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A Oficina para a Igualdade de Xénero, adscrita á Vicerreitoría de Igualdade, Cultura e Deporte, foi creada na sesión do Consello de Goberno do 14 de decembro de 2006, polo que leva en funcionamento desde o día 10 de marzo de 2007. Desde a súa creación, a Oficina leva desenvolvendo diferentes iniciativas para cumprir coas súas funcións, entre elas a de sensibilizar e actuar sobre situacións de violencia e acoso sexista. Este documento presenta unha primeira aproximación á dita problemática no contexto da Universidade da Coruña. Preténdese, así, iniciar un novo camiño que reforce outras iniciativas que xa se estaban levando a cabo e xustifica a necesidade do protocolo de acoso que se elaborou no marco do I Plan de igualdade entre mulleres e homes da Universidade da Coruña 2013-2017. O presente estudo céntrase nos diferentes tipos de acoso que poden darse no ámbito universitario: acoso sexual, sexista ou de xénero, acoso por orientación sexual e por identidade ou expresión de xénero. Para coñecer polo miúdo esta situación empregouse unha enquisa e fixéronse grupos de discusión. O obxectivo xeral do estudo é coñecer a prevalencia e as características do acoso no ámbito universitario. O traballo de campo levouse a cabo no curso académico 2020-2021 e dirixiuse a toda a comunidade universitaria, alumnado, persoal da administración e servizos (PAS) e persoal docente (PDI).

ESO took a systematic approach at earliest phases of the ELT programme to address different aspects of vibration at telescope, from modelling, error budgeting, requirement specifications, to envisaging verification and mitigation methods. Recent activities focused on characterisation of the vibrational forces generated by typical equipment in the observatory. Those measured forces combined with the models of the telescope are used to verify various subsystems specification as well as to verify the overall system performance. In this paper, an approach used for vibration force measurements together with some examples of the characterised sources are discussed. The verification of performance/requirements at telescope system/subsystem is performed using these measured data.

BACKGROUND People with schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders have an increased mortality mainly attributed to natural causes, specifically cardiovascular disease and cancer. The metabolic syndrome and the Framingham Risk Score are epidemiologic tools related to long-term cardiovascular disease risk and they are increased in people with severe mental disorders. This increase has been attributed both to the disorder itself and to the use of antipsychotic drugs. OBJECTIVE To quantify the cardiovascular risk in a group of people treated with long-acting injectable antipsychotics. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study developed in an outpatient mental health clinic in which the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was estimated and the cardiovascular risk was measured using the Framingham Risk Score. All the analyses were separated by gender. RESULTS 130 people (81 men) were recruited. According to the International Diabetes Federation criteria, 60 participants (46,2%) had metabolic syndrome. The individual criterion most often met in both genders was obesity. The mean Framingham Risk Score for the sample was moderate, 7,7 (SD: 6,3). For women, the risk was lower (mean 5,7, SD: 4,9) than for men (mean=9, SD: 6,7). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and Framingham Risk Scores by longacting injectable antipsychotic or years of treatment. CONCLUSION The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the cardiovascular risk are high in people with psychosis treated with long acting injectable antipsychotics. To better address this vulnerability, the recommendations involve both behavioral and pharmacological interventions.

The tip-tilt stabilisation system of the 1.8 m Auxiliary Telescopes of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer was never dimensioned for robust fringe tracking, except when atmospheric seeing conditions are excellent. Increasing the level of wavefront correction at the telescopes is expected to improve the coupling into the single-mode fibres of the instruments, and enable robust fringe tracking even in degraded conditions. We deployed a new adaptive optics module for interferometry (NAOMI) on the Auxiliary Telescopes. We present its design, performance, and effect on the observations that are carried out with the interferometric instruments., Comment: 10 pages, 18 figures, 2 tables, A&A forthcoming

