Androgens and Hypertension in Men and Women: a Unifying View.

This review was designed to revaluate the androgen role on the mechanisms of hypertension and cardiovascular risks in both men and women. Sex steroids are involved in the regulation of blood pressure, but pathophysiological mechanism is not well understood. Androgens have an important effect on metabolism, adipose and endothelial cell function, and cardiovascular risk in both men and women. A focal point in this contest is represented by the possible gender-specific regulation of different tissues and in particular of the adipose cell. Available data confirm that androgen deficiency is linked to increased prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Adipocyte dysfunction seems to be the main involved mechanism. Androgen replacement reduces inflammation state in man, protecting by metabolic syndrome progression. In women, androgen excess has been considered as promoting factor of cardiovascular risk. However, recent data suggest that excessive androgen production has little effect per se in inducing hypertension in young women of reproductive age. Also in postmenopausal women, data on relative androgen excess and hypertension are missing, while adrenal androgen deficiency has been associated to increased mortality. RECENT FINDINGS: Molecular mechanisms linking androgen dysregulation to hypertension are almost Unknown, but they seem to be related to increased visceral fat, promoting a chronic inflammatory state through different mechanisms. One of these may involve the recruitment and over-activation of NF-kB, a ubiquitous transcription factor also expressed in adipose cells, where it may cause the production of cytokines and other immune factors. The NF-kB signalling pathway may also influence brown adipogenesis leading to the preferential enlargement of visceral adipocytes. Chronic inflammation and adipocyte dysfunction may alter endothelial function leading to hypertension. Both in men and in women, particularly in the post-menopausal period, hypoandrogenism seems to be a major determinant of the increased prevalence of hypertension. The relationship between androgen signalling and NF-kB might explain the pathophysiological mechanism leading to the development of endothelium dysfunction and hypertension

Generalised Thurston-Bennequin invariants for real algebraic surface singularities

A generalised Thurston-Bennequin invariant for a Q-singularity of a real algebraic variety is defined as a linking form on the homologies of the real link of the singularity. The main goal of this paper is to present a method to calculate the linking form in terms of the very good resolution graph of a real normal unibranch surface singularity. For such singularities, the value of the linking form is the Thurston-Bennequin number of the real link of the singularity. As a special case of unibranch surface singularities, the behaviour of the linking form is investigated on the Brieskorn double points x^m+y^n\pm z^2=0.Comment: 22 pages, TeX, 12 figure

PENGARUH STRES DAN MOTIVASI KERJA TERHADAP PRESTASI KERJA KARYAWAN DI PT. BANK TABUNGAN NEGARA (PERSERO) TBK KANTOR CABANG BANDUNG

ABSTRAK Penelitian ini berawal dari ditemukannya masalah prestasi kerja yang belum optimal yang disebabkan oleh adanya stres kerja dan rendahnya motivasi kerja. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui dan menganalisa pengaruh stres kerja dan motivasi kerja terhadap prestasi kerja karyawan baik secara simultan maupun parsial di PT. Bank Tabungan Negara Kantor Cabang Bandung. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah penelitian lapangan (field research), studi kepustakaan (library research), dan angket penelitian. Metode analisis data yang digunakan adalah metode analisis linier regresi berganda, korelasi berganda, dan koefisien determinasi. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa stres kerja berpengaruh negatif dan signifikan terhadap prestasi kerja karyawan. Motivasi kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap prestasi kerja karyawan. Sementara itu variabel stres dan motivasi berpengaruh signifikan bersama-sama terhadap prestasi kerja karyawan di PT. Bank Tabungan Negara Kantor Cabang Bandung. Kata Kunci : Stres Kerja, Motivasi Kerja, Prestasi Kerj

The development of early expressive vocabulary in children with Down Syndrome

A delay in expressive language in children with Down Syndrome (DS) is common, and often a major challenge of the condition. This study aimed to investigate the early expressive vocabulary skills of Maltese children with DS, whose first languages were either Maltese or English, while taking into account chronological age. Language preference was further explored in the context of a bilingual environment. A multi-method design was implemented across seven participants whose language abilities ranged from the expression of single words in isolation to simple word combinations. The expressive vocabularies of four boys and three girls between 2;10 and 11;9 years were assessed through caregiver report, picture naming and language sampling. Performance of the children was analysed in relation to local findings on lexical production in typically-developing children. The study revealed that productive vocabularies of Maltese bilingual children with DS escalated with increasing age, notwithstanding inevitable individual variation.peer-reviewe

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Prevalence and correlates of use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with autism spectrum disorder in Europe

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among a sample of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) < 7 years in 18 European countries (N = 1,680). Forty-seven percent of parents reported having tried any CAM approach in the past 6 months. Diets and supplements were used by 25 % of the sample and mind-body practices by 24 %; other unconventional approaches were used by 25 % of the families, and a minority of parents reported having tried any invasive or potentially harmful approach (2 %). Parents in Eastern Europe reported significantly higher rates of CAM use. In the total sample, children with lower verbal ability and children using prescribed medications were more likely to be receiving diets or supplements. Concurrent use of high levels of conventional psychosocial intervention was significantly associated with use of mind-body practices. Higher parental educational level also increased the likelihood of both use of diets and supplements and use of mind-body practices. Conclusion: The high prevalence of CAM use among a sample of young children with ASD is an indication that parents need to be supported in the choice of treatments early on in the assessment process, particularly in some parts of Europe

