bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AN END-TO-END FRAMEWORK FOR LOW-RESOLUTION REMOTE SENSING SEMANTIC SEGMENTATION
Authors: Pereira M. B. , dos Santos J. A.
Published: November 2020

Abstract. High-resolution images for remote sensing applications are often not affordable or accessible, especially when in need of a wide temporal span of recordings. Given the easy access to low-resolution (LR) images from satellites, many remote sensing works rely on this type of data. The problem is that LR images are not appropriate for semantic segmentation, due to the need for high-quality data for accurate pixel prediction for this task. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end framework that unites a super-resolution and a semantic segmentation module in order to produce accurate thematic maps from LR inputs. It allows the semantic segmentation network to conduct the reconstruction process, modifying the input image with helpful textures. We evaluate the framework with three remote sensing datasets. The results show that the framework is capable of achieving a semantic segmentation performance close to native high-resolution data, while also surpassing the performance of a network trained with LR inputs.
Interest Cognition-Strategic Interaction-Feedback Assessment: Analysis of the Evolutionary Logic of Sino-Japanese Relations
Authors: Lin Nan
Published: November 2020

Sino-Japanese relations is an important and complicated bilateral relationship in Asian-Pacific region. The two countries are highly interdependent, but existing contradictions and competitions among many areas. It’s a healthy bilateral relationship that promotes the development of China and Japan as well as regional stability. The specific “strategic basis” of Sino-Japanese relations lays a solid foundation for the stability and development of Sino-Japanese relations. Whether this foundation is solid or not, it completely depends on the consistency/inclusiveness extent of the cognition on core national interests and its strategic interaction and feedback assessment. Therefore, interest cognition, strategic interaction and feedback assessment are three elements to determine the evolution of Sino-Japanese relations. The three elements constitute an interactive logic loop, presenting distinct three stages of Sino-Japanese relations since normalization. The author takes the interactions of above three elements as analysis tool, and focuses on elucidating internal mechanism of the first two development stages of Sino-Japanese relations evolution, so as to explore the problems and roots among Sino-Japanese relations since 2012 and make brief analysis on the probability of reshaping the strategic basis of Sino-Japanese relations “struck by Donald John Trump”.
Friedrich Nietzsche Explains the Popularity of Our Town
Authors: Bunge Nancy
Published: November 2020

This article argues that juxtaposing Friedrich Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy with Thornton Wilder's Our Town reveals the depth of Wilder's artistry. According to Nietzsche's theories, Wilder's emphasis on the play's artificiality invites the audience to participate in its creation. Wilder's use of familiar characters, language, and situations further encourages their involvement. Once he has their attention, he nudges them toward a realization of daily life's often unacknowledged resonance. This sets Wilder's play apart from modern drama's fascination with psychiatric dysfunction, a trend Nietzsche traces to Greek tragedy's corruption by the plays of Euripides. Ironically, Nietzsche and Wilder prefer drama that leaves audiences with an enhanced view of their lives' possibilities by reminding them of death.
Teaching Our Town Through a Dramaturgical Lens
Authors: Raven Ashley
Published: November 2020

This article establishes the dramaturgical process as a means of teaching dramatic content in the secondary classroom with a specific focus on Thornton Wilder's Our Town as the core text. By utilizing a problem-based approach, students work through the dramaturgical process while reading and analyzing the play. Facets of the dramaturgical process are facilitated by students' use of self-scheduled activities and digital resources including a unit website to research past performances of the play, analyze primary sources, and make contemporary connections. The end goal of the unit is for students to create their own dramatic content.
Tadawul and Dubai Financial Market - A Comparative Study
Authors: Tlemsani Issam , Albadeen Fai , Althaaly Ghada , Aljughaiman Maha , Bubshait Hala
Published: November 2020

This research is intended to identify the fundamentals of stock valuation and utilize them in the macro analysis and micro valuation of two major stock exchanges ‘Tadawul’ and ‘Dubai Financial Market’. These stock exchanges are compared in terms of their strengths and weaknesses according to significant economic indicators, alongside essential stock market determinants, all the while highlighting relevant relationships among them. Upon assessment, GDP has a strong influence on the valuation of the market and KSA’s GDP growth in the last two years has been slightly higher than UAE’s growth, affecting projected GDP growth rates. Tadawul performed better than DFM in P/E ratio indicating a higher willingness to invest in the Saudi stock exchange as well as a higher return expectation. DFM’s stocks are highly undervalued. It can be concluded that both stock exchanges are strong and competitive respectfully, and their potential for growth depends on the economic market that they originate from.
Use of Falun Gong to Address Traumatic Stress among Marginalized Clients
Authors: Trey Margaret , West-Olatunji Cirecie
Published: November 2020

