1,558 research outputs found
Erratum: The histone demethylase JMJD2B regulates endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2020) 117 (4180-4187) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1913481117)
No full textCorrection for “The histone demethylase JMJD2B regulates endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition,” by Simone F. Glaser, Andreas W. Heumüller, Lukas Tombor, Patrick Hofmann, Marion Muhly-Reinholz, Ariane Fischer, Stefan Günther, Karoline E. Kokot, David Hassel, Sandeep Kumar, Hanjoong Jo, Reinier A. Boon, Wesley Abplanalp, David John, Jes-Niels Boeckel, and Stefanie Dimmeler, which was first published February 7, 2020; 10.1073/pnas.1913481117 (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117, 4180-4187). The authors note that Hitoshi Okada should be added to the author list between Karoline E. Kokot and David Hassel. Hitoshi Okada should be credited with providing mice. The corrected author line, affiliation line, and author contributions appear below. The online version has been corrected
A comparative study of form and theology in the works of Flannery O'Connor and Simone Weil
No full textIn this comparative study of the form and theology of Flannery O'Connor and Simone Weil I interrogate how Weil's philosophical writings and her theology illuminate O'Connor's use of both narrative and non-fictional forms, and her Catholicism. The Introduction analyses how Weil's concept of superposed reading provides a new method of approaching both O'Connor, her writings, and O'Connor
studies, and focuses on how such apparently different women interconnect. Chapter One explores how both Weil and O'Connor attempt to write their theologies on the
souls of their readers yet are each subject to constraints imposed by form. Weil's concept of locating equilibrium between incommensurates is discussed, and her
distinctively philosophical approach to fictions and fictionality is used to investigate O'Connor's notion of prophetic fictions and the writer's role. Chapter Two assesses how both writers revivify Christian paradoxes. Weil's monstrous concept of affiiction, and O'Connor's use of the grotesque genre to jolt secular man into an
awareness of the sacred are scrutinised. Chapter Three studies how both writers consider an encounter between God and man is possible through the action of grace. My Conclusion interrogates how Weil's work can deepen our understanding of O'Connor's writings, and examines how successful O'Connor is at realising a truly
Christian literature. I conclude that despite being a writer of powerful fictions, O'Connor can not be totally successful in her mission as writer-prophet because
ultimately fiction escapes orthodoxy
Accelerating multiscale finite element simulations of history-dependent materials using a recurrent neural network
No full textFE2 multiscale simulations of history-dependent materials are accelerated by means of a recurrent neural network (RNN) surrogate for the history-dependent micro level response. We propose a simple strategy to efficiently collect stress-strain data from the micro model, and we modify the RNN model such that it resembles a nonlinear finite element analysis procedure during training. We then implement the trained RNN model in the FE scheme and employ automatic differentiation to compute the consistent tangent. The exceptional performance of the proposed model is demonstrated through a number of academic examples using strain-softening Perzyna viscoplasticity as the nonlinear material model at the micro level
Polyomavirus BK-specific cellular immune response in Kidney transplant recipients
No full textPolyomavirus BK is an emerging pathogen in KT recipients. New potent
immunosuppressive drugs promote reactivation and replication of BKV and progression
towards PVAN. PVAN occurs in up to 10% of the KT recipients with a graft loss in up to
80% of the cases. New potent immunosuppressive drugs, as MMF) and FK506 are risk factors
for developing PVAN. As no proven antiviral drugs are available, the only therapy of choice
is the reduction of immunosuppressiva in order to regain BKV-replication control (H. H.
Hirsch, M. Dickenmann, S. Binggeli, J. Steiger, Schweiz Med Forum 2004; 4:538–541).
BKV-specific cellular and humoral immune response is not well characterized. Recent
findings have shown that BKV-seropositive patients prior to transplantation are not protected
from BKV-replication. In contrast, BKV-specific cellular immune response correlates with
the diagnosis of PVAN (P. Comoli, S. Binggeli, F. Ginevri, H. H. Hirsch, Transplant
Infectious Disease Jun 2006; 8(2):86-94, Review).
