Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Protose'

Components of the bacterial spore germination apparatus are crucial for survival and for initiation of infection by some pathogens. While some components of the germination apparatus are well conserved in spore-forming species, such as the spoVA operon, each species may possess a different and possibly unique germinant recognition mechanism. The significance of several individual proteins in the germination process has been characterized. However, the mechanisms of how these proteins perform their functions and the network connecting these proteins in the complete germination process are still a mystery. In this study, we characterized a Bacillus subtilis superdormant spore population and investigated the abundance of 11 germination-related proteins. The relative quantities of these proteins in dormant, germinating and superdormant spores suggested that variation in the levels of proteins, other than germinant receptor proteins may result in superdormancy. Specifically, variation in the abundance of the GerD lipoprotein may contribute to heterogeneity of spore germination rates. Spore membrane proteomes of Bacillus anthracis and B. subtilis were characterized to generate a candidate protein list that can be further investigated. Proteins that were not previously known to be spore-associated were identified, and many of these proteins shared great similarity in both Bacillus species. A significant number of these proteins are implicated in functions that play major roles in spore formation and germination, such as amino acid or inorganic ion transport and protein fate determination. By analyzing the in vivo and in vitro activity of HtrC, we proved that the protease is responsible for YpeB proteolytic processing at specific sites during germination. However, without HtrC present in the spore, other proteases appear to degrade YpeB at a reduced rate. The activity of purified HtrC in vitro was stimulated by a relatively high concentration of Mn2+ or Ca2+ ions, but the mechanism behind the stimulation is not clear. We also demonstrated that YpeB and SleB, in the absence of their partner protein, were degraded by unknown proteases other than HtrC during spore formation. Identification and characterization of these unknown proteases would be a future direction for revealing the roles of proteases in spore germination.<br>Ph. D.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-93).<br>This study investigates the willingness of Zimbabweans to use protest participation as an alternative route to the democratisation of Zimbabwe. A set of theoretical determinants from the literature are tested against individual reports of protest participation usmg the Afrobarometer survey: Round 3. Explanations include economic, political, cultural, cognitive and collective action factors. The evidence from this study reveals that, while conventional wisdom would associate protest with the economically insecure, the unemployed and individuals who belong to the working class, in Zimbabwe protest potential is high among the urbanised, the young, professionals, educated and the economically secure. The study raises questions about the efficacy of the strategies of civil society and opposition in Zimbabwe to mobilise protest Zimbabweans, despite being marginalised and confronted with the most severe crisis, are not inclined to push for economic and political transformation.

Orientadores: Altair A. Del Bel Cury, Pedro Luiz Rosalen<br>Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba<br>Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-03T18:53:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira_VivianeMaiaBarretode_D.pdf: 3110818 bytes, checksum: 40e9aa33bfe2bfa6fd45609e4b286025 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003<br>Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a eficácia do limpador de prótese Polident 5 minutes@ (Block and Drug Corp.) quanto à redução da concentração de Compostos Sulfurados Voláteis (CSV), por meio do Halimeter@ (Interscan Corp.) e a ação bactericida pela cultura microbiana em ágar sangue e MacConkey, além de avaliar a correlação entre a habilidade em higienizar as próteses (HA) e o índice de biofilme (IB) sobre as mesmas. Foram selecionados 19 voluntários, com idades entre de 62 a 86 anos, portadores de pelo menos prótese total superior. As análises foram realizadas em duas fases (F). FI: avaliação m e verificação HA, determinação da concentração de CSV e coleta do biofilme das próteses antigas, nos tempos To (sem uso do limpador), TI, T2eT3 (uso contínuo do limpador por 7, 14 e 28 dias); FII: novas próteses foram instaladas, a concentração de CSV foi determinada e o biofilme foi coletado após 30, 60 e 90 dias de uso contínuo do limpador (Tu, T2.2, T3.3). Os resultados para a concentração de CSV apresentaram diferença estatística entre os períodos Toe TI, e Tu e T 2.2, verificada pelo 64, 67A; T3.3: 53,67B. Na avaliação de microrganismos crescidos em aerobiose os resultados não mostraram diferença estatística significativa na FI e na F 11 houve diferença estatística entre todos os tempos, verificada pelo Teste T pareado (p<0,05): To: 3,34a; TI: 2,22a; T2: 2,92a; T3: 4,24a; Tu: O, 14c; T2.2: 1,12B; T33: 2,74B. Concluiu-se que houve uma correlação positiva entre a HA e m, que o limpador não foi eficaz na remoção do biofilme aderido à prótese antiga e não impediu a formação de biofilme nas novas próteses, assim como não reduziu os níveis de CSV dos pacientes<br>Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Polident 5 minutes@ (Block and Drug Corp.) denture cleanser in reducing V olatile Sulphur Compounds (VSC) concentration, estimated by Halimeter@ (Interscan Corp.) and the bactericide action by Blood Ágar and MacConkey culture, besides evaluating the correlation among the denture cleaning dexterity (DC) and the biofilm index (BI). 19 volunteers were selected with age range 62 to 86 years, wearing at least the upper denture. The analysis was conducted in two phases (P): PI: BI evaluation, volunteers DC, determination of VSC concentration and the biofilm was collected ITom the old denture before the use of the treatment protocol (To), and after 7, 14 and 28 days of continuous cleanser use (TI, T2 and T3); Pu: new denture was installed, VSC concentration was determinated and biofilm was collected at 30, 60 and 90 days with daily use ofthe denture cleanser (Tu, T2.2, T3.3). The VSC concentration results showed statistical difference between To and results did not show statistical difference at Phase I and, at Phase 11, there was statistical difference between alI the times, by paired-T test (p<0.05): To: 3,343; TI: 2,223; T2: 2,923; denture cleanser was not efficient to remove the old denture biofilm, did not prevent the new denture biofilm and did not reduce patients VCS levels<br>Doutorado<br>Protese Dental<br>Doutor em Clínica Odontológica