Although mental health service providers have focused on the effects of trauma and related interventions for decades, little is known about pervasive and historic trauma, particularly for socially marginalized individuals. Thus, clinical issues associated with sociopolitical oppression have been under-investigated. Coupled with the lack of sufficient cultural competence when working with diverse clients, mainstream clinicians frequently lack adequate case conceptualization skills and culturally sensitive interventions to assist clients from diverse backgrounds. Using traumatic stress as a framework for exploring evidence-based interventions to address long-term, pervasive marginalization and its psychological effects, the authors propose that mindfulness techniques are particularly beneficial to this client population. The authors reviewed culture-centered interventions to address traumatic stress for marginalized client populations, focusing on the mindfulness practice of Falun Gong. Recommendations for practice include the inclusion of traumatic stress theory and techniques in pre-service training, professional development training for practitioners focusing on mindfulness techniques with clients assessed with historical trauma, and Web-based training for clinical faculty to enhance their knowledge about traumatic stress, historical trauma, and associated interventions for clients from marginalized communities. The authors offer recommendations for future research that focuses on studies exploring the usefulness of Falun Gong in working with clients with traumatic stress.
Axel Honneth’s Cosmopolitanism
Authors: Mookherjee Monica ,   Department of Philosophy, Florida State University
Published: November 2020

Amid now extensive debates about cosmopolitanism in political theory, this article explores the implications of Axel Honneth’s recognition theory for issues in international justice, not least the dire situation of poverty in the world. In contrast with a purely resource-distributive approach, the essay turns particularly to Honneth’s recent revival of the Lukácsian concept of reification as a process of self-distancing from the elementary humanity of others. Specifically, Honneth re-formulates reification as a failure of an elementary or ‘antecedent’ form of recognition. From the perspective of his theory, reification connotes the forgetfulness of others’ fundamental humanity. While Honneth takes such forgetfulness to become most readily apparent in dramatic violations such as the Holocaust, the article interprets his theory to explain, and eventually to challenge, the passive acceptance by many of dire material injustices. The article develops the implications of this challenge by interpreting from Honneth’s framework a duty to question international policies which tend to reify and objectify the least well off in the world, whilst remaining cognizant of the limits of de-reification to the more extensive, meaningful alleviation of poverty globally.
The December 1st unification acts: Goals and deviations
Authors: Ranđelović Nebojša , Mitić Sara
Published: November 2020

The December 1st acts for the unification of South Slavs in a common state represented the end of the realization of the great idea of unification and the beginning of the process of the dissolution of the new state. The face of the realization of this idea is the chronology of events, which points out the ascending path of the work of Serbia and the National Council on the ultimate unification. The back is represented by the confusion of the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and the work of the National Council in those circumstances. Often with some of its members having no feeling for the reality of events, the Central committee of the National Council formulated a "Naputak" (binding instructions for its delegation sent to Belgrade on 28th November 1918.). Pressed by the speed of events and real dangers (Italian pretensions, the impossibility of maintaining order without armed forces etc.), the delegation gave up on the contents of the instructions and adjusted it in the Address to regent Aleksandar, which was followed by the declaration of the unification into a common state on the 1st December 1918. The consequences of this kind of union are felt even today.
Decisions of the Grand national assembly from the perspective of the contemporary international law on people's self determination
Authors: Vučić Mihajlo
Published: November 2020

Right to self-determination has in the last hundred years been developed through a string of international legal acts and a string of different contexts of international relations. This fact has influenced its contemporary normative content which is not stripped of political dimension. The author identifies in the article four criteria which are the key to full enjoyment of contemporary right of self-determination. These are: permanent and heavy breaches of rights of the people who requests self-determination from the state authorities, weak central government in the territory where this people lives, creation of people's own authorities who can effectively control this territory, support of great powers. Author analyzes the case of self-determination of peoples in Vojvodina to incorporate themselves into Kingdom of Serbia through the prism of these criteria and concludes that from the point of view of contemporary international law this incorporation would be perfectly legal.
Roman property law in comparative analysis of the Institutes of Gaius and the Institutes of Justinian
Authors: Stojanović Stefan
Published: November 2020

In this paper comparison of the provisions of Roman property law in the Institutes of Gaius and the Institutes of Justinian has been made. The aim of this paper is to find out which provisions of the Institutes of Gaius were reciprocated in the Institutes of Justinian, and which were not, and whether certain provisions were taken with modification and what the modification consists of. In this way, it will be determined which institutes of Roman property law remained unchanged until Justinian's time, which underwent changes, and which, due to changes in social relations, don't exist anymore. The comparative method will analyze the most important legal concepts and institutes of Roman property law from the Institutes.
The role of stewards at sports events in the Republic of Serbia
Authors: Janković Bojan
Published: November 2020

The traditional view that only the police are responsible for security at sports events has largely been abandoned in the sense that stewards have more important place. This is also recognized in the Serbian legislation, in the standards of the Law on Private Security (LPS), the Law on the Prevention of Violence and Misconduct at Sports Events (LPVMSE), the Law on Public Assembly, and the international regulations of sports federations. The Council of Europe Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events - No. 218. (CETS 218), together with the Recommendation REC (2015) 1, and its annexes, which supersedes all previous recommendations, resolutions and statements, has also contributed to defining the role of stewards. Recommendation has become an integral part of the Convention (CETS 218). Common to all the aforementioned regulations is that the stewarding operations can be handled by persons who have completed special training. Unlike international regulations that provide extensive training for stewards, the existing programs in Serbia envisage very few hours of training. The work of stewards would certainly be aided by the improvement of certain legal regulations governing this area. The Republic of Serbia is not yet a signatory to the Convention (CETS 218), and it is necessary for the authorities to accede to its signing and ratification in order for Serbia to adopt the newly established European standards in this field as soon as possible.
An attempt at legal regulation of ambitus (canvassing before Roman elections) in the period of the Roman Republic
Authors: Deretić Nataša , Milutin Milan
Published: November 2020

