Substrate induction and glucose repression of maltose utilization by Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is controlled by malR, a member of the lacI-galR family of regulatory genes

malR of Strepomyces coelicolor A3(2) encodes a homologue of the Lacl/Galr family of repressor proteins, and is divergently transcribed from the malEFG gene cluster, which encodes components of an ATP-dependent transport system that is required for maltose utilization. Transcription of malE was induced by maltose and repressed by glucose. Disruption or deletion of malR resulted in constitutive, glucose-insensitive malE transcription at a level markedly above that observed in the parental malR+ strain, and overproduction of MalR prevented growth on maltose as carbon source. Consequently, MalR plays a crucial role in both substrate induction and glucose repression of maltose utilization. MalR is expressed from a single promoter with transcription initiating at the first G of the predicted GTG translataion start codon

Covers of Point-Hyperplane Graphs

We construct a cover of the non-incident point-hyperplane graph of projective dimension 3 for fields of characteristic 2. If the cardinality of the field is larger than 2, we obtain an elementary construction of the non-split extension of SL_4 (F) by F^6.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Curvaton Scenario with Affleck-Dine Baryogenesis

We discuss the curvaton scenario with the Affleck-Dine baryogenesis. In this scenario, non-vanishing baryonic entropy fluctuation may be generated even without primordial fluctuation of the Affleck-Dine field. Too large entropy fluctuation is inconsistent with the observations and hence constraints on the curvaton scenario with the Affleck-Dine baryogenesis are obtained. We calculate the baryonic entropy fluctuation (as well as other cosmological density fluctuations) in this case and derive constraints. Implications to some of the models of the curvaton are also discussed.Comment: 16 pages,2 figure

Ziektewering van bodemgebonden pathogenen en functionele diversiteit van de bodemmicroflora

Dit onderzoek richt zich op het vinden van micro-organismen of hun eigenschappen die correleren met ziektewering op verschillende bedrijfstypen en grondsoorten

Study of the Growth of Entropy Modes in MSSM Flat Directions Decay: Constraints on the Parameter Space

We study how the resonant decay of moduli fields arising in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) could affect large scale curvature perturbations in the early universe. It has been known for some time that the presence of entropy perturbations in a multi-component system can act as seeds for the curvature perturbations on all scales. These entropy perturbations could be amplified exponentially if one of the moduli decays via stochastic resonance, affecting the curvature power spectrum in the process. By imposing the COBE normalization on this power spectrum, one could put constraints on the masses and couplings of the underlying particle physics model without having to rely on collider experiments. We discuss in detail the case of the MSSM but this method could be applied to other theories beyond the Standard Model.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, revtex4, comments added in section II, 1 reference adde

Duurzaam bodembeheer in de Nederlandse landbouw : visie en bouwstenen voor een kennisagenda

Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) en het Louis Bolk Instituut hebben in opdracht van het ministerie van Economische Zaken, Landbouw en Innovatie (EL&I), voorheen ministerie van LNV, een visie opgesteld over duurzaam bodembeheer. Ook worden bouwstenen aangedragen voor een kennisagenda. Op basis hiervan kan het beleid prioriteiten stellen voor onderzoek en kennisdoorstroming. Duurzaam bodembeheer in de landbouw draagt bij aan diverse dimensies van duurzaamheid: economie (inclusief voedselvoorziening), natuur (inclusief biodiversiteit), milieu, waterhuishouding, klimaat (adaptatie en mitigatie) en welzijn van de mens (ondernemer, consument, burger en recreant). Om het begrip duurzaam bodembeheer concreet te maken, zijn in dit rapport specifieke doelen die met het bodembeheer worden nagestreefd, geformuleerd: de bodembeheerdoelen. Sommige doelen zijn gesteld vanuit het perspectief van de ondernemer, andere hebben een bredere maatschappelijke waarde

Detectie van Lysobacter spp. in de bodem; het dilemma van te veel of te weinig meten

Onderzoek van de afgelopen jaren heeft aangetoond dat de aanwezigheid van de antagonistische bacterie Lysobacter correleert met ziektewering in bodems tegen Rhizoctonia solani-aantasting. Het betreft de nauw verwante soorten L. antibioticus, L. capsici en L. gummosus. Voor verder onderzoek naar stimulering van deze antagonistische Lysobacter-soorten in de bodem zijn detectietechnieken nodig, zodat de invloed van teeltmaatregelen op de populatieomvang van Lysobacter bepaald kan worde

