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The article discusses the story behind the purchase of Venetian sculptor Antonio Canova's marble statue "Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker" by the British government in 1816. The negotiations for the purchase of the marble statue began following the signing of the Second Treaty of Paris on November 20, 1815. The article mentions that the purchase negotiations resulted to a series of diplomatic manoeuvring between Great Britain, France and the Papal States for France to regain the ancient statue "Allegory of the River Nile."

Abstract.: The enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR, EC 1.1.1.34) is encoded by a small multigene family in tomato (Lycopersiconesculentum Mill.) and catalyzes the synthesis of mevalonic acid (MVA), a committed step in the biosynthesis of sterols and isoprenoids. A chimeric HMG1::GUS reporter gene fusion was used to analyze the regulation of HMG1 gene expression in detail. HMG1 promoter 5′ deletion mutants established the boundary of a fully inducible promoter. In HMG1::GUS transgenic tomato plants, histochemical staining with 5-bromo-3-indolyl-glucuronide demonstrated that HMG1 was primarily expressed in shoot and root meristems, and in young tomato fruit. This result was confirmed by both HMG1 in-situ hybridization and RNA gel blot analysis. Tomato suspension cell experiments showed that steady-state HMG1 mRNA accumulated during lag and exponential growth phases, but not during the stationary phase. Transient expression of the HMG1::GUS in tissue culture cells treated with mevinolin indicated that HMG1 expression was subject to feedback regulation by a biosynthetic product derived from MVA. These results suggest that a primary, although not exclusive, role of HMG1 is to supply the MVA demand associated with cell division and growth.

Lack of understanding of the legal concept of vicarious liability may underlie certain barriers to nurse‐midwifery practice. Malpractice insurance surcharges, denial or restrictive limitation of clinical privileges, and physician “supervision” requirements may all be premised, at least in part, upon an assumption that physicians who work with, and hospitals that grant clinical privileges to, nurse‐midwives will automatically be liable for any negligent actions or omissions of CNMs. This article examines the basis for such assumptions and, based upon research into the current case law on this subject, concludes that popular assumptions regarding physician/CNM or hospital/CNM vicarious liability are unfounded. According to the author's research, no reported cases exist to support that assumption. Vicarious liability arises from the relationship between two parties and is imposed solely on the basis of the relationship. An employer is almost always vicariously liable for the negligent actions or omissions of his employee. If a nurse‐midwife is the bona fideemployee of a hospital or physician, the latter will most likely be subject to vicarious liability. Absent of any employment relationship, however, such liability will not necessarily be imposed. Rather, the result will vary depending upon the facts of each case, and each professional's relative degree of fault would be determined upon the basis of his or her own actions. Hospital liability for nonemployee nurse‐midwives who hold clinical privileges should be no different from hospital liability for physician members of its medical staff—that is, in most cases the hospital will not be vicariously liable for the negligence of its nonemployee staff, but will be directly liable for its own negligence if it failed to credential or monitor the performance of its staff members properly. A malpractice surcharge case, and the insurance principles and data that may be derived from that case, are also discussed.

We compared the in vitro response to oxytocin, prostaglandin (PG)E21, and PGF2αof myometrium and mesometrium from six ovariectomized ewes and 53 ewes at 106-145 days gestational age (dGA), including 14 ewes in spontaneous or βmethasone-induced labor. Myometrial baseline activity increased from 217 ± 27 mN/cm2of cross-sectional area (mean ± SEM) in ovariectomized ewes to a plateau of 696 ± 39 mN/cm2at 126-135 dGA. No gestation-related changes were observed in mesometrial baseline activity. Myometrial, but not mesometrial, maximum tension in response to agonists increased with gestation to a plateau at 126-135 dGA. The pD2(negative logarithm of the EC50) values for oxytocin were similar in both tissues and did not change with gestation. During pregnancy, the myometrial pD2of both PGs was one order of magnitude higher than the mesometrial pD2. The results indicate an increase in myometrial uterotonic receptor-mediated activity that precedes labor with no increase at labor, suggesting that in sheep, activation of the basic mechanisms responsible for strength of myometrial activity at labor occurs by 135 dGA. The greater sensitivity of the myometrium than the mesometrium to PGs supports a major role for intrauterine paracrine factors in regulating myometrial contractility.