Background: People with schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders have an increased mortality mainly attributed to natural causes, specifically cardiovascular disease and cancer. The metabolic syndrome and the Framingham Risk Score are epidemiologic tools related to long-term cardiovascular disease risk and they are increased in people with severe mental disorders. This increase has been attributed both to the disorder itself and to the use of antipsychotic drugs. Objective: To quantify the cardiovascular risk in a group of people treated with long-acting injectable antipsychotics. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study developed in an outpatient mental health clime in which the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was estimated and the cardiovascular risk was measured using the Framingham Risk Score. All the analyses were separated by gender. Results: 130 people (81 men) were recruited. According to the International Diabetes Federation criteria, 60 participants (46,2%) had metabolic syndrome. The individual criterion most often met in both genders was obesity. The mean Framingham Risk Score for the sample was moderate, 7,7 (SD: 6,3). For women, the risk was lower (mean 5,7, SD: 4,9) than for men (mean=9, SD: 6,7). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and Framingham Risk Scores by long-acting injectable antipsychotic or years of treatment. Conclusion: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the cardiovascular risk are high in people with psychosis treated with long acting injectable antipsychotics. To better address this vulnerability, the recommendations involve both behavioral and pharmacological interventions.

Gangliosides present in the plasma membrane participate in fundamental processes during neuronal development. From the determination and the outgrowth of the axon, to the growth inhibitory activity produced after CNS injury, local interconversion of these glycosphingolipids regulate actin dynamics in a spatially restricted manner by modulating membrane receptors and their downstream signaling pathways. Here, we will review the possible mechanisms underlying these modulations and the potential importance of gangliosides and ganglioside-transforming enzymes as therapeutic targets.

The ever increasing resistance of human pathogens to current anti-infective agents is a serious medical problem, leading to the need to develop novel antibiotic prototype molecules. In the case of viruses, the search for antiviral agents involves additional difficulties, particularly due to the nature of the infectious viral agents. Thus, many compounds that may cause the death of viruses are also very likely to injure the host cell that harbours them. Natural products are increasingly appreciated as leads for drug discovery and development. Screening studies have been carried out in order to find antiviral agents from natural sources, and the occurrence of antiviral activity in extracts of plants, marine organisms and fungi is frequent. The evidence indicates that there may be numerous potentially useful antiviral phytochemicals in nature, waiting to be evaluated and exploited. In addition, other plants, not previously utilized medicinally, may also reveal antivirals. Among natural antiviral agents, recent investigations have reconsidered the interest of phyto-polysaccharides, which act as potent inhibitors of different viruses. This chapter will illustrate a variety of antiviral polysaccharides from natural sources since 1990, with the aim of making this matter more accessible to drug development

Freiberg disease is a disorder that has a predilection for the second metatarsal head. Keller excision of the base of the proximal phalanx is a procedure described for the treatment of late-stage Freiberg disease. We describe a case of a 60-year-old man, with a stage IV lesion according to Smillie's classification, treated by debridement, removal of the free body, and arthroscopic Keller excision. Arthroscopic treatment allows the patient to begin and maintain an aggressive postoperative physical therapy program immediately after surgery, thus decreasing the risk of scarring and contracture. At last evaluation, 2 years postoperatively, he is symptom-free. A suggested pattern of minimally invasive surgery management of this disease is proposed.

International audience; In January 2012, the HomePlug Alliance published the HomePlug AV2 specification. HomePlug AV2 enables gigabit-class connection speeds by leveraging the existing power line wires while remaining fully interoperable with other technologies for in-home connectivity, such as HomePlug AV, HomePlug Green PHY and IEEE 1901. In this chapter, we highlight the key differentiating HomePlug AV2 features as compared with the HomePlug AV technology. At the PHY layer, HomePlug AV2 includes the following: multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) signalling with beamforming ; extended frequency band up to 86 MHz ; efficient notching and power back-off to meet EMC regulations ; and EMC-friendly power boost to optimize the transmit power. At the MAC layer, HomePlug AV2 includes the following: power save mode to improve energy efficiency ; short delimiter and delayed acknowledgements to increase the overall transmission efficiency ; and immediate repeating to expand the coverage. All these features improve the quality of service of HomePlug AV2 power line modems by improving coverage and robustness of communication links. The chapter sections provide technical details for all the previously mentioned features. The chapter begins with a brief overview of HomePlug AV technology and a presentation of the overall HomePlug AV2 system architecture. Next sections detail the new PHY and MAC layers. Finally, the performance gain of HomePlug AV2 over HomePlug AV is summarized.

