Alien fish have been implicated in the decline of Rana draytonii (California red-legged frog) and Pseudacris regilla (Pacific treefrog) populations. Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) is a common sport fish that has been introduced into the sympatric range of these two anuran species; however, no studies have investigated the individual influence that this alien fish has on these two species. I conducted M. salmoides control or eradication experiments during a four year study in two ponds within the Transverse Mountain Range of Santa Barbara County, California. Changes in the densities of all life stages of R. draytonii and P. regilla were assessed through repeated visual encounter surveys. In response to the manipulations of the M. salmoides populations there was an increase in the density of both species. For R. draytonii, this salient increase in density was recorded in the larval and metamorph life stages. For P. regilla, a slight, yet steady increase in the density of adult, metamorph, and larval life stages was recorded. My results suggest that M. salmoides can be controlled or eradicated from lentic waterbodies and provides reasonable evidence that the negative effects of this species on R. draytonii and P. regilla populations can be minimized or reversed. The reversal of these effects may translate into increases in the densities and potential recruitment of these two native anurans. Therefore, my results provide tentative support that the control or eradication of M. salmoides where they cohabitate with these two species may be a viable conservation measure for R. draytonii and P. regilla populations. Since my study was performed at a very local scale and all results are strictly observational and descriptive, additional studies should be performed at a larger spatial scale and buttressed with controlled laboratory and field enclosures experiments to identify the causal factors responsible for the identified patterns.

<p>Napredak na polju molekularne biologije omogućio je identifikaciju molekularnih markera za karcinom bronha sa vrednim prognostičkim i prediktivnim značajem i njihova uloga kod uznapredovalog, metastatskog oblika bolesti je u velikoj meri istražena, dok kod ranih stadijuma bolesti jo&scaron; uvek nije sasvim jasna. Cilj ovog istraživnja bio je da se utvrdi učestalost najče&scaron;ćih genskih alteracija u tumorskim ćelijama bolesnika sa ranim stadijumom adenokarcinoma bronha, da se utvrdi pojedinačna zavisnost ispitivanih genskih alteracija u tumorskim ćelijama sa određenim kliničko-patolo&scaron;kim karakteristikama i da se utvrdi potencijalni prognostički značaj pojedinačne genske alteracije u tumorskim ćelijama na vreme preživljavanja bez povratka bolesti i ukupno vreme preživljavanja. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo 161 bolesnika sa adenokarcinomom bronha, stadijuma bolesti od I do IIIA, kod kojih je sprovedena radikalna hirur&scaron;ka resekcija u Institutu za plućne bolesti Vojvodine u periodu izmedju 2007 i 2014 godine. U tumorskim uzorcima fiksiranim u parafinu odredjivane su mutacije EGFR, KRAS i PIK3CA gena, ALK i ROS1 rearanžman i PD1 i PD-L1 ekspresija. Kliničkopatolo&scaron;ke karakteristike su preuzete iz registra za karcinom bronha Instituta za plućne bolesti Vojvodine. Ukupno preživljavanje je računato od dana operacije do dana smrti, a preživljavanje bez povratka bolesti je računato od dana operacije do momenta ponovne pojave bolesti. Od 161 testiranog tumorskog uzorka, prisustvo mutacija detektovano je kod 96 uzoraka (59.6%). Prisustvo mutacije KRAS gena detektovano je kod 69 (42.9%), mutacije EGFR gena kod 10 (6.2%), a mutacije PIK3CA gena kod 7 (4.3%) tumorskih uzoraka. ALK rearanžman je detektovan kod 3 (1.9%), a ROS1 rearanžman kod 7 (4.3%) tumorskih uzoraka. PD-1 ekspresija detektovana je u 71 tumorskom uzorku (45%), dok je PD-L1 ekspresija detektovana u 59 tumorskih uzoraka (36.6%). PD-1 ekspresija nije bila značajno povezana ni sa jednim od klinčko-patolo&scaron;kih karakteristika (uključujući KRAS, EGFR, ALK, ROS1 i PI3KCA status). PD-L1 ekspresija je bila značajno povezana sa tipom hirurgije (P = 0.01) i sa prisustvom KRAS mutacije (P = 0.02). Mutacioni status u domenu KRAS gena je bio značajno povezan sa godinama starosti (P = 0.004), polom (P = 0.006) i pu&scaron;ačkim statusom (P = 0.004). Mutacioni status u domenu EGFR gena je bio značajno povezan sa pu&scaron;enjem (P &lt; 0.001) i sa godinama starosti (P = 0.013). Mutacioni statusi u domenu gena za ALK, ROS1 i PI3KCA nisu bili značajno povezani ni sa jednom od ispitivanih kliničko-patolo&scaron;kih karakteristika. Prisustvo PD-1 ekspresije je bilo značajno povezano sa preživljavanjem bez povratka bolesti (P = 0.03) i ukupnim preživljavanjem (P = 0.01). PD-L1 ekspresija, KRAS, EGFR, ALK, ROS1 i PIK3CA mutacioni status nisu bili značajno opvezani sa preživljavanjem bez povratka bolesti i ukupnim preživljavanjem. Najče&scaron;će detektovane genske alteracije su mutacije u domenu KRAS i EGFR gena. Prisustvo KRAS mutacije je značajno povezano sa godinama starosti ispitanika, polom i pu&scaron;ačkim statusom dok je prisustvo EGFR mutacije značajno povezano sa godinama starosti ispitanika i pu&scaron;ačkim statusom. Prisustvo PD-L1 ekspresije je značajno povezano sa vrstom hirur&scaron;kog lečenja i sa prisustvom KRAS mutacija. Jedino prisustvo PD-1 ekspresije u tumorskim ćelijama predstavlja nezavistan prognostički faktor za preživljavanje bez povratka bolesti i ukupno preživljavanje bolesnika sa ranim stadijumom adenokarcinoma bronha.