Disrupting Invisibility Fields : Provincializing ‘Western Code’ Trans* Narratives

Unsichtbarkeitsfelder stören – Die Provinzialisierung von 'Western Code' trans*-Narrativen. In diesem Beitrag stellen wir ‚Western Code‘ trans*-Narrative in Frage, indem wir das koloniale Projekt der Medikalisierung, Pathologisierung und Disziplinierung von trans* Körpern beleuchten. Wir untersuchen zunächst verschiedene Kontrollsysteme – Biologisierung, Zeitlichkeit, Klassifizierung und Pathologisierung – die in Bezug auf (trans*)gender in ‘Western codes’ wirken. Danach befassen wir uns mit Aspekten trans*spezifischer Gesundheitsversorgung und ihres kolonialen Erbes. In beiden Abschnitten konzentrieren wir uns dabei auf „Unsichtbarkeitsfelder“ (in Deutschland und Südafrika) – die verborgenen Machtstrukturen, die das koloniale Projekt als das Problem anderer Leute verschleiern. In dem Versuch „Western Code“ trans* Narrative zu provinzialisieren und zu unter_brechen eröffnen wir am Ende alternative Erzählungen und Geschichten des Widerstands

Ageing analysis of the giant radio galaxy J1343+3758

Deep 4860 and 8350 MHz observations with the VLA and 100-m Effelsberg telescopes, supplementing available radio survey maps at the frequencies of 327 MHz (WENSS survey) and 1400 MHz (NVSS survey), are used to study the synchrotron spectra and radiative ages of relativistic particles in opposite lobes of the giant radio galaxy J1343+3758 (Machalski & Jamrozy [CITE]). The classical spectral ageing analysis (e.g. Myers & Spangler [CITE]) with assumption of equipartition magnetic fields gives a mean separation velocity ($\langle v_{\rm sep}\rangle$) of about 0.16 c and 0.12 c measured with respect to the emitting plasma, and suggests a maximum particle age of about 48 and 50 Myr in the NE and SW lobes, respectively. On the contrary, a mean jet-head advanc

CKIɛ/discs overgrown Promotes Both Wnt-Fz/β-Catenin and Fz/PCP Signaling in Drosophila

SummaryThe related Wnt-Frizzled(Fz)/β-catenin and Fz/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathways are essential for the regulation of numerous developmental processes and are deregulated in many human diseases. Both pathways require members of the Dishevelled (Dsh or Dvl) family of cytoplasmic factors for signal transduction downstream of the Fz receptors. Dsh family members have been studied extensively, but their activation and regulation remains largely unknown. In particular, very little is known about how Dsh differentially signals to the two pathways. Recent work in cell culture has suggested that phosphorylation of Dsh by Casein Kinase I epsilon (CKIɛ) may act as a molecular “switch,” promoting Wnt/β-catenin while inhibiting Fz/PCP signaling [1]. Here, we demonstrate in vivo in Drosophila through a series of loss-of-function and coexpression assays that CKIɛ acts positively for signaling in both pathways, rather than as a switch. Our data suggest that the kinase activity of CKIɛ is required for peak levels of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In contrast, CKIɛ is a mandatory signaling factor in the Fz/PCP pathway, possibly through a kinase-independent mechanism. Furthermore, we have identified the primary kinase target residue of CKIɛ on Dsh. Thus, our data suggest that CKIɛ modulates Wnt/β-catenin and Fz/PCP signaling pathways via kinase-dependent and -independent mechanisms

Magnetic fields and star formation in low-mass Magellanic-typeand peculiar galaxies