The use of herbal supplements and medicines is increasing rapidly as most people consider them to be of natural origin and therefore safe. Many herbal medications are used to treat diseases but while they are often efficacious, their safety has not sufficiently considered by physicians or users. One particular safety concern is the risk of interactions with drugs, which often lead to toxicity or loss of therapeutic efficacy. A significant number of patients combine herbal remedies with prescription medications and there is growing evidence for interactions of drugs with herbal remedies or single compound originating from plants. Current antiretroviral treatment has allowed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to become a chronic manageable condition with many HIV patients living longer. Among this HIV + community, the use of natural health products and other forms of complementary and alternative medicines is increasing. As million of patients with HIV are put on treatment with the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), drug interactions have become a major concern for healthcare providers. The use of HAART as a combination of three or four drugs creates the potential for antiretroviral drug interactions, and this is complicated by the addition of other drugs for treatment of other ailments such as comorbid chronic conditions and/or opportunistic infections. In this review, we have aimed to provide an overview of the effects of herbal medicines on antiretroviral drug-metabolizing and transporting enzymes, focusing on potential herb–antiretroviral drug interactions, as well as interactions at the pharmacodynamic level.

Background: Although X-linked mental retardation (XLMR) affects 2%–3% of the human population, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Recent interest in this topic led to the identification of several genes for which mutations result in the disturbance of cognitive development. Results: We identified a novel gene that is interrupted by an inv(X)(p21.1;q22) in a male patient with a syndromic form of mental retardation. Molecular analysis of both breakpoint regions did not reveal an interrupted gene on Xp, but identified a novel nuclear RNA export factor ( NXF ) gene cluster, Xcen- NXF5 - NXF2 - NXF4 - NXF3 -Xqter, in which NXF5 is split by the breakpoint, leading to its functional nullisomy. The predicted NXF5 protein shows high similarity with the central part of the presumed mRNA nuclear export factor TAP/NXF1. Functional analysis of NXF5 demonstrates binding to RNA as well as to the RNA nuclear export-associated protein p15/NXT. In contrast to TAP/NXF1, overexpression studies localized NXF5 in the form of granules in the cell body and neurites of mature hippocampal neurons, suggesting a role in mRNA transport. The two newly identified mouse nxf homologs, nxf-a and nxf-b , which also map on X, show highest mRNA levels in the brain. Conclusions: A novel member of the nuclear RNA export factor family is absent in a male patient with a syndromic form of mental retardation. Although we did not find direct evidence for the involvement of NXF5 in MR, the gene could be involved in development, possibly through a process in mRNA metabolism in neurons.

Natural products represent a goldmine of innovative therapeutic molecules to prevent and/or treat human diseases. For over 1,000 years, malaria has been one of the major causes of suffering and death for mankind. Artemisinin is an unusual sesquiterpene lactone (SL) endoperoxide that has been isolated as the active principle of the Chinese antimalarial herb Artemisia annua L. Since artemisinin was discovered to be the active component of A. annua in the early 1970s, hundred of papers have focused on the antiparasitic effects of artemisinin and its semi-synthetic analogues. Nowadays, artemisinin and its derivatives have become essential components of antimalarial treatment and are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to treat especially multidrug-resistant forms of malaria. These features have prompted various scientists around the world to evaluate the potential of artemisinin and derivatives to control other human diseases. This review will centre on the significant achievements in recent years (2000 to date) with regard the chemistry and biological properties of SL from A. annua, with particular attention on artemisinin and related compounds. The discussion will also focus on the understanding of its mechanism of action and structure/activity relationships.