</p> / <p>Advances in the field of molecular biology gave us insight into biomarkers for lung cancer with great prognostic and predictive value and their role in advanced stage disease is well known while in early stage disease is yet to be proven. The aim of this study was to determine the frequencies of the most common gene alterations in patients with early stage lung adenocarcinoma, to determine the relationship between gene alterations in tumor cells and clinicopathologial characteristics and to determine prognostic value of each gene alteration regarding overall survival and disease free survival. One hundred sixty-one patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma clinical stage I-IIIA who underwent radical surgical resection at the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina between 2007 and 2014 were included in this study. Mutations in EGFR, KRAS and PIK3CA gene, ALK and ROS1 rearrangement and PD-1 and PD-L1 expression were determined in representative formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor block from each patient. Clinical data were extracted from the institutional lung cancer registry of the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases. Overall survival was calculated as time from the day of surgery to the day of death. Disease free survival was calculated as time from the day of surgery to the day of disease relapse. Among 161 tested tumor tissue, presence of mutation was found in 96 (59.6%) of them. There were 69 (42.9%) mutations in KRAS gene, 10 (6.2%) in EGFR gene and 7 (4.3%) in PIK3CA gene. ALK and ROS1 rearrangement were present in 3 (1.9%) and 7 (4.3%), respectively. PD-1 expression was determined in 71 (45.0%) tumor sample while PD-L1 expression was determined in 59 (36.6%). PD-1 expression was not correlated with any of the clinicopathologial characteristics (including KRAS, EGFR, ALK, ROS1 and PIK3CA mutational status). PD-L1 expression correlated with type of surgery (P = 0.01) and KRAS positivity (P = 0.02). KRAS mutation status correlated with age (P = 0.004), sex (P = 0.006) and smoking status (P = 0.004). EGFR status correlated with smoking status (P &lt; 0.001) and age (P = 0.013). ALK, ROS1 and PIK3CA status were not correlated with any of the clinicopathologial characteristics. PD-1expression was significantly associated with disease free survival (P = 0.03) and overall survival (P = 0.01). PD-L1 expression, KRAS, EGFR, ALK, ROS1 and PIK3CA status were not associated with disease free survival and overall survival. The most frequent gene alteration are mutations in KRAS and EGFR gene. Presence of KRAS mutation is in correlation with patients age, sex and smoking status while presence of EGFR mutation is in correlation with patients age and smoking status. PD-L1 expression is in correlation with type of surgery and KRAS mutational status. Only presence of PD-1 expression represent an independent prognostic factor for disease free survival and overall survival.</p>

Transnational corporations are playing an important role in the global economy of today. Many of these corporations have great economic resources and have the possibility of contributing to the development of societies in developing states. At the same time, in their search for profit, the activities of TNCs have proven fatal to some of the individuals employed by them, or otherwise in contact with their activities. Within the international legal framework, corporations are not traditionally treated as subjects and if a TNC allocates its production to a state with lax human rights protection, no binding international standards exist to regulate the conduct of the corporation.  In my thesis I will assess the position of TNCs under the present core human rights instruments and soft law initiatives. I will also analyze a draft treaty text produced by the Intergovernmental Working Group on Business and Human Rights, released in July 2018, to reach a conclusion on whether such an instrument would affect the international legal status of TNCs and provide a more robust protection of international human rights.