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-02-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:45:15Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 dourado_lrb_dr_jabo.pdf: 333239 bytes, checksum: 5dcd15534caceb7ee8cf5fb1bf6de955 (MD5)<br>Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)<br>Foram conduzidos quatro ensaios para avaliar o uso de enzimas exógenas para frangos de corte. No primeiro ensaio foi avaliada a energia metabolizável verdadeira (EMV) do milho e do farelo de soja com a adição ou não de complexo enzimático xilanase, amilase, protease (XAP), de xilanase e de fitase, utilizando o método de alimentação precisa com galos. Foi verificada melhoria de 2,3% na EMV do milho com adição de fitase. No segundo ensaio foi avaliada a energia metabolizável aparente (EMA) do milho com a adição ou não de amilase, xilanase, fitase, complexo XAP, combinação de XAP e fitase e com adição de complexo xilanase/pectinase/ßglucanase (XPBG), utilizando o método de coleta total (pintos). O milho foi suplementado com macro e microminerais. A adição das enzimas promoveu melhoria na EMA do milho entre 1,26 a 2,11%, exceto com o complexo XPBG. No terceiro ensaio foi avaliado o efeito do tipo de milho (seco no campo e artificialmente) e a eficiência de utilização de XAP em dietas com redução de 125kcal na EMA, comparada a dietas formuladas para atender as exigências das aves, sobre a digestibilidade ileal e desempenho de frangos. A adição de enzimas não promoveu respostas sobre o desempenho, entretanto, melhorou a digestibilidade de alguns nutrientes e a energia digestível das dietas...<br>Four trials were conduced to evaluate enzymes use for broilers. In the first trial the true metabolizable energy (TME) of corn and soybean meal was evaluated with or without addition of enzymatic blend (xylanase, amylase, protease - XAP), of xilanase and of fitase, using the forced feeding method with roosters. The improvement of 2.3% was observed in corn TME with fitase addition. In the second trial the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) of corn (supplied with macro and micro minerals) with or without enzyme addition using total collection technique. The enzymes were: amylase; xylanase; phytase; XAP; XAP and phytase combination; xylanase/pectinase/ßglucanase (XPBG) blend. The enzymes addition provided increase on corn AME between 1.26% to 1.66%, except with XPBG addition. In the third trial, was evaluated the effect of the corn type (field dried and oven dried) and the efficiency of use of XAP in diets with reduction of 125kcal in EMA (NC), compared to diets formulated to assist the birds requirements (PC), under nutrient digestibility and performance of broilers. The effect of enzyme addition and corn type in digestibility coefficient of minerals was observed. The birds fed oven dried corn showed better digestibility results in all evaluated variables. In conclusion, the nutrients digestibility showed the positive effect with enzyme addition on NC...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Uno dei cardini nel programma di ricerca attuale del Large Hadron Collider (LHC) al CERN è l’approfondimento della conoscenza relativa al bosone di Higgs e agli accoppiamenti di questa particella, di recente scoperta, con le altre del Modello Standard. Il prossimo Run di LHC sarà caratterizzato da collisioni di fasci di protoni con un'energia di 6.5 TeV ciascuno e renderà possibile l’acquisizione di grandi campioni di dati nei quali si prevede un aumento della statistica per tipologie di eventi che fino a questo momento è stato problematico studiare. Tra questi la produzione per Higgs-strahlung del bosone di Higgs associato al bosone vettore Z, che, essendo caratterizzata da una bassa sezione d’urto, è sempre stata considerata un processo molto difficile da investigare. Questa tesi fornisce uno studio preliminare della fattibilità di recuperare in modo efficiente questo canale, con l’obiettivo di individuare alcuni tagli che permettano di ripulire il grande fondo adronico prodotto nelle collisioni protone-protone a LHC. La presente analisi è stata effettuata su campioni di dati ottenuti tramite una generazione Monte Carlo e una simulazione parametrica del rivelatore ATLAS. Sebbene la statistica dei campioni MC sia ancora limitata e la simulazione della risposta del detector non sia dettagliata, le tecniche e i tagli utilizzati in questo lavoro di tesi potranno dare utili indicazioni per futuri studi più dettagliati e per l'investigazione di questo processo una volta che i dati del prossimo Run di LHC a √s=13 TeV saranno disponibili.

