ABSTRACT EVALUATION OF METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN GROUNDWATER NEARBY SOMA COAL FIRED POWER PLANT Giuma Sasi M.S., Department of Chmistry Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Semra G. Tuncel December 2005, 95 Pages In this work, metal pollution in groundwater near by Soma coal-fired power plant was invistigated. Coal combustion results in huge amounts of bottom ash from which metals can originate and migrate to groundwater and pollute it. Forty groundwater samples were collected from water wells in an area near by the power plant to determine 14 metals namely / Na, Ca, K, Mg, Al, Ba, Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni and V. Samples were collected in polyethylene bottles, the pH of the water was measured. Then, the samples were acidified and stored to be analyzed. FAAS, FAES, GFAAS and ICP-AES were used to determine the elements. The results were compared with the WHO, the Turkish and EC guidelines for drinking water quality. Fe concentrations in 12 wells were higher the three guidelines. Zn concentrations in 5 wells were higher than the EC guidelines, but not higher than the Turkish guidelines. Pb concentrations was less than all guilelines but it was relatively high in 8 wells. The other anthropogenic elements were lower than all guidelines but these metals tend to accumulate and they will exceed the guildlines overtime. Enrichment factor calculations showed that the anthropogenic elements were enriched in the regions close to the ash piles pointing out that the ash piles are the main source of these elements. Factor analysis was applied and four main factors of the determined metals were found indicating that the power plant and the ash piles are the main source for the anthropogenic elements.

The aim of this thesis is to study the multidimensional relation between the spatial and the social by focusing on Van as a place. In order to understand social processes, it is important to view the complex relation between the spatial and the social. Taking the space-place relation into consideration, this work approaches to the processes of construction and representation of identity of place in the framework of the interrelation between place, culture and identity. Different groups in society are in a constant contestation over the construction of the meaning and the identity of place. This work, studies how place is constituted both materially and imaginarily within this contestation process. Senses of place and the meanings given to places are formed by social, cultural, economical and political situations of the people. Consequently this thesis, discusses the contestation over the representation and the use of place in the context of social, cultural, economical, political processes and power relations. It considers the dynamics which are effective on the constitution of image of Van. It studies the influences of these dynamics on the construction, the use, the transformation and the reproduction of place through the cultural practices of different groups in the city. This thesis, researches the relation between place and culture, the everyday life practices of different groups and the process of production of meaning through these practices.

