3,791 research outputs found
Intrinsic up-regulation of 2-AG favors an area specific neuronal survival in different in vitro models of neuronal damage
No full textBACKGROUND: The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) acts as a retrograde messenger and modulates synaptic signaling e. g. in the hippocampus. 2-AG also exerts neuroprotective effects under pathological situations. To better understand the mechanism beyond physiological signaling we used Organotypic Entorhino-Hippocampal Slice Cultures (OHSC) and investigated the temporal regulation of 2-AG in different cell subsets during excitotoxic lesion and dendritic lesion of long range projections in the enthorhinal cortex (EC), dentate gyrus (DG) and the cornu ammonis region 1 (CA1).
RESULTS: 2-AG levels were elevated 24 h after excitotoxic lesion in CA1 and DG (but not EC) and 24 h after perforant pathway transection (PPT) in the DG only. After PPT diacylglycerol lipase alpha (DAGL) protein, the synthesizing enzyme of 2-AG was decreased when Dagl mRNA expression and 2-AG levels were enhanced. In contrast to DAGL, the 2-AG hydrolyzing enzyme monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) showed no alterations in total protein and mRNA expression after PPT in OHSC. MAGL immunoreaction underwent a redistribution after PPT and excitotoxic lesion since MAGL IR disappeared in astrocytes of lesioned OHSC. DAGL and MAGL immunoreactions were not detectable in microglia at all investigated time points. Thus, induction of the neuroprotective endocannabinoid 2-AG might be generally accomplished by down-regulation of MAGL in astrocytes after neuronal lesions.
CONCLUSION: Increase in 2-AG levels during secondary neuronal damage reflects a general neuroprotective mechanism since it occurred independently in both different lesion models. This intrinsic up-regulation of 2-AG is synergistically controlled by DAGL and MAGL in neurons and astrocytes and thus represents a protective system for neurons that is involved in dendritic reorganisation
Abstract ES5-2: Biologic, cultural and health systems influences on breast cancer disparities in Latinas
No full textAbstract
Rationale
Breast cancer is the top cause of cancer-related deaths in Latinas, who more likely than their peers to be diagnosed at advanced disease stage. This makes it critical to reduce the time from screening to diagnosis to treatment. Latinas also face other biologic issues, as well as cultural and linguistic barriers to proper breast cancer care. Patient navigation is a means for providing access to recommended cancer screening services, follow-up, diagnosis, and treatment in medically underserved populations.
Objectives
I led a series of studies to adapt patient navigation for Latino populations, specifically to reduce delays among Latinas to proper diagnoses and care. We trained our bilingual, bicultural patient navigators to help “navigate” underserved people through the complex care system and other barriers to care (finances, transit, child care, language, culture, etc.). Navigation aims to help reduce missed appointments, reduce delays in seeking care, increase follow-up care, and cover the entire ecological framework from policy, community, organizational, interpersonal, and survivor elements.
Results
The series of studies identified Latinas' delays in time to confirmatory diagnosis and start of treatment after an abnormal mammogram; and proved that patient navigation by a bilingual, bicultural patient navigator can reduce Latinas' times to diagnosis and treatment and significantly increase the proportion of Latinas initiating treatment. Our navigation helped patients receive diagnosis 4 times faster, and treatment start 1.5 times faster, than normal. Several aspects of a navigator's services were directly related to achieving these results. As a direct result of our patient navigation activities, we navigated significantly more women from confirmed breast cancer diagnosis to treatment initiation within 30 (69%) and 60 days (97.6%), with much lower rates for non-navigated women.
Conclusion
We conclude—based on a national study that shows women with breast cancer who wait longer than 60 days have a significantly lower survival rate—that our patient navigation is likely to have saved the lives of many Latinas. We have since applied this navigation to achieve greater compliance in following prescribed treatments and improved general and cancer-specific quality of life among cancer survivors. We also, based on these successful results, developed and posted online the Patient Navigator Manual: Developing and Implementing a Patient Navigator Program manual. The bilingual manual outlines the necessary steps and provides tools to incorporate navigation for Latinos at any organization.
