Multituberculates (Mammalia, Allotheria) From The Earliest Tiffanian (Late Paleocene) Douglass Quarry, Eastern Crazy Mountains Basin, Montana

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/49355/1/Vol 31 No10 final 11-15-06.pd

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION CONTRACTS TO REDUCE NITRATE LEACHING: A WHOLE-FARM ANALYSIS

Ten alternative seed corn contract specifications are evaluated with respect to nitrate leaching and profitability for the processor firm (principal) and contracted grower (agent). A whole-farm optimization and feasibility analysis suggest that contract terms can be used to reduce non-point source pollution.Crop Production/Industries,

The Effectiveness of a Far Lateral L5-S1 Microdiscectomy in Pain Reduction

Diagnosis of far lateral disc herniations has become more common in recent years. This study describes the surgical procedure used for L5-S1 far lateral disc herniations, shows the benefits derived from a far lateral approach and retrospectively evaluates the outcome of the surgery. Eight patients were included in the study, five females and three males. The mean age was 62 years (range, 45-77 years). VAS pain scale, OSW index and SF-36 forms were used to evaluate the surgical outcome. Both the VAS pain scale and OSW index were improved postoperatively. The SF-36 scores were significantly lower (p\u3c0.05) for the far lateral patients compared to both the low back pain population and the U.S. aged 55-64 year population

The Pulsed Spectra of Two Extraordinary Pulsars

We report on X-ray monitoring of two isolated pulsars within the same RXTE field of view. PSR J1811-1925 in the young supernova remnant G11.2-0.3 has a nearly sinusoidal pulse profile with a hard pulsed spectrum (photon index \~1.2). The pulsar is a highly efficient (~ 1% of spin-down energy) emitter of 2-50 keV pulsed X-rays despite having a fairly typical B ~ 2e12 G magnetic field. PSR J1809-1943/XTE J1810-197 is a newly discovered slow (P=5.54 s), apparently isolated X-ray pulsar which increased in flux by a factor of ~100 in 2003 January. Nine months of monitoring observations have shown a decrease in pulsed flux of ~ 30% without a significant change in its apparently thermal spectrum (kT ~0.7 keV) or pulse profile. During this time, the spin-down torque has fluctuated by a factor of ~ 2. Both the torque and the flux have remained steady for the last 3 months, at levels consistent with a magnetar interpretation.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of X-ray Timing 2003: Rossi and Beyond, ed. P. Kaaret, F.K. Lamb, & J.H. Swank held in Cambridge, MA, Nov. 3-5, 200

