mtDB: Human Mitochondrial Genome Database, a resource for population genetics and medical sciences

The mitochondrial genome, contained in the subcellular mitochondrial network, encodes a small number of peptides pivotal for cellular energy production. Mitochondrial genes are highly polymorphic and cataloguing existing variation is of interest for medical scientists involved in the identification of mutations causing mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as for population genetics studies. Human Mitochondrial Genome Database (mtDB) (http://www.genpat.uu.se/mtDB) has provided a comprehensive database of complete human mitochondrial genomes since early 2000. At this time, owing to an increase in the number of published complete human mitochondrial genome sequences, it became necessary to provide a web-based database of human whole genome and complete coding region sequences. As of August 2005 this database contains 2104 sequences (1544 complete genome and 560 coding region) available to download or search for specific polymorphisms. Of special interest to medical researchers and population geneticists evaluating specific positions is a complete list of (currently 3311) mitochondrial polymorphisms among these sequences. Recent expansions in the capabilities of mtDB include a haplotype search function and the ability to identify and download sequences carrying particular variant

Composition of Ni2+ cation solvation shell in NiCl2–methanol solution by multinuclear NMR

1H-, 2H- and 13C-NMR spectra have been used to test the Ni2+ solvation shell composition in the 1.1 molal methanol solution of NiCl2. It has been confirmed that Cl− anion takes part in the nearest environment of Ni2+ cation at all the temperatures investigated. Using 2H-NMR allowed us to detect for the first time OD-signal of methanol in the primary solvation shell of Ni2+ cation. Both 2H- and 13C-NMR spectra show that the composition of the cation solvation shell becomes more complicated at temperatures lower than 220 K

Negotiating political spaces : social and environmental activism in thechinese countryside

Studien utgår från fem föräldrar som har barn med ADHD och syftet har varit att undersöka vilka faktorer som har betydelse för dessa föräldrars stress. Internationella stu-dier har visat att föräldrar till barn med ADHD känner stress kopplat till föräldrarollen oftare än andra föräldrar. Studien har belyst orsaker till stressen, kopplat till barnets ADHD-diagnos. Föräldrarna i denna kvalitativa studie upplever sig ha en mer krävande roll än andra föräldrar. De upplever ständigt hög stress och orsaksfaktorerna kan delas in i sex huvudkategorier. Vad som stressar varje förälder inom kategorierna varierar. Konsekvenser-na av stressen ger både sociala och fysiologiska konsekvenser för föräldrarna

Promoting physical activity for health: a survey of knowledge, confidence and role-perception in final-year UK physiotherapy students

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of global mortality and is a significant independent risk factor for a range of chronic conditions. Advice from a healthcare professional can increase activity levels in adults. Current literature does not identify whether UK physiotherapy undergraduate students are prepared to promote physical activity (PA) for health. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, confidence and role perception of final-year UK Physiotherapy undergraduate students to promote physical activity for health. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was used. 19 UK undergraduate Physiotherapy courses participated. Descriptive statistics explored knowledge, confidence and role-perception. Inferential statistics tested the relationships between variables. RESULTS: Response rate was 16.6% (n = 158). The majority of respondents (82% n = 129) had received training in promoting PA for health. 66% (n = 73) of this group correctly specified a duration, frequency and intensity for current UK PA recommendations for 19–64 year olds. Role perception was extremely high (99%) in the surveyed population. Students reported being confident in giving general PA advice (92%, n = 144). Confidence scores were significantly correlated with training in the promotion of PA for health (B = 0.38 p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Final-year UK Physiotherapy students perceive a professional role in promoting physical activity for health; and demonstrate good but variable knowledge of this subject. Confidence domain scores were best predicted by training in the promotion of PA for health

Ligation of the spermatic cord in dogs with a self-locking device of a resorbable polyglycolic based co-polymer

Background: New surgical techniques are developed to enable a quicker, easier and safer surgery with reduced risk of complications and shortened time needed for recovery. A resorbable device, a self-locking loop, was designed for surgical ligation. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of ligating the spermatic cord with the device, its biocompatibility and long-term resorption in dogs.  Results: The device was made of a block co-polymer (glycolide and trimethylene carbonate), manufactured by injection moulding and consisted of a flexible band running through a case with a locking mechanism. Ten devices were tested for ligation of the spermatic cords in five dogs admitted for routine neutering. The dogs were monitored by physical examination and ultrasonography of the site of ligation, area of spermatic cord and medial iliac lymph nodes regularly until no hyperechoic remnants of the device or acoustic shadowing or local tissue reactions were observed. Haemostasis of the spermatic cords was achieved with the devices. On ultrasonography the devices were seen as hyperechoic structures for 2 months after neutering causing acoustic shadowing for 1 month. The dogs were monitored for 3 - 5 months after surgery. Gradual decrease in echogenicity and final disappearance of the hyperechoic structures suggested resorption. Macroscopic and histological post mortem examinations were performed in one dog at 3 months after surgery. Post mortem examination showed a tissue reaction of a suture granuloma that was restricted in extent at site of the device.  Conclusions: The results of this pilot study suggest biocompatibility and indicate that ligation of the spermatic cord is feasible with the device