The emergence of pre-election canvassing, for which the Roman state had a special term - ambitus - has outlived centuries, so that we find this phenomenon even today. We shall here try to answer the question as to whether the campaigning before elections is a type of corruption after analyzing laws dating from the period of the Roman Republic. Defining ambitus is no easy task. A very broad definition would define it as the use of illegal methods to persuade a voter to vote for a particular candidate. This definition applies to the entire period of the Republic, and even later, to the end of the Roman history. In an attempt to understand the meaning of ambitus, it is not completely clear what means are illegal. Is it recruiting voters, blackmailing, bribing, giving presents, rendering or promising favours, organizing free feasts, staging public games, etc.? What was the punishment? Who could be punished? These things varied both during the period of the Republic and throughout the entire Roman history.
Reopening the administrative procedure
Authors: Lončar Zoran
Published: November 2020

The new General Administrative Procedure Act of 2016 introduced a number of innovations in the system of extraordinary legal remedies. From the aspect of legal protection of the parties, the most should have been expected from the changes regarding the Reopening since it is an extraordinary legal remedy, which is by far the most commonly used in administrative practice, due to its existence of process material that was unknown during the conducting of the process. However, the legal regime of this extraordinary remedy has only slightly changed. The basic changes concerns the reasons for the reopening, the time limits within which it can be used, and the circle of entities legally legitimized for filing a reopening. Regarding the reasons for reopening, as the most important element of the legal regime, only minor linguistic corrections were made and only two new reasons were added, due to which the administrative procedure in Serbia today can be reopened even if the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Serbia is in the same administrative matter, the constitutional complaint, found a violation or denial of the human or minority rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, while not annulling the impugned decision, as well as if the European Court of Human Rights subsequently found in the same administrative matter that rights or freedom of the applicant are violated or denied. Due to the inadequately set objective deadline for filing a Reopening Procedure, which is inappropriately short for this type of reason, the practical importance of prescribing these two new Reopening procedure grounds is greatly diminished. In addition, by omitting the Public Prosecutor, the circle of entities legally legitimized for the Reopening is reduced only to the party from the administrative procedure and the administrative body that issued the final administrative act, which can be repeated ex officio, which in no way contributes, not only to improvement legal protection of the parties to the proceedings, but also the possibility of achieving a greater degree of objective legality in resolving administrative matter.
The role of Constitutional Court in the development of Italian and Serbian constitutional systems
Authors: Orlović Slobodan , Rajić Nataša
Published: November 2020

Constitutional court, as a special institution of the centralised system of constitutional control, takes significant place in a modern constitutional state. The aim of this paper is to indicate the main features of Italian and Serbian constitutional courts and their role in the development of constitutional systems. The analysis will cover the scope and quality of their competences, the way on which they interpret the constitutional text and the quality of dialogue they develop with judicial and political organs. The special focus will be put on the role of the Italian Constitutional court in protection of constitutional identity which seems to have the key role in the development of the European constitutionalism today.
Constructing Goals for Student Learning through Conversation
Authors: Hunt Jessica , Stein Mary Kay
Published: November 2020

Learning goals differ from performance goals. We elaborate on their function and importance as the guiding force behind maintaining cognitive rigor during mathematics learning.
Looking for Zebras: Unexpected Solutions to Pattern Tasks
Authors: Fleming Elizabeth , Grosser‐Clarkson Dana L.
Published: November 2020

Creating ambiguity in task prompts can encourage students to identify unconventional pattern extensions.
Tell Me Where They Are
Authors: Lee Hwa Young
Published: November 2020

With these two tasks, students gain a deeper understanding of coordinate systems through creating their own.
Maximizing the Impact of Mobile Devices
Authors: Barlow Angela T. , Groves-Scott Victoria
Published: November 2020

The authors feature the M-Learning Framework as a way to view the effective use of mobile devices. Video cases demonstrate the three key features of the framework: (1) authenticity, (2) personalization, and (3) collaboration.
Molecular Insights in Transmission of Cancer From an Organ Donor to Four Transplant Recipients
Authors: Atreya Chloe E. , Collisson Eric A. , Park Meyeon , Grenert James P. , Behr Spencer C. , Gonzalez Amalia , Chou Jonathan , Maisel Samantha , Friedlander Terence W. , Freise Chris E. , Shoji Jun , Semrad Thomas J. , Van Ziffle Jessica , Chin-Hong Peter
Published: November 2020