Citation Format: Ramirez AG. Biologic, cultural and health systems influences on breast cancer disparities in Latinas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr ES5-2.</jats:p
Regenerative Agriculture with Malou Anderson-Ramirez & Lara Birkes
No full textMalou Anderson-Ramirez and her family are doing some bold, controversial and inspiring things on their ranch in Montana’s Tom Miner Basin, using technology in ways to make their operation more sustainable and more integrated with the natural system in which they live. Malou is joined by A New Angle alumna Lara Birkes, who helps us understand what’s happening in regenerative ag through the lens of rural entrepreneurship. You might recall that Lara referenced Malou’s family ranch on several occasions during our first pod, so it was great to get these two together for a dynamic conversation.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/anewangle_podcasts/1135/thumbnail.jp
Technology\u27s Unexpected Consequences
No full textGetting people excited about science is the passion of Ainissa Ramirez, author and science “evangelist,” who spreads her “gospel” through books, TED Talks, online videos and the podcast “Science Underground.” She was named one of the world’s 100 Top Young Innovators by Technology Review for her contributions to transforming technology and has been the recipient of the American Institute of Physics’ Andrew Gemant Award.
Ramirez spent eight years teaching mechanical engineering & materials science as an associate professor at Yale University and also has been a visiting professor at MIT. She is the author or coauthor of three books, including 2013’s “Newton’s Football: The Science Behind America’s Game,” an entertaining and enlightening look at the big ideas underlying the science of football.
She has served as a science advisor to the American Film Institute, WGBH/NOVA and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, among others.
Her appearance is supported by the Spoerl Lectureship in Science in Society
Substantive law, technology and production of evidence
No full textIn this paper the author explains the problem of assessing the evidentiary activity carried out by the judge with the traditional standards and principles without considering the advances in technology.Fil: Ramirez Jimenez, Nelson. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Derecho. Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFil: Ramirez Jimenez, Nelson. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora. Cátedra de Maestría en Derecho Procesal Constitucional. Lomas de Zamora, ArgentinaLa actividad probatoria y, en especial, la valoración que tiene en los resultados del proceso, se explica por el autor a partir de sostener que continúan aplicando estándares y principios que dejan de lado los avances científicos y tecnológico
Colors 1981
No full textCONTENTS
Untitled, John I. C. Ramirez 2;
Love will fly, Tim Furness 3;
Untitled, Palmer Hoovestal 4;
The wave, Jerome Lightbourne 6;
The land*lord, R. Lea 7;
Song of the newborn, Heidi Muller 8;
Untitled, Mary Ostervold 9;
Good crops, Gina Larson 10;
Come, challenge the sea, Paula Schafer 12;
Untitled, Pat Dooris 14;
Untitled, Eric Peterson 16;
A flight of fancy, Tony Schaan 17;
Ode upon a london tube, Kit Warfield 18;
Sponge, Debbie Court 19;
Untitled, Debbie Court 20;
Untitled, John I. C. Ramirez 21;
Untitled, Joyce Lowry 21;
Untitled, Mary Taft 22;
Thank you, Lord [unidentified author] 23;
From generation to generation, Denise Marsh 24;
Untitled, S. M. 25;
Untitled, M. F. 26;
Brain Cramp, Francine Bergeron 27;
Untitled, Pat Dooris 28;
Untitled, Tom Mertes 30;
Untitled, John I. C. Ramirez 31;
Untitled, Dolores Bock 31;
Untitled, Christopher Perez 32;
Untitled, Pat Dooris 33;
Echoes of Innocence, Kelly Cosgrove 35;
Beloved, M. Bowen 36;
Untitled, Mary Ostervold 36
Influence of Ag Photodeposition Conditions over SERS Intensity of Ag/ZnO Microspheres for Nanomolar Detection of Methylene Blue