Rapid optimization of enzyme mixtures for deconstruction of diverse pretreatment/biomass feedstock combinations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Enzymes for plant cell wall deconstruction are a major cost in the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. The goal of this research was to develop optimized synthetic mixtures of enzymes for multiple pretreatment/substrate combinations using our high-throughput biomass digestion platform, GENPLAT, which combines robotic liquid handling, statistical experimental design and automated Glc and Xyl assays. Proportions of six core fungal enzymes (CBH1, CBH2, EG1, β-glucosidase, a GH10 endo-β1,4-xylanase, and β-xylosidase) were optimized at a fixed enzyme loading of 15 mg/g glucan for release of Glc and Xyl from all combinations of five biomass feedstocks (corn stover, switchgrass, <it>Miscanthus</it>, dried distillers' grains plus solubles [DDGS] and poplar) subjected to three alkaline pretreatments (AFEX, dilute base [0.25% NaOH] and alkaline peroxide [AP]). A 16-component mixture comprising the core set plus 10 accessory enzymes was optimized for three pretreatment/substrate combinations. Results were compared to the performance of two commercial enzymes (Accellerase 1000 and Spezyme CP) at the same protein loadings.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When analyzed with GENPLAT, corn stover gave the highest yields of Glc with commercial enzymes and with the core set with all pretreatments, whereas corn stover, switchgrass and <it>Miscanthus </it>gave comparable Xyl yields. With commercial enzymes and with the core set, yields of Glc and Xyl were highest for grass stovers pretreated by AP compared to AFEX or dilute base. Corn stover, switchgrass and DDGS pretreated with AFEX and digested with the core set required a higher proportion of endo-β1,4-xylanase (EX3) and a lower proportion of endo-β1,4-glucanase (EG1) compared to the same materials pretreated with dilute base or AP. An optimized enzyme mixture containing 16 components (by addition of α-glucuronidase, a GH11 endoxylanase [EX2], Cel5A, Cel61A, Cip1, Cip2, β-mannanase, amyloglucosidase, α-arabinosidase, and Cel12A to the core set) was determined for AFEX-pretreated corn stover, DDGS, and AP-pretreated corn stover. The optimized mixture for AP-corn stover contained more exo-β1,4-glucanase (i.e., the sum of CBH1 + CBH2) and less endo-β1,4-glucanase (EG1 + Cel5A) than the optimal mixture for AFEX-corn stover. Amyloglucosidase and β-mannanase were the two most important enzymes for release of Glc from DDGS but were not required (i.e., 0% optimum) for corn stover subjected to AP or AFEX. As a function of enzyme loading over the range 0 to 30 mg/g glucan, Glc release from AP-corn stover reached a plateau of 60-70% Glc yield at a lower enzyme loading (5-10 mg/g glucan) than AFEX-corn stover. Accellerase 1000 was superior to Spezyme CP, the core set or the 16-component mixture for Glc yield at 12 h, but the 16-component set was as effective as the commercial enzyme mixtures at 48 h.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results in this paper demonstrate that GENPLAT can be used to rapidly produce enzyme cocktails for specific pretreatment/biomass combinations. Pretreatment conditions and feedstock source both influence the Glc and Xyl yields as well as optimal enzyme proportions. It is predicted that it will be possible to improve synthetic enzyme mixtures further by the addition of additional accessory enzymes.</p

Ex. 277-US-415

The 2004 annual report on riverine movements of adult Lost River, shortnose, and Klamath largescale suckers in the Williamson and Sprague rivers, Orego

Ex. 277-US-415

The 2004 annual report on riverine movements of adult Lost River, shortnose, and Klamath largescale suckers in the Williamson and Sprague rivers, Orego

Gene family encoding the major toxins of lethal \u3ci\u3eAmanita\u3c/i\u3e mushrooms

Amatoxins, the lethal constituents of poisonous mushrooms in the genus Amanita, are bicyclic octapeptides. Two genes in A. bisporigera, AMA1 and PHA1, directly encode α-amanitin, an amatoxin, and the related bicyclic heptapeptide phallacidin, a phallotoxin, indicating that these compounds are synthesized on ribosomes and not by nonribosomal peptide synthetases. α-Amanitin and phallacidin are synthesized as proproteins of 35 and 34 amino acids, respectively, from which they are predicted to be cleaved by a prolyl oligopeptidase. AMA1 and PHA1 are present in other toxic species of Amanita section Phalloidae but are absent from nontoxic species in other sections. The genomes of A. bisporigera and A. phalloides contain multiple sequences related to AMA1 and PHA1. The predicted protein products of this family of genes are characterized by a hypervariable ‘‘toxin’’ region capable of encoding a wide variety of peptides of 7–10 amino acids flanked by conserved sequences. Our results suggest that these fungi have a broad capacity to synthesize cyclic peptides on ribosomes

The Economic Opportunity Mapping (EOM) Tool

Extension professionals increasingly understand data as integral to economic development planning and related efforts. However, regional economic data is often inaccurate, expensive, and unengaging for stakeholders. The Economic Opportunity Mapping Tool provides industry-specific free online interactive maps to engage stakeholders in the process of economic development planning, while also helping connect the determinants of business location with real local data on industry establishments