Interview with Sitiveni Rabuka: Commonwealth Oral History Project

Interview with Sitiveni Rabuka, conducted in Suva, Fiji, on 10 April 2014 as part of the Commonwealth Oral History Project. The project aims to produce a unique digital research resource on the oral history of the Commonwealth since 1965 through sixty oral history interviews with leading figures in the recent history of the organisation. It will provide an essential research tool for anyone investigating the history of the Commonwealth and will serve to promote interest in and understanding of the organisation. Biography: Rabuka, Sitiveni Ligamamada. 1948- . Born in Cakaudrove, Fiji. Educated in New Zealand army school (1973), Indian Defence Services Staff College (1979), and Australian Joint Services Staff College (1982). Senior Operations Manager, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, 1980-81. Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, 1982-87. Commander of Fijian Battalion, Mulitnational Force and Observers, Sinai Peninsula, 1983-85. Involvement in 1987 coup in Fiji. Elected Prime Minister of Fiji, 1992-99. Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs, Fiji, 1999-2001. Chairman of the Cakaudrove Provincial Council, 2001-08

IMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM GENERASI SEHAT DAN CERDAS DALAM MENINGKATKAN KESEJAHTERAAN MASYARAKAT (Suatu Studi di UPK Kec. Manganitu Selatan)

AbstrakImplementasi merupakan suatu proses yang dinamis, dimana pelaksanaan suatu kebijakan melakukan suatu aktivitas atau kegiatan, sehingga pada akhirnya akan mendapatkan suatu hasil yang sesuai dengan tujuan atau saran kebijakan itu sendiri (Agustino 2008 : 139). Salah satu upaya yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah dalam meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat di Kec. Manganitu selatan, Kab. Kep. Sangihe dengan menyelenggarakan atau mengimplementasikan program nasional, yaitu program Generasi Sehat dan Cerdas (GSC). Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui sudah sejauh mana upaya pemerintah dalam meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat melalui Program Generasi Sehat dan Cerdas (GSC) di Kec. Mangantu Selatan, Kab. Kep. Sangihe. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif. Untuk memperoleh data yang diperlukan, penulis melakukan kegiatan dengan cara wawancara, observasi dan dokumen. Hasil penelitian menjukkan bahwa dalam pengimplementasian program Generasi Sehat dan Cerdas (GSC) di Kec. Manganitu Selatan. Kab. Kep. Sangihe dengan kegiatan pengadaan perlengkapan sekolah bagi siswa SD/SMP cukup baik. Hal ini dilihat dari program atau kegiatan yang dilakukan sebagian besar dapat terlaksana. Namun dalam pelaksaannya terdapat beberapa kendala yang dihadapi, karena itu dari pihak UPK yang sebagai pengelola kegiatan berusaha untuk mencari solusi dalam menanggulangi kendala yang ada.Kata Kunci : Implementasi, Kesejahteraan Masyarakat

Aplikasi Reservasi Kamar Berbasis Web Pada Wisma Pertamina Palembang

Tujuan dari penulisan tugas akhir ini adalah membuat suatu program berbasis web khusunya untuk reservasi kamar, dengan menggunakan bahasa program PHP dan MySQL dalam pengelolaan basis data di Wisma Pertamina. Dalam proses pemesanan kamar, perusahaan mengalami masalah yaitu sulitnya tamu dalam proses pesan kamar. Metodologi yang digunakan dalam penulisan tugas akhir adalah iterative meliputi empat tahapan yaitu tahapan perencanaan yang terdiri dari: observasi, wawancara, studi pustaka. Tahapan analisis yang terdiri: Data Flow Diagram (DFD) logis, Spesifikasi Proses, Identifikasi kebutuhan sistem. Tahapan perancangan yang terdiri dari: Data Flow Diagram (DFD) fisik, Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) dalam merancang basis data, struktur data, rancangan masukan dan keluaran, spesifikasi proses, dan Tahapan Implementasi. Hasil analisis dan perencanaan aplikasi sistem ini diharapkan mampu memberikan kemudahan dalam proses pemesanan kamar dengan mudah dan dalam pengelolaan data-data di wisma dapat dikelola dengan cepat akurat sehingga dapat menghemat waktu dan biaya. Dapat disimpulkan aplikasi yang dibangun agar dapat membantu perusahaan dalam masalah pemesanan kamar, pengelolaan data-data di wisma, serta mempermudah pimpinan dalam pembuatan laporan per bulan. Dan untuk saran aplikasi ini dikembangkan lebih lanjut dengan menambahkan fasilitas-fasilitas lain guna mendukung aplikasi ini

