A large scale prediction of bacteriocin gene blocks suggests a wide functional spectrum for bacteriocins

Bacteriocins are peptide-derived molecules produced by bacteria, whose recently-discovered functions include virulence factors and signalling molecules as well as their better known roles as antibiotics. To date, close to five hundred bacteriocins have been identified and classified. Recent discoveries have shown that bacteriocins are highly diverse and widely distributed among bacterial species. Given the heterogeneity of bacteriocin compounds, many tools struggle with identifying novel bacteriocins due to their vast sequence and structural diversity. Many bacteriocins undergo post-translational processing or modifications necessary for the biosynthesis of the final mature form. Enzymatic modification of bacteriocins as well as their export is achieved by proteins whose genes are often located in a discrete gene cluster proximal to the bacteriocin precursor gene, referred to as \textit{context genes} in this study. Although bacteriocins themselves are structurally diverse, context genes have been shown to be largely conserved across unrelated species. Using this knowledge, we set out to identify new candidates for context genes which may clarify how bacteriocins are synthesized, and identify new candidates for bacteriocins that bear no sequence similarity to known toxins. To achieve these goals, we have developed a software tool, Bacteriocin Operon and gene block Associator (BOA) that can identify homologous bacteriocin associated gene clusters and predict novel ones. We discover that several phyla have a strong preference for bactericon genes, suggesting distinct functions for this group of molecules. Availability: https://github.com/idoerg/BOAComment: Accepted for publication in BMC Bioinformatic

Electro-impulse de-icing testing analysis and design

Electro-Impulse De-Icing (EIDI) is a method of ice removal by sharp blows delivered by a transient electromagnetic field. Detailed results are given for studies of the electrodynamic phenomena. Structural dynamic tests and computations are described. Also reported are ten sets of tests at NASA's Icing Research Tunnel and flight tests by NASA and Cessna Aircraft Company. Fabrication of system components are described and illustrated. Fatigue and electromagnetic interference tests are reported. Here, the necessary information for the design of an EIDI system for aircraft is provided

Relative biological effectiveness of fast neutrons compared with X-rays: Prenatal mortality in the mouse

The effects of fission neutrons and of X-rays on the mouse zygote are discussed. Seven-week-old virgin mice were allowed a 12-hour mating opportunity beginning at 7:00 P.M. Between 1:30 and 4:00 P.M., except where indicated otherwise, the females which had mated (vaginal plug) during the night were either irradiated or sham-irradiated. At the time of irradiation the zygotes were in a pronuclear stage. Sixteen days later the mice were killed and the uteri dissected. The number of dead embryos, live embryos, and gross anomalies were determined. Dead embryos were classified as to stage of development

Relations Between Low-lying Quantum Wave Functions and Solutions of the Hamilton-Jacobi Equation

We discuss a new relation between the low lying Schroedinger wave function of a particle in a one-dimentional potential V and the solution of the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi equation with -V as its potential. The function V is $\geq 0$, and can have several minina (V=0). We assume the problem to be characterized by a small anhamornicity parameter $g^{-1}$ and a much smaller quantum tunneling parameter $\epsilon$ between these different minima. Expanding either the wave function or its energy as a formal double power series in $g^{-1}$ and $\epsilon$, we show how the coefficients of $g^{-m}\epsilon^n$ in such an expansion can be expressed in terms of definite integrals, with leading order term determined by the classical solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. A detailed analysis is given for the particular example of quartic potential $V={1/2}g^2(x^2-a^2)^2$.Comment: LaTex, 48 pages, no figur

Confining potential in a color dielectric medium with parallel domain walls

We study quark confinement in a system of two parallel domain walls interpolating different color dielectric media. We use the phenomenological approach in which the confinement of quarks appears considering the QCD vacuum as a color dielectric medium. We explore this phenomenon in QCD_2, where the confinement of the color flux between the domain walls manifests, in a scenario where two 0-branes (representing external quark and antiquark) are connected by a QCD string. We obtain solutions of the equations of motion via first-order differential equations. We find a new color confining potential that increases monotonically with the distance between the domain walls.Comment: RevTex4, 5 pages, 1 figure; version to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Current directions in the treatment of classical Hodgkin lymphoma

Optimal management of patients who present with Hodgkin lymphoma continues to evolve. Most patients are cured with current treatment strategies, some but both short and long-term morbidity and mortality from treatment have particular relevance given the youth of the patient population. Combininations of targeted agents together with conventional chemotherapy have recently been investigated in phase 3 cliniial trials for advanced-stage Hodkgkin lymphoma, and have demonstrated improved efficacy compared with chemotherapy alone. These include both antibody-drug conjugates and PD-1 blockade. Treatment approaches have historically differed between pediatric and adult groups, but recent collaborations between adullt and pediatric groups via the NCTN mechanism have resulted in the successful completion of enrollment in an advanced-stage Hodgkin lymphoma and the opening of an early-stage trial that will enroll patients accross a broad age spectrum. Novel approachs incorporating targeted and immunomodulatory agents in the relapse setting are being actively investagated in the relapse setting as well

The Pfaffian solution of a dimer-monomer problem: Single monomer on the boundary

We consider the dimer-monomer problem for the rectangular lattice. By mapping the problem into one of close-packed dimers on an extended lattice, we rederive the Tzeng-Wu solution for a single monomer on the boundary by evaluating a Pfaffian. We also clarify the mathematical content of the Tzeng-Wu solution by identifying it as the product of the nonzero eigenvalues of the Kasteleyn matrix.Comment: 4 Pages to appear in the Physical Review E (2006