Manipulation of energy transfer processes in nanochannels

The realisation of molecular assemblies featuring specific macroscopic properties is a prime example for the versatility of supramolecular organisation. Microporous materials such as zeolite L are well suited for the preparation of host-guest composites containing dyes, complexes, or clusters. This short tutorial focuses on the possibilities offered by zeolite L to study and influence Förster resonance energy transfer inside of its nanochannels. The highly organised host-guest materials can in turn be structured on a larger scale to form macroscopic patterns, making it possible to create large-scale structures from small, highly organised building blocks for novel optical applications.

Investigations on an egyptian coffin and mummified head from Burgdorf Museum, Switzerland - A case of a historical puzzle

In the Burgdorf Museum of Ethnology, a mummy rests in a coffin. According to the inventory book, it was purchased from the Cairo Egyptian museum in 1926. The coffin was now examined by Egyptologists and the mummy was radiocarbon dated and examined by Anthropologists. The aim of the study was to compare the results and to check whether mummy and coffin actually belong together. The skull was examined morphological-anthropologically and by CT as a “blank sample”. Coffin and skull imply that the individual was female. The coffin dates to the Ptolemaic period. Only skull bones are preserved, the ethmoid is damaged. CT images Show resinous substances, bone fragments and brain remnants inside the skull. The ethmoid bone was probably foraminated during the mummification process and thus ended up inside the skull. The individual was mummified between the New Kingdom and the Ptolemaic period. Due to its style, it is most probable that the coffin comes from the Gamhud necropolis. The Burgdorf museum of ethnology inventory book chronicles were largely falsified by the examinations. There is a time gap between coffin and the mummy, there are two possible interpretations: the body was mummified with older linen, or the mummy and the coffin do not belong together. The authors strongly advise further investigations.

Congenital factor XIII deficiency in Pakistan: characterization of seven families and identification of four novel mutations

Deficiency of coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) belongs to the rare bleeding disorders and its incidence is higher in populations with consanguineous marriages. The aims of this study were to characterize patients and relatives from seven families with suspected FXIII deficiency from Pakistan and to identify the underlying mutations. As a first indicator of FXIII deficiency, a 5M urea clot solubility test was used. Plasma FXIII A- and B-subunit antigen levels were determined by ELISA. FXIII activity was measured with an incorporation assay. Sequencing of all exons and intron/exon boundaries of F13A was performed, and a novel splice site defect was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. Genetic analysis revealed six different mutations in the F13A gene. Two splice site mutations were detected, a novel c.1460+1G>A mutation in the first nucleotide of intron 11 and a previously reported c.2045G>A mutation in the last nucleotide of exon 14. Neither of them was expressed at protein level. A novel nonsense mutation in exon 4, c.567T>A, p.Cys188X, was identified, leading in homozygous form to severe FXIII deficiency. Two novel missense mutations were found in exons 8 and 9, c.1040C>A, p.Ala346Asp and c.1126T>C, p.Trp375Arg, and a previously reported missense mutation in exon 10, c.1241C>T, p.Ser413Leu. All patients homozygous for these missense mutations presented with severe FXIII deficiency. We have analysed a cohort of 27 individuals and reported four novel mutations leading to congenital FXIII deficiency.

Revolution to Revolution: Tracing Egyptian Public Art from Saad Zaghloul to January 25

Artists have spent a century claiming Egypt for the Egyptians. Now the powerful murals of January 25 have created a new public space dedicated to every citizen.

Community diagnosis: A working tool for developing culturally appropriate diarrhea intervention programs

Most studies related to diarrhea have been focused narrowly on the etiological and pathophysiological factors involved in inducing the disease. Such studies have often failed to consider other facets contributing to and possibly prolonging the problem, namely: socio-economic conditions, educational opportunities and attainments, cultural characteristics and beliefs, and the political administration and its commitment towards fulfilling its moral and ethical obligations in responding to and fostering human development.^ This study utilized the diagnostic approach of the PRECEDE model. The acronym stands for the predisposing reinforcing, and enabling constructs in educational diagnosis and evaluation. The constituents of this model were identified by utilizing participant observation field methods, traditionally applied by ethnographers to collect data describing the multiple facets of a culture, and linguistic anthropology used to capture and define characteristic semantics and viewpoints. The household study sample was randomly selected from a defined list of households known to have at least one child less than five years of age. An open-ended questionnaire format was used to interview the 115 mothers in the selected households sample.^ Kalama, the study community, is characteristically an agricultural village, situated in the Governorate of Kaliobia and located approximately 25 Km (about 15.5 miles) from the capital, Cairo, Egypt. The 1986 census indicates a population size of 13,328 people in 4,818 households. There were 65 deaths occurring among children less than five years in 1986. The causes of death were primarily related to diarrhea, followed by upper respiratory infections, congenital anomalies and birth injuries.^ This study outlines (a) practices related to the management of diarrhea, including the administration of foods and drinks during such episodes; (b) influences of governmental policies; and (c) recommended strategies for overcoming barriers and promoting effective diarrhea intervention programs. ^

