Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Physics / Daniel Rolles / Imaging the structures of molecules, understanding the molecular dynamics in onization and dissociation processes and, most importantly, observing chemical reactions, i.e. the making and breaking of chemical bonds in real time, have become some of the most exciting topics in the atomic and molecular physics. The rapid advances of experimental tools such as synchrotron radiation light sources, free-electron lasers and continuing advances of tabletop femtosecond ultrashort lasers that provide laser pulses at a variety of wavelengths have opened new avenues for understanding the structure of matter and the dynamics of the chemical interactions. In addition, significant improvements in computational techniques and molecular dynamic simulations have provided complementary theoretical predictions on structures and chemical dynamics. The Coulomb explosion imaging method, which has been developed and applied in many studies in the last three decades, is a powerful way to study molecular structures. The method has mostly been applied to small diatomic molecules and to simple polyatomic molecules. In this thesis, Coulomb explosion imaging is applied to study the structure of isomers, molecules that have the same chemical formula but different chemical structures. Specifically, by taking inner-shell photoionization as well as strong-field ionization approaches to ionize and fragment the molecules and by using coincidence electron-ion-ion momentum imaging techniques to obtain the three-dimensional momentum of fragment ions, structures of isomers are distinguished by using the correlations among product ion momentum vectors. At first, the study aims to understand if the Coulomb explosion imaging of geometrical isomers can identify and separate cis and trans structures. Secondly, in order to extend the application of the Coulomb explosion imaging method to larger organic molecules to test the feasibility of the method for identifying structural isomers, photoionization studiesof 2,6- and 3,5-difluoroiodobenzene have been conducted. In addition, using the full three-dimensional kinematic information of multi-fold coincidence channels, breakup dynamics of both cis/trans geometric isomers and structural isomers, and in particular, sequential fragmentation dynamics of the difluoroiodobenzene isomers are studied. Furthermore, for each study, Coulomb explosion model simulations are conducted to complement the experimental results. The results of the Coulomb explosion imaging reseach in this thesis paves the way for future time-resolved Coulomb explosion imaging experiments aiming to understand the transient molecular dynamics such as photoinduced ring opening reactions and cis/trans isomerization processes in gas-phase molecules.

The aim of this paper is to examine the possibility to be impossible, to examine how the socially intelligible can come to exist. This is done through the concept of sex/gender, as sex/gender has such a determining place in the production of what can be understood as human, it also has the properties to shed light on the possibility to be and exist beyond the socially intelligible. In this paper I will interview and analyze how four genderqueer people understand themselves and their identity in relation to the phenomenon sex/gender. Through Karen Barad’s concept of posthumanist performativity and her conceptualization of phenomena and intra-action I understand sex/gender, not as entities, but as phenomena of ever changing and ever intra-acting agents. The study suggests that the limitations of the concept of sex/gender can be addressed through an understanding of the body as itself a web of intra-actions, that is, the body as a phenomenon.

Approximately 7000 rare disorders exist, affecting 2 percent of Canadians and millions of people worldwide. Given that for many rare diseases only one allele is mutated, we hypothesize inducing expression of the remaining wild-type allele may have a therapeutic effect. SMAD3 heterozygosity results in Aneurysms-Osteoarthritis Syndrome (AOS) – an aortic aneurysm disorder also known as Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Type 3. We conducted a screen of FDA-approved compounds and found that 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-CRA) induces SMAD3 in normal human fibroblast cultures. Treatment with therapeutic concentrations of 13-CRA increased SMAD3 mRNA in normal human fibroblasts, patient fibroblasts, wild-type murine vascular smooth muscle cells and Smad3+/- murine vascular smooth muscle cells. Increases in SMAD3 protein were also observed in normal human fibroblasts, patient fibroblasts, and wild-type murine vascular smooth muscle cells. Immunofluorescent imaging revealed the primary site of protein induction to be nuclear. We report here the in vitro induction of SMAD3 mRNA and protein by therapeutic levels of 13-CRA and suggest further investigation of this modality for the treatment of AOS.

