Microfilaments and actin-associated proteins at sites of membrane-substrate attachment within acetylcholine receptor clusters

Rat myotubes in tissue culture form broad areas of close contact with the substrate. These areas often display two distinct, interdigitating sets of membrane domains. One, the "contact domain", is close to the substrate; the other, termed the "AChR domain", is further from the substrate and is rich in acetylcholine receptors (AChR). We have used fluorescence techniques to study the organization of the cytoskeleton in these areas. Substrate-apposed membrane of the myotubes was exposed either by shearing or by permeabilizing the cells with a neutral detergent. Phalloidin derivatives and affinity-purified polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies specific for cytoskeletal proteins were then applied to the samples. Sheared samples were observed by epifluorescence microscopy; detergent-permeabilized samples were observed by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. We found that, like antivinculin, fluorescent phalloidin derivatives and antibodies to [alpha]-actinin, filamin, and talin preferentially labeled the contact domains. This suggests that bundles of microfilaments associate with the membrane at sites of myotubesubstrate attachment. In contrast, a 43K protein, closely associated with AChR, was present only at AChR domains. A monoclonal antibody to actin labeled both AChR and contact domains, suggesting that actin is enriched over both regions. Our results suggest that, like the plasma membrane of AChR clusters, the underlying membrane skeleton is organized into at least two distinct domains.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/27926/1/0000350.pd

Conflicts and Agreements: Canada’s Foundations and Their Consequences, 1865-1949

Archived with permission. Copyright © the panelists/editor, 2017.In response to curiosity about Confederation during this sesquicentennial year, historians Patrice Dutil, Daniel Heidt, P. Whitney Lackenbauer, Marcel Martel, Robert Wardhaugh, and political scientist Jacqueline Krikorian convened at the University of Waterloo for a public panel to review Canada’s expansion, strengths, and faults during the past 150 years. Everyone was impressed by the ensuing 1.5 hours of discussions, so the Centre on Foreign Policy and Federalism agreed to commission a publication of the proceedings in written form, and post it to the web before 1 July so that more Canadians would have the opportunity to consider the event’s varied opinions for Canada 150.Crabtree Foundation University of Waterloo Library Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council St. Jerome’s University Centre on Foreign Policy and Federalis

Next to Normal: Exploring Mental Illness Through Musical Theatre

This presentation will document the authors\u27 process of mounting a staged reading of the rock musical Next to Normal on April 5 2018. The show will be presented in fulfillment of the Theatre Arts major at Gonzaga, and in partnership with Gonzaga’s Center for Cura Personalis. Annika serves as director and plays the role of Diana, while Jacqueline serves as music director and plays the role of Natalie. Next to Normal is a 2009 musical written by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, about a mother -Diana - and her worsening struggle with bipolar disorder. It subsequently explores her attempts at treatment, including ECT and psychiatric drugs, and the toll these attempts takes on her husband Dan and her teenage daughter Natalie. Next to Normal was nominated for 11 Tony Awards, and won the 2010 Pultizer Prize for Drama. The presentation will include the authors\u27 research into the pertinent themes and topics of the show such as mental illness, modern psychiatric treatments, and grief. Annika will focus on textual analysis of the musical, discussing the treatment of the themes and topics in the text of the show. Jacqueline will focus on the musical score and how it is constructed to highlight specific character themes as well as general themes. Both authors will address the process behind the marketing tie-in with the Center for Cura Personalis. Next to Normal is highly relevant to today\u27s culture, as both mental illness and the stigma surrounding it continue to grow. Tackling this subject in the form of theatre is a complex challenge, but one that can be rewarding and serve as an agent of change in the community. Ultimately, this presentation will delineate both the artistic and research processes behind presenting such a technical and thematically dense piece of theatre

Normative Data for the Tower of London Performance in Australian Midlife Women

The Tower of London (TOL) task is a well-known neuropsychological measure of planning ability that is widely used in clinical and research contexts. Despite its popularity and recognised validity, clinical use of the TOL task has been limited in the adult population due to lack of comprehensive normative data. As a result, this measure has principally been employed in the clinical setting as a qualitative measure of planning skills. In this study, the TOL task was administered as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological battery to 243 healthy, Australian women (M age = 60 years, range = 56–67 years) who have been participating in the Women's Healthy Ageing Project. Results showed significant correlations between age and the total TOL score but not other outcome measures; level of education and mood were unrelated to performance on the TOL. Further analyses showed significant correlations between the TOL outcome measures and other recognised measures of executive function and working memory. The current study presents previously unavailable normative data for different aspects of the TOL performance in Australian midlife women, which may serve as a reference for more accurate clinical interpretation of the TOL in the Australian context and improve its clinical utility in the adult population