.7% (n = 74 of 99) achieved dosages of 5 mg or lower at EOT. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate benralizumab's ability to improve asthma control, thereby allowing background medication reduction

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good