Rewiring of auxin signaling under persistent shade

Pucciariello, Ornella. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Legris, Martina. CONICET. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Costigliolo Rojas, Cecilia. CONICET. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Iglesias, María José. CONICET. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Hernando, Carlos Esteban. CONICET. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Dezar, Carlos. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología de Rosario. Rosario, Argentina.Vazquez, Martín P. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología de Rosario. Rosario, Argentina.Casal, Jorge José. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA). Buenos Aires, Argentina.5612-5617Light cues from neighboring vegetation rapidly initiate plant shade - avoidance responses. Despite our detailed knowledge of the early steps of this response, the molecular events under prolonged shade are largely unclear. Here we show that persistent neighbor cues reinforce growth responses in addition to promoting auxin - responsive gene expression in Arabidopsis and soybean. However, while the elevation of auxin levels is well established as an early event, in Arabidopsis, the response to prolonged shade occurs when auxin levels have declined to the prestimulation values. Remarkably, the sustained low activity of phytochrome B under prolonged shade led to (i) decreased levels of PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) in the cotyledons (the organs that supply auxin) along with increased levels in the vascular tissues of the stem, (ii) elevated expression of the PIF4 targets INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID 19 (IAA19) and IAA29, which in turn reduced the expression of the growth-repressive IAA17 regulator, (iii) reduced abundance of AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 6, (iv) reduced expression of MIR393 and increased abundance of its targets, the auxin receptors, and (v) elevated auxin signaling as indicated by molecular markers. Mathematical and genetic analyses support the physiological role of this system - level rearrangement. We propose that prolonged shade rewires the connectivity between light and auxin signaling to sustain shade avoidance without enhanced auxin levels

Disorder and transport in cuprates: weak localization and magnetic contributions

We report resistivity measurements in underdoped YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6.6}$and overdoped Tl$_{2}$Ba$_{2}$CuO$_{6+x}$ single crystals in which the concentration of defects in the CuO$_{2}$ planes is controlled by electron irradiation. Low $T$ upturns of the resistivity are observed in both cases for large defect content. In the Tl compound the decrease of conductivity scales as expected from weak localization theory. On the contrary in YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6.6}$ the much larger low T contribution to the resistivity is proportional to the defect content and might then be associated to a Kondo like spin flip scattering term. This would be consistent with the results on the magnetic properties induced by spinless defects.Comment: latex rullier1.tex, 5 files, 4 pages [SPEC-S01/003], submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Immunoregulation of Dendritic Cell Subsets by Inhibitory Receptors in Urothelial Cancer.

Blockade of inhibitory receptors (IRs) overexpressed by T cells can activate antitumor immune responses, resulting in the most promising therapeutic approaches, particularly in bladder cancer, currently able to extend patient survival. Thanks to their ability to cross-present antigens to T cells, dendritic cells (DCs) are an immune cell population that plays a central role in the generation of effective antitumor T-cell responses. While IR function and expression have been investigated in T cells, very few data are available for DCs. Therefore, we analyzed whether DCs express IRs that can decrease their functions. To this end, we investigated several IRs (PD-1, CTLA-4, BTLA, TIM-3, and CD160) in circulating CD1c javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@4f1331d4 DCs, CD141 javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@68e4feef DCs, and plasmacytoid DCs from healthy donors and patients with urothelial cancer (UCa). Different DC subsets expressed BTLA and TIM-3 but not other IRs. More importantly, BTLA and TIM-3 were significantly upregulated in DCs from blood of UCa patients. Locally, bladder tumor-infiltrating DCs also overexpressed BTLA and TIM-3 compared to DCs from paired nontumoral tissue. Finally, in vitro functional experiments showed that ligand-mediated engagement of BTLA and TIM-3 receptors significantly reduced the secretion of effector cytokines by DC subpopulations. Our findings demonstrate that UCa induces local and systemic overexpression of BTLA and TIM-3 by DCs that may result in their functional inhibition, highlighting these receptors as potential targets for UCa treatment. We investigated the expression and function of a panel of inhibitory receptors in dendritic cells (DCs), an immune cell subpopulation critical in initiation of protective immune responses, among patients with urothelial carcinoma. We found high expression of BTLA and TIM-3 by blood and tumor DCs, which could potentially mediate decreased DC function. The results suggest that BTLA and TIM-3 might be new targets for urothelial carcinoma treatment

From theory to 'measurement' in complex interventions: methodological lessons from the development of an e-health normalisation instrument

<b>Background</b> Although empirical and theoretical understanding of processes of implementation in health care is advancing, translation of theory into structured measures that capture the complex interplay between interventions, individuals and context remain limited. This paper aimed to (1) describe the process and outcome of a project to develop a theory-based instrument for measuring implementation processes relating to e-health interventions; and (2) identify key issues and methodological challenges for advancing work in this field.<p></p> <b>Methods</b> A 30-item instrument (Technology Adoption Readiness Scale (TARS)) for measuring normalisation processes in the context of e-health service interventions was developed on the basis on Normalization Process Theory (NPT). NPT focuses on how new practices become routinely embedded within social contexts. The instrument was pre-tested in two health care settings in which e-health (electronic facilitation of healthcare decision-making and practice) was used by health care professionals.<p></p> <b>Results</b> The developed instrument was pre-tested in two professional samples (N = 46; N = 231). Ratings of items representing normalisation 'processes' were significantly related to staff members' perceptions of whether or not e-health had become 'routine'. Key methodological challenges are discussed in relation to: translating multi-component theoretical constructs into simple questions; developing and choosing appropriate outcome measures; conducting multiple-stakeholder assessments; instrument and question framing; and more general issues for instrument development in practice contexts.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b> To develop theory-derived measures of implementation process for progressing research in this field, four key recommendations are made relating to (1) greater attention to underlying theoretical assumptions and extent of translation work required; (2) the need for appropriate but flexible approaches to outcomes measurement; (3) representation of multiple perspectives and collaborative nature of work; and (4) emphasis on generic measurement approaches that can be flexibly tailored to particular contexts of study

