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Collaboration between licensed nurses (LNs) and nurse aides (NAs) is critical in the provision of quality care for residents living in nursing homes (NHs). The current scoping review explores how working dynamics between LNs and NAs in the NH setting are researched and described in the literature. Thirty-five articles were identified and reviewed that address the LN/NA relationship in the context of (a) the LN role as a supervisor and leader; (b) variation in structure; (c) expanding, understanding, and supporting staff roles; and (d) communication. We found that the LN/NA relationship has been primarily explored through the LN lens and often studied in the context of role expansion and revision associated with new models of care. Our contribution to the literature includes the following main points: efforts to improve LN/NA collaboration may be hindered without substantial structural change; collaboration may be limited within the hierarchal LN/NA relationship; LNs and NAs in NHs need greater support, recognition, and empowerment; and NAs require a representative voice. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48(5), 27–34.], Collaboration and teamwork in the provision of health care are critical in maintaining patient/resident safety and promoting quality, person-centered care. In the nursing home (NH) setting, nurse aides (NAs) provide [...]

Admitting pediatric patients promptly to the appropriate unit where they can receive specialty care is of critical importance to safe, quality care. A daily morning huddle was implemented at one children's hospital as a quality improvement project. The aim of this project was to improve patient flow throughout the children's hospital by improving interprofessional and interdepartmental communication and collaboration. This article reports on changes in patient flow before and after implementation of the daily huddle, as measured by pediatric emergency department (ED) boarding times. This retrospective, descriptive study was conducted at a regional children's hospital within an academic hospital. Data were collected from the electronic medical record over two separate time periods coinciding with pre/post-huddle implementation. Non-random, purposive sampling was used, resulting in a pre-huddle sample (n = 450) and post-huddle sample (n = 329). Times were significantly shorter after huddle implementation compared to pre-huddle (p < 0.001) from admission orders in the ED to transfer to the PICU or pediatric ward. The median time decreased from 3.0 to 2.6 hours post-huddle implementation. These findings suggest huddles as one potential factor in the formula to improve patient flow from the ED by enhancing interprofessional and interdepartmental collaboration and communication. Findings from this study are of vital importance to pediatric patients, nurses, and physicians. Promptly admitting patients from the ED to the appropriate unit where they can receive needed specialty care that potentially improves the quality and safety of patient care is paramount. Further research is needed to determine what format and contexts the huddle can be utilized to facilitate efficient patient flow and improve patient outcomes., In a seminal report, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2001) called for a vastly restructured healthcare system that [...]

Characterization of the composition and extension of the SiO2/HfO2interface in the model systems Si-sub./SiO2(7.5 nm)/FE:HfO2(9.5 nm)/TiN (9 nm) for standard impurity concentrations and annealing temperatures (Si 3.6%, 1000 °C; Al 5.5%, 850 °C) were carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with high kinetic energies. In addition, the crystalline properties of HfO2were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction depending on the type of impurity. Formation of HfxSi1–xO2at the SiO2/HfO2interface was revealed, and the dependence of its thickness dsilicateand stoichiometry Xon the formation of the tetragonal phase P42/nmcof HfO2was established. It is shown that doping with aluminum followed by annealing prevents the formation of a tetragonal phase and reduces both dsilicateand Xby about 20% (with respect to undoped HfO2annealed at the same temperature), in contrast to doping with Si followed by annealing, which practically does not affect dsilicateand X. The results obtained are important for the problem of imbalance in the voltage drop across the gate oxides stack in a ferroelectric field-effect transistor and improvement of its endurance and retention characteristics.

The purpose of the study is to form a methodological approach to managing the professional development of employees in order to achieve the maximum effect of the digital transformation of the organisation. The authors analysed the environment for implementing the processes of digitalisation of organisations in Russia, identified existing limitations and lagging behind developed countries. The article systematises the risks of digital transformation of the organisation. The priority of levelling personnel risks arising from the discrepancy between the level of development of the organisation's personnel and the new digital requirements, as well as due to the low adaptive capacity of the staff, is justified. A methodological approach to the creation of a management system for the professional development of the organisation's personnel is proposed. A model of its implementation is developed based on the formation of a profile of employee competencies, identification and assessment of the personnel risk of digital transformation, and realisation of a differentiated set of measures.