The aim of this study was to investigate the interplay of BKV-specific immune response
and BKV-replication in blood samples of KT recipients. We examined the BKV-specific
immune response by ELISpot assay in KT. PBMC of KT recipients were stimulated with
BKV LT-antigen and BKV-VP1 peptide libraries. The BKV-specific immune response was
measured by the detection of IFN-γ by ELISpot assay. From the results of a pilot study with
eight patients we were able to deduce that the dynamics of viral-replication rather than the
viral load correlates with a protective immune response (S. Binggeli, A. Egli, M.
Dickenmann, I. Binet, J. Steiger, H. H. Hirsch, American Journal of Transplantation, Sep
2006; 6(9):2218-9).
To corroborate this previous observation the BKV-specific cellular immunity in 42 KT
recipients and 10 HB were tested. The KT patients were divided into two groups: patient
group 1 with an increasing or stable viral load (inc/hi)1 and patient group 2 with a decreasing
viral load or after resolved PVAN (dec)2. Indeed patients in group 2 showed a significantly
higher immune response upon stimulation with BKV-LT and BKV-VP1 than patients in
group 1 (P=0.003, P=0.001, respectively, Wilcoxon, two-sided). Detailed analysis revealed a
cut-off of >69 SFU/Mio PBMC for BKV LT-antigen, but not for BKV VP1, with
significantly more KT patients from group 2 (dec) than from group 1 (inc/hi). This cut-off has
to be validated in a prospective study and also analyzed whether such a cut-off can be used for
immunosuppressive reduction guidance.
BKV-specific cell expansion was tested in a short-term culture in the presence of either
BKV-LT or -VP1. After 9-day culture, PBMC were restimulated with BKV-LT or -VP1 and
the responses were then compared with responses to direct stimulation (without prior
cultivation). BKV-LT and -VP1 specific cellular immune responses were significantly higher
after 9-day cultivation than after direct stimulation (P=0.002, P=0.003, respectively,
Wilcoxon, two sided).
Due to high sequence homology between JCV and BKV, JCV-LT and -VP1 overlapping
peptide pools were used to test PBMC-cross recognition. JCV-LT and -VP1 responses were
significantly lower than BKV-mediated response (P=0.008, P<0.001, respectively, Wilcoxon,
two-sided). Comparison of JCV- and BKV-specific responses after 9-day culture revealed that
the BKV-VP1 response was significantly higher than the JCV-VP1 (P=0.016, Wilcoxon, two
sided), but no significant difference was observed for LT-antigen (S. Binggeli, A. Egli, S.
Schaub, I. Binet, M. Mayr, J. Steiger, H. H. Hirsch, American Journal of Transplantation, Mar
2007; 7:1-9).
Agnoprotein, a late viral protein, is highly expressed upon infection. We investigated
whether agnoprotein is able to induce a BKV-specific immune response and whether it may
serve as a diagnostic marker. Immunostaining revealed that agnoprotein was highly expressed
in the cytoplasm of infected cells and was only seen in combination with BKV-LT which is
located in the nucleus. Interestingly, BKV-agnoprotein specific cellular and humoral immune
responses were scarcely detected in HB or KT recipients. There are only few published
studies concerning BKV-agnoprotein, and further investigations are necessary to fully
understand the function of agnoprotein during infection. (D. Leuenberger, P. A. Andresen, R.
Gosert, S. Binggeli, E. H. Ström, S. Bodaghi, C Hanssen Rinaldo, H. H. Hirsch, Clinical and
Vaccine Immunology, Aug 2007; 14(8): 959-968).
