Brokering justice: global indigenous rights and struggles over hydropower in Nepal

This article explores the dynamics of brokerage at the intersection between the justice conceptions enshrined in global norms and the notions of justice asserted in specific socio-environmental struggles. Using the case of a small hydropower project in Nepal, we trace the attempts of an indigenous activist to enrol villagers in his campaign against the background of villagers’ everyday negotiations with the hydropower company. The study shows how global norms, such as indigenous peoples’ rights, may fail to gain traction on the ground or even become sources of injustice in particular contexts

Characterization of Apoptosis-Related Oxidoreductases from Neurospora crassa

The genome from Neurospora crassa presented three open reading frames homologous to the genes coding for human AIF and AMID proteins, which are flavoproteins with oxidoreductase activities implicated in caspase-independent apoptosis. To investigate the role of these proteins, namely within the mitochondrial respiratory chain, we studied their cellular localization and characterized the respective null mutant strains. Efficiency of the respiratory chain was analyzed by oxygen consumption studies and supramolecular organization of the OXPHOS system was assessed through BN-PAGE analysis in the respective null mutant strains. The results demonstrate that, unlike in mammalian systems, disruption of AIF in Neurospora does not affect either complex I assembly or function. Furthermore, the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes of the mutant strains display a similar supramolecular organization to that observed in the wild type strain. Further characterization revealed that N. crassa AIF appears localized to both the mitochondria and the cytoplasm, whereas AMID was found exclusively in the cytoplasm. AMID2 was detected in both mitochondria and cytoplasm of the amid mutant strain, but was barely discernible in wild type extracts, suggesting overlapping functions for the two proteins

A systematic study of the chemical etching process on periodically poled lithium niobate structures

A systematic analysis on the dynamics of the chemical etching of periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) structures grown by off-center Czochralski technique was carried out on crystals prepared under different experimental growth conditions. The etched depth reaches values close to 600 nm and it does not further increase even after long etching times. However, the lateral etching cannot be neglected when the etching times are higher than 5 min. The estimation of the domain widths distribution can be affected by artifacts if the etching conditions are not properly chosen. The best structures are obtained for erbium oxide doping level of 0.3 mol% into the starting melt and the period depends on the pulling and rotational rates instead of on the growing rate. This results support the role of the thermoelectric field in the domain formation at the Curie isotherm

Hierarchical involvement of Bak, VDAC1 and Bax in cisplatin-induced cell death.

Following the screening of a battery of distinct small-interfering RNAs that target various components of the apoptotic machinery, we found that knockdown of the voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) was particularly efficient in preventing cell death induced by cisplatin (CDDP) in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Both the downregulation of VDAC1 and its chemical inhibition with 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid reduced the apoptosis-associated modifications induced by CDDP, including mitochondrial transmembrane potential dissipation and plasma membrane permeabilization. VDAC1 inhibition strongly reduced the CDDP-induced conformational activation of Bax, yet had no discernible effect on the activation of Bak, suggesting that VDAC1 acts downstream of Bak and upstream of Bax. Accordingly, knockdown of Bak abolished the activation of Bax, whereas Bax downregulation had no effect on Bak activation. In VDAC1-depleted cells, the failure of CDDP to activate Bax could be reversed by means of the Bcl-2/Bcl-X(L) antagonist ABT-737, which concomitantly restored CDDP cytotoxicity. Altogether, these results delineate a novel pathway for the induction of mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP) in the course of CDDP-induced cell death that involves a hierarchical contribution of Bak, VDAC1 and Bax. Moreover, our data suggest that VDAC1 may act as a facultative regulator/effector of MMP, depending on the initial cytotoxic event

IOC consensus statement: "Training the elite child athlete"

Protecting the health of the athlete is the primary goal of the International Olympic Committee’s Medical Commission. One of its main objectives is the promotion of safe practices in the training of the elite child athlete. The elite child athlete is one who has superior athletic talent, undergoes specialized training, receives expert coaching and is exposed to early competition. Sport provides a positive environment that may enhance the physical growth and psychological development of children. This unique athlete population has distinct social, emotional and physical needs which vary depending on the athlete’s particular stage of maturation. The elite child athlete requires appropriate training, coaching and competition that ensure a safe and healthy athletic career and promote future well-being. This document reviews the scientific basis of sports training in the child, the special challenges and unique features of training elite children and provides recommendations to parents, coaches, health care providers, sports governing bodies and significant other parties