Selective hydrogenation of 1-hexyne/1-hexene mixture was studied in the temperature range of 100–150 °C (hydrogen pressure of 3 atm) on a catalyst based on mesoporous silica gel (MPS) doped with dysprosium, lanthanum and modified with silver (Dy–Ag/MPS, La–Ag/MPS). The catalysts were studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, temperature programmed reduction and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. It was found that the conversions of 1-hexyne on Dy–Ag/MPS are higher than on La–Ag/MPS. Moreover, it has been shown that the Dy–Ag/MPS sample exhibits greater efficiency and selectivity for 1-hexene in the hydrogenation of a 1-hexyne/1-hexene mixture. In addition, it was shown that the selectivity of Dy–Ag/MPS for 1-hexene remains the same with an increase of 1-hexyne concentration in the mixture.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cor.2009.01.010 Byline: Elena O. Gavriliouk Abstract: Because of their widespread use in real-world transportation situations, hub location models have been extensively studied in the last two decades. Many types of hub location problems are NP-hard and remain unmanageable when the number of nodes exceeds 200. We present a way to tackle large-sized problems using aggregation, explore the resulting error, and show how to reduce it. Furthermore, we develop a heuristic based on aggregation for k-hub center problems and present computational results. Author Affiliation: CSIRO Mathematical & Information Sciences, Private Bag 33, Clayton, VIC 3169, Australia

STAGGERING UP THE HILL , my guy carries his weapon close to his chest, his boots crunching the gravel beneath his soles. I direct him to look left, but somehow [...]

A synthetic method for the new chain extenders with different amounts of furan groups and a prepolymer derived from three-furyl diol was developed. A series of polyurethanes cross-linked via the Diels-Alder reaction with various amounts of bismaleimide were produced. The structure, mechanical and thermal properties, and recycling ability of the obtained materials were investigated.

Ti–30Nb–10Ta–5Zr alloy was produced and studied in the work. Plates and wires were made of this alloy. The alloy was shown to have pure β-crystalline phase and to possess the required mechanical properties. Microstructures with a height of the order of several hundred nm, located at a distance of 1.5–2.0 μm were observed on the surface of the alloy. From the point of view of reactive oxygen species generation and long-lived reactive protein species formation, the Ti–30Nb–10Ta–5Zr alloy is more preferrable than nitinol. Cultivation of cell cultures on Ti–30Nb–10Ta–5Zr surfaces resulted in high mitotic index (2%) and low content of non-viable cells (<5%). The cells were actively attaching and spreading on the alloy. Biocompatibility of Ti–30Nb–10Ta–5Zr was confirmed by the experiments on implantation of the alloy as plates and coiled wires. The surface morphology of the specimens did not alter significantly after the biological trials. It can be suggested that Ti–30Nb–10Ta–5Zr alloy is an appropriate material for potential medical applications.

In the present work, the formation of an interface region in the multilayer periodic Mo/Be mirrors was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The impact of a barrier B4C layer on the interdiffusion at both interfaces of the Mo/Be mirror (Mo-on-Be and Be-on-Mo) was analyzed in detail, paying particular attention to the interaction of the barrier B4C layer with the Mo and Be layers and accompanying oxidation processes. It was established that the barrier B4C layer (i) reduces the total amount of the beryllides at the interfaces, which is compensated by the appearance of MoB; (ii) limits the formation of the Be-rich MoBeαberyllide at the Be-on-Mo interface, making this interface more sharp; (iii) facilitates the formation of beryllium carbide Be2C at both interfaces; and (iv) partially protects the oxidation of the beryllium layer located under the Mo layer. Additionally, theoretical analysis of probable interface reactions and their products was performed. The results obtained within the framework of the proposed models correlate well with the experimental data. Despite the simplicity of the suggested approach, it exhibits satisfactory predictive power that can be exploited for material selection to improve the interface quality of multilayered structures.

