Cellular and extracellular siderophores of Aspergillus nidulans and Penicillium chrysogenum

Aspergillus nidulans and Penicillium chrysogenum produce specific cellular siderophores in addition to the well-known siderophores of the culture medium. Since this was found previously in Neurospora crassa, it is probably generally true for filamentous ascomycetes. The cellular siderophore of A. nidulans is ferricrocin; that of P. chrysogenum is ferrichrome. A. nidulans also contains triacetylfusigen, a siderophore without apparent biological activity. Conidia of both species lose siderophores at high salt concentrations and become siderophore dependent. This has also been found in N. crassa, where lowering of the water activity has been shown to be the causal factor. We used an assay procedure based on this dependency to reexamine the extracellular siderophores of these species. During rapid mycelial growth, both A. nidulans and P. chrysogenum produced two highly active, unidentified siderophores which were later replaced by a less active or inactive product--coprogen in the case of P. chrysogenum and triacetylfusigen in the case of A. nidulans. N. crassa secreted coprogen only. Fungal siderophore metabolism is varied and complex

The Effect of Visual Merchandising on Consumer Impulse Buying Behavior at the Executive Store Manado

The marketplace nowadays is having tight competition between stores or companies which is a new comer or the long-time one. Stores or companies have to utilize strategies especially merchandising tools in order to attract consumers attention to survive in the competition. The strategy of visual merchandising is often used by stores or companies to stimulate consumers want towards their product. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of visual merchandising on consumer impulse buying behavior with particular emphasis on these variables: window displays, form displays, floor merchandising, and promotional signage uses quantitative method. The data used in this research is primary data obtain through questionnaire. The population observed is people in Manado who buy from The Executive store as many as 100 respondents. Results and conclusion are from all variables of visual merchandising such as: window displays, form displays, floor merchandising, and promotional signage, not all variables have a significant influence on consumer impulse buying behavior. Floor merchandising has no significant influence and the most significant influence comes from promotional signage. The recommendation for the store is maintains and improves the promotional signage that can turn the window shopper into real buyer. Keywords: window display, promotional signag

Mothers' early feeding practices and the ecological factors that are associated with iron intake of 9-11 month old infants in Solana, Cagayan, Philippines : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nutritional Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Appendix A several missing pages from the original copy held in the libraryThis study examines early infant feeding practices and the ecological factors that are associated with the diets of 9 - 11 month old infants. A face to face interview using a structured questionnaire was used to obtain the information from mothers of 120 infants in Solana, Cagayan, Philippines. Dietary information was obtained using a 24-hour dietary recall and a one week food diversity checklist. Ninety eight percent of the infants were breastfed but some mothers practiced early introduction of fluids and withholding nourishing foods from the infants. The infants' mean iron intake was found to be inadequate in terms of the RDA, indicating a high risk of iron deficiency. Meat, poultry, and fish were provided in small amounts to the infants and not on a daily basis. Iron fortified foods were also not a significant source of iron. It was found that the infants' food diversity was associated with the infants' iron intake, the higher the food diversity scores of the infants, the higher their iron intake. Factors associated with the infants' diet include maternal educational attainment, maternal attitude to variety of foods and child's sex and age. Attendance at nutrition education activities was not associated with higher iron intake of the infants. Although maternal attendance at bench conferences was associated with higher maternal nutrition knowledge, attendance at bench conference was associated with low iron intake among infants. There was not a clear association between family monthly income and the infants' diet. Maternal nutrition knowledge and the infants' food diversity were found to mediate the relationship between infants' iron intake and family and child's characteristics and nutrition education activities

A Direct Upper Limit on the Density of Cosmological Dust from the Absence of an X-ray Scattering Halo around the z=4.3 QSO 1508+5714

