This thesis is a narratological analysis of the poem “The Miracle” by Edith Södergran. The thesis uses narratological tools from Mieke Bal in order to investigate different themes mainly connected to Christological sacrificial mythology. The thesis furtermore offers a discussion that highlights the poem from a feminist theological point of view, mainly with the help of ideas developed by Catherine Keller and Anne-Sofie Eriksson. ”The Miracle” is a dialogue between a girl and a nun about a troublesome dream that the girl has. It is a dream, which the girl finds strange and it concerns the need for revenge to reach relief. The dialogue also shows the risk of a kind of oppressive forgiveness by covering unfairness, and how the girl finds her way with help from the nun. With the altar in the poem as a kind of stage, “The Miracle” offers a challenge for the church and the whole world about attitudes, and about how to be constructive and liberating. This includes questions about the need to be careful and realistic when it comes to danger as well. How can you aim for fairness and at the same time handle unfairness, at several levels? Both the girl and the nun keep progressing in their different situations, from a horizon including escatological expressions. It is not easy, but they are not tied to oppressive traditions in their way of thinking either. What makes “The Miracle” such an interesting poem is the way it directs the reader to pose several constructive questions, without offering preformed answers.

Several metals are known to disturb cellular functions by binding to thiol groups of biomolecules. Therefore, a possible therapy for metal intoxication is to remove the toxic metals from the bound functional bioligands by administering strong thiol-containing chelators. However, these compounds could remove endogenous metals, which are essential components of many enzyme systems. Thus, the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of chelating agents, meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), 2,3-dimercaptopropane 1-sulfonate (DMPS) and 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (BAL) per se on toxicological parameters and models of cadmium intoxication. δ-Aminolevulinate dehydratase (δ-ALA-D) activity from human erythrocytes was inhibited by dithiol chelating agents in a concentration-dependent manner. Dithiotreitol and zinc chloride were able to protect the δ-ALA-D inhibition caused by BAL, DMPS and DMSA in a concentration-dependent manner. Acute treatment with chelating agents caused changes in a number of toxicological parameters in mice. BAL caused a decrease on renal δ-ALA-D activity and an increase on brain and liver enzyme activity. DMPS caused an inhibition in renal δ-ALA-D activity, while animals that received a single dose of DMSA did not present δ-ALA-D activity of tissues modified. All three agents produced an increase in both liver and renal lipid peroxidation. Mice that received DMPS presented an increase in renal zinc concentration and a depletion of hepatic zinc occurred in mice administrated with BAL. Of all the toxic metals found in the environment and used in industry, cadmium occupies a special place because of the generally intractable nature of cadmium intoxication. Several lines of evidence indicate that reactive oxygen species are involved in cadmium-mediated tissue damage. Thus, it is believed that antioxidant should be one of the important components of an effective treatment of cadmium poisoning, as well, combined therapy with antioxidants and chelators can yield better therapeutic outcomes than isolated chelation therapy. Acute cadmium-intoxication caused inhibition of δ-ALA-D and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, reduction in ascorbic acid levels and increase of lipid peroxidation in mice testes. Also, an increase on plasmatic lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities was observed. DMSA, DMPS and diphenyl diselenide ((PhSe)2) protected against the inhibitory effect of cadmium on δ-ALA-D activity and restored the increase of TBARS levels. However, these compounds alone or in combination, were unable to protect SOD activity and to improve ascorbic acid levels near to the normal value. The use of combined therapy (DMSA plus (PhSe)2) not proved be better than the monotherapy, in improving the toxicological parameters evaluated in this model of testicular damage induced by cadmium. On the other hand, the use of combined therapy (DMPS plus (PhSe)2) proved to be better than the monotherapy in decreasing cadmium levels in testes and in ameliorating plasmatic AST level. Sub-chronic effects of cadmium-intoxication in mice caused inhibition of δ-ALA-D activity in liver, kidney and spleen and (PhSe)2 therapy was effective in restoring enzyme activity