PEMBELAJARAN MENGANALISIS STRUKTUR DAN KAIDAH PADA TEKS ANEKDOT DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN MODEL INKUIRI PADA SISWA KELAS X SMA NASIONAL BANDUNG TAHUN PELAJARAN 2015/2016

Teks anekdot adalah cerita singkat yang menarik karena lucu dan mengesankan, biasanya mengenai orang yang penting atau terkenal dan brda sarkan kejadian yang sebenarnya. Metode Model ink uiri adalah merupakan suatu rangkaian kegiatan pembelajaran yan g melibatkan secara maksimal seluruh kemampuan perserta didik untuk mencari dan menyelidiki secara sistematis, kritis, dan logis . Rumusan masalah yang penulis ajukan adalah: (1) Mampukah penulis merencanakan , melaksanakan, dan me nilai pembelajran menganali sis struktur dan kaidah teks anekdot d engan menggunakan model inkuiri pada siswa kelas X SMA Nasional Bandung tahun pelajaran 2015 - 2016?; (2) Mampukah siswa kelas X SMA Nasional Bandung tahun pelajaran 2015 - 2016 pembelajaran menganalisis struktur dan kaida h khususnya dalam teks anekdot dengan menggunakan model inkuiri?; dan (3) Efektifkah metode inkuiri digunakan dalam pembelajaran menganalisis struktur dan kaidah khususnya pada teks anekdot pada sisw a kelas X SMA Nasional Bandung? Penenelitian ini bertujua n untuk mengetahui kemampuan siswa dalam pembelajaran menganalisis struktur dan kaidah pada teks anekdot dengan menggunakan model inkuiri . Hipotesis yang penulis rumuskan yaitu: (1) Penulis mampu merencanakan dan melaksanakan pembelajaran menganalisis stru ktur dan kaidah teks anekdot dengan media teks anekdot dengan menggunakan model inkuiri pada siswa kelas X SMA Nasional Bandung Tahun pelajaran 2015 - 2016 ; (2) Siswa kelas X SMA Nasional Bandung tahun pelalajaran 2015 - 2016 mampu menganalisis struktur dan kaidah teks anekdot dengan media teks anekdot dengan menggunakan model inkuiri ; (3) Model inkuiri digunakan dalam pembelajaran menganalisis struktur dan kaidah tek anekdot dengan media teks anekdot pada siswa kelas X SMA Nasional Bandung. Metode peneliti an yang digunakan oleh penulis dalam penelitian ini adalah metode penelitian one group pretest - posttest design, dengan teknik penelitian telaah pustaka, observasi, uji coba, dan tes. Adapun hasil penelitiannya, hipotesis pertama diterima dengan jumlah nila i rata - rata yang diperoleh 3,6 sangat baik (A). Hipotesis kedua diterima, hal ini ini terbukti dari nilai rata - rata pretes yaitu 47,99 dan nilai rata - rata postes yaitu 79,97. Jadi, ada peningkatan sebesar 31,98 atau stara dengan 127,92% . Hipotesis ketiga d iterima, dengan pembuktian hasil pretes dan postes serta hasil uji t hitung 4,86> t tabel 2,06 yakni pada tingkat kepercayaan 9 5 % dan d.b sebesar 25. Berdasarkan fakta - fakta tersebut, penulis menyimpulkan bahwa semua hipotesis yang penulis rumuskan dalam p enelitian ini dapat diterima. Kata Kunci: Pembelajaran, Menganalisis, Struktur dan kaidah, pada Teks Anekdot, Inkuir

Push-out tests and analytical study of shear transfer mechanisms in composite shallow cellular floor beams

The shear transferring mechanisms of composite shallow cellular floor beams are different with the conventional headed shear studs, and have not been investigated previously. This paper presents the experimental and analytical studies of the shear transferring mechanisms with the aims to provide information on their shear resistance and behaviour. The composite shallow cellular floor beam is a new type of composite floor beam that consists of an asymmetric steel section with circular web openings and concrete slabs incorporated between the top and bottom flange. The unique feature of the web openings allows tie-bars, building services and ducting to pass through the structural depth of the floor beam, creating an ultra-shallow floor beam structure. The shear connection of the composite shallow cellular floor beam is formed innovatively by the web openings, as the in-situ concrete passes through the web openings may or may not include the tie-bars or ducting to transfer the longitudinal shear force. In total, 24 push-out tests were carried out to investigate the shear connection under the direct shear force. The effect of loading cycles on the shear connection was also investigated. The failure mechanisms of the shear connection were extensively studied, which had led to the development of a calculation method of shear resistance for the shear connection