No full textSurface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is considered a versatile and multifunctional technique with the ability to detect molecules of different species at very low molar concentration. In this work, hierarchical ZnO microspheres (ZnO MSs) and Ag/ZnO MSs were fabricated and decorated by hydrothermal and photodeposition methods, respectively. For Ag deposition, precursor molar concentration (1.9 and 9.8 mM) and UV irradiation time (5, 15, and 30 min) were evaluated by SEM, TEM, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction showed a peak at 37.9° corresponding to the (111) plane of Ag, whose intensity increases as precursor concentration and UV irradiation time increases. SEM images confirmed the formation of ZnO MSs (from 2.5 to 4.5 µm) building by radially aligned two-dimensional ZnO nanosheets with thicknesses below 30 nm. The Raman spectra of Ag/ZnO MSs exhibited a vibration mode at 486 cm−1 which can be directly associated to Ag deposition on ZnO MSs surface. The performance of SERS substrate was evaluated using rhodamine 6G. The SERS substrate grown at 9.8 mM during 30 min showed the best SERS activity and the ability to detect methylene blue at 10−9 M
Full factorial design applied to the synthesis of Pd-?Ag nanobars by the polyol method and the perspective for ethanol oxidation
No full textFull factorial design methodology was applied to the synthesis and optimization of Pd–Ag nanobars usingthe polyol process as the reducer. The concentration of Br? ions, the temperature and the reaction timewere selected as factors to study, whereas the yield (% nanobars) was the response to be analyzed. Thenanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy,transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-rayphotoelectron spectroscopy. The nanoparticles were also tested for the ethanol electro-oxidationreaction by cyclic voltammetry in alkaline solution. The three factors had a positive effect onthe response: the nanobar yield increased as the level of the variables changed from ?1 to +1. Thetemperature and reaction time were the most determinant variables (main and interacting) on thenanobar yield, whereas the concentration of Br? influenced the yield to a lesser extent. After designingthree optimum experiments, a maximum nanobar yield of 47.3% was obtained. The more negativeelectro-oxidation onset, higher current density and more negative current peak potential show that theincorporation of Ag into Pd nanobars improves the kinetic and thermodynamic behavior towards theethanol electro-oxidation reaction compared with that obtained with nanometrically pure Pd nanobars.This improvement is the result of surface modification caused by the incorporation of Ag in theformation of Pd–Ag bimetallic nanobars with (200) surfaces
Nanopartículas de prata e prata-paládio estabilizadas pela polietilenoimina linear funcionalizada: formação, caracterização e aplicações catalíticas
No full textTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Físicas e Matemáticas. Programa de Pós-Graduação em QuímicaA proposta deste trabalho foi a síntese, caracterização e estudo da atividade catalítica de nanopartículas (NPs) de prata e bimetálicas prata-paládio utilizando-se a polietilenoimina linear (LPEI) funcionalizada como estabilizante. A LPEI foi funcionalizada por meio de síntese do tipo "paralela" com grupos etanólicos e octílicos. Para a seleção dos melhores estabilizantes das Ag-NPs utilizou-se uma abordagem de processamento rápido e foram selecionados dois estabilizantes: F1 (LPEI funcionalizada com 0,4 eq. cloroetanol) e F12 (LPEI funcionalizada com 0,4 eq. cloroetanol e 0,5 eq. bromoctano). Para a otimização das condições de síntese das Ag-NPs utilizou-se planejamento fatorial. Então, as NPs bimetálicas foram sintetizadas utilizando-se a banda SPR das Ag-NPs como um probe in situ. As F1-AgPd-NPs se mostraram completamente esféricas e ocas, enquanto as NPs preparadas a partir das F12-Ag-NPs se apresentam como esferas porosas. Por fim, foram determinadas as atividade catalíticas: (i) das Ag-NPs na reação de redução do p-nitrofenol utilizando-se NaBH4 como agente redutor, onde foram obtidas as maiores constantes catalíticas encontradas na literatura; e (ii) das AgPd-NPs na reação de oxidação do ácido fórmico, onde apenas o sistema F1-AgPd-NPs foi eficiente, apresentando a maior atividade por área encontrada na literatura. As NPs foram caracterizadas por meio de diversas técnicas.The goal of this work was the synthesis, characterization and catalytic study of silver and bimetallic silver-palladium nanoparticles (NPs) having the modified linear polyethylene imine (LPEI) as stabilizer. In order to achive this goal, the methodoly