Saccharide Display on Microtiter Plates

AbstractNew insight into the importance of carbohydrates in biological systems underscores the need for rapid synthetic and screening procedures for them. Development of an organic synthesis-compatible linker that would attach saccharides to microtiter plates was therefore undertaken to facilitate research in glycobiology. Galactosyllipids containing small, hydrophobic groups at the anomeric position were screened for noncovalent binding to microtiter plates. When the lipid component was a saturated hydrocarbon between 13 and 15 carbons in length, the monosaccharide showed complete retention after aqueous washing and could be utilized in biological assays. This alkyl chain was also successfully employed with more complex oligosaccharides in biological assays. In light of these findings, this method of attachment of oligosaccharides to microtiter plates should be highly efficacious to high-throughput synthesis and analyses of carbohydrates in biological assays

The carbohydrate-binding domain on galectin-1 is more extensive for a complex glycan than for simple saccharides: implications for galectin–glycan interactions at the cell surface

gal-1 (galectin-1) mediates cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix adhesion, essentially by interacting with β-galactoside-containing glycans of cell-surface glycoconjugates. Although most structural studies with gal-1 have investigated its binding to simple carbohydrates, in particular lactose and N-acetyl-lactosamine, this view is limited, because gal-1 functions at the cell surface by interacting with more complex glycans that are heterogeneous in size and composition. In the present study we used NMR spectroscopy to investigate the interaction of human gal-1 with a large (120 kDa) complex glycan, GRG (galactorhamnogalacturonate glycan), that contains non-randomly distributed mostly terminal β(1→4)-linked galactose side chains. We used 15N–1H-HSQC (heteronuclear single quantum coherence) NMR experiments with 15N-enriched gal-1 to identify the GRG-binding region on gal-1 and found that this region covers a large surface area on gal-1 that includes the quintessential lactose-binding site and runs from that site through a broad valley or cleft towards the dimer interface. HSQC and pulsed-field-gradient NMR diffusion experiments also show that gal-1 binds GRG with a gal-1:GRG stoichiometry of about 5:1 (or 6:1) and with average macroscopic and microscopic equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) of 8×10−6 M and 40×10−6 M (or 48×10−6 M) respectively, indicating stronger binding than to lactose (Kd=520×10−6 M). Although gal-1 may bind GRG in various ways, the glycan can be competed for by lactose, suggesting that there is one major mode of interaction. Furthermore, even though terminal motifs on GRG are Gal-β(1→4)-Gal rather than the traditional Gal-β(1→4)-Glc/GlcNAc (where GlcNAc is N-acetylglucosamine), we show that the disaccharide Gal-β(1→4)-Gal can bind gal-1 at the lactose-binding domain. In addition, gal-1 binding to GRG disrupts inter-glycan interactions and decreases glycan-mediated solution viscosity, a glycan decongestion effect that may help explain why gal-1 promotes membrane fluidity and lateral diffusion of glycoconjugates within cell membranes. Overall, our results provide an insight into the function of galectin in situ and have potential significant biological consequences

Structural Basis for Copper-Oxygen Mediated C-H Bond Activation by the Formylglycine-Generating Enzyme

