149 research outputs found
Ecological sucking monitoring of newborns
No full textFeeding by sucking is one of the first activities of daily life performed by infants. Sucking plays a fundamental role in neurological development and may be considered a good early predictor of neuromotor development. In this work a new method for ecological assessment of infants’ nutritive sucking behaviour is presented and experimentally validated. Preliminary data on healthy newborn subjects were first acquired to define the main technical specifications of a novel instrumented device. This device was designed to be easily integrated in a commercially available feeding bottle, allowing clinical methods development for screening large numbers of subjects. The new approach proposed allows (i) accurate measurement of intra-oral pressure for neuromotor control analysis and (ii) estimation of milk volume delivered to the mouth to within less than 2% variation between estimated and reference volumes
Micro-solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE) of organophosphorous pesticides from wheat followed by LC-MS/MS determination
No full textA rapid, selective and effective method of extraction, clean-up and concentration of organophosphorous pesticides from wheat followed by electrospray (ESI) LC-MS/MS analysis was developed. The μ-SPE (micro-solid-phase extraction) procedure resulted in good analytical performance and reduced at the same time matrix effects, analysis time and solvent consumption. Limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) were in the range of 0.3–10 and 1–30 μg kg−1, respectively, with good reproducibility (RSD ≤ 13.8) and recoveries between 75% and 109%. Coefficients of determination (r2) were greater than 0.996 for the studied pesticides. Despite the reduced sorbent bed mass of μ-SPE tips (4.2 mg), the analytical data showed that no saturation phenomena occurs in the tested range of concentration both for single compounds and mixtures. Several real samples were analysed and the concentrations of the selected pesticides were found to be below the respective maximum residue limit (MRLs). © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis
„Lata inowłodzkie – to lata najszczęśliwsze”. Związki Juliana Tuwima z Inowłodzem w świetle jego twórczości i korespondencji prowadzonej z mieszkańcami miasta
No full textFor Julian Tuwim, Inowlodz was an asylum – a place of learning about life, gaining experiences, delight in nature and contemplation of its beauty, an area of revealing explosion of energy, but also of calming emotions, stopping, calming, poetic reflection. In the town on the Pilica River, beloved by the young poet, his youthful works were created. He noted the place and time of creation of Inowlodz poems. The article shows Tuwim’s relationship with the town, where, as he himself put it, he spent his happiest years, in several aspects. The author discusses Inowlodz episodes in the poet’s biography, analyzes memories of Inowlodz and poetic inspiration by the realities of this town Tuwim’s works, as well as examines the poet’s correspondence using it as a source of knowledge about the relationship of the author of Polish Flowers with Inowlodz.Dla Juliana Tuwima Inowłódz był azylem – miejscem poznawania życia, zdobywania doświadczeń, zachwytu przyrodą i kontemplacji jej piękna, terenem ujawniającej się eksplozji energii, ale także wyciszenia emocji, zatrzymania, uspokojenia, poetyckiej refleksji. W ukochanym przez młodego poetę miasteczku nad Pilicą powstawały jego młodzieńcze utwory. Notował miejsce i czas powstania inowłodzkich wierszy. W artykule pokazano związki Tuwima z miejscowością, w której – jak sam to określił – spędził lata najszczęśliwsze, w kilku aspektach. Omówiono inowłodzkie epizody w biografii poety, zanalizowano wspomnienia Inowłodza i inspiracje poetyckie realiami tego miasta w twórczości Tuwima, przebadano korespondencję poety wykorzystując ją jako źródło wiedzy o związkach autora Kwiatów polskich z Inowłodzem
Investigations of the early stages of recrystallization in interstitial-free and low-carbon steel sheets
No full textThe present thesis investigates recrystallization and related phenomena in interstitial free (IF) and low carbon (LC) microstructures. Emphasis is given mostly on the early stages of recrystallization, i.e. nucleation stage. The investigations are performed with experimental measurements and computer simulations. In all studies, recrystallization is observed with close coupling to the deformation substructure. Crystallographic texture analysis is used as a means to: (a) confirm trends between the simulated and experimental microstructure and (b) interpret the evolution of recrystallization in terms of selective subgrain growth. The goal of this thesis is to obtain insight into recrystallization initiation and evolution in low alloyed cold rolled steel sheets.Team Maria Santofimia Navarr
On the dangers of decentralization
