Alien Registration- Villiard, Charles E. (Bangor, Penobscot County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/13958/thumbnail.jp

Alien Registration- Gravel, Rose (Lewiston, Androscoggin County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/22282/thumbnail.jp

La naissance du « faux-documentaire » comme prémisse à la mort du « genre » : la fin d'une dichotomie

Ce mémoire de recherche-création tente de saisir l'importance de la notion de « genre » sur la réception d'un film. La première partie d'un long-métrage a été réalisée afin d'être présentée tantôt comme documentaire, tantôt comme faux-documentaire à différents groupes de discussion. Cette création présente un contenu filmé à même le « réel », mais emprunte aux codes formels nouvellement institutionnalisés du « faux-documentaire ». Le « genre », incluant dans sa définition le para-texte nécessaire à la distribution d'un film, créerait des attentes chez les spectateurs en leur offrant, en amont du visionnage, une promesse. Cet engagement signé par l'énonciation d'une oeuvre influence-t-il sa réception jusqu'à en contraindre les diverses interprétations possibles? La dichotomie, installée par la raison classique, entre le vrai et le faux (la réalité et la fiction), suppose-t-elle une différence de réception pour un même contenu? Et est-ce que seuls le genre et les codes formels lui étant associés suffisent à tromper le spectateur quant à la nature de l'histoire racontée? Les entretiens réalisés suscitent de riches et abondantes réflexions. Elles accordent notamment, dans la définition du « genre », une importance surprenante aux codes cinématographiques, par rapport au simple terme technique employé. En effet, les conventions formelles altèrent davantage la réception que seule l'appellation, « documentaire » ou « faux-documentaire », émise. Cette dernière, appelée en début de séance, est remise allègrement en question. Par contre, les codes, affirmation davantage implicite qu'explicite dans leur façon de définir l'oeuvre, atteignent plus facilement leur cible. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Genre, Attentes, Réception, Rapport entre réalité et fiction, Documentaire, Faux-documentaire, Codes cinématographiques

Test rig and experimentation of packing seals used in large diameter deformed rotating drums

Large rotary processors such like rotary dryers, rotary calciners and kilns are difficult to seal properly because of their large diameter, their low precision methods of fabrication and their severe operating conditions. Those factors result in several types of imperfection at the sealing surface. This work explores the possibility to seal large rotary processors to positive pressure up to 1 atmosphere (14.7 psig). First, an extensive theoretical analysis combined with on-site measurements evaluation was conducted to quantify the magnitude of each type of surface imperfection at the seal location. Against these results, the current typical seals used in the industry were evaluated and compared. The seals that featured compressed packing seals seem to show great possibility as they are already used in successful positive pressure large seal arrangement. A typical packing seal arrangement with a stuffing-box was studied thoroughly in order to understand its particularities. The data collected and calculated in the previous steps was gathered and settled the new seal requirements. A new seal arrangement is proposed and it features as principal characteristics: radial compression and adaptive flexible housing. Based on the stuffing-box available mathematical relations, the equations are re-evaluated to account for the new radially oriented arrangement. Meanwhile, a test rig is designed and built to measure the seal performance and observe its behaviour. The effect of several parameters can be studied such as temperature, gas pressure, magnitude of sealing surface imperfection, magnitude of radial compression and drum rotation speed. Finally, tests are conducted and the results are discussed in order to make a recommendation for the possible industrial application. In the light of this study the new proposed seal meets or surpasses the industrial application requirements. The performance of the full scale 1.952 m (76.875 in) seal are projected as follow; a leak rate of 114 ml/sec (0.24 scfm) at 0.69 MPag (10 psig), 4 kW (5 HP) of power loss in friction, half a year of longevity before maintenance and a deformations absorption greater than 3.15 mm (0.125 in) in the radial direction

Score PELOD : indice précoce de mortalité pédiatrique des transplantations hépatiques pour hépatite fulminante