International audience; HomePlug AV2 is the solution identified by the HomePlug Alliance to achieve the improved data rate performance required by the new generation of multimedia applications without the need to install extra wires. Developed by industry-leading participants in the HomePlug AV Technical Working Group, the HomePlug AV2 technology provides Gigabit-class connection speeds over the existingACwireswithin home. It is designed tomeet the market demands for the full set of future in-home networking connectivity. Moreover, HomePlug AV2 guarantees backward interoperability with other HomePlug systems. In this paper, the HomePlug AV2 system architecture is introduced and the technical details of the key features at both the PHY and MAC layers are described. The HomePlug AV2 performance is assessed, through simulations reproducing real home scenarios.

The genus Artemisia L. is a member of the family Compositae, widely distributed in the warmer temperate zones of the northern hemisphere. The Artemisia species have been known since ancient times for their curative properties and used for the treatment of various ailments such as malaria, inflammation, cancer and infections by fungi, bacteria and viruses. There is a renewed interest in Artemisia species, and several scientific investigations have aimed to isolate and identify their active constituents, scientifically verify their pharmacological actions and constituents, and determine the basis for the use of Artemisia species in a range of diseases and conditions. According to the literature, over 260 Artemisia species have been investigated, and results reveal that they contain many classes of secondary metabolites with pharmacological activity, including sesquiterpene lactones. The present review will summarize some of the important reports on the chemistry and biological activities of Artemisia sesquiterpene lactones from the literature data of recent years (2000 to date). The discussion will also focus on the understanding of their mechanism of action and structure/activity relationships. The information summarized here is intended to serve as a reference tool for practitioners in the fields of ethnopharmacology and the chemistry of natural products.

Infectious diseases account for one third of all deaths worldwide. The spread of multidrug-resistant strains of microbes makes it necessary to discover new classes of antimicrobials and compounds that inhibit these resistance mechanisms. In the past few decades, the search for new anti-infective agents has occupied many research groups in the field of ethnopharmacology. Many focus on determining the antimicrobial activity of plant extracts found in folk medicine, essential oils or isolated compounds. The Anthemideae tribe of the Asteraceae comprises a large number of species that have been and are still used as medicinal plants, particularly in folk medicine. In the present review, we analyze the past, present and future of medicinal plants of the Anthemideae tribe, both as potential antimicrobial crude drugs as well as a source for natural compounds that act as new anti-infectious agents.

The oceans are unique resources that provide a diverse array of natural products, primarily from invertebrates such as sponges, tunicates, bryozoans and molluscs and from marine bacteria and cyanobacteria. Pharmacologic research with marine chemicals continue to contribute potentially novel chemical leads in the ongoing global search for therapeutic agents in the treatment of multiple diverse categories. As infectious diseases evolve and develop resistance to existing pharmaceuticals, the marine environment provides novel leads against fungal, parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases. Limitations in our current antiviral treatment options and the continuing emergence of new pathogenic viruses have contributed to a growing need for new and effective chemotherapeutic agents to treat viral diseases. The search for potent antiviral agents is urgent in view of the dramatic situation of the global human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, a possible spread of avian influenza and of other viral diseases. Effective antiviral therapeutics are not available, and the presently approved therapy for HIV has been recognized to be toxic, unable to eradicate the causative virus, and to induce severe drug resistance. The marine environment provides a rich source of chemical diversity for the screening and identification of new compounds with desirable antiviral properties. Antiviral testing has revealed numerous compounds from structural classes including polysaccharides, terpenoids, steroids, alkaloids and peptides that potentially inhibit both RNA and DNA viruses. This review presents an account of some research directed toward the discovery of new antiviral agents from marine sources.