No full textThe author highlights some of the dangers of decentralizations. The benefits of decentralization in allocative efficiency are not as obvious as suggested by the standard theory of fiscal federalism. The assumptions of this theory are fragile. These doubtful benefits might carry a cost in production efficiency, but more empirical research is needed on this point. What is not doubtful is that decentralization runs counter to redistribution and stabilization. Decentralization makes redistributive policies, whether interpersonal or interjurisdictional, more difficult, if not impossible. Decentralization also makes macroeconomic stabilization programs more difficult to implement because subnational government fiscal policies can run counter to national policies. Serious drawbacks or potential drawbacks should be considered in designing any decentralization program. The arguments that the author develops make it easier to understand some of the real choices. These choices are not so much whether to decentralize in general but rather what functions to decentralize - in which sectors, and in which regions. Guidelines can be provided on this. Often, the problem is not so much whether a certain service should be provided by a central, regional, or local government, since the service often has to be provided with the intervention of all three levels of government. The real challenge is how to organize the joint production of the service. Decentralization refers simultaneously to a state and to a process. The virtues and dangers of decentralization are often discussed simultaneously for both concepts. This is a dangerous confusion because decentralization is path-dependent. What is desirable in a given country at a certain point in time depends on the present state of decentralization and the speed at which it has been reached. Much more work, particularly empirical work, is needed -- in review of decentralization (or centralization) experiences in general, as well as those encouraged or supported by the World Bank.National Governance,Banks&Banking Reform,Municipal Financial Management,Economic Theory&Research,Pharmaceuticals&Pharmacoeconomics
Portfolio of recorded performances and exegesis: Messiaen’s musical language for the jazz pianist - an exploration through performance.
No full textMoving beyond Gunther Schuller’s Third Stream amalgamation of classical and jazz, this study explores whether the musical language of Olivier Messiaen can make a valid contribution to jazz piano performance. Initially, my project sought to answer such questions as: What elements of the musical language of Messiaen already exist in the jazz vocabulary? Am I able to extend this further? What are the timbral structures and pianistic effects within Messiaen’s musical language? What will be the most effective application of Messiaen’s musical language to jazz piano performance? Endeavouring to answer the final question led me to consider such aspects as whether the project should be limited to quoting Messiaen motifs, arranging Messiaen melodies, replacing jazz harmonic structures on standards with examples from Messiaen’s musical language or whether it would be better to approach the research conceptually. The work of Hubert Nuss provided encouraging reassurance that this was not an impossible task. In order to articulate this conception, the initial challenge was to decide how the classical and jazz worlds might meet in a ‘Messiaen’ technique. The approach adopted was similar to that used for undergraduate jazz study, namely, immersion in the piano scores and recordings of Messiaen’s music as well as by live performances. This was followed by the development and assessment of a contrived approach when specific techniques, such as tonal colourings or harmonic structures, were developed through prepared exercises and consciously included in my performance. It was then compared with an intuitive approach when no such precise parameters were established. This submission consists of CD recordings of two public recitals and an exegesis. It documents the development of this Messiaen technique and discusses its application in my performances. It also demonstrates the ways that Messiaen’s musical language can be used within jazz piano performance to provide a colour that distinguishes jazz piano performance in a competitive field.Thesis (M.Mus.) -- University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium of Music, 201
Wokół poematów dramatycznych Franciszka Lasockiego. Rozważania po lekturze „Przed wybuchem”, „Całopalenia”, „Po klęsce”
