Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-51).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 26-29).

Laboratory analyses were conducted on synthetic iron oxides to assess the use of gamma (γ-) irradiation as an efficient sterilization technique to remove microorganisms present in natural bacteriogenic iron oxides (BIOS) and to determine if the technique induces mineralogical changes within the Fe-rich minerals. Fe-oxides (ferrihydrite, lepidocrocite, and goethite) were synthesized with and without alginate (as a proxy for exopolysaccharides) and microbial reductions were carried out using the bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens CN32. A total of 18 Fe-oxide minerals were subjected to microbial reduction to assess redox stability, alteration due to varying levels of gamma irradiation (0, 5, and 28 kGy), and the addition of the exopolysaccharide alginate. Iron reduction rates varied for each Fe-oxide with faster Fe (III) reduction rates observed for the amorphous poorly-sorted 2-line ferrihydrite and slower Fe (III) reduction for the more crystalline Fe-oxides lepidocrocite and goethite. There was no significant impact to the Fe (III) reduction rates due to gamma irradiation (p> 0.05), which was confirmed using a t-test for statistical variance between gamma irradiated samples. However, the addition of alginate enabled lepidocrocite and goethite to achieve maximum Fe (III) reduction by an average of 7 days faster when compared to the Fe-oxides synthesized without the exopolysaccharide.

No description available.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Bonn, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references and index.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1956 Y45 / Master of Science

Master of Science / Department of Animal Sciences and Industry / David M. Grieger / Mares in estrus can exhibit erratic and fractious behavior that may adversely affect their ease of handling. Current treatments for suppression of estrus in the mare include an oral progestin, Regu-mate® (Hodgson et al., 2005), uterine insertion of a glass ball (Nie et al., 2003), fetal crushing through rectal palpation (Lefranc, 2004) and surgical sterilization (McCue, 2003). Although effective, all of these procedures are problematic for different reasons. Immunization against an endogenous hormone critical to fertility is an attractive alternative in suppressing estrus; especially if it is less intrusive and reversible. This strategy has been demonstrated by targeting gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in gilts (Esbenshade and Britt, 1985), ewes (Clarke et al., 1978), mares (Garza et al., 1986), and heifers (Johnson et al., 1988). The antigen developed for this study was produced using the sequence of the bacterial protein, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) linked to three in-tandem repeats of the mammalian GnRH gene coding sequence (GST-GnRH3). Six reproductively sound mares, between the ages of 3 and 8 years, were used in this study. The anti-GnRH group (n=4) received 1 mg of GST-GnRH3 in 2ml of incomplete Freund’s adjuvant (IFA) as the primary injection. Four weeks later, mares received a single booster injection of 0.5mg of GST-GnRH3 in 1ml of IFA. The control mares (n=2) received similar doses of GST protein only, in identical injection volumes of IFA as the anti-GnRH group. The entire duration of the study ran for 22 weeks from early May through September. Ovaries were monitored three times weekly to track follicular growth and ovulation via transrectal ultrasonography. In addition, all mares were exposed to a stallion twice weekly and observed for estrous behavior. Weekly blood samples were collected to evaluate progesterone levels and serum binding of GnRH. The GST-GnRH3 antigen suppressed follicular activity in all treatment mares within 45 days following the second injection. Estrous behavior was suppressed in all but one mare in the anti-GnRH group. When exposed to the stallion, this mare displayed strong estrous behavior for seven weeks despite her lack of ovarian cyclicity. Follicular activity and estrous behavior remained normal in one of the control mares (avg. cycle length = 20 days). For the final 10 weeks of the study, however, the other control mare developed large follicles but failed to ovulate according to the ultrasound data. This mare did not display estrous behavior during this period, and her progesterone levels remained greater than 2 ng/ml for most of the final 10 weeks of the study. Approximately 2 weeks after the booster injection all anti-GnRH mares had progesterone levels of <1ng/ml. GnRH antibody binding peaked two weeks following booster immunization in all treated mares and remained undetectable in control mares throughout the study. The GST-GnRH3 treatment induced GnRH binding, suppressed follicular activity and reduced progesterone concentrations in all four mares. Although estrous behavior was abolished in 3 of the 4 treated mares, one did continue to demonstrate estrous behavior in the presence of a stallion. This dissociation of ovarian activity and estrous behavior was evident in our study with a limited number of animals, but the vaccine does show promise in reducing unwanted estrous behavior.