in all tissues. Also, a reduction in ascorbic acid content by cadmium was observed in kidney and spleen, whereas (PhSe)2 was only effective in improving this reduction in kidney. The therapy with this compound was effective in restoring an increase of TBARS levels caused by cadmium in liver and brain tissues. In general, the results of this study indicate that it is necessary to investigate the potential toxicity of the chelating agents, since chelators may be as harmful as the metals they chelate. In addition, (PhSe)2 therapy in cadmium poisoning may be considered, as alone (antioxidant) as combined with DMPS and DMSA / Diversos metais alteram as funções celulares por serem capazes de se ligar a grupos tióis de biomoléculas. Portanto, uma terapia eficaz na intoxicação por metal seria a remoção dos metais tóxicos dos bioligantes funcionais através da administração de quelantes contendo grupos tióis. Entretanto, estes compostos poderiam remover metais endógenos, os quais são componentes essenciais de muitos sistemas enzimáticos. Dessa forma, o presente estudo foi delineado para avaliar os efeitos dos agentes quelantes, ácido meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccínico (DMSA), ácido 2,3-dimercaptopropano 1-sulfônico (DMPS) and 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (BAL) per se sobre alguns parâmetros toxicológicos e em modelos de intoxicação por cádmio. A atividade da δ-aminolevulinato desidratase (δ- ALA-D) de sangue humano foi inibida pelos agentes quelantes ditiólicos de maneira dependente da concentração. O ditiotreitol e o cloreto de zinco foram efetivos em proteger da inibição da δ-ALA-D causada pelo BAL, DMPS e DMSA de maneira dependente da concentração. O tratamento agudo com os agentes quelantes causou alterações em vários parâmetros toxicológicos em camundongos. O BAL causou uma diminuição significante na atividade da δ-ALA-D renal e um aumento na atividade da enzima cerebral e hepática. O DMPS causou uma inibição na atividade da δ-ALA-D de rim, enquanto os animais que receberam uma única dose de DMSA não apresentaram modificação na atividade da enzima nos tecidos. Todos os quelantes produziram um aumento na peroxidação lipídica no fígado e no rim. Os camundongos que receberam o DMPS apresentaram um aumento na concentração de zinco renal e uma depleção do zinco hepático ocorreu nos camundongos administrados com BAL. De todos os metais tóxicos encontrados no ambiente e utilizados industrialmente, o cádmio ocupa um lugar especial devido à natureza geralmente intratável da intoxicação por este metal. Muitas evidências indicam que as espécies reativas de oxigênio estão envolvidas no dano tecidual induzido pelo cádmio. Então, acredita-se que um antioxidante seja um componente importante de um tratamento efetivo da intoxicação por cádmio, bem como a terapia combinada com antioxidantes e quelantes poderia ser melhor do que a terapia que utiliza apenas os quelantes. A intoxicação aguda por cádmio causou inibição das atividades da δ-ALA-D e da superóxido dismutase (SOD), redução na concentração de ácido ascórbico e aumento da peroxidação lipídica nos testículos dos camundongos. Observou-se também uma elevação da LDH, AST e ALT plasmática. O DMSA, o DMPS e o disseleneto de difenila ((PhSe)2) protegeram do efeito inibitório induzido pelo cádmio na δ-ALA-D e restauraram o aumento dos níveis de espécies reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBARS). Entretanto, estes compostos sozinhos ou em combinação foram incapazes de proteger a atividade da SOD e em recuperar os níveis de ácido ascórbico. A terapia combinada (DMSA e (PhSe)2) não foi melhor que a monoterapia em restaurar os parâmetros toxicológicos avaliados neste modelo de dano testicular induzido por cádmio. Por outro lado, o uso da terapia combinada (DMPS e (PhSe)2) foi melhor que a monoterapia em reduzir os níveis de cádmio nos testículos e em restaurar o nível da AST plasmática. A intoxicação sub-crônica por cádmio em camundongos causou inibição da atividade da δ-ALA-D do fígado, rim e baço e a terapia com (PhSe)2 foi efetiva em restaurar a atividade da enzima em todos os tecidos. Uma redução no conteúdo de ácido ascórbico no rim e no baço foi também observado, enquanto o (PhSe)2 foi efetivo em restaurar esta redução somente no rim. Além disso, a terapia com este composto foi efetiva em restaurar o aumento dos níveis de TBARS causado pelo cádmio nos tecidos hepático e cerebral. De maneira geral, os resultados deste estudo indicam que é necessário investigar a toxicidade potencial dos agentes quelantes, uma vez que eles podem ser tão prejudiciais quanto os metais que eles quelam. Além disso, a terapia com (PhSe)2 na intoxicação por cádmio pode ser útil, tanto quando utilizada sozinha (antioxidante) quanto combinado com DMPS ou DMSA

