Fast cytochrome bo from Escherichia coli binds two molecules of nitric oxide at CuB

The reaction of nitric oxide (NO) with fast cytochrome bo from Escherichia coli has been studied by electronic absorption, MCD, and EPR spectroscopy. Titration of the enzyme with NO showed the formation of two distinct species, consistent with NO binding stoichiometries of 1:1 and 2:1 with observed dissociation constants at pH 7.5 of approximately 2.3 x 10(-)6 and 3.3 x 10(-)5 M. Monitoring the titration by EPR spectroscopy revealed that the broad EPR signals at g approximately 7.3, 3.7, and 2.8 due to magnetic interaction between high-spin heme o (S = 5/2) and CuBII (S = 1/2) are lost. A high-spin heme o signal at g = 6.0 appears as the 1:1 complex is formed but is lost again on formation of the 2:1 complex, which is EPR silent. The absorption spectrum shows that heme o remains in the high-spin FeIII state throughout the titration. These results are consistent with the binding of up to two NO molecules at CuBII. This has been confirmed by studies with the Cl- adduct of fast cytochrome bo. MCD evidence shows that heme o remains ligated by histidine and water. Addition of excess NO to the Cl- adduct leads to the appearance of a high-spin FeIII heme EPR signal. Hence chloride ion binds to CuB, blocking the binding of a second NO molecule. These results suggest a mechanism for the reduction of NO to nitrous oxide by cytochrome bo and cytochrome c oxidase in which the binding of two cis NO molecules at CuB permits the formation of an N-N bond and the abstraction of oxygen by the heme group.     

Comparisons of organizational constraints and their relations to strains in China and the United States.

Organizational constraints is an important source of job stress. To study the relations between organizational constraints and four indices of job strains in cross-cultural work settings, both self-report and coworker-report data were collected from university employees in two culturally dissimilar countries: China and the United States. As predicted, U.S. university employees reported more interpersonal constraints than did their Chinese counterparts. No country difference was found for job context constraints. Both self-report and coworker-report data revealed significant correlations between organizational constraints and job strains in both countries. Country moderated the relations between interpersonal constraints and negative emotions/job satisfaction/voluntary lateness, with stronger correlations in the United States than in China. Country also moderated the relations between job context constraints and all four indicators of job strains, indicating that U.S. university employees were more sensitive to workplace constraints than were their Chinese counterparts. Suggestions are provided for future research and practice applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genetic and behavioral risk factors for self-reported joint pain among a population-based sample of Swedish twins.

Self-reported joint pain, a typical manifestation of osteoarthritis, was examined using 335 twin pairs from the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging to estimate relative genetic and environmental influences on self-reported joint pain and to examine the relationship between joint pain, health behavior, and psychological variables. Findings suggest that family resemblance for self-reported joint pain represents similar environments more than genetic similarity. Data from the early 1970s, including exercise, physical activity at work, obesity, and neuroticism, were used to predict joint pain in 1993. For men, moderate amounts of exercise decreased the likelihood of joint pain, but strenuous amounts of physical activity in the workplace had the opposite effect. For women, exercise and physical activity were not significant predictors, but past obesity and higher levels of neuroticism increased the likelihood of reporting joint pain in 1993. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The classroom environment and students' reports of avoidance strategies in mathematics: A multimethod study.

The relation between the learning environment (e.g., students' perceptions of the classroom goal structure and teachers' instructional discourse) and students' reported use of avoidance strategies (self-handicapping, avoidance of help seeking) and preference to avoid novelty in mathematics was examined. Quantitative analyses indicated that students' reports of avoidance behaviors varied significantly among classrooms. A perceived emphasis on mastery goals in the classroom was positively related to lower reports of avoidance. Qualitative analyses revealed that teachers in high-mastery/low-avoidance and low-mastery/high-avoidance classrooms used distinctively different patterns of instructional and motivational discourse. High incidence of motivational support was uniquely characteristic of high-mastery/ low-avoidance classrooms, suggesting that mastery goals may include an affective component. Implications of the results for both theory and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Screening effectiveness of the Minnesota Child Development Inventory expressive and receptive language scales: Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value.