The formylglycine-generating enzyme (FGE) is a unique copper protein that catalyzes oxygen-dependent C-H activation. We describe 1.66 Å- and 1.28 Å-resolution crystal structures of FGE from Thermomonospora curvata in complex with either AgI or CdII providing definitive evidence for a high-affinity metal-binding site in this enzyme. The structures reveal a bis-cysteine linear coordination of the monovalent metal, and tetrahedral coordination of the bivalent metal. Similar coordination changes may occur in the active enzyme as a result of CuI/II redox cycling. Complexation of copper atoms by two cysteine residues is common among copper-trafficking proteins, but is unprecedented for redox-active copper enzymes or synthetic copper catalysts

Genetically directed production of recombinant, isosteric and non-hydrolyzable ubiquitin conjugates

We describe the genetically directed incorporation of aminooxy functionality into recombinant proteins by using a mutant Methanosarcina barkeri pyrrolysyl‐tRNA synthetase/tRNA(CUA) pair. This allows the general production of nonhydrolysable ubiquitin conjugates of recombinant origin by bioorthogonal oxime ligation. This was exemplified by the preparation of nonhydrolysable versions of diubiquitin, polymeric ubiquitin chains and ubiquitylated SUMO. The conjugates exhibited unrivalled isostery with the native isopeptide bond, as inferred from structural and biophysical characterisation. Furthermore, the conjugates functioned as nanomolar inhibitors of deubiquitylating enzymes and were recognised by linkage‐specific antibodies. This technology should provide a versatile platform for the development of powerful tools for studying deubiquitylating enzymes and for elucidating the cellular roles of diverse polyubiquitin linkages

An Efficient Site-Specific Method for Irreversible Covalent Labeling of Proteins with a Fluorophore

Fluorophore labeling of proteins while preserving native functions is essential for bulk Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) interaction and single molecule imaging analysis. Here we describe a versatile, efficient, specific, irreversible, gentle and low-cost method for labeling proteins with fluorophores that appears substantially more robust than a similar but chemically distinct procedure. The method employs the controlled enzymatic conversion of a central Cys to a reactive formylglycine (fGly) aldehyde within a six amino acid Formylglycine Generating Enzyme (FGE) recognition sequence in vitro. The fluorophore is then irreversibly linked to the fGly residue using a Hydrazinyl-Iso-Pictet-Spengler (HIPS) ligation reaction. We demonstrate the robust large-scale fluorophore labeling and purification of E. coli (Ec) mismatch repair (MMR) components. Fluorophore labeling did not alter the native functions of these MMR proteins in vitro or in singulo. Because the FGE recognition sequence is easily portable, FGE-HIPS fluorophore-labeling may be easily extended to other proteins.open1157sciescopu

Organometallic palladium reagents for cysteine bioconjugation

Reactions based on transition metals have found wide use in organic synthesis, in particular for the functionalization of small molecules. However, there are very few reports of using transition-metal-based reactions to modify complex biomolecules, which is due to the need for stringent reaction conditions (for example, aqueous media, low temperature and mild pH) and the existence of multiple reactive functional groups found in biomolecules. Here we report that palladium(II) complexes can be used for efficient and highly selective cysteine conjugation (bioconjugation) reactions that are rapid and robust under a range of bio-compatible reaction conditions. The straightforward synthesis of the palladium reagents from diverse and easily accessible aryl halide and trifluoromethanesulfonate precursors makes the method highly practical, providing access to a large structural space for protein modification. The resulting aryl bioconjugates are stable towards acids, bases, oxidants and external thiol nucleophiles. The broad utility of the bioconjugation platform was further corroborated by the synthesis of new classes of stapled peptides and antibody–drug conjugates. These palladium complexes show potential as benchtop reagents for diverse bioconjugation applications.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (GM-58160)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (GM-101762)MIT Faculty Start-up FundDamon Runyon Cancer Research FoundationSontag Foundation (Distinguished Scientist Award)Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Chemistry (George Buchi Research Fellowship)David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT (Graduate Fellowship in Cancer Research