Organ donors are systematically screened for infection, whereas screening for malignancy is less rigorous. The true incidence of donor-transmitted malignancies is unknown due to a lack of universal tumor testing in the posttransplant setting. Donor-transmitted malignancy may occur even when not suspected based on donor or recipient factors, including age and time to cancer diagnosis. We describe the detection of a gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma transmitted from a young donor to 4 transplant recipients. Multidimensional histopathologic and genomic profiling showed aCDH1mutation andMETamplification, consistent with gastric origin. At the time of writing, one patient in this series remains alive and without evidence of cancer after prompt organ explant after cancer was reported in other recipients. Because identification of a donor-derived malignancy changes management, our recommendation is to routinely perform short tandem repeat testing (or a comparable assay) immediately upon diagnosis of cancer in any organ transplant recipient. Routine testing for a donor-origin cancer and centralized reporting of outcomes are necessary to establish a robust evidence base for the future development of clinical practice guidelines.
(Des)articuladas por el cuidado: trayectorias laborales de mujeres chilenas
Authors: Undurraga Rosario , López Hornickel Natalia
Published: November 2020

This qualitative study explores the experience of care work in the labor trajectories of Chilean women, considering age and educational level. To this end, we interviewed fifty professional and non-professional women, aged between 24 and 88, and living in Santiago, Chile. The results show different types of care and their relationships with labor trajectories, through: a) changes in type of work, b) exits and re-entries, c) permanent retirements, and d) lack of interest in maternity. We highlight the role of care in women’s lives, which can lead to both satisfaction and guilt. We conclude that traditional gender roles persist in a cultural system that limits the social management of care and that places its responsibility on women.
Vortex bound states and Majorana zero mode in electron-doped FeSe-based high-temperature superconductor
Authors: Chen Chen , Liu Qin , Zhang Tong , Feng Dong-Lai ,   Advanced Material Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China,   Science and Technology on Surface Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, Mianyang 621908, China,   Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing 210093, China,   Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at Microscale and Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China,   Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, Shanghai 201315, China
Published: November 2020

As a novel quantum state in condensed matter physics, Majorana zero mode has become a popular research topic at present because of its potential value in topological quantum computing. Theory predicts that Majorana zero mode appears in the vortex core of the topological superconductor as a unique bound state. However, due to various factors such as the existence of conventional low energy bound states or impurity states, it is difficult to identify the Majorana zero mode and to put it into the specific applications. Nowadays, it is still urgent to find a suitable topological superconducting system and identify the clean Majorana zero mode in experiment. In this paper, we study the vortex states of electron-doped iron-selenium-based superconductors (Li, Fe)OHFeSe and single-layer FeSe/SrTiO3 with extremely high energy resolution STM. There exists a robust and clean Majorana zero mode in the free vortex core of (Li, Fe)OHFeSe, which has the quantized conductance. As for single-layer FeSe/SrTiO3 film, it has only conventional Caroli-de Gennes-Matricon (CdGM) bound states without zero energy mode. These experimental results provide a suitable platform for further studying the physical properties of Majorana zero mode, and also shed light on the source of topological superconductivity in iron-based superconductors.
Characterizing carbonyl compounds and their sources in Fuzhou ambient air, southeast of China
Authors: He Zhen , Zhang Xin , Li Yunfeng , Zhong Xuefen , Li Hong , Gao Rui , Li Jinjuan
Published: November 2020

In recent years, ozone (O3) concentrations in the southeastern coastal areas of China have shown a gradual upward trend. As precursors and intermediates in the formation of O3, carbonyl compounds play key roles in the atmospheric photochemical oxidation cycle. To explore the main pollution characteristics of carbonyl compounds in a typical coastal city in southeast China, ambient samples were collected in Fuzhou (the provincial capital of Fujian province, located on the southeast coast of China) and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The study was continuously carried out at an urban site (Jinjishan) and a suburban site (Gushan) in Fuzhou from May 8 to 20, 2018. The total concentration of 16 carbonyl compounds at the urban site was 15.45 ± 11.18 ppbv, and the total concentration at the suburban site was 17.57 ± 12.77 ppbv. Formaldehyde (HCHO), acetaldehyde, and acetone were the main species detected in the samples, and acetone had the highest concentration among the species detected. The suburban site had a higher formaldehyde/acetaldehyde ratio and lower acetaldehyde/propionaldehyde ratio than the urban site, implying that biogenic sources potentially contributed to the carbonyl compound concentrations at the suburban site. The results of an observation-based model showed that anthropogenic hydrocarbons promoted HCHO production on May 17 at the urban site. Compared to biogenic emissions, anthropogenic activity is a more important source of carbonyl compounds.
Robustness analysis in an inter-cities mobility network: modeling municipal, state and federal initiatives as failures and attacks toward SARS-CoV-2 containment
Authors: Freitas Vander L.S. , Moreira Gladston J.P. , Santos Leonardo B.L.
Published: November 2020

