A study to explore the expressed needs of ten primiparous mothers during labour and delivery

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

Lebanese Plants and Plant-Derived Compounds Against Colon Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health concern and demands long-term efforts in developing strategies for screening and prevention. CRC has become a preventable disease as a consequence of a better understanding of colorectal carcinogenesis. However, current therapy is unsatisfactory and necessitates the exploration of other approaches for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Plant based products have been recognized as preventive with regard to the development of colon cancer. Therefore, the potential chemopreventive use and mechanism of action of Lebanese natural product were evaluated. Towards this aim the antitumor activity of Onopordum cynarocephalum and Centaurea ainetensis has been studied using in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro, both crude extracts were non cytotoxic to normal intestinal cells and inhibited the proliferation of colon cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, both crude extracts reduced the number of tumors by an average of 65% at weeks 20 (adenomas stage) and 30 (adenocarcinomas stage). The activity of the C. ainetensis extract was attributed to Salograviolide A, a guaianolide-type sesquiterpene lactone, which was isolated and identified through bio-guided fractionation. The mechanism of action of thymoquinone (TQ), the active component of Nigella sativa, was established in colon cancer cells using in vitro models. By the use of N-acetyl cysteine, a radical scavenger, the direct involvement of reactive oxygen species in TQ-induced apoptotic cells was established. The analytical detection of TQ from spiked serum and its protein binding were evaluated. The average recovery of TQ from spiked serum subjected to several extraction procedures was 2.5% proving the inability of conventional methods to analyze TQ from serum. This has been explained by the extensive binding (>98%) of TQ to serum and major serum components such as bovine serum albumin (BSA) and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP). Using mass spectrometry analysis, TQ was confirmed to bind covalently to the free cysteine in position 34 and 147 of the amino acid sequence of BSA and AGP, respectively. The results of this work put at the disposal for future development new plants with anti-cancer activities and enhance the understanding of the pharmaceutical properties of TQ, a prerequisite for its future clinical development.Paksusuolen syöpä on merkittävä terveyttä uhkaava sairaus ja vaatii pitkäjänteisiä ponnisteluita kehitettäessä lähestymistapoja taudin toteamiseksi ja hoitamiseksi. Paksusuolen syövän hoito on parantunut ja paksusuolen syövän kehittymiseen vaikuttavat tekijät tunnetaan paremmin kuin aikaisemmin. Kuitenkin nykyiset hoitokäytännöt eivät ole täysin tyydyttäviä ja tekevät välttämättömäksi, että tutkitaan muita tapoja ennalta ehkäistä ja hoitaa syöpää. On havaittu kasviperäisten tuotteiden estävän paksusuolen syövän kehittymistä. Tämän johdosta tässä tutkimuksessa libanonilaisten luonnontuotteiden syöpää estävää vaikutusta ja vaikutusmekanismia tutkittiin. Tutkittiin Onopordum cynarocephalum ja Centaurea ainetensis kasvien vaikutuksia paksusuolen syöpään käyttämällä in vitro and in vivo solu- ja eläinkoe malleja. In vitro, solukokeissa molemmat raakauutteet eivät olleet sytotoksisia suolistosoluille ja estivät paksusuolen syöpäsolujen lisääntymistä annosvasteisesti. In vivo, eläinkokeissa molemmat raakauutteet vähensivät kasvaimien määrää keskimäärin 65%:lla 20 viikkoa hoidon aloittamisesta (adenooma vaihe) and 30 viikkoa hoidon aloittamisesta (adenokarsinooma vaihe). C. ainetensis-uutteen aktiivisuus voitiin liittää Salograviolidi A:han, guaianolidi-tyyppinen seskviterpeenilaktoniin, mikä eristettiin ja tunnistettiin aktiivisuuden ohjaaman eristyksen avulla. Nigella sativa-kasvin vaikuttavan aineen tymokinonin (TQ) vaikutusmekanismia tutkittiin käyttämällä paksusuolen syöpäsolumalleja in vitro. Käyttämälllä N-asetyylikysteiiniä, radikaalin sieppaajaa, reaktiivisen happimolekyylien suora osallistuminen TQ-indusoiduissa apoptoottisissa soluissa voitiin osoittaa. TQ:n mittaamista seerumista ja TQ:n sitoutumista proteiineihin tutkittiin. Kun TQ oli lisätty seerumiin sen keskimääräinen saanto useiden uuttojen jälkeen oli vain 2.5%, mikä osoitti tavanomaisten menetelmien heikkouden analysoitaessa TQ:ta seerumista. Tämä selittyi TQ:n voimakkaalla sitoutumisella (>98%) seerumiin ja seerumin pääkomponentteihin kuten naudan seerumin albumiini (BSA) ja hapan glykoproteiini (alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, AGP). Käyttämällä massaspektrometri-analytiikkaa TQ:n voitiin osoittaa sitoutuvan kovalenttisesti vapaaseen kysteiiniin aminohappoissa 34 (BSA) ja 147 (AGP). Tämän työn tulokset mahdollistavat tulevaisuudessa uusien kasviperäisten syöpälääkkeiden kehittämisen ja edesauttavat TQ:n farmaseuttisten ominaisuuksien ymmärtämistä kehitettäessä sitä tulevaisuudessa lääkkeeksi kliiniseen käyttöön

