Strengthening Health Research and Ethics Systems in Timor-Leste.

Introduction: Meaningful health research should lead to evidence-based decision-making that can be translated into policy and practice. Every country needs to have a well-functioning and resourced ethics review and clearance system to ensure health and medical research is conducted in line with ethical standards, preventing harm to research participants, and contributing to better health outcomes and national priorities. The purpose of this study is to describe the origins of the system for managing health research and ethics in Timor-Leste and how it has evolved over time; to identify the strengths and limitations of the current system; and to recommend areas for improvement.

Sex-specific epigenetic gene activation profiles are differentially modulated in human placentas affected by intrauterine growth restriction.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the sex specific expression of histone protein modifications responsible for rapid gene expression in IUGR placentas.

Patients And Methods: We screened for fetal sex-specific expression of the histone proteins H3K4me3 and H3K9ac in 23 IUGR and 40 control placentas via immunohistochemistry. The trophoblast-like cell line BeWo was used in order to analyze a potential effect of stimulation with prednisolone on H3K4me3 and H3K9ac in vitro.

Glucocorticoid receptors α and β are modulated sex specifically in human placentas of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) subtypes GRα and GRβ in placentas affected by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

Methods: We analyzed the sex-specific placental expression of GRα and GRβ in 23 IUGR and 40 control placentas using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The GR gene, also known as nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1 (NR3C1), mRNA production in trophoblast-like cell line BeWo after stimulation with prednisolone was analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and on the protein level using western blot analysis.

Thermodynamic Analysis of Isomerization Equilibria of Chlorotoluenes and Dichlorobenzenes in a Biphasic Reaction Systems Containing Highly Acidic Chloroaluminate Melts.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of the isomerization of chlorotoluenes and dichlorobenzene to the technically desired meta-isomers have been studied in the presence of highly acidic chloroaluminate melts with alkali metal and organic imidazolium cations. Enthalpies of four isomerization processes in reacting systems of chlorotoluenes and dichlorobenzene were obtained from temperature dependencies of the corresponding equilibrium constants in the liquid phase. Experimental reaction enthalpies, enthalpies of vaporization, and absolute vapor pressures of chlorotoluenes and dichlorobenzene have been used for the validation of quantum-chemical methods to predict thermodynamic functions of the four reactions under study successfully.