α-Tocopherol induces proatherogenic changes to HDL2 & HDL3: An in vitro and ex vivo investigation

Introduction: High density lipoproteins (HDL) have considerable potential for improving cardiovascular health. Additionally, epidemiological studies have identified an inverse relationship between a-tocopherol intake and cardiovascular disease, which has not been translated in randomised controlled trials. Objectives: This study assessed if increased α-tocopherol within HDL2 and HDL3 (HDL2&3) influenced their antiatherogenic potential. In the first of two in vitro investigations, the oxidation potential of HDL2&3 was assessed when α-tocopherol was added following their isolation. In the second, their oxidation potential was assessed when HDL2&3 were isolated from serum pre-incubated with α-tocopherol. Additionally, a 6-week placebo-controlled intervention with α-tocopherol assessed if α-tocopherol influenced the oxidation potential and activities of HDL2&3-associated enzymes, paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) and lecithin cholesteryl acyltransferase (LCAT). Results: Conflicting results arose from the in vitro investigations, whereby increasing concentrations of α-tocopherol protected HDL2&3 against oxidation in the post-incubated HDL2&3, and promoted HDL2&3-oxidation when they were isolated from serum pre-incubated with α-tocopherol. Following the 6-week placebo-controlled investigation, α-tocopherol increased in HDL2&3, while HDL2&3 became more susceptible to oxidation, additionally the activities of HDL2&3-PON-1 and HDL2-LCAT decreased. Conclusion: These results have shown for the first time that α-tocopherol induces changes to HDL2&3, which could contribute to the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease.

Mojo Mickybo by Owen McCafferty

Mojo Mickybo is a vibrant and fast-paced tale of two boys’
friendship when they meet during the scorching summer of 1970.
One may be from ‘up the road’ and the other from ‘over the bridge’
but they are brought together by setting world records in headers,
fighting off bullies in the park and sneaking into the cinema to see
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. The two Cowboys friendship
takes them on a whirlwind adventure, from Belfast to Newcastle
Co. Down and back, blissfully unaware of the violence around them.

Land deed between Samuel Howell and Calvin Spencer

This document is a land deed between Samuel Howell and Calvin Spencer, sealed and delivered in the presence of Nicholas Powers and Holden Wade.

The University Singers and The University Evening Chorus March 1, 1966

Concert program for The University Singers and the University Evening Chorus March 1, 1966

When the Line is Crossed... : Paths to Control and Sanction Behaviour Necessitating a State Reaction

The article presents a special form of a European comparative synopsis. For this case examples have been chosen ranging from administrative or minor (criminal) offences to increasingly serious offences and offenders. In this way it can be comparatively demonstrated how the criminal justice systems studied handle specific cases and whether they do so in a similar or different way.

Worldwide trends in diabetes since 1980: a pooled analysis of 751 population-based studies with 4.4 million participants.

One of the global targets for non-communicable diseases is to halt, by 2025, the rise in the age-standardised adult prevalence of diabetes at its 2010 levels. We aimed to estimate worldwide trends in diabetes, how likely it is for countries to achieve the global target, and how changes in prevalence, together with population growth and ageing, are affecting the number of adults with diabetes. We pooled data from population-based studies that had collected data on diabetes through measurement of its biomarkers. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in diabetes prevalence-defined as fasting plasma glucose of 7.0 mmol/L or higher, or history of diagnosis with diabetes, or use of insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs-in 200 countries and territories in 21 regions, by sex and from 1980 to 2014. We also calculated the posterior probability of meeting the global diabetes target if post-2000 trends continue. We used data from 751 studies including 4,372,000 adults from 146 of the 200 countries we make estimates for. Global age-standardised diabetes prevalence increased from 4.3% (95% credible interval 2.4-7.0) in 1980 to 9.0% (7.2-11.1) in 2014 in men, and from 5.0% (2.9-7.9) to 7.9% (6.4-9.7) in women. The number of adults with diabetes in the world increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014 (28.5% due to the rise in prevalence, 39.7% due to population growth and ageing, and 31.8% due to interaction of these two factors). Age-standardised adult diabetes prevalence in 2014 was lowest in northwestern Europe, and highest in Polynesia and Micronesia, at nearly 25%, followed by Melanesia and the Middle East and north Africa. Between 1980 and 2014 there was little change in age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adult women in continental western Europe, although crude prevalence rose because of ageing of the population. By contrast, age-standardised adult prevalence rose by 15 percentage points in men and women in Polynesia and Micronesia. In 2014, American Samoa had the highest national prevalence of diabetes (>30% in both sexes), with age-standardised adult prevalence also higher than 25% in some other islands in Polynesia and Micronesia. If post-2000 trends continue, the probability of meeting the global target of halting the rise in the prevalence of diabetes by 2025 at the 2010 level worldwide is lower than 1% for men and is 1% for women. Only nine countries for men and 29 countries for women, mostly in western Europe, have a 50% or higher probability of meeting the global target. Since 1980, age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adults has increased, or at best remained unchanged, in every country. Together with population growth and ageing, this rise has led to a near quadrupling of the number of adults with diabetes worldwide. The burden of diabetes, both in terms of prevalence and number of adults affected, has increased faster in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. Wellcome Trust.

