Mulheres mils impact assessment : building research capacity across nations; a reflection paper for the 2013 IDRC Canadian Learning Forum

Given the distinction between knowledge for understanding and knowledge for action, it is arguable that additional criteria should be considered in defining and promoting research excellence in development contexts. Research excellence for development is, or should be, rigorous, adhering to foundational standards of ethics, and as well, include knowledge for action – enhancing capacity building, and helping communities to create the capacity to act. The Mulheres Mil program (meaning a thousand strong women) successfully worked to improve women’s quality of family life, economic opportunities and greater participation in the political process

Physical work capacity of athletes with different types of adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system

Indices of physical work capacity in athletes with different types of adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system that are engaged in various kinds of sports and have sports ranks from Master of Sports to Grade 2 have been studied. It has been shown that the highest physical work capacity is typical of athletes that have the inotropic type of adaptation, and the lowest, of athletes with the chronotropic type of adaptation. High indices of physical work capacity were recorded in athletes with the respiratory type of adaptation. Types of adaptation affect the indices of physical work capacity, and it is possible to forecast sports results on their basis. © MAIK Nauka 2008

Nucleotide composition of the DNA of Listeria (Russian)

The nucleotide composition of the DNA of various L. monocytogenes and L. grayi strains was studied by means of paper cromatography. The GC content of the bases varied from 38.6 to 43.6 mol%. The minor bases (5 methylcytosine and N6 mathyladenine) were not detected. Strain differences in respect of the DNA composition were found in L. monocytogenes cultures belonging both to one and to various serologic types. Similarly to the DNA of other bacteria, DNA of Listeria possessed a low degree of pyrimidine blocking. As regards the distribution of pyrimidine blocks of various length, the DNA of Listeria differed from the DNA of Arthrobacter citreus. The data on the nucleotide composition and the character of pyrimidine distribution in the DNA of Listeria pointed to a marked difference between Listeria and other Corynebacteriaceae

Subcellular reorganization of mitochondria producing heavy DNA in aging wheat coleoptiles

AbstractUnusual closed membrane vesicles containing one or more mitochondria were isolated from homogenates of aging wheat coleoptiles. Very similar (or the same) bodies were shown to exist in situ in vacuoles of undividing cells in the apical part of intact senescent coleoptiles. Vesicles isolated from coleoptile homogenate free of nuclei by 10 min centrifugation at 1700×g and traditional mitochondria (sedimented at between 4300×g and 17 400×g) are similar in respiration rate, composition and content of cytochromes and sensitivity to respiration inhibitors. However, vesicles contain about 2-fold more Ca2+ ions than free mitochondria do. The specific feature of vesicles containing mitochondria in aging coleoptiles is an intensive synthesis of heavy (ρ=1.718 g/cm3) mitochondrial DNA (H-mtDNA). Thus, aging in plants is accompanied by an increased selective H-mtDNA production and change in subcellular organization of mitochondria

One-step synthesis of γ-Fe₂ O₃/Fe₃ O₄ nanocomposite for sensitive electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide

Maghemite/magnetite nanocomposite ( γ-Fe₂ O₃/Fe₃ O₄ ) was prepared via an electrochemical method using pulse alternating current and applied for electrocatalytic reduction and sensing of hydrogen peroxide. The structural and compositional analysis of the γ-Fe₂ O₃/Fe₃ O₄ was characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and XPS. Its thermal decomposition behavior was studied using TG/DSC. The mechanism for γ- Fe₂ O₃/Fe₃ O₄ nanocomposite formation was propose

Search for β+\beta^+EC and ECEC processes in 112^{112}Sn and β−β−\beta^-\beta^- decay of 124^{124}Sn to the excited states of 124^{124}Te

Limits on $\beta^+$EC and ECEC processes in $^{112}$Sn and on $\beta^-\beta^-$ decay of $^{124}$Sn to the excited states of $^{124}$Te have been obtained using a 380 cm$^3$ HPGe detector and an external source consisting of natural tin. A limit with 90% C.L. on the $^{112}$Sn half-life of $0.92\times 10^{20}$ y for the ECEC(0$\nu$) transition to the $0^+_3$ excited state in $^{112}$Cd (1871.0 keV) has been established. This transition is discussed in the context of a possible enhancement of the decay rate by several orders of magnitude given that the ECEC$(0\nu)$ process is nearly degenerate with an excited state in the daughter nuclide. Prospects for investigating such a process in future experiments are discussed. The $\beta^-\beta^-$ decay limits for $^{124}$Sn to the excited states of $^{124}$Te were obtained on the level of $(0.8-1.2)\times 10^{21}$ y at the 90% C.L.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Study of 2 beta-decay of Mo-100 and Se-82 using the NEMO3 detector

After analysis of 5797 h of data from the detector NEMO3, new limits on neutrinoless double beta decay of Mo-100 (T-1/2 > 3.1 x 10(23) y, 90% CL) and Se-82 (T-1/2 > 1.4 x 10(23) y, 90% CL) have been obtained. The corresponding limits on the effective majorana neutrino mass are: 1.4 x 10(22) y (90% CL) for Mo-100 and T-1/2 > 1.2 x 10(22) y (90% CL) for Se-82. Corresponding bounds on the Majoron-neutrino coupling constant are < (0.5-0.9) x 10(- 4) and <(0.7-1.6) x 10(- 4). Two-neutrino 2beta-decay half-lives have been measured with a high accuracy, (T1/2Mo)-Mo-100 = [7.68 +/- 0.02(stat) +/- 0.54(syst)] x 10(18) y and (T1/2Se)-Se-82 = [10.3 +/- 0.3(stat) +/- 0.7(syst)] x 10(19) y. (C) 2004 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica"

Possible background reductions in double beta decay experiments

The background induced by radioactive impurities of $^{208}\rm Tl$ and $^{214}\rm Bi$ in the source of the double beta experiment NEMO-3 has been investigated. New methods of data analysis which decrease the background from the above mentioned contamination are identified. The techniques can also be applied to other double beta decay experiments capable of measuring independently the energies of the two electrons.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, accepted in the Nuclear Instruments and Methods

Nanostructured luminescently labeled nucleic acids

Important and emerging trends at the interface of luminescence, nucleic acids and nanotechnology are: (i) the conventional luminescence labeling of nucleic acid nanostructures (e.g. DNA tetrahedron); (ii) the labeling of bulk nucleic acids (e.g. single‐stranded DNA, double‐stranded DNA) with nanostructured luminescent labels (e.g. copper nanoclusters); and (iii) the labeling of nucleic acid nanostructures (e.g. origami DNA) with nanostructured luminescent labels (e.g. silver nanoclusters). This review surveys recent advances in these three different approaches to the generation of nanostructured luminescently labeled nucleic acids, and includes both direct and indirect labeling methods