Die Anwendung von Hochintensitätslasern zur Beschleunigung von Teilchen bietet eine Alternative zu klassischen Teilchenbeschleunigern und den von diesen erzeugten Strahlenqualitäten. Nach großen Fortschritten auf dem Gebiet der Laser-Teilchenbeschleunigung wurde die Anwendung der neuen Technologie in der klinischen Ionentherapie vorgeschlagen und diskutiert. Bevor es dazu kommen kann, muss aber neben der Verbesserung der Strahleigenschaften, wie z. B. der Erhöhung der Energie, und der Stabilität der Teilchenbeschleunigung auch eine geeignete physikalische und dosimetrische Charakterisierung entwickelt und die biologische Wirksamkeit dieser neuartigen, ultrakurz gepulsten Strahlenqualität mit extrem hoher Pulsdosisleistung untersucht werden. Dies erfordert eine ganze Reihe von umfangreichen Experimenten der notwendigen Translationskette, angefangen von in vitro Zellbestrahlungen über in vivo Studien bis hin zu präklinischen Untersuchungen und ersten klinischen Studien. Hierzu wurden das Verbundprojekt onCOOPtics gegründet und in einem ersten Schritt in vitro Zellbestrahlungen zur Untersuchung der biologischen Wirksamkeit laserbeschleunigter Teilchen durchgeführt. Dazu wurden Dosis-Effekt-Kurven für humane Tumor- und Normalgewebs-Zelllinien jeweils für mehrere biologische Endpunkte bestimmt. Begonnen wurde dabei mit der umfangreichen Untersuchung laserbeschleunigter Elektronen am JeTi-Lasersystem in Jena, auf welche zum Zeitpunkt der Verfügbarkeit des DRACO-Lasersystems in Dresden die dosimetrische und strahlenbiologische Charakterisierung laserbeschleunigter Protonen an diesem Lasersystem folgte. Dabei stellte die Entwicklung einer präzisen Dosimetrie zur Bestimmung der applizierten Dosis aufgrund der Strahleigenschaften laserbeschleunigter Teilchen eine große Herausforderung dar. Sie ist aber sowohl im Hinblick auf eine spätere klinische Anwendung als auch für die Durchführung quantitativer strahlenbiologischer Experimente obligatorisch. Diese Arbeit, die im Rahmen des Verbundprojektes entstanden ist, leistet dazu in vielfacher Hinsicht einen wesentlichen Beitrag: Erstens wurden geeignete Detektoren zur präzisen dosimetrischen Charakterisierung laserbeschleunigter Elektronen und Protonen entwickelt, optimiert und charakterisiert sowie präzise kalibriert. So wurden umfangreiche Studien zu verschiedenen Eigenschaften der auch in der klinischen Dosimetrie angewandten radiochromischen Filme durchgeführt und die Filme entsprechend kalibriert. Dabei wurden neue Erkenntnisse u. a. über deren Energieabhängigkeit gewonnen, die für zahlreiche Anwendungen der Filme von Bedeutung sind. Weiterhin wurden verschiedene Ionisationskammern zur Echtzeit-Strahlmonitorierung von laserbeschleunigten Elektronen und Protonen ausgewählt und dosimetrisch charakterisiert. Zudem wurde der Einsatz von CR-39 Festkörperspurdetektoren zur spektroskopischen Untersuchung laserbeschleunigter Protonen etabliert, indem die Nachverarbeitung und Auslesung der Detektoren charakterisiert und optimiert wurden und außerdem eine retrospektive Filterprozedur der detektierten Krater entwickelt und angewendet wurde. Ferner wurde ein Faraday Cup, der auf die speziellen Eigenschaften derzeitiger laserbeschleunigter Protonen-Strahlenqualitäten abgestimmt ist, entwickelt, charakterisiert und mit drei voneinander unabhängigen Methoden kalibriert. Die radiochromischen Filme und der Faraday Cup konnten daraufhin als Referenzdosimeter sowohl an den konventionellen als auch an den neuartigen Laser-Teilchenbeschleunigern erfolgreich eingesetzt werden. Zweitens bildete die durchgeführte Echtzeit- und Referenzdosimetrie laserbeschleunigter Elektronen die Grundlage für die weltweit ersten systematischen Zellbestrahlungsexperimente dieser Strahlenqualität. Dabei konnten trotz großer Pulsdosisschwankungen alle Anforderungen bezüglich Dosishomogenität, Strahlstabilität, präziser Deposition einer vorgegebenen Dosis und Unsicherheit der bestimmten applizierten Dosis, die für eine quantitative Auswertung der radiobiologischen Daten notwendig sind, erfüllt werden. Exemplarisch sei die bestimmte Gesamt-Dosisunsicherheit von unter 10% genannt. Drittens wurden auch laserbeschleunigte Protonen so präzise dosimetrisch monitoriert und charakterisiert, dass auch mit dieser Strahlenqualität quantitative strahlenbiologische Untersuchungen durchgeführt werden konnten. Herausgefordert durch die kurze Reichweite der Protonen im Submillimeterbereich und das breite Energiespektrum dieser Strahlenqualität, gelang dies neben der Charakterisierung und Kalibrierung der einzelnen Detektoren durch die Konzeption und Realisierung eines integrierten Dosimetrie- und Zellbestrahlungssystems (IDOCIS).Weltweit erstmalig wurde eine Echtzeit-Strahlmonitorierung während der Zellbestrahlungen mit laserbeschleunigten Protonen durchgeführt, die sowohl zur kontrollierten Applikation einer vorgegebenen Dosis und zur Strahlüberwachung als auch zusammen mit der durchgeführten Referenzdosimetrie zur hochpräzisen Bestimmung der absolut in den Zellen deponierten Dosis diente. Außerdem trug die parallele und redundante Verwendung zweier voneinander unabhängiger Referenzdosimetrie-Systeme erheblich zur Erreichung einer hohen Zuverlässigkeit und Sicherheit bei. Die Unsicherheit in der bestimmten deponierten Dosis betrug entsprechend für den Endpunkt der residualen DNS-Doppelstrangbrüche 24h nach Bestrahlung, für den eine vollständige Dosis-Effekt-Kurve ermittelt wurde, nur ca. 10%. Die Unsicherheit liegt damit schon fast in dem Bereich, der an klinisch angewandten Beschleunigern zulässig ist (3-5%). Dagegen konnte zu Beginn dieser Arbeit die Dosis laserbeschleunigter Protonen nur mit einer Ungenauigkeit von mehr als 50% abgeschätzt werden. Viertens wurden die zur Bestimmung der relativen biologischen Wirksamkeit notwendigen Vergleichsbestrahlungen mit konventionellen Elektronen- und Protonenstrahlenquellen und die zur Vergleichbarkeit der konventionellen und laserbeschleunigten Strahlenqualitäten erforderlichen Referenzbestrahlungen mit 200kVp Röntgenröhren im Rahmen dieser Arbeit ebenfalls dosimetrisch optimiert und genau charakterisiert. Die dosimetrischen Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit waren eine notwendige Voraussetzung für die im Rahmen anderer Arbeiten vollzogene strahlenbiologische Auswertung der durchgeführten Zellbestrahlungen. Dabei wurde insgesamt kein signifikanter Unterschied in der strahlenbiologischen Wirksamkeit zwischen laserbeschleunigten, ultrakurz gepulsten und konventionellen, kontinuierlichen Strahlenqualitäten weder für Elektronen noch für Protonen festgestellt. Durch die Konsistenz dieser Ergebnisse für beide Teilchenarten und unterschiedliche biologische Endpunkte ist damit die nächste Stufe auf dem translationalen Weg hin zur klinischen Anwendung laserbeschleunigter Teilchen begehbar: Die Durchführung von in vivo Untersuchungen. Dabei muss zwar von einer zweidimensionalen (Zell-Monolayer) auf eine dreidimensionale Zielvolumenbestrahlung (Tumor) übergegangen werden, wobei aber die im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit entwickelten Dosimetrieverfahren und Detektoren auch bei den Tierbestrahlungen angewendet und eingesetzt werden können<br>The application of high-intensity lasers for particle acceleration provides an alternative to conventional particle accelerators and also alternative beam qualities. Soon after the recent progress in the field of laser particle acceleration, its application in clinical ion therapy was proposed and discussed widely. Besides the improvement of the beam properties (increasing of beam energy and stability of particle acceleration process, e. g.) a capable physical and dosimetric characterization has to be developed before the technology can be applied in cancer therapy. The same is true for investigation of the biological effectiveness of this new, ultra-short pulsed beam quality with extremely high pulse dose rate. Hence, the whole translational chain, beginning from in vitro cell irradiation over in vivo studies to the point of preclinical investigations and first clinical trials, is necessary. For this reason, in a first step the joint research project onCOOPtics was founded and in vitro cell irradiation experiments were performed to study the biological effectiveness of laser accelerated particles. Therefore, dose-effect-curves for tumor and normal tissue cell lines were determined for different biological endpoints. Starting with extensive experiments with laser accelerated electrons at the JeTi laser system in Jena, the investigations were continued with dosimetric and radiobiological characterization of laser accelerated protons at the DRACO laser system in Dresden shortly after the DRACO laser started its operation. In this process, the development of a precise dosimetry for determination of the applied dose posed a great challenge due to the beam properties of laser accelerated particles. However, this is a crucial and compulsive requirement for both, the future clinical application and also for the realization of quantitative radiobiological experiments. Compiled in the onCOOPtics framework, this paper contributed to this task in multiple key aspects: Firstly, capable detectors for precise dosimetric characterization of laser accelerated electrons and protons were developed, optimized and characterized as well as precisely calibrated. Thus, comprehensive investigations were performed studying different properties of radiochromic films which are also applied in clinical dosimetry. In addition, these films were precisely calibrated for different beam qualities. Thereby, new findings of the energy dependence of radiochromic films were obtained which are of importance for numerous applications of these films. Moreover, different ionization chambers for real-time beam monitoring of laser accelerated electrons and protons were selected and characterized. Furthermore, the application of CR-39 solid state track detectors was established for spectroscopic investigations of laser accelerated protons by characterizing and optimizing the postirradiation processing and the readout of the detectors. Also a retrospective filter procedure of the detected tracks was developed and applied. Moreover, a Faraday Cup adjusted to the special properties of current laser accelerated proton beam qualities was developed, characterized and precisely calibrated by means of three independent calibration methods. Finally, the radiochromic films and the Faraday Cup could be used as reference dosimeters both for conventional accelerators and also for novel laser particle accelerators. Secondly, the performed real-time and reference dosimetry of laser accelerated electrons was the prerequisite of the first systematic cell irradiation experiments with this beam quality worldwide. Despite high pulse dose fluctuations, all requirements were satisfied concerning dose homogeneity, beam stability, precise deposition of a prescribed dose and uncertainty of the applied dose, that are all necessary for a quantitative evaluation of the radiobiological data. Exemplary, a total dose uncertainty below 10% was reached. Thirdly, laser accelerated protons were precisely monitored and characterized allowing quantitative, well-founded radiobiological investigations with this beam quality. This task was very much challenged by the short range of the protons in the sub-millimeter range and the broad energy spectrum of the beam quality. It was succeeded not only due to the comprehensive characterization and precise calibration of the different detectors but also due to the conception and realization of an integrated dosimetry and cell irradiation system (IDOCIS). For the first time, a real-time beam monitoring during cell irradiation with laser accelerated protons was performed. This real-time monitoring was not only used for controlled application of the prescribed dose and beam monitoring and also – together with the performed reference dosimetry – for precise determination of the deposited dose at cell location. In addition, high reliability and safety was considerably ensured by using two independent reference dosimetry systems in parallel. Hence, the determined uncertainty of the deposited dose was only about 10% for the biological endpoint of the residual DNA double strand breaks 24h after irradiation. For this endpoint a complete dose-effect-curve was obtained. Therefore, the achieved uncertainty is almost as small as necessary at clinically applied accelerators (3