Introdução: Obesidade central é um fator de risco para o diabetes e as doenças cardiovasculares. O estudo da sua associação com os transtornos mentais comuns pode ajudar a entender melhor a epidemia de obesidade que acontece no Brasil, e a relação entre saúde mental e doenças crônicas. Objetivo: Investigar a associação entre transtornos mentais comuns e obesidade central em uma coorte ocupacional- ELSA-Brasil. Métodos: Para a avaliação do transtorno mental comum (TMC) foi aplicado o questionário CIS-R em 15102 participantes entre 35 e 74 anos. A circunferência da cintura foi aferida junto com outras medidas antropométricas. Variáveis demográficas e comportamentais também foram coletadas através de questionários. Resultados: O transtorno mental comum mostrou associação com obesidade central (RP = 1,30; IC95% 1,25-1,36), e mesmo quando ajustada para sexo, idade, raça/cor da pele e centro de investigação ELSA, continuou significativa a associação (RP = 1,21; IC95% 1,16-1,27). Os transtornos específicos depressão (RP = 1,24, IC95% 1,14-1,34), ansiedade (RP = 1,18, IC95% 1,12-1,24) e misto de ansiedade e depressão (RP = 1,12; IC95% 1,06-1,18) também se mostraram associados, inclusive quando ajustados para as mesmas covariáveis. Conclusão: Participantes com transtorno mental comum e com os diagnósticos específicos de depressão e ansiedade apresentam maior prevalência de obesidade central comparados com os que não apresentam transtornos mentais. / Background: Central obesity is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and the study of its association with common mental disorders can help understand the obesity epidemic in Brazil, and the relationship between mental health and chronic diseases. Objective: To investigate the association between common mental disorders and central obesity in an occupational cohort ELSA-Brasil. Methods: Waist circumference, among other anthropometric measures, was obtained, and the CIS-R questionnaire was applied in 15102 participants between 35 and 74 years old. Demographic and behavioral variables were also obtained. Results: Common mental disorder was significantly associated with central obesity in crude analysis (PR = 1,30, CI95%: 1,25-1,36), and when adjusted for gender, age, skin color and center study (PR = 1,21, CI95%: 1,16 – 1,27). The specific mental disorders depression and anxiety were also associated. Conclusion: Participants with common mental disorder, and with specific diagnoses of depression and anxiety, report a higher prevalence of central obesity than people without a mental disorder.

This diploma thesis deals with topic of cochlear implants (CI), especially with elaborating of sound signal with audio processors. In this work, principles and possibilities of rehabilitation of hearing with cochlear implants are described. In the thesis, there are principles of audio processors and modern coding strategies explained. The processes of simulation of selected strategies are stated. In the last chapter, there are the results of the simulations tested and discussed.

MYC is a family of three regulator genes that codes for transcription factors. Expression of Myc proteins from MYC genes is found to be deregulated in 70 % of all cancer forms. The three human homologs C-Myc, N-Myc and L-Myc are mainly associated with cancer in the lymphatic system, nerve tissues and lung cancer, respectively. Even though N-Myc is associated with Neuroblastoma, the cancer variant that is most common among children, the field is focused towards C-Myc. The activation of C-Myc begins with phosphorylation of Serine 62, followed by trans-to-cis isomerisation of Proline 63. Then Threonine 58 becomes phosphorylated leading to that Serine 62 is dephosphorylated and subsequent cis-to-trans isomerisation of Proline 63, and C-Myc is marked for degradation. Cis-trans isomerisation is necessary for regulation of gene expression, and is therefore important to understand. Since N-Myc and C-Myc have identical sequences between residues 47 to residue 69, the hypothesis is that N-Myc is activated in the same manner, but this has not been confirmed. In this project the first 69 amino acids of N-Myc were analysed with NMR spectroscopy. This resulted in a near complete assignment of the major conformation, and of the alternative minor conformations as well. The traditional assignment experiments HNCACB, HN(CO)CACB, HNCO, HN(CA)CO in combination with CCH-TOCSY and HN(CCO)C revealed that the majority of the minor configurations can be explained by cis/trans isomerisation of prolines. In addition, the protein was analysed with direct carbon detected NMR spectroscopy to be able to detect the prolines.

Diploma thesis Role integračních procesů v ruské politice vůči postsovětskému prostoru v letech 2000 - 2010 deals with phenomenon of interstate integration in the Post-soviet with focus on Russian position. It's main goal is to reveal and define function of Post-soviet integrative processes within Russian foreign policy aimed to the region, which is in long-term period designated as primary area of Russian interests. Diploma thesis uses combination of descriptive and analytical method to achieve its purpose. Thus the first chapters are aimed at presentation of theoretical aspects of integration (Chapter 1), evolution of Russian approach to the region and basic trends of post-soviet integration in the 90's (Chapter 2), the same topic and its changes after 2000 (Chapter 3) and particular examples of the Post-soviet integrative projects (Chapter 4). This empirical data are then analyzed in the last chapter and answer to the question, what is the role of Post-soviet integrative processes in Russian policy in the region.

This thesis deals with Russian and Ukrainian foreign policy. The challenge is to analyse the attitude of Russia and Ukraine towards NATO and CIS and the role of both States in the shaping of other groupings in the post-Soviet space. Russia was claiming to get back its super power status and NATO enlargement considered as threat. On the other hand Ukraine was seeking security guaranties and partners to counterbalance the imperial ambitions of Russia. CIS and some other groupings in the region posed for Russia instruments of economic and political domination of post-Soviet space. On the other hand, Ukrainian attitude in relation to CIS integration under the Moscow's leadership was very restrained and vigilant. Kiev initiated other groupings independently from Moscow. In this work were preferred descriptive and empirical analytical techniques. There was used method of comparison more precisely double case study. Geopolitics was chosen as theoretical framework. The results of comparison help us to make a conclusion about the impact of Russian and Ukrainian policy in relation to NATO and CIS towards each other and post-Soviet space. There were found fundamental differences between Russian and Ukrainian attitude towards NATO and CIS or rather post-Soviet space. In these cases the differences resulted...

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