Aims. We investigate how magnetic properties of Magellanic-type and perturbed objects are related to star-forming activity, galactic type, and mass. Methods. We present radio and magnetic properties of five Magellanic-type and two peculiar low-mass galaxies observed at 4.85 and/or 8.35 GHz with the Effelsberg 100 m telescope. The sample is extended to 17 objects by including five Magellanic-type galaxies and five dwarf ones. Results. The distribution of the observed radio emission of low-mass galaxies at 4.85/8.35 GHz is closely connected with the galactic optical discs, which are independent for unperturbed galaxies and those which show signs of tidal interactions. The strengths of total magnetic field are within 5−9 μG, while the ordered fields reach 1−2 μG, and both these values are larger than in typical dwarf galaxies and lower than in spirals. The magnetic field strengths in the extended sample of 17 low-mass galaxies are well correlated with the surface density of star formation rate (correlation coefficient of 0.87) and manifest a power-law relation with an exponent of 0.25 ± 0.02 extending a similar relation found for dwarf galaxies. We claim that the production of magnetic energy per supernova event is very similar for all the various galaxies. It constitutes about 3% (1049 erg) of the individual supernovae energy release. We show that the total magnetic field energy in galaxies is almost linearly related to the galactic gas mass, which indicates equipartition of the magnetic energy and the turbulent kinetic energy of the interstellar medium. The Magellanic-type galaxies fit very well with the radio-infrared relation constructed for surface brightness of galaxies of various types, including bright spirals and interacting objects (with a slope of 0.96 ± 0.03 and correlation coefficient of 0.95). We found that the typical far-infrared relation based on luminosity of galaxies is tighter and steeper but more likely to inherit a partial correlation from a tendency that larger objects are also more luminous. Conclusions. The estimated values of thermal fractions, radio spectral indices, and magnetic field strengths of the Magellanic-type galaxies are between the values determined for grand-design spirals and dwarf galaxies. The confirmed magnetic field-star formation and radio-infrared relations for low-mass galaxies point to similar physical processes that must be at work in all galaxies. More massive, larger galaxies have usually stronger magnetic fields and larger global star formation rates, but we show that their values of magnetic energy release per supernova explosion are still similar to those of dwarf galaxies

Lõhnaained - põllumajandusest ja tööstusest

TäistekstEbameeldivate lõhnade tekkeallikad ja -põhjused on erinevad – näiteks võivad need olla seotud tööstuse, aga ka põllumajandustegevusega. Kuigi lõhnade kahjulik mõju inimeste tervisele väljendub ainult teatud lõhnavate saasteainete võrdlemisi kõrge kontsentratsiooni saavutamise puhul, siis tekitavad paljud lõhnaainete koosseisus olevad komponendid inimesele psühholoogilist ebamugavust juba vähese kontsentratsiooni korral. Tihedalt asetsevates tööstus-, põllumajandus-, trans pordi piir kondades ning prügilate läheduses on lõhnast tulenev keskkonnahäiring sageli üsna oluline. Esimesi lõhna käsitlevaid regulatsioone võime leida juba keskajast. Üldiseks soovituseks oli tollal halvasti lõhnavate ettevõtete-töökodade paigutamine keskusest kaugemale. Samas oli keskaegse linna üldsanitaarne olukord vaatamata sellele kõike muud kui hea. Esimene tõsisem teadaolev „lõhnajuhtum“ leidis aset 1858. aastal Londonis, kus haisev Thames muutis parlamendi töö võimatuks ning linnavõimud asusid otsima võimalusi lõhna vähendamiseks.11 1960-ndatel keelati Ameerika Ühendriikides kompostimine just tänu ebameeldivale lõhnale, mis levis kompostimisväljakutelt. Tänapäevaseid lõhnaalaseid määramismeetodeid on Euroopas loodud alates 1970-ndatest. Seda eelkõige loomapidamishoonetest pärinevate lõhnade määramiseks. Nende seas üks levinumaid on organo leptiliste (haistmis- ja maitsmismeele abil seisundi või omaduse hindamine) meetodite kasutamine. Lõhn, kui häiriv faktor, kerkib paratamatult esile seoses riikide majandusarenguga. Mida intensiivsem on tootmine ja töötlemine, seda suurem on oht selle probleemiga kokku puutuda.4 Eestis reguleerib välisõhus levivaid ja elanikkonnale ebameeldivust või ärritust tekitavaid lõhnaaineid üldiselt Välisõhu kaitse seadus ja selle alamakt – keskkonnaministri määrus nr. 50 „Lõhnaaine esinemise määramise ekspertrühma moodustamise kord, ekspertrühma liikmele esitatavad nõuded, lõhnaaine esinemise määrmise kord ja määramiseks kasutatavate meetodite loetelu“ – sätestab lõhnaainete häirivuse määramise. Nimetatud seadus kehtib alates 01.05.2004, seega on lõhnaainete regulatsioon Eesti jaoks uus nähtus. Paraku näitavad üsnagi sagedased elanikkonna kaebused ebameeldivate või ärritavate lõhnaainete esinemise kohta välisõhus jätkuvalt teema aktuaalsust ning regulatsiooni vajalikkust.24 Selle trükise eesmärgiks on anda teavet vastavate seadusandluse nõuete kohta Eestis ning edendada lõhnade leviku piiramist põllumajanduses ja tööstuses kui Eesti jaoks olulistes ebameeldivat lõhna põhjustavates valdkondades, soodustades seega sellel alal eduka praktika näidete juurutamist. Väljaande sihtrühmaks on põllumajandus- ja tööstusettevõtted, kohalikud omavalitsused ning keskkonnakaitsega tegelevad asutused ja organisatsioonid. Selles on toodud peamised lõhna reostuse põhjused, siseriiklik seadusandlus ning lõhnade määramise võimalused Eestis. Põllumajandus- ja tööstusettevõtetele on antud soovitused ja parimate praktikate näited lõhnade leviku vähendamiseks. Väljaanne annab lugejale ülevaate omavalitsuste ja kohalike keskkonnaasutuste rollist, mis tulenevad vastavatest õigusaktide nõuetest

