The uneven geography of global civil society: National and global influences on transnational association

Recent decades have seen an explosion of transnational networking and activism, but participation varies widely around the globe. Using negative binomial regression, we explore how national and global political and economic factors shape this "uneven geography" of participation in transnational social movement organizations (TSMOs). Contrary to assumptions in popular discourse, we find a continued importance of the state and limited importance of global economic integration in determining participation in transnational associations. But while ties to the global economy do not significantly impact participation, a country's links to global institutions enhance opportunities for transnational activism. Rich countries citizens are more active transnationally, but low-income countries with strong ties to the global polity are also more tied to global activist networks. This suggests that TSMOs do not simply reproduce world-system stratification, but - aided by a supportive institutional environment - they help sow the seeds for its transformation. © The University of North Carolina Press

Selektivität, soziale Bindung und räumliche Mobilität –Eine Analyse der Rückkehrpräferenz

In the public debate, the brain drain from East Germany is supposed to be the most critical trend regarding the development and catching-up of the New Länder. Therefore, potential for in- and re-migration has attracted much attention at least in the political context. Our contribution analyses the re-migration potential on the basis of data from a DFG research project focussing on the re-migration intentions of people formerly emigrated from Saxony-Anhalt. The analysis concentrates on the following aspects: the effect of job market success after emigration; the impact of social ties to the origin and the host region and on the selectivity of re-migration preferences. The econometric results confirm several expected effects: On the one hand an individual’s job market success reduces the intention to return. Likewise, the re-migration preference increases for people whose expectations were disappointed. On the other hand, the relevance of social ties to the origin region for re-migration dispositions is confirmed by the estimations. Yet, regarding selectivity of re-migration preferences in terms of human capital econometric results are somewhat ambiguous.Return migration, regional convergence, East Germany

Molecular analysis of intragenic recombination at the tryptophan synthetase locus in Neurospora crassa

Fifteen different classically generated and mapped mutations at the tryptophan synthetase locus in Neurospora crassa have been characterized to the level of the primary sequence of the gene. This sequence analysis has demonstrated that intragenic recombination is accurate to order mutations within one open reading frame. While classic genetic analysis correctly ordered the mutations, the position of mutations characterized by gene sequence analysis was more accurate. A leaky mutation was found to have a wild-type primary sequence. The presence of unique polymorphisms in the primary sequence of the trp-3 gene from strain 861 confirms that it has a unique history relative to the other strains studied. Most strains that were previously shown to be immunologically nonreactive with antibody preparations raised against tryptophan synthetase protein were shown to have nonsense mutations. This work defines 14 alleles of the N. crassa trp-3 gene.Citation: "Molecular analysis of intragenic recombination at the tryptophan synthetase locus in Neurospora crassa" (December 2013) A. Wiest D. Barchers M. Eaton R. Henderson R. Schnittker K. Mccluskey. Journal of Genetics, Indian Academy of Science. Volume 92 Issue 3. 523-528.Citation: Wiest, A., . . . & McCluskey, K. (2013). Molecular analysis of intragenic recombination at the tryptophan synthetase locus in Neurospora crassa. Journal of Genetics, 92(1), 523–528. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s12041-013-0305-

