Measurement of Exclusive B Decays to Final States Containing a Charmed Baryon

Using data collected by the CLEO detector in the Upsilon(4S) region, we report new measurements of the exclusive decays of B mesons into final states of the type Lambda_c^+ p-bar n(pi), where n=0,1,2,3. We find signals in modes with one, two and three pions and an upper limit for the two body decay Lambda_c^+ pbar. We also make the first measurements of exclusive decays of B mesons to Sigma_c p-bar n(pi), where n=0,1,2. We find signals in modes with one and two pions and an upper limit for the two body decay Sigma_c p-bar. Measurements of these modes shed light on the mechanisms involved in B decays to baryons.Comment: 11 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to PR

Bacillus cereus Spores Release Alanine that Synergizes with Inosine to Promote Germination

spores germinate in the presence of a single germinant, inosine, yet with a significant lag period. spores. spores appear to have developed a unique quorum-sensing feedback mechanism to monitor spore density and to coordinate germination

Complexities of applying nasal tolerance induction as a therapy for ongoing relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in DA rats

EAE is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that serves as an experimental model for the human inflammatory demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis (MS). Antigen-based immunotherapy including soluble antigen administration via feeding has been shown to be successful in treating EAE in rodents. In the present study, we explore nasal administration of small amounts of myelin basic protein (MBP) as a potential means of treatment of protracted, relapsing EAE (PR-EAE) in a novel DA rat system. We found that nasal administration of MBP prevented EAE induced with whole spinal cord homogenate + Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA), and strongly down-regulated levels of MBP-reactive interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-secreting Th1-like cells. However, in rats with ongoing PR-EAE receiving the same regimen of MBP, a trend of aggravated disease was recorded, in conjunction with augmented levels of MBP-reactive IFN-γ-secreting Th1-like splenocytes during the acute phase of EAE. These data have implications for the clinical application of nasal tolerance to autoimmune diseases