24,028 research outputs found
The construction of Karen Karnak: The multi-author-function
No full textThis thesis is situated within the comparatively recent developments of Web 2.0 and the emergence of interactive WikiMedia, and explores the mode of authorship within a Read/Write culture compared to that of a Read/Only tradition. The hypothesis of this study is that the role of the audience has become merged with the author, and as such, represents new functions and attributes, distinct from a more conventional concept of authorship, in which the roles of audience and author are more separate. Read/Write and participatory culture, as defined by this study, is focused on collaboration, and includes the influences of D.I.Y. culture, Open-Source practices and the production of text by multiple authors. Multi-authorship presents a re-thinking of several concepts which support the notion of the individual author, since the focus of multi-authorship is not on attribution and ownership of a finished text, but on the continued malleability of a text. Modes of multi-authorship, demonstrated in the use of the pseudonyms Alan Smithee and Karen Eliot, represent declarative authors whose names signify multiple origins, whilst concurrently indicating a distinct body of work. The function of these names form an important context to this study, since primary research involves the construction of an experimental mode of multi-authorship utilising WikiMedia technology and the interaction of thirty nine participants, who are invited to create a body of work under the collective pseudonym Karen Karnak. The data generated by this experiment is analysed using aspects of Michel Foucault's author-function to identify and determine power structures inherent in the WikiMedia context. The interplay of power structures, including concepts such as identity, ownership and the body of work, affect the resulting mode of authorship and contribute to the construction of Karen Karnak, suggesting further areas of research into the emerging multi-author
Proyecto de exportación para la empresa InBiomed SA en el período 2026-2030
No full textEn el siguiente proyecto, se analizará la empresa InBiomed, la cual diseña, desarrolla, fabrica y comercializa soluciones en regeneración que mejoran la salud y calidad de vida de las personas desarrollando, mediante tecnología e innovación, biomateriales para la regeneración tisular guiada de aplicación en diferentes áreas de la medicina, como Odontología, Traumatología, Dermatología y Oftalmología, entre otras. Además, se estudiará el sector en el cual se encuentra inmerso, y se detallarán los escenarios en los cuales deberá comercializar. La finalidad de este proceso se centra en desarrollar programas beneficiosos para la empresa, que le permitan incursionar en mercados internacionales, exportando sus productos luego de un amplio análisis de mercado e importando insumos que logren una mayor rentabilidad para la compañíaFil: Casco, Germán. Universidad Nacional Villa María; Argentina.Fil: Racca, Fiorela. Universidad Nacional Villa María; Argentina.Fil: Chayle, Facundo Nicolás. Universidad Nacional Villa María; Argentina
Language Change and SA-OT: The case of sentential negation
No full textSimulated Annealing for Optimality Theory (SA-OT) updates Optimality Theory by adding a model of performance to a theory of linguistic competence. Our aim is to show that SA-OT can contribute to language change simulations. Performance "errors" are considered to be one of the causes of variation and change. We have chosen to model the evolution of sentential negation (SN). The descriptive background adopts Jespersen's Cycle, according to which the evolution of sentential negation follows three main stages (1. pre-verbal, 2. discontinuous, and 3. post-verbal). Therefore, we advance a novel model for SN, based on SA-OT. It reproduces the three pure and the two observed mixed stages, whereas it correctly predicts the lack of an intermediate stage between 3 and 1. The success of the approach corroborates the computational, performance-based approach to the data. Finally, we employ the iterated learning paradigm to reproduce historical changes in a "simulated corpus study". This enterprise turns out to be more difficult than one would naively believe.Appeared open access as: Computational Linguistics in the Netherlands Journal (CLIN), vol. 1 (2011), pp. 21-40, and is available at http://www.clinjournal.org/sites/default/files/Lopopolo.pdfA. Lopopolo and Biró, T., “Language Change and SA-OT. The case of sentential negation”, Computational Linguistics in the Netherlands Journal, vol. 1, pp. 21-40, 2011.Peer Reviewe
The aspirin metabolite, salicylate, inhibits 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-DNA adduct formation in breast cancer cells