Fast and efficient methods for the detection of insurgence and progression of diseases are at the basis of modern diagnostics and medicine. In this concern, biomarkers represent a powerful diagnostic tool, as their expression profiles well correlate with the pathology progression. Thus, the pathological state could be diagnosed by measuring the altered presence of a biomarker. In this direction, conspicuous help has been given by proteomics, intended as the study of the protein pattern of a sample and most frequently performed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Although the proteome approach is a powerful analytical method, its application to biological samples for the detection and quantification of putative biomarkers is hampered by technical problems, in fact, the wide diversity in concentrations exhibited by the proteins present in the biological samples, with a concentration range spanning over nine orders of magnitude, and the relative abundance of each protein, are responsible of masking the less abundant species and of their loss in traceability. The aim of my PhD project is to apply Molecularly Imprinted Technology to the specific removal of a high abundance protein (Human Serum Albumin, HSA) frequently affecting proteomic analysis, in order to increase the detection of potential biomarkers. This technology allows the creation of artificial recognition sites in synthetic polymers for a specific protein. These sites are tailor-made in situ by co-polymerisation of functional monomers and cross-linkers around the template molecules. Two different approaches have been assayed in order to remove HSA: • Immobilisation of protein template on a rigid silica support (bead) and creation of polymer around beads. • Polymerisation in bulk of a polymer with protein template and application of this polymer to multicompartment electrolyser. In both of the cases, the chemical and structural features of the polymers have been analysed, after that they have been applied to complex proteome pre-treatment, obtaining encouraging results.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a concordância interexaminadores na palpação muscular, após um programa de calibração, assim como, determinar as variações dessa concordância em relação ao tempo, a determinado músculo e ao lado palpado. Para tal, utilizou-se uma amostra de 32 indivíduos, proporcionalmente divididos em relação ao sexo, escolhidos aleatoriamente nas diversas clínicas (dores orofaciais, prótese, periodontia, cirurgia e dentística) da Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, da Universidade de São Paulo. Esta amostra foi dividida em dois grupos: sintomático, composto por 16 indivíduos que apresentavam sinais e sintomas de DTM, com queixas compatíveis com patologias de origem muscular e, assintomático, composto por 16 indivíduos, sem queixas de sintomas de DTM. Os exames de palpação foram realizados por quatro examinadores,previamente treinados, utilizando-se um programa de calibração, que consistiu de instruções detalhadas relativas ao exame, demonstração da localização dos músculos e da força exercida durante a palpação. Foram realizados 3 exames: inicial, intermediário (30 dias após) e final (45 dias após o início da pesquisa), utilizando-se músculos de mastigação (Masséter e Temporal) e cervical (Esternocleidomastoideo). A análise de presença ou severidade de resposta do paciente foi feita através de uma escala ordinal de 0 a 3. Apesar da presença de variáveis inerentes à análise da dor, como a oscilação dos sinais e sintomas do paciente, diferenças na reação do indivíduo e na interpretação da dor do paciente pelo examinador, verificou-se, através do teste de concordância de Kendall, que o programa de calibração foi efetivo na obtenção de concordância interexaminadores, obtendo-se valores entre 0.56 (origem do Masséter Superficial) e 0.84 (Esternocleidomastoideo Médio), considerados de aceitáveis a excelentes. O tempo não alterou essa concordância não havendo, também, diferenças na concordância entre os diversos músculos, assim como para o lado palpado. Concluiu-se que programas de calibração podem ser efetivos na padronização da palpação muscular, o que credencia tal procedimento como uma importante etapa no exame das Disfunções Temporomandibulares.<br>This study aimed to evaluate the interexaminer agreement when performing muscle palpation, after a trainning and calibration program. Reliability related to the time of examination and the side palpated were also addressed. Sample was composed of 32 individuals, matched for sex and divided into two groups: symptomatic (16 patients presenting with myogenic TMD) and asymptomatic (16 patients with no TMD symptoms). Palpation procedures were perfomed in three different times by four examiners, in masticatory (masseter and temporalis) and cervical (sternocleidomastoid – SCM) muscles. The prescuse and severity of muscle tenderness was judge by an ordinal scale (from “0” to “3”). Kendall’s concordance test measured agreement between examiners. SCM has shown the highest concordance (0.84) while the worst result was found for the origin of masseter (0.56). Levels of concordance for all muscles were considered fair and excellent, regardless the side or the time of examination. Authors concluded that a calibration program is able to standardize muscle palpation, which makes such procedure an important step in TMD evaluation.

Pagrindinis šio baigiamojo darbo tikslas yra pilnas, A. Deveikio realizuoto neutronų ir protonų pasiskirstymo atomo branduolio sluoksniuose algoritmo ir realizuotos programos, išanalizavimas ir vietų, duosiančių reikšmingą pagreitinimą algoritmo skaičiavimams ir konfiguravimams atlikti, paieška. Darbą sudaro penkios struktūrines dalys. Pirmoje dalyje yra aprašyti optimizavimo metodai ir pateikti atliktų bandymų, įrodančių optimizuotų fragmentų privalumus, rezultatai. Antrą darbo dalį sudaro trumpas esamo algoritmo logikos aprašymas. Trečia ir ketvirta darbo dalys yra pagrindinės, jose aprašyta visa optimizavimo darbo eiga. Paskutinėje dalyje yra pateikti korektiško optimizuoto darbo veikimo įrodymai bei optimizuoto algoritmo galimybių apžvalga. Darbo rezultate buvo gautas optimizuotas neutronų ir protonų pasiskirstymo atomo branduolio sluoksniuose algoritmas bei jo programinė realizacija, kuri gali būti naudojama atomo branduolio sluoksnių modelių skaičiavimuose ir Many Fermion Dynamic code programos pakete.<br>The main goal of this thesis is full analysis the algorithm of the distribution of neutrons and protons in the layers of atom nucleus together with a program created by A.Deveikis and the search of places which provide important acceleration for the calculations and configurations of the algorithm. The paper consists of 5 structural parts. In the first part of the paper, optimization methods are described and the results of the research proving the advantages of optimized fragments of the program provided. The second part of the paper consists of a short description of the logic of the algorithm. The third and the fourth part of the paper describe the process of optimization. The last part of the paper proves appropriate operation of the program and foresees the opportunities of the algorithm. As a result, the optimized algorithm of the distribution of neutrons and protons in the layers of atom nuclear was created. The realisation of the algorithm can be used in the calculations of the models of atom nuclear layers and the package of Many Fermion Dynamic code.

La trattazione si sviluppa in quattro parti essenziali. La prima verifica le patologie che possono condurre alla richiesta di prescrizione di una protesi artificiale per arto superiore. Mostra come ne sia variata nel tempo l'epidemiologia senza trascurare le problematiche fisiche, psicologiche ed economiche strettamente connesse alla decisione del soggetto amputato di ricorrerne all'uso. Nella seconda parte, lo studio fornisce informazioni dettagliate sulle diverse soluzioni protesiche con riferimenti ai possibili sviluppi per attuare un confronto con quanto in commercio. La descrizione verte inizialmente sulle protesi attive per passare alle passive cosmetiche, eso ed endo- scheletriche, che mirano a ripristinare l'integrità corporea del soggetto e per ognuna vengono definiti i campi di applicazione in base al particolare livello di amputazione. La terza parte considera esclusivamente le protesi cosmetiche e come queste siano destinate a trasformarsi in futuro, con un opportuno dimensionamento interno, nel più appropriato rivestimento per protesi attive. L'ultima parte vaglia le sfide proposte nel settore protesico tutto e, attraverso le date di immissione sul mercato, cerca di stabilire quanto gli sforzi tesi a ridurne ulteriormente tempi di realizzazione e costi, abbiano raggiunto risultati soddisfacenti.

