Musiikki muistin tukena

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Constituintes químicos da casca de Ochroma lagopus swartz (Bombacaceae)

O estudo químico das cascas de Ochroma lagopus Swartz levou ao isolamento e ou, identificação de uma mistura de ácidos graxos e triacilglicerídeos, de b-sitosterol (1), estigmasterol (2), daucosterol (3), estigmasterol-3-O-b-D-glicosídeo (4) e manitol (5).

Aivojen rakkaudesta musiikkiin

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Oikeuden polku

Kääntänyt ja esipuheen laatinut Toni Malminen.

Training system for conceptual design and evaluation for wastewater treatment

Rising population, rapid urbanisation and growing industrialisation have severely stressed water quality and its availability in Malawi. In addition, financial and institutional problems and the expanding agro industry have aggravated this problem. The situation is worsened by depleting water resources and pollution from untreated sewage and industrial effluent. The increasing scarcity of clean water calls for the need for appropriate management of available water resources. There is also demand for a training system for conceptual design and evaluation for wastewater treatment in order to build the capacity for technical service providers and environmental practitioners in the country. It is predicted that Malawi will face a water stress situation by 2025. In the city of Blantyre, this situation is aggravated by the serious pollution threat from the grossly inadequate sewage treatment capacity. This capacity is only 23.5% of the wastewater being generated presently. In addition, limited or non-existent industrial effluent treatment has contributed to the severe water quality degradation. This situation poses a threat to the ecologically fragile and sensitive receiving water courses within the city. This water is used for domestic purposes further downstream. This manuscript outlines the legal and policy framework for wastewater treatment in Malawi. The manuscript also evaluates the existing wastewater treatment systems in Blantyre. This evaluation aims at determining if the effluent levels at the municipal plants conform to existing standards and guidelines and other associated policy and regulatory frameworks. The raw material at all the three municipal plants is sewage. The typical wastewater parameters are Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS). The treatment target is BOD5, COD, and TSS reduction. Typical wastewater parameters at the wastewater treatment plant at MDW&S textile and garments factory are BOD5 and COD. The treatment target is to reduce BOD5 and COD. The manuscript further evaluates a design approach of the three municipal wastewater treatment plants in the city and the wastewater treatment plant at Mapeto David Whitehead & Sons (MDW&S) textile and garments factory. This evaluation utilises case-based design and case-based reasoning principles in the ED-WAVE tool to determine if there is potential for the tool in Blantyre. The manuscript finally evaluates the technology selection process for appropriate wastewater treatment systems for the city of Blantyre. The criteria for selection of appropriate wastewater treatment systems are discussed. Decision support tools and the decision tree making process for technology selection are also discussed. Based on the treatment targets and design criteria at the eight cases evaluated in this manuscript in reference to similar cases in the ED-WAVE tool, this work confirms the practical use of case-based design and case-based reasoning principles in the ED-WAVE tool in the design and evaluation of wastewater treatment 6 systems in sub-Sahara Africa, using Blantyre, Malawi, as the case study area. After encountering a new situation, already collected decision scenarios (cases) are invoked and modified in order to arrive at a particular design alternative. What is necessary, however, is to appropriately modify the case arrived at through the Case Study Manager in order to come up with a design appropriate to the local situation taking into account technical, socio-economic and environmental aspects. This work provides a training system for conceptual design and evaluation for wastewater treatment.

Humanidades médicas: ¿Decorativas o substantivas? El caso de literatura y medicina

Las humanidades médicas han sido proclamadas como esenciales en la educación y en la práctica de la medicina, a pesar de lo cual tienen una posición muy frágil en el currículo médico, siendo consideradas como materias "blandas" frente al currículo nuclear y las asignaturas "duras". El auge de la biomedicina ha enfatizado el carácter cientifista y basado en evidencia, marginando aún más las disciplinas de las humanidades. Basado en la distinción de Whitehead y Latour, entre asuntos fácticos - matters of fact - y asuntos de importancia - importance - o de preocupación - matters of concern. La sociología médica, antropología médica y bioética fundamental (basada en conocimientos de conceptos éticos) logran desarrollar una asignatura con fundamentos empíricos que les permite ingresar al currículo como disciplinas fácticas. Se sugiere una tercera categoría de asuntos de preocupación fáctica - matters of factual concern - para incorporar disciplinas que reflexionan sobre hechos - filosofía e historia de la medicina - , y fomentan la reflexión sobre la medicina, como es la literatura en sus diversas expresiones (narrativa, ensayística, crítica, testimonial). Se propone aquí transmitir esta categoría como conocimiento tácito basado en interacción personal.

