L’azote (N) est un élément indispensable pour les végétaux mais reste limitant dans la majorité des écosystèmes forestiers. La source principale de N pour les arbres provient de la décomposition des litières. Afin d’étudier le devenir du N des litières dans l’écosystème forestier, une expérience de marquage d’une cohorte de litière enrichie en azote 15 (15N) a été mise en place dans dix hêtraies européennes. Sur le moyen terme (une décennie), les profils 15N dans le sol montrent une faible incorporation du marqueur en profondeur (>10cm). Dans les feuilles, la dynamique d’incorporation du 15N par l’arbre témoigne de la mise à disposition du N des litières puis de sa stabilisation dans les agrégats du sol. L’utilisation du N dérivé des litières par l’arbre dépend des besoins en N des arbres mais aussi du type d’humus. Les arbres sous moder sont capable d’utiliser le N dérivé des litières directement depuis l’horizon organique. Environ 25 % des besoins totaux en N de l’arbre sont couverts par la réallocation du N, et 75 % sont issus du prélèvement du N dans le sol. / Nitrogen ( N) is an essential element for plants but is limited in most forest ecosystems. The main source of N for trees comes from the decomposition of litter. The fate of litter N on the long term (ten years) in beech forest was followed using one cohort of litter enriched in nitrogen-15 (15N) in ten sites in Europe. 15N in the soil profile showed a low incorporation of litter-derived N deeper than 10 cm. Leaf 15N dynamics illustrate the litter N availability and then its stabilization in the soil aggregates.The use of litter derived N in the tree depends on the needs of N by trees but also on the type of humus. At moder humus sites, trees are able to mine the litter-derived N directly from the organic horizon. Approximately 25 % of the total N requirement of the trees are covered by the N reallocation, and 75 % comes from soil N uptake.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and the third most common cancer in men and women. Vitamin E is a lipid soluble antioxidant that exists as eight structurally different isoforms of tocopherols and tocotrienols. Recent experimental, and molecular studies suggest that γ-tocotrienol (GT3) may be a more potent cancer-preventive form of vitamin E. 15-lipoxygenase-1 (15-LOX-1) and its product 13-S-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-S-HODE) are decreased in colon cancer cells. 15 LOX-1 is considered a tumor suppressor gene in colon carcinogenesis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced 15-LOX-1 expression is critical to aspirin and NSAID-induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells. HCT-116 is a microsatellite-instability (MSI) colon cancer cell line. MSI is a marker of chemo-resistance but is associated with improved survival as compared to microsatellite-stable (MSS) colon cancers. The effects of GT3 on cytotoxicity and 15 LOX-1 expression was studied on the human colon cancer cell line HCT-116. HCT-116 colon cancer cell lines were cultured in DMEM media and dosed with increasing concentrations of GT3 (20µM-50µM). Cytotoxicity of the drugs was studied using Cell Titer Glo and MTS assays 24 hours after dosing. Cells were then plated in 6-well plates and grown for 24 hours. Cells were then dosed with 2 mL of GT3 at 20 uM at the respective time periods (2h, 4h, 6h, 12h, 16h, 24h) and lysates were harvested. Gel electrophoresis was run according to BCA protein assay from the time-dependent lysates and blots were tagged with a rabbit 15-lox antibody. Ongoing experiments include RNA PCR. RNA is being isolated at 2, 4, 6 and 12 hours. The RNA as reversed transcribed using a 15 lox 1 primer and that cDNA is being quantified using Quantitative PCR. GT3 induced cytotoxicity in MTS assay and Cell Titer Glo assay when added to HCT-116 cell line. 15 LOX 1 protein expression was found to be up-regulated in the colon cancer cell line HCT-116 when GT3 was added at 12h, 16h and 24h with the maximum expression at 16 hours. Chemotherapeutic drugs can have significant side effects. Understanding the role of GT3 on colon cancer cell lines could lead to the development of novel drugs to supplement current chemotherapy regimens and allow for lower doses of chemotherapeutic agents. Modulation of 15-LOX-1 suggests that GT3 may induce apoptosis through induction of the lipoxygenase pathway. Further experiments are under way to study the mechanism of action of GT3 on the 15 LOX-1 pathway. Since HCT-116 is a MSI- colon cancer cell line, effects of GT3 on MSS- colon cancer cell lines will also be studied.