The General Services Administration's Board of Contract Appeals (GSBCA) is a significant venue for Federal Automated Data Processing Equipment (ADPE) protests. Since the GSBCA was granted jurisdiction over Brooks Act ADPE procurements in 1985, over 1,200 decisions have been rendered. Developing lessons learned from these protest decisions will benefit Federal ADPE managers by increasing awareness of the protest process. The highly complex Federal ADPE acquisition process is governed by numerous statutes and regulations. This study also discusses the pertinent statutory background of the protest process, as well as the protest process itself General lessons learned are presented in areas such as acquisition phases most likely to sustain protests and the amount of processing time expected for protest actions. Specific lessons learned pertaining to GSBCA jurisdiction, timeliness of protests, and evaluation/ selection of offers are also presented. The study is intended to serve as a sound overview of the protest process, its mechanics, and lessons learned form over 200 significant GSBCA decisions. The primer is intended to serve as an introductory document for the new Federal ADPE manager. ADPE Protests, Protests, GSBCA, Information systems, ADPE Procurement

Major exogenous shocks, which increase the vulnerability of autocratic regimes, present a unique opportunity for citizens to rebel against their hegemons. Yet in practice, we observe significant variation in protest strategies across autocracies: in some, shock-induced demonstrations grow into mass rebellion while in others they remain tame and scattered and quickly fizzle. The goal of this project is to further our understanding of the variation in dynamics of protest escalation and, more generally, of contention under autocracy and conditions for authoritarian survival and change. My dissertation develops a new theoretical framework which bridges psychological, political economy, and historical institutional approaches. My central argument is that the likelihood of protest escalation hinges on a key aspect of autocratic design: the extent to which the autocratic elite institutionalizes opportunities for its popular base – the “minimal winning coalition” necessary for an uprising – to bargain with the state over non-strategic local matters, such as distribution or status positions. All things equal, autocrats who provide no spaces for bargaining are more likely to face protest escalation because top-down rule alienates their mass base by depriving it of voice and incentivizing predatory governance; by the same token, institutionalized bargaining can buy support because it endows the mass constituency with some leverage over state agents and encourages more client-oriented intermediation. I evaluate these theoretical predictions against detailed qualitative and quantitative evidence from Syria and Jordan, two neighboring Arab states where the regional unrest of 2011 precipitated street protests. Using a natural border experiment, I show how the countries’ dissimilar institutional designs – Syria’s top-down model and Jordan’s bargaining-centric model – nurtured, over time, measurable differences in the mass constituencies’ relationship with the state, which directly affected the nature of protests in 2011. I demonstrate that already before 2011 the Syrian constituency was systematically more disaffected, economically independent, and more united than the Jordanian, and that this created a far more fertile ground for protest escalation in Syria than in Jordan. My research also suggests that government violence against protesters and non-violent tactics such as divide-and-rule are not independent explanations for escalation, but endogenous by-products of countries’ institutional foundations.<br>Government

Este trabalho avaliou comparativamente, em laboratório, a fidelidade dimensional de quatro materiais de moldagem usados nas moldagens finais em prótese total, um hidrocolóide irreversível (Hidrogum), um poliéter (Impregum) e dois silicones de adição (Honigum e Extrude), bem como a técnica de dupla moldagem, com ou sem alívio, usando o material Extrude de consistências média e leve. Para isto foi usado como corpo de prova um modelo metálico que simula um maxilar edêntulo, onde foram colocados quatro postes em forma do pirâmide, três truncadas, colocadas na crista do rebordo para medições horizontais, e uma inteira, que servia de referência para uma medição vertical. Com cada material ou técnica foram feitos dez moldes do modelo padrão, que foram vazados com gesso tipo IV. Os sessenta modelos obtidos, bem como o modelo-padrão, foram submetidos às medições das distâncias entre as referências situadas nas pirâmides, três medidas no sentido horizontal e uma no sentido vertical. Isto foi feito numa máquina para medição por coordenadas (tridimensionai), BRT-M507 fabricada pela Mitutoyo, com software Cosmos/Geopak-Win. Os resultados foram submetidos à analise de variância e testes complementares (Post Hoc Tests, de Duncan). A análise dos resultados mostra que quase todas as medidas no plano horizontal foram menores nas réplicas que no padrão, e que na medida vertical a discrepância entre os resultados foi maior, sendo umas medidas maiores e outras menores que no padrão. Estatisticamente, apenas numa das três distâncias avaliadas, Dist. 2, não houve diferença significativa entre os materiais. Concluiu-se que, com exceção do material Extrude em moldagem simples, os silicones e o poliéter tiveram desempenho semelhante, e que o hidrocolóide irreversível evidenciou os piores resultados. Outra conclusão foi que as duas técnicas de dupla moldagem usando materiais de consistências diferentes mostraram resultados semelhantes ao Honigum e Impregum, sendo mais precisas que estes na reprodução da altura, medida relacionada com a moldagem da zona de postdamming no paciente edêntulo.

Gegenstand dieser Arbeit ist die Frage wie thermische und photochemische Gleichgewichte verbunden werden können und sich gegenseitig beeinflussen. Dazu wurden zwei Projekte bearbeitet, zum einen das Konzept der „säure-katalysierten Zykloreversion“ und zum anderen das Konzept der „licht-induzierten pKs Veränderung“. Im ersten Konzepte wurde eine extern steuerbare, thermische Rückreaktion genutzt, um die Zusammensetzung im photostationären Zustand zu kontrollieren. Durch Zugabe von katalytischen Mengen einer starken Säure wurde die Ringöffnung eines Diarylethens, welches mit einem Flurenol substituiert ist, eingeleitet. Der zugrundeliegende Prozess wurde kinetisch und thermodynamisch, sowohl durch Experimente als auch durch computergestützte Rechnungen beschrieben. Eine säure-induzierte Dehydratation öffnet einen neuen Reaktionspfad, wodurch die normalerweise sehr hohe Reaktionsbarriere der Ringöffnung umgangen werden kann. Die quantitative Umsetzung mit Säure führt zu einer kompletten Löschung der photochemischen Reaktivität. Dieses Konzept kann in der Speicherung von Lichtenergie in photochromen metastabilen Systemen genutzt werden. Durch die Nutzung von 3-H-Thiazol-2-on als Rest im Diarylethen konnte eine signifikante pKs Änderung von 2.8 Einheiten in wässriger Umgebung erreicht werden. Dabei wurden zwei Säure-Base Gleichgewichtssysteme miteinander gekoppelt, welche an der thermischen Umwandlung gehindert sind, jedoch photochemisch ineinander überführt werden können. Des Weiteren wurde eine hohe Abhängigkeit der Quantenausbeute von dem Protonierung festgestellt. Diese wurde genutzt um die Performance der Photoreaktion zu beeinflussen. Die Beeinflussung der Photoreaktion erfolgt nicht durch Veränderung der Energetik des Grundzustandes, sondern durch Veränderung der Potentialhyperfläche des angeregten Zustandes. Durch neue molekulare Designs konnte eine signifikante Verbesserung im Vergleich zu bekannter Molekülen und Konzepten in beiden Projekten erreicht werden.<br>Two projects are implemented in this work, which share the goal to interconnect acid-base equilibria with the photoreactions of diarylethene (DAE) photoswitches. This task can be divided into two logic questions: How can photochemical equilibria be controlled or rather influenced via an acidic or basic stimulus and how can a photoreaction induce control over an acid-base equilibrium? In the first project, “Acid-Catalyzed Cycloreversion”, an externally tunable thermal back reaction was designed to influence a photochemical equilibrium. Upon addition of catalytic amounts of acid, a closed DAE carrying a fluorenol moiety undergoes facile thermal ring opening. The underlying thermodynamics and kinetics of the entire system have been analyzed experimentally as well as computationally. Appling an excess of acid leads to a complete inhibition of the photoreaction through the introduction of a charge-transfer. My work suggests that acid catalysis provides a useful tool to bypass thermal barriers, potentially usable to efficiently trigger the release of light energy stored in photoswitches. In the second project, entitled “Light-induced pKa Modulation”, a significant pKa change of 2.8 units in an aqueous medium was achieved by connecting two different acid-base equilibria. These thermodynamic equilibria are separated by a high activation barrier, overcome by a photoreaction. The developed system which is based on the incorporation of a 3 H thiazol 2 one moiety into a DAE, shows a strong dependency of the quantum yield and hence, of the photoconversion on the protonation state. Adjusting the pH within the range of the pKa change, a substantial enhancement of the photoconversion is achievable as well as a distinct alteration of the performance of the photoreaction. This effect does not originate from different reaction paths on the ground state potential energy surface (PES), but results presumably from a protonated state dependent difference in the excited PES.

Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Political Science, September, 2020<br>Cataloged from the official PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (pages 121-129).<br>Activists often identify violent repression, and ensuing backlash, as a key mechanism through which peaceful protests can successfully achieve political change. This view has been affirmed by a body of research showing that the violent repression of protest can raise awareness of and build support for the protesters. And US history has many examples of these repression backlash benefiting protesters, from the Birmingham bus boycotts to the "Bonus Army" March on Washington, to the Kent State shootings. However, in the United States, and in other western democracies, the probability of violent police repression of protests has varied significantly over time, as a result of a multitude of institutional factors. While the impacts of repressed protest have been documented, how peaceful protests fare in the absence of repression is less well-understood.<br>This dissertation explores whether the absence of repression impacts protests' ability to capture attention and persuade the public, and whether the absence of repression impacts the types of protests that are successful. To answer these two questions, I draw on a wide array of data sources, including a novel dataset of local protests coded from protest permit applications, geo-referenced Google search data, Wikipedia page-view data, New York Times coverage data, historical archives of an activist group's internal communications. I show that, while repression makes it easier for protests to garner news coverage, command public attention, and persuade the public, it is not a necessary condition. Peaceful protests can achieve these outcomes without repression if they can become newsworthy in other ways, such as by increasing the scale of the protest.<br>I also show that in the absence of repression, the types of protests that achieve success are similar in background to the protests that achieve success in the presence of repression. Unlike some other forms of political participation, the resources needed to succeed without repression do not appear to be skewed towards individuals or groups with higher socio-economic status. Although the probability of violent repression changes over time, protests continue to serve as an effective tactic for a relatively small group to capture attention and build broader support.<br>by Nicolas K. Dumas.<br>Ph. D.<br>Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Political Science

In ambito astrofisico i meccanismi di produzione di energia sono molteplici; tra i più rilevanti possiamo ricordare l'emissione di energia per accrescimento gravitazionale, l'emissione di Bremsstrahlung, la radiazione di Sincrotrone e il Compton Inverso. Nel presente elaborato si è scelto di affrontare la reazioni termonucleari che hanno luogo negli interni stellari e i meccanismi che portano alle esplosioni di supernovae. A tal fine nel primo capitolo vengono presentate tre delle equazioni fondamentali per lo studio di una struttura stellare, in particolare quella dell'equilibrio idrostatico, della conservazione della massa e del bilancio energetico, in modo da fornire un quadro il più possibile chiaro e dettagliato. Il Capitolo 2 prende in esame le principali reazioni termonucleari che affronta una stella di grande massa nel corso della sua evoluzione, vengono esaminati i processi di bruciamento dell'idrogeno e dell'elio e i relativi rate di produzione di energia. L'ultima parte dell'elaborato si concentra sulle fasi finali della vita di una stella, descrivendo i tipi di supernovae che possiamo incontrare e le loro differenti dinamiche esplosive.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-08-23Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:06:09Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 davila_s_dr_arafo.pdf: 2082711 bytes, checksum: 82d60dc6354f3be897106558bb131668 (MD5)<br>Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)<br>Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)<br>Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)<br>Este estudo avaliou a estomatite por prótese total e as variáveis relacionadas à sua etiologia, considerando as características clínicas do indivíduo, as características micológicas e de adesão das espécies de Candida e o grupo sangüíneo dos indivíduos. Sessenta indivíduos portadores de prótese total superior (grupo teste) e 15 indivíduos não usuários de próteses removíveis (grupo controle) foram avaliados. As amostras micológicas foram coletadas da mucosa do palato, face interna da prótese e dorso da língua, por imprint. A identificação das espécies de Candida foi realizada por métodos clássicos (cultura) e moleculares (RAPD). A avaliação da qualidade das próteses totais foi realizada com base em cinco indicadores (defeitos, material, estabilidade, retenção e oclusão) e a da qualidade da higiene da prótese total, por meio da visualização do biofilme com o uso de evidenciador de placa. Não houve diferença significativa no diagnóstico de EP e na detecção de Candida spp. entre o gêneros, hábito de fumar, presença de doença sistêmica, uso de medicamentos e hábitos de higiene (cavidade bucal e PT). A EP foi correlacionada com detecção de Candida spp. no palato e com indivíduos O Rh+. Entretanto não foi correlacionada com um perfil genotípico de Candida spp. ou uma espécie de Candida, com a quantidade de células aderidas nos corpos de prova de resina, com o estado secretor do indivíduo, com o uso contínuo ou qualidade e higiene da prótese total. A detecção de Candida spp. foi correlacionada com a presença de EP, com doença sistêmica, uso de medicamentos, com a qualidade e higiene das próteses e com indivíduos A Rh+. Com base nos resultados obtidos verificamos que a presença de estomatite por prótese total foi correlacionada com o grupo sangüíneo do indivíduo e com Candida spp., a qual também foi correlacionada com características do hospedeiro e da prótese total.<br>This study evaluated the denture stomatitis (DS) and clinical variables related with its etiology, considering the characteristics of clinical, mycological, adhesion profile and blood group of the subjects. 60 denture wearers (test group) and 15 subjects without removable appliances (control group) were evaluated. The mycological samples were taken from palate, denture and tongue by imprint method. The Candida species were identified by classical (culture) and molecular (RAPD) methods. The evaluation of denture quality was performed on basis of five parameters (defect, material, stability, retention, and occlusion) and the hygiene of the denture by means of plaque observation. Statistical difference was not observed between diagnosis of DS and Candida detection for gender, smoking, systemic diseases, medication, hygiene habits (oral cavity and denture). The DS was correlated with Candida spp. on the palate and with subjects O Rh+. However, there was no significance with genotypic profile with any species of Candida either clinical or molecular features. The detection of Candida was correlated with DS, systemic diseases, medication, quality and hygiene of denture in A Rh+ subjects. Within the limits of this study we conclude that denture stomatitis was correlated with blood group and Candida as well as the characteristics of the host and the denture.

