Non-governmental organization and building community

The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) community encompasses a wide range of organisations and performances within and across many different countries in the world. The structure of NGOs ranges from small groups of a village-like size to a very large international level organisation. The activities of these organisations is spread across various sections such as funding, economics, technical, leisure, humanities, etc. and their performances are dependent on the individual NGO as well as the country and sector in which the NGO works. The NGO community has dramatically grown in member size in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres after industrialised governments supported NGO activity with funding. However, there are constraints in NGO activity due to funding arrangements, as well as different perspectives between Southern NGOs, Northern NGOs and governments. A 'critical' case study (embedded) is applied to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), as it is one of the well-known NGOs. The MSF's Activity Report: 'July 1998-June 1999' is used to analyse its activities and the collected data are examined according to the five dimensions of the study framework Community Building Practice. With reference to the literature review and the results of the case study, the influence of funding on NGO activity, the autonomy of Grass Roots Organisations (GROs) and the professionalisation of international NGOs will be discussed

Protein phosphatase 1 is involved in the dissociation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II from postsynaptic densities

AbstractAutophosphorylation-dependent translocation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) to postsynaptic densities (PSDs) from cytosol may be a physiologically important process during synaptic activation. We investigated a protein phosphatase responsible for dephosphorylation of the kinase. CaM kinase II was shown to be targeted to two sites using the gel overlay method in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) was identified to dephosphorylate CaM kinase II from its complex with PSDs using phosphatase inhibitors and activators, and purified phosphatases. The kinase was released from PSDs after its dephosphorylation by PP1

Charged exciton emission at 1.3 μ\mum from single InAs quantum dots grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

We have studied the emission properties of self-organized InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown in an InGaAs quantum well by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Low-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy shows emission from single QDs around 1300 nm; we clearly observe the formation of neutral and charged exciton and biexciton states, and we obtain a biexciton binding energy of 3.1 meV. The dots exhibit an s-p shell splitting of approximately 100 meV, indicating strong confinement.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, submitted AP

Fundamental studies on the peripheral leucocyte culture and its clinical application

With an improved method of tissue culture of peripheral leucocytes of our own design, the authors carried out systematic observations on the peripheral leucocyte culture from the normal, various kinds of leukemias, leukemoid reactions, and hypoplastic anemia. As for the culture method we have devised a method of silicon oil coating on the blood containers, a method which will least affect the cell function as compared with the conventional culture method. As the results we have found that the tissue growth in the case of peripheral leucocyte culture of normal persons ceases after six-hour culture and also we have recognized a peculiar finding, a growth like a corona-shape, in which an empty space appears in the inner part of growth area along with the lapse of time. In every leukemic case, without presenting growth area like a corona, the cell density is high and the outer zone of growth area becomes sharply demarcated as in the case with bone-marrow culture and also the growth continues even after 12 hours. At this instance we have noticed many mitoses of immature cells. Moreover, the maturation of immature cells has been observed and it has also been possible to distinguish to what type these immature cells belonged. In the leukemoid reaction no growth pattern Characteristic to the leukemia can be recognized, and at a glance it can easily be differentiated from the leukemia. In the case of hypoplastic anemia although the growth area is like that of the normal presenting a corona-like shape, the cell density is lower and the function of leucccytes is lesser than the normal. From these results we believe that the peripheral leucocyte culture is clinically useful.</p