El Barrio Gótico de Barcelona fue construido en las décadas centrales del siglo XX. De hecho, su nombre también es una creación moderna, ya que tradicionalmente el espacio era conocido como barrio de la Catedral. Aunque en teoría los monumentos históricos nos remiten a épocas pasadas, en muchos casos han sido fabricados recientemente, tanto en su forma como en su función social. La medievalización del centro histórico de Barcelona transformó físicamente el barrio institucional de la ciudad, dotándolo de nuevos significados simbólicos y de una apariencia antigua que hasta entonces no poseía. Si desde mediados del siglo XIX Barcelona comenzó a adaptarse a las necesidades del nuevo sistema productivo, su transformación no sólo afectó a la nueva ciudad extramuros que proyectaría Cerdà, sino que al mismo tiempo iniciaría la modificación del viejo núcleo que hasta 1854 había estado amurallado, y que pocos años más tarde comenzaría a ser llamado «ciutat vella». La burguesía industrial, ante la necesidad de circulación, control e higiene destruiría el trazado urbano medieval y todos los edificios históricos que allí se encontraban, pero ante la necesidad de signos de identificación colectiva comenzaría a planificar la exhibición de su propia historia. Este proceso se inició con la construcción de la fachada de la Catedral entre 1887 y 1912, y concluiría con la monumentalización historicista de todo el barrio que la rodea, aproximadamente entre 1927 y 1970. Pero si en un principio la monumentalización de la ciudad histórica fue un proyecto de la burguesía local con el fin de exhibir la arquitectura nacional catalana, en la práctica las obras sólo pudieron justificarse por los ingresos que generaría el nuevo turismo urbano, el cual gusta de contemplar edificios de apariencia antiguos, sean o no originales. Por lo tanto, la tesis analiza el uso político del pasado y su posterior conversión en una mercancía cualquiera, enmarcando el análisis dentro del llamado «marketing urbano», cuyo objetivo es crear marcas con las ciudades para posicionarse en el mercado internacional que compite por la atracción de inversiones y turistas. En este sentido, para atraer visitantes se requiere un espacio seguro y cautivador, en donde los conflictos sociales, si existen, deben estar escondidos. Tanto la apertura de la vía Layetana como la construcción del Barrio Gótico supusieron operaciones de higiene urbana y social, encaminadas a revalorizar una zona degradada. Por un lado, la sustitución de viviendas populares por entidades financieras, oficinas, hoteles y restaurantes junto a un barrio de apariencia medieval, provocó el desplazamiento de los habitantes tradicionales que no pudieron pagar el nuevo valor del suelo, siendo sustituidos por una incipiente clase media. Pero por otro lado, en una ciudad industrial y con un importante movimiento obrero como lo era Barcelona, el monumento o la creación de espacios monumentales fueron pensados como una manera de potenciar el orgullo cívico. Si en el «lugar de memoria» se comparten significados, es decir, es la creación de un punto de encuentro para una comunidad cualquiera y que toma como referencia un pasado supuestamente común, al mismo tiempo el lugar suele fomentar un vínculo puramente emocional, de manera que el ciudadano lo perciba como propio y presuma de ello. Es un sistema de gobernabilidad basado en valores compartidos, utilizado por el poder con el fin de impulsar la creencia de que el desarrollo de la ciudad beneficia a todos sus habitantes. En términos de gestión urbana contemporánea se conoce como «patriotismo cívico», de manera que si el ciudadano estima a su ciudad tanto como a su patria aceptará más fácilmente trabajar por ella. / The Barcelona Gothic Quarter was built in the twentieth century. Although theoretically, the historic monuments reference past epochs, in many cases they were constructed recently, both in their form and their social purpose. The industrial bourgeoisie destroyed many buildings in the medieval quarter in order to facilitate improved circulation, social control and sanitation, however, the redevelopment of the quarter was used as an opportunity to exhibit and emphasise their own history. This process started with the construction of the cathedral facade between 1887 and 1912, and ended with the historic monumentalisation of the whole quarter, which occurred approximately between 1927 and 1970.The beginning of the monumentalisation of the historic city was a local bourgeoisie project to promote national Catalan architecture, but the redevelopment was self-financing from increased income generated from urban tourism with its appreciation of buildings with an ancient appearance, irrespective of whether they are original. This thesis analyses the political use of the past and its subsequent commoditisation alongside city marketing, whose aim is to create a distinctive brand for the city in the international tourism market so that it successfully competes for tourism and inward investment. In this sense, to attract tourism and inward investment, the city has to be safe and captivating and successfully conceal any socials conflicts. The redevelopment of the city was also a social engineering operation which helped to regenerate a dilapidated area. The change of building use from dwellings to financial institutions, offices and hotels caused the displacement of existing residents, who could not pay the new land value. Monuments were also justified as one way of promoting civic pride, so other citizens would raise their own appreciation of the city and help to promote it. In urban design, this is called «civic patriotism», if the citizen appreciates and feels proud of their city alongside their national patriotism, they would be more willing to accept working for it.