Resumo: Este estudo avaliou a estomatite por prótese total e as variáveis relacionadas à sua etiologia, considerando as características clínicas do indivíduo, as características micológicas e de adesão das espécies de Candida e o grupo sangüíneo dos indivíduos. Sessenta indivíduos portadores de prótese total superior (grupo teste) e 15 indivíduos não usuários de próteses removíveis (grupo controle) foram avaliados. As amostras micológicas foram coletadas da mucosa do palato, face interna da prótese e dorso da língua, por imprint. A identificação das espécies de Candida foi realizada por métodos clássicos (cultura) e moleculares (RAPD). A avaliação da qualidade das próteses totais foi realizada com base em cinco indicadores (defeitos, material, estabilidade, retenção e oclusão) e a da qualidade da higiene da prótese total, por meio da visualização do biofilme com o uso de evidenciador de placa. Não houve diferença significativa no diagnóstico de EP e na detecção de Candida spp. entre o gêneros, hábito de fumar, presença de doença sistêmica, uso de medicamentos e hábitos de higiene (cavidade bucal e PT). A EP foi correlacionada com detecção de Candida spp. no palato e com indivíduos O Rh+. Entretanto não foi correlacionada com um perfil genotípico de Candida spp. ou uma espécie de Candida, com a quantidade de células aderidas nos corpos de prova de resina, com o estado secretor do indivíduo, com o uso contínuo ou qualidade e higiene da prótese total. A detecção de Candida spp. foi correlacionada com a presença de EP, com doença sistêmica, uso de medicamentos, com a qualidade e higiene das próteses e com indivíduos A Rh+. Com base nos resultados obtidos verificamos que a presença de estomatite por prótese total foi correlacionada com o grupo sangüíneo do indivíduo e com Candida spp., a qual também foi correlacionada com características do hospedeiro e da prótese total.<br>Abstract: This study evaluated the denture stomatitis (DS) and clinical variables related with its etiology, considering the characteristics of clinical, mycological, adhesion profile and blood group of the subjects. 60 denture wearers (test group) and 15 subjects without removable appliances (control group) were evaluated. The mycological samples were taken from palate, denture and tongue by imprint method. The Candida species were identified by classical (culture) and molecular (RAPD) methods. The evaluation of denture quality was performed on basis of five parameters (defect, material, stability, retention, and occlusion) and the hygiene of the denture by means of plaque observation. Statistical difference was not observed between diagnosis of DS and Candida detection for gender, smoking, systemic diseases, medication, hygiene habits (oral cavity and denture). The DS was correlated with Candida spp. on the palate and with subjects O Rh+. However, there was no significance with genotypic profile with any species of Candida either clinical or molecular features. The detection of Candida was correlated with DS, systemic diseases, medication, quality and hygiene of denture in A Rh+ subjects. Within the limits of this study we conclude that denture stomatitis was correlated with blood group and Candida as well as the characteristics of the host and the denture.<br>Orientador: Maria Regina Sposto<br>Coorientador: Maria José Soares Mendes Giannini<br>Banca: Gelson Luis Adabo<br>Banca: Antonio Olavo Cardoso Jorge<br>Banca: Luciene Cristina de Figueiredo<br>Banca: Jacks Jorge Júnior<br>Doutor

This thesis analyses the media coverage and dominant institution responses to the media and protest tactics employed by three different protest groups. The three case studies examine the interactions between protest groups, their political targets, and the mainstream media. It pays particular attention to each group's media and protest tactics, and how their messages transition from protest action into media coverage and political debates. The three different protest groups comprise of a Cardiff community campaign to save a pub called Save the Vulcan, the environmental direct action group Plane Stupid and their protests against airport expansion, and the mass protests of G20Meltdown against the G20 summit held in London in April 2009. This thesis analyses the media coverage of each group using the concept of political opportunity structures to ascertain the influence of the political and media context on protest groups and their actions. Interviews with activists involved in all three protest groups, and ethnography conducted from within one of the groups, namely, the Save the Vulcan campaign revealed differing attitudes towards the choice of media and protest tactics. All three groups were aware of their portrayal in media coverage, and actively geared their tactics towards attracting media attention. The research analysed protester communications on the internet and leaflets to explore how they represented their issues. A content analysis of British newspaper articles examined the impact of each group's media and protest tactics on press coverage. Offical documents from the dominant institutions of the police and centralised political institutions were examined to ascertain the debates surrounding the issues. On the basis of these empirical findings and discussion this thesis argues for a revision of the theorisation of political opportunity structures. This grants increased recognition of media coverage and importance of protest group aims and goals in the assessment of their success and failure to communicate their messages. Finally, the thesis argues that political and media opportunities do influence the success and failure of protest groups, but it is the effective use of media and protect tactics that puts protest groups into a position to succeed or fail.

Many organizations currently implement formal mentoring programs to assist newcomers in their adjustment to organizational norms, standards, and culture. However, very few empirically-established guidelines exist for how to effectively match mentors to prot&eacute;g&eacute;s in formal programs sponsored by organizations. Typically, organizations attempt to match mentors to prot&eacute;g&eacute;s based on similarity of goals/interests. However, prior research suggests that even mentors and prot&eacute;g&eacute;s disagree with respect to their perceived similarity. Consequently, it should be difficult for a program administrator to determine which mentors and prot&eacute;g&eacute;s are likely to be compatible. Recent research has found that prot&eacute;g&eacute;s who perceived they had input into their match reported higher quality relationships. The present study extended this research by experimentally manipulating prot&eacute;g&eacute; choice and by investigating potential mechanisms through which choice is expected to influence relationship success. Mentors were undergraduate juniors and seniors and prot&eacute;g&eacute;s were first-semester freshmen randomly assigned to choose their own mentor or to be matched to a mentor by the program administrator. Participants then met online in a private chat room once per week for a period of four weeks (30 minute sessions). Results indicated that when prot&eacute;g&eacute;s were given the opportunity to choose their own mentors, both mentors and prot&eacute;g&eacute;s felt more similar to one another. Additionally, prot&eacute;g&eacute;s had higher expectations for what they would get out of the relationship and were more proactive in soliciting guidance from their mentors. Finally, each instance of coded psychosocial support demonstrated by a mentor related more positively to prot&eacute;g&eacute;s' ratings of the support they received if they were in the choice condition. In fact, the relationship between coded psychosocial support and prot&eacute;g&eacute; ratings of psychosocial support was slightly negative for those who were assigned to a mentor by the researcher. Pre-meeting expectations were found to fully mediate this effect. Finally, prot&eacute;g&eacute;-reported psychosocial support was positively associated with self-efficacy and negatively related stress after the fourth chat session. In summary, the results of this study strongly suggest that prot&eacute;g&eacute; involvement in the match process can facilitate the quality of formal mentoring programs.<br>Ph.D.<br>Department of Psychology<br>Sciences<br>Psychology PhD