The physicochemical nature of the change in the effective work function (EWF) of aluminum doped TiN (using TiN/TiAl/TiN laminate structure) was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with high kinetic energies (HAXPES). Comparative analysis of Si/SiO2/HfO2/TiN-TiAl-TiN and Si/SiO2/HfO2/TiN stacks reveals identical composition of the HfO2/TiN interfaces in both stacks. It was established that the EWF decrease for TiN/TiAl/TiN laminate electrode with respect to the “normal” value for TiN is related to redistribution of light N and O atoms in the bulk of TiN/TiAl/TiN instead of frequently supposed Al diffusion and formation of HfAlOxmixed oxide at the HfO2/TiN interface. Formation of nonstoichiometric TiNx, metallic Ti and Al, and AlN in the bulk of TiN/TiAl/TiN was revealed by HAXPES.

By use of a combination of electrical measurements and internal photoemission interface barrier characterization, the effective workfunction (EWF) changes of nm-thin TiN layer deposited on top of oxide insulators (SiO2, HfO2) have been correlated with atomic and chemical composition of the metal/oxide interfaces characterized by photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption. The major mechanisms of the EWF tuning are shown to be correlated to redistribution of light N and O atoms. Oxygen scavenging from the underlying oxides changes the TiN EWF by forming a Ti oxynitride layer at the interface and introducing charge traps in the near-interface oxide layer. By contrast, significant (≈1 eV) reduction of EWF can be achieved by introduction of a thin TiAl getter layer on top of TiN film. The mechanism of this reduction can be traced to formation of metallic Ti caused by nitrogen scavenging by TiAl as evidenced by AlN formation.

Mesoporous silica (MPS) modified with nickel and MPS doped with dysprosium and modified with nickel have been synthesized by the template method. The adsorbents are characterized by various techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, and X‐ray fluorescence analyses. The adsorption properties of the synthesized samples have been investigated by inverse gas chromatography. Furthermore, thermodynamic characteristics of the adsorption of test compound belonging to different classes of organic compounds were obtained. In addition, the contributions of the energy of specific interactions to the total adsorption energy were calculated. It is also shown that entropy plays the determining role in the adsorption of test compounds on synthesized mesoporous materials. Adsorption of C6‐C8alkanes, methanol, ethanol, benzene, nitromethane, acetone, m‐xylene, p‐xylene, cyclohexene, diethyl ether, and influence of synthesis conditions on the heats of adsorption and specific interactions are discussed.

Ni-rich LiNixCoyMnzO2(NCM) cathode materials have great potential for application in next-generation lithium-ion batteries owing to their high specific capacity. However, they are subjected to severe structural changes upon (de)lithiation, which adversely affects the cycling stability. Herein, we investigate changes in crystal and electronic structure of NCM811 (80% Ni) at high states of charge by a combination of operandoX-ray diffraction (XRD), operandohard X-ray absorption spectroscopy (hXAS), ex situsoft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations and correlate the results with data from galvanostatic cycling in coin cells. XRD reveals a large decrease in unit cell volume from 101.38(1) to 94.26(2) Å3due to collapse of the interlayer spacing when x(Li) < 0.5 (decrease in c-axis from 14.469(1) Å at x(Li) = 0.6 to 13.732(2) Å at x(Li) = 0.25). hXAS shows that the shrinkage of the transition metal–oxygen layer mainly originates from nickel oxidation. sXAS, together with DFT-based Bader charge analysis, indicates that the shrinkage of the interlayer, which is occupied by lithium, is induced by charge transfer between O 2p and partially filled Ni egorbitals (resulting in decrease of oxygen–oxygen repulsion). Overall, the results demonstrate that high-voltage operation of NCM811 cathodes is inevitably accompanied by charge-transfer-induced lattice collapse.

Chemical composition of interfaces between physical-vapor-deposited TiN and SiO2as affected by introduction of a thin (0.5–3 nm) alumina interlayer was studied using photoelectron spectroscopy with high kinetic energies of photoelectrons (HAXPES) and a near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). Our results reveal the formation of TiO2and titanium oxynitride phases both at the bottom interface of the TiN film and at its surface due to oxygen scavenging from the SiO2and oxidation in air, respectively. Insertion of alumina layer as thin as the size of nanometers prevents the TiO2growth at the bottom TiN/SiO2interface but leads to the formation of an aluminosilicate layer. The thickness of this silicate layer is practically independent on the thickness of Al2O3. Presumably, the observed formation of SiOx(x< 2) at the Al2O3/SiO2interface is a result of oxygen scavenging from silicon oxide by oxygen vacancies in alumina that formed because of Al2O3and TiN interaction. The present study demonstrates that the oxidation of TiN to a TiO2phase at the TiN/SiO2interface can effectively be inhibited by an insertion of a nanometer-thin Al2O3layer.