As no antiviral treatment is available for BKV, the only therapy is the reduction of
immunosuppressive drugs in order to regain immunological control over BKV-replication and
PVAN. However reduction of immunosuppressants upon PVAN diagnosis bears the risk of
rejection or inflammatory response to BKV. It is difficult to distinguish between these two
outcomes because specific markers are yet lacking. Therefore, it is pivotal to record the
clinico-pathological course of the KT patient in order to correctly diagnose the problem as the
therapies are completely different. Measuring the BKV-specific cellular immune response
may support and complement other markers, such as PCR analysis and biopsies, to better
distinguish between rejection and BKV-specific immune response. (S. Schaub, M. Mayr, A.
Egli, S. Binggeli, B. Descoeudres, J. Steiger, M. J. Mihatsch, H. H. Hirsch, Nephrology
Dialysis Transplantation, Aug 2007; 22(8): 2386-90).
Finding the optimal immunosuppressive drug level is crucial for preventing rejection
(under-immunosuppressed) and viral replication (over-immunosuppressed). Our current study
showed a cut-off level of 6.65 ng/ml FK506 drug level in blood, dividing those KT patients
with and without BKV-replication control (ROC-curve: AUC=0.897, sensitivity=78%,
specificity=86%). If this cut-off is validated by a well designed prospective study, it may
serve as a guideline to administrate the optimal drug level. (S. Binggeli, 2007, current results).
BKV-specific epitopes have received considerable attention in the last five years. We
started with the epitope mapping in a kidney patient with the most common HLA-type: HLAA*
01, HLA-B*08. First screening of BKV-LT revealed ten 15aa long peptides with
immunogenic potential. Three of these ten peptides were further investigated for crossrecognition
with the homologous JCV-peptides. Even though response to the three JCVpeptides
was lower, cellular immune response could be clearly detected. It needs further
investigation to find more BKV-specific epitopes and also to test the ability of CD8+ T-cells
to kill BKV-antigen presenting cells. (S. Binggeli, 2007, current results)
Simone de Beauvoir e Portugal
No full textO nome de Simone de Beauvoir é frequentemente associado à luta do
feminismo e à filosofia existencialista. Dotada de uma forte personalidade
regida por ideais sociais e políticos bem definidos, esta escritora, com uma
carreira multifacetada, inspirou vivas reacções através do seu projecto de
escrita e das posições pessoais que tomou ao longo da sua vida.
Habituámo-nos a vê-la envolvida na defesa dos mais elementares direitos
humanos e testemunhámos a forma como o seu engagement condicionou a
sua relação com Portugal.
Tendo este trabalho como objectivo, ilustrar os vários aspectos da relação de
Simone de Beauvoir com o nosso país, abordámos, com esse intuito, as visitas
efectuadas por esta autora ao nosso país, dando a conhecer as diferentes
facetas que as envolveram e, ao mesmo tempo, estabelecendo um paralelo
com outros escritores franceses que visitaram Portugal e que se pronunciaram
sobre ele, bem como com a imagem que a sua irmã, Hélène de Beauvoir, criou
acerca de Portugal, não só através das suas telas, mas também da sua obra,
Souvenirs.
A análise do impacto que as suas visitas obtiveram na imprensa periódica
portuguesa contribui para uma melhor compreensão da relação da escritora
com o nosso país.
Relativamente à representação de Portugal criada através da sua obra escrita,
detivemo-nos especialmente sobre o romance Les Mandarins, não só devido à
polémica que causou, mas também à notoriedade que alcançou; e pelo facto
de aí, o episódio português assumir um maior destaque. Para além desta,
analisámos outros textos como La Force des choses e La cérémonie des
adieux, estabelecendo, sempre, uma correlação com as outras obras da
escritora.
Esta dissertação pretende, assim, iluminar a forma como Simone de Beauvoir
viu o nosso país, desmistificando-a, ao mesmo tempo que demonstrando a sua
complexidade.
ABSTRACT: The name Simone de Beauvoir is frequently associated to the struggle of
feminism and to the existentialist philosophy. Endowed with a strong
personality driven by social and political ideals clearly defined, this writer, with a
multifaceted career, inspired vived reactions through her writing project and her
personal positions taken throughout her life.