The PCNA interaction protein box sequence in Rad54 is an integral part of its ATPase domain and is required for efficient DNA repair and recombination

Rad54 is an ATP-driven translocase involved in the genome maintenance pathway of homologous recombination (HR). Although its activity has been implicated in several steps of HR, its exact role(s) at each step are still not fully understood. We have identified a new interaction between Rad54 and the replicative DNA clamp, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). This interaction was only mildly weakened by the mutation of two key hydrophobic residues in the highly-conserved PCNA interaction motif (PIP-box) of Rad54 (Rad54-AA). Intriguingly, the rad54-AA mutant cells displayed sensitivity to DNA damage and showed HR defects similar to the null mutant, despite retaining its ability to interact with HR proteins and to be recruited to HR foci in vivo. We therefore surmised that the PCNA interaction might be impaired in vivo and was unable to promote repair synthesis during HR. Indeed, the Rad54-AA mutant was defective in primer extension at the MAT locus as well as in vitro, but additional biochemical analysis revealed that this mutant also had diminished ATPase activity and an inability to promote D-loop formation. Further mutational analysis of the putative PIP-box uncovered that other phenotypically relevant mutants in this domain also resulted in a loss of ATPase activity. Therefore, we have found that although Rad54 interacts with PCNA, the PIP-box motif likely plays only a minor role in stabilizing the PCNA interaction, and rather, this conserved domain is probably an extension of the ATPase domain III

Regulation of Lean Mass, Bone Mass, and Exercise Tolerance by the Central Melanocortin System

Signaling via the type 4-melanocortin receptor (MC4R) is an important determinant of body weight in mice and humans, where loss of function mutations lead to significant obesity. Humans with mutations in the MC4R experience an increase in lean mass. However, the simultaneous accrual of fat mass in such individuals may contribute to this effect via mechanical loading. We therefore examined the relationship of fat mass and lean mass in mice lacking the type-4 melanocortin receptor (MC4RKO). We demonstrate that MC4RKO mice display increased lean body mass. Further, this is not dependent on changes in adipose mass, as MC4RKO mice possess more lean body mass than diet-induced obese (DIO) wild type mice with equivalent fat mass. To examine potential sources of the increased lean mass in MC4RKO mice, bone mass and strength were examined in MC4RKO mice. Both parameters increase with age in MC4RKO mice, which likely contributes to increases in lean body mass. We functionally characterized the increased lean mass in MC4RKO mice by examining their capacity for treadmill running. MC4R deficiency results in a decrease in exercise performance. No changes in the ratio of oxidative to glycolytic fibers were seen, however MC4RKO mice demonstrate a significantly reduced heart rate, which may underlie their impaired exercise performance. The reduced exercise capacity we report in the MC4RKO mouse has potential clinical ramifications, as efforts to control body weight in humans with melanocortin deficiency may be ineffective due to poor tolerance for physical activity

Majorana Neutrino, the Size of Extra Dimensions, and Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

The problem of Majorana neutrino mass generated in Arkani-Hamed--Dimopoulos-Dvali model with n extra spatial dimensions is discussed. Taking into account constraints on neutrino masses coming from cosmological observations, it is possible to obtain lower limits on the size of extra dimensions as large as 10^{-6} mm. In the case of n=4 it is easy to lower the fundamental scale of gravity from the Planck energy to electroweak scale \~TeV without imposing any additional constraints. A link between the half-life of neutrinoless double beta decay and the size of extra dimensions is discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, using RevTEX. Units conversion correcte