The United States and Mexico share the longest border in the world between a developed and a developing nation. Nearly 65 million people populate the four US and six Mexican [...]

In the present work, formation of interfaces in the multilayer periodic Mo/Be mirror was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Chemical composition and significance of the interfaces depending on the number of periods were investigated by means of the XPS spectra decomposition technique. Formation of beryllide compounds at the interfaces was revealed. It was shown that two types of beryllide form at the interfaces depending on the film order: MoBeα, 4.0 < α < 5.0, at the Be-on-Mo (BOM) interface and MoBeβ, 1.0 < β < 1.6, at the Mo-on-Be (MOB) interface. The increase in the number of periods from 1 to 3 leads to suppression of the MoBeαformation at the BOM interface, while quality of the MOB interface remains unchanged. In order to rationalize the observed phenomena, an assumption on the interface formation mechanism was made. According to this hypothesis, the chemical composition asymmetry of the interfaces arises from the difference in the diffusion mechanism of Be atoms: surface diffusion prevails during the MOB interface formation, while bulk diffusion is favorable during the BOM interface formation. In this regard, suppression of the beryllide formation at the BOM interface with increasing number of periods indicates reduction of bulk defects in the Mo film.

In modern Russia, organizational and managerial approaches to the development of the housing sector reveal a lack of a systemic nature. The main indicators of the housing sector lag behind the level of many developed countries. In the present article the authors analyze the imbalances presented in the housing industry in Russia and look at future-oriented areas to improve the affordability of housing and the level of urban comfort, based on the belief that the quality of life of the population is largely determined by the availability and quality of housing and the state of the residential environment.

This article analyzes spatial differences and tendencies of development of housing construction in largest cities of Russia. The authors estimate the pace of housing and housing provision in the largest cities of Russia. Based on a comparative analysis cities with different levels of housing development are identified. The authors define the interaction and interdependence of housing construction and economic development of Russia's largest cities.

Neuronal mechano-sensitivity relies on mechano-gated ion channels, but pathways regulating their activity remain poorly understood. TMEM150C was proposed to mediate mechano-activated current in proprioceptive neurons. Here, we studied functional interaction of TMEM150C with mechano-gated ion channels from different classes (Piezo2, Piezo1, and the potassium channel TREK-1) using two independent methods of mechanical stimulation. We found that TMEM150C significantly prolongs the duration of the mechano-current produced by all three channels, decreases apparent activation threshold in Piezo2, and induces persistent current in Piezo1. We also show that TMEM150C is co-expressed with Piezo2 in trigeminal neurons, expanding its role beyond proprioceptors. Finally, we cloned TMEM150C from the trigeminal neurons of the tactile-foraging domestic duck and showed that it functions similarly to the mouse ortholog, demonstrating evolutionary conservation among vertebrates. Our studies reveal TMEM150C as a general regulator of mechano-gated ion channels from different classes.

Thirteen-lined ground squirrels and Syrian hamsters are known for their ability to withstand cold during hibernation. We found that hibernators exhibit cold tolerance even in the active state. Imaging and electrophysiology of squirrel somatosensory neurons reveal a decrease in cold sensitivity of TRPM8-expressing cells. Characterization of squirrel and hamster TRPM8 showed that the channels are chemically activated but exhibit poor activation by cold. Cold sensitivity can be re-introduced into squirrel and hamster TRPM8 by transferring the transmembrane domain from the cold sensitive rat ortholog. The same can be achieved in squirrel TRPM8 by mutating only six amino acids. Reciprocal mutations suppress cold sensitivity of the rat ortholog, supporting functional significance of these residues. Our results suggest that ground squirrels and hamsters exhibit reduced cold sensitivity, partially due to modifications in the transmembrane domain of TRPM8. Our study reveals molecular adaptations that accompany cold tolerance in two species of mammalian hibernators.