The conversion of large collections of documents from paper to digital formats that are suitable for electronic archival is a complex multi-phase process. The creation of good quality images from paper documents is just one phase. To extract relevant information that they contain, with an accuracy that fits the purpose of target applications, an automated document analysis system and a manual verification/review process are needed. The automated system needs to perform a variety of analysis and recognition tasks in order to reach an accuracy level that minimizes the manual correction effort downstream.This paper describes the complete process and the associated technologies, tools, and systems needed for the conversion of a large collection of complex documents and deployment for online web access to its information rich content. We used this process to recapture 80 years of Time magazines. The historical collection is scanned, automatically processed by advanced document analysis components to extract articles, manually verified for accuracy, and converted in a form suitable for web access. We discuss the major phases of the conversion lifecycle and the technology developed and tools used for each phase. We also discuss results in terms of recognition accuracy.

The ever increasing resistance of human pathogens to current anti-infective agents is a serious medical problem, leading to the need to develop novel antibiotic prototype molecules. In the case of viruses, the search for antiviral agents involves additional difficulties, particularly due to the nature of the infectious viral agents. Thus, many compounds that may cause the death of viruses are also very likely to injure the host cell that harbours them. Natural products are increasingly appreciated as leads for drug discovery and development. Screening studies have been carried out in order to find antiviral agents from natural sources, and the occurrence of antiviral activity in extracts of plants, marine organisms and fungi is frequent. The evidence indicates that there may be numerous potentially useful antiviral phytochemicals in nature, waiting to be evaluated and exploited. In addition, other plants, not previously utilized medicinally, may also reveal antivirals. Among natural antiviral agents, recent investigations have reconsidered the interest of phyto-polysaccharides, which act as potent inhibitors of different viruses. This chapter will illustrate a variety of antiviral polysaccharides from natural sources since 1990, with the aim of making this matter more accessible to drug development

Traditional herbal remedies have increased in popularity in recent years. The plant family Asteraceae (Compositae) comprises a large number of species that have been and are still used as medicinal plants, particularly in folk medicine. Baccharis is a New World genus belonging to the Compositae family consisting of more than 400 species, about 90% of which are located in South America. Many of these species have been used since ancient times as folk remedies for some treatment purposes (reducing phlegm, relieving cough, invigorating blood circulation, stopping pain, inducing diuresis, as an anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, stomachic agent, …). According to the literature, over 100 Baccharis species have been investigated to reveal that they contain many classes of secondary metabolites. The most widespread compounds reported are clerodane and labdane diterpenoids as well as triterpenoids of the oleanane series. In addition, kaurane diterpenoids, cinnamic acid esters, coumarin derivatives and flavonoids are common secondary metabolites. During the intensive investigation of the chemical components of the Baccharis genus, much attention has been paid to its bioactive constituents. Their occurrence in the genus Baccharis, as well as other constituents, and the chemical and biological relationships between them, have made them the subject of the present review. This chapter deals principally with bioactive constituents characterized from the Baccharis species in order to obtain a better understanding of the biological significance of this large genus.

Quinones constitute a structurally diverse class of phenolic compounds with a wide range of pharmacologial properties, which are the basis for different applications in the broad field of pharmacy and medicine. In traditional medicine all over the world, plants which are rich in quinones are used for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Besides the classical applications of these plants in industry (dyestuffs) and pharmaceutical (laxatives) practice, the relatively new field of biologically active quinones will be discussed. This review gives an account of the work done on naturally occurring bioactive quinones from 1992 to the present date. The biological activity detected in quinones from natural and synthetic sources has been discussed in relation to chemical structure under the respective titles.