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-14T14:51:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 444924.pdf: 1000917 bytes, checksum: f4d5f486dd1a714bf1f2ecdcc7d68781 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-30 / I offer this thesis, which serves the purposes of the Programa de P?s-Gradu??o em Biologia Celular e Molecular, PUCRS and Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superiror (CAPES), in order to corroborate the routine practice in forensic genetics. Fired cartridge cases are commonly present in crime scenes with firearms and sometimes they are the only evidence available for the elucidation of a fact, which makes them investigation key players. To load a firearm the individual has to touch the ammunition, resulting in deposition of epithelial cells on the surface of the cartridges. However, in forensic genetic laboratories routine, DNA tests are not required for these signs as often as they are found. The reason for the underuse of these materials is the low concentration and high rate DNA degradation wich occurs due to overheating of the cartridge that can reach 1800oC. Besides that, the inhibition of PCR, few reports of success in obtaining genetic profiles from fired cases and the scarce verifying feasibility studies of these samples are factors that discourage this practice. In order to corroborate the genetic research routine, we have established a partnership between the sectors of Instituto Geral de Per?cias do Rio Grande do Sul (IGP/RS) Forensic Genetics and Ballistics and Laborat?rio de Gen?tica Humana e Molecular da PUCRS (LGHMPUCRS). The present study developed a controlled research to obtaining and analysis of nuclear DNA from fired cartridge cases. The study was based on standard protocols and/or indicated by the Forensic Science Department of Virginia. This study demonstrated that is possible to use fired, or not, cartridge cases as source of DNA to identify individuals who involved with its handle. However, considering the limited efficiency, the restricted effectiveness and the cost-benefit, means that the DNA analysis strategy from cells left in cartridges/cases is not priority in forensics lab routine. But, in many situations it could be the only option to investigators and, at this moment, our results and protocols herein will have main importance. This study concluded that following protocols here presented it is possible to produce data for human identification. The use of these protocols and their results will be definitive when used as an additional part of a police investigation and/or as evidence in criminal proceedings / Apresento esta disserta??o, a qual atende aos prop?sitos do Programa de P?s- Gradua??o em Biologia Celular e Molecular da PUCRS e da Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superiror (CAPES), com o prop?sito de corroborar com a rotina de pr?ticas em gen?tica forense. Estojos resultantes da deflagra??o de cartuchos s?o vest?gios comumente presentes em cenas de crime com armas de fogo e, por vezes, ?nicos ind?cios de que se disp?e para a elucida??o de um fato, o que os torna pe?as chave em uma investiga??o. Ao municiar uma arma de fogo ? necess?rio que o indiv?duo toque a muni??o, resultando na deposi??o de c?lulas epiteliais na superf?cie dos cartuchos. Entretanto, na rotina de laborat?rios de gen?tica forense, testes de DNA n?o s?o requeridos para estes ind?cios com tanta frequ?ncia quanto s?o encontrados. A justificativa para a subutiliza??o destes materiais ? a baixa concentra??o e a alta taxa de degrada??o do DNA, que ocorre devido ao superaquecimento do cartucho que pode chegar a 1800oC, al?m disso, a inibi??o da PCR, os poucos relatos de sucesso na obten??o de perfil gen?tico a partir de estojos deflagrados e os ex?guos estudos que verificam a viabilidade de amostras como estas, s?o fatores que desestimulam esta pr?tica. Com o intuito de corroborar com a rotina de investiga??o gen?tica, estabeleceu-se uma parceria entre os Setores de Gen?tica Forense e de Bal?stica Forense do Instituto-Geral de Per?cias do Rio Grande do Sul (IGP/RS) e o Laborat?rio de Gen?tica Humana e Molecular da Faculdade de Bioci?ncias da Pontif?cia Universidade Cat?lica do Rio Grande do Sul (LGHMPUCRS). O presente estudo desenvolveu uma pesquisa controlada para obten??o e an?lise de DNA nuclear oriundos de estojos de cartuchos deflagrados. O estudo de foi realizado adaptando-se protocolos padr?o e/ou indicados pelo Departamento de Ci?ncias Forenses da Virg?nia. Este estudo demonstrou que ? poss?vel utilizar estojos deflagrados ou n?o, como fonte de DNA com a finalidade de identificar os envolvidos com o seu manuseio. Contudo, considerando o rendimento limitado, a efic?cia restrita e, sobretudo, o custo-benef?cio, entende-se que a estrat?gia de an?lise de DNA oriundo de c?lulas deixadas em cartuchos/estojos n?o seja a priorit?ria na rotina do Laborat?rio Forense. Mas, em muitas situa??es, essa pode ser a ?nica op??o dos investigadores e, nesse momento, nossos resultados e protocolos aqui apresentados ter?o import?ncia fundamental. Com este estudo conclu?mos que seguindo os protocolos aqui apresentados ? poss?vel produzir dados para fins de identifica??o humana. O uso destes protocolos, e de seus resultados, poder? ser definitivo quando usados como elemento adicional de um inqu?rito policial e/ou como prova em um processo penal

