The Employee Retirement Income Security Act Preempts State Law Causes of Action against ERISA-Regulated Benefit Plans: \u3cem\u3eAetna Health, Inc. v. Davila\u3c/em\u3e

The Supreme Court of the United States held that ERISA preempts a Texas state law allowing claims against ERISA-regulated employee benefit plans for denial of coverage. Aetna Health Inc., v. Davila, 124 S. Ct. 2488 (2004

Modulation of autocrine TNF-α-stimulated matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression by mitogenactivated protein kinases in THP-1 monocytic cells

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is implicated in various physiological processes by its ability to degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM) and process multiple regulatory proteins. Normally, MMP-9 expression is tightly controlled in cells. Sustained or enhanced MMP-9 secretion, however, has been demonstrated to contribute to the pathophysiology of numerous diseases, including arthritis and tumor progression, rendering this enzyme a major target for clinical interventions. Here we show that constitutive MMP-9 secretion was abrogated in THP-1 monocytic leukemia cells by addition of neutralizing antibodies against tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) or TNF receptor type 1 (TNF-R1), as well as by inhibition of TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE). This indicates that MMP-9 production in these cells is maintained by autocrine stimulation, with TNF-α acting via TNF-R1. To investigate the intracellular signaling routes involved in MMP-9 gene transcription, cells were treated with different inhibitors of major mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Interruption of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway 1/2 (ERK1/2) using PD98059 significantly downregulated constitutive MMP-9 release. In contrast, blockage of p38 kinase activity by addition of SB203580 or SB202190, as well as inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) using L-JNK-I1, clearly augmented MMP-9 expression and secretion by an upregulation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Moreover, exogenously added TNF-α augmented MMP-9 synthesis and secretion in THP-1 cells via enhancement of ERK1/2 activity. Taken together, our results indicate that ERK1/2 activity plays a pivotal role in TNF-α-induced MMP-9 production and demonstrate its negative modulation by p38 and JNK activity. These findings suggest ERK1/2 rather than p38 and JNK as a reasonable target to specifically block MMP-9 expression using MAPK inhibitors in therapeutic applications

A study of the environmental factors governing the vertical distribution of intertidal fucoids

The aim of this investigation was to determine the environmental factors that control the limits of vertical distribution of five intertidal species of fucoid algae which form a characteristic sequence of zones on the shore. The death of algae transplanted above their normal limits, together with field observations of the seasonal truncation of the uppermost plants in natural stands, clearly indicated that the upper limits of Pelvetia, Fucus spiralis and Ascophyllum are determined by their ability to survive the prolonged desiccation occasioned by warm dry weather during neap tides. Measurements made under controlled laboratory conditions showed that the upshore species Pelvetia and F. spiralis do not avoid tissue dehydration more effectively than the lower shore species F. serratus. Plants of all three species evaporated water at similar rates, with Felvetia marginally the fastest owing to its peculiar thallus shape. All three species also retained similar amounts of residual water when air-dried to a low water potential. In nature, mutual protection from desiccation appears to be less in mature stands of Pelvetia and F. spiralis than in those of the larger midshore species. However, the vulnerable zyoqoies and young qermlings of the upshore species enjoy protection from extremely rapid dehydration by settling in sheltered microhabitats and growing in dense -carpet-like stands. Drought tolerance was assessed in the laboratory by comparing oxygen evolution rates before drying and on resubmersion after drying, and by measuring growth in culture over a 10 to 15 day period after an experimental stress. All except the low-shore species F. serratus survived dehydration to air-dryness, but the maximum duration for which each species tolerated this stress correlated precisely with its position in the zonation sequence: Pelvetia > F. spiralis > Ascophyllum > F. vesiculosus > F. serratus. Felvetia demonstrated great drought tolerance all year round, and could be air-dried at any temperature and relative humidity which occurs on British shores without immediate harm. F. spiralis often suffered suhlethal, damage upon "being air-dried, and its drought tolerance showed a pronounced seasonal variation. It was found that substantial drought hardening could he induced in this species by daily exposures to a warm dry atmosphere. Other physical conditions during tidal exposure can modify the physiological effects of dehydration. High temperature and high humidity accelerated time-dependent injury in experimentally dried plants, possibly by increasing the rate of adverse metabolic changes. Hence it is actually advantageous for Pelvetia and F. spiralis to dry quickly during exposure to hot weather. Sudden simulated rainfall upon air-dry plants also aggravated drought damage, although rain by itself seemed to exert little effect on fucoids, either in the laboratory or on the shore. With regard to lower limits, both Pelvetia and F. spiralis survived and grew when transplanted to levels below their normal zones. However, Pelvetia, unlike other fucoids, seems to have a physiologically determined lower limit on the shore, as it decayed in winter when transferred to the midshore, and became necrotic when kept constantly submerged in culture. F. spiralis grows much more rapidly in length than Pelvetia and forms a shading canopy beneath which Pelvetia apparently cannot grow. Pelvetia zyqotes settled, germinated and grew normally within the F. spiralis zone when the latter species was experimentally weeded out. However, Pelvetia was never observed to develop into macroscopic plants within natural stands of F. spiralis even where the canopy was broken. There is no evidence that F. spiralis could directly eliminate Pelvetia by either whiplash effect or by shading. Indeed