Use of Indicators to Evaluate Sustainability of Animal Production Systems

SUMMARY – Few indicators for sustainability are used in studying animal production systems. Sustainability of these systems should be evaluated in a dynamic and multidisciplinary manner, and those indicators used should allow for detecting the systems' most relevant properties, as well as the tendency of those systems to change. Indicators proposed by FAO provide information regarding all attributes of sustainability, although in a manner which is overly focused on technical and economic indicators at the expense of social and environmental factors. In order to use these indicators to evaluate sustainability, it is necessary to: (i) integrate and reduce the number of indicators, balancing them for all sustainability attributes; (ii) generate indicators which show system sustainability in relation to the economic, environmental and social context; and (iii) design indicators which show system evolution and the influence of this process on that system’s sustainability.RESUME – "Utilisation d'indicateurs pour évaluer la durabilité des systèmes de production animale". Les indicateurs permettant de caractériser la durabilité des systèmes de production animale sont peu développés. L'évaluation de la durabilité de ces systèmes doit être dynamique et multidisciplinaire et les indicateurs utilisés doivent permettre de détecter les caractéristiques les plus importantes des systèmes et leur évolution. Les indicateurs proposés par la FAO servent à informer sur tous les attributs liés à la durabilité, mais d’une façon non équilibrée et trop centrée sur le système de production. Pour rendre possible l’utilisation des indicateurs FAO en tant qu'évaluateurs de la durabilité des systèmes, il conviendra de: (i) réduire le nombre d'indicateurs obtenus à partir des données de l’exploitation, en cherchant un équilibre entre le nombre d’indicateurs qui correspondent à chaque attribut de la durabilité ; (ii) générer des indicateurs représentatifs de la durabilité des systèmes liés à l'environnement, aussi bien physique, économique que social ; et (iii) créer des indicateurs qui renseignent sur l’évolution du système et de sa durabilité

Classification, characterisation and strategies for improvement of cattle and sheep pasture systems in marginal areas of Southern Chile

Pasture-based livestock systems in farms with medium or low size are especially important in less favored areas and are valuable for society. For these systems to survive, it is necessary to obtain an acceptable level of productivity and ensure commercialization of the products. This study was carried out in the district of Rio Ibáñez, General Carrera Province, in the XI (Aysén) Region of Chile. The sample consisted of 28 small-scale livestock farmers with dual-purpose cattle production; 16 of them also produced sheep for meat. The empirical data produced 55 variables which were subjected to multivariate analysis; three main components were obtained which explain 72.1 % of the variance. By cluster analysis it was obtained four groups with characteristics which varied by farm size, age and personal situation of farmers, farm management and farm profitability. The principal problems found are low productivity in the herds and the poor marketing channels of animals produced. In two groups, due to the low size and poor management, the profitability of the farms is very low and this may compromise their future. To improve production systems, the training and advice of farmers should be strengthened, investment should be supported, especially for young people, and the farmer partnership should be promoted. There is also a need to diversify the families' sources of income (sale of other farm products or handicrafts and touristic activities).Ministerio de Economía de Chile Innova-CORFO Project 11 NTEC 1279

Resolution of five-component mixture using mean centering ratio and inverse least squares chemometrics

BACKGROUND: A comparative study of the use of mean centering of ratio spectra and inverse least squares for the resolution of paracetamol, methylparaben, propylparaben, chlorpheniramine maleate and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride has been achieved showing that the two chemometric methods provide a good example of the high resolving power of these techniques. Method (I) is the mean centering of ratio spectra which depends on using the mean centered ratio spectra in four successive steps that eliminates the derivative steps and therefore the signal to noise ratio is improved. The absorption spectra of prepared solutions were measured in the range of 220–280 nm. Method (II) is based on the inverse least squares that depend on updating developed multivariate calibration model. The absorption spectra of the prepared mixtures in the range 230–270 nm were recorded. RESULTS: The linear concentration ranges were 0–25.6, 0–15.0, 0–15.0, 0–45.0 and 0–100.0 μg mL(-1) for paracetamol, methylparaben, propylparaben, chlorpheniramine maleate and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, respectively. The mean recoveries for simultaneous determination were between 99.9-101.3% for the two methods. The two developed methods have been successfully used for prediction of five-component mixture in Decamol Flu syrup with good selectivity, high sensitivity and extremely low detection limit. CONCLUSION: No published method has been reported for simultaneous determination of the five components of this mixture so that the results of the mean centering of ratio spectra method were compared with those of the proposed inverse least squares method. Statistical comparison was performed using t-test and F-ratio at P = 0.05. There was no significant difference between the results