No description available.

<p>The present BA thesis is an analysis and a close reading of the French author Gabrielle Wittkop's novel Le Nécrophile (1972). The analysis consists of two parts. The first part focuses on the story and can be described as an attempt to interpret the engine of the history. The second part of the analysis focuses on the narrative; how the story is told. Le Nécrophiles main motif is re-encoding the representation of death in art and literature, traditionally conceived as a beautiful female corpse. The narrative embodies death as different of body types – men, women, old people, childen - and hence avoids to produce death as the female Other. By the use of different methods, such as metaphores, focalizing etc., the corpse becomes something more than a passive object, now threatening and interacting. In the novel necrophilia is described as a higher form of love. The historical view of sexuality as divided into high/low is strongly codified from a gender perspective; the higher form of love is associated with masculinity and the lower form with femininity. In Le Nécrophile the classification of high/low is based on life and death instead of masculinity and femininity; a new way of staging the binery pairs high/low.</p>

Quasars are among the most luminous and the most distant objects in the Universe. Consequently they are particularly interesting to probe its origin and to understand its evolution. However, the huge distances at which these objects are generally found prevent us from resolving their central regions so that we cannot directly check the validity of the geometrical as well as the dynamical models accounting for their observational properties (spectral energy distribution, line profiles, presence or absence of radio jets etc). In our thesis, we use two indirect observational techniques in order to constrain the existing models. These techniques which are particularly sensitive to the geometrical structure of the quasar emission regions are polarimetry and gravitational microlensing. In the first part of our thesis we study the correlation between the direction of the linear polarization and the orientation of the host galaxy/ extended emission that we determined on the basis of high resolution HST images. We show how this study enables us to bring new clues favoring the existence of a unification model for the Type 1 and Type 2 quasars. In the second part, we show how gravitational microlensing allows to constrain the geometry and size of the regions at the origin of the broad absorption lines observed in the spectrum of 10 to 20 % of quasars. For this purpose we build a radiative transfer code allowing to simulate the line profiles produced in a variety of realistic wind models. These models are then used to study the variations of line profiles induced by the transit of a gravitational microlens. This technique is finally applied to the case of the quasar H1413+117 in order to determine the geometry of the regions which produce the broad absorption lines.

No description available.