We present a robustness analysis of an inter-cities mobility complex network, motivated by the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and the seek for proper containment strategies. Brazilian data from 2016 are used to build a network with more than five thousand cities (nodes) and twenty-seven states with the edges representing the weekly flow of people between cities via terrestrial transports. Nodes are systematically isolated (removed from the network) either at random (failures) or guided by specific strategies (targeted attacks), and the impacts are assessed with three metrics: the number of components, the size of the giant component, and the total remaining flow of people. We propose strategies to identify which regions should be isolated first and their impact on people mobility. The results are compared with the so-called reactive strategy, which consists of isolating regions ordered by the date the first case of COVID-19 appeared. We assume that the nodes’ failures abstract individual municipal and state initiatives that are independent and possess a certain level of unpredictability. Differently, the targeted attacks are related to centralized strategies led by the federal government in agreement with municipalities and states. Removing a node means completely restricting the mobility of people between the referred city/state and the rest of the network. Results reveal that random failures do not cause a high impact on mobility restraint, but the coordinated isolation of specific cities with targeted attacks is crucial to detach entire network areas and thus prevent spreading. Moreover, the targeted attacks perform better than the reactive strategy for the three analyzed robustness metrics.
Effects of pH and inhibitors on the absorption spectrum of cobalt(II)‐substituted carbonic anhydrase III from bovine skeletal muscle
Authors: Engberg Paul , Lindskog Sven
Published: July 2002

Bovine apocarbonic anhydrase III has been prepared by incubation with 2‐carboxy‐1,10‐phenanthroline at pH 5.5. The Co(II)‐substituted enzyme has been prepared and its absorption spectrum has been studied. The spectrum is nearly pH‐independent above pH 6. It is very similar to the high pH spectral forms of Co(II)‐carbonic anhydrases I and II. The spectra of complexes with the sulfonamide inhibitor, acetazolamide, and with CN− and NCO− are virtually identical to the spectra of the corresponding complexes with Co(II)‐isoenzymes I and II. The spectrum of the N−
3 complex indicates that this anion is bound somewhat differently in Co(II) isoenzyme III than in the other Co(II)‐substituted isoenzymes.
Biosynthesis of acyl‐specific glycerophospholipids in mammalian tissues
Authors: Infante Juan P.
Published: July 2002

A review of the literature concerning the synthesis of acyl‐specific glycerophospholipids indicates that the known biosynthetic sequences cannot satisfactorily explain these specific acylations. New de novo and salvage pathways are proposed to account for the acyl composition of highly unsaturated and saturated glycerophospholipids. In these hypothetical pathways, de novo synthesized glycerophosphodiesters are postulated to be key intermediates to establish the specific acyl composition of the resulting glycerophospholipids, and to be integrated with the known cytidine pathways. A re‐interpretation of the experimental literature in terms of these postulated pathways is provided, with some methods to test these proposed sequences.
Identification of proline carrier in Escherichia coli K‐12
Authors: Hanada Kentaro , Yamato Ichiro , Anraku Yasuhiro
Published: July 2002

Proline carrier, a product of the put P gene of Escherichia coli, was identified as a 35 kDa cytoplasmic membrane protein by SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). Its identification was based on the following evidence: First, the density of the band corresponding to a 35 kDa protein correlated with the proline‐binding activity of cytoplasmic membranes from put P‐deficient and put P‐amplified strains. Second, by the differential labeling method, the 35 kDa protein was specifically labeled with radioactive N‐ethyl‐maleimide. The 35 kDa protein was found to aggregate on heat treatment and to show abnormal mobility on SDS‐PAGE.
13C‐NMR reveals glycerol as an unexpected major metabolite of the protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis
Authors: Chapman A. , Linstead D.J. , Lloyd D. , Williams J.
Published: July 2002

13C‐NMR has been used to study the kinetics of the formation of metabolites from [l‐13C]glucose in intact cells of Trichomonas vaginalis during anaerobic incubation. As well as the expected metabolites lactate and acetate, this technique revealed glycerol as an additional major product, present in amounts equimolar with acetate. The formation of glycerol is readily explained in terms of the need to maintain redox balance. This protozoan now joins the small group of organisms which are known to produce glycerol as a result of normal metabolic activities.
Caldesmon‐induced inhibition of ATPase activity of actomyosin and contraction of skinned fibres of chicken gizzard smooth muscle
Authors: Szpacenko A. , Wagner J. , Dabrowska R. , Rüegg JC.
Published: July 2002

Caldesmon induces inhibition of MG2+‐ATPase activity of actomyosin and relaxation of skinned fibers of chicken gizzard smooth muscle without influencing the level of myosin light chain‐1 phosphorylation. Both these effects are reversed by calmodulin at a high molar excess over caldesmon in the presence of Ca2+.
Tenacious binding of lipids to vimentin during its isolation and purification from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells
Authors: Traub Peter , Perides Georgios , Scherbarth Annemarie , Traub Ulrike
Published: July 2002

Vimentin enriched in cytoskeletal frameworks by Triton X‐100 extraction of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and purified from a low ionic strength extract of the cell residues by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and DEAE‐Sepharose and ssDNA‐cellulose chromatography in the presence of 6 M urea was highly contaminated with lipids. Thin‐layer chromatography of a chloroform‐methanol extract of the purified protein revealed, besides small amounts of phospholipids, the presence of large quantities of neutral lipids.
Presence of membrane‐associated phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity in cultured islets and its stimulation by glucose
Authors: Dunlop Marjorie , Larkins Richard G.
Published: July 2002