Mutations in PIEZO1 are the primary cause of hereditary xerocytosis, a clinically heterogeneous, dominantly inherited disorder of erythrocyte dehydration. We used next-generation sequencing–based techniques to identify PIEZO1mutations in individuals from 9 kindreds referred with suspected hereditary xerocytosis (HX) and/or undiagnosed congenital hemolytic anemia. Mutations were primarily found in the highly conserved, COOH-terminal pore-region domain. Several mutations were novel and demonstrated ethnic specificity. We characterized these mutations using genomic-, bioinformatic-, cell biology–, and physiology-based functional assays. For these studies, we created a novel, cell-based in vivo system for study of wild-type and variant PIEZO1 membrane protein expression, trafficking, and electrophysiology in a rigorous manner. Previous reports have indicated HX-associated PIEZO1 variants exhibit a partial gain-of-function phenotype with generation of mechanically activated currents that inactivate more slowly than wild type, indicating that increased cation permeability may lead to dehydration of PIEZO1-mutant HX erythrocytes. In addition to delayed channel inactivation, we found additional alterations in mutant PIEZO1 channel kinetics, differences in response to osmotic stress, and altered membrane protein trafficking, predicting variant alleles that worsen or ameliorate erythrocyte hydration. These results extend the genetic heterogeneity observed in HX and indicate that various pathophysiologic mechanisms contribute to the HX phenotype.

Each year several thousand minors without legal immigration documents enter the United States by themselves and are arrested by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). In 1995, the last year [...]

γ-Al2O3layers fabricated by annealing-induced crystallization of ALD-grown amorphous (a-) Al2O3films were studied using near-edge-X-ray absorption fine structure, soft X-ray reflection spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, internal photoemission spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction method. Despite the crystallization at high (1100 °C) temperature expected to deliver a thermodynamically stable Al2O3phase, the development of oxygen deficiency upon room-temperature deposition of TiN and TaN electrodes was established. We ascribe this effect to oxygen scavenging by chemically active metals such as Ti and Ta during electrode sputtering. As a result, a high density of gap states is generated in the insulating oxide near the metal surface, which may impair insulating properties of γ-Al2O3.

The paper presents the results of a study that explores the real teaching experience designing different kinds of speech situations during lessons of Russian as a Foreign Language for beginner learners. The study was carried out at National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University in the 2014-2015 academic year. The primary concern was to discover the most productive set of expressions and speaking turns for situational communication. The outcome is an algorithm of designing speech situations and a typology of speech situations. The paper may be of interest to practising teachers of Russian as a foreign language, students from teacher training colleges and to anyone who is interested in the methodology of teaching Russian as a foreign language.

The valence and conduction bands of am-and γ-Al2O3films grown by the atomic layer deposition technique were studied simultaneously in identical experimental conditions using high-resolution near -edge X-ray absorption fine structure and soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The valence band maximum was found to be centered at 3.64 ± 0.04 eV for am-Al2O3and 3.47 ± 0.04 eV for γ-Al2O3. The band gap of Al2O3was determined to be 7.0 ± 0.1 and 7.6 ± 0.1 eV for measured am-and γ-Al2O3, respectively. The main role in changing the band gap belongs to a shift of the bottom of conduction band depending on Al2O3crystalline form. The position of the bottom of the conduction band is governed by the charge transfer from Al atom to the oxygen that depends strongly on the Al atom coordination symmetries. A strong p–d hybridization allowed for Tdsymmetry but forbidden for Ohsymmetry plays the decisive role in the formation of the bottom of the conduction band.

AbstractTransient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is a polymodal ion channel sensitive to temperature and chemical stimuli. The importance of temperature and aversive chemical detection for survival has driven the evolutionary diversity of TRPA1 sensitivity. This diversity can be observed in the various roles of TRPA1 in different species, where it is proposed to act as a temperature-insensitive chemosensor, a heat transducer, a noxious cold transducer, or a detector of low-intensity heat for prey localization. Exploring the variation of TRPA1 functions among species provides evolutionary insight into molecular mechanisms that fine-tune thermal and chemical sensitivity, and offers an opportunity to address basic principles of temperature gating in ion channels. A decade of research has yielded a number of hypotheses describing physiological roles of TRPA1, modulators of its activity, and biophysical principles of gating. This review surveys the diversity of TRPA1 adaptations across evolutionary taxa and explores possible mechanisms of TRPA1 activation.