Effect of anisotropic impurity scattering in superconductors

We discuss the weak-coupling BCS theory of a superconductor with the impurities, accounting for their anisotropic momentum-dependent potential. The impurity scattering process is considered in the t-matrix approximation and its influence on the superconducting critical temperature is studied in the Born and unitary limit for a d- and (d+s)-wave superconductors. We observe a significant dependence of the pair-breaking strength on the symmetry of the scattering potential and classify the impurity potentials according to their ability to alter T_c. A good agreement with the experimental data for Zn doping and oxygen irradiation in the overdoped cuprates is found.Comment: 31 pages, RevTex, 15 PostScript figure

Why is it difficult to implement e-health initiatives? A qualitative study

<b>Background</b> The use of information and communication technologies in healthcare is seen as essential for high quality and cost-effective healthcare. However, implementation of e-health initiatives has often been problematic, with many failing to demonstrate predicted benefits. This study aimed to explore and understand the experiences of implementers - the senior managers and other staff charged with implementing e-health initiatives and their assessment of factors which promote or inhibit the successful implementation, embedding, and integration of e-health initiatives.<p></p> <b>Methods</b> We used a case study methodology, using semi-structured interviews with implementers for data collection. Case studies were selected to provide a range of healthcare contexts (primary, secondary, community care), e-health initiatives, and degrees of normalization. The initiatives studied were Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) in secondary care, a Community Nurse Information System (CNIS) in community care, and Choose and Book (C&B) across the primary-secondary care interface. Implementers were selected to provide a range of seniority, including chief executive officers, middle managers, and staff with 'on the ground' experience. Interview data were analyzed using a framework derived from Normalization Process Theory (NPT).<p></p> <b>Results</b> Twenty-three interviews were completed across the three case studies. There were wide differences in experiences of implementation and embedding across these case studies; these differences were well explained by collective action components of NPT. New technology was most likely to 'normalize' where implementers perceived that it had a positive impact on interactions between professionals and patients and between different professional groups, and fit well with the organisational goals and skill sets of existing staff. However, where implementers perceived problems in one or more of these areas, they also perceived a lower level of normalization.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b> Implementers had rich understandings of barriers and facilitators to successful implementation of e-health initiatives, and their views should continue to be sought in future research. NPT can be used to explain observed variations in implementation processes, and may be useful in drawing planners' attention to potential problems with a view to addressing them during implementation planning

Diffusion and Innovation Theory: Past, Present, and Future Contributions to Academia and Practice

Part 4: PanelInternational audienceThe field of information systems (IS) has throughout its history experienced extensive changes in technology, research, and education. These renewals will continue into the foreseeable future [10]. It is recognized that IS is a key force in the ongoing societal and organizational renewal and change [2, 8, 14]. For example, in the US business sector, IS continues yearly to consume about 30% of total investments made [5]. Recent research document that IS supports the creation of business value, with particular emphasis on an organization’s innovation and change capabilities [1, 3]. Traditionally, research in IS has been interdisciplinary in nature - since it draws on innovation theory, models of value creation, actors’ roles and behaviors, the creation and running of task oriented groups, and how these relate to organizational structures and mechanisms [24]. Throughout its history the question of benefits from investing in IS has been lively discussed

Means-end analysis of consumers’ perceptions of virtual world affordances for e-commerce

Virtual worlds are three-dimensional (3D) persistent multi-user online environments where users interact through avatars. The affordances of virtual worlds can be useful for business-to-consumer e-commerce. Moreover, affordances of virtual worlds can complement affordances of websites to provide consumers with an enhanced e-commerce experience. We investigated which affordances of virtual worlds can enhance consumers‟ experiences on e-commerce websites. We conducted laddering interviews with 30 virtual world consumers to understand their perceptions of virtual world affordances. A means-end analysis was then applied to the interview data. The results suggest co-presence, product discovery, 3D product experience, greater interactivity with products and sociability are some of the key virtual world affordances for consumers. We discuss theoretical implications of the research using dimensions from the Technology Acceptance Model. We also discuss practical implications, such as how virtual world affordances can be incorporated into the design of e-commerce websites

Progress Report on Target Development

The present document is the D08 deliverable report of work package 1 (Target Development) from the MEGAPIE TEST project of the 5th European Framework Program. Deliverable D08 is the progress report on the activities performed within WP 1. The due date of this deliverable was the 5th month after the start of the EU project. This coincided with a technical status meeting of the MEGAPIE Initiative, that was held in March 2002 in Bologna (Italy). The content of the present document reflects the status of the MEGAPIE target development at that stage. It gives an overview of the Target Design, the related Design Support activities and the progress of the work done for the safety assessment and licensing of the target