The cellular location at which exogenous phosphatidic acid is hydrolysed in cultured neonatal rat islets was examined. Phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity could be demonstrated in both whole cell sonicates and isolated plasma membranes. In the whole cell fraction phosphatidic acid hydrolysis to diacylglycerol was stimulated 43% by the presence of Mg2+. The activity present in isolated membranes was totally dependent on the presence of Mg2+ and was increased in plasma membranes from glucose‐stimulated islets. Following exposure of islets to low glucose concentrations, raising the Ca2+ concentration from 150 nM to 40 μM in the presence of Mg2+ did not affect the formation of diacylglycerol in whole cell fractions or plasma membranes. These results indicate the presence within the islet of membrane‐bound phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity and demonstrate its activation by glucose.
Pertussis toxin facilitates the progesterone‐induced maturation of Xenopus oocyte
Authors: Mulner Odile , Megret Françoise , Alouf Joseph E. , Ozon René
Published: July 2002

Progesterone triggers the first meiotic cell division of Xenopus oocyte and inhibits cAMP synthesis. The effect of pertussis toxin purified from Bordetella pertussis was tested on the maturation of Xenopus oocyte. The toxin did not inhibit progesterone‐induced resumption of meiosis or the hormone‐induced drop in cAMP level. This indicates that progesterone action is not mediated by the Ni subunit of the oocyte adenylate cyclase. Furthermore, pertussis toxin caused a reduction in the time course of maturation correlated with the precocious appearance of an alkali stable 47kDa phosphoprotein, a marker of the maturation promoting factor (MPF) activity. Pertussis toxin effects mimicked those of 2‐glycerophosphate suggesting that both agents act on the steady‐state level of phosphorylation implicated in MPF activity.
Human plasma kininogens are identical with α‐cysteine proteinase inhibitors
Authors: Müller-Esterl Werner , Fritz Hans , Machleidt Werner , Ritonja Anka , Brzin Joze , Kotnik Matjaz , Turk Vito , Kellermann Josef , Lottspeich Friedrich
Published: July 2002

Human high‐ and low‐M
r kininogens were shown to be potent inhibitors of cysteine proteinases such as cathepsin L and papain (K
i = 17–48 pM). A strong immunological cross‐reaction between the kininogens and low‐M
r α‐cysteine proteinase inhibitor from human plasma was found. Comparison of partial amino acid sequences from high‐ and low‐M
r kininogen and low‐M
r α‐cysteine proteinase inhibitor demonstrated sequence identity for all segments analyzed. These findings suggest that the kininogens and the α‐cysteine proteinase inhibitors from human plasma are identical proteins.
Hormonal regulation of fructose 2,6‐bisphosphate levels in epididymal adipose tissue of rat
Authors: Sobrino F. , Gualberto A.
Published: July 2002

The participation of fructose 2,6‐bisphosphate on glycolysis stimulated by insulin and adrenaline in incubated white adipose tissue of rat was investigated. Adrenaline addition to incubated fat‐pads strongly decreased the intracellular levels of fructose 2,6‐bisphosphate. When the tissue was preincubated with glucose, the presence of insulin in the incubation medium increased fructose 2,6‐bisphosphate levels 2‐fold. These variations were related to changes in the substrates, ATP and fructose 6‐phosphate. It therefore appears that fructose 2,6‐bisphosphate may be involved in the control of insulin‐induced glycolysis, but it does not seem to play a role in the stimulation of glucolysis by adrenaline.
Molecular cloning of the human thyrotropin‐β subunit gene
Authors: Hayashizaki Yoshihide , Miyai Kiyoshi , Kato Kikuya , Matsubara Kenichi
Published: July 2002

Genomic DNA fragments that carried a gene for human thyrotropin‐β(hTSHβ) subunit were isolated. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the gene showed that the hTSHβ subunit precursor consists of 138 amino acid residues. There is an N‐terminal sequence of 20 amino acids as a signal peptide, followed by 112 amino acids, whose sequence is in agreement with that known for the secretory form of hTSHβ subunit. This is followed by an additional stretch of 6, hydrophobic amino acids, which may be eliminated post‐translationally. The coding region is separated by an intron of about 460 bp. Genomic Southern blot hybridization analysis suggested that the hTSHβ gene is a unique single copy gene.
A proform of secretin with high secretin‐like bioactivity
Authors: Gafvelin Guro , Carlquist Mats , Mutt Viktor
Published: July 2002

A variant form of the heptacosapeptide amide secretin, with C‐terminal‐Val‐Gly‐Lys‐Arg instead of valine amide, has been isolated from porcine upper intestinal tissue. Unexpectedly, this triacontapeptide exhibited a substantially higher bioactivity than the heptacosapeptide amide.
Quinine inhibits Ca2+‐independent K+ channels whereas tetraethylammonium inhibits Ca2+‐activated K+ channels in insulin‐secreting cells
Authors: Findlay Ian , Dunne Mark J. , Ullrich Susanne , Wollheim Claes B. , Petersen Ole H.
Published: July 2002