Anticoncepción en mujeres usuarias del servicio de atención primaria de la salud

El tema de investigación que abordamos en la presente tesina es las formas y condiciones en que las mujeres utilizan los métodos anticonceptivos en Mendoza a partir de la existencia de leyes y programas que atienden la salud reproductiva. El trabajo se ha enfocado en mujeres en edad reproductiva de un barrio urbano marginal de la Ciudad de Mendoza. Desde el advenimiento de la democracia, en Argentina (diciembre de 1983), la participación, organización y movilización de mujeres y grupos de diversidad sexual en defensa de sus derechos, produjo la visibilidad de las problemáticas de género y salud sexual y reproductiva. Este proceso daría lugar a la promoción de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos, entendidos éstos como parte de los derechos humanos en torno a los cuales el Estado debía legislar y garantizar. Hasta ese momento, lo que había existido eran políticas de planificación familiar o de regulación de la fecundidad tratados en el contexto de las necesidades de la economía o de la dinámica demográfica, con severos controles y restricciones respecto al acceso a los métodos anticonceptivos. Dos conferencias de Naciones Unidas van a funcionar como bisagras en el pasaje de la consideración de las mujeres como variables de políticas de población a sujetas de derecho en material de salud sexual y reproductiva: la Conferencia Internacional sobre la Población y el Desarrollo realizada en El Cairo en 1994 y la IV Conferencia Mundial de la Mujer, en Beijing en 1995. Al incorporar una perspectiva de género al abordaje de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos como derechos humanos, se puso en el centro de debate a la libre decisión de las mujeres sobre nuestra sexualidad y nuestros cuerpos. Después de décadas de prohibicionismo e indiferencia de los poderes públicos, desde 2002, el Estado argentino comenzó a instrumentar una política pública de alcance nacional sobre la salud reproductiva y procreación responsable y es así que el Programa Nacional de Salud Sexual y Procreación Responsable (PNSSyPR) entra en vigencia en mayo de 2003. Este programa nacional vino a reforzar el Programa Provincial de Salud Reproductiva que desde 1998 funciona en la provincia de Mendoza.

Mortalidad materna vinculada al aborto en Bolivia. Los casos de Santa cruz, La Paz, Tarija y Chuquisaca.

La mortalidad materna en Bolivia sigue siendo una de las principales problemáticas de salud pública en general, y de la salud sexual y reproductiva en particular. La Organización Mundial de la Salud y UNICEF estiman que la mayor parte de las muertes maternas ocurren debido a cinco complicaciones obstétricas: hemorragias, sepsis, abortos inducidos inseguros, hipertensión durante el embarazo y partos obstruidos. Reducir la mortalidad materna plantea desafíos a la salud, la ética y la equidad de género, pues las mujeres siguen muriendo por causas relacionadas con el embarazo, el parto y posparto. Estas defunciones evitables reflejan la desigualdad de la situación de las mujeres y de su acceso a los servicios básicos de salud. Además, la educación de las mujeres, el control de los recursos económicos y su participación en la toma de decisiones son menores. En este sentido, es necesario considerar que la maternidad sin riesgo no puede lograrse sólo mejorando los servicios de atención de salud materna.Por tanto, se hace necesario visibilizar esta problemática para orientar acciones a favor de los derechos sexuales y derechos reproductivos, la reducción de los embarazos no deseados, el embarazo en adolescentes y la despenalización del aborto, en el marco de lo establecido en el Art. 66 de la Constitución Política del Estado, los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio (Meta Nº 5), y las Plataformas de Acción de Cairo y Beijing, además de otros instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos ratificados por el Estado. A partir de esta realidad, Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir, a través de la construcción y aplicación de una “Guía para el monitoreo de la mortalidad materna vinculada al aborto”, comparte el presente informe sobre “Mortalidad materna vinculada al aborto en Bolivia”, como un aporte que permite identificar, cuantificar y analizar esta temática de urgencia en el país.

Las izquierdas y el aborto. El contexto político en la región ¿favorece los procesos de cambio?

Presentación en la 4ta. Conferencia Regional del CLACAI. Reafirmando el legado de Cairo: Aborto legal y seguro. Lima, 21 y 22 de Agosto de 2014

Las derechas políticas: la bancada evangélica no Brasil

Presentación en la 4ta. Conferencia Regional del CLACAI. Reafirmando el legado de Cairo: Aborto legal y seguro. Lima, 21 y 22 de Agosto de 2014