Male reproductive competition in the field crickets : gryllus veletis and G. pennsylvanicus

Sexual behavior in the field crickets, Gryllus veletis and G. pennsylvanicus , was studied in outdoor arenas (12 m2) at high and low levels of population density in 1983 and 1984. Crickets were weighed, individually marked, and observed from 2200 until 0800 hrs for at least 9 continuous nights. Calling was measured at 5 min intervals, and movement and matings were recorded hourly. Continuous 24 hr observations were also conducted,·and occurrences of aggressive and courtship songs were noted. The timing of males searching, calling, courting, and fighting for females should coincide with female movement and mating patterns. For most samples female movement and matings occurred at night in the 24 hr observations and were randomly distributed with time for both species in the 10 hr observations. Male movement for G. veletis high density only was enhanced at night in the 24 hr observations, however, males called more at night in both species at high and low densities. Male movement was randomly distributed with time in the 10 hr observations, and calling increased at dawn for the G. pennsylvanicus 1984 high density sample, but was randomly distributed in other samples. Most courtship and aggression songs in the 24 hr observations were too infrequent for statistical testing and generally did not coincide with matings. Assuming residual reproductive value, and costs attached to a male trait in terms of future reproductive success decline with age, males should behave in more costly ways with age; by calling and moving more with age. Consequently, mating rates should increase with age. Female behavior may not change with age. G. veletis , females moved more with age at both low density samples, however, crickets moved less with age at high density. G. pennsylvanicus females moved more with age in the 1984 low density sample, whereas crickets moved less with age in the 1983 high density sample. For both species males in the 1984 high density samples called less with age. For G. pennsylvanicus in 1983 calling and mating rates increased with age. Mating rates decreased with age for G. veletis males in the high density sample. Aging may not affect cricket behavior. As population density increases fewer calling sites become available, costs of territoriality increase, and matings resulting from non-calling behavior should increase. For both species the amount of calling and in G. veletis the distance travelled per night was not different between densities. G. pennsylvanicus males and females moved more at low density. At the same deneity levels there were no differences in calling, mating, and, movement rates in G. veletis , however, G. pennsylvanicus males moved more at high density in 1983 than 1984. There was a positive relationship between calling and mating for the G. pennsylvanicus low density sample only, and selection was acting directly to increase calling. For both species no relationships between movement and mating success was found, however, the selection gradient on movement in the G. veletis high density population was significant. The intensity of selection was not significant and was probably due to the inverse relationship between displacement and weight. Larger males should call more, mate more, and move less than smaller males. There were no correlations between calling and individual weight, and an inverse correlation between movement and size in the G. veletis high density population only. In G. pennsylvanicus , there was a positive correlation between individual weight and mating, but, some correlate of weight was under counter selection pressure and-prevented significance of the intensity of selection. In contrast, there was an inverse correlation in the G.·veletis low density B sample. Both measures of selection intensities were significant and showed that weight only was under selection pressures. An inverse correlation between calling and movement was found for G. veletis at low density only. Because males are territorial, females are predicted to move more than males, however, if movement is a mode of male-male reproductive competition then males may move more than females. G. pennsylvanicus males moved more than females in all samples, however, G. veletis males and females moved similar distances at all densities. The variation in relative mating success explained by calling scores, movement, and weight for both species and all samples were not significant In addition, for both species and all samples the intensity of selection never equalled the opportunity for selection.

