Specific and reversible activation and inactivation of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier by cardiolipin and nonionic detergents, respectively

AbstractThe phosphate carrier of pig heart mitochondria was solubilized with Triton X-100 and purified by chromatography on hydroxylapatite. Incubation of the phosphate carrier fraction with cardiolipin stimulated the reconstituted [32P]phosphate exchange activity in liposomes, whereas increased Triton X-100 concentrations inhibited it. The effects of cardiolipin and Triton X-100 are reversible. The activation by cardiolipin is highly specific and could not be obtained with any other applied phospholipid

Wie nötig ist ein »Anti-Rezessionsprogramm«?

Ist die Forderung nach staatlichen Maßnahmen angesichts der sich abkühlenden Konjunktur sinnvoll, oder ist ein Konjunkturprogramm teuer und wenig effizient? Walther Otremba, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie, warnt davor, die wirtschaftlichen Probleme in den USA und in Europa zu leicht zu nehmen. Otremba unterstreicht, dass kurzfristige Konjunkturentwicklungen und längerfristige Wachstumsbewegungen eng miteinander verbunden sind. Deshalb sei es sinnvoll, bestimmte wirtschafts- und finanzpolitische Maßnahmen phasengerecht zu verwirklichen. Jürgen Rüttgers, Ministerpräsident von Nordrhein-Westfalen, fordert ein langfristig angelegtes Anti-Rezessionsprogramm für eine Politik für mehr Wachstum und Innovation. Unter anderem geht es ihm um eine Vereinfachung des Steuerrechts, ein nationales Rohstoffkonzept und bessere Regeln für die Finanzmärkte. Für Michael Hüther, Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln, ist die derzeitige zyklische Abschwächung vor allem durch die Kreditmarktkrise und die Entwicklung an den internationalen Rohstoffmärkten verursacht. Da die beiden Schocks in erster Linie die volkswirtschaftliche Angebotsseite beträfen, liege die wirtschaftspolitische Herausforderung darin, insbesondere die Anpassungsflexibilität der Unternehmen zu stärken. Denn nur so könne der angebotsseitige Schock angemessen und hinreichend schnell verarbeitet werden. Für Otto Kentzler, Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks, zeigen alle bisherigen Erfahrungen, dass der Versuch, durch kreditfinanzierte staatliche Ausgabenprogramme die Konjunktur zu steuern und zu verstetigen, zum Scheitern verurteilt ist. Auch Volker Treier, Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag, warnt vor Anti-Rezessionsprogrammen: Sie enden in der Schuldenfalle, kommen regelmäßig zur Unzeit und verdrängen privates Engagement. Und für Kurt J. Lauk, Wirtschaftsrat der CDU, sind die meisten Konjunkturprogramme wirkungslos und teuer.Konjunktur, Wachstumspolitik, Staat, Deutschland

Different proportion of root cutting and shoot pruning influence the growth of citronella plants

Environment concern, sustainable products demand, and natural components conscious are currently global movement factors. Related to the global movement factors, citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus L.) is being widely used in folk medicine, and has insect repellent activity, fungal and bactericidal action. Its essential oil has high content of citronellal, citronellol, geraniol. The essential oil is mostly extracted from leaves which turns this plant with high commercial demand. However, to obtain the best therapeutic quality and productivity of medicinal plants, which culminates in greater quantity and quality of the active compounds, the proper management of the crop is fundamental, as several factors can interfere during its growth and development. Thus, we analyzed the growth of citronella plants submitted to different levels of shoot and root cuts. Five different proportions of root pruning (0, 25, 50, 75, 100%), after 145 days of seedling planting and four cuttings in the shoots: blunt; a cut at 145 DAP (days after planting) along with the root cut; a cut at 228 DAP; and cuts at 145 and 228 DAP (two cuts). Four harvesting for dry matter accumulation and photoassimilate partition data were performed. The treatment with 100% root cut, but without leaf cut, increased the total dry mass accumulation of the plant in relation to the other treatments, for the last analysis period, demonstrating a recovery. Thus, the application of two leaf cuts or no leaf cutting within the 100% root cut treatment for leaf dry mass accumulation is more effective when compared to the blunt root treatment

Germination of chapolin® tomato using different substrates and shading.

Vegetable production is a great source of Brazilian income and has been widely studied. Thus, the formation of substrates that promote better seedling cultivation conditions and the amount of light received become important research factors for better results in the final product. The use of coconut fiber (FC) has been widely used in the production of seedlings of many vegetable species. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the interaction of different substrate compositions and different shading levels in the germination of tomato of the Chapolin® variety. For this, the experiment was conducted at three different shading levels (70 and 90%) and 5 different mixtures of substrates with different concentrations of clay (A) and coconut fiber (FC): T1 (100% A), T2 (80 % A + 20% FC), T3 (60% A + 40% FC), T4 (40% A + 60% FC) and T5 (100% FC), in a completely randomized design, with four replications for each level of shading and substrate concentration. The beginning of germination occurred on the seventh day after sowing (DAS) and lasted until the fourteenth DAS. The type of substrate concentration with the highest germination percentage was the T2 substrate and the shading was 70%. Thus, for such experimental conditions, the concentration of 80% clay with 20% coconut fiber is indicated, when conducted in 70% shading and for 90% shading conditions, the composition of 60% clay and 40% fiber of coconut

The political economy of high skills:Higher Education in knowledge-based labour markets

<p>A successful transition into the knowledge economy depends upon higher level skills, creating unprecedented pressure on university systems to provide labour markets with the skills needed. But what are the political economy dynamics underlying national patterns of high skill formation? The article proposes a framework to theorize the relationship between higher education systems and knowledge-based labour markets based on two dimensions: the type of knowledge economy predominant in a given country and the extent of inter-university competition. It is argued that the former explains what type of higher level skills will be sought by employers and cultivated by governments, while the latter helps us understanding why some higher education systems are more open to satisfying labour market demands compared to others. A set of diverse country case studies (Britain, Germany, South Korea and the Netherlands) is employed to illustrate the theory.</p

Effects of malt bagasse utilization on kale germination using different substrates and shadings.

Malt bagasse is an important waste from breweries, with high potential of usage in various animal and human food areas. Nonetheless, there are few studies of its in natura usage as soil conditioner for various vegetables seedings production. Thus, this works objective was evaluate the interaction among different substrate compositions, using brewery waste as component, and different shading levels at Georgian cabbage germination. For that, the experiment was made in five different shading levels (50%, 70%, 90%, 70% with plastic and full sun) and three different substrates moistures with distinct compositions: S1 (33,33% of manure; 33,33% of sandy soil; 33,33% of clayish soil), S2 (83% of earthworm humus; 15% of fine glyceride charcoal; 2% of mammon dumpling), S3 (33,33% of brew waste; 33,33% of sandy soil; 33,33% of clayish soil), in an completely randomized design, with five repetitions for each shading level and substrate concentration. Germination beginning occurred in the third day after sowing (DAS) and lasted until the tenth DAS. The S2 substrate stood out, followed by S1, with similar results in height, roots length, germination percentage, and germination speed index. On the other hand, the substrate composed of malt bagasse obtained the worst results in all shading conditions, being not indicated to kale seedings production