The effects of quinine and tetraethylammonium (TEA) on single‐channel K+ currents recorded from excised membrane patches of the insulin‐secreting cell line RINm5F were investigated. When 100 μM quinine was applied to the external membrane surface K+ current flow through inward rectifier channels was abolished, while a separate voltage‐activated high‐conductance K+ channel was not significantly affected. On the other hand, 2 mM TEA abolished current flow through voltage‐activated high‐conductance K+ channels without influencing the inward rectifier K+ channel. Quinine is therefore not a specific inhibitor of Ca2+‐activated K+ channels, but instead a good blocker of the Ca2+‐independent K+ inward rectifier channel whereas TEA specifically inhibits the high‐conductance voltage‐activated K+ channel which is also Ca2+‐activated.
Isolation and chemical characterization of glicentin C‐terminal hexapeptide in porcine pancreas
Authors: Yanaihara Chizuko , Matsumoto Tomoaki , Hong Yeong-Man , Yanaihara Noboru
Published: July 2002

Glicentin
Glicentin (64–69)
Proglucagon
Isolation
Radioimmunoassay
Sequence analysis
Proteolytic processing
Tumour‐promoting phorbol esters inhibit agonist‐induced phosphatidate formation and Ca2+ flux in human platelets
Authors: MacIntyre D.E. , McNicol A. , Drummond A.H.
Published: July 2002

Tumour‐promoting phorbol esters (phorbol‐12‐myristate‐13‐acetate, PMA; phorbol‐12,13‐dibutyrate, PDBu) but not 4β‐phorbol, activate protein kinase C. Using human platelets pre‐labelled with quin2 or 32PO4 we examined the effects of these compounds on human platelet cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]j) and on [32]phosphatidic acid ([32P]PtdOH). PMA and PDBu, but not 4β‐phorbol inhibited thrombin‐, PAF‐ and vasopressin‐induced elevation of [Ca2+], and [2+P]PtdOH formation. It is suggested that protein kinase C may act to terminate the transduction processes that link receptor occupancy to cellular activation.
Characterization of messenger RNA from epimastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi
Authors: Goldenberg S. , Salles J.M. , Contreras V.T. , Franco M.P.Lima , Katzin A.M. , Colli W. , Morel C.M.
Published: July 2002

The cell‐free translation products of polyribosomal and post‐polyribosomal mRNAs from the non‐infective epimastigotes and the infective metacyclic trypomastigotes of the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi were compared by two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The result show that although many polypeptides are conserved, quantitative and qualitative differences are observed between both differentiation stages. The results also indicate the existence of post‐polyribosomal mRNAs in equilibrium with polyribosomal counterparts. The immunoprecipitation of the in vitro synthesized polypeptides with chagasic human serum and the serum raised against an 85‐kDa glycoprotein (P2‐WGA), potentially involved in the process of T. cruzi penetration into mammalian cells, shows that while the chagasic serum recognizes the same 72‐kDa, 68‐kDa and 46‐kDa polypeptides in both differentiation stages, the anti‐P2‐WGA serum immunoprecipitates a single 48‐kDa polypeptide from in vitro translation products of metacyclic trypomastigotes.
Phycobilisome‐photosystem II association in Synechococcus 6301 (Cyanophyceae)
Authors: Manodori Annamaria , Melis Anastasios
Published: July 2002

In the cyanobacterium Synechococcus 6301 two photosystem II complexes compete for excitation energy from the same phycobilisome in a statistical pigment bed organization of the light‐harvesting antenna. Incubation of intact cells at 0°C causes reversible dissociation of one photosystem II complex from the phycobilisome. Allophycocyanin‐B is proposed to link the two core‐cylinders of the phycobilisome in the excitation energy transfer pathway.
Manganese‐quinone interactions in the electron acceptor region of bacterial photosynthetic reaction centres
Authors: Rutherford A.W. , Agalidis I. , Reiss-Husson F.
Published: July 2002

Photosynthesis
Manganese‐semiquinone
ESR
Iron‐semiquinone
Selective expression of glutathione transferase isoenzymes in chemically induced preneoplastic rat heptocyte nodules
Authors: Jensson Helgi , Eriksson Lennart C. , Mannervik Bengt
Published: July 2002

Isoenzymes of glutathione transferase were shown to occur at selectively altered levels in rat hepatocyte nodules produced by 2‐acetylaminofluorene treatment. Changes were measured by different substrates, antibodies raised against purified glutathione transferases, and by purification of the major isoenzymes. Isoenzymes composed of subunits 1, 2 and 3, expressed in normal liver tissue, all occurred at increased concentrations in nodules, whereas the level of transferase 4‐4 was decreased. The most conspicuous change was the appearance of glutathione transferase 7‐7 (or transferase P), the concentration of which in negligible in normal liver.
pH dependence of the S2 → S3 transition associated with O2 evolution in inside‐out thylakoids
Authors: Delrieu Marie-José , Nhu Hung Suong Phung , de Kouchkovsky Françoise
Published: July 2002