The current paper discusses RNs’ transitions into their first nursing home director of nursing (DON) position, including hiring practice and role development. A convenience sample of 29 current and previous DONs and nursing home administrators completed semistructured interviews for the current qualitative, descriptive study. Using thematic analysis, the finding revealed three primary themes: (a) DON hiring criteria are not necessarily matched to role demands; (b) various pathways to developing DON expertise suggest an undervaluing of the competencies needed to effectively enact this nursing leadership position; and (c) although limited formal training for the DON position was well-acknowledged, concerns or reports of the consequences varied, and there is no consensus as to the optimal route to preparation. Overall, the current study findings highlight gaps across practice, policy, and research, emphasizing the consequences of limited attention to gathering evidence of the breadth and depth of DON role demands and related role qualifications. [The current paper discusses RNs’ transitions into their first nursing home director of nursing (DON) position, including hiring practice and role development. A convenience sample of 29 current and previous DONs and nursing home administrators completed semistructured interviews for the current qualitative, descriptive study. Using thematic analysis, the finding revealed three primary themes: (a) DON hiring criteria are not necessarily matched to role demands; (b) various pathways to developing DON expertise suggest an undervaluing of the competencies needed to effectively enact this nursing leadership position; and (c) although limited formal training for the DON position was well-acknowledged, concerns or reports of the consequences varied, and there is no consensus as to the optimal route to preparation. Overall, the current study findings highlight gaps across practice, policy, and research, emphasizing the consequences of limited attention to gathering evidence of the breadth and depth of DON role demands and related role qualifications. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 41(6), 32–38.]

Purpose. This study examines two newspapers' editorial coverage of issues related to the Healthy People 2010 focus areas and compares the two newspapers.Design. A qualitative study.Setting. Two Los Angeles, California, newspapers.Subjects. The masthead editorials of the Los Angeles Times and La Opinión in the year following the release of Healthy People 2010.Measures. A structured data abstraction instrument was used for descriptive coding. Correspondence to 1 of the 28 Healthy People 2010 focus areas determined whether domestic editorials were about health.Analysis. An ethnographic content analysis.Results. There were 1075 editorials from the Los Angeles Times and 361 from La Opinión; 17% were focused on domestic health issues. Three Healthy People 2010 focus areas dominated: Environmental Health, Injury and Violence Prevention, and Access to Quality Health Services. Ten focus areas did not receive a single mention in the Los Angeles Times, and 19 focus areas lacked editorials in La Opinión.Conclusion. Editorial writers regularly tackled issues related to a Healthy People 2010 focus area. Public health practitioners can meet with their local newspaper editorial board and discuss the nation's health objectives as manifested by Healthy People 2020 and the National Prevention Strategy, thereby promoting policies that support individual and population health.

This paper is concerned with the problem of best recovery for a fractional power of the Laplacian of a smooth function on $ \mathbb R^d$ from an exact or approximate Fourier transform for it, which is known on some convex subset of $ \mathbb R^d$. A series of optimal recovery methods is constructed. Information about the Fourier transform outside some ball centred at the origin proves redundant--it is not used by the optimal methods. These optimal methods differ in the way they 'process' key information. Bibliography: 12 titles.

ABSTRACTWith improved measles virus (MV) control, the genetic variability of the MV-nucleoprotein hypervariable region (NP-HVR) decreases. Thus, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine the origin of a virus using only this part of the genome. During outbreaks in Europe and Africa, we found MV strains with identical NP-HVR sequences. However, these strains showed considerable diversity within a larger sequencing window based on concatenated MV phosphoprotein and hemagglutinin genes (P/H pseudogenes). In Belarus, Germany, Russia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the P/H pseudogenes provided insights into chains of transmission, whereas identical NP-HVR provided none. In Russia, for instance, the P/H pseudogene identified temporal clusters rather than geographical clusters, demonstrating the circulation and importation of independent variants rather than large local outbreaks lasting for several years, as suggested by NP-HVR. Thus, by extending the sequencing window for molecular epidemiology, a more refined picture of MV circulation was obtained with more clearly defined links between outbreaks and transmission chains. Our results also suggested that in contrast to the P gene, the H gene acquired fixed substitutions that continued to be found in subsequent outbreaks, possibly with consequences for its antigenicity. Thus, a longer sequencing window has true benefits both for the epidemiological surveillance of measles and for the better monitoring of viral evolution.

