Photocatalyzed mineralization of a trimethylated phenol in oxygenated aqueous titania. An alternative to microbial degradation

The most methylated phenolic substrate in coal tar creosote, 2,3,5-trimethylphenol (TMP), was mineralized photocatalytically to CO₂ and water at pH 3 in illuminated air-equilibrated titania dispersions. Trimethylhydroquinone and trimethylbenzoquinone were the two major aromatic intermediates; trace amounts of trimethylcatechol also formed. Complete mineralization was achieved in oxygenated solutions in ～1 h; conversion of TMP was over in less than ～25 min in aerated solutions and in less than 12 min in oxygenated solutions.     

Differential modulation of protein kinase C isozymes in rat parotid acinar cells. Relation to amylase secretion

We investigated the expression, distribution, and activation parameters of protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes in isolated rat parotid acinar cells. By analyzing cellular extracts by western blot analysis and for isozyme-specific RNA, the Ca(2+)-independent PKC-delta, -epsilon, and -zeta were detected in the cytosolic, particulate (plasma membrane), and nuclear fractions of unstimulated cells, whereas the Ca(2+)-dependent PKC-alpha was confined to the cytosolic and particulate fractions. The expressed isozymes showed distinct responses to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), thymeleatoxin, and cell surface receptor agonists with respect to translocation from cytosol to particulate fraction and nucleus, as well as sensitivity to down-regulation caused by prolonged exposure to PMA (3-20 hr). The marked susceptibility to down-regulation displayed by PKC-alpha and -delta was accompanied by an enhanced secretory response to norepinephrine as compared with control cells. Further, the selective PKC inhibitors Ro 31-8220 and CGP 41,251 also produced a concentration-dependent enhancement of norepinephrine-induced amylase secretion. Our findings suggest that PKC-alpha or -delta plays a negative modulatory role, rather than an obligatory role, in amylase secretion. Also, the localization and redistribution of PKC-epsilon and -delta to the nucleus by PKC activators imply that one or both of these isozymes may regulate such processes as cellular proliferation and/or differentiation.     

A Moloney murine leukemia virus-based retroviral vector pseudotyped by the insect retroviral gypsy envelope can infect Drosophila cells

The gypsy element of Drosophila melanogaster is the first retrovirus identified so far in invertebrates. Previous data suggest that gypsy ENV-like ORF3 mediates viral infectivity. We have produced in the 293GP/LNhsp701ucL.3 human cell line a Moloney murine leukemia virus-based retroviral vector pseudotyped by the gypsy ENV-like protein. We have shown by immunostaining that the gypsy envelope protein is produced in 293GP/LNhsp701ucL.3 cells and that vector particles collected from these cells can infect Drosophila cells. Our results provide direct evidence that the infectious property of gypsy is due to its ORF3 gene product.     

About the origin of retroviruses and the co-evolution of the gypsy retrovirus with the Drosophila flamenco host gene

The gypsy element of Drosophila melanogaster is the first retrovirus identified so far in invertebrates. According to phylogenetic data, gypsy belongs to the same group as the Ty3 class of LTR-retrotransposons, which suggests that retroviruses evolved from this kind of retroelements before the radiation of vertebrates. There are other invertebrate retroelements that are also likely to be endogenous retroviruses because they share with gypsy some structural and functional retroviral-like characteristics. Gypsy is controlled by a Drosophila gene called flamenco, the restrictive alleles of which maintain the retrovirus in a repressed state. In permissive strains, functional gypsy elements transpose at high frequency and produce infective particles. Defective gypsy proviruses located in pericentromeric heterochromatin of all strains seem to be very old components of the genome of Drosophila melanogaster, which indicates that gypsy invaded this species, or an ancestor, a long time ago. At that time, Drosophila melanogaster presumably contained permissive alleles of the flamenco gene. One can imagine that the species survived to the increase of genetic load caused by the retroviral invasion because restrictive alleles of flamenco were selected. The characterization of a retrovirus in Drosophila, one of the most advanced model organisms for molecular genetics, provides us with an exceptional clue to study how a species can resist a retroviral invasion.     

K-band f.e.t. amplifiers

Single-stage f.e.t. amplifiers operating in K-band have been constructed using the Varian VSX 9305 0.5 ?m-gate GaAs f.e.t. An amplifier gain of 9±1 dB was obtained over the frequency band 18.5?20.5 GHz and gain of 8±1 dB was observed from 23.0 to 26.0 GHz. An amplifier noise figure of 5.6 dB was measured at 24 GHz.     

Athermal microwave effects for enhancing digestibility of waste activated sludge

A bench scale industrial microwave (MW) unit equipped with fiber optic temperature and pressure controls within pressure sealed vessels successfully simulated conventional heating (CH, in water bath). By identical temporal heat temperature profiles for waste activated sludge (WAS) samples, evaluation of the athermal effects of MW irradiation on WAS floc disintegration and anaerobic digestion was achieved. In a pretreatment range of 50-96 degrees C, both MW and CH WAS samples resulted in similar particulate chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biopolymer (protein and polysaccharide) solubilization and there was no discernable MW athermal effect on the COD solubilization of WAS. However, biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests showed improved biogas production for MW samples over CH samples indicating that the MW athermal effect had a positive impact on the mesophilic anaerobic biodegradability of WAS. BMP tests also showed that despite mild inhibition in the first 7d, MW acclimated inoculum digesting pretreated (to 96 degrees C) WAS, produced 16+/-4% higher biogas compared to the control after 15 d of mesophilic batch digestion. However, initial acute inhibition was more severe for non-acclimated inoculum requiring recovery time that was two times longer with only 4+/-0% higher biogas production after 17d. Inoculum acclimation not only accelerated the production of biogas, but also increased the extent of the ultimate mesophilic biodegradation of MW irradiated WAS (after 15-27 d).     

Social Information-Processing Skills Training to Promote Social Competence and Prevent Aggressive Behavior in the Third Grades.

This article describes a school-based study designed to promote social competence and reduce aggressive behavior by strengthening children's skills in processing social information and regulating emotions. Three successive cohorts of 3rd graders (N = 548) from 2 schools participated. In 2000-2001, children received a routine health curriculum; in 2001-2002, students received the Making Choices: Social Problem Solving Skills for Children (MC) program; and in 2002-2003, children received MC supplemented with teacher and parent activities. Compared with children in the routine condition, children in both MC conditions were rated lower on posttest social and overt aggression and higher on social competence. Moreover, they scored significantly higher on an information-processing skills posttest. The findings suggest that prevention programs can strengthen social- emotional skills and produce changes in aggressive behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Directional core selection approach and dynamic tree reorganization for delay and delay variation multicast routing

Multicast communication constrained by end‐to‐end and interdestination delay variation is known as delay and delay variation–bounded multicast. These constraints are salient for real‐time multicast communications. In this paper, we propose a directional core selection algorithm for core selection and delay variation–bounded multicast tree generation. Another algorithm, based on k‐shortest paths, is proposed to further decrease the interdestination delay variation of the trees generated by directional core selection. We also propose the dynamic version of both algorithms that respond to dynamic join and leave requests to the ongoing multicast session by reorganizing the tree and avoiding session disruption. Simulations show that the proposed algorithms surpass existing algorithms in end‐to‐end delay, interdestination delay variation, execution time, and failure probability.