Response of rat hindlimb muscles to 12 hours recovery from tail-cast suspension

Previous work has shown a number of biochemical changes which accompany atrophy or reduced muscle growth in hindlimb of tail-casted, suspended rats. These results clearly show that altered muscle growth was due to changes in protein turnover. Accordingly, the rise in soleus tyrosine following unloading reflects the more negative protein balance. Other major changes we found included slower synthesis of glutamine as indicated by lower ratios of glutamine/glutamate and reduced levels of aspartate which coincide with slower aspartate and ammonia metabolism in vitro. In conjunction with the study of SL-3 rats, which were subjected to 12 h of post-flight gravity, a study of the effects of 12 h eight bearing on metabolism of 6-day unloaded hindlimb muscles was carried out

Saprophytic colonization of the bark by Neofusicoccum species mediates subsequent infection of grapevines through wounds

Botryosphaeriaceae species infect grapevines via wounds. A previous study isolated Botryosphaeriaceae at higher frequencies from the bark than the underlying wood of asymptomatic grapevines canes from vineyards,suggesting they were latent on surface tissues. This study investigated the colonization of the bark as a saprophytic link to infection of the underlying wood. The bark of trunks of Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir potted vines were inoculated by spraying an area of 3 cm length with ~1 mL of a Neofusicoccum luteum or N. parvum conidial suspensions (10⁴/mL). Control vines were inoculated with sterile water. After 1 hour (T1), 2 days (T2) or 7 days (T3) a cut was made in the bark and through to the wood 1 cm above the inoculation area using a sterile scalpel. After 24 h, isolations were carried out from surface sterilized bark and wood. Infection incidence did not differ significantly between species or grapevine cultivar. Infection incidence of the bark was 100% and associated wood of the central inoculated section was 76.3%, 83.3% and 90.2% for T1, T2 and T3, respectively indicating bark infection progressed rapidly into the adjacent wood. Infection of bark and wood 1 cm above the inoculation point increased with incubation time, being 25% for bark and wood at T1 and 71% and 67% for bark and wood, respectively at T3. Infection of the bark and wood 1 cm below the inoculated area was 0%. This study showed that the pathogens remained latent in the bark and, when the cane was wounded, that the pathogen progressed towards the wound. Fluorescent microscopic observations of bark and underlying wood sections of shoots inoculated onto the bark, but without wounding, showed germinating conidia and mycelium in the bark near lenticels, and mycelia in the underlying wood, indicating that the pathogens had entered through lenticels

A comparative study on permissiveness towards euthanasia:religiosity, slippery slope, autonomy, and death with dignity

This study explores explanations for the approval of euthanasia by assessing differences among individuals and countries, using four main arguments used by opponents and proponents in the public debate over euthanasia. We performed multilevel analysis on data from thirtythree countries, obtained from the European Values Study 1999/2000 and theWorld Values Survey 2000; we enriched these data with countryspecific information. First, our results supported the hypothesis based on the religion argument: religious people and people living in a religious context are more strongly opposed to euthanasia. In addition, Protestants and people living in Protestant countries have more favorable attitudes toward euthanasia than do Catholics and people living in Catholic countries. Second, we found support for the hypothesis derived from the slippery slope argument: fear that euthanasia will be abused resulted in people from vulnerable groups and people living in countries with lowresponsive health care systems being more opposed to euthanasia. Third, as the autonomy-hypothesis predicted, highly educated people and people who highly value autonomy as well as people living in a country with a stronger than average attachment to autonomy show a more favorable attitude toward euthanasia. Fourth, while the death with dignity argument predicts that people who witness unbearable suffering in their personal or national environment are more favorable toward euthanasia, our results show only weak support. Furthermore, cross-level interaction tests showed that national contexts are, to some extent, able to decrease the differences between groups in society in terms of their response to euthanasia

Existential Communication and Leadership

The aim of this article is to introduce and explain a number of important existentialist philosophers and concepts that we believe can contribute to a critical approach to leadership theory. Emphasis is placed on understanding the nature of communication from an existentialist perspective and so Jaspers' conceptualization of existential communication is introduced along with important related concepts that may be regarded as important facets of leader communication including Being-in-the-world, the Other, intersubjectivity, dialogue and indirect communication. Particular attention is paid to Buber's ideas on communication as relationship and dialogue. Throughout, reference is made to contemporary, and what is often regarded as orthodox, thinking regarding the centrality of communication to leadership practice as a means by which to highlight the salience of an existentialist analysis