We report on the results of a search for an intergalactic X-ray dust scattering halo in a deep observation of the bright, high-redshift quasar QSO 1508+5714 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We do not detect such a halo. Our result implies an upper limit on the density of diffuse, large-grained intergalactic dust of Omega_ dust < 2 x 10^-6, assuming a characteristic grain size of 1micron. The result demonstrates the sensitivity of this technique for detecting very small amounts of intergalactic dust which are very hard to detect otherwise. This will allow us to put important constraints on systematic effects induced by extinction on the interpretation of the SN Ia Hubble Diagram, as well as on the amount and properties of cosmological dust being expelled into the intergalactic medium at early z~2 times.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figures. to appear in ApJ, vol. 651, Nov. 200

The caul theme in Tina McElroy Ansa's novels

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on June 6, 2012).The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file.Thesis advisor: Dr. Christopher N. OkonkwoIncludes bibliographical references.M.A. University of Missouri--Columbia 2011."December 2011"This thesis examines Tina McElroy Ansa's cultural validation of the caul and its aesthetic application as literary device in her novels Baby of the Family (1989), The Hand I Fan With (1996), You Know Better (2002) and Ugly Ways (1993). The project contends Ansa's ability to create a reality consisting of the natural and the supernatural, and offers a cohesive and close critique of Ansa's four novels. I argue that the interactions of the supernatural world with the caulbearer in the natural world will complicate the caulbearer's understanding of self, reality, and identity. I also introduce the term of caulbearer-by-proxy which has importance in the reading of Ugly Ways. The discussion drives on interweaving aspects of folklore and literature

Lipid-free Antigen B subunits from echinococcus granulosus: oligomerization, ligand binding, and membrane interaction properties

Background: The hydatid disease parasite Echinococcus granulosus has a restricted lipid metabolism, and needs to harvest essential lipids from the host. Antigen B (EgAgB), an abundant lipoprotein of the larval stage (hydatid cyst), is thought to be important in lipid storage and transport. It contains a wide variety of lipid classes, from highly hydrophobic compounds to phospholipids. Its protein component belongs to the cestode-specific Hydrophobic Ligand Binding Protein family, which includes five 8-kDa isoforms encoded by a multigene family (EgAgB1-EgAgB5). How lipid and protein components are assembled into EgAgB particles remains unknown. EgAgB apolipoproteins self-associate into large oligomers, but the functional contribution of lipids to oligomerization is uncertain. Furthermore, binding of fatty acids to some EgAgB subunits has been reported, but their ability to bind other lipids and transfer them to acceptor membranes has not been studied.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Methodology/Principal Findings: Lipid-free EgAgB subunits obtained by reverse-phase HPLC were used to analyse their oligomerization, ligand binding and membrane interaction properties. Size exclusion chromatography and cross-linking experiments showed that EgAgB8/2 and EgAgB8/3 can self-associate, suggesting that lipids are not required for oligomerization. Furthermore, using fluorescent probes, both subunits were found to bind fatty acids, but not cholesterol analogues. Analysis of fatty acid transfer to phospholipid vesicles demonstrated that EgAgB8/2 and EgAgB8/3 are potentially capable of transferring fatty acids to membranes, and that the efficiency of transfer is dependent on the surface charge of the vesicles.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Conclusions/Significance: We show that EgAgB apolipoproteins can oligomerize in the absence of lipids, and can bind and transfer fatty acids to phospholipid membranes. Since imported fatty acids are essential for Echinococcus granulosus, these findings provide a mechanism whereby EgAgB could engage in lipid acquisition and/or transport between parasite tissues. These results may therefore indicate vulnerabilities open to targeting by new types of drugs for hydatidosis therapy.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt

Internal and relative motions of the Taurus and Ophiuchus star-forming regions

We investigate the internal and relative motions of the Taurus and Ophiuchus star-forming regions using a sample of young stars with accurately measured radial velocities and proper motions. We find no evidence for expansion or contraction of the Taurus complex, but a clear indication for a global rotation, resulting in velocity gradients, this suggests a common origin, possibly related to that of Gould's Belt.Comment: 2 figure