Hibernators thrive under harsh environmental conditions instead of initiating canonical behavioral and physiological responses to promote survival. Although the physiological changes that occur during hibernation have been comprehensively researched, the role of the nervous system in this process remains relatively underexplored. In this Review, we adopt the perspective that the nervous system plays an active, essential role in facilitating and supporting hibernation. Accumulating evidence strongly suggests that the hypothalamus enters a quiescent state in which powerful drives to thermoregulate, eat and drink are suppressed. Similarly, cardiovascular and pulmonary reflexes originating in the brainstem are altered to permit the profoundly slow heart and breathing rates observed during torpor. The mechanisms underlying these changes to the hypothalamus and brainstem are not currently known, but several neuromodulatory systems have been implicated in the induction and maintenance of hibernation. The intersection of these findings with modern neuroscience approaches, such as optogenetics and in vivo calcium imaging, has opened several exciting avenues for hibernation research.

The [PSI+] prion is the aggregated self-propagating form of the Sup35 protein from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Aggregates of Sup35 in [PSI+] cells exist in different heritable conformations, called "variants," and they are composed of detergent-resistant Sup35 polymers, which may be closely associated with themselves, other proteins, or both. Here, we report that disassembly of the aggregates into individual Sup35 polymers and non-Sup35 components increases their infectivity while retaining their variant specificity, showing that variant-specific [PSI+] infection can be transmitted by Sup35 polymers alone. Morphological analysis revealed that Sup35 isolated from [PSI+] yeast has the appearance of short barrels, and bundles, which seem to be composed of barrels. We show that the major components of two different variants of [PSI+] are interacting infectious Sup35 polymers and Ssa1/2. Using a candidate approach, we detected Hsp104, Ssb1/2, Sis1, Sse1, Ydj1, and Sla2 among minor components of the aggregates. We demonstrate that Ssa1/2 efficiently binds to the prion domain of Sup35 in [PSI+] cells, but that it interacts poorly with the nonaggregated Sup35 found in [psi–] cells. Hsp104, Sis1, and Sse1 interact preferentially with the prion versus nonprion form of Sup35, whereas Sla2 and Ssb1/2 interact with both forms of Sup35 with similar efficiency.

AbstractWe have explored intracellular pathways involved in the urokinase type plasminogen activator (urokinase or uPA)stimulated migration of human airway smooth muscle cells (hAWSMC). Using a set of uPA mutants we found that protease activity, growth factorlike and kringle domains of uPA differentially contribute to activation of p42/p44erk1,2 and p38 MAPkinases. Consistent with our earlier data [Mukhina et al., J. Biol. Chem. 275 (2000), 16450 16458], the kringle domain of uPA was sufficient and required to stimulate cell motility. Here we report that uPA mutants containing the kringle domain specifically activate the p38 MAPkinase pathway and actomyosin by increasing phosphorylation of the critical Ser-19 on the myosin regulatory light chain and MAPkinase sites of the actinassociated regulatory protein caldesmon. While pharmacological inhibition of p38 MAPkinase activation did not affect myosin light chain phosphorylation, it blocked the increase in caldesmon phosphorylation and uPAstimulated migration of hAWSMC on a collagencoated surface. We conclude that activation of p38 MAPkinase and downstream phosphorylation of nonmuscle caldesmon is essential for urokinasestimulated smooth muscle cell migration.