1H NMR metabonomics approach to the disease continuum of diabetic complications and premature death

Peer reviewe

Inappropriate Use of Nonpsychotropic Medications in Nursing Homes

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111070/1/j.1532-5415.1995.tb06098.x.pd

From Scripture to Midrash to Postmodern Fantasy: Adaptation as a Contemporary Continuation of Tradition

Producing my Honors Project was a fascinating and challenging experience, and certainly one-of-a-kind. It all started back when I was first introduced to the idea of the Project. It was my first year, and I sat in TRW agog with the possibilities. Right away, I was captured with the idea of writing a novel, probably fantasy. Over the years, I added and subtracted to this vision as my interests grew and changed. I became a Theology major in addition to English; I fell in love with the Hebrew Bible; I realized that one of my side-projects, a fantasy story I was writing in response to a recent film, fit snugly with the story of Exodus. While I toyed with the idea of this story, I was thrilled to collaborate with Dr. Colleen Carpenter on her work on the role of the Imagination within Theology. Here, I was introduced for the first time to Midrash, and made some first attempts at consciously writing my own. It was at this point that I decided that I wanted to expand my sketches of my Fantasy-Exodus story into a full-fledged novel based within Scripture, Biblical context, and Midrashim. I was exhilarated; for the first time, I would be working on something that I was truly and completely passionate about, able to move in any direction I chose. Books on Egyptian society and Jewish texts began accumulating in my room. While abroad in Ireland the Spring of my Junior year, I spent particularly rainy days tracking down and watching every documentary on Exodus, Egypt, and Jewish scholarship that I could find. I wrote, and I re-wrote, and I started everything over again. By the Fall of this, my Senior year, I had become aware of a major problem: I was afraid to actually write. I had, at this point, over a hundred pages of story, and I was nowhere close to finished. Instead of continuing off of what I already had, however, I obsessively rewrote what I had already written. The effect was that I successfully went nowhere, fast. With school back in full swing, I found it increasingly difficult to give myself over to my writing. After struggling for several months with the feeling that I needed to be working on something more productive whenever I sat down to write, I realized the source of my block. I have always been good at writing, but my training has been almost completely academic. Creative writing was something allotted to those moments when I was done with all of my required work. Even the work I had done for my Creative Writing classes had been short pieces, written for the class and my professors and not for me. Now, for the first time, I was allowed, even required, to write for myself – and I no longer remembered how to do it. Once I got past that struggle, there were other problems to deal with. I had been doing research for so long that I no longer knew where many of my ideas had originally come from, or if they were, in fact, originally mine. Similarly, much of my knowledge of postmodernism had been gleaned from years of observations and sources long since lost to time. On top of all the rest, my research into Midrash was going poorly. It seemed impossible to find a definitive definition of what Midrash was, and, once found, to actually find a source for the Midrashim on Exodus. Finally, in what was perhaps the most unexpected challenge of all, my committee returned my first draft to me with a great many questions, the central component of many being “Where are the women?” As someone would considers herself a feminist, I was horrified. For a while, I tried to make excuses – there were more women characters coming! – but I had to face the fact that, though I claimed to be writing a feminist interpretation, I had chosen a malecentered story. Though there were many opportunities in the text to center an adaptation on one of the women characters, or even to speak with her voice, I had chosen to write a narrative that focused on the relationship between two brothers. As much as I adore it, the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre is not exactly a hotbed of feminist work. Until recently, women in Fantasy novels were often relegated to the roles of Princess-in-a- Tower, Witch/Evil Queen, or Amazonian temptress. Even Tolkien, the Father of the genre, has only minor roles for women, when they enter the picture at all. I was, unintentionally, following the same path; even though I was including women characters, and even giving them some important roles, women were not at the center of my work. They dogged the sidelines, waiting for their chance to step in for a moment of glory. Making my work more feminist has been a slow and painful process, and requires me to discard many previous plans. I finally started to find success in the character of Wendi, originally a bit part who decided she wanted to be much more. Much to my surprise as much as anyone, Wendi became one of the most motivated and interesting characters of the work so far. She reminded me that I do, in fact, have the capability to write rounded female characters, and that I enjoy it immensely. As I look back on the work I have done, I am ever more excited to continue. Writing fantasy as a continuation of Midrashic tradition is something that I can very willingly devote my life to doing. At the moment, I am looking to continue my studies of the Hebrew Bible, and I hope to one day read it in its original languages and understand the richness of its context. For now, I am pleased to have completed the work you read here. Included is a draft of a cover, the first part of the novel as completed for this project, and an appendix further outlining some of my sources. It is the culmination of many years of research and effort, and I hope very much that you enjoy it

Universities and Community-Building Activities Across the Globe: Responding to Economic and Ethical Crises

Global concerns regarding economic stability and sustainable communities are exacerbated by unethical business practices and the growing gap between rich and poor. Changes in the role of universities and scholarship may help address some of these challenges through partnerships for research, education, and problem-solving. Exploration of the role of higher education in community-building is not unique to the United States. The authors offer examples of collaborative efforts involving universities and communities working together in Switzerland, Northern Ireland, and Mexico