Human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) is a member of the Human Enterovirus A species within the Family Picornaviridae. Since 1997, HEV71 has emerged as a major cause of epidemics of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) associated with severe neurological disease in the Asia-Pacific region. At the present time, little is known about the pathogenesis of acute neurological disease caused by HEV71. The major aim of this study was to generate infectious cDNA clones of HEV71 and use them as tools for investigating the biology of HEV71 and molecular genetics of HEV71 virulence and pathogenesis. Two infectious cDNA clones of HEV71 clinical isolates, 26M (genotype B3) and 6F (genotype C2) were successfully constructed using a low copy number plasmid vector and an appropriate bacterial host. Transfection of cDNA clones or RNA transcripts derived from these clones produced infectious viruses. Phenotypic characterisation of clone-derived viruses (CDV-26M and CDV-6F) was performed, and CDV-26M and CDV-6F were found to have indistinguishable phenotypes compared to their wild type viruses. Strains HEV71-26M and HEV71-6F were found to have distinct cell culture growth phenotypes. To identify the genome regions responsible for the growth phenotypes of the two strains a series of chimeric viruses were constructed by exchanging the 5„S untranslated region (5„S UTR), structural protein (P1), and nonstructural protein (P2 and P3) gene regions using infectious cDNA clones of both virus strains. Analysis of reciprocal virus chimeras revealed that the 5„S UTR of both strains were compatible but not responsible for the observed phenotypes. Both the P1 and P2-P3 genome regions influence the HEV71 growth phenotype in cell culture, phenotype expression is dependent on specific P1/P2-P3 combinations and is not reciprocal. In the previous study, in order to investigate the pathogenesis of HEV71 infection, a mouse HEV71 model was developed using a mouse-adapted variant of HEV71-26M. Mouse-adapted strain MP-26M caused fore- and/or hindlimb paralysis in mice, whereas HEV71-26M-infected mice did not develop clinical signs of infection at any virus dose or route of inoculation tested. In this study, the molecular basis of mouse adaptation by HEV71 was identified. Nucleotide sequence analysis of HEV71-26M and MP-26M revealed three point mutations in the open reading frame, each resulting in an amino acid substitution in the VP1, VP2 and 2C proteins; no mutations were identified in the untranslated regions of the genome. To determine which of the three amino acid mutations were responsible for the adaptation and virulence of HEV71-26M in mice, recombinant cDNA clones containing one, or a combination of two or three mutations, were constructed. Mouse virulence assays of the mutated viruses clearly demonstrated that a non-conservative amino acid substitution (G710„_E) in the capsid protein VP1 alone was sufficient to confer the mouse virulence phenotype on HEV71. In addition, a mouse oral infection model was established in this study. Oral inoculation with the mouse-adapted HEV71 virus, MP-26M, induced fore-or hindlimb paralysis in newborn mice in an age- and dose-dependent manner. As oral transmission is the natural route of HEV71 infection, this murine HEV71 oral infection model will provide a suitable tool for studying HEV71 pathogenesis, for defining neurological determinants, and for testing vaccine efficacy and immunogenicity in the future.

The aim of this thesis is to study the multidimensional relation between the spatial and the social by focusing on Van as a place. In order to understand social processes, it is important to view the complex relation between the spatial and the social. Taking the space-place relation into consideration, this work approaches to the processes of construction and representation of identity of place in the framework of the interrelation between place, culture and identity. Different groups in society are in a constant contestation over the construction of the meaning and the identity of place. This work, studies how place is constituted both materially and imaginarily within this contestation process. Senses of place and the meanings given to places are formed by social, cultural, economical and political situations of the people. Consequently this thesis, discusses the contestation over the representation and the use of place in the context of social, cultural, economical, political processes and power relations. It considers the dynamics which are effective on the constitution of image of Van. It studies the influences of these dynamics on the construction, the use, the transformation and the reproduction of place through the cultural practices of different groups in the city. This thesis, researches the relation between place and culture, the everyday life practices of different groups and the process of production of meaning through these practices.