The notion of process in nonstandard theory and in Whiteheadian metaphysics

In this article I intend to show that certain aspects of A.N. Whitehead's philosophy of organism and especially his epochal theory of time, as mainly exposed in his well-known work Process and Reality, can serve in clarify the underlying assumptions that shape nonstandard mathematical theories as such and also as metatheories of quantum mechanics. Concerning the latter issue, I point to an already significant research on nonstandard versions of quantum mechanics; two of these approaches are chosen to be critically presented in relation to the scope of this work. The main point of the paper is that, insofar as we can refer a nonstandard mathematical entity to a kind of axiomatical formalization essentially 'codifying' an underlying mental process indescribable as such by analytic means, we can possibly apply certain principles of Whitehead's metaphysical scheme focused on the key notion of process which is generally conceived as the becoming of actual entities. This is done in the sense of a unifying approach to provide an interpretation of nonstandard mathematical theories as such and also, in their metatheoretical status, as a formalization of the empirical-experimental context of quantum mechanics.

Chloroplastid pigment contents and chlorophyll a fluorescence in Amazonian tropical three species

Plants react to changes in light and hydrological conditions in terms of quantity and composition of chloroplastidic pigments, which affects the photosynthetic properties and consequently the accumulation of plant biomass. Thus, the chloroplastidic pigment concentration and chlorophyll a fluorescence of three Amazonian species (Bertholletia excelsa, Carapa guianensis e Dipteryx odorata) were investigated in sun and shade leaves form the tree crown collected during two distinct periods of precipitation (dry and rainy seasons). Pigment contents were determined by spectrophotometry and fluorescence variables were determined using a portable fluorometer. The results demonstrated that the species showed high concentrations of Chl a, Chl b e Chl total during the wet season in relation to the dry season, especially in shade leaves. A higher concentration of carotenoids was found in B. excelsa, when compared with leaves of C. guianensis and D. odorata. In leaves of B. excelsa and D. odorata no significant difference was found in relation to the photochemistry of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) between the wet and dry seasons. In conclusion, the three species react differently to variations in the light and precipitation conditions regarding light capture, aspects that might be considered in the management of forest plantations.

Konfliktaushandlung zwischen Ehepartnern in deutsch- und schwedischsprachigen Dramen : eine historisch-kontrastive linguistische Dialoganalyse

I min doktorsavhandling undersöker jag framställningen av verbala konflikter mellan äkta makar inom både tysk- och svenskspråkiga dramer. Det empiriska materialet består av en historisk rad av tre svensk- och tre tyskspråkiga dramer som sträcker sig från 1896 till 1987. Den svenskspråkiga dramaserien består av dramerna Dödsdansen (1900, A. Strindberg), Ringleken (1978, Ahlfors/Andersson/Bargum) och Hämndaria (1987, L. Norén). Den tyskspråkiga serien består av dramerna Reigen (1896, A. Schnitzler), Die Zimmerschlacht (1967, M. Walser) och Play Strindberg (1968, F. Dürrenmatt). Som teoretisk och metodisk utgångspunkt för analysen fungerar det relativt nya och outforskade forskningsområdet ’historisk dialoganalys’, vilket är både språk- och litteraturvetenskapligt inriktat. Inom historisk dialoganalys utgår man ifrån att litterära dialoger, även om de är fiktiva, fungerar som en rikhaltig källa till historisk kunskap om samtal och kommunikation. Min avhandling sträver efter att genom noggrann analys beskriva de framställda verbala konflikterna mot deras estetiska, historiska, kulturella och sociala bakgrund. Resultaten av den historiska och kontrastiva jämförelsen av de sex valda dialogerna visar att det finns signifikanta historiska paralleller i framställningen av de verbala konfliktmönstren bland de tyskspråkiga dramerna och bland de svenskspråkiga dramerna. Däremot visar den kontrastiva jämförelsen av de svensk- och tyskspråkiga dramaserierna att det finns signifikanta skillnader mellan de framställda svensk- och tyskspråkiga konfliktmönstren. Samtidigt kunde det upptäckas att dessa kontrastiva skillnader inte bara är påverkade av skilda estetiskt-litterära traditioner, utan delvis också av olika historiska, sociala och kulturella normer och konventioner som står bakom de svensk- och tyskspråkiga dialogerna. Avhandlingens resultat leder å ena sidan till en djupare insikt om genrehistoriska paralleller, differenser och utvecklingar, och å andra sidan ger de upptäckta dialogstrukturerna inblick i historiskt och kulturellt bundna normer och konventioner om (verbalt) beteende. I och med att det är fråga om fiktionala dialoger får resultaten inte likaställas med sådana från naturliga samtal. Min avhandling fungerar snarare som ett komplement till analysen av verkliga konflikter i och med att den tillför en historisk och kulturell dimension som samtalsanalysen inte har när den enbart fokuserar på nutidens samtal.