El trabajo de investigación desarrollado en la presente tesis versa sobre la profundización de los mecanismos de acción de catalizadores mesoporosos en la reducción de la toxicidad del tabaco para disponer de bases más sólidas para el diseño de nuevos catalizadores. Recientemente, una de las preocupaciones sociales ha sido el impacto del consumo de tabaco en la salud de los fumadores activos y pasivos. De esta forma, varios debates se centraron en la importancia de eliminar esta práctica. Sin embargo, las medidas tomadas por los distintos gobiernos claramente no han sido suficientes. No pudieron evitar los efectos negativos del tabaco y sin alcanzar los niveles esperados en la reducción del consumo. En este sentido, los procesos de adsorción y catálisis pueden proporcionar una alternativa válida para reducir la toxicidad del humo del tabaco, lo que puede constituir un campo importante para una nueva aplicación en el uso de catalizadores y contribuir a paliar los negativos efectos del consumo de tabaco. En los últimos 15 años y particularmente en los últimos 5, el grupo de investigación de Procesado y Pirólisis de Polímeros ha desarrollado una intensa labor de investigación en el estudio y desarrollo de catalizadores para la reducción de la toxicidad de los humos del tabaco, así como del efecto de determinados catalizadores sobre la nicotina y distintos aditivos. Recientemente se ha adquirido un equipo de EGA (Evolved Gas Analysis) con el que se ha podido desarrollar el presente trabajo que ha permitido un conocimiento más preciso de los compuestos generados en distintas condiciones y atmósferas, aportando una información muy valiosa, que no se puede obtener con los equipos anteriormente utilizados, sobre los procesos que tienen lugar en la pirólisis y combustión del tabaco y el efecto de catalizadores. En primer lugar, se estudió el efecto del catalizador en las distintas variedades de tabaco existente además de la mezcla de tabaco que se utiliza como referencias en experimentos de termogravimetría a una velocidad de calefacción lenta. En este trabajo se observaron diferencias y similitudes entre la descomposición de los tipos de tabaco y el efecto de la adición del catalizador. Se observaron diferencias al añadir el catalizador principalmente en el proceso de combustión a temperaturas elevadas y en el residuo generado en los experimentos en atmósfera inerte. A continuación, para obtener más información sobre la descomposición a velocidades de calefacción lentas, se realizó el mismo tipo de experiencia, pero analizando las distintas fracciones generadas por tramos de temperatura por cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas. En este caso se observó que el catalizador tiene un mayor efecto de reducción a temperaturas bajas (<300 ºC), y un efecto contrario al aumentar la temperatura. Además, se observó que los efectos de reducción también fueron mayores en atmósfera oxidante. A continuación, se realizó un estudio de la pirólisis “flash” (velocidad de calentamiento elevada) del tabaco a varias temperaturas, así como la influencia de la cantidad de catalizador añadido a su mezcla. En este estudio se obtuvo que, al igual que a velocidad lenta, el efecto del catalizador es mayor a temperaturas bajas y en atmósfera oxidante. Sin embargo, también se obtuvieron reducciones significativas en la pirólisis a 500 ºC en atmósfera oxidante. El efecto del catalizador no es tan relevante en otros casos, provocando incluso un aumento de los compuestos aromáticos y nitrogenados en atmósfera inerte a temperaturas elevadas. Se verificó que a temperaturas bajas la generación de los compuestos más tóxicos es prácticamente nula y estos se ven reducidos por el catalizador. Igualmente, se observó una selectividad específica del catalizador cuando la pirólisis se realiza bajo atmósfera oxidante y a bajas temperaturas de pirólisis, manteniendo la liberación de nicotina y disminuyendo la generación de otros componentes. Se obtuvieron efectos más significativos a medida que aumenta la cantidad de catalizador utilizada. Aunque en los experimentos anteriores se obtuvieron resultados de reducción en la generación de compuestos procedentes de la descomposición de tabaco, estas fueron significativamente menores que las que sistemáticamente se han obtenido por nuestro grupo de investigación en los experimentos de fumado. Por tanto, no se puede concluir que ninguna de las técnicas utilizadas pueda considerarse representativa de lo que el catalizador es capaz de hacer en el proceso de fumado. Todos los experimentos descritos comparten una característica común y diferente a los experimentos de fumado. En todos ellos los volátiles generados son eliminados rápidamente de la zona caliente del sistema y no tienen opción de entrar en contacto con el catalizador, por lo que se están estudiando casi exclusivamente las reacciones primarias. Sin embargo, al fumar un cigarrillo, los volátiles y alquitranes generados en una calada pueden condensar o ser adsorbidos sobre el tabaco y el catalizador (si lo hay), de modo que pueden experimentar posteriores reacciones secundarias. Estos procesos pueden ser mucho más significativos en presencia del catalizador, donde, además, la proporción catalizador/alquitrán condensado puede ser marcadamente mayor que la relación nominal catalizador/tabaco. Por ello, se realizó un estudio del efecto del catalizador en la pirólisis de la materia particulada total (TPM) generada durante el proceso de fumado, con objeto de analizar el efecto del catalizador en las reacciones secundarias de los alquitranes condesados sobre el mismo. Se obtuvo que el catalizador retrasa la descomposición de la TPM a temperaturas más elevadas. Además, se observa una mayor reducción de la nicotina liberada, posiblemente por el mejor contacto entre TPM-catalizador. En este caso también se observa un comportamiento similar a los anteriores, con mayores reducciones al añadir el catalizador a temperaturas bajas y en atmósfera oxidante. Finalmente, se comparan todos los resultados anteriores con los obtenidos en experimentos de fumado, observando que los resultados que más se asemejan son los realizados a temperaturas bajas y en atmósfera oxidante, teniendo en cuenta los resultados de la descomposición de la TPM. Por tanto, se podría afirmar que el catalizador actúa principalmente a temperaturas bajas con presencia de aire y este efecto es combinación de las reacciones principales y secundarias que tiene lugar durante el fumado. / Estudios financiados por el Vicerrectorado de Investigación de la Universidad de Alicante (UAFPU2018- 013), por la Conselleria d’Educació, Investigació, Cultura i Esport (IDIFEDER 2018/009 and PROMETEO2020/093) y por el Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (CTQ2015-70726/P).