No full textThere is evidence that aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be protective agents against cancer in the gastrointestinal tract. These effects are particularly well documented for the colon and rectum. Some epidemiological and experimental studies have suggested that aspirin could also be a chemopreventive agent against breast cancer. We investigated the effects of the aspirin metabolite, salicylate (SA), on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-DNA adduct formation as well as on the expression of the enzymes involved in the carcinogen bioactivation pathway, in particular cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) and cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2). The effects of the test drug were examined in both the human mammary carcinoma cell line, MCF-7, and mammary cells derived from DMBA-induced rat mammary tumours (RMTCs). In this study, we also reported the effects of SA on cell growth and viability in breast cancer cells (BCCs). The results demonstrated that DMBA-DNA adduct formation in both cancer cell lines was inhibited by SA at concentrations of > or = 2.5 mM. CYP1A was undetectable in RMTCs while CYP1A induction by beta-naphthoflavone in MCF-7 cells was significantly inhibited by SA in a concentration-dependent manner. Aspirin did not affect COX-1 expression in either of the BCCs. COX-2 was not detected in MCF-7 cells, but its expression in RMTCs was inhibited by SA treatment, which also significantly reduced BCC growth, but failed to cause cell death by necrosis or apoptosis. These data suggest that inhibition of DMBA-DNA adduct formation may contribute to aspirin breast cancer chemopreventive action and indicate that this drug can act in the first stage of carcinogenesi
Stakeholder research CoVE Water SA: CoVE Water SA the umbrella for all stakeholders
No full textThe water and sanitation sector faces well-documented issues that are challenging to address, leading to the establishment of the Platform of Vocational Excellence (PoVE) Water. This platform brings together five regional Centers of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) Water in Europe and South Africa to ensure high-quality skills and competencies in the water sector. These CoVEs facilitate collaboration among stakeholders, enabling the development of vocational education and training programs to increase awareness, responsiveness to industry needs, and address sector challenges. A few months ago, CoVE Water SA was established in South Africa to achieve the previously mentioned goals. Therefore, it is important that the following research question is answered in this initial set-up phase: What actions need to be taken to enhance the effectiveness of the CoVE Water SA? To answer this research question, several important stakeholders were interviewed. Subsequently, the interviews were analysed thematically in order to extract the most important themes and quotes, PI grids were created to assess power and interest dynamics among stakeholders, and a Social Network Analysis was conducted to understand the CoVE Water SA network and potential clusters.The research findings have unveiled key aspects for enhancing the effectiveness of CoVE Water SA. The current network in the water sector has a low density, implying that many collaborations are lacking. This leads to a high degree of interdependence within the network, resulting in a non dynamic system. The lack of collaborations, such as connections with TVET colleges, schools, farmers and local communities, results in a lack of knowledge, funding and connection to the labour market. Governmental stakeholders, like DWS, EWSeta, and BGCMA, have been identified as influential players with extensive networks and important resources, Local Authorities and Research Organizations also play important roles. Universities exhibit substantial international links, making them crucial contributors. These stakeholders have the potential to provide knowledge, collaboration, and power. These are valuable insights for CoVE Water SA, fostering network growth and effectiveness in the water sector. Furthermore, six key themes have been derived from the conducted interviews, addressing the needs of stakeholders and where CoVE can make a valuable contribution. These themes include raising awareness, reducing the skills gap in the water sector, fostering international collaborations, mitigating the labour shortage in the water sector, improving education material and establishing desired collaborations. For each theme, the interviewed stakeholders have presented their views and numerous suggestions on how CoVE Water SA can assist in addressing these issues. Additionally, stakeholders have also mentioned possible failures of CoVE Water SA, which can aid in preventing any shortcomings of the platform. Furthermore, stakeholders mentioned ongoing initiatives related to the six themes, through which they can contribute to the platform. From the Thematic Analysis, PI Grids and the SNA, a set of actions have emerged that are essential for enhancing the effectiveness of CoVE Water SA. These actions revolve around expanding and enhancing the network, organising activities and contributing to educational improvement. In terms of broadening and strengthening the network, the platform should focus on enhancing