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Looks at the lobbying activities of several business and health care firms in the United States to prevent the passage of a legislation imposing federal regulations on the managed-care industry. Meetings hosted by the Healthcare Leadership Council to persuade the Republicans to drop their support for the legislation.

Recent work suggests that the dynorphin (DYN)/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system may be a key mediator in the behavioral effects of alcohol. The objective of the present study was to examine the ability of the KOR antagonist norbinaltorphimine (nor-BNI) to attenuate relapse to ethanol seeking due to priming injections of the KOR agonist U50,488 at time points consistent with KOR selectivity. Male Wistar rats were trained to self-administer a 10% ethanol solution, and then responding was extinguished. Following extinction, rats were injected with U50,488 (0.1–10 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline and were tested for the reinstatement of ethanol seeking. Next, the ability of the nonselective opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (0 or 3.0 mg/kg, s.c.) and nor-BNI (0 or 20.0 mg/kg, i.p.) to block U50,488-induced reinstatement was examined. Priming injections U50,488 reinstated responding on the previously ethanol-associated lever. Pretreatment with naltrexone reduced the reinstatement of ethanol-seeking behavior. nor-BNI also attenuated KOR agonist-induced reinstatement, but to a lesser extent than naltrexone, when injected 24 hours prior to injections of U50,488, a time point that is consistent with KOR selectivity. While these results suggest that activation of KORs is a key mechanism in the regulation of ethanol-seeking behavior, U50,488-induced reinstatement may not be fully selective for KORs.

Historical dimensions for the cubit are provided by scripture and pyramid documentation. Additional dimensions from the Middle East are found in other early documents. Two major dimensions emerge from a history of the cubit. The first is the anthropological or short cubit, and the second is the architectual or long cubit. The wide geographical area and long chronological period suggest that cubit dimensions varied over time and geographic area. Greek and Roman conquests led to standardization. More recent dimensions are provided from a study by Francis Galton based upon his investigations into anthropometry. The subjects for Galton’s study and those of several other investigators lacked adequate sample descriptions for producing a satisfactory cubit/forearm dimension. This finding is not surprising given the demise of the cubit in today’s world. Contemporary dimensions from military and civilian anthropometry for the forearm and hand allow comparison to the ancient unit. Although there appears no pressing need for a forearm-hand/cubit dimension, the half-yard or half-meter unit seems a useful one that could see more application.

The article offers news briefs on the political scene in the U.S. as of December 13, 2008. The League of Conservation Voters and unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO launched an advertising campaign to raise the profile of labor unions in the dialogue on energy and climate change. The Chamber of Commerce is bucking the K Street trend of laying off staff by making promotions in its congressional and public-affairs division. LFile Interactive has created LDAFile to help companies and lobbyists in filing reports required by the Lobbying Disclosure Act.

Deals with the efforts of 527 groups to pour money into television advertisements for the 2004 U.S. presidential campaign. Information on the new advertisement that will be launched by Media Fund founder Harold Ickes; Amount of money raised by Media Fund and American Coming Together; Plans of the Grand Old Party for the remaining campaign period.

Focuses on the efforts taken by South Korean lobbyist Sukhan Kim in the United States to help his country cope from economic recession. Discussions with US officials concerning the release of loans for South Korean banks; Advice on the South Korean government to retain US public relations firms.