This study examines the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of the Expressive Language (EL) and Comprehension-Conceptual (CC) subscales of the Minnesota Child Development Inventory (MCDI) in 152 consecutive referrals to a communication disorders clinic. Correlational analyses revealed moderate agreement between parent report (MCDI) and formal measures of expressive and receptive language ability from the Reynell Development Language Scales. Classification analyses comparing parent-report (MCDI) measures with direct assessment results (Reynell) revealed high sensitivity (88% and 77%) and good positive predictive value (80% and 75%) for the MCDI EL and CC subscales, respectively. Low to moderate specificity rates, however, suggest that the MCDI classifies normal expressive and receptive language status less accurately (45% and 64%, respectively). These findings suggest that the MCDI is an efficient screening tool under high-prevalence conditions such as a clinic population of language-disordered children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERAMIC WORK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA1

The development of the Ceramics Department of the University of North Dakota; correlation of research in chemical and experimental laboratories and cultural value of the work; inexhaustible supplies of the state being utilized.     

Treatment of African children with uncomplicated falciparum malaria with a new antimalarial drug, CGP 56697

New antimalarial drugs are urgently needed. The use of short courses of the new antimalarial drug artemether as monotherapy has been limited by secondary malaria episodes following parasite clearance. Therefore, a new antimalarial drug, CGP 56697, has been developed, which combines artemether with a longer-acting antimalarial agent, benflumetol. A safety trial was undertaken in 60 Gambian children 1-6 years old with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. All children treated with CGP 56697 cleared their parasites 72 h after the start of treatment. No neurologic, cardiac, or other adverse reactions were observed. Second episodes of falciparum malaria were recorded in 16 (27%) of the children. Second infections were more frequent during the rainy season than during the dry season. Molecular epidemiologic studies suggested that 12 of the 14 second episodes of malaria in children treated with CGP 56697 were due to new infections. CGP 56697 proved to be a safe and effective antimalarial drug in African children.     

An active-architecture approach to COTS integration

COTS software products are increasingly becoming standard components for building integrated information systems. At the same time, the growth of electronic trading, turbulent market conditions, and a project-style approach to business have created a demand for information systems that can be rapidly adapted to changing business process demands. However, the ongoing development of COTS products is unpredictable as their developers and source code are rarely available. Flexible information systems use COTS components because they cost-effectively supply required component functionality. A software architecture can capture a system design as a set of interacting components and capture the role of COTS software in "implementing" certain components.     

Gaining and sustaining organizational support through a sociotechnical intervention.

Sociotechnical interventions in large organizations pose multiple challenges for consulting psychologists. The nature of this intervention was technical (a reengineered human resources information system) but had social, workplace impact in both its execution and its outcomes. The key issue of organizational support for an intervention of this magnitude is discussed. This case study describes the theoretical framework for the intervention, the implementation model, and the unforeseen critical junctures in the project, plus it addresses the lessons learned by a consulting group of industrial/organizational psychologists in implementing this long-term, large-scale project. A discussion of implications for both theory and practice concludes the article. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Forgotten partners of international assignments: Development and test of a model of spouse adjustment.

The authors developed and tested a model of spouse adjustment to international assignments in a sequence of qualitative and quantitative investigations. From in-depth interviews with expatriate spouses, half of whom had either positive or negative experiences living abroad, the authors identified several potentially important sources of adjustment. These constructs were integrated with others from identity theory and earlier research on expatriates to develop a conceptual model of spouse adjustment. The model was tested by collecting multisource questionnaire data from 221 international assignee couples working in 37 countries. Correlation and regression analyses revealed several important relationships between individual, interpersonal relationship, and environmental sources of identity, and the adjustment of expatriate spouses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)