Les effets du néo-patrimonialisme sur la démocratie : de la pratique du présidentialisme et du clientélisme au Sénégal

Le présent texte porte sur l’état de la démocratie au Sénégal depuis l’alternance politique survenue en 2000. Adoptant une définition minimale de la démocratie – respect des libertés civiles et politiques, et tenue d’élections libres et justes – à laquelle il ajoute le principe de séparation des pouvoirs, son principal objectif est de répondre à la question suivante : pourquoi le fonctionnement de la démocratie est-il entravé au Sénégal? L’hypothèse avancée pour répondre à cette interrogation est la présence du néo-patrimonialisme. Celui-ci, par l’intermédiaire de la personnalisation du pouvoir et le clientélisme, sape le respect des règles démocratiques dans ce pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest. Pour analyser l’impact du néo-patrimonialisme sur la démocratie au Sénégal, ce mémoire privilégie le néo-institutionnalisme sociologique comme cadre théorique. Cette approche définit les institutions de façon large : celles-ci peuvent englober non seulement des normes formelles mais également des règles informelles. En vertu de cette approche, le néo-patrimonialisme et la démocratie représentent des institutions puisque le premier englobe un ensemble de règles informelles et le second un ensemble de normes et procédures formelles. Ces deux institutions structurent et façonnent le comportement des individus. Dans cette confrontation institutionnelle, les règles néo-patrimoniales influencent davantage l’action des élites politiques sénégalaises – notamment le chef de l’État – que les normes démocratiques. La vérification de l’hypothèse s’appuie sur des études sur la démocratie et le néo-patrimonialisme aussi bien au Sénégal qu’en Afrique. Elle se base également sur l’actualité et les faits politiques saillants depuis l’alternance. L’analyse est essentiellement qualitative et se divise en deux chapitres empiriques. Le premier de ceux-ci (chapitre II dans le texte) concerne la séparation des pouvoirs. Le but de ce chapitre est d’observer la manière dont l’actuel président de la République, Abdoulaye Wade, contrôle le parlement et la justice. Le second chapitre empirique (chapitre III dans le texte) se divise en deux sections. La première s’intéresse aux libertés civiles et politiques qui subissent des restrictions dues au penchant autoritaire de Wade. La seconde section porte sur les élections dont le déroulement est entaché par de nombreuses irrégularités : violence électorale, manque de ressources de l’autorité électorale, instabilité du calendrier électoral, partialité de la justice. L’étude confirme l’hypothèse, ce qui est très problématique pour la plupart des États africains. En effet, le néo-patrimonialisme est une caractéristique fondamentale de la gouvernance en Afrique. Ainsi, beaucoup de régimes du continent noir qui enclenchent ou enclencheront un processus de démocratisation comme le Sénégal, risquent de connaître les mêmes difficultés liées à la persistance des pratiques néo-patrimoniales.

Interview with Professor Mark Brodin about his book "William P. Homans Jr.: A Life In Court"

Boston lawyer William P. Homans Jr. devoted his fifty-year career to the defense of the poor and downtrodden, the protection of our most basic civil liberties, and the abolition of the death penalty. Descendant of two of Boston's oldest and most prominent families, and combat veteran of both the British and American Navies during World War II, Homans became unlikely guru to the 1960s generation of radical lawyers and antiwar activists. He was on the defense team in the 1968 conspiracy trial of Dr. Benjamin Spock and four other leading opponents of the Vietnam War accused of aiding and abetting resistance to the military draft, and represented Dr. Kenneth Edelin in the 1975 manslaughter prosecution arising out of a lawful abortion performed after Roe v. Wade. The narrative contrasts Bill Homans' storied legal career with a troubled personal life in a balanced but unvarnished manner, testifying to the strength of the human spirit when committed to the pursuit of the common good. About the author: Mark S. Brodin is Professor of Law at Boston College Law School and the author of numerous books and law journal articles in the areas of civil and criminal procedure, evidence, litigation, and employment discrimination. A graduate of Columbia College (1969) and Columbia Law School (1972), he served as law clerk to United States District Judge Joseph L. Tauro and staff attorney with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights in Boston. He has also practiced for brief periods as a public defender in Boston and a prosecutor in Norfolk County.

Aportes de la psicología al consumerismo

El presente artículo tuvo como finalidad hallar cuáles han sido los aportes específicos de la Psicología al Consumerismo. Para alcanzar dicho fin se inició con la contextualización del marco teórico relacionado con el consumerismo, partiendo de la historia de la Psicología del Consumidor y sus conceptos más relevantes, continuando con la definición del Consumerismo, las circunstancias específicas de la sociedad actual que han favorecido el afianzamiento en esta temática, así como los aspectos legales generales y los específicos referidos a Colombia. En tercer lugar se realizó una búsqueda rigurosa de material bibliográfico que permitiera ahondar en los aportes de la Psicología, en todas sus ramas, al consumerismo. Finalmente se realizó una reflexión con respecto al papel activo que la psicología debe tomar en el tema del consumerismo, los factores psicológicos que intermedian en este proceso, las consecuencias individuales y sociales, así como el nuevo rol que debe enfrentar el Psicólogo interesado en la Psicología del consumidor.