No full textFranciszek Lasocki wrote his trilogy about the January Uprising using the structures of a dramatic poem. He considered this form adequate to talk about the matters of the struggle for the freedom of the Fatherland. It is a popular romantic genre with a hybrid structure, which combines combines epic, lyrical and dramatic elements. Lasocki was not focused on experimental activities. In his case, a dramatic poem is a strategy of building a literary text, time and space, as well as problems that are important to the author and recipients. In his dramatic poems, Lasocki wanted to make concrete the tragedy of a nation in captivity, which demands the right to independent existence. He tried to emphasize the martyrdom and metaphysical features of the January irredenta inscribed in the myth, explaining its essence with spiritual strength. The author presents himself as a revelator of Polishness. He repeats the Romantic patterns established in the social consciousness, acting in the conviction that popular literature, while remaining faithful to the adopted model, brings the reader relief, the source of which is the faith proclaimed by Lasocki in the victory of the immortal idea of freedom and the triumph of historical justice.Franciszek Lasocki swą trylogię o powstaniu styczniowym wpisał w struktury poematu dramatycznego. Tę formę uznał za adekwatną, aby mówić o sprawach walki o wolność Ojczyzny. Jest to popularny gatunek wywodzący się z romantyzmu, mający budowę hybrydową. Łączy w swej strukturze elementy epickie, liryczne i dramatyczne. Lasocki nie był nastawiony na działania eksperymentalne. W jego przypadku poemat dramatyczny to strategia budowania tekstu literackiego, czasu i przestrzeni, a także ważnych dla twórcy i odbiorców problemów. W swych poematach dramatycznych Lasocki chciał ukonkretnić tragedię narodu w niewoli, który domaga się prawa do samodzielnego istnienia. Starał się uwydatnić rys martyrologiczny, jak i metafizyczny styczniowej irredenty wpisanej w mit, tłumaczący jej istotę i duchową siłę. Autor prezentuje się jako rewelator polskości. Powiela utrwalone w świadomości społecznej romantyczne wzorce, działając w przekonaniu, że literatura popularna, zachowując wierność wobec przyjętego wzorca, przynosi odbiorcy ulgę, której źródłem jest głoszona przez Lasockiego wiara w zwycięstwo nieśmiertelnej idei wolności i triumf sprawiedliwości dziejowej
Monoaminergic Changes in Locus Coeruleus and Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Following Noradrenaline Depletion
No full textThe goal of our study was to assess the monoaminergic changes in locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) following noradrenaline (NA) depletion. Seven days after a single N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4) intraperitoneal administration in mice, we observed a decrease of NA in both the LC and DRN, as well as in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIPP). Moreover, an increase of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) was detected at LC level, while no change was found in DRN. DSP-4 also caused a significant decrease of dopamine (DA) tissue content in HIPP and DRN, without affecting the LC and the PFC. A decrease of DA metabolite, homovanillic acid (HVA), was found in the DRN of NA-depleted mice. These results highlight that the neurotoxic action of DSP-4 is not restricted to LC terminal projections but also involves NA depletion at the cell body level, where it is paralleled by adaptive changes in both serotonergic and dopaminergic systems
What is in the fish? Collaborative trial in suspect and non-target screening of organic micropollutants using LC- and GC-HRMS
No full textA collaborative trial involving 16 participants from nine European countries was conducted within the NORMAN network in efforts to harmonise suspect and non-target screening of environmental contaminants in whole fish samples of bream (Abramis brama). Participants were provided with freeze-dried, homogenised fish samples from a contaminated and a reference site, extracts (spiked and non-spiked) and reference sample preparation protocols for liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Participants extracted fish samples using their in-house sample preparation method and/or the protocol provided. Participants correctly identified 9–69 % of spiked compounds using LC-HRMS and 20–60 % of spiked compounds using GC-HRMS. From the contaminated site, suspect screening with participants’ own suspect lists led to putative identification of on average ∼145 and ∼20 unique features per participant using LC-HRMS and GC-HRMS, respectively, while non-target screening identified on average ∼42 and ∼56 unique features per participant using LC-HRMS and GC-HRMS, respectively. Within the same sub-group of sample preparation method, only a few features were identified by at least two participants in suspect screening (16 features using LC-HRMS, 0 features using GC-HRMS) and non-target screening (0 features using LC-HRMS, 2 features using GC-HRMS). The compounds identified had log octanol/water partition coefficient (KOW) values from −9.9 to 16 and mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) of 68 to 761 (LC-HRMS and GC-HRMS). A significant linear trend was found between log KOW and m/z for the GC-HRMS data. Overall, these findings indicate that differences in screening results are mainly due to the data analysis workflows used by different participants. Further work is needed to harmonise the results obtained when applying suspect and non-target screening approaches to environmental biota samples. © 2023 The Author
Avaliação da ação citotóxica de cardenolídeos em células tumorais