We got used to see her involved on the defense of the most basic human rights
and we witnessed the way her engagement conditioned her relation with
Portugal.
Bearing in mind that this work has the objective of illustrating the several
aspects of Simone de Beauvoir’s relation with our country, we approached, with
that purpose, the visits made by this author to our country, revealing the
different aspects that involved them and, at the same time, establishing a
parallel with other French writers who visited Portugal and wrote about it, and
the image of portugal that her sister, Hèlène de Beauvoir, created, not only,
through her paintings, but also, through her book, Souvenirs.
The analysis of the impact that her visits had on the portuguese regular press,
contributed to a better understanding of the relation the writer had with our
country.
Concerning the representation of Portugal created by her writing, we focused
specially on the novel Les Mandarins, not only due to the controversy it caused,
but also due to the notoriety it reached and to the fact that, in this novel, the
portuguese episode assumes greater relevance. Besides this one, we analyzed
other works like La Force des choses and La cérémonie des adieux, always
establishing a correlation with the other works of the writer.
This dissertation wishes, by these means, to cast some light on how Simone de
Beauvoir saw our country, demystifying her vision, as well as showing its
complexity
POD-DEIM model order reduction for strain softening viscoplasticity
No full textWe demonstrate a Model Order Reduction technique for a system of nonlinear equations arising from the Finite Element Method (FEM) discretization of the three-dimensional quasistatic equilibrium equation equipped with a Perzyna viscoplasticity constitutive model. The procedure employs the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition-Galerkin (POD-G) in conjunction with the Discrete Empirical Interpolation Method (DEIM). For this purpose, we collect samples from a standard full order FEM analysis in the offline phase and cluster them using a novel kk-means clustering algorithm. The POD and the DEIM algorithms are then employed to construct a corresponding reduced order model. In the online phase, a sample from the current state of the system is passed, at each time step, to a nearest neighbor classifier in which the cluster that best describes it is identified. The force vector and its derivative with respect to the displacement vector are approximated using DEIM, and the system of nonlinear equations is projected onto a lower dimensional subspace using the POD-G. The constructed reduced order model is applied to two typical solid mechanics problems showing strain-localization (a tensile bar and a wall under compression) and a three-dimensional square-footing problem
A novel design for an RF MEMS resistive switch on PCB substrate
No full textCopyright @ 2008 Stimulation Action on MEM
Eritrean, Ethiopian, Somali and Sudanese Communities in Western Australia
No full textDepression has been identified as a significant global health problem. However, to date, there has been little research into the most appropriate strategies to use in the prevention of depression. There is even less research about the understanding that people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have of the conditions encompassed by the term ‘depression’, (or more culturally and linguistically specific representations of unhappiness) and of the ways in which these conditions may be prevented.
The Listening to Diverse Voices: multicultural mental health promotion research project, a collaboration between Murdoch University and the East Metropolitan Population Health Unit, funded by Healthway, investigated these issues within a number of minority communities and in consultation with service providers in Perth, Western Australia, during the period 2001-2004. The objectives of the research were to identify cultural differences in understandings and experiences of ‘depression’ and appropriate ways of dealing with such issues.
The research used focus groups and interviews to explore understandings of social and emotional well-being and of ‘depression’ among members of a number of communities in Perth. These included Sudanese, Somali, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Croatian, Bosnian and Chinese communities and also Indigenous Australians. The information in this document however pertains only to the Horn of Africa communities in the study. Service providers too were canvassed for their concerns and experiences. Participants came from a variety of ethnic and class backgrounds, and while some entered Australia under the ‘skilled migrant’ category, many came under the ‘humanitarian program’ and had experienced life in refugee camps in other parts of the world before coming to Australia. Over 200 people participated in the research.