the collaborations among educational groups, building stronger relations with international institutions in Europe and Africa, involving TVETs and schools within the water network, improving stakeholder involvement and encouraging the involvement of Local Communities to increase awareness and knowledge about water issues. Furthermore, CoVE Water SA should play a role in organising activities to raise awareness of Water Resource Management. Additionally, it should assist in improving curricula, supporting students’ preparation for the workforce and making the education more practical instead of only theoretical. CoVE Water SA should also provide training and learning resources as well as comprehensive courses.However, this study recognizes several limitations that should be considered in future research and when implementing recommendations for CoVE Water SA. These limitations encompass factors like a limited scope due to resource and time constraints, minimal varied interviewee responses, and potential biases in responses. Addressing these limitations will be crucial in guiding future research and actions for CoVE Water SA.CEGM3000Civil Engineerin
The Synergistic Effect of Nanocrystals Combined With Ultrasound in the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species for Biomedical Applications
No full textReactive oxygen species (ROS) effects on living cells and tissues is multifaceted and their level or dose can considerably affect cell proliferation and viability. It is therefore necessary understand their role also designing ways able to regulate their amount inside cells, i.e., using engineered nanomaterials with either antioxidant properties or, for cancer therapy applications, capable to induce oxidative stress and cell death, through tunable ROS production. In this paper, we report on the use of single-crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) round-shaped nanoparticles, yet ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) functionalized with amino-propyl groups (ZnO-NH2 NCs), combined with pulsed ultrasound (US). We show the synergistic effects produced by NC-assisted US which are able to produce different amount of ROS, as a result of inertial cavitation under the pulsed US exposure. Using Passive Cavitation Detection (PCD) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, we systematically study which are the key parameters, monitoring, and influencing the amount of generated ROS measuring their concentration in water media and comparing all the results with pure water batches. We thus propose a ROS generation mechanism based on the selective application of US to the ZnO nanocrystals in water solutions. Ultrasound B-mode imaging is also applied, proving in respect to pure water, the enhanced ecographic signal generation of the aqueous solution containing ZnO-NH2 NCs when exposed to pulsed ultrasound. Furthermore, to evaluate the applicability of ZnO-NH2 NCs in the biomedical field, the ROS generation is studied by interposing different tissue mimicking materials, like phantoms and ex vivo tissues, between the US transducer and the sample well. As a whole, we clearly proof the enhanced capability to produce ROS and to control their amount when using ZnO-NH2 NCs in combination with pulsed ultrasound anticipating their applicability in the fields of biology and health care
Interview with Erica Jolly - teacher, author and founding member of SA Social Studies Teachers Association
No full textErica is a teacher and author who was a founding member of the SA Social Studies Teachers Association (contributing to its text books) and the SA History Teachers Association. She took her Masters in English Literature at Flinders University and taught in Girls and Boys Technical Colleges for 40 years. Erica's published works include a history of vocational education in South Australia from 1897 - 2001, We Came to Marion 1955 - 1995 (1995), A Broader Vision: Voices of Vocational Education in SA (2001), Challenging the Divide: Approaches to Science and Poetry (2010), and Making a Stand (2015)
Historický vývoj a charakteristika rozvojovej pomoci
No full textV príspevku sa autor zaoberá vývojom povojnových rozvojových teórií, ktorých podstatou je skúmanie príčin, dôsledkov zaostalosti krajín rozvojového sveta a vzniku ekonomických a spoločenských disparít medzi jednotlivými regiónmi sveta. Z chronologického hľadiska sa autor v príspevku venuje relevantným historickým aspektom, ktoré ovplyvnili vznik rozvojovej pomoci vo forme ako ju poznáme v súčasnosti. Východiskovou teóriou zahraničnej rozvojovej pomoci sa stala teória „Začarovaného kruhu chudoby“ a z nej vychádzajú mnohí autori, ktorí hľadajú východiská zo zaostalosti a prehlbovania sa rozdielov medzi vyspelými a zaostalými krajinami sveta. Jednotlivé regióny sú špecifické určitými charakteristikami, ktoré autor rozoberá v poslednej časti príspevku.rozvojové teórie, rozvojová pomoc, zahraničná pomoc, začarovaný kruh
Le Dr Doyen, sa Staphylase et sa Mycolysine
No full textDer Dr Doyen, seine Staphylase und seine Mycolysine.
