The New Anti-Semitism and Diasporic Liminality: Jewish Identity from France to Montreal

Through a case study approach, 40 French Jews were interviewed revealing their primary reason for leaving France and resettling in Montreal was the continuous threat associated with the new anti-Semitism. The focus for many who participated in this research was the anti-Jewish sentiment in France and the result of being in a liminal diasporic state of feeling as though they belong elsewhere, possibly in France, to where they want to return, or moving on to other destinations. Multiple centred Jewish and Francophone identities were themes that emerged throughout the interviews

The Borrelia afzelii outer membrane protein BAPKO_0422 binds human Factor-H and is predicted to form a membrane-spanning beta-barrel

The deep evolutionary history of the Spirochetes places their branch point early in the evolution of the diderms, before the divergence of the present day Proteobacteria. As a Spirochete, the morphology of the Borrelia cell envelope shares characteristics of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A thin layer of peptidoglycan, tightly associated with the cytoplasmic membrane is surrounded by a more labile outer membrane (OM). This OM is rich in lipoproteins but with few known integral membrane proteins. The OmpA domain is an eight-stranded membrane-spanning β-barrel, highly conserved among the Proteobacteria but so far unknown in the Spirochetes. In the present work we describe the identification of four novel OmpA-like β-barrels from Borrelia afzelii, the most common cause of erythema migrans rash in Europe. Structural characterisation of one these proteins (BAPKO_0422) by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and circular dichroism indicate a compact globular structure rich in β-strand consistent with a monomeric β-barrel. Ab initio molecular envelopes calculated from the scattering profile are consistent with homology models and demonstrate that BAPKO_0422 adopts a peanut shape with dimensions 25 x 45 Å. Deviations from the standard C-terminal signature sequence are apparent; in particular the C-terminal Phe residue commonly found in Proteobacterial OM proteins is replaced by Ile/Leu or Asn. BAPKO_0422 is demonstrated to bind human factor-H and therefore may contribute to immune evasion by inhibition of the complement response. Encoded by chromosomal genes, these proteins are highly conserved between Borrelia subspecies and may be of diagnostic or therapeutic value

Observational study: 27 years of severe malaria surveillance in Kilifi, Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Many parts of Africa have witnessed reductions in Plasmodium falciparum transmission over the last 15 years. Since immunity to malaria is acquired more rapidly at higher transmission, the slower acquisition of immunity at lower transmission may partially offset the benefits of reductions in transmission. We examined the clinical spectrum of disease and predictors of mortality after sustained changes in transmission intensity, using data collected from 1989 to 2016. METHODS: We conducted a temporal observational analysis of 18,000 children, aged 14 days to 14 years old, who were admitted to Kilifi County Hospital, Kenya, from 1989 to 2016 with malaria. We describe the trends over time of the clinical and laboratory criteria for severe malaria and associated risk of mortality. RESULTS: During the time periods 1989-2003, 2004-2008, and 2009-2016, Kilifi County Hospital admitted averages of 657, 310, and 174 cases of severe malaria per year including averages of 48, 14, and 12 malaria-associated deaths per year, respectively. The median ages in years of children admitted with cerebral malaria, severe anaemia, and malaria-associated mortality were 3.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2-3.9), 1.1 (95% CI 0.9-1.4), and 1.1 (95% CI 0.3-2.2) in the year 1989, rising to 4.9 (95% CI 3.9-5.9), 3.8 (95% CI 2.5-7.1), and 5 (95% CI 3.3-6.3) in the year 2016. The ratio of children with cerebral malaria to severe anaemia rose from 1:2 before 2004 to 3:2 after 2009. Hyperparasitaemia was a risk factor for death after 2009 but not in earlier time periods. CONCLUSION: Despite the evidence of slower acquisition of immunity, continued reductions in the numbers of cases of severe malaria resulted in lower overall mortality. Our temporal data are limited to a single site, albeit potentially applicable to a secular trend present in many parts of Africa

A unified model for BAM function that takes into account type Vc secretion and species differences in BAM composition

Transmembrane proteins in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria are almost exclusively β-barrels. They are inserted into the outer membrane by a conserved and essential protein complex called the BAM (for β-barrel assembly machinery). In this commentary, we summarize current research into the mechanism of this protein complex and how it relates to type V secretion. Type V secretion systems are autotransporters that all contain a β-barrel transmembrane domain inserted by BAM. In type Vc systems, this domain is a homotrimer. We argue that none of the current models are sufficient to explain BAM function particularly regarding type Vc secretion. We also find that current models based on the well-studied model system Escherichia coli mostly ignore the pronounced differences in BAM composition between different bacterial species. We propose a more holistic view on how all OMPs, including autotransporters, are incorporated into the lipid bilayer

Researching the Intersection between Collective Identity and Conceptions of Post-separation and Divorced Fatherhood: A Case Study Fathers For Justice, Fathers For Just Us, or Fathers are Us?

This article explores the methodological implications of investigating the collective identity of Fathers For Justice (FFJ). More specifically, a three-pronged approach of employing participant observation, interviews, and content analysis is assessed as the basis for understanding FFJ’s collective identity. This methodological approach reveals that meanings and practices related to post-separation and divorced fatherhood as well as the importance of children are a significant dimension of a FFJ collective identity. I conclude that an important part of the FFJ collective identity is not based on these activists perceiving themselves as self-serving (Fathers for Just Us), but as those seeking equality in terms of being recognized as continous parents after separation and divorce (Fathers are Us)

The Observation of Cellular Precipitation in an Ni₃₆Co₁₈Cr₂₀Fe₁₉Al₇ High-Entropy Alloy after Quenching and Annealing

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) comprise a minimum of five major elements. These alloys show some special characteristics, such as excellent mechanical and high temperature properties. The development of the HEAs requires a knowledge of phase transformations during alloy making procedures. The phase transformations of an Ni36Co18Cr20Fe19Al7 HEA were studied in this research. The alloy underwent hot forging, cold rolling, annealing at and quenching from 1323 K, and isothermal holding at 873 K. The alloy is a single face-centered cubic (FCC) phase in the as-quenched condition. After annealing at 873 K, not only fine coherent L12 particles precipitated homogeneously in the FCC matrix, but lamellae of FCC and L12 phases also developed from the grain boundaries. Both lamellar FCC and L12 grains have a cubic-on-cubic orientation relationship (OR). The composition of the lamellar L12 phase is Ni60Co8Cr6Fe6Al20, and that of the lamellar FCC phase is Ni31Co15Cr28Fe21Al4. Cellular precipitation occurs in the HEA, and the high-temperature FCC (γ) transforms to a lamella of low-temperature FCC (γ1), and an L12 phase, i.e., γ → γ1+L12