Η σύνθεση της λεπτίνης γίνεται κατά κύριο λόγο από τα αδιποκύτταρα και η δράση της είναι να περιορίζει την πρόσληψη της τροφής και να προάγει τον καταβολισμό του λίπους. Έχει δειχτεί, επίσης, ότι η λεπτίνη προάγει την ενεργοποίηση των μονοκυττάρων και των Τ λεμφοκυττάρων in vitro, και σε πειραματικά μοντέλα (ποντίκια) αυτοάνοσων νοσημάτων συμμετέχει στην επαγωγή της ανοσολογικής απάντησης, πιθανότατα μέσω της κλωνικής έκπτυξης και της διατήρησης παθολογικών Τh1 λεμφοκυττάρων. Για τη διερεύνηση των δράσεων της λεπτίνης στην Αυτοάνοση Ιδιοπαθή Θρομβοπενική Πορφύρα της παιδικής ηλικίας, μετρήσαμε τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης στο πλάσμα 18 παιδιών με οξεία ΙΘΠ πριν, μετά τη θεραπεία και κατά τη διάρκεια της ύφεσης της νόσου, και τα συγκρίναμε με τα επίπεδα στο πλάσμα 18 υγιών μαρτύρων, ερευνώντας παράλληλα το κατά πόσον τα επίπεδα αυτά σχετίζονται με τη δραστηριότητα της νόσου. Παρατηρήσαμε ότι τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης του πλάσματος σε ασθενείς με ενεργό νόσο είναι κατά 6 φορές πιο αυξημένα (μέση τιμή 64ng/ml) σε σχέση με την ομάδα ελέγχου (μέση τιμή 11ng/ml). Η χορήγηση ενδοφλέβιας ανοσοσφαιρίνης G προκάλεσε ελάχιστη πτώση των τιμών της λεπτίνης στο πλάσμα (μέση τιμή 57ng/ml) ενώ η θεραπεία με κορτικοστεροειδή προκάλεσε πτώση των τιμών της λεπτίνης σε επίπεδα μικρότερα από την ομάδα ελέγχου (μέση τιμή 6ng/ml). Κατά την ύφεση της νόσου τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης ήταν ίδια με την ομάδα ελέγχου (μέση τιμή 8ng/ml). Τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης παρουσίασαν αρνητική συσχέτιση με τον αριθμό των αιμοπεταλίων, τις τιμές του TGF-β και τα επίπεδα γονιδιακής έκφρασης της IL-4. Αντίθετα, τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης ακολουθούσαν τα μοτίβα της έκφρασης της IL-2, IFN-γ και IL-10. Ανασυνδυασμένη λεπτίνη προστέθηκε σε καλλιέργειες μονοπύρηνων κυττάρων του περιφερικού αίματος, όπου και φάνηκε ότι επάγει την έκφραση IL-10. Σύμφωνα με πειράματα που διενεργήθηκαν με απομονωμένους πληθυσμούς μονοκυττάρων, η IL-10 φαίνεται ότι προέρχεται από τα μονοκύτταρα. Υποστηρίζουμε ότι στην Αυτοάνοση Ιδιοπαθή Θρομβοπενική Πορφύρα της παιδικής ηλικίας, η λεπτίνη,εκτός των άλλων, παρουσιάζει αντιφλεγμονώδη δράση προάγοντας την έκκριση IL-10 από τα μονοκύτταρα. / Leptin is synthesized by adipocytes to limit the intake of food and promote the breakdown of fat. Leptin was also shown to promote monocyte and T-cell activation in vitro, and contribute to the induction and propagation of inflammation in murine models for autoimmune diseases, probably through the expansion and maintenance of pathogenic Th1-cell populations. To assess the role of leptin in the human autoimmune disease childhood Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), we measured leptin levels in the plasma of 18 children suffering from acute ITP before, after therapy and in remission, and 18 healthy age- and Body Mass Index-matched controls, and investigated if and how these correlate with disease activity. We observed a 6-fold increase in plasma leptin (mean 64ng/ml) in the patients with active disease compared to the controls (mean 11ng/ml). Intravenous Immunoglobulin G treatment resulted in a slight decrease in plasma leptin (mean 57ng/ml) while steroid treatment brought down leptin to below control levels (6ng/ml). In remission, leptin levels were within control range (mean 8ng/ml). Leptin levels negatively correlated with platelet numbers, plasma TGF-β and IL-4 gene expression levels. In contrast, leptin levels followed the patterns of IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-10 expression. Recombinant leptin added alone to the patients’ peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures, induced IL-10 only. Experiments with purified cells identified the monocytes as the exclusive source of leptin-induced IL-10. We propose that in the human autoimmune setting of childhood ITP, leptin plays an active anti-inflammatory role by promoting IL-10 secretion by monocytes.