We present a patient with partial monosomy of the short arm of chromosome 18 caused by de novo translocation t(Y;18) and a generalized form of keratosis pilaris (keratosis pilaris affecting the skin follicles of the trunk, limbs and face—ulerythema ophryogenes). Two-color FISH with centromere-specific Y and 18 DNA probes identified the derivative chromosome 18 as a dicentric with breakpoints in p11.2 on both involved chromosomes. The patient had another normal Y chromosome. This is a third report the presence of a chromosome 18p deletion (and first case of a translocation involving 18p and a sex chromosome) with this genodermatosis. Our data suggest that the short arm of chromosome 18 is a candidate region for a gene causing keratosis pilaris. Unmasking of a recessive mutation at the disease locus by deletion of the wild type allele could be the cause of the recessive genodermatosis. Am. J. Med. Genet. 85:179–182, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Prologue:The worlds of health science and medical care delivery are, in most respects, irrevocably wed. But when it comes to the processes of Washington policymaking, as they relate to these worlds, such is not always the case. Different sets of congressional committees, composed of legislators with different philosophies and thus varying priorities, deal with the increasingly complex issues of health science and medical care delivery finance, thus creating an artificial separation that adds a high degree of difficulty to coherent policymaking. Authors David Hamburg and Elena Nightingale, two physicians who have largely left their medical and behavioral research careers behind to pursue new vistas, point out the importance of recognizing health sciences as a chain. Links in the chain range from the quest for basic information on the nature of living organisms to demonstrably useful interventions in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Since January 1, 1983, Hamburg has been president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a philantrophic foundation which has traditionally invested its resources in projects dealing with education, social justice, and international affairs. Under Hamburg's leadership, the foundation has broadened their interests to include the health sciences and the prevention of nuclear war. A former professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, Hamburg served as president of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine (lOM)from 1975 to 1980. After departing the IOM, Hamburg joined the faculty of Harvard University as director of its Division of Health Policy, Research and Education. Most recently, he was named president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in May 1984. Nightingale, a clinical geneticist, spent fifteen years of her career as a laboratory scientist. Most recently, she has accepted a full-time appointment at the Carnegie Corporation as Hamburg's principle advisor in health programming. Throughout a distinguished career in laboratory research, medical education, and health policy, including stints at the National Academy of Sciences, IOM, and Harvard University, Nightingale has maintained a close affiliation with the practice of medicine by treating patients, most of whom have been children with birth defects.

ACCOUNTS of torture and other human rights abuses reach us daily through the news media. Amnesty International, the recipient of the 1977 Nobel peace prize for its human rights efforts, reports that in the past four years alone governments in one third of the world's countries have systematically practiced or tacitly condoned torture or ill-treatment to interrogate, punish, and intimidate political opponents. The techniques they use may include electric shock, prolonged beatings, sham executions, sensory and sleep deprivation, cigarette burns, water submersion, and, more recently, mind-altering drugs.1 For the victims—whether imprisoned in a secret detention center in Santiago or in a special psychiatric hospital in Moscow—such brutality knows no ideology because its goal is the same: to silence dissent through the destruction of healthy bodies and minds.The problem of torture should be a concern of medical professionals worldwide for several reasons.2 First, torture defies the most fundamental

This paper formulates a theory for chemotactic pattern formation by the bacteria Escherichia coli in the presence of excreted attractant. In a chemotactically neutral background, through chemoattractant signaling, the bacteria organize into swarm rings and aggregates. The analysis invokes only those physical processes that are both justifiable by known biochemistry and necessary and sufficient for swarm ring migration and aggregate formation. Swarm rings migrate in the absence of an external chemoattractant gradient. The ring motion is caused by the depletion of a substrate that is necessary to produce attractant. Several scaling laws are proposed and are demonstrated to be consistent with experimental data. Aggregate formation corresponds to finite time singularities in which the bacterial density diverges at a point. Instabilities of swarm rings leading to aggregate formation occur via a mechanism similar to aggregate formation itself: when the mass density of the swarm ring exceeds a threshold, the ring collapses cylindrically and then destabilizes into aggregates. This sequence of events is demonstrated both in the theoretical model and in the experiments.

The topic of this paper is to review recent processes of increasing seismic activity in the Khibiny Massif in the Kcla Peninsula. It is a typical example of induced seismicity caused by rock deformation due to the extraction of more than 2·109 tons of rock mass since the mid-1960s. The dependence of seismic activity on the amount of extracted ore is demonstrated. Some of the induced earthquakes coincide with large mining explosions, thus indicating a trigger mechanism. The largest earthquake, which occurred on 16 April 1989 (ML= 4.1) could be traced along the surface for 1200 m and observed to a depth of at least 220 m. The maximum measured displacement was 15–20 cm.