U.S.-Japan Relations: Accomplishments, Next Steps, Future Considerations

"Today I want to try to apply the same thought process to American relations with Japan. I will start with a review of the Clinton Administration's policies over these past two years. Then I'll turn to the agenda for the next two. But most importantly, I would like to draw back and reflect on the overall strategic context of our relations for the remainder of this decade, and to point to some of the lessons we have learned and the broader challenges which we now face.

Thinking About World Order: America, Japan and Germany in the 1990's

It's a pleasure to be here this evening to participate in your "Distinguished Business Leaders" lecture series. Professor Hugh Patrick has been threatening to invite me here for the last five years, and I have been threatening to accept. When he called me a few weeks ago he suggested that I talk about the book I have just written -- "A Cold Peace: America, Japan, Germany and the Struggle for Supremacy" (to be published in June by Times Books/Random House). A day later he sent me a letter asking if I'd like to speak about the global mergers and acquisitions markets. Taken together, these are two very important and topical issues for me, the book having served as an opportunity to think through some of the major challenges facing this country, the M&A business being at the center of my professional life. In many ways the two subjects have similar underpinnings, too, especially with respect to the rapid and deep seated political, economic and industrial changes occurring in the world. What I thought I'd do tonight is to talk a bit about America, Japan and Germany by way of introduction, and then, in discussion with you, focus more on the business scene

CO2 Enhancement of Forest Productivity Constrained by Limited Nitrogen Availability

Stimulation of terrestrial productivity by rising CO~2~ concentration is projected to reduce the airborne fraction of anthropogenic CO~2~ emissions; coupled climate-carbon (C) cycle models, including those used in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), are sensitive to this negative feedback on atmospheric CO~2~^1^. The representation of the so-called CO~2~ fertilization effect in the 11 models used in AR4 and subsequent models^2,3^ was broadly consistent with experimental evidence from four free-air CO~2~ enrichment (FACE) experiments, which indicated that net primary productivity (NPP) of forests was increased by 23 +/- 2% in response to atmospheric CO~2~ enrichment to 550 ppm^4^. Substantial uncertainty remains, however, because of the expectation that feedbacks through the nitrogen (N) cycle will reduce the CO~2~ stimulation of NPP^5,6^; these feedbacks were not included in the AR4 models and heretofore have not been confirmed by experiments in forests^7^. Here, we provide new evidence from a FACE experiment in a deciduous Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum) forest stand in Tennessee, USA, that N limitation has significantly reduced the stimulation of NPP by elevated atmospheric CO~2~ concentration (eCO~2~). Isotopic evidence and N budget analysis support the premise that N availability in this forest ecosystem has been declining over time, and declining faster in eCO~2~. Model analyses and evidence from leaf- and stand-level observations provide mechanistic evidence that declining N availability constrained the tree response to eCO2. These results provide a strong rationale and process understanding for incorporating N limitation and N feedback effects in ecosystem and global models used in climate change assessments

A Novel Anti-Influenza Copper Oxide Containing Respiratory Face Mask

Protective respiratory face masks protect the nose and mouth of the wearer from vapor drops carrying viruses or other infectious pathogens. However, incorrect use and disposal may actually increase the risk of pathogen transmission, rather than reduce it, especially when masks are used by non-professionals such as the lay public. Copper oxide displays potent antiviral properties. A platform technology has been developed that permanently introduces copper oxide into polymeric materials, conferring them with potent biocidal properties.. The copper oxide containing masks successfully passed Bacterial Filtration Efficacy, Differential Pressure, Latex Particle Challenge, and Resistance to Penetration by Synthetic Blood tests designed to test the filtration properties of face masks in accordance with the European EN 14683:2005 and NIOSH N95 standards.Impregnation of copper oxide into respiratory protective face masks endows them with potent anti-influenza biocidal properties without altering their physical barrier properties. The use of biocidal masks may significantly reduce the risk of hand or environmental contamination, and thereby subsequent infection, due to improper handling and disposal of the masks

Novel Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) Viruses Are Potently Inhibited by DAS181, a Sialidase Fusion Protein

Background: The recent emergence of a novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1) strain in humans exemplifies the rapid and unpredictable nature of influenza virus evolution and the need for effective therapeutics and vaccines to control such outbreaks. However, resistance to antivirals can be a formidable problem as evidenced by the currently widespread oseltamivir- and adamantane-resistant seasonal influenza A viruses (IFV). Additional antiviral approaches with novel mechanisms of action are needed to combat novel and resistant influenza strains. DAS181 (Fludase)™) is a sialidase fusion protein in early clinical development with in vitro and in vivo preclinical activity against a variety of seasonal influenza strains and highly pathogenic avian influenza strains (A/H5N1). Here, we use in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models to evaluate the activity of DAS181 against several pandemic influenza A(H1N1) viruses. Methods and Findings: The activity of DAS181 against several pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus isolates was examined in MDCK cells, differentiated primary human respiratory tract culture, ex-vivo human bronchi tissue and mice. DAS181 efficiently inhibited viral replication in each of these models and against all tested pandemic influenza A(H1N1) strains. DAS181 treatment also protected mice from pandemic influenza A(H1N1)-induced pathogenesis. Furthermore, DAS181 antiviral activity against pandemic influenza A(H1N1) strains was comparable to that observed against seasonal influenza virus including the H274Y oseltamivir-resistant influenza virus. Conclusions: The sialidase fusion protein DAS181 exhibits potent inhibitory activity against pandemic influenza A(H1N1) viruses. As inhibition was also observed with oseltamivir-resistant IFV (H274Y), DAS181 may be active against the antigenically novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus should it acquire the H274Y mutation. Based on these and previous results demonstrating DAS181 broad-spectrum anti-IFV activity, DAS181 represents a potential therapeutic agent for prevention and treatment of infections by both emerging and seasonal strains of IFV.published_or_final_versio