Recombination-induced variants of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 with increased solvent production

Three sporulation-specific genes (orfA, sigE, sigG) from clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 are arranged in a cluster, encoding the putative sigma E-processing enzyme, sigma E, and sigma sigma G respectively. When they were transformed into Clostridium acetobutylicum while on a plasmid functional in this organism, transformants did not survive. Three kinds of recombinations were then attempted with nonreplicative plasmids: duplication of orfA and sigE, replacement of all of the three genes, and inactivation of orfA. While the wild-type strain ceased to grow and produce solvents in batch cultures after approximately 24 h, mutant strains were isolated that showed sustained growth for a much longer time and produced a threefold increase in acetone and butanol in test tube cultures. In addition, one of the derived strains showed a significantly higher growth rate. Features of the restriction maps of the recombinants did not correlate with expected maps, indicating possible complications occurring during the recombination events.     

Occupational airway diseases in the metalworking industry Part 1: Respiratory infections, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis and emphysema

Occupational airway diseases are now receiving attention in industry, although study is hampered by a lack of readily-available data. The interpretation of the data that is available, and also of the root problems themselves, is itself a difficult problem. This paper has been written as a literature review which it is hoped that other researchers can take either as a starting point or as a refresher.     

THE DILEMMAS OF BUILDING A PROGRESSIVE URBAN COALITION: The Linked Development Debate in Chicago

ABSTRACT: In 1983 Chicago elected its first black mayor, Harold Washington. During Washington's first term of office, his administration not only reordered municipal priorities in such a fashion as to benefit his core, minority voting constituency, but also defined a municipal agenda emphasizing greater attention to neighborhood needs and more open government. In 1984 an important neighborhood coalition, the Save Our Neighborhoods/Save Our City Coalition (SON/SOC), proposed a linked development policy to tap downtown investment for neighborhood projects. Although SON/SOC's proposal was compatible with the Washington neighborhood agenda, this mainly white organization and the Washington administration experienced considerable difficulty in forging a mutually acceptable proposal The linked development debate in Chicago demonstrates the salience of race, class-cultural factors, and alternative approaches to neighborhood mobilization as barriers to the development of progressive coalitions in city politics.     

Phosphorus Inputs to Lake Simcoe from 1990 to 2003: Declines in Tributary Loads and Observations on Lake Water Quality

Total phosphorus (TP) inputs to Lake Simcoe have led to hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion and loss of cold water fish habitat. Since 1990, efforts have been made to reduce the total TP input to the lake below a defined target of 75 t/year, which was predicted to lead to reductions in spring TP concentration and improvements in end-of-summer hypolimnetic DO concentrations. The total TP load to the lake during the most recent period of record (1998/99-2003/04) ranged from 53 to 76 t/yr and averaged 67 t/yr, compared to an average of 114 t/yr estimated between 1990/91 and 1997/98 (range 85-157 t/yr). Reductions in TP loads from the catchment via tributary discharge (∼26 t) accounted for the majority of the decrease in total load between the two time periods. Total P concentrations decreased significantly in four out of six long-term monitored tributaries; however, concentrations in all six tributaries remain above the level recommended to avoid nuisance plant growth (30 μg/L). Although TP loads to the lake are currently below the target 75 t/yr, excessive growths of filamentous algae and macrophytes continue to be a problem in the nearshore zone. End-of-summer minimum hypolimnetic DO concentrations (average 4.3 mg/L, 1998/99-2003/04) remain substantially below the level (7 mg/L) that is considered protective of lake trout. Efforts to reduce TP loads to the lake therefore need to continue.     

Gain control in reflex pathways

Summary form only given. A series of experiments was undertaken to determine the gain of the stretch reflex in decerebrate cats. Stretches are applied through a servo-controlled motor that receives length and velocity feedback which are adjusted so that it behaves like a spring of a particular stiffness. As the stiffness decreases the gain of the reflex increases until the stiffness is made much less than the intrinsic muscle stiffness. Under these conditions small brief pulses can elicit shortening of 1 mm or more and reflex forces that are larger than the force produced by the stretch itself. This suggests that the gain in the reflex is 1 or more at low frequencies. It is concluded that muscle control systems are adaptive and time-varying to accomplish the various tasks required by the organism. Although under some conditions the reflex gain is on the order of one, measurement of gain is compounded by a number of nonlinearities, and the value of these nonlinearities in various tasks remains to be determined     

iPhone热销带动触摸屏市场井喷——四年后全球出货量将增长一倍以上

iSuppli公司预测,在苹果公司iPhone热销及其精致的用户接口刺激下,2008-2012年全球触摸屏显示器模块出货量将增长一倍以上。