Commentary : Disentangling the contributions of childhood and adult weight to cardiovascular disease risk

Non peer reviewe

Photorespiration: metabolic pathways and their role in stress protection

Photorespiration results from the oxygenase reaction catalysed by ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase. In this reaction glycollate-2-phosphate is produced and subsequently metabolized in the photorespiratory pathway to form the Calvin cycle intermediate glycerate-3-phosphate. During this metabolic process, CO2 and NH3 are produced and ATP and reducing equivalents are consumed, thus making photorespiration a wasteful process. However, precisely because of this ine¤ciency, photorespiration could serve as an energy sink preventing the overreduction of the photosynthetic electron transport chain and photoinhibition, especially under stress conditions that lead to reduced rates of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation. Furthermore, photorespiration provides metabolites for other metabolic processes, e.g. glycine for the synthesis of glutathione, which is also involved in stress protection. In this review, we describe the use of photorespiratory mutants to study the control and regulation of photorespiratory pathways. In addition, we discuss the possible role of photorespiration under stress conditions, such as drought, high salt concentrations and high light intensities encountered by alpine plants

Paper Session II-C - Legal Challenges in Realizing Interstellar Initiatives

Exploration of our solar system and beyond has barely begun. The challenges of space are limitless, and each addition to our ability to operate there opens new legal concerns between ourselves and our international partners. We are in fact living at the very beginning of time. Our descendants of far-off ages will use the legal framework we put in place to reach unimaginable opportunities. In the past our forefathers never envisioned the United States Constitution to be such a strong source of power for the government. Consequently We the people of the United States have the Bill of Rights. Will the legal framework we establish provide the guidance to extend beyond the solar system and journey to other stars? In taking the logical steps in space to realize Space Exploration Initiative and beyond we must consider the legalities associated with birth, life, and death. Thus, the issue of birth on another planet is discussed. Would a lunar or Mars born space traveler obtain citizenship through the United Nations registry? To what earth bound land would this traveler be sovereign? The time of the birth, the day, and even the calendar year must be described in such a manner that when man does go beyond the solar system to other stars the legal framework established goes as well. Will the framework provide for genetic engineering to be realized in other worlds and not be suppressed by social and political earthbound ways