Nineteen patients (12 men) mean age, 63.4 years (range, 32 to 78), with stable chronic airflow limitation, mean FEV1, 0.55 L (range, 0.3 to 1.05 L), completed an eight-week, double-blind, double cross-over study comparing nebulized salbutamol and salbutamol from a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). Salbutamol from both delivery systems produced bronchodilation. The doses of salbutamol inhaled via the nebulizer and MDI producing maximal bronchodilatation were established by cumulative dose-response curves. The contents of the nebulizer and MDI were inhaled four times a day, one system containing salbutamol and the other a placebo. Cross-over of salbutamol from one system to the other occurred every two weeks. There was no significant difference between the two delivery methods in daily peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), severity of symptoms, or extra bronchodilator usage. Two weekly laboratory assessments of spirometry, PEFR, and exercise tolerance also showed no significant differences. Careful assessment is recommended before the provision of domiciliary nebulizers.

Complement activation with pneumococcal antigens was studied both in vitro and after injection of the antigens into rats. Whole pneumococci of various serotypes activated C3-C9 in rat serum treated with ethyleneglycol-bis (β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N′-tetraacetic acid, although serotypes differed greatly in the extent of activation. Some purified pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides also activated C3-C9 in rat serum, but only when the antigens were present in concentrations of 500 to 1,000 μg/ml. Much of the activation with capsular polysaccharides was eliminated by the use of ethyleneglycol-bis (β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N′-tetraacetic acid. Activation of C3-C9 by capsular polysaccharides did not correlate with the level of reactivity observed with whole organisms of the same serotypes. After injection of 5 × 109pneumococci (type 3 or type 4) intravenously into rats, there was a transient decline in serum C3-C9 activity, but there was no decline in C3-C9 levels after intravenous injection of 1,000 μg of type 3 or type 4 capsular polysaccharides. As determined by immunofluorescence, circulating capsular polysaccharide was deposited in several tissues, including the vascular endothelium and glomerular mesangium of the kidney. C3 was not detectable in these deposits, and there was no histological evidence of an inflammatory response. Capsular polysaccharides appear to be only weak activators of complement. Other pneumococcal antigens may be more important in the pathogenesis of hypocomplementemia in pneumococcal infection.

The article analyzes how the rooms at the private apartments of Queen Caroline of Ansbach at Hampton Court in London, England were furnished according to her taste. The private dining room of the royal couple was furnished with fine gilt table and stands. A mirror in a glass frame and festoon in gilt was supplied for their Little Bedchamber. The soft furnishings are made of Genoa damask with upholstered cornices and chairs to match.

The article looks at the taste in art of King William III, in reference to the picture hang at Hampton Court. Reportedly, overmantle paintings were portraits of people connected with the royal family. The Green Gallery housed the Royal collection from the works of Raphael to Gonzaga. Art historian Horace Walpole insists that the King did not contribute anything for the advancement of the arts but the article states that the picture hang at Hampton Court proves otherwise.

The article focuses on the evidence relating to the furnishing of the private eating room of King William III at Hampton Court in London, England and how it functioned. The room was located on the ground floor in the west corner of the Fountain Court. It suggests that the Sideboard room at Hampton Court would have been furnished with a ewer and basin to wash the king's hands. The portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller were said to be the most impressive decorative feature of the private dining room.

The article looks at the style of dining at the Buckingham Palace in London, England. It mentions that a private lunch or dinner allowed the chefs to provide dishes which were personal favorites. It also cites that by the reign of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, the system of household management was not working efficiently. Developments in cooking methods, such as deep-freezing, have made a difference to the quality of food at the royal table.