No full textTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmácia, Florianópolis, 2015.Os cardenolídeos, tais como digoxina e oubaína, são conhecidos por sua eficácia no tratamento da insuficiência cardíaca congestiva e como fármacos antiarrítmicos. Recentemente, foram detectadas novas atividades farmacológicas para esses "antigos" fármacos. Tendo em vista o crescente interesse na pesquisa e desenvolvimento desta classe de compostos como potenciais quimioterápicos, frente a diversas linhagens celulares tumorais, o presente trabalho de tese objetivou avaliar os efeitos citotóxicos em células tumorais de três cardenolídeos (glucoevatromonosídeo, digitoxigenina monodigitoxosídeo e convalotoxina), previamente selecionados pela sua potente ação citotóxica. Inicialmente, eles foram avaliados em linhagens celulares tumorais de diferentes origens e todos demonstraram uma potente ação, em concentrações nanomolares, em todas as linhagens testadas, especialmente nas células de tumor de pulmão (A549). Essa linhagem tumoral foi então selecionada para a continuação dos experimentos para detectar o tipo de morte celular causada por esses três cardenolídeos. O glucoevatromonosídeo (GEV), composto mais promissor, também foi investigado em células U937 (linfoma histiolítico). Todos os três causaram bloqueio da fase G2/M, enquanto que a convalotoxina (CON) aumentou o número de células em subG0 do ciclo celular. O GEV foi capaz de inibir a expressão de importantes proteínas relacionadas ao ciclo celular, como ciclina B1 e p53 em A549. Ainda, esse composto causou bloqueio em subG0 em células U937, demonstrando um efeito dependente do tipo celular. O efeito de morte celular causado pelo GEV também foi tipo celular dependente, já que foi observada morte celular pela ação de caspases nas células U937 e independente da ação das caspases em células A549. A digitoxigenina monodigitoxosídeo não apresentou efeito significativo de morte celular em células A549. A CON aumentou o número de núcleos picnóticos e células Anexina-V positivas, configurando morte celular apoptótica. Alem disso, os três compostos foram capazes de inibir a migração e invasão celulares, em células A549, bem como de reduzir a expressão das proteínas: MMP2, MMP9 e FAK (proteína de adesão focal), que são essenciais no processo de metástase. Além disso, o GEV foi capaz de inibir a expressão de importantes cinases, geralmente super expressas em células tumorais. O conjunto desses dados sugere que estes compostos, especialmente o GEV, podem ser considerados candidatos promissores para o desenvolvimento de uma forma farmacêutica a ser usada no tratamento do câncer de pulmão.Abstract : Cardenolídeos such as ouabain and digoxin are known for their efficacy in treating congestive heart failure as antiarrhythmic drugs. Recently, new pharmacological activities have been found (antiviral and antitumor) to these "old" drugs. Given the growing interest in research and development of this group of compounds, as potential chemotherapeutic agents, this work aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects on tumor cells of three cardenolides (glucoevatromonoside, digitoxigenin monodigitoxoside and convallatoxin) previously selected for its potent cytotoxic action. Initially, they were screened in tumor cell lines of different origins and all of them showed potent action at nanomolar concentrations in all cell lines tested, particularly in lung tumor cells (A549). This cell line was then selected for further investigation to detect the kind of cell death caused by these three cardenolides. Glucoevatromonoside (GEV) was the most promising compound, and also investigated in U937 cells (histiocytic lymphoma). All these compounds block G2/M phase, whereas the convallatoxin increased the number of cells in subG0 phase. GEV was able to inhibit the expression of important proteins related to cell cycle, such as Cyclin B1 and p53. Beyond that, this compound caused cell cycle blockage in subG0 phase in U937 cells, demonstrating dependent cell type effect. The effect of cell death caused by GEV was also cell type dependent. In U937 cells, GEV showed a caspase dependent cell death while it is independent of caspase in A549 cells. Digitoxigenin monodigitoxoside did not show a significant percentage of cell death in A549 cells. Convallatoxin increased the number of pyknotic nuclei and Annexin-V positive cells, setting apoptotic cell death in A549 cells. Furthermore, the three compounds are capable of inhibiting cell migration and invasion in A549 cells as well as to reduce the expression of some proteins as MMP2, MMP9 and FAK (focal adhesion protein), which are essential in the process of metastasis. Moreover, GEV was able to inhibit the expression of important kinases, usually over expressed in tumor cells.. Taken together, these data suggest that these compounds, especially GEV can be considered promising candidates for the development of a pharmaceutical form to be used in the treatment of lung cancer
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