This study shows how political activists during the period from 2008 to 2013 worked toabolish the legal paragraph that demanded transgendered citizens to get a sterilization inSweden. By accounting for the themes of the medial debate, which for the most part aimedit’s criticism against society and it’s rulers for keeping the law intact, the study shows howsympathies for the transgendered group were framed. Most arguments that was put forth inthe news flow centered around the law being outdated, a discrimination againsttransgendered citizens and not correlating with Sweden self image of being a modern andcivilized country. This correlates with the activists view of what is problematic with the law,they considered it being a betrayal towards transgendered citizens, a dismissal of applyinghuman rights and their right to equal citizenship – through rejecting their reproductiverights. Their strategies involved appearing in media themselves, doing strategic processmanagement and meeting with government officials. This study shows that the law isconsidered by the activists to reinforce norms of heterosexuality and the societal belief thattransgendered people were not fit to uphold the role of a parent. The abolishing of the lawsymbolizes an inclusion of transgendered citizens in society and making them culturallyintelligible. The activists saw the abolishment of the law as a victory but also as aanticlimax, since it was decided by the court and not by politics in addition to experiencingthat the decision was formed too late, that the damaged was already done and the activistsfelt that more needs to be done to make transgendered citizens equal to others.

[pt] No Brasil, as Infecções Hospitalares se constituem na principal causa de mortalidade de pacientes internados, gerando grandes prejuízos financeiros. Em 2008, a ANVISA publicou alerta de emergência epidemiológica devido à ocorrência de infecções por micobactérias de crescimento rápido em todas as regiões do país, infecções fortemente relacionadas a falhas nos processos de limpeza, desinfecção e esterilização de produtos médicos. A validação é uma ferramenta da metrologia que possibilita estabelecer se o processo de esterilização é executado de modo eficaz e reprodutível. Na norma ISO/TS 17665-2:2009 sobre validação da esterilização de produtos para saúde, se destacam recomendações de revalidações periódicas, distribuição espacial de sensores térmicos, critérios de aceitação quanto à temperatura calculada a partir da pressão medida na câmara e estimativa de incerteza de medição. Com base nos requisitos, recomendações, orientações e exigências descritas em documentos nacionais e internacionais, no presente trabalho se desenvolvem sistema e procedimento para avaliação da confiabilidade metrológica de esterilizadores por vapor saturado. Com o sistema foram avaliadas quatro autoclaves gravitacionais em uso hospitalar e industrial. Os resultados reforçam a importância de aspectos como: revalidações, condições ambientais e impacto da estabilidade temporal e uniformidade espacial na incerteza global das câmaras. Em todas as autoclaves avaliadas o processo se realizou por vapor superaquecido, que é menos eficiente e não-conforme à ISO 17665. As limitações identificadas corroboram com os novos requisitos da ANVISA (RDC 15:2012), tanto com relação à exigência de avaliações periódicas de esterilizadores, quanto à proibição do uso de autoclaves gravitacionais com capacidade superior a 100 L. / [en] In Brazil, the Hospital Infections are the main cause of mortality during hospitalization, generating huge financial losses. In 2008, ANVISA issued a warning of epidemiological emergency due to the occurrence of infections by rapidly growing mycobacteria in all regions of the country, strongly related to failures in the processes of cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of medical products. Validation is a metrological tool that allows establishing whether the sterilization process developed is running efficiently and with reproducibility. ISO/TS 17665-2:2009, on validation of sterilization products for health, highlights the need of periodic revalidations, measurements of temperature with sensors distributed throughout the chamber volume, specifies acceptance criteria based on measurements of pressure in the internal volume of the chamber (theoretical temperature) and introduces the measurement uncertainty requirement. In this work, based on the requirements and recommendations outlined in national and international documents, a system and procedure are developed for the metrological reliability evaluation of saturated steam sterilizers. With the developed system, four gravitational autoclaves were evaluated. The results reinforce the importance of revalidation, environmental conditions, and the contribution of temporal stability and spatial uniformity in the overall uncertainty of the cameras. All the autoclave process was carried out by means of superheated steam, which is less efficient and non-conform to ISO 17665. The limitations identified corroborate with the recently published requirements of RDC ANVISA 15:2012, concerning both the need of periodic evaluations of sterilizers and the prohibition of the use of gravitational autoclaves with capacity exceeding 100 L.

This study explores the extent to which the implementation of the National Program for Reproductive Health and Family Planning by the Peruvian Government had consequences in the lives of women who underwent sterilizations. This study is based on a feminist methodology and used interviews as a method of data collection in order to privilege women’s voices and lived experiences from a gender perspective. It addresses notions of biopower and the concept of reproductive health within a framework of intersectionality. Finally, by linking women’s testimonies with the theoretical framework, it was possible to identify that specific Peruvian women, in vulnerable and poor conditions, were targeted by the Government because they did not represent the idea of development, and since then, women are dealing with physical, emotional, and social consequences.