Characterization and sequence of the Escherichia coli panBCD gene cluster

A 4589 bp DNA segment containing the Escherichia coli panBCD gene cluster was sequenced, and found to contain 6 complete open reading frames. panB, panC, and panD were identified by subcloning and insertional mutagenesis. The orientation of panD was also confirmed by orientation-specific expression of asparate-1-decarboxylase. panB and panC lie adjacent to one another, but are separated from panD by orf3, which is oriented in the opposite direction. Interruptions in the remaining open reading frames did not affect growth on glucose-minimal medium. No significant similarity to sequences in databases was found for orf1 and orf2. Orf3 contained extensive similarity to reading frames defined by E. coli yjiP, yjiQ, yhgA, and yafD. The function of these amino acid sequences is as yet undefined.     

Behavioral medicine: St. Louis style.

Describes a unique multidisciplinary division in which 8 clinical programs are all administered by psychologists working in a university medical center setting. The increasingly complex environment of a university medical center is discussed in terms of academic mission, competitiveness of health care, and professional roles. The development of this division is reviewed in relation to a number of critical issues, such as organizational structure, academic vs clinical demands, business operations, and 1 version of a scientist–practitioner model in practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Tumor Infiltration with CD20+CD73+ B Cells Correlates with Better Outcome in Colorectal Cancer

Immunotherapy has become increasingly important in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Currently, CD73, also known as ecto-5′-nucleotidase (NT5E), has gained considerable interest as a potential therapeutic target. CD73 is one of the key enzymes catalyzing the conversion of extracellular ATP into adenosine, which in turn exerts potent immune suppressive effects. However, the role of CD73 expression on various cell types within the CRC tumor microenvironment remains unresolved. The expression of CD73 on various cell types has been described recently, but the role of CD73 on B-cells in CRC remains unclear. Therefore, we analyzed CD73 on B-cells, especially on tumor-infiltrating B-cells, in paired tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples from 62 eligible CRC patients. The highest expression of CD73 on tumor-infiltrating B-cells was identified on class-switched memory B-cells, followed by naive B-cells, whereas no CD73 expression was observed on plasmablasts. Clinicopathological correlation analysis revealed that higher CD73⁺ B-cells infiltration in the CRC tumors was associated with better overall survival. Moreover, metastasized patients showed a significantly decreased number of tumor-infiltrating CD73⁺ B-cells. Finally, neoadjuvant therapy correlated with reduced CD73⁺ B-cell numbers and CD73 expression on B-cells in the CRC tumors. As promising new immune therapies are being developed, the role of CD73⁺ B-cells and their subsets in the development of colorectal cancer should be further explored to find new therapeutic options.     

Controlling Exchange Coupling Strength in Ni x Cu1−x Thin Films

The thickness (d _F) and concentration (x) dependence of the Curie temperature of Ni _x Cu_1?x (d _F) ferromagnetic alloy layers (x=0.55, 0.65, d _F=[4.5 nm÷12 nm]) in contact with a vanadium layer was studied. The Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic layers depends on the thickness when it is comparable with the transition layer between the F and the vanadium layers, which is attributed to the proximity coupling of the interface region with the rest of the F layer. The present study provides valuable information for fabrication of samples with controlled exchange coupling strength for studies of superconductor/ferromagnet proximity effects.     

Numerical Simulation of the Mechanical Properties of Sintered and Bonded Perforated Hollow Sphere Structures (PHSS)

This paper investigated the uniaxial mechanical properties of a new type of hollow sphere structures. For this new type, the sphere shell was perforated by several holes in order to open the inner sphere volume and surface. The mechanical properties, i.e. elastic properties and initial yield stress of perforated hollow sphere structures (PHSS) in a primitive cubic arrangement were numerically evaluated for different hole diameters and different joining techniques of the hollow spheres. The results are compa...     

Mitigating uranium in groundwater: prospects and limitations

Removal of uranium(VI) by zerovalent iron has been suggested as a feasible pathway to control uranium contaminations in seepage waters. Available information in the literature however presents discrepant evidence on the process responsible for the mitigation effect. On basis of an EH-pH diagram of uranium and iron, it is outlined that these discrepancies may be explained by the aqueous chemistry of uranium and iron. Additional effects contributing to the complexity of the system are given. Solubilization experiments using scrap iron together with water works sludge, MnO2, and pyrite indicate that U(VI) is immobilized by iron corrosion products after about 50 days.     

Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology of the Upper Reach of the Spree River: Germany

The aim of this study was to assess the potential impacts of future climate change on the hydrological response in the upper reach of the Spree River catchment using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The model was calibrated for ten years (1997–2006) and validated with the data from four years (2007–2010) using average monthly stream flow. The impact of future climate change on precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration and stream flow was then investigated from two different downscaled climate models (CLM and WETTREG2010) under SRES A1B scenarios for two future periods (2021–2030 and 2041–2050). Besides that, sensitivity analysis was carried out with and without observations, to test robustness of the sensitivity algorithm used in the model. Results of the determination coefficient R² and Nasch-Sutcliff efficiency E_NC were 0.81 and 0.80, respectively, during the calibration; 0.71 and 0.70, respectively, during the validation. Although some parameters were changed their sensitiveness ranking when the model run with observations, the SWAT model was, however, able to predict the top influential parameters without observations. According to 12 realizations from the two downscaled climate models, annual stream flow from 2021–2030 (2041–2050) is predicted to decrease by 39 % (43 %). This corresponds to an increase in annual evapotranspiration from 2021–2030 (2041–2050) of 36 % (38 %). The upper reach of the Spree River catchment will likely experience a significant decrease in stream flow due to the increasing in the evapotranspiration rates. This study could be of use for providing insight into the availability of future stream flow, and to provide a planning tool for this area.     

The influence of discharge time on post-partial discharge gassing of zinc powder

Gas evolution in primary alkaline cells depends on discharge time. This dependence can be so strong that acceptable volumes of gas are evolved in cells when discharged over relatively long periods, whereas shorter times may lead to gassing beyond the limits of the cell design. The dependency of gassing on discharge time was investigated for a number of commercial cells and for different zinc-alloy powders. An indication of a relation between certain alloying elements and the gas evolution at short discharge times was found. The most important result of the investigations, however, was the development of a modified zinc powder production process which leads to zinc powders with reduced gas evolution rates for both short and long discharge times.