In inside‐out vesicles, a large difference is observed in oxygen yield activity between pH 6.5 and 7.6 which is in contrast to right‐side‐out vesicles. The light saturation behaviour of the transition S2 → S3 also shows a pH dependence. In inside‐out thylakoids, at pH 6.5, the light saturation curve of the S2 → S3 transitions exhibits 2 different light saturation processes whereas at pH 7.6 it resembles the light saturation behaviour of the other S‐state transitions. This result is explained by the existence of a second donor in the S2 state (different from the main donor), which contributes to about 30% of the S2 → S3 transitions at pH 6.5. This second donor needs to be protonated and thus, is not active at pH 7.6 in inside‐out thylakoids.
Isolation of the epidermal growth factor from the shrew submaxillary gland
Authors: Yip T.T. , Tam Y.Y. , Kong Y.C. , Belew M.C. , Porath J.
Published: July 2002

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) from the submaxillary glands of the Chinese Shrew (Suncus murinus) is purified to apparent homogeneity by using a sequence of four chromatographic steps, viz. gel filtration on Sephacryl S‐200, affinity chromatography on immobilized Ni, hydrophobic interaction on phenyl‐Sepharose CL‐4B and reverse‐phase HPLC. An 800‐fold increase in specific activity and an overal recovery of 46% were achieved. The most effective step in its purification is the successful use of immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC). This method was very selective, reproducible and requires a minimum of sample pre‐treatment prior to chromatography.
Sulphur‐aromatic interactions in proteins
Authors: Reid K.S.C. , Lindley P.F. , Thornton J.M.
Published: July 2002

Sulfw‐aromatic interaction
Protein
Side‐chain contact
Cyst(e)ine
Methionine
Packing
Regularities in formation of the spine of hydration in the DNA minor groove and its influence on the DNA structure
Authors: Chuprina Vasily P.
Published: July 2002

Computer calculations as well as an analysis of space‐filling models and literature data allowed the following conclusions to be made: (1) an ordered spine of water in the DNA minor groove, similar to that revealed in the CGCGAATTCGCG crystal [1,2], seems to exist in DNA crystals, fibers and solutions; it is shown that this spine may be formed on A/T runs containing no TA step while on the TA step the spine is disrupted; (2) the existence of this spine changes the double helix structure stabilizing a definite DNA conformation; (3) the spine of hydration makes the DNA more stable to conformational transitions. These conclusions permit us to interpret a large body of experimental data on DNA crystals, fibers and solutions. The role of water bridges constituting the first hydration shell of the ordered spine of water is discussed in connection with the B‐to‐A transition.
Postnatal developmental profiles of filamentous actin and of 200 kDa neurofilament polypeptide in the visual cortex of light‐ and dark‐reared rats and their relationship to critical period plasticity
Authors: Nona S.N. , Trowell S.C. , Cronly-Dillon J.R.
Published: July 2002

The concept of critical period plasticity in rat visual cortex has been studied in terms of changes in the level of filamentous actin and of the 200 kDa neurofilament polypeptide. Our results suggest that the postnatal developmental profile of filamentous actin is affected by visual experience, as a consequence of eye‐opening. No such correlation, however, is detected for the 200 kDa neurofilament polypetide. The significance of these findings in relationship to neuronal plasticity is discussed in terms of changes in the state and equilibrium conditions of the cytoskeletal proteins.
Exogenous ATP raises cytoplasmic free calcium in fura‐2 loaded piglet aortic endothelial cells
Authors: Hallam Trevor J. , Pearson Jeremy D.
Published: July 2002

Cultured piglet endothelial cells were grown to confluence on glass coverslips and loaded with the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, fura‐2. Using a dual‐wavelength excitation fluorescence spectrophotometer it was found that ATP caused a rapid transient elevation in [Ca2+]i in the presence of extracellular calcium which decreased to a maintained elevated level. With no extracellular calcium ATP evoked a similar transient increase which returned to the basal level. Addition of 50 mM K+ had no effect on [Ca2+]i or on the effect of ATP on [Ca2+]i in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. The data suggest that ATP causes both discharge of calcium from an intracellular pool and influx across the plasma membrane although this is unlikely to be via a voltage‐operated channel. ATP stimulated simultaneously the production of PGI2 to a similar extent in the presence or absence of extracellular calcium. Elevated [Ca2+]i may be an important activation pathway in the endothelial cell.
Human fibronectin is synthesized as a pre‐propolypeptide
Authors: Gutman Alejandro , Yamada Kenneth M. , Kornblihtt Alberto
Published: July 2002

Fibronectins (FNs) are extracellular glycoproteins consisting of dimers or multimers of similar but not identical subunits. The subunit differences result from variations in internal primary sequence due to alternative splicing in at least 2 regions of the pre‐mRNA. The complete amino acid sequence of mature human cellular FN has been reported recently from cDNA cloning and sequencing. The same approach has now enabled us to deduce, for the first time, that FN has a 26 amino acid signal peptide and that it undergoes proteolytic processing at its N‐terminus to eliminate a 5 amino acid pro‐sequence (Ser‐Lys‐Ser‐Lys‐Arg). The signal sequence matches the consensus format, while this pro‐sequence is a distinctive, very hydrophilic and basic peptide.