Der Verfasser gibt einige Auskünfte über diese zwei, von Marcel Proust erwähnte Arzneimittel, und deren Hersteller, Eugène-Louis Doyen, 1859 geboren.Dr Doyen, his Staphylase and his Mycolysine.
The author provides some information on these two medications mentioned by Marcel Proust, and on their discover, Eugène-Louis Doyen, born in 1859.Lefebvre Thierry. Le Dr Doyen, sa Staphylase et sa Mycolysine. In: Revue d'histoire de la pharmacie, 79ᵉ année, n°289, 1991. pp. 193-198
Effects of acetylsalicylic acid administration on liver CYP1A, UGT and antioxidant enzymes in a rat model of dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary carcinogenesis.
No full textIntroduction There are growing evidences that support the regular use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as effective chemopreventive agents for breast cancer (1). A recent study showed that dietary acetylsalicylic (ASA) and salicylic acid (SA) both inhibited the formation of dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)-induced rat mammary tumours, suggesting as a possible mechanism of salicylate chemopreventive action the concomitant inhibition of tumour angiogenesis (2). To exert its carcinogenic effect, DMBA undergoes bioactivation, which requires oxidation to DMBA-3,4-diol-1,2-epoxide by hepatic and extrahepatic phase I enzymes, especially cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A (3). Cancer chemopreventive agents can modulate both phase I and phase II enzymes involved in the bioactivation or detoxification of carcinogens, respectively, and antioxidant enzymes as well. In view of the acknowledged importance of the liver in DMBA activation and detoxification, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of a pre-treatment with ASA on the activity and expression of CYP1A, on CYP-mediated oxidative metabolism of DMBA itself, and on selected conjugative and antioxidant enzymes.
Materials and methods Seventy-two 45 day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=18 each) and treated per os as follows: control (olive oil); ASA (50 mg/ml saline/rat for 21 days); DMBA (10 mg/ml olive oil/rat at days 7, 14, and 21); DMBA+ASA (treated according to DMBA and ASA treatment schedule). Six animals from each group were sacrificed 24 hr after each DMBA administration (days 8, 15 and 22 of the experiment) and the hepatic subfractions were isolated by differential ultracentrifugation. CYP1A1-related O-dealkylation of either ethoxy- or methoxyresorufin, CYP1A1/2 apoprotein levels, and the extent of the in vitro metabolism of 3HDMBA were measured by published procedures (4,5). The assayed phase II and antioxidant enzyme activities included 1-naphthol-uridindiphosphoglucuronyl-transferase (UGT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) accepting 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene or ethacrynic acid as substrates, and DT-diaphorase (6); reduced glutathione content (GSH) was also determined (6). Data (means ±SEM) were expressed as percentage of control values and subjected to statistical evaluation by means of ANOVA followed by Student-Newman-Keul’s test.
Results At the different time points, DMBA significantly increased CYP1A content and functions (up to 10-fold), as well as the extent of its own metabolism. These effects, however, were not consistently affected by ASA administration. Conversely, ASA was able to considerably enhance the DMBA-mediated time-dependent increase in both GSH level and DT-diaphorase activity, reaching the statistical significance 24 h after the second and the third-, or the third administration of the carcinogen, respectively (Fig. 1).
Discussion and Conclusion Previous experiments demonstrated that ASA was able to reduce the amount of DMBA-DNA adduct formation in both the human mammary carcinoma cell line MCF-7 and mammary cells derived from DMBA-induced rat mammary tumours (7). The present data suggest that ASA could also exert its beneficial effect on DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis by modulation of liver antioxidant defence systems rather than by decreasing the expression of bioactivating enzymes. It is proposed that the increased GSH content and DT-diaphorase activity may eventually lower the amount of the ultimate carcinogen that can react with critical target sites of the mammary gland. This, however, does not exclude the possibility of an interference of ASA on DMBA activation and detoxification in the same orga
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