used was based on five steps: (i) the LPEI functionalization with chloroethanol and bromoctane; (ii) selection of the best Ag-NPs stabilizers using a high-throughput in situ screening; (iii) optimization of the conditions to synthetize the Ag-NPs using a multivariate analysis; (iv) synthesis of bimetallic NPs using the Ag-NPs SPR band as a probe in situ; e (v) determination of Ag-NPs catalytic activity over the p-nitrophenol (Nip) reaction using NaBH4 as a reducing agent and AgPd-NPs catalytic activity over the formic acid oxidation reaction. The NPs were characterized by UV-Vis, TEM, HR-TEM, EDX, XRD, SAXS e DLS techniques. The Ag-NPs were synthesized using two stabilizers: F1 (LPEI functionalized with 0.4 equivalents of chloroethanol) and F12 (LPEI functionalized with 0.4 eq. of chloroethanol and 0.5 eq. of bromoctane). For the Nip reduction reaction (used as a model for the M-NPs catalytic study) with NaBH4 and F1- and F12-Ag-NPs as catalysts the rate constant normalized to the surface area of the NPs per unit volume found were 1.66 and 0.37 s-1 m-2 L, respectively. These values are among the highest ones found in literature. A full kinetic analysis based on the Langmuir model indicates that all species are likely adsorbed and accommodated on the surface before they take part in any reaction, and the Nip molecules hava a much stronger adsorption affinity than BH4- ions for the Ag-NP surface. Finally, using the Ag-NPs as templates, the silver-palladium nanoparticles (AgPd-NPs) were obtained by adding palladium acetate in the reaction medium. These NPs were also fully characterized by the UV-Vis, TEM, HR-TEM, EDX and XRD techniques, and it was possible to verify that the F1-AgPd-NPs are spherical and hollow, while the F12-AgPd-NPs are spherical and solid. The bimetallic NPs were used as catalysts for the formic acid oxidation reaction (for further use in fuell cells), but only the F1-AgPd-NPs system was active. For this system, the electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) found was 1.28 m2 g-1, and the area activity was 61 mA cm-2, the highest value found in the literature, even when compared with nanocatalysts based only in Pd
Mapping the Horizon of Transformative Peace
No full textThis article explores what it means for peace to be transformative and discusses what it takes for a peace project and its institutions to enable transformative peace. To address these questions the article offers a theoretical and conceptual approach and draws on< some examples from case studies, especially Colombia. The article deals with the resistance that transformative projects might face from the victims they are meant to benefit. It promotes an understanding of conflict and resistance as essential dimensions to bring about positive transformations in violent contexts. In so doing, the author shows that the possibilities offered by normative-based frameworks to build transformative peace are curtailed by principles such as neutrality and impartiality of international law. These principles have resulted in institutional gender and race blindness that precludes the possibilities of a peace project being transformative.Thus, she offers a debate on two aspects that might condition or enable transformative forms of peace: the temporalities of peacebuilding and the inclusion of dissensus. Building on this the author proposes an understanding of transformative peace as an orientation that has on its horizon people’s emancipation from structural oppressions. This understanding will allow peace institutions more realistic time-space scales and the opportunity to benefit from the difference and dissensus that the practice of peacemaking might have left aside.Sonia Garzon Ramirez holds a PhD in Comparative Gender Studies from the Central European University, Budapest (Hungary). From 2020 to 2022, Sonia was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellow at the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University (UK). In 2021, she was a visiting researcher at swisspeace with the Dealing with the Past (DwP) team. Her current research examines nonviolent resistance and contestation to peacebuilding. Sonia combines feminist theory, intersectionality and agonistic theory to investigate how dissensus participates in shaping peacebuilding and bringing about transformative peace
- …