Estudo retrospectivo de ferimentos cardíacos ocorridos em Manaus/AM

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as formas de tratamento empregadas e os principais aspectos relacionados à morbidade e à mortalidade dos ferimentos cardíacos.. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo de 102 doentes com lesão cardíaca, atendidos nos dois prontos socorros de Manaus (Pronto Socorro Municipal 28 de Agosto e Hospital Pronto Socorro Dr. João Lúcio P. Machado) no período de janeiro de 1998 a junho de 2006. RESULTADOS: Dos 102 doentes, 95,1% eram homens; a média de idade foi 27 anos; ferimentos por arma branca representaram 81,4% dos casos, contra 18,6% por arma de fogo; cardiorrafia foi realizada em 98,1% dos casos. As câmaras cardíacas atingidas foram: VD: 43,9% (36,2% isoladamente e 7,7% associada a outras câmaras); VE: 37,2%; AD: 8,5% e AE: 10,4%, com mortalidades específicas de 21%, 23%, 22% e 45%, respectivamente. Lesões de duas câmaras associadas alcançaram mortalidade de 37,5%, sendo 20% para VD+AD, 100% para VD+VE e zero para VD+AE. O pulmão correspondeu a 33,7% de 89 lesões associadas. Os tempos médios de cirurgia e de internação foram de 121 minutos e 8,2 dias, respectivamente. Cerca de 22,5% complicaram representando 41 complicações. A mortalidade foi 28,4%. Lesões grau IV e V corresponderam a 55% e 41% dos casos, com mortalidade específica de 26% e 15%, respectivamente. Todos os doentes com lesão grau VI morreram. CONCLUSÃO: O ferimentos cardíacos por arma branca estiveram associados a menor mortalidade, as lesões cardíacas grau IV estiveram associadas à maior mortalidade e um menor tempo operatório esteve associado à maior gravidade e mortalidade.

Tuotantopaikkakunnat Amerikan kaksoismantereella

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Chromatoid body mediated RNA regulation in mouse male germline

Male germ cell differentiation, spermatogenesis is an exceptional developmental process that produces a massive amount of genetically unique spermatozoa. The complexity of this process along with the technical limitations in the germline research has left many aspects of spermatogenesis poorly understood. Post-meiotic haploid round spermatids possess the most complex transcriptomes of the whole body. Correspondingly, efficient and accurate control mechanisms are necessary to deal with the huge diversity of transcribed RNAs in these cells. The high transcriptional activity in round spermatids is accompanied by the presence of an uncommonly large cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein granule, called the chromatoid body (CB) that is conjectured to participate in the RNA post-transcriptional regulation. However, very little is known about the possible mechanisms of the CB function. The development of a procedure to isolate CBs from mouse testes was this study’s objective. Anti-MVH immunoprecipitation of cross-linked CBs from a fractionated testicular cell lysate was optimized to yield considerable quantities of pure and intact CBs from mice testes. This protocol produced reliable and reproducible data from the subsequent analysis of CB’s protein and RNA components. We found that the majority of the CB’s proteome consists of RNA-binding proteins that associate functionally with different pathways. We also demonstrated notable localization patterns of one of the CB transient components, SAM68 and showed that its ablation does not change the general composition or structure of the CB. CB-associated RNA analysis revealed a strong accumulation of PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the CB. When the CB transcriptome and proteome analysis results were combined, the most pronounced molecular functions in the CB were related to piRNA pathway, RNA post-transcriptional processing and CB structural scaffolding. In addition, we demonstrated that the CB is a target for the main RNA flux from the nucleus throughout all steps of round spermatid development. Moreover, we provided preliminary evidence that those isolated CBs slice target RNAs in vitro in an ATPdependent manner. Altogether, these results make a strong suggestion that the CB functions involve RNA-related and RNA-mediated mechanisms. All the existing data supports the hypothesis that the CB coordinates the highly complex haploid transcriptome during the preparation of the male gametes for fertilization. Thereby, this study provides a fundamental basis for the future functional analyses of ribonucleoprotein granules and offers also important insights into the mechanisms governing male fertility.

Prosessifilosofiaa sosiologeille

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Sugarcane tolerance to ratoon eradication with glyphosate determined by physiological responses

This study aimed to evaluate the tolerance of sugarcane cultivars to ratoon eradication under different glyphosate rates by means of physiological responses. Therefore, a trial was carried out in randomized complete blocks with 4 x 4 factorial design (cultivars x rates) totaling 16 treatments with four replicates. The cultivars IAC91-5155, IACSP93-3046, and IAC86-2480 and IAC87-3396 and the glyphosate rates 0 g ha-1; 1,920 g ha-1; 2,400 g ha-1; 2,880 g ha-1 were tested. The variables analyzed were percentage of tiller mortality, quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and SPAD index. The results showed that there are differences among sugarcane cultivars for tiller eradication and for physiological responses with glyphosate different rates. The rate of 2,880 g ha-1 was the most efficient in eliminating sugarcane tillers. The cultivars IAC86-2480, IAC87-3396 and IACSP93-3046 were the most sensitive and the IAC91-5155 tolerated, for a longer period of time, the damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of the ratoons caused by glyphosate desiccation. Due to different responses, different managements should be considered for eliminating ratoons of different cultivars.