Because of cultural sensitivities, separate focus groups were conducted with men, women and young people for some communities. Within the Sudanese community separate focus groups were conducted with North and South Sudanese and, within the Ethiopian community, separate focus groups were undertaken with Oromo men and women. In the Eritrean community Arabic speaking men and Tigre speaking men participated in separate focus groups. Most focus groups, apart from those with youth, were conducted by bilingual facilitators, in community languages, and were then transcribed verbatim and translated. Some focus groups and all interviews were conducted in English.
It is important to note that the use of such groupings does not imply internal homogeneity of individuals, experiences, perspectives or concerns.
All interviews and focus groups were undertaken using a semi-structured, standardised schedule. Interview and focus group questions were designed to elicit participants’ understandings of mental health, social and emotional well-being, depression, causes of depression and recommendations for appropriate treatments and/or interventions. Interviews and focus groups were taped, transcribed and translated, where necessary, and the transcripts studied for common themes. These themes were then taken back to the communities for comment, and the summaries adapted according to this further feedback. While it is not claimed that the participants are ‘representative’ of the communities of which they are members, the research team feels confident that the issues identified are among the most common concerns of these communities.
The most significant finding was that issues seen by communities as likely to cause emotional (or mental) distress, are social and settlement issues, rather than being biomedical in nature, or being seen as the result of pre-arrival trauma (although this was one factor identified). The result of this is that while some of the issues may be dealt with from within a ‘population health’ perspective and organisation, most are outside population health parameters. Therefore this information is being provided to a wider audience in the hope that other government departments, non-government organisations and individuals will also take action to address some of these issues.
This document contains brief summaries of the various issues identified by the Horn of Africa communities as leading to what Westerners might call ‘depression’ and their suggestions for solutions. Our commitment to hearing the voices of these communities themselves is reflected in our use of direct quotations taken from the interviews and focus groups. We also provide profiles of the communities, including historical and cultural information and a brief history of arrival in Western Australia. This document provides information about the new and emerging communities from the Horn of Africa. Horn of Africa. The opinions expressed are from research participants and do not necessarily represent the views of the authors. For information about the findings from all other communities, see the East Metropolitan Population Health Unit Website: http://www.health.wa.gov.au/home/ or Murdoch University Website: http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au
Spazi urbani, prassi sociali e istituti giuridici nella città “elettrica” di Albert Robida
No full textThe book of Albert Robida Le Vingtième Siècle, under the guise of a coming-of-age novel set within a tale of scientific anticipation, actually conceals an accurate and interesting description of the transformations induced on the city of Paris by the new electronic technologies and, above all, the impact of these on social behaviour (and formations) in the urban context. The framework traced by the author thus reveals a technological progress aimed in part at improving living conditions and the progress of the person, but within a general context in which the economic powers seem to be the real directors, profiting widely from the
transformations induced by technology
Un fragment non identifié de Philostrate dans un manuscrit de Londres (Harleianus 5658, folio 260)
No full textHaving identified an anonymous prose fragment of the Harleianus 5658 (f. 260), now at the British Museum, as an extract from Philostratus' Heroicus, the author describes this manuscript which contains the Homeric Odyssey, the transcription of which was completed by the Cretan priest J. Rhosos in Rome before August 1479, 10th, and shows the approximate place of the Philostratus fragment in the manuscript tradition of the Heroicus.Ayant reconnu dans un fragment en prose anonyme du Harleianus 5658 (f. 260), aujourd'hui au British Museum, un extrait de l'Héroïque de Philostrate, l'auteur décrit ce manuscrit, qui contient l'Odyssée d'Homère, dont la copie fut achevée à Rome par le prêtre crétois Jean Rhosos le 10 août 1479, et indique la place approximative du fragment de Philostrate dans la tradition manuscrite de l'Héroïque.Follet Simone. Un fragment non identifié de Philostrate dans un manuscrit de Londres (Harleianus 5658, folio 260). In: Revue d'histoire des textes, bulletin n°8 (1978), 1979. pp. 277-279
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