Disease suppressive soilless culture systems; characterisation of its microflora

The trend in glasshouse horticulture has always been to start culture systems as aseptic as possible. However, several root diseases still cause problems under these conditions. The present paper shows the importance of the microflora to suppress Pythium aphanidermatum, a fungal root pathogen which is a serious threat in cucumber. Introduced single antagonists as well as the indigenous microflora suppressed pythium root and crown rot. Pseudomonas fluorescens, Streptomyces griseoviridis, Pythium oligandrum, and 2 isolates of Trichoderma harzianum reduced the disease occurrence by 60 ␘r more in several, but not all, of the experiments. The indigenous microflora showed a very constant disease suppression of 50 to 100 &Eth;This was tested in experiments where P. aphanidermatum was added to sterilised and non-sterilised rockwool, and to sterilised rockwool that had been recolonised with the original microflora. Suppressiveness correlated with the number of filamentous actinomycetes present in the nutrient solution in the rockwool slabs. If a beneficial microflora is present in the cropping system, it should not be disturbed or eradicated by treatments such as disinfection of the recirculated nutrient solution. Therefore, the effects of different disinfection procedures on the composition of the microflora were compared. Numbers of filamentous actinomycetes in the nutrient solution in the tank after the disinfection treatment were highest without disinfection, intermediate after slow filtration, and lowest after UV treatment. Numbers of actinomycetes in the slabs, i.e. around the roots, were not distinctly different between the treatments. The implication of potential shifts in the microbial populations due to certain treatments for the disease development is not known. Increased knowledge on the beneficial microflora and the treatments that influence the composition of such a microflora, will stimulate the exploitation of microbially balanced and optimised soilless culture systems

Institutions, corporate governance and corporate governance institutions: The case of Estonia

During the last ten years, Estonia has made strong efforts in terms of the transition to a market economy. This is particularly true with respect to the soundness and transparency of monetary and fiscal policies, the privatisation of former state-owned enterprises, the development of the financial sector and the institutional setting. This paper argues that strengthening the formal institutional setting, and in particular the corporate governance institutions, is crucial to further enhance the process of economic transition of the country. It describes the current state the corporate governance structures as compared to other countries in Central and Eastern.In den letzten 10 Jahren hat Estland viele Anstrengungen in der Umwandlung in eine Marktwirtschaft unternommen. Dies trifft insbesondere auf die Stabilität und Transparenz der Währungs- und Finanzpolitik zu, der Privatisierung ehemaliger Staatsbetriebe, die Entwicklung im Finanzsektor und im institutionellen Umfeld. Der Aufsatz zeigt auf, dass die Stärkung des formellen institutionellen Umfeldes und im einzelnen auch die der Bereiche der Unternehmensorganisation essentiell wichtig für den weiteren Tranformationsprozess des Landes sind. Er stellt den heutigen Stand der Unternehmensstrukturen im Vergleich zu anderen Staaten dar

Comparing the effectiveness of small-particle versus large-particle inhaled corticosteroid in COPD

Dirkje S Postma,1 Nicolas Roche,2 Gene Colice,3 Elliot Israel,4 Richard J Martin,5 Willem MC van Aalderen,6 Jonathan Grigg,7 Anne Burden,8 Elizabeth V Hillyer,8 Julie von Ziegenweidt,8 Gokul Gopalan,9 David Price8,10 1University of Groningen, Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; 2Respiratory and Intensive Care Medicine, Cochin Hospital Group, APHP, Paris-Descartes University (EA2511), Paris, France; 3Pulmonary, Critical Care and Respiratory Services, Washington Hospital Center and George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington DC, USA; 4Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; 5Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, USA; 6Dept of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Emma Children's Hospital AMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; 7Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University London, London, UK; 8Research in Real Life, Ltd, Cambridge, UK; 9Respiratory, Global Scientific Affairs, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Frazer, PA, USA; 10Academic Primary Care, Division of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK Purpose: Small airway changes and dysfunction contribute importantly to airway obstruction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is currently treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and long-acting bronchodilators at Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grades 2–4. This retrospective matched cohort analysis compared effectiveness of a representative small-particle ICS (extrafine beclomethasone) and larger-particle ICS (fluticasone) in primary care patients with COPD. Patients and methods: Smokers and ex-smokers with COPD ≥40 years old initiating or stepping-up their dose of extrafine beclomethasone or fluticasone were matched 1:1 for demographic characteristics, index prescription year, concomitant therapies, and disease severity during 1 baseline year. During 2 subsequent years, we evaluated treatment change and COPD exacerbations, defined as emergency care/hospitalization for COPD, acute oral corticosteroids, or antibiotics for lower respiratory tract infection. Results: Mean patient age was 67 years, 57%–60% being male. For both initiation (n=334:334) and step-up (n=189:189) patients, exacerbation rates were comparable between extrafine beclomethasone and fluticasone cohorts during the 2 year outcome period. Odds of treatment stability (no exacerbation or treatment change) were significantly greater for patients initiating extrafine beclomethasone compared with fluticasone (adjusted odds ratio 2.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.32–4.73). Median ICS dose exposure during 2 outcome years was significantly lower (P<0.001) for extrafine beclomethasone than fluticasone cohorts (315 µg/day versus 436 µg/day for initiation, 438 µg/day versus 534 µg/day for step-up patients). Conclusion: We observed that small-particle ICS at significantly lower doses had comparable effects on exacerbation rates as larger-particle ICS at higher doses, whereas initiation of small-particle ICS was associated with better odds of treatment stability during 2-years' follow-up. Keywords: COPD exacerbation, extrafine particle, matched cohort analysis, real life, small airway