Classification, characterisation and strategies for improvement of cattle and sheep pasture systems in marginal areas of Southern Chile

Pasture-based livestock systems in farms with medium or low size are especially important in less favored areas and are valuable for society. For these systems to survive, it is necessary to obtain an acceptable level of productivity and ensure commercialization of the products. This study was carried out in the district of Rio Ibáñez, General Carrera Province, in the XI (Aysén) Region of Chile. The sample consisted of 28 small-scale livestock farmers with dual-purpose cattle production; 16 of them also produced sheep for meat. The empirical data produced 55 variables which were subjected to multivariate analysis; three main components were obtained which explain 72.1 % of the variance. By cluster analysis it was obtained four groups with characteristics which varied by farm size, age and personal situation of farmers, farm management and farm profitability. The principal problems found are low productivity in the herds and the poor marketing channels of animals produced. In two groups, due to the low size and poor management, the profitability of the farms is very low and this may compromise their future. To improve production systems, the training and advice of farmers should be strengthened, investment should be supported, especially for young people, and the farmer partnership should be promoted. There is also a need to diversify the families' sources of income (sale of other farm products or handicrafts and touristic activities).Ministerio de Economía de Chile Innova-CORFO Project 11 NTEC 1279

Radiation Treatment for WHO Grade II and III Meningiomas

The treatment of meningiomas is tailored to their histological grade. While World Health Organization (WHO) grade I lesions can be treated with either surgery or external beam radiation, WHO Grade II and III lesions often require a combination of the two modalities. For these high-grade lesions, conventional external beam radiation is delivered to either the residual tumor or the surgical resection margin. The optimal timing of radiation, either immediately following surgical resection or at the time of recurrence, is yet to be determined. Additionally, another method of radiation delivery, brachytherapy, can be administered locally at the time of surgery for recurrent lesions. Altogether, the complex nature of WHO grade II and III meningiomas requires careful treatment planning and delivery by a multidisciplinary team

The Boundary Conformal Field Theories of the 2D Ising critical points

We present a new method to identify the Boundary Conformal Field Theories (BCFTs) describing the critical points of the Ising model on the strip. It consists in measuring the low-lying excitation energies spectra of its quantum spin chain for different boundary conditions and then to compare them with those of the different boundary conformal field theories of the $(A_2,A_3)$ minimal model.Comment: 7 pages, no figures. Talk given at the XXth International Conference on Integrable Systems and Quantum Symmetries (ISQS-20). Prague, June 201

La formación espacial de los valores comerciales, un análisis para las principales ciudades catalanas

La presente comunicación reporta los resultados de una investigación que tiene por objeto conocer cuáles son los factores que determinan el valor de los locales comerciales en las principales ciudades catalanas. A través de un análisis econométrico, construido a partir de un estudio de mercado propio, se analiza cuál es el peso que los factores locativos y las características de los locales tienen, sobre la formación espacial de los valores. A estos efectos, la información de los locales ubicados a pie de calle en venta y alquiler (antigüedad del inmueble, estado de conservación de los acabados e instalaciones, tipos de acabados, lementos accesorios, geométricos y configuración espacial de los locales) ha sido complementada, mediante un SIG, con otra derivada de la localización (cercanía a los ejes principales, composición socioeconómica del entorno, nivel de accesibilidad, estructura edificada, usos del suelo predominantes, etc.) procedente del Censo de Edificios, Locales, Población y Vivienda del 2001, así como del Corine Landcover 2000. Los resultados sugieren que detrás de los factores locativos están otros asociados a las características estructurales de los locales, como su configuración, y que tienen una directa relación con el nivel de accesibilidad y visualización que se tiene del local desde la vía pública.This communication reports the results of an investigation that seeks to identify the factors that determine the value of commercial premises in the main cities in Catalonia. Through an econometric analysis, built from a separate market study, we analyze what are the weight factors and the characteristics of rental premises are on the spatial formation of values. For this purpose, information from the premises to the street for sale and rent (length of the property, the conservation status of finishes and facilities, types of finishes, accessories, geometric and spatial configuration of the premises) has been supplemented through a GIS, with another due to location (proximity to the main composition of the socioeconomic environment, level of accessibility, built structure, land use dominate, etc..) from the Census of Buildings, Local Population and Housing 2001, and the Corine Landcover 2000. The results suggest that behind the rental are other factors associated with the structural characteristics of the premises, as its configuration, and have a direct relation to the level of accessibility and visualization that is from the local public roads.Peer Reviewe