La transplantation hépatique est le seul traitement définitif des enfants ayant une hépatite fulminante sans résolution spontanée. L’évolution de cette maladie dans la population pédiatrique diffère de celle adulte, particulièrement en regard de l’encéphalopathie. Pour définir les indications de transplantation hépatique, plusieurs indicateurs précoces de pronostic furent étudiés chez les adultes. Ces indicateurs n’ont pu être transposés à la population pédiatrique. Objectif primaire : Déterminer les marqueurs de risque de mortalité des enfants recevant une transplantation hépatique pour une hépatite fulminante, se définissant par une insuffisance hépatique sévère sans antécédent au cours des huit semaines précédentes. Méthode : Il s’agit d’une étude rétrospective incluant tous les enfants ayant reçu une transplantation hépatique pour une hépatite fulminante à l’hôpital Sainte-Justine entre 1985 et 2005. Le score PELOD (Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction) est une mesure de sévérité clinique d’un enfant aux soins intensifs. Il fut calculé à l’admission et avant la transplantation hépatique. Résultats : Quatorze enfants (cinq mois à seize ans) reçurent une transplantation hépatique pour une hépatite fulminante. Neuf enfants (64%) survécurent et cinq (36%) décédèrent. L’utilisation de la ventilation mécanique fut associée à un mauvais pronostic (p = 0,027). Entre l’admission et la transplantation hépatique, 88% des enfants ayant eu une variation du score PELOD inférieure à cinq survécurent. Tous ceux ayant eu une variation supérieure à cinq décédèrent. (p = 0,027) Conclusion : La variation du score PELOD pourrait aider à définir un indicateur précoce de l’évolution d’un enfant après une transplantation hépatique pour une hépatite fulminante.Hepatic transplantation is the only definitive treatment for acute liver failure for those children who do not recover spontaneously. Early indicators of prognosis in acute liver failure have been studied in adults in order to define the indication for liver transplantation. The course of the disease in the pediatric population, particularly with respect to hepatic encephalopathy, differs from that in adults. Consequently, these criteria are not applicable to the pediatric population. Primary objective: To determine the risk markers for mortality in children receiving liver transplantation for acute liver failure. Liver failure is defined as being severe failure without prior liver disease within the last eight weeks. Method: A retrospective study was conducted with children who had received a liver transplantation for acute liver failure at Sainte-Justine’s Hospital between 1985 and 2005. Data including the PELOD (Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction) Score, a clinical score (0-71) of illness severity in children in intensive care, were recorded from patients’ charts. Results: 14 children, aged from five months to sixteen years old, were transplanted for fulminant liver failure. Nine (64%) survived and five (36%) died. The need for mechanical ventilation was associated with a poorer survival (p= 0,027). Of all of the children who had a PELOD Score variation inferior to five, between admission and transplantation, 88% survived. None of those with a score variation superior to five survived (p=0,027). Conclusion: In our single centre study, the PELOD Score variation was a pre-transplant marker of mortality after liver transplantation for pediatric acute liver failure

Urodele p53 tolerates amino acid changes found in p53 variants linked to human cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Urodele amphibians like the axolotl are unique among vertebrates in their ability to regenerate and their resistance to develop cancers. It is unknown whether these traits are linked at the molecular level.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Blocking p53 signaling in axolotls using the p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-α, inhibited limb regeneration and the expression of p53 target genes such as Mdm2 and Gadd45, suggesting a link between tumor suppression and regeneration. To understand this relationship we cloned the p53 gene from axolotl. When comparing its sequence with p53 from other organisms, and more specifically human we observed multiple amino acids changes found in human tumors. Phylogenetic analysis of p53 protein sequences from various species is in general agreement with standard vertebrate phylogeny; however, both mice-like rodents and teleost fishes are fast evolving. This leads to long branch attraction resulting in an artefactual basal emergence of these groups in the phylogenetic tree. It is tempting to assume a correlation between certain life style traits (e.g. lifespan) and the evolutionary rate of the corresponding p53 sequences. Functional assays of the axolotl p53 in human or axolotl cells using p53 promoter reporters demonstrated a temperature sensitivity (ts), which was further confirmed by performing colony assays at 37°C. In addition, axolotl p53 was capable of efficient transactivation at the Hmd2 promoter but has moderate activity at the p21 promoter. Endogenous axolotl p53 was activated following UV irradiation (100 j/m²) or treatment with an alkylating agent as measured using serine 15 phosphorylation and the expression of the endogenous p53 target Gadd45.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Urodele p53 may play a role in regeneration and has evolved to contain multiple amino acid changes predicted to render the human protein defective in tumor suppression. Some of these mutations were probably selected to maintain p53 activity at low temperature. However, other significant changes in the axolotl proteins may play more subtle roles on p53 functions, including DNA binding and promoter specificity and could represent useful adaptations to ensure p53 activity and tumor suppression in animals able to regenerate or subject to large variations in oxygen levels or temperature.</p

Activation of Smad2 but not Smad3 is required to mediate TGF-β signaling during axolotl limb regeneration

Axolotls are unique among vertebrates in their ability to regenerate tissues, such as limbs, tail and skin. The axolotl limb is the most studied regenerating structure. The process is well characterized morphologically; however, it is not well understood at the molecular level. We demonstrate that TGF-β1 is highly upregulated during regeneration and that TGF-β signaling is necessary for the regenerative process. We show that the basement membrane is not prematurely formed in animals treated with the TGF-β antagonist SB- 431542. More importantly, Smad2 and Smad3 are differentially regulated post-translationally during the preparation phase of limb regeneration. Using specific antagonists for Smad2 and Smad3 we demonstrate that Smad2 is responsible for the action of TGF-β during regeneration, whereas Smad3 is not required. Smad2 target genes (Mmp2 and Mmp9) are inhibited in SB-431542-treated limbs, whereas non-canonical TGF-β targets (e.g. Mmp13) are unaffected. This is the first study to show that Smad2 and Smad3 are differentially regulated during regeneration and places Smad2 at the heart of TGF-β signaling supporting the regenerative process