Rationale: Viral diseases are important in the African context as they cause significant clinical disease in both wild and domestic animals, as well as in humans. Viral diseases make up a large proportion of emerging infectious diseases. The management and prevention of these diseases have proven to be challenging due to the large population of reservoir hosts consisting of African wildlife. There is no comprehensive publication investigating viruses in African ungulates. Hence, this research study will provide comprehensive analyses to add to the current global knowledge base and provide guidance about areas where there is little information. Aim of the study: Provide a scoping review of viral diseases, which occur in free-ranging African ungulates and identify knowledge gaps with regards to these diseases. Objectives: 1. List and describe viruses diagnosed in free-ranging African ungulates 2. Identify ungulates affected by viruses 3. Describe the geographical distribution of viruses 4. Identify viruses which appear to be “under-studied” Study design: This is a scoping review of peer reviewed publications pertaining to viruses and viral diseases in African ungulates. The methodology for this scoping review was based on the guidelines set out in the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. A search string was developed and run in three major databases, namely Scopus, Web of Science and Wildlife and Ecology Worldwide, to obtain publications relevant to the research topic. Publications were screened using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria to obtain a final set of publications to undergo data extraction and analysis. Results: The final set of publications consisted of 145 publications. A total of 32 viruses were identified in the publications. The range of the publication dates were from 1957 to 2018. Nine out of 32 viruses accounted for 74% of the total reports of viruses detected by antigen/antibody testing in African ungulates. African elephant polyomavirus 1 was the only virus that was solely detected in captive animals according to published literature using antigen/antibody detection. A total of 50 African ungulates were reported/diagnosed with viral infections. The four most frequently mentioned African ungulates in publications reporting on viruses or viral diseases, in descending order, were the African buffalo, blue wildebeest, impala and warthog (common and desert). Of the 52 countries on the African continent, only 18 countries (35%) had viruses diagnosed in wild ungulates reported in the literature. All the publications in this study reported on viruses or viral diseases in ungulates from only sub-Saharan Africa. Foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, Rift Valley fever, bluetongue and rabies were frequently reported in the literature. On the contrary, lumpy skin disease, peste des petits ruminants, African horse sickness, enzootic hemorrhagic disease, bovine viral diarrhoea, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis, equine influenza, equine viral arteritis, equine viral rhinopneumonitis and classical swine fever were infrequently reported on. Conclusion: There are a variety of viruses which have been diagnosed in African ungulates and all African ungulates identified have had one or more viruses or viral diseases associated with them. The findings will be valuable to policymakers, funding bodies, researchers and other stakeholders who need an understanding of viral diseases in African ungulates. Research opportunities in this field will allow them to make informed decisions about investment in future research projects and animal health policies and protocols. It is recommended that governments and research institutions offer more funding to investigate and report viral diseases of greater clinical and zoonotic significance, such as rabies and Rift Valley fever. This is especially important in the current climate of emerging diseases and the related overflow of disease from wild to domestic animals and from animals, both wild and domestic, to humans. A further recommendation is for appropriate One Health approaches to be adopted for investigating, controlling, managing and preventing diseases (Cunningham et al., 2017). This is especially true for diseases such as African swine fever and Rift Valley fever where human actions, poor biosecurity and natural weather changes play a major role in the transmission of diseases (Cunningham et al., 2017, Penrith et al., 2019a, Swanepoel and Coetzer, 2004). Diseases which may threaten the conservation of certain wildlife species also require focused attention. In order to keep track of these diseases it may be necessary to consider adding a “wildlife” category to the OIE-listed diseases. Viral diseases, as a whole, are of great significance and require extra attention in the future as they make up a large proportion of emerging infectious diseases and can often infect multiple hosts (Bengis et al., 2004, Cleaveland et al., 2001). Hence, the viruses and viral diseases diagnosed in African ungulates are of significance, particularly at the wildlife/livestock interface and many of them have the potential of becoming emerging wildlife diseases. / Dissertation (MSc (Tropical Animal Health))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / MSc (Tropical Animal Health) / Restricted