Immunohistochemical localization of collagen VI in diabetic glomeruli

Immunohistochemical localization of collagen VI in diabetic glomeruli. Late stage diabetic nephropathy is histologically characterized by either diffuse or nodular expansion of the glomerular matrix. This is presumed to represent the morphological correlate for the functional impairment of the kidney. The exact matrix composition of the nodular glomerulosclerosis lesion of end-stage diabetic nephropathy is not known. Biochemical studies have provided evidence that the microfibrillar collagen type VI is increased in diabetic nephropathy. Consequently, this immunohistochemical study was designed to evaluate the extent and exact morphologic location of increased collagen VI deposition at various stages of diabetic glomerulosclerosis (GS). An irregular, sometimes spot-like staining of collagen VI was observed in diffuse GS in the mesangial portion. The uninterrupted staining which was evident along the glomerular basement membrane in normal glomeruli was discontinuous in diffusely sclerotic glomeruli. In nodular GS, the markedly increased deposition of collagen VI appeared to be evenly distributed throughout the entire nodular lesion. At the same time, mesangial staining for collagen IV was reduced in nodular GS, suggesting that in the expanded mesangial matrix collagen IV is progressively substituted by collagen VI during the transition from diffuse to nodular GS. The colocalization of PAS staining with collagen VI deposition in nodular GS suggests that the typical Kimmelstiel-Wilson lesions at least in part consist of collagen VI. Biochemical analysis confirmed the increased collagen VI deposition in glomeruli extracted from diabetic patients with nodular GS. Application of two antisera, recognizing primarily the α1(VI)- and α2(VI)-chains and the N-terminal part of α3(VI)-chain, respectively, revealed no difference in staining pattern. Comparison of the immunohistochemical results with clinical parameters of diabetic nephropathy suggested that increasing collagen VI deposition may be an indicator of the irreversible remodeling of the glomerular matrix to nodular GS which is associated with functional insufficiency. Our findings indicate striking differences of the mesangial matrix composition in diffuse and nodular GS. These observations together with earlier results provide evidence for a “switch” in the matrix protein production in association with the development of nodular GS in diabetic nephropathy

In Memory of Abraham Lincoln

The black and white lithograph depicts Abraham Lincoln being taken to heaven by angelshttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/fvw-prints/1012/thumbnail.jp

Lincoln and His Family

The black and white lithograph depicts an image of Abraham Lincoln sitting at a table with Mary, Robert, Willie, and Tad; Books and papers adorn the tablehttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/fvw-prints/1013/thumbnail.jp

Distended Seminal Vesicles Are Involved in Specific Cerebral Sexual Arousal: A Pilot Study Using Functional Brain Imaging in Young Healthy Men.

Background Whether seminal vesicles play a role in sexual activity in men is unknown. No study so far has compared the neural processing of visual sexual stimuli in men depending on the filling state of the seminal vesicles. Objective To evaluate potential specific cortical activation by visual sexual stimuli with distended and empty seminal vesicles. Design setting and participants A prospective case-control trial was conducted. Six male individuals underwent two visits on 2 consecutive days for hormone analyses; Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning (DISF) questionnaire; functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with passively viewing sexual, neutral, positive, and negative emotional pictures; and structural pelvic MRI. After the first visit, the participants had to empty seminal vesicles by masturbation. During fMRI, every participant viewed alternating blocks of sexual, neutral, positive, and negative emotional pictures. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Comparisons between days 1 and 2 were evaluated using paired t tests. Results and limitations No significant differences were observed regarding hormone analyses, DISF questionnaire score, and arousal scoring between days 1 and 2. Seminal vesicle volume was significantly lower on day 2 (p = 0.003). Significantly higher activation was observed in the right precentral gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, and right superior temporal sulcus when contrasted for sexual over neutral (p < 0.05). Conclusions In response to pictures with sexual emotional content, significantly higher activation was detected in brain areas involved in motor preparation (arousal) and coding of desirability of visual sexual stimuli in men with distended seminal vesicles than in the same men with emptied seminal vesicles. This suggests that the filling state of the seminal vesicles may influence sexual desire in men. Patient summary We compared brain activity of men with filled and emptied seminal vesicles by functional magnetic resonance imaging. We found that men with filled seminal vesicles had higher activation of brain areas involved in arousal and sexual desire

Dietary fat and not calcium supplementation or dairy product consumption is associated with changes in anthropometrics during a randomized, placebo-controlled energy-restriction trial

Insufficient calcium intake has been proposed to cause unbalanced energy partitioning leading to obesity. However, weight loss interventions including dietary calcium or dairy product consumption have not reported changes in lipid metabolism measured by the plasma lipidome