Both the aerial parts and the roots of Bupleurum rigidum L. subsp. Rigidum have been thoroughly investigated. From the BuOH extract of the aerial parts of B. rigidum an already known and six new saponins have been isolated and their structures have been studied by Ms, IR and NMR spectroscopy and chemical degradations. Six of them are related to saikogenin F and one to saikogenin D. They were given the trivial namesof sandrosaponins I-VI. All bore a trisaccharide moiety, namely β- D-Glcp(l→2)[β-D-Glcp(l→)]β-D-Fucp, in which the second Glcp unit was sulphated at position O-4, in all the compounds but one (buddlejasaponin IV). From the roots of B. rigidum five new saponins have been isolated and identified, of which three were saikosaponins, two related to saikogenin F andone to saikogenin D. One of them was also found in the aerial parts. Two saponins were related to oleanolic acid. Trivial names of sandrosaponins VII-X were given to them. Additional compounds also isolated and identified were two acetylenic derivatives (falcarinol and diynene) and a phenolic glycoside (osmantolide). Buddlejasaponin IV and sandrosaponin I present a potent in vivo antiinflamatory effect on mouse ear edema induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The effects of these compounds on swelling and other inflamatory parameters are described. In screening for in vitro effects of thosesaikosaponins on cellular systems generating cyclooxygenase (COX)and lipooxygenase (LOX)metabolites, most saikosaponins showed a significant effect. The action is more marked on LOX metabolite LTC4.

Three phenylpropanoid glycosides (salidroside, syringin and coniferin) and one lignan (phillyrin) isolated from the leaves of Phillyrea latifolia L. (Oleaceae) were tested for interactions with the cyclo-oxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase pathways of arachidonate metabolism in calcium-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages and human platelets, and for their effects on cell viability. These compounds are capable of exerting inhibitory actions on enzymes of the arachidonate cascade. Phillyrin, salidroside and syringin exert a preferential effect on the cyclo-oxygenase pathway, inhibiting release of the cyclo-oxygenase metabolites prostaglandin E2 (IC50 values 45.6 microM, 72.1 microM and 35.5 microM, respectively) and to a lesser extent reducing thromboxane B2 levels (IC50 values 168 microM, 154 microM and 29.3 microM, respectively). In contrast, coniferin can be classified as a "dual inhibitor", since it produces reduction in generation of both cyclo-oxygenase (IC50 values 75.2 microM for prostaglandin E2 and 619 microM for thromboxane B2) and 5-lipoxygenase metabolites, but the effects are greater against leukotriene C4 (IC50 value 63.6 microM). Structure-activity relationships of the three phenylpropanoid glycosides are discussed. Thus, like some other compounds found in medicinal herbs, our molecules possess an array of potentially beneficial anti-eicosanoid properties which may, alongside other constituents, contribute to the claimed therapeutic properties of the plant from which they are derived.

Seven flavonoids of Stachys chrysantha and Stachys candida have been isolated. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, particularly highfield NMR spectroscopy. The effects of the methanol extracts of these two endemic Greek Stachys sp. and their main flavonoids were examined on arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism in the cellular system (mouse peritoneal macrophages and human platelets). Their cytotoxicity on cells was also investigated. Most samples assayed did not exhibit any significant effect on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-release from calcium ionophore-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. Only chrysoeriol-7-O-beta-(3''-E-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside, at the highest non-cytotoxic dose (50 microM), inhibited the release of PGE2, but this effect is not statistically significant. The release of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) by mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with calcium ionophore was inhibited by a crude extract of S. chrysantha, with an IC50 value of 34.3 microg/ml. Xanthomicrol (IC50 = 29.2 microM) and chrysoeriol-7-O-beta-D-(3''-E-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside (IC50 = 11.1 microM) also inhibited the release of LTC4, although it showed less potency than the reference compound nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) (IC50 = 2 microM). However, most samples assayed showed a significant effect on thromboxane B2 (TXB2)-release from calcium ionophore-stimulated human platelets, with inhibition percentages slightly lower than the reference drug ibuprofen (IC50 = 7 microM). The IC50 values are: crude extract of S. candida 23.3 microg/ml; crude extract of S. chrysantha 23.1 microg/ml; xanthomicrol 28.8 microM; calcycopterin 2.66 microM and chrysoeriol-7-O-beta-D-(3''-E-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside 8.8 microM. Our results indicate that the selective inhibition of TX-synthase enzyme may be the primary target of action of most of these samples, and one of the mechanisms through which thus exert their antiinflammatory effects.