Τα γλοιώματα είναι η πιο συχνή κακοήθης μορφή καρκίνου του κεντρικού νευρικού συστήματος. Δυστυχώς, είναι επίσης μεταξύ των πιο δύσκολων μορφών όσο αναφορά τη θεραπεία, με αποτέλεσμα την κακή πρόγνωση των ασθενών. Γλοιώματα παρουσιάζουν πολύπλοκη κυτταρική και γενετική ετερογένεια, περιορίζοντας σημαντικά τις στοχευμένες θεραπευτικές προσεγγίσεις. Η ανακάλυψη γονιδίων και σηματοδοτικών μονοπατιών που ρυθμίζουν την επιβίωση και την ανάπτυξη των καρκινικών κυττάρων θα βοηθήσουν στην ανάπτυξη νέων και πιο αποτελεσματικών θεραπειών. Η πρωτεΐνη απόκρισης στο κυκλικό-AMP (CREB) είναι ένα πυρηνικό μόριο που ενεργοποιείται μέσω φωσφορυλίωσης από κινάσες σερίνης/θρεονίνης και ελέγχει τη μεταγραφή πολλών γονιδίων στα νευρικά κύτταρα. Ο ρόλος του CREB στη νευρωνική λειτουργία κυμαίνεται από την επιβίωση και τον πολλαπλασιασμό σε πιο πολύπλοκες εγκεφαλικές λειτουργίες, όπως η μνήμη και οι συμπεριφορές εθισμού. Δεδομένα από πρόσφατες έρευνες δείχνουν πως ανώμαλη έκφραση ή ενεργοποίηση του CREB μπορεί να προσδώσει καρκινικές ιδιότητες σε διάφορους τύπους ιστών και κυττάρων. Επίσης το CREB συμμετέχει σε διαδικασίες επιβίωσης και μετάστασης σε μεγάλο αριθμό καρκινικών κυτταρικών σειρών. Με βάση αυτά μελετήθηκε ο ρόλος του CREB σε κύτταρα καρκίνου του εγκεφάλου, με έμφαση στις περιπτώσεις γλοιοβλαστώματος. Δείξαμε ότι τόσο τα επίπεδα ενεργοποίησης όσο και ο αριθμός των κυττάρων που στα οποία το CREB είναι φωσφορυλιωμένο/ ενεργοποιημένο είναι σημαντικά αυξημένος σε σχέση με δείγματα παρακείμενου μη καρκινικού ιστού. Επιπλέων βρέθηκε πως η αποσιώπηση του CREB σε καρκινικές σειρές γλοιοβλαστώματος, με χρήση μορίων siRNA, επέφερε σημαντική μείωση στην βιωσιμότητα τους. Τα παραπάνω ευρήματα συσχετίζουν για πρώτη φορά το μεταγραφικό παράγοντα CREB με το γλοιοβλάστωμα και του προσδίδουν ένα αρκετά σημαντικό ρόλο όσο αναφορά την επιβίωση των συγκεκριμένων καρκινικών κυττάρων. / Gliomas are the most common malignant cancers of the nervous system. Unfortunately, they are also amongst the most difficult cancers to treat, resulting in poor patient prognosis. Gliomas exhibit complex cellular and genetic heterogeneity, limiting effective targeted therapy approaches. Discovering the genes and pathways that regulate cancer cells survival and growth will aid in the development of novel and more effective treatments. The Cyclic-AMP Response Element Binding protein (CREB) is a serine/threonine kinase-regulated nuclear factor modulating the transcription of numerous genes in nerve cells and has various roles in neuronal function, ranging from survival and proliferation to more complex brain functions, such as memory and drug addiction behaviours. Given recent findings that aberrant CREB expression can impart oncogenic properties on myeloid cells, liver cells and ovarian epithelial cells, we explored the potential role of CREB in brain cancer biology by examining its expression in a panel of human patient brain tumour specimens. We show that both the level of expression and the number of cells expressing activated/phosphorylated CREB is markedly elevated in tumours compared with adjacent non-tumour control brain tissue. Moreover using siRNA molecules we knocked-down the expression of CREB in glioblastoma cell lines and then we studied the viability of these cells throughout 96 hours with the use of MTT assay. A significant reduction in viability was observed at CREB siRNA transfected cells against the control. These observations are the first to highlight a link between CREB and brain tumours. Our hypothesis is that CREB has a role in brain tumour development/growth and that at least some of CREB's neuro-oncogenic properties are due to its role in neural cells survival and proliferation.

No description available.

Magister Legum - LLM / An agent acting in excess of his authority creates several legal problems, particularly in company law. In South African law, like in many other legal systems around the world, the interplay between the doctrines of ultra vires and constructive notice has, historically, played a profound role in governing the relationship between a company, its representatives, and outsiders. For decades, the contractual capacity and consequent liability of companies have been guided by thorny and intricate legal principles. This issue has become especially intriguing in light of the changes to the company law regime introduced by the new legislation. The relevant sections of the Companies Act 71 of 2008 (the 2008 Act) that allow for the restriction of a company's powers, require close scrutiny and thoughtful consideration. To that end, this thesis shall examine some of the legal consequences arising from the conclusion by a company's agent of an "unauthorised contract".

Magister Legum - LLM