Le malattie cardiovascolari sono una delle maggiori cause di morte nel mondo, per questo nel corso della storia si è cercato di sviluppare dispositivi da impianto sempre migliori per la cura delle malattie che riguardano l’apparato cardiocircolatorio. Le malattie più frequenti che colpiscono i vasi sanguigni sono stenosi e aneurisma. Uno dei metodi attualmente usati per curare questo tipo di malattie riguarda l’applicazione di “protesi vascolari”, dispositivi medici che vengono impiantati permanentemente allo scopo di ripristinare l’efficacia di un tratto vascolare che, per qualsiasi motivo, non riesce a svolgere adeguatamente le sue funzioni. Ne esistono di diverso tipo, sia naturali che sintetiche, e la ricerca in questo settore si occupa di realizzare protesi innovative per sopperire ai limiti di quelle naturali e svolgere al meglio il loro compito. In particolare lo sviluppo di protesi di piccolo diametro presenta ancora delle limitazioni. Questo argomento è ampiamente trattato nel capitolo 2. L'angioplastica coronarica transluminale (PTA), che consiste nell’inserire un “catetere a palloncino” nel tratto stenotico, espanderlo e ripristinare il lume originale, è stata la prima rivoluzione nella cura di un vaso stenotico. La seconda rivoluzione nella cardiologia interventistica è lo stent in metallo nudo (BMS), ovvero una struttura metallica cilindrica a maglie in grado di sostenere meccanicamente le pareti del vaso stenotico e di sopperire ai limiti della PTA. La terza rivoluzione è rappresentata dai DES (Drug-Eluting-Stent), ovvero stent metallici rivestiti da materiali polimerici contenenti sostanze attive che vengono rilasciate nell’ organismo dopo l’impianto. La quarta rivoluzione, ancora in fase di studio, sarà la realizzazione di stent biodegradabili, sul modello dei DES, che, dopo aver svolto la loro funzione, si dissolvono. Il terzo capitolo della presente tesi fa riferimento proprio allo studio di questi nuovi dispositivi.

Anaerobic metabolism as a consequence of low oxygen tension (hypoxia) is observed in various physiological and pathological conditions. Through the study of adaptive mechanisms to anaerobic metabolism, it was recently shown that an increase in the extracellular [H+] causes the relocalization and sequestration of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor to the nucleolus. This results in an indirect increase in energy production through HIF transcription factor stabilization and a decrease in energy demand through silencing of ribosomal biogenesis. Mutagenesis of VHL revealed a pH-dependent nucleolar targeting sequence, NoDSH+. A bioinformatic search of this sequence identified proteins involved in major metabolic activities including: POLD1, the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase delta; TAF1, subunit 1 of the general transcription factor TFIID; APC2, subunit of cell cycle protein APC/C; and UAP56, an mRNA splicing and export factor. Here we demonstrate that in response to acidic conditions, these proteins accumulate and become detained within the nucleolus. We also show that disruption of pH-dependent nucleolar sequestration of NoDSH+-containing proteins reduces cell viability through increasing cellular energy consumption. This data suggests that during anaerobic metabolism, cells utilize the nucleolus to sequester key proteins of basal metabolic processes, preventing their function, in order to maintain energy equilibrium by reducing metabolic demand.

Dengue virus (DENV) is a major health threat that affects 2.5 billion people, or 40% of the world’s population. However, there are no approved antiviral drugs or vaccines to treat Dengue infection. This thesis describes the design, synthesis and discovery of a new class of inhibitors of DENV NS3 protease. Structure-activity relationship studies have been carried out in order to delineate the structural elements responsible for the activity of this series of compounds. A lead compound suitable for further development has been identified.<br>Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Chemistry.

Over a decade after the completion of the human genome, researchers around the world are still wondering what information is hidden in the genome. Although the sequences of all human genes are known, it is still almost impossible to determine much more than the primary protein structure from the coding sequence of a gene. As a result of that, the need for recombinantly produced proteins to study protein structure and function is greater than ever. The main objective of this thesis has been to improve protein production, particularly using Escherichia coli. To improve protein production in Escherichia coli there are a number of different parameters to consider. Two very important parameters in the process of protein production are transcription and translation. To study the influence of differences in transcription rate, target proteins with different characteristics were produced under control of three promoters of different strength (lacUV5, trc and T7). Analyzing the total amount of target protein as well as the amount of soluble protein demonstrated the benefits of using a strong promoter such as T7. However, protein production is also highly dependent on translational efficiency, and a drawback associated with the use of Escherichia coli as host strain is that codons rarely used in this host can have a negative effect on the translation. The influence of using a strain supplied with genes for rare codon tRNAs, such as Rosetta(DE3), instead of the standard host strain BL21(DE3), was therefore evaluated. By using Rosetta(DE3) an improved protein yield for many of the poorly produced proteins was achieved, but more importantly the protein purity was significantly increased for a majority of the proteins. For further understanding of the underlying causes of the positive effects of Rosetta(DE3), the improved purity was thoroughly studied. The cause of this improvement was explained by the fact that Rosetta(DE3) has a significantly better read through of the full sequence during translation and thereby less truncated versions of the full-length protein is formed.  Moreover, the effect of supplementation of rare tRNAs was shown to be highly dependent on the target gene sequence. Surprisingly, it was not the total number of rare codons that determined the benefit of using Rosetta(DE3), instead it was shown that rare arginine codons and to some extent also rare codon clusters had a much bigger impact on the final outcome. As a result of the increased interest in large-scale studies in the field of proteomics, the need for high-throughput protein production pipelines is greater than ever. For that purpose, a protein production pipeline that allows handling of nearly 300 different proteins per week was set up within the Swedish Human Protein Atlas project. This was achieved by major and minor changes to the original protocol including protein production, purification and analysis. By using this standard setup almost 300 different proteins can be produced weekly, with an overall success rate of 81%. To further improve the success rate it has been shown that by adding an initial screening step, prior high-throughput protein production, unnecessary protein production can be avoided. A plate based micro-scale screening protocol for parallel production and verification of 96 proteins was developed. In that, protein production was performed using the EnBase® cultivation technology followed by purification based on immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography. The protein products were finally verified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight MS. By using this method, proteins that will be poorly produced can be sorted out prior high-throughput protein production.<br><p>QC 20131120</p>

Im Mai 2013 begannen in Istanbul die größten, spontan organisierten zivilgesellschaftlichen Proteste in der Geschichte der Türkei. Die Besetzung des Gezi-Parks im Zentrum von Istanbul und das Vorgehen der Polizei mit massivem Einsatz von Tränengas und Wasserwerfern hatten sehr schnell zu einer breiten Solidarisierungswelle im gesamten Land geführt. Eine der dortigen Protestaktionen wird zum Ausgangspunkt, um die Verschränkung von politischen und performativen Interventionen zu diskutieren. Um diese Aspekte zu beleuchten, werden die Artikulationsformate im Rahmen der Proteste in Bezug zum Projekt „re.act.feminism #2 – a performing archive“ gesetzt.

Im Mai 2013 begannen in Istanbul die größten, spontan organisierten zivilgesellschaftlichen Proteste in der Geschichte der Türkei. Die Besetzung des Gezi-Parks im Zentrum von Istanbul und das Vorgehen der Polizei mit massivem Einsatz von Tränengas und Wasserwerfern hatten sehr schnell zu einer breiten Solidarisierungswelle im gesamten Land geführt. Eine der dortigen Protestaktionen wird zum Ausgangspunkt, um die Verschränkung von politischen und performativen Interventionen zu diskutieren. Um diese Aspekte zu beleuchten, werden die Artikulationsformate im Rahmen der Proteste in Bezug zum Projekt „re.act.feminism #2 – a performing archive“ gesetzt.