Визначення статусу Головного контрольно-ревізійного управління України в системі органів виконавчої влади в контексті адміністративної реформи

Розбіжність у окремих нормативно правових актах України стосовно визначення статусу та підпорядкування Головного контрольно-ревізійне управління України, керівного органу державної контрольно ревізійної служби, уповноваженого на здійснення контролюючих функцій від імені Кабінету Міністрів України, призначення на посаду керівника зазначеного органу і відповідно визначення його місця у механізмі державної влади потребує чіткого врегулювання в контексті адміністративно-правової реформи, запровадження публічної адміністрації та удосконалення системи органів виконавчої влади, пов'язаності з іншими гілками влади системою стримувань і противаг. Ключові слова: державне управління, державний орган, правовий статус, державна контрольно ревізійна служба, механізм державної влади, Головне контрольноревізійне управління України, контроль за використанням державних коштівНесоответствие у отдельных нормативно правовых актах Украины относительно определения статусу та подчинения Главного контрольно ревизионного управления Украины, руководящего органа государственной контрольно ревизионной службы, уполномоченного на осуществление контролирующих функций от имени Кабинета Министров Украины, назначение на должность руководителя указанного органа и соответственно определения его места в механизме государственной власти требует четкого урегулирования в контексте административно правовой реформы, внедрения публичной администрации та усовершенствования системы органов исполнительной власти, связи с другими ветвями власти системой сдерживания та противовесов. Ключевые слова: государственное управление, государственный орган, правовой статус, государственная контрольно ревизионная служба, механизм государственной власти, Главное контрольно ревизионное управление Украины, контроль использования государственных средств.Inconsistency in some normative legal acts of Ukraine as regards determination of the status and subordination of the Main Control and Revision Office of Ukraine, the chief authority of the state control and revision service, entitled for performance of controlling functions on behalf of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, appointment of the Chairman of the mentioned authority and correspondingly determination of his/her place in the machinery of the government require clear regulation in the context of administrative legal reform, introduction of public administration and improvement of the system of executive authorities, connection with other branches of power by the system of restraints and counterbalances. Key words: public administration, state authority, legal status, the state control and revision service, machinery of the government, the Main Control and Revision Office of Ukraine, control over use of public funds

Integrating workplace exposure databases for occupational medicine services and epidemiologic studies at a former nuclear weapons facility

We outline methods for integrating epidemiologic and industrial hygiene data systems for the purpose of exposure estimation, exposure surveillance, worker notification, and occupational medicine practice. We present examples of these methods from our work at the Rocky Flats Plant?a former nuclear weapons facility that fabricated plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons and is now being decontaminated and decommissioned. The weapons production processes exposed workers to plutonium, gamma photons, neutrons, beryllium, asbestos, and several hazardous chemical agents, including chlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals. We developed a job exposure matrix (JEM) for estimating exposures to 10 chemical agents in 20 buildings for 120 different job categories over a production history spanning 34 years. With the JEM, we estimated lifetime chemical exposures for about 12,000 of the 16,000 former production workers. We show how the JEM database is used to estimate cumulative exposures over different time periods for epidemiological studies and to provide notification and determine eligibility for a medical screening program developed for former workers. We designed an industrial hygiene data system for maintaining exposure data for current cleanup workers. We describe how this system can be used for exposure surveillance and linked with the JEM and databases on radiation doses to develop lifetime exposure histories and to determine appropriate medical monitoring tests for current cleanup workers. We also present time-line-based graphical methods for reviewing and correcting exposure estimates and reporting them to individual workers