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The details of 30th Annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show that is going to be conducted in Oregon in June 2005 are discussed.

The article focuses on the different approaches of designers from Birmingham, Alabama in decorating their own Christmas trees. It states that all the designers put up Fraser firs, layered them with lights and some used tree toppers. It cites that all the designers agreed that the tree should reach the ceiling. It mentions that the color palettes should be from clear to brown to red.

Antifungal agents directed against novel therapeutic targets are required for treating invasive, chronic, and allergic Aspergillusinfections. Competitive fitness profiling technologies have been used in a number of bacterial and yeast systems to identify druggable targets; however, the development of similar systems in filamentous fungi is complicated by the fact that they undergo cell fusion and heterokaryosis.

ABSTRACTSecondary metabolites are key mediators of virulence for many pathogens. Aspergillus fumigatusproduces a vast array of these bioactive molecules, the biosynthesis of which is catalyzed by nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) or polyketide synthases (PKSs). Both NRPSs and PKSs harbor carrier domains that are primed for acceptance of secondary metabolic building blocks by a phosphopantetheinyl transferase (P-pant). The A. fumigatusP-pant PptA has been shown to prime the putative NRPS Pes1 in vitroand has an independent role in lysine biosynthesis; however, its role in global secondary metabolism and its impact on virulence has not been described. Here, we demonstrate that PptA has a nonredundant role in the generation of the vast majority of detectable secondary metabolites in A. fumigatus, including the immunomodulator gliotoxin, the siderophores triacetylfusarinine C (TAFC) and ferricrocin (FC), and dihydroxy naphthalene (DHN)-melanin. We show that both the lysine and iron requirements of a pptAnull strain exceed those freely available in mammalian tissues and that loss of PptA renders A. fumigatusavirulent in both insect and murine infection models. Since PptA lacks similarity to its mammalian orthologue, we assert that the combined role of this enzyme in both primary and secondary metabolism, encompassing multiple virulence determinants makes it a very promising antifungal drug target candidate. We further exemplify this point with a high-throughput fluorescence polarization assay that we developed to identify chemical inhibitors of PptA function that have antifungal activity.IMPORTANCEFungal diseases are estimated to kill between 1.5 and 2 million people each year, which exceeds the global mortality estimates for either tuberculosis or malaria. Only four classes of antifungal agents are available to treat invasive fungal infections, and all suffer pharmacological shortcomings, including toxicity, drug-drug interactions, and poor bioavailability. There is an urgent need to develop a new class of drugs that operate via a novel mechanism of action. We have identified a potential drug target, PptA, in the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. PptA is required to synthesize the immunotoxic compound gliotoxin, DHN-melanin, which A. fumigatusemploys to evade detection by host cells, the amino acid lysine, and the siderophores TAFC and FC, which A. fumigatususes to scavenge iron. We show that strains lacking the PptA enzyme are unable to establish an infection, and we present a method which we use to identify novel antifungal drugs that inactivate PptA.

Focuses on the construction projects of nonprofit healthcare network Providence Health Systems at its Providence Portland campus in Oregon. Actions taken by Turner Construction to modernize a power plant at Providence; Information on a cancer center being built by Andersen Construction at Saint Vincent's, sister hospital of Providence; Anticipation of Rick Staley, senior construction manager for Providence Portland, on a silver certification from the national Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design registry to be received by Providence Portland medical center.

The article presents the favorite establishments in Baton Rouge, Louisiana of Anne Connelly, owner of Ann Connelly Fine Art. She recommends the Shaw Center for the Arts, which houses the Brunner Gallery Contemporary Fine Art and Sculpture and the Manship Center. For dining, Connelly likes Tsunami Sushi, Monjunis Italian Café & Grocery and try Juban's Restaurant and Catering. For antiques, visit to Rogers & McDaniel Antiques and Interiors, Barker's Antique Jewelry and Samir Oriental Rugs.

The article presents a calendar of events and exhibitions in Southern U.S. for 2006. The Charleston Garden Festival will be held at the Middleton Place on October 19-22. The Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma will display the exhibition "In the Studios of Paris: William Bouguereau and His American Students" from September 17 to December 31. The Print Fair 2006 will be held at the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama on September 9-10.

Presents the author's ideas on beautifying her school and city. Construction of an ideal building; Concerns on people's needs.