Desconocimiento de la propiedad colectiva en Colombia: a la luz del Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos

La jurisprudencia de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos de los últimos años, ha establecido una serie de criterios y medidas que configurarían un catálogo de disposiciones que deben emprender los Estados para garantizar la real protección del derecho de propiedad de las comunidades indígenas y tribales. Dichas medidas deben ser implementadas en los procesos de formalización y titularización de las tierras ancestrales ocupadas, en la delimitación y demarcación del terreno, en la restitución de porciones de tierra pérdida, en la estipulación de criterios para el otorgamiento de tierras alternativas; y en los estudios que tiendan a establecer políticas públicas para la satisfacción de las necesidades de las comunidades relativas a la producción y posesión de la tierra como mecanismo idóneo para el mantenimiento de condiciones de vida digna. La regulación colombiana para las tierras de las comunidades indígenas y las comunidades afrocolombianas presenta aspectos divergentes: las primeras poseen una reglamentación destinada a la ampliación, reestructuración y saneamiento de los resguardos indígenas, y las segundas están regidas bajo un estatuto general de la propiedad colectiva y adjudicación de baldíos. En los dos sistemas, los procedimientos son complejos, tardíos, confusos, requieren de sofisticados prerrequisitos, y ante todo su estructura está basada bajo criterios de una sociedad no indígena y no tribal. Adicionalmente, el compendio normativo en materia de titulación, delimitación y demarcación de tierras de comunidades afrocolombianas antes enunciado, presenta diversas lagunas normativas que se acentúan con la carencia de actualización de dicha regulación a las condiciones actuales si se tiene en cuenta que no ha existido modificación a la misma en los últimos 19 años, y que hacen necesario aplicar analógicamente las disposiciones del Código Civil en materia de propiedad individual a efectos de dar respuesta a los supuestos de hecho no contemplados.

Análisis de la movilización indígena promovida por el consejo regional indígena del Cauca-(C.R.I.C), como herramienta política y social para la restitución de los derechos de los pueblos indígenas del departamento del Cauca, en el marco de la Minga Social y Comunitaria.(2006-2010)

El análisis de este estudio se centra en describir el proceso que vivió la movilización indígena a través de la Minga de Resistencia Social y Comunitaria; que inició con diversas mingas a partir del año 2006 y se consolidó en el año 2009. Esta movilización tiene como fin exigir la restitución de los derechos de los pueblos indígenas del Departamento del Cauca. La Minga, se convierte en una herramienta política y social que a partir de la movilización empieza a estructurarse e involucrar a otros sectores de la sociedad.

Estudio de caso: análisis de la influencia del movimiento pro-choice estadounidense en la promoción de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos en Colombia en el periodo de 2001 – 2011.

Los procesos transnacionales han marcado un cambio en las relaciones entre los actores del sistema internacional, permitiendo el trabajo por diversas causas a través de las fronteras. Esto ha sido aprovechado por los movimientos sociales, para que su lucha no quede enmarcada simplemente en su país, sino que a partir de objetivos, problemáticas, valores y acciones similares se vea reflejado en diferentes Estados y se de una acción común y colectiva para generar un cambio. Este fenómeno ha sido tomado como referente el Movimiento Pro-choice para articularse transnacionalmente en Colombia para la promoción de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos en el periodo de 2001 a 2011, alcanzando una serie de objetivos importantes que han permitido cambios legales al interior del país, generando también un cambio dentro de la sociedad colombiana. El estudio, análisis y comprensión de la articulación del movimiento prochoice a partir de una dinámica transnacional para la promoción de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos en Colombia, se perfila como un tema de importancia por su coyuntura actual en el mundo, puesto que ha estado latente en los últimos veinte años. Igualmente, la identificación de la acción de los MST como otros actores internacionales en la transformación de las sociedades tanto locales como internacionales, traducido como un fenómeno que se puede explicar dentro de las Relaciones Internacionales.

Curules especiales para comunidades negras en la Cámara de Representantes: Evolución 1994–2003

Describir el proceso organizativo afrocolombiano por la búsqueda de las dos curules especiales que la Constitución Política de 1991 les otorgó a las comunidades negras en el Congreso, estudiar desde la perspectiva de los Nuevos Movimientos Sociales