Design of a new well-defined surface organometallic species [O-(=Si–NH)2Zr(IV)Np2] has been obtained by reaction of tetraneopentyl zirconium (ZrNp4) on SBA-15 surface displaying mainly silylamine pairs [O-(=Si–NH2)2]. These surface species have been achieved by an ammonia treatment of a highly dehydroxylated SBA-15 at 1000°C (SBA-151000). This support is known to contain mainly strained reactive siloxane bridges (≡Si-O-Si≡)[1] along with a small amount of isolated plus germinal silanols =Si(OH)2. Chemisorption of ammonia occurs primarily by opening these siloxane bridges[2] to generate silanol/silylamine pairs [O-(=Si–NH2)(=SiOH)] followed by substitution of the remaining silanol. Further treatment using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) results in the protection of the isolated remaining silanol groups by formation of ≡Si-O-SiMe3 and =Si(OSiMe3)2 but leaves ≡SiNH2 untouched. After reaction of this functionalized surface with ZrNp4, this latter displays mainly a bi-podal zirconium neopentyl organometallic complex [O-(=Si–NH)2Zr(IV)Np2] which has been fully characterized by diverse methods such as infrared transmission spectroscopy, magic angle spinning solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, surface elemental analysis, small angle X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption and energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM). These different characterization tools unambiguously prove that the zirconium organometallic complex reacts mostly with silylamine pairs to give a bi-podal zirconium bis-neopentyl complex, uniformly distributed into the channels of SBA-151000. Therefore this new material opens a new promising research area in Surface Organometallic Chemistry which, so far, was dealing mainly with O containing surface. It is expected that vicinal amine functions may play a very different role as compared with classical inorganic supports. Given the importance in the last decades of N containing ligands in catalysis, one may expect important prospects…

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第19569号 / 医博第4076号 / 新制||医||1017(附属図書館) / 32605 / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 江藤 浩之, 教授 武藤 学, 教授 中畑 龍俊 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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Studien undersöker huruvida aktörer på den svenska kapitalmarknaden förstår att resultatkvalitet ökat och informationsasymmetrin minskat med implementeringen av IFRS 15 vilket ska leda till en positiv reaktion på kapitalmarknaden. Genom en eventstudie analyseras kapitalmarknadens reaktion vid publicering av den första kvartalsrapporten 2018. Vidare undersöker studien om företag i kommunikationsbranschen påverkas mer än resterande branscher genom en multipel tvärsnittsregression. Utifrån eventstudiens resultat finner vi ett starkt stöd och det går att statistiskt säkerställa att aktörer på den svenska kapitalmarknaden reagerade positivt på implementeringen av IFRS 15. Det tyder på ökat förtroende och minskad osäkerhet hos aktörerna på grund av den ökade resultatkvaliteten och minskade informationsasymmetrin. Vidare går det inte att statistiskt säkerställa att kommunikationsbranschen påverkas mer, det finns dock indikationer som stödjer detta.

This research is focused on the multi-stress aging phenomena and lifetime estimation of 15 kV EPR cable. In order to gain the suitable parameters for the lifetime estimation, the aging study on the EPR cable samples as well as on the cable layers’ dielectrics samples was carried out at the High Voltage Laboratory of Mississippi State University. During the multi-stress aging study of 15 kV EPR cable samples, the EPR cable samples underwent electrical stress, thermal stress, and environmental effects. The aging time for the EPR cables varied from 650 hrs to 1300 hrs. An empirical aging model describing the cables’ lifetime was derived from the partial discharge measurements results. The aging study on the EPR cable layers’ dielectrics was achieved as well. The EPR insulation material samples were aged by combined electrical and thermal stress, while the material samples of inner semi-conducting layer, outer semi-conducting layer, and outer low-density polyethylene (LDPE) jacket were aged by thermal stress. The measurement data was used for the newly proposed lifetime estimation method. A new lifetime estimation method was introduced for the EPR cables. The method assumed that the failures of cables results from the expansion of voids/cavities initiated from the defects in the EPR insulation layer. The proposed lifetime estimation method applied the finite element method (FEM) to solve the electric field distribution inside the EPR cable with the existence of voids/cavities. The parameters were derived from the aging study on the EPR insulation material samples. Assuming the voids/cavities would expand in the direction of the maximum electric field stress, the lifetime of the EPR cables was then estimated through the iteration. The introduced method helped to establish a relationship between the aging study of insulation material samples and the aging of EPR cable samples, which was long missing in the past studies. It also provided a new way to assess the reliability of the EPR cable.

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