The present BA thesis is an analysis and a close reading of the French author Gabrielle Wittkop's novel Le Nécrophile (1972). The analysis consists of two parts. The first part focuses on the story and can be described as an attempt to interpret the engine of the history. The second part of the analysis focuses on the narrative; how the story is told. Le Nécrophiles main motif is re-encoding the representation of death in art and literature, traditionally conceived as a beautiful female corpse. The narrative embodies death as different of body types – men, women, old people, childen - and hence avoids to produce death as the female Other. By the use of different methods, such as metaphores, focalizing etc., the corpse becomes something more than a passive object, now threatening and interacting. In the novel necrophilia is described as a higher form of love. The historical view of sexuality as divided into high/low is strongly codified from a gender perspective; the higher form of love is associated with masculinity and the lower form with femininity. In Le Nécrophile the classification of high/low is based on life and death instead of masculinity and femininity; a new way of staging the binery pairs high/low.

The main purpose of this paper has been to use narratological theory for uncovering the narrative structure in Freud‟s cases, such as anachronisms and focalizing. My aim was to investigate the narrative and through these viewpoints discover what impact Freud‟s writing‟s had on the look of hysterical women. I choose one of the earliest cases,"Fräulein Elisabeth von R." which is published in Studien über Hysterie (I‟ve used the text translated to Swedish and published in Tidiga skrifter och historik. Freud, Sigmund, 1997). I‟ve consulted both Iréne Matthis and Jurgen Reeder to get a broader perspective on the psychoanalytic theory. Another author whom been invaluable is Karin Johannisson, her essays on the aesthetics that characterize hysteria has been very useful. By using the narratological theories of Mieke Bal and Gérard Genette I‟ve been able to uncover the structure of my narrative. The main concepts have been "text", "story" and "fabula" which symbolize three layers of the narrative, for the investigation of these three aspects I‟ve looked closer into anachronisms, retroversions and anticipations (internal and external), focalizor, narrator, actors and agents. The conclusion I‟ve reached is that Freud, by separating himself into the –less knowing and the –analyst and use this –less knowing version of himself as an assistant in the hunt of the answer to hysteria, he writes off Elisabeth as a character. He excludes her from her own anamnesis and fills the hole with himself and uses it as a part of his theory. Left again is the woman, without having been really listened to.

In this study various microbial and enzymatic methods developed for enantioselective acyloin synthesis for preparation of some pharmaceutically important intermediates. By performing Aspergillus flavus (MAM 200120) mediated biotransformation, enantioselective bio-oxidation of meso-hydrobenzoin was achieved with a high ee value (76%). Racemic form of hydrobenzoin was also employed for the same bio-oxidation process and this bioconversion was resulted in accumulation of meso form (&gt / 90% yield) confirming the suggested mechanism of oxidation-reduction sequence of hydrobenzoin. Wieland-Miescher ketone (3,4,8,8a-tetrahydro-8a-methylnaphthalene-1,6(2H,7H)-dione) is an important starting material for bioactive compounds like steroids and terpenoids. Many synthetic approaches include enantioselective reduction of this compound. In this study Aspergillus niger (MAM 200909) mediated reduction of Wieland-Miescher ketone was achieved with a high yield (80%), de (79%) and ee (94%) value and these results were found much more superior than previously reported studies. Carboligating enzymes benzaldehyde lyase (BAL) (EC 4.1.2.38) and benzoiyl formate decarboxilase (BFD) (E.C. 4.1.1.7) are used for biocatalytic acyloin synthesis. These enzymes are immobilized to surface modified superparamagnetic silica coated nanoparticles by using metal ion affinity technique. With this system recombinant histidine tagged BAL and BFD purified and immobilized to magnetic particles by one-pot purification-immobilization procedure. SDS page analysis showed that our surface modified magnetic particles were eligible for specific binding of histidine tagged proteins. Conventional BAL and BFD catalyzed benzoin condenzation reactions and some representative acyloin reactions were performed with this system with a high enantioselectivity (99-92%) and yield. Results obtained with magnetic particle-enzyme system were also found comparable with that of free enzyme catalyzed reactions.